启示录7:9-17
恩惠、怜悯和平安从父神和主耶稣基督归于你们众圣徒。阿们。
今天是教会年历中一个特别的日子，All Saints' Day诸圣日或者叫做众圣徒日。我们在这个日子特别纪念已经安息主怀的历世历代众圣徒，也思想自己作为圣徒的身份，盼望将来完全得赎的日子，将来与天使和众圣徒一起在神面前敬拜他的那日子。
约翰在领受启示录异象并且写下这卷书的时候，是被流放到拔摩的海岛上。启示录一章有给出我们这个背景。“我——约翰就是你们的弟兄，和你们在耶稣的患难、国度、忍耐里一同有分，为神的道，并为给耶稣作的见证，曾在那名叫拔摩的海岛上。”（启示录1:9）
在第一世纪教会初期，整个基督教对于罗马掌权者来说仍然是非法的、是被鄙视和迫害的，当时的皇帝，比较有名的叫尼禄Nero，和多米提安Domitian，大大逼迫基督徒，把他们扔到角斗场与野兽赤膊战斗是家常便饭。就在许多基督徒问主啊，为什么有这样的患难？你什么时候回来接我们？正当许多信徒灰心丧胆的时候，主耶稣向使徒约翰启示异象，让他把这个信息分享给众教会和圣徒，给他们安慰，坚固他们的信心，让他们继续忍耐、盼望将来得赎的日子。
约翰在我们读的启示录经文中看见什么异象？请让我再读一遍：
9 此后，我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前，身穿白衣，手拿棕树枝，10 大声喊着说：「愿救恩归与坐在宝座上我们的 神，也归与羔羊！」11 众天使都站在宝座和众长老并四活物的周围，在宝座前，面伏于地，敬拜 神，12 说：
阿们！颂赞、荣耀、智慧、
感谢、尊贵、权柄、大力
都归与我们的 神，
直到永永远远。阿们！
无数的人，来自万国万民，四面八方，站在宝座和羔羊面前。为什么人多的数不过来？并不是说神没办法数得过来，他知道得救的人数有多少。原因有二：1这是指着将来救恩计划完成之时，所有蒙拣选的圣徒都得救，来到神面前的时候的场景。而这个救恩是向普世所有人敞开的，神是不偏待人的，神爱世人，爱每一个民族、肤色、地域的人。2这是说给我们仍在地上教会的圣徒说的，我们仍处在争战、见证主道的历史进程中，我们要效法使徒约翰，“为神的道，为耶稣作见证。”好叫更多的人得救，跟我们一起有这荣耀的盼望，将来一起面见神，敬拜他。
他们手拿棕树枝，就像耶稣进入圣城时，路上的人都拿着棕树枝为他铺路一样，“救主来了，救我们吧，和撒那，奉主名来的是应当称颂的。”如今蒙恩得救的人和将来得救的人在天上宝座前喊着说：“愿救恩归于坐在宝座上我们的神，也归于羔羊！”上帝在历史当中最大的启示是救恩，如今他们围绕着宝座和羔羊，也是聚焦在这个救恩上面。为什么我们来教会？为要得着救恩，并且将救恩的荣耀归给神，将救恩的好消息分享给世人。
这些人身穿白衣，因为是“用羔羊的血把衣裳洗白净了。”中国人忌讳这个白色衣服，纯白色意味着丧事，纯红色才意味着喜事。但是你发现没有，我们的文化里面也隐约有这种痕迹，喜事需要红色、需要血、需要走红地毯并立约来成就，之前我们提过——春节的对联红色贴在门框上，当然这些都是模糊不清、甚至被扭曲的文化基因或者记忆。
圣经告诉我们，用羔羊的血这红色来洗净我们的罪和良心的不洁，让我们变成洁净、干净的了，然后就是白色，比冬天的雪还要白，还要纯洁。其实，现在中国人也逐渐能够接受了，喜事也有白色的婚纱，象征着纯洁的爱情和彼此的忠贞不二。
他们是一群被羔羊的血洗白净的圣徒，救恩是属于他们的，那些逼迫教会和圣徒的人最后都要在神面前羞愧，接受永恒的审判。无论这些圣徒经历什么样的逼迫，他们知道自己的身份，是羔羊的血所遮盖的。“坐宝座的要用帐幕覆庇他们。”神是他们的避难所，是他们的盾牌。“荣耀、智慧、尊贵、权柄、大力都归于我们的神，直到永永远远。”“阿们也归于祂。”阿们什么意思？就是是的是的，必要如此成就。神是信实的，在祂没有是而又非的，在祂都是阿们，都是“是的”（哥林多后书1:18）。
弟兄姐妹们，这也是我们的安慰，我们也会因着主的道和为主作见证受逼迫，受大患难，但我们知道我们也是被主的血洗净了的，我们凭着信心就把自己污秽的衣裳洗白净了，我们所受的洗礼就是洗净我们，拯救我们了。
我们今天会饥渴，我们会流泪，因为我们自己有时候仍然有污秽的罪需要继续洗净，“虚心的人有福了，因为天国是他们的。哀痛的人有福了！因为他们必得安慰。饥渴慕义的人有福了，因为他们必得饱足。”（马太福音5:4）
我们会流泪，因为虽然我们生活的地方有信仰自由，但同为肢体的其他基督徒在世界的许多地方都受极大的逼迫。当我们看到朋友圈新闻报道国内的牧师和教会领袖被无缘无故抓捕的时候，当我们听到怀着身孕的教会姐妹被强行带走，当我们看见牧者的妻子抱着孩子无助地流泪，眼睁睁看着自己的丈夫被戴上手铐，被人带走的时候，我们怎么能不一起流泪？我们是互为肢体，有基督作我们的头。然而我们有主的安慰：“为义受逼迫的人有福了。因为天国是他们的。人若因我辱骂你们，逼迫你们，捏造各样坏话毁谤你们，你们就有福了。”（马太福音5:10-11）
