Today’s Reading: Revelation 7; Psalm 47
Then I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds so they did not blow on the earth or the sea, or even on any tree. And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, “Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.” – Revelation 7:1-3
As John’s vision continued, heard that 144,000 from the tribes of Israel were marked with the seal, but there was a tribe missing. Where is the tribe of Dan? In this I find significance as I sip on my morning coffee. Where are you, people of Dan, and what was so valuable in your life that it was worth missing this amazing moment?
THEY CHOSE A DIFFERENT PATH THAN WHAT GOD HAD FOR THEM (Judges 18).
As the tribe of Dan was trying to find a place to settle, they came to the peaceful town of Laish. They walked into the house of Micah, stealing his idols and encouraging his priest to be their priest. They then walked into the peaceful town of Laish and attacked with swords, burning the town to the ground. They rebuilt the town, set up the carved images and began a long history of idol worship.
THEY CHOSE A DIFFERENT GOD TO FOLLOW (1 Kings 12).
Dan became one of two places for people to travel to worship false gods and idols. In John’s vision, they are excluded from those marked with the seal of the living God. They made their choice and now they will suffer the consequences of their decision. To put anything above God in our lives is idol worship and there are consequences to making other items or people in our lives more important than God.
“Salvation comes from our God who sits on the throne and from the Lamb!” – Revelation 7:10
This is the song of the redeemed, of those who choose to worship only God. Their robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb — not leaving them with red stains but leaving them white (7:14).
“That is why they stand in front of God’s throne
and serve him day and night in his Temple.
And he who sits on the throne
will give them shelter.
And He who sits on the throne will give them shelter.
They will never again be hungry or thirsty; they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.
For the Lamb on the throne will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.
And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” – Rev. 7:15-17
I find a stark contrast as I read the seventh chapter of Revelation this morning. Because they rejected God, the tribe of Dan is missing from the list of those marked with the seal of the living God. They could have experienced all of this, but they chose what was false, what was fake and what was temporary over what was eternal.
But those who look for salvation from God are standing before His throne. They will never be hungry or thirsty or scorched by the heat of the sun. They have kept the Lamb on the throne of their lives and He is now leading them to springs of life-giving water, wiping every tear from their eyes.
And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living beings. And they fell before the throne with their faces to the ground and worshiped God. They sang,
“Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom
and thanksgiving and honor
and power and strength belong to our God
forever and ever! Amen.” – Revelation 7:11-12
God is still on the throne, whether I choose to worship Him or worship all this world has to offer. But if I live my life without fully surrendering to God, as if He is not on the throne, I will miss out on His life-giving water. Yes, God is loving — He is compassionate, merciful and full of grace! But God is also just, and He will apply justice as promised.
I think we are sometimes more comfortable with the baby in the manger and we choose to leave Him there, giving Him some thought during the Christmas season and then putting Him away with the decorations. But the baby born in a stable became the man who walked on water, a leader who cleared the Temple, and a preacher who taught about hell. Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead, and fed the multitudes. The Christ Child became the sacrificial Lamb. When we follow this Lamb who is our Shepherd, He will lead us to springs of living water. And God will wipe every tear from our eyes.
The Lamb broke the seventh seal and there was silence for about a half an hour (8:1).