Before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

— Revelation 7:9

This passage is one of the most powerful pictures of heaven in the Bible. John sees a vast crowd of people from every nation and language, and all are celebrating and worshiping Jesus with all their heart. Everyone is dressed in white robes, waving palm branches, and praising God. What a vision! It seems that John himself is so astonished that one of the elders by the throne comes to him and asks, in effect, “Who do you think these people are?” John is unsure, so he replies: “Sir, you know.”

It turns out that every person in the crowd has experienced the forgiveness of Jesus and received new life. The white robes, ironically, are white because they have been washed in Jesus’ blood (v. 14).

This week we have been focusing on the intercultural mission of God, and Revelation 7 is a clear picture of the impact of that work.

A few months ago I met with about 50 church planters and their spouses who represented 15 different countries. We learned together and enjoyed beautiful moments of worship in several languages. I looked around the room at these gifted and faithful leaders, and it seemed like a taste of what John describes here.

May it be so in every one of our churches!

Lord, we long for the day when we will join in with the vast multitude around your throne. May your church increasingly reflect the intercultural beauty of the world you have created and redeemed. Amen.