Washed in the Blood of the Lamb

Revelations 7:9-17

The Biblical text from the NRSV is always found in the first column.

The reflection by Fr. Dennis Chriszt, CPPS is always found in the second column.

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.

They cried out in a loud voice, saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels stood around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, singing, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, robed in white, and where have they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you are the one that knows.”

Then he said to me, “These are they who have come out of the great ordeal; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the throne of God, and worship him day and night within his temple, and the one who is seated on the throne will shelter them. They will hunger no more, and thirst no more; the sun will not strike them, nor any scorching heat; for the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of the water of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Imagine, if you will, that you are part of that great multitude that no one could count. You are among those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. You are among those who are crying out in a loud voice saying, “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

This is not an imaginary world. This is the world we are all invited into. We don’t have to do anything to earn it. The tickets have already been purchased and are waiting at will call. All of us, no matter what nation, tribe or people we belong to, no matter what our past may be, no matter how unworthy we may seem have washed our robes in the blood of the Lamb. Actually, it is not we who have washed our robes, our robes have been washed by God.

When we were washed in the waters of baptism, our robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb. When we were anointed with the oil of salvation, our robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb. When we ate the Body and drank the Blood of the Lord Jesus, our robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb. When our sins were forgiven, not because we deserved to be forgiven but because of the merciful grace of God, our robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb, Over and over again, by God’s grace, our robes were washed in the blood of the Lamb and we were counted among that great multitude that no one could count.