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1:30Will spread his tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat. For the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Question for you: Are you a person who is characterized by joy? If people were to evaluate who you were and those who know you the most, would they characterize you as a person of joy?

2:13Joyful people are the ones who are the pick-me-ups in life. Being around a joyful person helps you be joyful, helps you to take on an optimistic view of life. The opposite is true. I think many of us may have and understand, and sometimes are, downers. We go around solemn, we go around needy, we go around weighing and putting our burdens on other people, expecting them to carry us. And we can become downers. We can suck the life out of the people that God has put in our lives to minister to.

3:00And if you don't have a deep-seated joy, you can easily be one of these people. So I come back to that question: are you characterized by joy? Joy. And I'm not talking about some kind of airheaded, clueless bliss that denies reality. That's not joy. Joy doesn't go around just pretending that nothing's wrong or that life isn't heavy or that there's great distress and things to mourn over. No, I'm not talking about that kind of airheaded bliss that denies reality. I'm talking about: are you a person that has a deep-seated joy? That when you get down to the fundamentally who you are, that you are a joyful person, that there are things in your life that characterized or you are joyful over. Well, to be a person of joy, you really have to have a reason. Joy doesn't just happen in a vacuum. And if you're saying today, maybe, you know, Pastor, I am really not a joyful person.

4:19And I'd like to be. Well, I want you to pay attention today because I'm going to give you that deep-seated reason to be joyful. We can all grow. Enjoy. And here is the truth that I'll be laying before you today: this foundation for joy in anyone's life. You know, sometimes life's darkest moments can become times of greatest blessing. And the text that we're in this morning, this passage that we've been working, started last week, shows us the God who meets people in their lowest point and elevates them to the heights of joy.

5:06He can take our greatest trials and turn them into times of great joy or an occasion for great joy. That's what happens to this whole great multitude. They come out of this great tribulation, the greatest that the earth will ever see, and they step into the presence of the one who is sitting upon the throne, and they become the worship leaders of heaven. In fact, we looked at that last time, just by way of review. There is this scene of great joy that really begins in verse 9. It starts with this joyful multitude. Look back at verse 9. After these things, I looked, and behold, a great multitude. There it was, John says. Which no one could count from every nation and all the tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands. This is a joyful multitude dressed and poised and participating in great celebration. And what is the cause of it? Well, in verse 10, you see salvation's song. What are they doing? And they cry out, they are crying out with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. Salvation. That is the cause for our celebration. That is the cause for our joy. This great multitude, which no one could even begin to number, they are all saying with a loud voice, salvation. We are saved. We have been saved. Wow. We're not heading in the direction we were. We are saved and brought before this very blessed place. And the question is: who can stand before the Lord? Those who respond to Him. Those will stand before Him. Those who sing salvation's song. Salvation to our God. Do you rejoice in your salvation? These people did.

7:23The third part of this scene of great joy is the angelic worship that follows. The angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, Amen, blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen. Angelic worship. So, this scene of great joy, those who came out of this great multitude, those who had come out of this great tribulation, who no doubt participated in some of the wicked deeds, some of the grossest deeds in human history. And yet they were brought out by God's great grace. And now they stand before the throne, and now they're leading. They understand salvation on a depth that the angels don't. And they see and they rejoice, they sing the song, and then they become the worship leaders in heaven.

8:30That's the joy. And then this whole, what is it? What is this cause of their joy? What is the cause of this heavenly eruption in joy? Well, it's the joy in God's salvation. Everyone's watching it. Those who participated in it, the angels who behold it, they all become rejoice in God's salvation. Do you rejoice in God's salvation? Do you know his salvation? Many of us may intellectually say, Yeah, I'm saved, but is your heart really anchored there? Do you really, have you really taken in what has been accomplished in your salvation? These people did. And it was a cause of great joy. And that joy is available to them. That joy is available to us. And I look forward to walking you through the rest of this passage this morning.

9:33Because what starts out as the joy of salvation really gets further explained as the journey of salvation. Look at verse 13. This scene of great joy leads one of the elders to a joyful desire to explain. Look at verse 13. Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they and where they come from? In other words, he's just watched this huge eruption of heavenly worship of all the angels. And then one of the elders comes over and says, Look at these.

