Revelation 7:14, commentary and pictures

The verse pictures a countless redeemed company from every nation and station standing before God and the Lamb in white robes, crying salvation to Him as overcomers crowned with victory. They have come out of great suffering for loyalty to God, including the final unprecedented time of trouble when they refuse the beast and its worship though cut off, impoverished, imprisoned and threatened with death. Their robes are robes of character made spotless from sin, which is the righteousness of Christ credited and wrought within, cleansed through His atoning death as the just for the unjust, and received through repentance, confession, faith and obedience rather than personal merit. Because they are cleansed they serve God day and night in His temple under His sheltering presence, hungering and thirsting no more, led by the Lamb to living fountains while God wipes away all tears and gives palms, crowns, harps and mansions. That washing must be done now in this probationary life by laying hold of Christ, putting away every sin and persevering in watching, prayer and overcoming, for character is not changed at His coming or in death.

Multitude Before the Throne

The white-robed company is a great unnumbered multitude drawn from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues and languages and every class, standing before the throne and before the Lamb in white robes with palms in their hands and crying salvation to God and to the Lamb while angels worship. They are those who came out of great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, made clean through His atoning death, and therefore they stand before the throne of God serving Him day and night in His temple with Him dwelling among them and sheltering them with His presence. Hungering no more nor thirsting any more, struck no more by sun or scorching heat, they are fed and shepherded and led by the Lamb in the midst of the throne unto living fountains of waters while God wipes away all tears from their eyes. The conflict is over and all tribulation and strife are at an end, so the future glory and blessedness set before them is comfort and hope for those in affliction to look to Jesus, and the chapter setting forth wonderful things about to transpire is full of intense interest to every soul who shall live upon the earth and is to be carefully read and studied. In the morning of the resurrection, when those separated by death meet again and the broken links of the family chain are reunited, they meet Jesus as the center and foundation of all their hopes, the Author and Finisher of faith, with a joy never before known.

They are the redeemed host, saved and eternally saved, the overcomers and saints and elect and blood-washed company gathered in white robes around the throne as conquerors crowned with victory. Though despised and oppressed by the world for remaining loyal to God through severe tribulation and persecution, they stand before God as conquerors, their cleansing and victory coming through Jesus' sacrificial death. Their white robes are robes of character made white by the blood of the Lamb, representing the righteousness of Christ put on now by washing the character, which gives fitness for the society of heavenly angels and for the mansions and inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan that Jesus has gone to prepare for those who love Him. That inheritance, with a part apportioned to them, is enjoyed all the more for being pilgrims and strangers here, and obtaining it requires earnest, self-possessed, firm, decided and persevering overcoming, prizing the rest that remains for the people of God and seeing Jesus whom the soul loves.

The company is identified as the 144,000 translated from among the living, whose experience of trial and deliverance is unique. They pass through the greatest time of trouble, the unprecedented final trial including Jacob's trouble and the final outpouring of God's judgments, enduring it standing without an intercessor, and are delivered. Having washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb and stood stiffly for His truth, they therefore stand before God's throne to serve Him, sheltered from hunger and thirst and scorching heat, fed by the Lamb and led to living waters with every tear wiped away. After Jesus comes they are taken together through the cloud in seven days to the sea of glass, where they stand in a perfect square in glorious white mantles from shoulders to feet, crowned by Jesus Himself with crowns of differing brightness and given harps of gold and palms of victory, fully satisfied, and on that ground Jesus Himself opens the pearly gate of the city and bids them enter in, giving them a perfect right in the city.

The company includes martyrs slain for Jesus, seen in the new earth in pure white robes marked with red at the border and wearing brilliant crowns, their garments made pure through the blood of the Lamb after coming through great tribulation and suffering for Christ. With them is an innumerable company of little ones wearing the same red hem. This sight of the white-robed redeemed in the heavenly home around the throne of God was given to John while an exile on Patmos, when Jesus met him and revealed events to transpire in the last days stretching over the ages to the coming of Christ and making known the counsel of the Lord for future ages. The attractive glories of the heavenly home were made known in the vision of the throne, the white-robed redeemed, the lofty song of angels, and the victorious songs of triumph from those who had overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.

