Revelation 7:13-14 “And one of the elders said to me: “Do you know who these are who are clothed in white robes and where they came from?” I said to him: “Sir, you know.” He said to me: “These are they who are coming out of the great tribulation, and who have washed their robes, and have made them white through the power of the blood of the Lamb.”
Why are white robes so important? White was the symbol of victory and of celebration. Triumphant generals would parade through the streets dressed in white robes. Even today in Ghana, Christians wear white at Christmas and Easter and wear black and white for Christian funerals. Parents who are celebrating baby naming ceremonies dress in white outfits and dress the baby in white as well. In the ancient world, it was forbidden to approach a god or a ruler with clothes that were not clean. Traditionally, those who were being baptized were given new white robes to signify that they were now living new lives. Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool.” God takes us with our sins and cleanses us completely, if we will only ask Him to do so.
Where have all these people come from? They have come out of “the great tribulation.” This is suffering such as has never been seen before in the world. Jesus described that suffering to his disciples: “For at that time there will be great tribulation, unmatched from the beginning of the world until now, and never to be seen again. If those days had not been cut short, nobody would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21 – 22
To many of us, talking about blood is off – putting. We need to overcome our squeamishness, because the Bible speaks a great deal about blood. Barclay explains it this way:
… To us blood indicates death, and certainly the blood of Jesus Christ speaks of his death. But to the Hebrews the blood stood for the life. That was why the orthodox Jew never would–and still will not–eat anything which had blood in it. The blood is the life and the life belongs to God; and the blood must always be sacrificed to him. The identification of blood and life is not unnatural. When a man’s blood ebbs away, so does his life. When the New Testament speaks about the blood of Jesus Christ, it means not only his death but his life and death. The blood of Christ stands for all Christ did for us and means for us in his life and in his death…
Barclay continues: There are four ideas here, the first being the main idea from which the others spring.
(i) The main idea is based on sacrifice. Sacrifice is essentially something designed to restore a lost relationship with God. God gives man his law; man breaks that law; that breach of the law interrupts the relationship between God and man; and sacrifice is designed to atone (pay) for the breach and to restore the lost relationship. The great work of Jesus Christ in his life and in his death is to restore the lost relationship between God and man.
(ii) This work of Christ has something to do with the past. It wins for man forgiveness for past sins and liberates(frees) him from his slavery to sin.
(iii) This work of Christ has something to do with the present. It gives a man here and now, upon earth, in spite of failure and of sin, a new and intimate relationship with God, in which fear is gone and in which love is the bond.
(iv) This work of Christ has something to do with the future. It frees a man from the power of evil and enables him to live a new life in the time to come.
Traditionally, the Jews made blood sacrifices of animals as a demonstration of repentance for sins. But the blood of a lesser animal, no matter how perfect, can never completely wipe out a man’s sins. Only one perfect sinless man could die for another’s sins. When Jesus died on the cross on Calvary, he shed his blood for the sins of the whole world, for all those who would believe in him. No other sacrifice could have accomplished this. Because of Jesus’s shedding of his own blood, we have forgiveness of sins and peace with God. Jesus has opened the way to heaven for all who will believe in him.
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus to live as a man and to die for our sins. Thank you that Jesus has conquered death and the grave. Thank you that if we believe in what Jesus has done for us and confess our sins to you, you will forgive us and clean us completely. Help us to truly follow you. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.
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