Easter 3 | Revelation 7:9-17 (with Nick Locke)

About this Episode

Opening Song:
There Is A King by Brandon Lake, Steven Furtick, and Tiffany Hudson

Lyrics:
There is a king seated among us
Let every heart receive Him now
Where there is praise He will inhabit
There will be grace and mercy all around

Every burden will be lifted in His presence
Every trophy will be laid down at His feet
There is a name that reigns above all others
Jesus Christ the king above all kings

Unto the lamb honor and glory
Worthy is He who overcame
Buried in shame risen in power
He is alive the stone is rolled away

All our worship will belong to Him forever
Death is conquered and our Savior holds the keys
There is a name that reigns above all others
Jesus Christ the king above all kings

It won't be long we will behold Him
And every tear He'll wipe away
We'll be at home the war will be over
Soon we will meet our Savior face to face

And all our worship will belong to You forever
Holy holy for all eternity
Yours is the name that reigns above all others
Jesus Christ the king above all kings
Jesus Christ the king above all kings

Passage:
9 After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands.

10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
Salvation belongs to our God,
who is seated on the throne,
and to the Lamb!

11 All the angels stood around the throne, and along with the elders and the four living creatures they fell facedown before the throne and worshiped God,

12 saying,
Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength
be to our God forever and ever. Amen.

13 Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from?”

14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.”
Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 For this reason they are before the throne of God,
and they serve him day and night in his temple.
The one seated on the throne will shelter them:
16 They will no longer hunger;
they will no longer thirst;
the sun will no longer strike them,
nor will any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne
will shepherd them;
he will guide them to springs of the waters of life,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.
(Revelation 7:9-17 CSB)

Musical Reflection:
“Air on the G String” from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D Major by J.S. Bach

Reflection Notes:
The slow, descending bass line creates musical “steps” in an elegant fashion while a suspended melody several octaves above creates a satisfying combination of sound registers.

Prayer:
To those who rule and lead us on the earth, you, sovereign Master, have given their authority and kingship—so marvelous that power of yours words fail to express—that seeing the glory and honor you have provided for them, we should be subject to their rule, not resisting your will. Grant them, Lord, the health, peace, concord and stability to use rightly the sovereignty you have bestowed on them. For you, King of heaven, you it is that give mortals glory, honor and power over what is on earth. Lord, make their counsels conform to what is good and pleasing to you, that using with reverence, peacefully, gently the power you have given them, they might find favor with you.