10:16Look at this great multitude clothed in white. Who are they, John? And where have they come from? It's like there is great joy in this elder's voice and countenance. He's like, I want to tell you who these are. John, focus your attention on this. Who are they? Let me explain the reason for this great joy. And that's what we're going to have in the rest of our passage this morning: the explanation of why there is such joy.

10:50And he asked John, where are they from? Who are they? And where do they come from? He's excited. Notice something. That a journey is involved here. They have come from some place, and they have arrived at some place. Now, John is sitting there, he's witnessing where they've arrived at. They've arrived at the throne, but they've come from someplace. A journey is involved. So last week, we looked at salvation's joy. This week, we'll look at salvation's journey, or the journey of God's salvation. And I want you to see this journey of salvation so that your salvation will be your strength. The joy of your salvation will become your strength. I'll tell you what, you cannot keep a joyful people down.

11:55And I'll tell you, but joy doesn't just happen. Clueless bliss or a denial of reality. No joy is much more deeply seated than that. And your salvation is a well spring, it is the fount of living waters. From that comes the joy of heaven and a joy that will cause you to celebrate as you walk through this life and even through times which are anything but occasions to celebrate. If you'll learn, if the joy of your salvation will be your strength, you will be a source of life and blessing to others as you journey through even some of the most difficult times.

12:53So, what we want to do this morning is explain this journey of God's salvation. And here's the whole outline up on the screen. First of all, salvation is from something. Second, salvation is by something. Third, salvation is for something. Fourth, salvation is into something. And number five, salvation is to something. And each one of these carry a different nuance of salvation at each one. One of these. Every single one of them is an occasion for great joy. And so I just want to begin, and we'll just walk through these one by one. First of all, salvation is from something. And don't worry, if you didn't get it all, they'll all get put back up there. Salvation is from something.

13:52Look back at verse 14. Look at John's answer. I said to him, My Lord, you know. In other words, the elder is saying, Who are these people? Where do they come from? John's like, You know, and you want to tell me. Please tell me. My Lord, you know. And he said to me, These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. Sir, you know the answer to your question. It's not me. John is seeing them at the point of their destination. He doesn't see where they have originated from. There's all these refugees coming from somewhere. It's like they've gotten on the train in one place and now they're getting off in mass. And John is saying, Where? John says, I don't know. And the elders are saying, they've come out of the great tribulation.

14:48And the action of the verb is, they are coming out. John is seeing wave after wave of this great multitude that is in the process of coming out of sorrow. Something. What are they coming out of? They've already started coming out. The full crowd hasn't assembled. They are coming. They are coming out of the Great Tribulation. So it's clear that the Great Tribulation is already underway. And what is this Great Tribulation? Well, there's really several options, but one that I think clearly fits the context here and all that's been said in Revelation. But some take the Great Tribulation as the whole of human life, making it mean all of this life is just one great big tribulation. So they kind of broadbrush away the specifics of the language and don't tie it to anything specific. Human life is just one big battle between good and evil, and it's just one big tribulation, one great tribulation. And all of us must pass through this time of good and evil and being tempted and tried. Well, I agree that life is full of tribulation. Jesus promised that.

16:08But to say that life is the great tribulation is, first of all, a very pessimistic view of life and a very unbiblical one. Life is grace, the grace of life. Nancy and I, we're married. We're heirs of the grace of life. That's how it's a privilege to be alive. Life is a gift. Life is a blessing. Yes, there's tribulation. But there's also greater tribulation through it. Sometimes are more difficult than other times, but that's not life. Life isn't just one big, great, it's not the great tribulation. Yes, we'll experience tribulation, but then there's also this other view that take the Great Tribulation to be the whole church age. Basically, the last 2,000 years are the Great Tribulation. Well, again, I think this is a very poor way to view the church age. The church is, yes, there's a lot of tribulation. Yes, for sure. But the church age is also a time of light, a time of blessing, a time of the gospel going forth, a time of the harvest coming in. It is not the great tribulation.

17:32It is a time of blessing. Besides, there are places and pockets within the church age that are more tumultuous than others at times. In fact, I think we'd be very shallow here in America right now to say, I'm in the great tribulation. And yet, if you take either of these views, you have placed yourself right in the middle of the great tribulation, and it is. Certainly a poor way to think about the church age. Yes, there are pockets and places that involve greater distress than others.

