Charles Spurgeon on Revelation 7:9-10

Below is an excerpt of one of Charles Spurgeon's sermons. You can read the full sermon transcript by clicking here:

"The Multitude Before the Throne"

(No. 3403)

A SERMON PUBLISHED ON THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1914.

DELIVERED BY C. H. SPURGEON,

AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

"After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, tribes, people and tongues stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb." Revelation 7:9,10

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That they were "clothed with white robes'" is not a little significant. Nakedness was revealed to man by sin. Before the time when he sinned, he was naked and not ashamed. But then he strove to make himself a dress and the fig leaf was the result. But Christ has come in and clothed us—clothed us completely. The robes spoken of here seem to have covered them from head to foot. They were "clothed with white robes"—not partly clad, but altogether clad in them. Oh, how comely that righteousness of Christ which He has worked for us, and worked in us wherewith we shall be clothed when we stand before the eternal Throne of God! Brothers and Sisters, rejoice to put it on tonight! Rejoice to feel that His blood and righteousness, even now—

"Your beauty are your glorious dress."

Anticipate the time when you shall be admired of men and of angels, attired in that complete garment. These robes are said to be "white robes"—white to indicate purity—and "they are without fault before the Throne of God." White—as distinctive of their priestly order, "for they are kings and priests unto God forever and ever." White—as an emblem of triumph, for now they are victors over every foe.

But why and how came those robes to be white? Their robes are white because His robes were red—His robes I say. Oh, how the angels gazed with astonishment, and asked with eagerness, as they saw Him come back from Calvary, "Why are Your garments red? Why are You red in Your apparel as one that has trodden the winepress?" And He answered, "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with Me." Because the Savior bled and dyed His garments with His own blood for us, therefore, filthy as the saints' garments once were, they are now robed in pure immaculate white, whiter than any fuller could make them, glistening like the sun!

Oh, the joy of being there! May it soon come to us! It will! It may come now, while yet we are talking here—

"Soon may the hand be stretched And dumb the mouth that lisps this faltering strain."

But if it were so, then sudden death would be sudden glory! Are you sure, each one of you, that it would be so? Would your departure out of this life be your entrance into the eternal life? Would the shutting of these poor eyes be the opening of nobler optics upon a brighter scene? Believer, it would be so with you! Then why are you afraid to die? No, rather, be willing at any time to gather up your feet into the bed and die—your father's God to meet—where the white-robed company see His face!