“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb …” ~ Revelation 7:9
“This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” ~ Matthew 24:14
Yeah, yeah. I’ve read it before. Verses like these meant little to me for so long. I believed in missions, that it was good, important, even necessary, but I experienced more of an intellectual comprehension than a spiritual passion.
Then the Lord captured my heart with a glimpse of his global vision.
Think of it: redeemed individuals from every single people group on earth all worshiping together in a symphony of praise before the throne. What would that look like? What would that sound like? I am sure that John could not possibly have found words to adequately describe what he experienced.
Someday I will see it for myself, but in the meantime, God has a purpose for our being here. There are so many who have not heard. Out of the 6900 tongues in the world, approximately 2250 of them still do not have any scripture in the language that speaks to their hearts - the words and concepts that are the most natural, most comprehensible, most intimate, most powerful.
As the years have gone by, God has periodically peeled back strata of His vision for me to see, and frequently I am astounded afresh by this truth: God wants to call to himself worshippers from every tribe, every tongue, every people, every nation. And the craziest thing? He wants to use us to do it! If you know me, you know that I tend to want to subscribe to the, “If you want it done right, do it yourself” philosophy of management. But not God. Not at all. God knows that as he entrusts His people with His vision, in the process we are going to be refined and molded into His image, becoming more grateful, passionate worshipers ourselves. We may falter in our journey. We may even fall, but even as he reaches to help us up he still beckons us to join Him.
“Heavenly Father, your mercy showers down upon all people,
Every race upon this earth.
May Your Spirit pierce the darkness,
Break the chains of death upon us.
Let us rise in honest worship to declare Your matchless worth!
There is no power that for one hour can withstand the greatness
Of Your Word on tongues of faith
So we're bold in intercession, claiming all of your possession,
Praying now that every heart will bow before You, Lord, in praise.
Our heart, our desire is to see the nations worship.
Our cry, our prayer is to sing Your praise to the ends of the earth
That with one mighty voice every tribe and tongue rejoices.
Our heart, our desire is to see the nations worship You.”1
Listen … worship is resounding around the throne in every language.
Can you hear it?
1Words by John Chisum and George Searcy © 1993 Integrity’s Hosannah! Integrity’s Praise! Music
Those verses in Revelation 7 came alive for me in the remote, mud hut villages of Mali in West Africa. It was and is an awe-inspiring and humbling vision. May God bless you as you follow His vision!
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