Coming Through Great Tribulation

Coming out of great tribulation means having endured suffering, affliction, reproach, poverty, hunger, imprisonment, torture, disappointment and death for remaining loyal to God and doing His will. The white-robed company are those who came through great suffering and were cleansed through the sacrifice of the Lamb. Though the world despised and oppressed them for loyalty to God, they stand before His throne as conquerors whose cleansing and victory come through Jesus' sacrificial death.

The tribulation includes the final unprecedented time of trouble, Jacob's trouble, and the outpouring of God's judgments and plagues when the redeemed stand without an intercessor and are delivered. It is the experience of those translated from among the living, whose trial and deliverance is unique. When the plagues come upon the earth, hail about the weight of a talent falls upon the wicked who would not obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies.

This final tribulation comes after refusing to worship the beast and its image and to revere an idol sabbath. The loyal endure anguish while mocked, reviled, ridiculed for feebleness and small numbers, threatened with destruction, reduced to poverty and cut off so they cannot buy or sell, yet holding fast their faith. They endure hardship, imprisonment, torture, deprivation, self-denial, disappointment, hunger and reproach, and are driven to mountains, dens, caves, dungeons and prisons. Those lately in abject misery, hated and despised by the world as weak and unworthy and defenseless against cruelty, stand revealed close about the throne among the martyrs, crowned conquerors and more than conquerors when righteousness receives the palm of victory.

God's people have suffered for faithfulness throughout history, choosing affliction rather than turning from God. Though the world rejects them and casts their names out as evil, their names are written in the book of life as adopted heirs of Christ who belong to heaven. Though counted weak and foolish, they are owned and honored by Jesus as heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, and those who suffer with Christ will share His reign and eternal reward. Earthly prosperity and friendship with the world are not marks of God's favor, and the hope of immortality does not remove suffering from the Christian life. The white robes, crowns and palm branches picture the reward they behold by faith and will receive as overcomers.

Suffering refines them, teaches them to hate sin, and purifies them through test and trial. Those who share in Christ's sufferings and pass through great tribulation alone can enjoy heaven's glory, because they have experienced the cost of their inheritance and the depth of the Saviour's love. Triumph follows a life of costly sacrifice and suffering for Christ, and those who disregard His suffering, choose self-indulgence and avoid self-denial will not value their inheritance nor be prepared to stand in the day of anguish. They remain separate from the world and unspotted by it.

After they come through tribulation, Jesus welcomes them into the heavenly city to the marriage supper. Having suffered for Jesus and done His will, they are welcomed to supper where He promises to gird Himself and serve them. The faithful will also eat from the tree of life and drink from the fountain of life, and their suffering ends in victory.

Robes Washed White

The robes are robes of character, of the beauty of spirit and soul and heart and life, not literal garments or ascension robes, and readiness to meet Christ is inward purity of soul. Washing them means overcoming errors, sins and defects of character through faith in Christ's merits and through His grace and power, receiving the cleansing provided at infinite cost. Through repentance toward God the character may now be cleansed by Christ's blood and prepared to stand before the throne in white raiment, in imitation of Christ's life.

Made white means cleansed from every stain and spot and wrinkle and defect and moral pollution of sin, and made pure and holy and spotless, reflecting the moral beauty and perfection of Christ's character. The white robes contrast with robes of self-righteousness worn by those deceived about sin, for they belong to overcomers who gain victory through faith and do not excuse or misrepresent sin. The robes of character were not given to hide sins but were washed, and the atoning blood is applied to those who turn from excess through self-control and choose self-denial and purity. Those so cleansed kept God's commandments on earth and follow Christ their Shepherd.

The white robe is the righteousness of Christ, both pardoning and transforming, credited to the repentant and wrought into the character by grace through truth, by sanctification of the Spirit, and by faith that works by love. It is the wedding garment and the white linen of the saints, fitness for the society of heavenly angels and for the mansions and inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan. Each of the cleansed bears the sign THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, without spot or wrinkle, reflecting Christ's image and sharing His glory. It is the grace that perfects Christian character, given to those who come poor and needy and dependent, as His compassion and mercy and light shine into the chambers of the mind and the soul-temple and His Holy Spirit touches the heart and makes it tender. Those thus washed become overcomers who enter the kingdom to go no more out, sing triumph and victory and praise to God and to the Lamb around the great white throne, and at last lay their crowns at the feet of Jesus.

