ROBES MADE WHITE by T. E. Bowen

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Jan 16, 1901

“ROBES MADE WHITE.”

By T. E. Bowen

JOHN, the beloved apostle, was by his divine Lord shown in holy vision many things concerning the trials and experiences the church was to pass thru on earth, and then, for its encouragement and cheer, he was given glimpses of the glories that await the faithful after the scenes of the “present evil world” are passed away.

Here is a description of one of these beautiful scenes, which is to become a reality: “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, These which are arrayed in the white robes, who are they, and whence came they? And I say unto him, My lord, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He that sitteth on the throne shall spread His tabernacle over them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun strike upon them, nor any heat; for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall be their shepherd, and shall guide them unto fountains of waters of life; and God shall wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

Rev. 7:13-17, R.V.

This company surely came from the earth; “these are they which come out of the great tribulation.”

They were sinners, but thru living faith in the life and death of the Son of God, were accounted righteous by Heaven. Jesus led them on earth by the pitfalls, thru fiery trials, safely thru the wild scenes of the end, and, according to His promise, came for them, that where He is there they “may [eternally] be also.”

In this picture their trials are over. Purified thru obedience to God’s Word on earth, they now share in the pleasures at His right hand forevermore. No more sighs, no more tears, no more hard toil in climes where the sun poured down its heated rays; now they are tenderly cared for by Jesus, the great Shepherd. They have experienced the awful consequences of breaking the law of God, so “holy,” so “just,” and so “good” (which is sin), and shudder at the thought of the awful possibilities of eternal separation from heaven, a fate from which Jesus has rescued them; and thus eternally they are prepared to witness to the justice, love, and mercy of God, in obliterating from His universe the dark blot of sin.

Reader, would you not like a place in this happy company? Are there any joys of earth to be compared with being covered with the “tabernacle” of the glorious King of heaven? You may be there. It is not a question of the enormity of your sins, but of a willingness on your part to come to Christ now and be washed. O, delay not, but come while mercy is offered! T. E. BOWEN.

Rome, N. Y.