Every Nation, Tribe, People, and Language

Why do we do missions? It’s easy to become distracted from the real reason and think that missions is a program the church created. Even as I am preparing to go back to Romania, I even sometimes find myself having lost the passion that it is God’s very purpose that all peoples come to worship him.

At church on Sunday, we sang the song “Salvation Belongs to Our God.” The words come directly from Revelation 7:9-12. I closed my eyes as I sang. It was as though I was standing in the heavenly throne room with St. John, participating in that eternal worship to the One seated on the throne and to the Lamb who was slain. I suppose that I was participating in a microcosm of that event.

Over the past few days, I can’t stop thinking of this heavenly worship scene. In fact, I’ve read Revelation 4-7 over and over. Let me share with you parts of his vision of the heavenly throne room.

John’s vision starts out small, with just a glimpse of throne. But as the vision continues, he sees more and more worshipers around the throne.

First, there are 24 elders.
They each have a throne surrounding the Throne, and they are each dressed in white, wearing crowns of gold.

Next, there are 4 living creatures around the throne.
The Creatures Worship the One on the Throne by saying day and night,

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

The Elders Worship the One on the Throne
Each time the creatures say this, the elders fall down before the throne, laying their crowns down, and saying:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

No One is Found Worthy
When no one in heaven, on earth, or under the earth, is found worthy to open the scroll in the hand of the One on the Throne, John weeps.

The Lamb
Then it’s like there’s a new spotlight turned on, allowing John to see the Lamb who was slain, yet who has triumphed and is worthy to open the scroll. The Lamb comes and takes the scroll from the right hand of the One on the Throne (what no one else could do).

The Creatures and the Elders worship the Lamb
When they see this, the creatures and the elders, who had been continually singing the same song day and night, now sang a new song, now to the Lamb:

“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.”

Thousands of Angels Join the Worship of the Lamb

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

Every creature on heaven and earth sang:

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

After 6 of the scrolls are opened, first 144,000 were sealed from the 12 Tribes of Israel, then John sees a Great Multitude

Then a great multitude, from every nation, tribe, people and language comes before the Lamb. They wore white robes which had been washed in the blood of the Lamb. They held palm branches and cried,

“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

The angels, elders, and creatures said,

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

Because their robes were washed white in the blood of the lamb, a great multitude was able to join in worshiping the God of their salvation.

These words in Revelation have been a reminder of that great time to come when all worship will be given to the Creator of all. I long for that day when I will join those from all nations, tribes, peoples, and languages in worship of the One on the Throne and of the Lamb. What a great day that will be!

This is what joining God's mission is about -- seeing his vision and walking in faithfulness to see it come to completion.