The Great Tribulation; The Great Celebration

Sermon From: November 1, 2009
All Saints Day
From Scripture: Revelation 7:9-17



Today’s Scripture reading from the Book of Revelation refers to a Great Tribulation and a Great Celebration. Let’s first consider the Great Tribulation.

In the original language of the New Testament, the word tribulation meant pressure that results in crushing an object. Tribulation then was used to describe affliction, devastation, destruction, and suffering.

In Matthew 24:21, Jesus used the term great tribulation in one of his final sermons before his death. He said that before the end of the world, there will be a time of destruction and calamity that no one has ever experienced.

Even people who aren’t Christian sense that some kind of doomsday is in store for the human race.

On All Saints Day in 1945, nuclear scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in Los Alamos, New Mexico shared the sentiments of Albert Einstein and other physicists working on the Manhattan Project that it would only be a matter of time before many nations would get their hands of nuclear bombs. Everyone who heard his statement knew the implications. There would be world wide devastation like never before seen.

The United States and the United Nations are very concerned that if countries like Iran and North Korea develop nuclear warheads, the world could explode like a fire works factory. It takes only one maniac leader with a nuclear arsenal to set the world on fire.

And do I need to mention the fascination that Sony Pictures has generated with their film 2012 which will be released on November 13. The movie starring John Cusak is based on the Mayan calendar which stops on the date we call December 2012.

There is also the other fear factor of global warming which almost every elementary school child can now explain about how a rise in world temperature will cause coastal flooding and monster hurricanes that we have not seen the likes of.

What Did Jesus Say?

There are at least a couple of major differences between the End of the World scenarios described and what the Bible says. The nuclear war ending involves nation against nation. The 2012 and global warming descriptions involve nature or humans’ abuse of nature.

Jesus said the Great Tribulation is not either or. The end of the world won’t be caused by just warfare or by just nature unleashing itself. The end of the world will involve both wars and nature. There will be earthquakes as well as world wide conflict among nations.

Another difference between the Great Tribulation described by people and the Great Tribulation described in the Bible is that the Great Tribulation described in the Bible has God being in control. The Great Tribulation described by people has the underlying assumption that everything is out of control. If you read the Book of Revelation, in a rather eerie way, the end of the world takes place in a very orderly manner. There the white horse that is released first, then a red horse, then a black horse, and so forth. Like a General Patton, God sends out His forces in a carefully planned out manner.

Another difference between Great Tribulation predictions and what the Bible teaches is that the Bible points out that believers in Christ will be especially persecuted and martyred. Forces opposing Christ will seek out to torment followers of Jesus. Many disciples will lose their lives for the sake of Christ.

But this then brings us to the Great Celebration that follows the Great Tribulation. This is where Revelation 7 comes in. It describes the glorious joy that will follow the Great Tribulation.

White Robes: Revelation 7:9

A first description is that those Christians who lost their lives during the Great Tribulation will be wearing white robes. In Roman times, generals who were victorious in battle would wear white robes when they celebrated their victory. Among other significances, a white robe then meant triumph.

Palm Branches: Revelation 7:9

Besides wearing white robes, the Christians who died during the Great Tribulation will be waving palm branches. About 150 years before the birth of Jesus, there was a cruel and malicious leader who lived in Syria named Antiochus Epiphanes. When Jewish patriots overthrew his troops in Jerusalem, the Jewish people waved palm branches in celebration of their victory. Of course, palm branches were waved when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, too, which also signified that Jesus is the triumphant Messiah.

Day and Night Service to God: Revelation 7:15

This verse reminds us that heaven will not be a place where we will loaf around doing nothing all day long. Oh, shucks! Some of us may be thinking. No, we will be active. We will be energetically serving the Lord day and night. We won’t dread going to work because of overly critical bosses or lazy employees. Work in heaven will be delightful and uplifting. We will serve the Lord day and night because Jesus our Lord served us day and night and because God watches over us day and night.

Sheltered by the Lord: Revelation 7:15

In the original language of the New Testament, the word shelter meant a tent. It meant covering from the extreme heat during the day and protection from the cold air and howling winds at night. In Revelation 7:15 God promises to keep His faithful from being burned by the sun or being chilled by the wind. God also puts a tent over our heads and shields to keep the wind out, too. Jesus is our protective tent. This we don’t have to wait until heaven to receive. Jesus is already serving as our shelter.

The Lamb Becomes The Shepherd: Revelation 7:17

The Bible in a number of places makes this dramatic point that the God takes the sacrificial lamb and transformed that lamb to become the Shepherd. This is exactly what Jesus did. He was the lamb that would give his life for the flock, and then God elevated Him to be our shepherd.

No More Crying Because of Sorrow: Revelation 7:17

There are a lot of things to weep over. The inevitable outcome that one day almost every technologically advanced nation will have a nuclear weapon. The fact that we as sinful humans have not been good stewards of God’s creation. The reality that many have either rejected or have not heard about Jesus our Messiah.

In spite of our many sorrows, God is already wiping the tears from our eyes. He has given us Jesus Christ who experienced the greatest tribulation of all time when He suffered and died on the cross and who experienced the great celebration of all time when He rose triumphantly from the dead. We don’t have to wait until heaven to begin enjoying the victory He has already given us.

If the Great Tribulation comes after our time here on earth or if the Great Tribulation comes while we are still here, we have the assurance that God is in our presence. He is with us through His Holy Spirit. The body and blood of Jesus are present with us at Holy Communion. The Lord is present when we are alone and when two or three gather in His name.

Even in the Great Tribulation, there is great celebration.

Amen.