Word of Encouragement (11/16/2021)
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, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (Rev. 7:9-10).
Now we come to the actual prayer of the great multitude in heaven: “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” What does it mean?
It means that God alone can save us. It is not something we can achieve on our own. It is not something the angels of heaven can give us. Even the divine ordinances, such as the Law and the sacrificial system, cannot help us obtain it: “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20); “...it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). Our salvation is only in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. For “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
This means we do not, and cannot, contribute anything to our salvation. We are saved by God’s grace alone (because we are totally depraved, helpless sinners), by faith alone (because even our good works are but “spectacular sins”), in Christ alone (because no one is worthy to die for our sins and give us eternal life by his perfect righteousness) so that it may be for the glory of God alone according to Scripture alone. Our faith is necessary for our salvation, and it is something we must exercise: God doesn’t believe for us; we must believe. But we cannot say we contribute anything to our salvation because we must believe. Faith is an act of dependence, an act by which we receive (not give). If anything, it powerfully demonstrates how salvation belongs to God and the Lamb, not to us in any way!
It also means that salvation is only God’s to give. How can we receive it by faith unless God gives it to us first by His grace? In this praise, God is described as the One “who sits on the throne.” He is sovereign—not only over the affairs of heaven and earth, of nations and individuals, but also in giving His salvation. He grants salvation to whomever He wills: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion” (Rom. 9:15). This is because all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23); no one deserves God’s salvation. Our sovereign God is generous in granting salvation. The great multitude in heaven is “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages” (v. 9). The multitude is so great that no one can number (v. 9). But not all are saved. “[T]he reprobate, who are wicked and disobedient” are damned forever for the manifestation of the glory of His justice (WCF, XXXIII:2). How grateful we must be for our salvation! We have nothing to boast of but everything to be grateful for.
But God does not grant salvation by a mere exercise of His sovereign will and authority; He saves us through the Lamb. God does not just wave His royal scepter and announce His forgiveness to sinners. That would be unjust and wicked. As a just God, He cannot let any sin go unpunished; His justice must be satisfied. This is why the way of His salvation is so “complicated.” The Lamb of God must come into the world, suffer, die, and rise again from the dead to deal with our sin problem, which He did! Let us remember how great His suffering was, how costly His sacrifice was, for our salvation. Does He not deserve our praise and thanksgiving? How can we not cry out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb”? Would you take a moment to do that sometime today?