A Cause of our Justification

Good morning. It is good to be here in my home away from home. If you have your Bibles with you, please open them to Revelation chapter seven. Revelations chapter seven. We've read chapter six together, but our message this morning will come from chapter number seven. My assignment this morning is to address the issue of the meritorious cause of our justification. We are justified, but based upon what merit? Based upon whose merit? Now? Our default way of answering this question is either to say that we are saved based upon our own merit. But oftentimes we know better than that, so we come up with some kind of scheme that allows us to have a synergistic way of putting together the merit of Christ and our own merit. I know that when I say I'm saved by my own merit, that's the wrong answer. However, something in me desires desperately to have at least some part of the credit. There are illustrations abounding that demonstrate this idea. For example, the illustration of the drowning man. It's as though salvation is like it's like a drowning man, and he's going down for the last time, and and and God's grace is like the life preserver that is thrown out to a drowning man, and all the drowning man has to do is grab the life preserver and hold on in order to be saved. It's the classic illustration of a synergistic view of salvation. Yeah, God, God does. God does most of it. But of course there's your part, there's your merit. And the idea here is that it's not just that we are saying that we have to repent, we have to believe because those things are true. But the Bible makes it clearer, for example in Ephesians chapter two, that even the faith that we place in God is a gift from God himself. Amen, even that is a gift from God. Having eyes to see the truth of the Gospel is a gift from God. And the moment we try to mix anything meritorious from us is the moment that we rob God of his glory and the moment that we rob justification of its meaning. We read Revelation chapter six because I wanted us to put this in context. Oftentimes, when we think about justification, and when we talk about justification, we rightly talk about it in terms of legality. It is a legal term. The idea here is a courtroom, and there's the declaration of justification, right not guilty. We all understand that, and we appreciate that, and so we hear this term justification. We know that that's what it means to technically. But the reason I wanted to couch this in Revelation chapter six and Revelation chapter seven is because I believe that that antiseptic way of thinking about justification has is one of the reasons that we want some merit. We think we're saved from a court room or at worse, you know, we think we're saved from a prison sentence. Revelation chapter six tells a different story. Revelation chapter six puts it in another context. Revelation chapter six is a picture of the wrath of God, the wrath of the lamb. What an amazing statement. Anybody who's ever seen a lamb? Right, the wrath of the lamb? What is a lamb going to do? A lot? In chapter six, for horses and four horsemen are released. The number four in the Book of Revelation represents the earth. In other words, four horsemen represents a judgment on the totality of the earth. The whole world is judged not parts of the world, but all of the world is judged. And then there is a sevenfold listing of the categories of people who are judged. This is a number of perfection. So there is perfect judgment of all of humanity in all of the earth, and the most powerful people in the world are part of that list. And what are they saying. They're not saying, oh, judge, please find in my favor. They're saying, rocks fall on us and hide us. If they could find a hole in the ground to crawl into, they would. The mountains are gone, the sea, the sky, everything the entire world is under the judgment and condemnation of the Lamb. The wrath of God against sin has come. And it is only when we understand the magnitude of the wrath of God against sin that we understand the magnitude of what is required for our justification. When we look at chapter six and then come into chapter seven, a couple of things happen. Number One, there is a break in the action. We've only seen six seals. There are seven seals. We haven't gotten to the seventh seal, yet only six seals have been broken. This number seven, again is a number of perfection. So these seven seals represents God's represent rather God's perfect judgment against sin. So whatever's happening in chapter seven, it's connected to chapter six. And remember we've only had chapters and verses in the Bible for a few hundred years. The Bible was not written with chapter divisions. The Bible was not written with verses. Now we thank God for chapters and verses. It would be difficult for us to find the same passage in the Bible together without chapters and verses. Amen. But know that there is no natural or necessary division here between chapter six and chapter seven. That's very important, and it'll be very important as we interpret chapter seven. We have an unthinkable dilemma. There's a question that's asked, and the question leads us to contemplate this, Will God save his people? Will anybody be saved when you look at this total destruction and total judgment? That's the question that comes. There is an unexpected change of scene, all of a sudden in chapter six, the world appears to be over. And by the way, the Book of Revelation is written in a series of seven repeating narratives. It tells the same story over and over again from different perspectives. That's why when you see something like chapter six, what judgment is possibly left? But we're going to see judgments after this, But in chapter six, we see that the world has been judged. We'll see the world's judgment from another perspective later on, but for now, we're