Washing in the blood of the Lamb means cleansing through His atoning sacrifice, His death on the cross of Calvary as the just for the unjust, bearing the penalty of human sin without murmur and paying an infinite price for every sinner. He was wounded for transgressions and bruised for iniquities, and by His stripes comes healing, pardon, victory, and everlasting life that measures with the life of God. He endured death and the grave to remove guilt and bring salvation and life, and cleansing and victory come through His sacrificial death alone. Washing is done now in the remaining hours of probation by taking a humble penitent place at the foot of the cross, looking constantly to Him whom sins have pierced and sorrows have burdened, learning meekness and lowliness, and letting Him appear in character and deportment and conversation.

Christ does not merely cover sin with His righteousness but takes sin away and clothes with His own righteousness, replacing garments stained by sin with white robes. He alone cleanses defiled garments and makes them white through His shed blood, having opened a fountain for sin and uncleanness in which robes of character may be washed. Pardon and cleansing are freely offered to every repentant person who trusts the promise and comes to Him, and no one is too sinful to receive strength and purity and righteousness. The heart divested of self becomes ready for the inflowing of the Holy Ghost, which then works outward in ministry to the depressed and suffering, in forgetting self and being hid with Christ in God, and in holy conversation, so that He can present the person spotless before the Father and the gates are opened.

Washing requires the sinner's own part in cooperation with the agencies of Heaven: repentance, confession, conversion, faith, obedience, loathing sin and purging self from evil, and reliance on Christ's cleansing, mercy, merits and grace rather than on one's own righteousness or personal merit. God has provided cleansing at infinite cost, but people must take hold of that provision and do their part, for He does not remove defilement without willing effort. Sins must be repented of and blotted out through Christ's blood, the life examined by God's word to find and correct defects of character while there is still time, before the record of unrepented sins confronts in the judgment. Though fallen and capable of the most revolting crimes, those who so cooperate are guided and clothed with His own righteousness and become victors through the power of His grace, coming off more than conquerors with a place in His everlasting kingdom to reign with Him.

Cleansing is personal, and seeking faults in others cannot take the place of having one's own character cleansed from sin and made pure through the blood of the Lamb.

Life Without Suffering

Because they have been cleansed they stand before the throne of God and serve Him day and night in His temple, with Him dwelling among them and sheltering them with His presence. They are the great multitude from all nations and kindreds and peoples and tongues in white robes with palms crying salvation to God and to the Lamb, seen after the four angels holding the four winds and after the sealing of the 144,000, and the chapter holding this vision is of wonderful things about to transpire and of intense interest to every soul living on earth. Their standing there is the direct therefore of coming out of great tribulation with robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb.

They shall hunger no more nor thirst any more, neither sun nor heat shall fall on them. The Lamb in the midst of the throne feeds them and shepherds them and leads them to living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears from their eyes. With this comes the end of toil and the promised seeing of Jesus and being made like Him, with no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain.

They receive the palm branch of victory and jeweled crowns richer than any earthly diadem, with harps of gold and mansions prepared for those who love God. They have free, open access to the tree of life where the precious Saviour is present, with no flaming guard barring approach, eating its fruit in happy joy with voices blended in perfect harmony. There their life measures with the life of God, a life with no pain, sorrow, sickness, or death, but only peace and harmony and love.

There they greet those who directed them to the uplifted Saviour and gratefully remember soul-winners whose self-denying labor saved them, uniting with angels in songs of victory and praise to Him who died and casting their crowns at the Redeemer's feet. What they do before the throne is receive from Christ the opened treasures and riches of Bible truth now unappreciated and hidden from eyes, advancing as light comes into knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He sent. Jesus as Captain of salvation and King of kings opens before them the record of great victories won on earth by the prayer of faith, including those of martyrs who endured death for their faith, which they will desire to hear and will hear.

