They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat, because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Revelation 7:16-17 NET
Revelation 7:9-17 pictures an enormous, uncountable crowd from around the world standing before the throne and the Lamb. They are described as those coming out of the great tribulation who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And because of that, they are continuously before the throne of God, serving him.
Who is a part of this great multitude? Is it limited to those from some specific period of time? Or is it all believers throughout history? Regardless of who they represent, the passage above should encourage all who face trials and challenges as they serve our Lord.
We may hunger and thirst now. But when we stand before our Lord in glory, that will be a thing of the past. We may suffer in this life. But that also will be a thing of the past. Jesus, the Lamb, will be our good shepherd, leading us to springs of living water (John 4:13-14).
And God will wipe away every tear from our eyes. It is not a matter of there being nothing to cry about when we are with him. Rather, the painful memories of our time here will no longer cause us trouble and grief. It is not that we will forget them. But that the glory we then have will overshadow the pain we might have known (Rom. 8:18), removing the hurt.
I might suffer heartache now. I might suffer for my faith, even to death. But, on that day, it will all have been worth it. The tears will be gone. And we will know the joy and glory of being before the throne of God. So hang in there. Better days are coming.