我们会流泪，因为我们是活在黑暗的世界中，这个世界缺乏公义，缺乏神的义，我们为着社区中的罪忧伤流泪，为身边人的不信、罪恶和沉沦哀痛，我们看到坏消息的新闻，看到各样的犯罪行为在社区中泛滥的时候，我们怎能不悲伤呢？义人罗得不也是为着恶人淫行而忧伤（彼得后书2:7）常常在城门口规劝所多玛城的人离弃罪恶，归向神。
主耶稣在异象中对约翰说：“他们不再饥，不再渴；日头和炎热也必不伤害他们。因为宝座中的羔羊必牧养他们，领他们到生命水的泉源；神也必擦去他们一切的眼泪。”到那日，我们就不再有罪，不再受罪的缠累了；到那日，也就不再有痛苦和悲伤了，一切都会过去，得胜的羔羊已经作王掌权，我们是祂赎买来的；到那日，一切作恶的都要受审判，要从世上除灭，承受永远的刑罚。我们被羔羊的血洁净了的，必要欢喜敬拜神。
带着这永生的盼望，带着这永不动摇的救恩，带着这夺不去的安慰，我们以不一样的生命活在地上；当世人继续贪恋钱财的时候，我们甘愿贫穷，因为贫穷的人有福了；当世人被各样的欲望捆绑的时候，我们甘愿清心，因为清心的人有福了；当世人被狂躁、不安、暴力占据的时候，我们甘愿心存温柔，温柔的人有福了；当世人被仇恨和偏见迷惑的时候，我们竭力使人和睦，因为使人和睦的人有福了，他们必称为神的儿子。
感谢上帝，我们圣徒的身份来之不易，是基督用自己的血将我们分别为圣属于祂的，求主带领我们继续以属天的圣徒身份活在地上，活在人群当中，继续为主作见证，宣扬主恩赐永生的道。奉圣父、圣子、圣灵的名。阿们。
Revelation 7:9–17
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all, saints. Amen.
Today is a special day in the church year: All Saints’ Day. On this day we especially remember all the saints of every age who have fallen asleep in the Lord, and we reflect on our own identity as saints, looking forward to the day when our redemption will be complete—when we will worship God before His throne together with the angels and all the saints.
When John received the visions of Revelation and wrote this book, he was exiled on the island of Patmos. Revelation chapter 1 gives us this background: “I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Revelation 1:9 ESV)
In the early church of the first century, Christianity was still illegal to the Roman authorities, despised and persecuted. Emperors like the notorious Nero and Domitian greatly oppressed Christians, throwing them into the arena to fight wild beasts bare-handed—this was very common. Just when many Christians were asking the Lord, “Why such tribulation? When will You come to rescue us?”—just when many believers were losing heart—Jesus revealed visions to the apostle John, so that he might share this message with the churches and the saints, to comfort them, strengthen their faith, and help them persevere in hope for the coming day of redemption.