in the midst of this one, and it's a change of scenery. Six seals broken. It seems like we're on the brink of total destruction, total annihilation, and then we're in chapter seven. Wait, wait, wait, where's the seventh sealed? It's coming, it's coming. There's an unexpected change of time. Here's what you need to understand. Chapter seven actually comes before chapter six in time. Don't look at me like that. What chapter seven actually comes before chapter six? In time? You ever watch a movie and all of a sudden, there's a flashback and you go in you see that flashback, and now you understand what's about to happen, right, And all of a sudden, you know, there's a superhero movie and it seems like the bad guy is about to defeat the superhero and you sitting there, Oh no, it's over, it's over, And now the superhero is about to use whatever gadget he created to defeat, you know, or the villain is about to defeat the superhero, and he picks up his gadget and he points it at the at the superhero. Ah, it's over, and then all of a sudden, there's a flashback, and then the flashback there's a picture of the superhero taking the battery out of the gadget before the fight started. Chapter seven operates like that. Here in this text, we're actually going back in order to answer a question that occurs at the end of chapter six. But the truths that we find in chapter seven precede that there's overlap. We have seen these four horsemen. Now let's start reading in chapter seven. After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the Earth. The number four is the number of the Earth. So when you see four horsemen, this is the judgment of God on the totality of the earth. When you see four angels standing on four corners of the earth holding back the four winds of the earth, you understand that what the angels are dealing with here is the totality of the earth. Because the number four. That's why God saves the people from every tribe Kindred Tongue, Nation number four, the totality of the Earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea, or against any tree. Now, in chapter six the trees would have been gone. Now we're talking about trees that are there. Why, because this is before Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun with the seal of the Living God. And he called with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the earth and sea, saying, do not harm the earth or the sea, or the trees until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads. Obviously this had to happen before what we read in chapter six. The harm has already come in chapter six. This makes no sense unless what we're seeing here explains something before chapter six. Not only do we have this idea of going back, and not only have we have this idea of the judgment of God and a pause before we finished the Judgment of God in order to explain and answer a question. We're going to get to that question in a moment. But there's another issue here. There are a couple of apologetic issues in this text. Was one of the reasons that I chose it to talk about this issue. Apologetic issue Number one is this, there are a lot of people who teach and who have argued that Christians have often been on the wrong side of science. And sometimes they will call us, for example, right, you people who used to believe that the Earth was flat. You Christians who taught that the world was flat. That's why Columbus had to go set off on his journey because he knew better. Columbus knew better, Galileo knew better. So Columbus sets off on his journey to prove that the Earth is not flat. Let me say this, and let me say this carefully and clearly. The Church Christian theologians, no credible Christian figure in history has ever taught that the earth was flat. Never. We read Revelation and we read about the four corners of the Earth and the four winds, and we understand that that is symbolic language. It's never been true, even though at the high levels of academia there are people who peddle this lie. In nineteen forty five, the Historical Association of Britain published a pamphlet of the twenty most common errors in history. Number two was the myth that Columbus set out to prove that the world was in fact round, contrary to the predominant read church based scientific theory of the day. Nothing could be further from the truth. That's not what this text teaches. That's not what Christians have ever understood this text to mean. What's happening here? Though we've gone back in time? Why have we gone back in time? Well, because at the end of chapter six there is a question. Look at the end of chapter six, calling to the mountains and rocks, fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, And who can stand? That's the question that chapter seven exists to answer. The world is being judged, the whole world, the earth is being judged. All the peoples of the world are being judged. And the question comes at the end from those who are experiencing the wrath of the Lamb, who could possibly survive this and all of a sudden change of scenery, change of time. In order to answer that question, who will survive god judgment at the end of the age? Who will be justified? Who will be saved and based upon what merit. Look back with me in the text, if you will, at chapter seven. Now, let's look at verse four, and let's look at another apologetic issue. And I heard the number of the sealed. One hundred and forty four thousand sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. Twelve thousand from the tribe of Judah were sealed, twelve thousand from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand from the tribe of Naphtalai, twelve thousand from the tribe of Manassa, twelve thousand from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand from the tribe of Isakar, twelve thousand from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand