EYES on the NATIONS: A 5-Day Journey Exploring God’s Unchanging Heart for the NationsSample

A Glorious Multi-National, Multi-Lingual, Multi-Cultural Choir

READ:

·Revelation 5:1–14

·Revelation 7:9–17

In Revelation 5, John presents us with a breath-taking snapshot of the current scene in the heavenly realm, no less real for being normally invisible to earthly eyes. It is a scene of exuberant worship, focused on the redeeming work of the Lamb of God (Jesus). All of heaven rejoices that Jesus, the Lion of Judah, is also the slain Lamb of God. And it is precisely through his sacrifice that Jesus accomplished what God had always desired: “[he] purchased people for God by [his] blood from every tribe and language and people and nation” (5:9, CSB).

In Revelation 7, this multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-lingual redeemed people is described as “a vast multitude” that stands before the Throne of God in glorious diversity: “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands” (7:9, NLT). This innumerable multitude lifts its voice in a loud roar—probably shouted in numerous languages—proclaiming: “Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” (v. 10).

This is the reality of the church that has already entered the presence of God and the Lamb. It is the reality that we are called to pursue and imitate as worshipping and missional communities in our “right here, right now” locations, and it is the eternal reality into which we are invited to enter, along with the disciple-making disciples of Jesus from every corner of the globe. Can I get an alleluia?

Did this plan encourage you to live as a disciple of Jesus? One Mission Society can help you as you continue that journey. Connect with OMS at https://onemissionsociety.org.