Psalm 33:16-22 reads: No king is saved by the multitude of an army; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength. A horse is a vain hope for safety; Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength. Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope in His mercy, To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. (NKJV)
I'm just wondering, where is your hope today? There is plenty to despair about. It may be that you are feeling majorly oppressed by the way high gas and food prices are destroying your bank accounts. Maybe it's the many terrible shootings we have seen lately, or corruption in government. Maybe someone close to you has let you down or left you. Hopelessness can destroy you.
Revelation 7 is reminder of the importance of having our hope in the right place. Revelation 6 shows the very foundations of the earth being shaken, stars falling, and might men quavering and hiding in fear. All the things people tend to trust in begin to fall apart, and in Revelation 8 it will get much worse. Revelation 7, however, shows those who trust in Christ as being secure in the midst of all the disaster. God doesn't remove them from the trouble, but he protects them and assures them of His favor and their final place in heaven.
I invite you to listen to this message as we continue our study in the biblical book of Revelation, not just to satisfy our curiosity of what the Bible says about the future, but to gain perspective on today's struggles and gain real hope for the future that is far more secure than the best man can offer.