from the tribe of Joseph, and twelve thousand from the tribe of Benjamin were sealed. One hundred and forty four thousand. People who are sealed? Why are they sealed? And we understand that this seal means that they belong to God. They are sealed so that they are not harmed by the judgment. They are sealed so that they do not experience the wrath of the Lamb, so that as they come through this they do precisely that they come through, they are saved. But it's a curious list. There are a number of views about this list. Some view this as literal and take it to mean that this Jewish remnant is sealed. It is a remnant of the Jewish people. Some link this to the prophecy in Romans chapter eleven that all Israel will be saved. And here's a perture. This one hundred and forty four thousand is a picture. It's a symbol of all of Israel being saved. Some see it as a remnant of ethnic Jews living during the first century. Others, for example, the Jehovah's Witnesses, see this as the number of people who will go to heaven. Only one hundred and forty four thousand people, according to Jehovah's Witnesses, will go to heaven. Everybody else will be on the New Earth if you're not part of the one hundred and forty four thousand. Some see this list as figurative and pointing to the people of God in general. Let me just answer this quickly so that we can get to the real issue. There are three distinctive advantages to seeing this list symbolically. First, it answers the question of the irreq regularities with the list. This list of the twelve tribes of Israel doesn't exist anywhere else in the Bible, not in this format. There are some serious irregularities with the list. For example, Judah is listed first, although he's the fourth born. But we know that Judah is pre eminent because it is from Judah that the promised seed would come. David is of the line of Judah, the greatest king in Israel's history, and Jesus is of the line of David, of the line of Judah, the king of Kings and the Lord of Lord. So it makes sense that Judah would be listed first, but doesn't happen anywhere else. Reuben is second, not first, because he disqualified himself as the firstborn. The children of the concubines are then grouped next, altogether a picture of the inclusion of outcasts. The tribe of Dan is not listed. How are you gonna have that? Wait a minute, are you gonna have the twelve tribes and Dan is not listed, but we know that Dan is excluded because of idolatry. The tribe of Manassa is included. Okay, Gentiles in the fold. But if Manassa is included, then why would you have Joseph instead of Iffrim. Because usually if you list the tribes and you list Manassa, you list Ifrim and Manassa, right, and you don't list Joseph because if Raim and Manassa were included so that Joseph could have a double portion blessing, you don't pick one of his sons and Joseph to add to the list. Does it make sense the tribe of Levi is included, Well, why is that significant? If we were talking about the tribes who inherited land, you wouldn't include Levi. If you're talking about the tribes that did inherit land, you would include Levi, but you would also include Dan. But Dan's not included. What does that mean? Quite simply, this this list is not literal. This list is symbolic, and there are a number of ways to demonstrate that. One of them is by reading on in the text. Look at what happens when we continue to read in Revelation chapter seven, look at verse nine. 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. And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, I'm men, and watch this blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever. I'm in sevenfold doxology, standing before the throne offering perfect praise. A perfect people standing before the perfect throne of the perfect God, offering perfect praise. Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, who are these clothed in white robes? And from where had they come? Watch this? I said to him, or you know, when he said to me, these are the ones coming out of the Great tribulation. What's that Chapter six, they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Folks, the question in chapter six is who can stand? The answer in chapter seven is the people of God can stand? Who are the people of God? Well, they're the one hundred and forty four thousand, They're the great multitude. They are all those who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb. All three are the same group of people. But wait a minute, how can there be a great multitude that no one could number? And also one hundred and forty four thousand, which is a number. One of the most important numbers in the Book of Revelation is the number twelve. Twelve is the number for the people of God. A couple of places we can look to see this Revelation twenty one twelve to fourteen. The city had a great high wall with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the name of twelve tribes of the Sons of Israel, wordscribed that's the people of God in the Old Testament, twelve tribes on the east, three gates, on the north, three gates on the south, three gates on the west, three gates, four corners, three gates each the number for God, the number for the totality of the world. This is bigger than a small city. