October 14th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

“Experiencing God in the midst of an assembly, the gathered people of God – His church – is like hearing God in concert. We all, in different ways, experience God throughout our day as individuals: in our private devotional life, in the beauty of nature, and in our acts of service to the poor. But as wonderful and necessary as these experiences are, they do not replace the experience of God in concert. Like an iPod or portable music player, they replicate the music of the concert experience, but they cannot replace the concert itself. God is a master musician, and He is best experienced live in concert.

I’d like you to think about heaven for a moment. When the curtain is pulled back and we get a glimpse into the world of heaven in the book of Revelation, we see an enormous assembly-  a concert of living creatures, elders, and people of every tribe, nation, and tongue gathered together around the throne of God (Rev. 4-5; 7; 14). Heaven is not presented as a private recital of God’s glory. It’s not an individualistic experience. When the Bible speaks about the end-time return of Jesus Christ, we are told it is the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19) – a giant, celebratory, communal feast, not a series of private picnics. It’s a community experience…

When we assemble together as the church, we re-create the concert of heaven here on earth. Hebrews 12:18-29 teaches us that the gathering of God’s people is a re-creation of this heavenly experience. Just as Israel gathered around the temple and the tabernacle to re-create their foundational assembly at Mount Sinai, we do something similar when we gather as an assembled church. Instead of re-creating the assembly on Mount Sinai, we join our worship to the eternal worship of the assembled in heaven (Heb. 12:22-29). Because we have come near to God in this heavenly assembly, we should ‘worship God with reverence and awe.’ (v. 28)” [Samra, 32-33]

This quote comes from an excellent book written by my parents’ pastor and friend, pastor Jim Samra from Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His book, The Gift of Church, is an excellent read – highly recommend it! And *pssst* – tomorrow on Scripture Dig we’ll be announcing a giveaway of this book, if you’d like to try to win a copy for yourself! You might also want to consider purchasing a copy as a gift – this is pastor appreciation month, after all! :)

October 11th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

Missed any of the Revelation posts? You can find them all indexed here.

Last week we started looking at what I think is one of the most beautiful descriptions of worship in the New Testament, Revelation 7:9-17.

This passage is so striking to me.

A multitude of people from every tribe and tongue and people worshiping around the throne. These people had lived through many of the horrors of the tribulation – political upheaval (Rev. 6:2), wars and unprecedented bloodshed (Rev. 6:3), widespread famine (Rev. 6:5-6), deaths of unfathomable numbers of people worldwide (Rev. 6:7-8), horrific persecution against those who had come to faith in Christ (Rev. 6:9-10), an earthquake unlike any earthquake the world had seen before that moved every mountain and island from their places (Rev. 6:12, 14) and terrifying changes in the sun, moon, stars, and atmosphere (Rev. 6:12-14).

Sometime during these years of terror these individuals had realized that God was judging the earth – and instead of raising fists of rebellion to His face, they bowed their knees and clung to Christ Jesus as their only hope. They probably lost their lives because of their trust in Christ.

They had experienced so much pain, so much suffering… if there was ever a group of people who could have responded with the proverbial, “how could a good God allow this?”… but they don’t.

These people understand what they deserve – they have seen and experienced the wrath of God first hand. They were almost too late, but God in His rich mercy saved them. The astonishing reality of that moves them to worship with all that they are. They worship with one theme – “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

The amazing thing is… what they have been given is so much more than just not suffering the punishment for their sin.

Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God

and serve him day and night in his temple;

and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.

Never again will they hunger;

never again will they thirst.

The sun will not beat upon them,

nor any scorching heat.

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.”

Revelation 7:15-17

Remember, God Himself is the real treasure. He gathers these precious souls into His presence and shelters them. Those who suffered through brutal famine will hunger no more. Those who have lived in a world ravaged by war, earthquakes, and natural disasters will never have the sun beating down on their weary backs again. The Lamb Himself will shepherd them… God Himself will wipe away the tears from their eyes.

