Stroll through Scripture for August 17, 2025

Based on Revelation 7:9-17

John’s vision starts to grow beyond just the court of heaven with the heavenly creatures.  Now people are there.  And just a select few.  John makes sure we know there are no exclusions – “From every nation, from all the tribes and peoples and languages.”  There’s no asterisk there with a listing of the people and groups that are excluded.  There’s no talk about excluding people based on race or sexuality or gender identity or legal status or housing status or economic status or nationality or any of the other ways that humans like to divide people and determine a hierarchy of worthy and worthiness. 

In verse 9, John shares what he sees – this great multitude standing “before the throne and the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.”  John is drawing on the imagery of Jesus triumphant entry in to Jerusalem where the crowds are shouting Hosanna!  

The difference being that the crowd in Jerusalem wanted blood and thought salvation was more of a political notion than something much bigger.  They wanted political freedom from the Roman Empire and thought Jesus might deliver that for them, which is why they were cheering him.  In less than a week though, that same cheering crowd turns on him and gets their blood – his.  

Again John gives us an image of angels worshipping and singing.  They are attributing to God all the things that were often attributed to Caesar – “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might.” 

In verse 13 the question comes up – who are these dressed in white?  They are the martyrs who died for the faith.  They are the ones the empire has killed.   Their clothes have been washed with the blood of Jesus and they are deemed clean.  

And then John gives us a song that he’ll come back to again later in Revelation.  A song that in some ways reminds us of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount.  We’ll hear these same phrases again in Revelation 21 and 22 when John unveils the New Jerusalem.  

Questions for further reflection:

• John makes it pretty clear that no one is excluded from worshipping at the throne of God.  So why do you think humanity and the church keep getting this wrong?
• John gives an image of great care for those who have suffered.  How are we called to follow this?