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Around the throne are twenty four elders, twelve tribes, twelve apostles, the people of God in the Old Testament, the people of God in the New Testament. Well, what's one hundred and forty four twelve times twelve? What's a thousand? A huge number that in the Book of Revelation is never used literally. So one of the ways that you can say, here's who's sealed this great number that no one could number. From every nation and tribe and kindred and tongue, from all over the world. There are people whose robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb. That's who can make it through this great tribulation. Another way you can say that is twelve times twelve times one thousand. The people of God in the Old Testament, the people of God in the New Testament, and the great number. But what's the ultimate answer, Why do they make it. Why are they saved. It's simple because their robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb, whose merit can save you from the judgment of come to judgment to come, only the Lamb's merit. That's it. When the rocks begin to fall, when the sky as we know it disappears, when the sun is no more, when the wrath of God is being poured out on this sinful world, no one will be able to stand unless God's seal is upon them. And the only ones with God's seal upon them are those who've washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. It is Christ's merit, and Christ's merit alone that is all. No more, and certainly no less. Do you actually believe that when the seals are open, and the first angel says come, and the second angel says come, and the third angel says come, and the fourth angel says come, and there's a white horse and a black horse, and a red horse and a pale horse, And when there is famine, and when there is sword, and when there is death and destruction, do you honestly believe that somewhere in your soul there is some thing good enough to make God say not that one. There is not. There is not that there will be no dividing line of goodness. That says, those with this amount of goodness find themselves in safety and security, and those who have not quite made it find themselves under the wrath of the Lamb. That's the wrong answer. That's the wrong answer. But I want you to notice again what happens this great salvation of ours. Go back to the beginning. Look at the beginning, first of chapter six. Now, I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard when of the four living creatures say with a loud voice, like thunder come. And I looked and behold a white horse, and its rider had a bow, and the crown was given to him, and he came out conquering and to conquer. Second seal, second angel, second horse, third seal, third angel, third horse, fourth seal, fourth angel, fourth horse, first one of chapter seven. After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the Earth, that no wind might blow on earth or sea, or against any tree. Let's dispel this idea very quickly. What we see in Revelation is not a natural disaster that is inevitable. What we see in Revelation chapter six is not God deciding to respond to the fact that the sun is a star, and like all stars, it can't last forever. So one day it is going to be done, and the earth will be done, and so God is going to have to rescue whoever is living on the earth at the time. That is not what you find here. This is not God responding to a natural disaster. First of all, those four seals are not natural. Second of all, notice this, These four angels on the four corners of the earth tell the four winds not to blow. In other words, God is absolutely in control of nature. He always has been and he always will be. Jesus is the one who got up on the boat in the middle of the Sea of Galilee and said, peace be still, and it's stopped. These are not natural disasters, and this is not natural intervention. This is the wrath of God poured out against sin. And this is the power of God to save those who belonged to Him because of the merit of Christ. Say this and closing, go back with me if you will, and look at you cha four sorry. Chapter five. Then I saw on the right hand of him who was seated on the throne, a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Those are the seals that we see being broken. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? And no one in heaven, or on earth, or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, weep no more. Behold the lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals. In chapter five, it is time for judgment. But who has the merit to unleash the judgment of God on the world. The lamb John is about to weep because no one can open the scroll. No one can break the seals. There is no one in heaven. The twenty four elders can't do it, the four living creatures can't do it, The angels can't do it. No one can open the scrolls. No one has enough merit. No one is worthy to open the scrolls. Christ alone has the merit necessary to judge the world, and Christ alone has the merit necessary to save his people from his judgment. There's an amazing question that we often failed to ask, and that blows us away when we answer it. We always talk about salvation. And when we talk about salvation, who needs to save you? Who's going to save you? We've answered that question. Who's going to save you? Christ? Christ? He's the only one who can save you. Amen. He's the only one who can save you. Amen. How LOLd you praise the Lord? Christ is worthy? Christ saves. If you are here today and you have not come to repent and faith in him, he is your only hope. Flee to Christ and find salvation. But there's another question. What do you need to be saved from Christ? Christ? You need to be saved by the lamb. And you need to be saved from the lamb because Christ is worthy to pour out the judgment of God on all sin, and Christ is worthy to grant forgiveness of sins because the wrath that He will pour out on sin is the same wrath that He endured on behalf of those whom he saves. Christ is worthy boy. With me, Father, we bow in humble adoration of the Lamb of God, the Lamb who was slain, the Lamb who reigns, the Lamb whose wrath will be poured out on sin, The Lamb who is our only hope of salvation, Christ, the Lamb of God, who is also the lion of the tribe of Judah. Granted by your grace that we might be found in Him, and that we might trust in Him alone as the only meritorious grounds sufficient for our salvation. Amen.