Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter the city by its gates.

— Revelation 22:14

9 After this I looked and saw a multitude too large to count, from every nation and tribe and people and tongue, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.

14 … So he replied, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

15 For this reason, they are before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple; and the One seated on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.

16 ‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’

17 For the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd. ‘He will lead them to springs of living water,’ and ‘God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

— Revelation 7:9, 14-17

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and love from Christ to you.

We know the Holy Spirit gives the redeemed people a desire for holiness and new strength to obey God. Though Christians fight indwelling sin until we die or Jesus returns, seeking holiness becomes our enduring goal. In Revelation 22:14, Jesus pronounces a blessing on all “who wash their robes.” They “have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” Both the right to eat of the Tree of Life and to enter the city picture salvation and eternal life.

This reminds us that in Revelation 7, John saw countless people “from every nation, tribe, people and language” standing before God and the Lamb, having “washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” Washed robes represent experiencing God’s grace through forgiveness of sin. Such powerful cleansing comes only through Jesus and His atoning death on the cross. It is also an encouragement for us to be open for the Holy Spirit’s cleansing work on us.