This once more uses some prophetic and symbolic language. Those who have ‘washed their robes’, are those whose sins have been forgiven, who have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God.[ Ibid Page 287-289] It is through Christ’s death on the cross, the shedding of His blood, that brought salvation to us. He paid the price of our sins… all of our sins, including you and me. Therefore, we have been washed, and cleansed through our faith in Him, as we declare Him to be the Son of God.

Righteousness: Cleansed from Sins

We need to be cleansed from our sins because, without that, we cannot come before the throne of God. As God, he is pure and sinless and perfect and He cannot abide any sin.

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! Hebrews 9:14 (NIV)

Again, the author addresses the Tribulation saints. They were not Raptured with the rest of the church, since they had not yet accepted Christ as their Savior. But now, having accepted Christ, they receive the same blessings as the Rapture saints. They will enter heaven and be allowed to serve the Living God!

God’s mercy and grace know no bounds. As a follower of Christ, I am so grateful for His salvation, that it is hard to put into words. How much more will these saved sinners be grateful for God’s saving grace and mercy.

God’s Grace and Mercy

God’s grace gives us what we don’t deserve and his mercy spares us from what we deserve. God’s grace is His undeserved kindness toward us, despite our being sinful. His mercy spares us from the punishment we deserve for our sins. Remember, the punishment for sin is death. We, as sinners, are spared death, because of God’s mercy. Through God’s grace, we are given salvation, we are cleansed of our sins, and allowed to enter heaven.

Tree of Life – Only for the Righteous

In Genesis 2:9, we are introduced to the Tree of Life. It is a special tree that possesses properties that sustain eternal life. Such a tree will be in the new heaven and earth, following the millennial kingdom. I’m not sure if it will be there as a symbol of God’s promise of eternal life, or whether we will partake of its life-giving properties. Whichever it is, what a glory to simply look upon it. However, without having ‘our robes washed in blood’ we would not have access to even look upon the tree, let alone partake of it, should there be a need.

Imagine that! What blessing. What hope! What joy!

We will live in the presence of God for all eternity.
But, not just us, but also those who live during the Tribulation, and choose to accept Christ as their personal Savior and Lord.

Righteousness all entry into the Holy City

This is the City of Jesus. It is the New Jerusalem, from where Christ will reign for a thousand years. Only those with robes of righteousness have access to the Holy City. So, imagine this. John records this for the Tribulation Saints. They will wear robes of righteousness! Their sins will be gone and they will be saints.

Not only does this gate allow one to enter the Holy City, but it leads into the presence of the Lord God! Jesus reigns as King of the world from this city. And we, as saints of Christ, will be allowed to enter into His presence.

No unbeliever will ever enter this city.

Conclusion

Here we have studied the seven blessings of Revelation. For a book that some believe is scary, incomprehensible, and full of images that cannot be understood, we have just gleaned hope and joy. We have glimpsed the benevolence, mercy, and grace of God. A God that wants all of His children to be saved.
A God who lavishes blessings upon His children, just because they read His Word. A Word we should treasure, and not ignore. A Word that needs to be taken in whole and not just in parts.
I pray that you may experience the grace and mercy of God and that it may transform your life. So, go ahead, pick up the Word of God, and read some more.

Blessings,
Jana

If you want to know more…

I have a list of books that I’ve used over the years to learn from. Both as general reading material and specific studies having to do with prophecy and the End Times. Please check them out here…Website Address

I also have several blogs that I’ve posted on various topics, many dealing with End Times, and others with my Children of Light series of six books. These are Christian fiction books, which examine the time between the Rapture and the start of the Tribulation, speculatively, imagining another society.

So, if you are interested, check out the blogs here: Blogs

Check out my books here: Children of Light

References
Jeremiah, DR. David. The Book of Signs. Page XI.
Jeremiah, Dr. David. Escape the Coming Night. Page X.2018
Rhodes, Ron. 40 Days Through Revelation. 2011. Harvest House Publishing. Page 13
Ibid. Page 34
Ibid.
Ibid Page 205-206
Ibid Page 253-255
Ibid Page 254
Ibid Page 287-289