A Great Multitude 许多的人
Dexu Xia
Before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language. Revelation 7:9
We came together for our Sunday morning church service with joy and anticipation. Although we were spatially distanced because of the coronavirus pandemic, we welcomed the opportunity to celebrate Gavin and Tijana’s wedding. Our technologically gifted Iranian friends broadcast the service to friends and family spread out geographically—including in Spain, Poland, and Serbia. This creative approach helped us overcome the constraints as we rejoiced in the covenant of marriage. God’s Spirit united us and gave us joy.
That Sunday morning with our wonderfully multinational congregation was a small taste of the glory to come when people from “every nation, tribe, people and language” will stand before God in heaven (Revelation 7:9). The beloved disciple John glimpsed this “great multitude” in a vision he recounts in the book of Revelation. There those gathered will worship God together along with the angels and elders: “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever” (v. 12).
The union and marriage of Jesus and His international bride in the “wedding supper of the Lamb” (19:9) will be an amazing time of worship and celebration. Our experience at our Sunday church service with people from many nations points to this celebration that one day we’ll enjoy.
While we wait in hope for that joyful event, we can embrace the practice of feasting and rejoicing among God’s people.
How do you picture the wedding supper of the Lamb? How does being invited to this celebration affect your daily life?
Lamb of God, thank You for the invitation to the heavenly wedding.
观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的。—启示录7章9节
我们带着喜乐和期待，参加主日上午的教会聚会。虽然新冠疫情使我们不能齐聚一堂，但我们很高兴有机会一起庆祝盖文和雅娜的婚礼。当天有擅长科技的伊朗友人以现场直播的方式，让各地的亲友（包括西班牙、波兰和塞尔维亚）观看婚礼的实况。这充满创意的方法让我们克服种种限制，一起欢庆婚姻的盟约。上帝的灵将我们联合在一起，并赐下喜乐。
那个主日早晨，我们这个多国参与的奇妙聚会，只不过是浅尝那将来的荣耀。到那日，在天国里有许多人“是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的”，都将一同站在上帝面前（启示录7章9节）。主所爱的门徒约翰在启示录提到，他在异象中看见“许多的人”。在那里，那些聚在一起的人将与众天使和长老们一起敬拜上帝：“颂赞、荣耀、智慧、感谢、尊贵、权柄、大力都归与我们的上帝，直到永永远远。”（12节）
耶稣在“羔羊之婚筵”里（19章9节）与祂的新妇结为连理，是何等美妙的敬拜和欢庆时刻！祂的新妇就是由来自多国的信徒组成的教会。我们在主日与多国的人一起聚会的经历，预示了那一天我们将共享的庆典。
当我们以盼望等候那喜乐的宴席时，也可以享受现今在上帝的子民中欢庆饮宴的时光。
你想像中的羔羊婚筵是怎样的情况？
你已获邀参加这庆典，对你的日常生活有何影响？
耶稣，祢是上帝的羔羊，除去世人的罪孽，也除去了我的罪。感谢祢邀请我参加这天国的婚筵。