18:13But the Bible does differentiate between tribulation in a general sense and tribulation in a very specific sense. And the language is very emphatic here. These are the ones who have come out of the tribulation. It's really, the Greek would be, they have come out of the tribulation, the great one. The tribulation, the great one. And that's the expression. And Jesus is the one who coined this expression. In Matthew 24, 21, he speaks of a very specific time of great, the great tribulation.

18:54In Matthew 24, 21, after the abomination of desolation takes his stand, then Jesus says, For then there will be a great tribulation, such as not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever will. And he goes on to describe some of that. But I'll save some of that for another time. But looking at Revelation 7:14, it's clear that the great tribulation is something already. Underway. And Jesus, and even, listen, by the way, even if you don't agree with me that the Great Tribulation is something futuristic or something in the future, that's fine. I don't want you to miss the emphasis here. The emphasis isn't so much the timing of the Great Tribulation, but the God behind, but the God who is bringing salvation out of it. It's about the God, it's about God's character, it's about salvation. And so, even if you don't agree with my futuristic view of the Great Tribulation, understand that timing is secondary. I don't want you to miss the great joy in God's salvation that's being shown here, regardless if it's then, there, when, wherever. What's being exciting here is the God who delights in saving people.

20:36And it's clear that Jesus described this great tribulation as the greatest that humanity would ever face. And yet, look at what's coming out of this: a great multitude being saved and joyful in the presence. Of God Almighty. Yeah, salvation is from something. It is from sin. These are coming out of the great tribulation. Salvation is from sin. It is from sin's penalty. It is from sin's domination. Salvation is from sin and all of its tentacles. And these have come out of this great tribulation where the flesh has become king, where the beast is going to rule and reign, where for a time and season he is going to have authority over the earth, where his deception is going to be great.

21:50And yet there are those who are saying, you know what? I'm coming out of that. I'm coming out of the guilt and shame of my sin, and I am coming out from under sin's domination over my life. Yes. And just right there, what a blessing. Listen, if God just left us to ourselves, we could become monsters. And some of us already know what we can become. Blessed are you if God has shown you your need for Him.

22:35But salvation, what a blessing to be saved, what you might have become. Let that start increasing your joy right there. If you are saved, you're not on a trajectory to becoming what you could have. You're not on a trajectory to full expression of sin, but quite the opposite. You have been saved from that whole direction to another. But next, I want you to see specifically how these people have come out of this great tribulation. The elder wants to explain how they came out, not just that they came out, but how they come out or are coming out. So, salvation is not only from something, but it is also by something. Salvation is also by something. Look back at verse 14.

23:38These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. And they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. They've done two things: they have washed their robes and have whitened them, or they have made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Salvation is by the blood of the Lamb. So it gets rid of these filthy robes that are not fit for a person to stand in before the one sitting upon the throne.

24:12Salvation is by the way of the blood, by faith and repentance. You see, there are those in chapter 6 with the sixth seal, they understood that who the Lamb was, they understood who the one sitting upon the throne was, and they understand that the great day of their wrath has come, but they don't repent. That's a demonic kind of belief. Yeah, we believe in God, but do not bow to him as such. Do not have any affection for him as such.

24:51But these are ones who have come out, they have washed and whitened. It speaks of a point in time, two actions. Yeah, it's interesting. You don't really think of blood as a cleansing agent, do you? When you go wash your clothes, you don't throw your clothes in a bunch of blood, do you? Well, but that's the picture here. The Lamb's blood has cleansing properties. The Lamb's blood cleanses the soul. His death, his blood, is the medium to remove. Stain and to whiten, to remove the guilt of sin and the offense of sin, and to put in you the righteousness of Christ.

25:44Washed. Who are they? They have washed their robes. Have you washed your robes? Have you washed your soul? And the death of Christ. Washed involves the removal of sin, the guilt of sin, the filth. You see, the blood, it's like water. It takes the dirt away when you're washing your clothes. You think about what Christ's death on the cross did. Is that now by being in union with him, by being in union with his death on the cross, I am now in contact with the medium that removes the guilt of sin.