At Christ's coronation they accompany Him into the heavenly courts in triumph as His trophies of victory and witnesses that His mission of suffering and self-sacrifice was not in vain, sharing His victory. They surround Him as the army of the redeemed, shining forth in the glory of the Father and the Son, welcomed by angels touching golden harps with a song of triumph filling heaven, and receive from Him crowns of immortal glory. Having washed their robes in His blood and stood stiffly for His truth, each bearing the sign THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jesus Himself opens the pearly gate and bids them enter in, giving them a perfect right in the city to join the feast.

They share pure communion with holy beings and harmonious social life with the blessed angels and with one another, and this fellowship helps constitute the happiness of the redeemed. They shall know even as they are known, and the sacred ties that bind together the whole family in heaven and earth will be enjoyed. Gathered with family and friends separated by death around the wide-spreading tree, dwelling in peace and happiness and glory with a happy company without sorrow or separation throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity, they are at home in the peaceful earth made new.

End-Time Prophecy Fulfilled

Revelation 7 is given for consideration, comfort and encouragement about wonderful things about to transpire, full of intense interest to every soul who shall live upon the earth, and therefore to be carefully read and studied. It opens with four angels commissioned over the earth holding in check the four winds from hurting the earth and sea and trees until the servants of God are sealed in their foreheads, followed by the sealing of the 144,000 of Israel, after which appears the unnumbered white-robed multitude from all nations before the throne and the Lamb as those who came out of great tribulation and were made clean through the blood of the Lamb. God's judgments are thus mixed with mercy, for He holds back the forces that would harm the earth until His servants are sealed, and He has a people whom He will preserve. The chapter is full of meaning and reveals terrible judgments, for the Lord goes forth to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity, the earth discloses her blood and no more covers her slain, and when the plagues come hail about the weight of a talent will fall upon the wicked who would not obey God but insulted Him and despised all His mercies.

Those described are Christ's chosen few, purchased when He gave Himself as ransom for the world, who keep all the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus. They are among those who kept God's commandments on earth, the Lord's chosen people marked by loyalty to all His commandments and faith in Jesus, whose robes are made white through the Lamb's blood by which Christ's sacrifice cleanses them and gives them victory. They have overcome through the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and that washing means standing before God in righteousness today by living on the plan of addition, adding grace to grace, receiving intelligence to act out the Scriptures, following on to know the Lord, turning away from temptations in every city, town and village, standing against evil, educating children away from danger to hide in Jesus Christ, and laboring for families and neighbors by reading the promises of God and praying with them. They are marked and registered in heaven as overcomers to shield them when destruction comes, specifically those who sigh and cry for the abominations done among those who profess to be God's people rather than those engrossed in selfish amusement. After the angelic messenger has marked this class, the ministers of destruction are commanded to go through and slay utterly old and young without pity, but not to come near any man upon whom is the mark, beginning at the sanctuary. This preparation decides how each person will stand in the grand review coming when every case is decided and the books are opened, when God who cannot look upon impurity of character reveals who stood firmly to righteousness and truth and won souls, and when those prepared are transferred to the city of God as the gates swing open for the nations that have kept the truth to enter heaven where no tempting devil will come.

The robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb are the spotless robe of character, the wedding garment required for the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to examine the guests to see if all are attired in that garment, and all who upon examination are seen to have it on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne, while he who is found wanting is cast out. This examination of character to determine who are prepared for the kingdom of God is the investigative judgment, the closing work in the sanctuary above, taking place before the marriage, and when the cases of those who in all ages have professed to be followers of Christ have been examined and decided, probation will close and the door of mercy will be shut. This cleansing means sins are repented of and blotted out through Christ's blood, calling for examining life and character by God's word to find and correct defects while there is still time, before the record of unrepented sins confronts them in the judgment. Those living on earth when the intercession of Christ ceases in the sanctuary above are to stand in the sight of a holy God without a Mediator with spotless robes, meaning characters purified from sin by the blood of sprinkling, and through the grace of God and their own diligent efforts they must be conquerors in the battle with evil. While the investigative judgment is going forward in heaven, while the sins of penitent believers are being removed from the sanctuary, there is a special work of purification, of putting away of sin, among God's people upon earth. In the great day when every case is brought up in review before God, when it is too late for anything to be changed, these people with robes of character washed white will be heard around the unconverted giving joyous shouts, while the unconverted see their unlikeness to Christ and confess that they alone are to blame.

