Articles
Tribulation, How About It?
The Apostle John, as he describes a vision he had of heaven recorded in Revelation 7, says there was a mass gathering of individuals in heaven praising Christ the Lamb. They are wearing white robes, and an angel asks John who they are. John answers, “Sir, you know.” The angel then says, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb...." (vs 14)
Have you ever thought about our life here on earth as being "the great tribulation"? We basically know what that word means, but we don't use it much, we normally use a more simple synonym. Tribulation would encompass trouble, worry, anxiety, burdens, suffering, affliction, hardship, tragedy, misfortune, distress, misery and several more descriptive words. And yes, that's what this life is full of, isn't it? And not just us individually, but collectively as a family of believers in the church, tribulation is a part of life.
Sure, we have some really good times, but we are never exempted from the bad ones, no matter who we are, or what we have. Our earthly lives are going to be difficult, period.
But as John continues in his writing, he says the robes of these individuals are white, because they washed them "in the blood of the Lamb". It doesn't take any effort at all to link that phrase to other Bible passages which explain how we apply the blood of Christ to ourselves through our own death to ourselves, burial in his blood, and resurrection to a new life with our sins forgiven (Rom 6:3-10) (1 Peter 3:21) (Col 2:12) (Rom 9:8) (Gal 3:26-27). We understand that white is indicative of purity, the same purity we receive when our sins are removed by Christ's blood through His death. The blood of the Lamb cleanses us, makes our dirty robes white, and allows us the assurance of Heaven, where tribulation will be no more, unlike what those who find themselves in Hell will face for eternity.
As John finishes his description, he has this to say about those who are in heaven, wearing white robes, circling the Lamb, and praising Him.
Rev 7:15-17
15 “they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne
will shelter them with his presence.
16 ‘Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,
nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb at the center of the throne
will be their shepherd;
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.'
We long for that day when we will no longer face those detrimental things we encounter on earth. But it's only through Christ that we have such assurance, and Christ demands that we be found 'in Him'.