26:35So my filth is imputed to him. And then he goes and he dies. And he takes away that guilt. Substitution, my sin is imputed to him. Just like dirt is imputed into the water that you put in your water, and it takes it away. That's what being washed is about. But they're also whitened. Their robes have been washed. They washed their robes. They have come to faith and understanding and why Christ died. Have you understood that?

27:19You need a place where your sin can go, where it is removed from you. But you also need something imputed to you, something to whiten you. That's the idea, the washed and whitened. Whiten is another agent used in whitening clothes. And the metaphor points to the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us. And it's an imputation that comes by virtue of being in union with him. These aren't these robes don't reflect just, they reflect their own deeds, but it's a deed that is done in union with Christ.

28:07They have done by virtue of Christ's Spirit. So they, their sin has been imputed to Christ by virtue of being in union with him at the point of his death. Then Christ's life is imputed. His righteousness is imputed to us by virtue of union with his. Him and his resurrection. And now we have that spirit of Christ living in us. And so that shapes us, that makes it helps us make decisions that are pleasing to him. It is by his work. So there's an imputation of both our sin and his righteousness. So the journey of death to life, from death to life, from eternal condemnation to everlasting blessing began with a realization of filth, a realization of a need for cleansing.

29:14And so it's clear that God has left them a witness. This fifth seal, we saw all these martyrs under the altar who died for the word of God and the testimony. God has left a testimony explaining why Christ died. And then this 144,000, he's going to keep bringing people to himself through this great tribulation through the witness of the 144,000 and others that are going to arise on the scene. So salvation is from something and by something. But you know, you're never going to be saved if you don't come to the realization that it is your filth, it is your Sin that has caused a separation between you and God. And that if you keep going down your path of sin, you will do the unthinkable and grow harder and harder in your thoughts toward God.

30:17And sometimes God allows us to go far enough into sin so that we will realize our sinfulness. Have you realized your sinfulness? Have you realized your need to be forgiven, cleansed, and whitened? Well, then, come to him where you are. This is where the journey begins. But it is certainly not where it ends. Salvation is not only being saved from something, from sin and sin's dominion, it is being saved by something, by Christ's blood, by his sacrifice.

31:04But it's also for something. Salvation is for something. Look back at verse 15. For this reason, ah, there's a reason. For this reason, they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple. They have come out from sin and sins done. Dominion. They have been washed and whitened in the blood of Christ. And now they are before the throne of God. And they serve Him day and night. They are serving Him day and night.

31:50He has saved them for useful service. From that's what salvation is. Saved into useful service, from being a force of evil to being a force for good. That ought to give you reason to celebrate right there in salvation. From being useless to being helpful on an eternal scale. From destroying the things of God to strengthening the things of God. From stealing from one another to contributing that which is beneficial and lasting. From opposing Christ on earth to leading worship in heaven. That's where these guys went from. This whole great multitude. They went from opposing Christ on earth to leading worship in heaven. Now that is amazing. Useful service.

33:00You see, this great multitude, they're more than just objects of pity. And get this. They're not just objects of pity. They are instruments that bring great joy to God Almighty. They are his works. He takes great delight in them. And all of heaven delights in them. These are not just objects of pity. They are instruments in great joy in heaven. Salvation is for something very noble, very wonderful. And to think these individuals who now, who once opposed Christ on earth, are now contributing to the joy of heaven.

33:50That in itself, from useless service to something very meaningful, that's what salvation is for. Same for you and me. From being alienated from God to being in close proximity with Him. I love this. I encourage you to come back and hear Jonathan Houston's message about the generosity of God. I heard it last week in the workshop. But God loves to give the wages. To the workers that come late, as great as the workers that come early. And what a beautiful picture. These coming out of this great tribulation, they get full and abundant wages.

34:47Oh, it's beyond. Do you see the God who's being revealed here in the text? It is the God who we take delight in and we can be joyful about. It is the God behind this great salvation that is from sin and sin's dominion, that is by the blood of his Lamb of God, and it is for useful service. All of these should give you great pause and great reason to have joy every day of your life, and I don't care what you're facing.

