"GLAD TIDINGS" FROM THE APOCALYPSE

The Lamb Worthy Of Honor

The following two chapters, 5 and 6, present Jesus Christ as a Lamb found worthy to open a scroll with seven seals,thus revealing in symbolic language the events occurring in our day. (Compare John 1:29) To this symbolic Lamb, heavenly voices say: "Your are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth." (Revelation 5:9, 10) This vision teaches that on the basis of Christ's shed blood, certain humans of all origins are called to be with him in heaven and "rule as kings over the earth." (Compare Revelation 1:5, 6) Their limited number is revealed later in Revelation.

In another vision, Christ is presented as the crowned rider of a white horse, going forth, "conquering and to complete his conquest." Happily, He will conquer the evil effects symbolized by the three other horsemen of the Apocalypse, whose furious ride has brought war, famine and death to mankind since the pivotal year 1914. (Revelation 6:1-8) The unique role of Christ, the Lamb of God, in the salvation of mankind and in the outworking of Jehovah's wonderful purposes is a principal theme of the Bible-teaching work of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Chapter 7 contains glad tidings indeed. Only in the book of Revelation do we find the number of those whom Jesus called the "little flock" to whom the Lamb's Father gives the Kingdom. (Luke 12:32; 22:28-30) These are sealed by Jehovah God my means of his spirit. ( 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22) The apostle John, who received the Revelation, attests: "I heard the number of those who were sealed, a hundred and forty-four thousand." (Revelation 7:4) This precise number is confirmed in a later chapter as being the total of those "bought from among mankind" to rule with the Lamb on the heavenly Mount Zion. (Revelation 14:1-4) While the churches of Christendom give vague and unconvincing explanations of this number, interestingly, Bible scholar E.W. Bulinger says of it: "It is the simple statement of fact: a definite number in contrast with the indefinite number in this chapter."

To what indefinite number was Bulinger referring? In verse 9,the apostle John wrote: "After these things I saw, and, look! a great crowd, which no man was able to number,out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues." (Revelation 7:9) Who compose this great crowd, what is their present standing before God, and what does the future hold for them? the apocalyptic answer is good news for earth dwellers. We read: "These are the ones that come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." Through faith in Christ's shed blood, they will be protected during "the great tribulation." Christ "will guide them to fountains of waters of life. And God will wipe out every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:14-17) Yes, millions of people living today can become part of the innumerable crowd that will survive the end of the present system of things. As subjects of the King Jesus Christ during his Millennial Reign, they will be guided by him to everlasting life on earth. Is that not good news?


Next time: "His Judgments Are True And Righteous"

Watchtower, 1999