Revelation 7:9-10, “…behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’”
This is the third theme that we see sung/proclaimed around the throne of God. The first comes in 4:8-11, and the second—which is explicitly called a song—comes in 5:9 and continues, really, through v.14.
But then, in the third theme, we see those who have “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”(v.14) now standing before the throne of the One before whom they once stood as rebels, and before the Lamb whom their sins crucified—we see them now standing before God and the Lamb singing the praises of His name and proclaiming what only they can proclaim, “SALVATION belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”
The declaration of this theme could never have been apart from the slaying of the Lamb of God. It is a song of praise purchased by His agonies, purchased by His obedience, purchased by His steadfast love and faithfulness. It is from the immeasurable sorrows of Calvary that the beauty of heaven—and the new creation—chiefly (and, indeed, wholly) comes.
And here is at least one application of these thoughts: This is what will happen to all our failures, all our struggles, all our sorrows, all our brokenness, all our sickness and shame and sin and perversion and confusion…..God, in Christ, is redeeming these things, reconciling these things to Himself, mastering these things through the cross so that they too will be made to sing the salvation of our God and of His Christ!
Yes, in one way or another—and I do not presume to say how—in one way or another ALL rebellion will be made to sing the praises of the crucified and risen Lamb who is the radiance of the glory of God. Nothing and no one wins except the Lord.