The chapter carries a message from God about most important things that will transpire before long, to be heeded by intelligent hearers, with a charge not to draw apart but to be drawn together by Christ, to be of one heart and of one mind with one object before them, the salvation of souls, because there is a heaven to win. It contains a message to be given to every nation, kindred, tongue and people on the earth, calling for present work to have robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb in order to be prepared for Christ's coming and to be among the number who will be sealed, requiring not burying talents in worldly business or commercialism and not becoming so engrossed in the things of this world as to have neither time nor thought for preparation. Together with Revelation 5 and Revelation 6:12-17 it must be closely studied by those who do God's work in the last days because those scriptures show what is coming on the earth and God's judgment on men for transgressing the law and breaking the everlasting covenant, when everyone receives according to works. Together they bring to view two parties, one cleansed by the Lamb and one that lets itself be deceived and takes sides with those with whom the Lord has a controversy, misinterprets the messages sent, clothes itself in robes of self-righteousness instead of being cleansed by the Lamb, does not count sin as sinful, teaches falsehood as truth, and leads many souls astray.

Coming out of great tribulation with robes washed white in the blood of the Lamb means genuine sanctification that prepares a person to stand in the judgment, in contrast to the spurious sanctification that is so common and exposing the unprepared state of the people for the judgment. This washing represents the cleansing by which they develop a perfected Christian character, and those who have received this cleansing and perfected a Christian character through cleansing in the blood of the Lamb are represented by the five wise virgins.

Cleansing Required Now

Washing white must be done now in this present probationary life in order to be prepared for Christ's coming, for translation, and to be among the sealed. The robes are character, and washing them is receiving cleansing through the provision made at infinite cost, with a place in the mansions and homes prepared for those who love God for those who are cleansed. Character cannot be changed by Christ at His coming, in death, or in the resurrection, which changes only the body, and not one wrong will be righted or error removed afterward, so the time for this character work is now and requires not burying talents in worldly business and commercial engrossment that leave neither time nor thought for preparation. This cleansing is a present preparation in which believers keep themselves unspotted from the world while they wait for the Lord's appearing, and the chapter carries a message to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people.

The present work means laying hold of the merits of Christ, with full provision to sit with Him on His throne on condition of living in harmony with the law of God, turning from all unrighteousness and meeting the conditions, with heaven opened to prayer. It means taking a humble penitent place at the foot of the cross in the few precious remaining hours of probation, subduing pride and vanity through penitence and faith, denying self, hiding self in Jesus, looking constantly to Him whom sins have pierced and sorrows have burdened, learning meekness and lowliness, and letting Him appear in character, deportment, and conversation, unto standing around the great white throne with peace as a river. The robe of character must be made perfect, without spot or wrinkle, softened, refined and elevated by sanctifying grace, with singular oddities and careless, rough and uncourteous speech put away and words made select, soft and seasoned with grace, fitting for the society of heavenly angels and to stand together around the throne in the city of God in the presence of the Redeemer and receive immortal glory. This cleansing is connected with sanctification through obedience to the truth and prepares to meet the Lord and see the King in His beauty, and it requires overcoming pride, passion, selfishness, and spiritual slothfulness.

It is won only by earnest, self-possessed, firm, decided, persevering overcoming, by prizing the rest that remains for the people of God and seeing Jesus whom the soul loves. Cleansing requires a lifetime of daily effort to restrain and deny self, fight new battles, gain victories, and plead earnestly with God for the victories of the cross, with each day calling for renewed effort. Salvation and victory come through Christ's merits, not through the value of one's own righteousness, and God helps those who recognize their need of His help. Those who have faith, hope, and love planted and cultivated in the soul grow in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ and become bright, shining lights to the world, by facing the light and talking faith rather than darkness, for by beholding Christ they become changed into the same image.

