The Easy Way or The Hard Way – Revelation 7

Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people in white robes, and where did they come from?” I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he told me: These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb…. The one seated on the throne will shelter them: They will no longer hunger; they will no longer thirst; the sun will no longer strike them, nor will any scorching heat. For the Lamb who is at the center of the throne will shepherd them; he will guide them to springs of the waters of life, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Revelation 7:13-17, CSB).

Have you ever told somebody or been told by somebody, “There’s an easy way or there’s a hard way.”

Usually we’re saying that to somebody who is over-complicating a task or just being stubborn because they want to do things their own way even if there’s an easier or better way to do it.

The Book of Revelation describes a group of people who have chosen to enter God’s Kingdom THE HARD WAY!

Here’s what I mean…..

The Great Tribulation is a biblically prophesied future period of intense suffering, divine judgment, and persecution, particularly against believers, described primarily in the New Testament. Besides in Revelation 7, the term is spoken by Jesus in Matthew 24:21. Many Bible scholars maintain it is also foreshadowed in the Old Testament, particularly in the “70th week of Daniel” prophecy.

The Great Tribulation is generally interpreted as a seven-year period in Christian eschatology, with the “great tribulation” being the more intense final three and a half years. This period is associated with the rise of the Antichrist, unprecedented global turmoil, divine judgments, wars, famines, and persecution and culminates in the second coming of Christ

Revelation 7 describes an interlude in the apocalyptic events taking place in the book of Revelation. In this interludes God’s plan of salvation during the coming time of great tribulation is revealed. Thus, the “Apocalypse” as described in book of Revelation seems to be God’s final altar call to the people on planet Earth.

In vs. 9 immediately after 144,000 special servants of God are identified, John sees a great multitude from every nation standing before the throne of God and before the Lamb wearing white robes and holding palm branches. It is explained to John that this great multitude of people have been saved during the “Great Tribulation” (vs. 14).

The presence of so many tribulation saints is a powerful statement of God’s grace and mercy. Even during this time of extreme judgment and wrath on Earth, many are saved! So, it’s not hard to connect the great multitude wearing white robes and worshiping God to the 144,000 special servants of God. Perhaps the 144,000 are end-time evangelists for God’s Kingdom during the Great Tribulation!

And, what looks like Great Tribulation to us is really a Great Revival to God!

Furthermore, this Great Tribulation/Revival seems to be a revival of the hard-headed or the hard-of-heart, those people for whom the only way God could get their attention is through great tribulation!

So, there’s an easy way and a hard way to enter God’s Kingdom: Believe in Jesus, accept Him as Lord and Savior because God loves you and do it Now! That’s the easy way.

Or, do it the hard way and ignore God, living your life life in this world your own way, until you encounter great tribulation to prove that you need Jesus….