35:33And until you get this, you never will be characterized as a person of joy. It'll always be some other reality, some other surface thing that brings you joy. But those who grasp these truths, a deep-seated joy takes hold. But it doesn't stop. Salvation is. Not only from something, by something, for something, it's also into something, into something. Salvation is into the family of God. Question, here's got this great multitude of refugees coming from earth's shores. They're arriving in heaven at a number, it can't even begin to be counted. And the question is: how are they going to be received? Yeah, we got some. We've got a space way back here, way on the other side of Pluto, way out. We can put you off someplace. No, they're right there in the presence of it all.

36:40Look at where they're saved. They're saved into the closest fellowship with the Father. Look at the Father's reception here. For this reason, back in 15. They are before the throne of God, and they will serve him day and night in his temple. And get this. And he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. This is an incredible statement about the Father's joy. The Father is delighted to receive them. They come front and center right to the throne, right before the throne, and he is so delighted that he spreads his canopy or his cover. The idea is he will dwell with them. This is the group. I mean, what a reception.

37:28They're not just objects. Of pity. They are objects that God takes great delight in. He wants to be in proximity to them. You remember last week we started looking at Luke 15 and the joy that Jesus describes in heaven. The joy when a sinner repents and turns to God, there is joy. There is the joy of the lost sheep. There is the joy of the lost coin, and the angels rejoicing over one sinner who repents. And then all of a sudden you have this scene of this great multitude and this eruption of joy in heaven. If they get all excited about one coming, how much more excited are they on this multitude? But then Jesus keeps going in Luke 15 to describe one more aspect of joy in heaven, and it is the Father's joy. Let me just read to you this parable. And then he said, this is the third parable in Luke 15, verse 11. A man had two sons.

38:36The younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me. So he divided his wealth between them. And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country. There he squandered his estate with loose living. So he totally spent all that God had. Had given him all that his father had given, he squandered his life, he squandered his resources, he squandered what could have been. Now, when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. So he went and hired himself to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. But when he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread? But I am dying here with hunger. I will get up and go to my father and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me as one of your hired men. So he got up and came to his father. Now, how did the father receive him? Listen to what Jesus says. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And the son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight, I am no longer worthy to be called your son. But the father said to his slaves, Quickly, bring out the best robe and put it on him. And put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet, and bring the fattened calf, kill him. It and let us eat and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and has come to life again. He was lost and has been found, and they began to celebrate. That's the joy of the Father. That's the joy that is graphically depicted here in Revelation 7 with this great multitude there at the front and center. There with the Father, rejoicing in their presence and glad to see them.

41:02But you know, salvation is also into the favor of the big brother. The provision of the Son. You remember in that parable in Luke 15, the older son was out in the field and said, Whoa, this isn't good. This isn't good at all. I'm angry. Became angry with the Father. This is what the Father said: Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice. I love that. We had to celebrate. We had to rejoice. For this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live.

41:48He was lost and he has been found. You see, the leading Jews of Jesus' day didn't reflect the heart of the Messiah at all. They were getting angry when sinners. We're turning to God and Christ was receiving them, they should rejoice. Righteousness being propagated on the earth. Instead, they took a really sour view of the whole scene. Does the Lamb feel threatened when the Father throws his canopy over this great multitude? No, look back. Look back at verse 16.

42:26They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore, nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat, for the lamb is in the center of the throne, will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to the springs of the water of life. This is where you see the pastoral ministry of Jesus. He is as excited about their presence as this heavenly Father is. This is true of anyone who comes to Christ. Anyone who comes to the Father through the blood of Christ comes under the pastoral ministry of Jesus. He is just as excited as the Father.

43:13Look at what. So salvation is into something. It's into the Father's joy, but it's into the pastoral ministry of Jesus. Salvation is into the Father's joy, but also the pastoral ministry of Jesus. And there, the Son has promised complete provision, complete protection. It's interesting. The Lamb is the shepherd. Did you notice that detail? That's mixing your metaphor. The lamb is usually shepherded. A lamb is usually not the shepherd. But here it is the lamb who is the great shepherd.

43:54He understands our deepest longings. He understands what it is to hunger and thirst. And these probably did hunger and thirst. The sun did beat down on them during this time. But look, we need to be forgiven. We need to belong somewhere. We need to be employed in that which is good and profitable. But beyond that, there's another need. We need to be esteemed by those we look up to the most. Let me tell you about a deep-seated need that we all have.

