UBF Daily Bread

THE LAMB WILL BE THEIR SHEPHERD

Passage: Revelation 7:1~17

Key verse: 17

144,000 Sealed

7 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners^(A) of the earth, holding back the four winds^(B) of the earth to prevent^(C) any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. ²Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal^(D) of the living God.^(E) He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea:^(F) ³“Do not harm^(G) the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads^(H) of the servants of our God.” ⁴Then I heard the number^(I) of those who were sealed: 144,000^(J) from all the tribes of Israel.

⁵From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed,

from the tribe of Reuben 12,000,

from the tribe of Gad 12,000,

⁶from the tribe of Asher 12,000,

from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000,

from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000,

⁷from the tribe of Simeon 12,000,

from the tribe of Levi 12,000,

from the tribe of Issachar 12,000,

⁸from the tribe of Zebulun 12,000,

from the tribe of Joseph 12,000,

from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.

The Great Multitude in White Robes

⁹After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language,^(K) standing before the throne^(L) and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes^(M) and were holding palm branches in their hands. ¹⁰And they cried out in a loud voice:

“Salvation belongs to our God,^(N)
who sits on the throne,^(O)
and to the Lamb.”

¹¹All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders^(P) and the four living creatures.^(Q) They fell down on their faces^(R) before the throne and worshiped God, ¹²saying:

“Amen!
Praise and glory
and wisdom and thanks and honor
and power and strength
be to our God for ever and ever.
Amen!”^(S)

¹³Then one of the elders asked me, “These in white robes^(T)—who are they, and where did they come from?”

¹⁴I answered, “Sir, you know.”

And he said, “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes^(U) and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.^(V) ¹⁵Therefore,

“they are before the throne of God^(W)
    and serve him^(X) day and night in his temple;^(Y)
and he who sits on the throne^(Z)
    will shelter them with his presence.^(AA)
¹⁶‘Never again will they hunger;
    never again will they thirst.^(AB)
The sun will not beat down on them,’^[a]
    nor any scorching heat.^(AC)
¹⁷For the Lamb at the center of the throne
    will be their shepherd;^(AD)
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’^[b]^(AE)
    ‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’^[c]”^(AF)

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Footnotes

Revelation 7:16 Isaiah 49:10
Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 49:10
Revelation 7:17 Isaiah 25:8

1. Salvation belongs to our God (1-12)

The 144,000 belong to Jesus (Rev 14:1-5). The listing of them here as the tribes of Israel suggests that the church of Jesus Christ is the true Israel of God. The great multitude from every nation, tribe, people and language are those who have been faithful to Jesus in the midst of suffering. They belong to Jesus because they have been washed in his blood--forgiven their sins and bound to him by the new covenant. This multitude stands before God's throne, praising and thanking him for his great salvation.

2. God will wipe away all tears (13-17)

This is a picture of heaven. God himself will be our shield and protector, and Jesus the Lamb will continue to be our Shepherd. He leads us to springs of living water.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the wonderful promise that we may be with you and sing your praises forever. Thank you for our Shepherd Jesus, the Lamb who was slain.

One Word: Jesus the Lamb is my Shepherd