Today's Passage: Revelation 7

You may be familiar with the phrase, "eye of the storm". Today's chapter brings to mind that concept when reading about "the sealing of the servants". The seal is an invisible sign of God's protection, sealing the redeemed in order that they may survive the terrors associated with the day of wrath. If you have believed on Him you have been sealed with His Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13, 4:30). We are thus God's possession and in the center of His protective hand.

The second half of the chapter (verses 9-17) pictures the blessed state of the redeemed in heaven. In the elder's response to his own rhetorical question to John about where all those in white robes came from, he replies, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation,..." (7:14). The grammatical form of this verse is present active, meaning what is taking place is continuous and repeated.  Tribulation is occurring to some degree throughout the entire age. Speaking as one who has been redeemed, I understand being sealed for redemption does not protect me from tribulation and death, but from His wrath.

You may be going through a considerable trial or tribulation even today. Remember that if you have received His gift of salvation, you are being kept from things much worse to come. Dwell on and rejoice in the picture the elder paints of what awaits us in verses 16-17: we shall neither hunger nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike us in heat, and our Shepherd will lead us to living fountains of water. He will wipe every tear from our eyes.

And until that time, though it sometimes seems almost too great to bear, He has promised never to leave you (Deuteronomy 31:6).