What vision did John see in the passage we read from Revelation? Let me read it again:
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all 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, 12 saying,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Revelation 7:9–12 ESV)
A countless multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. Why is it countless? It is not that God cannot count—He knows exactly how many are saved. There are two reasons:
1. This points to the future moment when the plan of salvation is complete, when every elect saint has been saved and stands before God. This salvation is open to every person in the world; God shows no partiality; He loves the world, every nation, every skin color, every region.
2. This is spoken to us saints still in the church on earth. We remain in the midst of battle and the historical process of bearing witness to the Lord. We are to follow the apostle John, “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus,” so that more people may be saved and share this glorious hope with us—standing together before God in the future to worship Him.
They hold palm branches in their hands, just as the crowds did when Jesus entered the holy city, spreading palm branches on the road and crying, “Save us! Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Now the people who have received grace and will receive it shout before the heavenly throne: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” God’s greatest revelation in history is salvation, and now they surround the throne and the Lamb, focused on this very salvation. Why do we come to church? To receive salvation, to give the glory of salvation back to God, and to share the good news of salvation with the world.
These people wear white robes because “they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14 ESV) In Chinese culture we avoid pure white clothing—pure white means mourning in funeral, while pure red means joy. Yet notice: our culture still faintly echoes this truth. Joy requires red, requires blood, requires walking the red carpet and making covenant to fulfill it. We have mentioned before—red couplets at Spring Festival are pasted on doorframes. Of course these are dim, even distorted cultural memories.
Scripture tells us that the red blood of the Lamb washes away our sin and the defilement of our conscience, making us clean—then white, whiter than winter snow, purer still. In fact, Chinese people today are gradually accepting it: weddings now include white dresses, symbolizing pure love and faithful devotion.
They are a multitude of saints washed white in the blood of the Lamb. Salvation belongs to them. Those who persecute the church and the saints will ultimately stand ashamed before God and receive eternal judgment. No matter what persecution these saints endure, they know their identity: covered by the blood of the Lamb. “He who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.” (Revelation 7:15 ESV) God is their refuge, their shield. “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever.” “Amen belongs to Him.” What does “Amen” mean? It means “Yes, yes, it shall be so.” God is faithful; in Him there is no yes and no; in Him it is all “Amen,” all “Yes.” (2 Corinthians 1:18–20 ESV, adapted)
Brothers and sisters, this is our comfort too. We also suffer persecution for the word of the Lord and for bearing witness to Him; we pass through great tribulation. But we know we are washed clean by the Lord’s blood. By faith we wash our soiled robes white. The baptism we have received has cleansed and saved us.
Today we hunger and thirst; today we weep, because we still have daily sins that need continual washing. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” (Matthew 5:3–6 ESV, selecting v. 4 for mourning)
We weep because, although we enjoy religious freedom where we live, our brothers and sisters in Christ in many parts of the world suffer great persecution. When we see news on social media of pastors and church leaders in our home country arrested without cause; when we hear of a pregnant sister in the church forcibly taken away to jail; when we see pastors’ wives holding their children, weeping helplessly as their husbands are handcuffed and led away—how can we not weep with them? We are members of one body with Christ as our head. Yet we have the Lord’s comfort: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” (Matthew 5:10–11 ESV)
We weep because we live in a dark world that lacks justice, that lacks the righteousness of God. We mourn over sin in our communities, over the unbelief, sin, and ruin of those around us. When we see bad news, when every kind of crime floods our neighborhoods, how can we not grieve? The righteous Lot was also “greatly distressed by the sensual conduct of the wicked” (2 Peter 2:7 ESV), daily pleading at the gate of Sodom for the people to turn from sin to God.
The Lord Jesus says to John in the vision: “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.” (Revelation 7:16–17 ESV) On that day we will no longer have sin, no longer be entangled by sin. On that day there will be no more pain or sorrow; everything will pass away. The victorious Lamb has become King and reigns; we are those He has purchased. On that day every evildoer will be judged, removed from the earth, and receive everlasting punishment. We who have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb will rejoice and worship God.
With this hope of eternal life, with this unshakable salvation, with this comfort that cannot be taken away, we live differently on earth. While the world continues to lust after money, we are willing to be poor, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” While the world is bound by every kind of desire, we are willing to be pure in heart, “for they shall see God.” While the world is seized by rage, unrest, and violence, we are willing to be gentle, “for they shall inherit the earth.” While the world is blinded by hatred and prejudice, we strive to make peace, “for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:3–9 ESV, adapted)
Thanks be to God—our identity as saints did not come cheaply; Christ set us apart as His own with His blood. May the Lord lead us to continue living on earth as heavenly saints among people, continuing to bear witness for Him, proclaiming the word of His grace that grants eternal life. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.