As I stated last week, I have come to see the tribulation as a time of incredible mercy in the midst of God’s wrath. Even as He begins to pour out rightly deserved judgment on the earth, He also is drawing many who will humble their hearts to Himself. When He could choose to immediately destroy the earth with no warning, He delays seven additional years.

This multitude is rich evidence that we serve a merciful and gracious God. A God who does not give us what we rightly deserve when we take refuge in Him. A God who not only spares us from judgment, but gathers us gently to Himself, shelters us, cares for us, shepherds us, and wipes away the remnants of our suffering.

October 7th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

Today we continue on in Revelation 7 and have finally arrived at a passage which surely is one of my favorites in the entirety of Scripture. [Missed any of the Revelation posts? You can find them all indexed here.]

After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

And they cried out in a loud voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God,
who sits on the throne,
and to the Lamb.”

All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”

Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?”

I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “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.

Therefore,
“they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple;
and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.
Never again will they hunger;
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat upon them,
nor any scorching heat.
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.”

Revelation 7:9-17

Now, because this passage is just so strikingly beautiful and I simply cannot bear to rush through this post, I’m not going to give you any of my thoughts today. What I would encourage you to do is to read this passage yourself a few times, preferably in a few different translations (out of your own print Bibles or use something like www.biblegateway.com to easily access various versions). Savor it.

And ponder:

1. Just picture what this will look like! A great multitude so vast we wouldn’t even be able to quantify how many people are there. Individuals from every nation, every tribe, every people, every language. Redeemed in vast diversity gathered around the throne consumed with one focus: worship.

2. Imagine what this will sound like! This vast sea of people crying out in unison, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” Then in response, all the angels falling on their faces and saying, “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

3. Notice that this multitude of the Redeemed is specifically described as having come out of the great tribulation (v. 14) – apparently, these individuals died as a result of the tribulation judgments or persecution. Considering the judgments that have already occurred on the earth, how do you think the amazing promises of vs. 15-17 would be particularly meaningful to them?

4. Typically when we think of the great tribulation, we only associate it with God’s judgment and wrath. I am convinced that these seven years are also an evidence of God’s great mercy – these judgments serve as a wake-up call, a warning before all time has run out, a window of time allowing for repentance. Many will harden their hearts and turn their backs on God in a final act of rebellion, but the 144,000 and these individuals in the vast multitude in Revelation 7 remind us that many will hear and soften their hearts before it is too late. Does viewing the tribulation in this light change your perspective of God’s judgments?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on these things… won’t you click over to the KristiStephens.com facebook page and share in today’s discussion thread? If you aren’t already a “friend” on facebook, I’d love to see you join our little facebook community. It’s so fun to see your profile pics and become familiar with your names, and I love sharing favorite verses, quotes, links and just interacting with all of you there! :)

August 17th, 2010 by Kristi Stephens

Last week we looked at the Revelation of the Lamb in Revelation 5:5-7. His appearance on the scene is the source of tremendous comfort both to the Apostle John and also to us  – He is the only one worthy to rule and reign over His created universe! He is the only One who can banish sin and the curse and restore everything to its intended state. He is our only hope!

When we realize that He truly is our only hope, when we recognize how worthy He truly is, there is only one possible response for those who have bowed the knee to Him as Lord!

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.

And they sang a new song:

“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you purchased men for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation.
You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they sang:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

Revelation 5:8-14

Once we have come face to face with the Lamb, we are compelled to worship.

To fall down in awe.

To offer Him all that we are.

Often when I read this passage I think that we really have no idea what real worship is. Sometimes I wonder if we really know who He is. How can we offer Him trite, half-hearted, or self-centered rituals and refer to them as “worship?”

He is worthy of much more than that.

I’d encourage you to spend some time pondering this passage from Revelation 5-  pondering who He is, how worthy He is, what He is worthy of, and how we should respond to that truth. You might also consider our past discussions from the Psalms of what praise and worship truly is. You can also download it as a free ebook here.