44:31I want to be important in the eyes of those who I think are important. You know what I'm talking about? We all have a need to be valued by the one who really matters. And here is the one sitting upon the throne. Here is the lamb whom all the angels in heaven worship. And it is both of these. That are hyper-interested in this great multitude that are coming out of this great tribulation. You can't have an expression of being more treasured, more valued than that.

45:18Here's the great truth: Your presence and mine is desired in heaven. No one is loved less. No one is left out of God's love. All are significant. Listen, his frown, just his little frown like that, is everlasting disgrace upon a soul. But his smile and his welcome is everlasting bliss. Listen, you can't be more significant, can't be more unworthy, but you cannot be more valuable either. So, salvation is from something, it is by something, it is for something, it is into the family of God, into the favor of the Father, into the loving favor of the Son. But there's one more element that you need to see before we go, and that is salvation is to something. Salvation is to something. Look at back at verse 17, look at the Very last phrase, and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Salvation is ultimately to eternal joy in Him.

46:42But look at that expression, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. What this is saying is that God is going to remove every cause of sorrow. This is one of the final installments of salvation. They have been delivered from sin and all of its associations. They have been put in a place of useful service. They have been welcomed by the highest in heaven in terms of the highest reception. They are removed from every want. They have everything. They are fully satisfied. They are invigorated with life. But there's one more thing.

47:32You think about it. God will remove every cause for sorrow. You see, without this final installment, sin's mark remains. You see, to live in an eternal state with regret and sorrow and pain and suffering and pain and sorrow and loss. Is not good. And so, what he does, God will remove it all. I don't know how, but he does. Well, it's in Christ. Someone asks, will my dog go to heaven? Ever been asked that question? I don't know.

48:22I know one of mine won't, but. But does my dog go to heaven? I don't know. Will I feel a loss for my dog? The answer is no. Because the God who created that dog, the God who would ever, the one who imagined, the one who got, you're not going to feel any loss. He's going to. What about my loved one? He will remove every, each and every tear from their eye. That's the final installment of salvation. You're not going to be living eternally in a state of regret or sorrow.

49:11Salvation has a final installment. Isn't that beautiful? He's going to make all things new. So this journey of salvation is set before us. So that we can rejoice in God and rejoice in God's salvation. Let this be your strength. You see, it's not good for you to cut your Creator out of your life in any way, shape, or form. It's not good. This is what humanity had to learn. Of course. Duh. When you cut your Creator out of the picture, you can be sure sorrow is going to happen.

50:05Duh. This is what we had to learn. You see, Creator God is a joyful person. He delights in good things. He delights in excelling expressions of goodness. And he wants to share all of these with you, and he wants to do so forever. And before we jump into what's coming next in Revelation, before we jump into the scenes of great trial and great judgment, God wants us to take in this scene, fix our minds. He has a purpose for bringing all these things up on the earth, and it's good. And it's in a desire to share his joy with humanity. But if you're going to stay hopelessly married to your sin and to the false gods of this earth, You will grow hardener and harder against him. And that's what we're going to see in Revelation. But the appeal is: look, all of this, all of this, is so that people will turn to him. A great multitude.

51:15No one can number. And God, right there. I love the scene. There he is. There's Christ right there in the midst. He's there among them. He loves to interact with them. It's like this is the whole purpose for creation. This is the heart of the heavenly Father. This is why the angels rejoice. It's just a reflection of the Father's joy. And we're invited to step into this. Those who rejoice in God's salvation are truly a special people.

51:51Will you let the joy of God's salvation be your strength? Be a person that rejoices in your salvation. And you will be a person that elevates everyone around you. And you will increase the joy of heaven itself. Don't cut your Creator out in any way, shape, or form, in any thought. Give it all to Him. What a privilege. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for these truths. Thank you for your word. We thank you that you are the God who saves. Father, forgive us for neglecting this great salvation that you've given, or to let our attention drift into other places, to get caught up in things of the day, to still be under the yoke of sin when you've called us and have made us free. Help us to use our freedom to always be rejoicing in you, increase our joy in you. In Christ's name we pray. Amen.