The cleansing is open to all regardless of race, social position, former condition, outward appearance, poverty, affliction, calamity, or deformity. Washing robes and making them white is conversion from sin to holiness and having a pure, clean soul and purified heart, and those thus cleansed are worthy to walk with Christ in white as members of God's family, for heaven has no caste and earthly rank and skin color set no one apart. A white believer and a colored believer are alike sanctified and cleansed, so racial prejudice and inherited tendencies have no place among them. Entrance through the gates of the Holy City depends not on hair color or bodily form but on perfect obedience to all God's commandments and on having His name written in the forehead, arrayed in the righteousness of Christ which gives admittance to the presence of the heavenly angels. Even those who are poor and afflicted and suffer misfortune in this world, if washed in the blood of the Lamb, can anticipate the joy of heaven by faith, and physical deformity does not bar salvation, for all who are faithful and true will receive the healing touch of the divine Restorer when every deformity is removed and eternal life is given, since the question God asks is whether the heart has been purified, made white, and tried. Joining that company means lives refined and purified to reflect the divine likeness, rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God, assured that Christ has engraved the names of His people on the palms of His hands and will never lose His interest in any dependent soul.

Being among that company is the main business of life, meaning eternal life in the kingdom of glory, and the promise will certainly be fulfilled and is cause to praise God with heart and soul and voice. It belongs to every soul who wars the good warfare for eternal life and for the crown of glory that fadeth not away, and the precious overcomer's reward cheers the heart and makes the soul joyous with hope. The white-robed company before God's throne is held forth as comfort and hope for those in affliction to look to Jesus, and those who willingly obey Christ's words may be among them. This calls for cherishing faith, hope, and love and gaining fitness for the society of heavenly angels and for the homes Jesus has gone to prepare and the inheritance among the sanctified in the heavenly Canaan, prized the more as pilgrims and strangers here.

The call applies to turning from excess through self-control and choosing self-denial and purity, for robes of character are not given to hide sins but are washed, with the atoning blood applied to those who so turn. It demands continued and protracted conflict against intemperance, perverted appetite, and unholy habits that defile the soul-temple, amid rapidly increasing depravity among youth and children, fraud, forgery, bribery, and licentiousness, with earnest work required not only from those who open the Scriptures but from every child of God entering the Master's service. In the present life Christians are to be children of God with untainted morals in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation as Christ's representatives in this dark world, whom He points to as His sons and daughters and His jewels, a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men, and those cleansed by the blood shall reign with Him in white. For youth this is the opportunity to have character cleansed through Christ, a turning point in destiny in the choice between Christ and the world. Having robes washed clean means turning away from the pleasures of the world to have eternal life and be ready for Christ's appearing, keeping the mind stayed upon God and constantly seeking strength to stand against the wiles of the enemy in an age as wicked as the days of Noah, and like Enoch who walked with God and was taken, those thus cleansed will be translated when Christ comes to gather His people. Using the time of probation to cleanse character by separating from sin and selfishness, those who overcome and remain in the book of life love God with all their powers and their neighbors as themselves.

The vision sustains God's people with certain fulfillment, picturing the members of the Lord's family in a beautiful pastoral scene of the Shepherd and His sheep, shaped so humanity can take it in and rich in eloquence, showing those who come through great suffering cleansed through the sacrifice of the Lamb. The period of toil will soon end, they will see Jesus and be made like Him, and will surely see and realize all the blessings promised of standing before God's throne in His care without hunger, thirst, scorching heat, or tears. After the conflict is over, when all tribulation and strife are at an end, they receive through His humiliation pardon and everlasting life, life that measures with the life of God, and therefore are before the throne serving day and night in His temple with Him dwelling among them, fed and led by the Lamb to living fountains of waters with no more death, sorrow, crying, or pain. There they greet those who directed them to the uplifted Saviour and unite with angels in songs of victory and praise to Him who died, casting their crowns at the Redeemer's feet, and this vision of future glory should be dear to the church, showing it a privilege and honor to cooperate with Christ and suffer for His sake in this life. In the morning of the resurrection those separated by death meet again, the broken links of the family chain are reunited to meet Jesus, the center and foundation of all hope, the Author and Finisher of faith, with a joy never before known.