END OF TIME PROPHECIES 104

Continued/   from 103

4.   All people;   the word "people" is in the plural so it means all classes of people rather than every individual person. It is "laos" from which we get laity or the common mass of mankind. This takes the human groupings to another level and focuses on different social classes; for example, rich or poor, highborn or lowborn, educated or uneducated etc. etc.   Taking all the groups together, the message is loud and clear that God is no respecter of persons.   In the gospel there is no racial discrimination, their is no tribal discrimination, there is no language discrimination, and now there is no social discrimination.   God will save in all these different groups and this is proved here in Revelation chapter 7.   Paul says a similar thing in Colossians 3v11  "in Christ....... there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian or Scythian, bond nor free.  In Galatians 2v28 Paul adds "there is neither male nor female" so we can add to the above list no gender discrimination and from Colossians 3v15 no religious discrimination.   God saves all kinds of people and makes sure that his just character is exonerated by bringing men and women to salvation from all human groups imaginable.          

Their position

"They stood before the throne and before the Lamb."   Again in chapter 7v15  "Therefore are they before the throne of God."   This is a much more meaningful statement than first appears.   We are speaking here of sinful human beings standing in the very presence of God.   In chapter 21v27 it is made clear that  "nothing that defileth shall enter in."   Only beings like angels are allowed to stand in the presence of God.   In the language of the songwriter :

The spirits that surround the throne,
May bear the burning bliss;
But surely that is theirs alone
Who, undefiled, have never known
A fallen world like this.

Luke 1v19, Zechariah 4v13, & Zechariah 6v5 all speak of angels  "who stand in the presence of God."   We have seen this before in the twenty four elders but we should never become familiar with the fact that God allows sinners to stand in His presence and the reason we shall discuss later.   In Psalm 15 it is made clear that only sinless people dwell in the presence of God; only people who are right with God.  

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill?
² He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
³ He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour.
⁴ In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the Lord. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not.
⁵ He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved".

Obviously there is not one single human being who has fulfilled all of the above and so their presence is a matter of the grace of God.   The idea of  "standing before God" is a favourite bible expression to describe a human being in a right relationship with God.   At the end of chapter 6 the desperate cry went out from sinful hearts  "the great day of His wrath is come and who shall be able to stand?"   Here we have multitudes standing before the throne of God and of the Lamb and the New Testament speaks of this in many different places.  

• Romans 5v2       -     Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand...."
• Romans 14v4     -    "Who are thou that judgeth another man's servant?   To his own master he standeth or falleth.  Yea, he shall be made to stand (R.V.) for God is able to make him stand."
• 1st Corinthians 15v1    -    "Moreover brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand, by which also ye are saved."
• 2nd Corinthians 1v24     -     "By faith ye stand."
• Phillippians 4v1     -     "Therefore my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord my dearly beloved."
• 1st Peter 5v12     -     "This is the true grace of God wherein ye stand."

Imprinted on the pages of New Testament is the glorious fact that sinful men and women will stand before God, not only in this life but in the life to come.   Here is one of the more astonishing statements of holy scripture, considering the fact that because of the entrance of sin God "drove out the man."   (Genesis 3v24).   We also know because of sin Satan and a host of angels were driven from the presence of God.   Nothing with the stain of sin will live in the presence of a holy God but the wonder is here that innumerable people are standing in that very place., and many will follow; will you be among them?