As blood-bought, Christ-covered, forever-forgiven followers of Jesus, we live in light of the realities of the cross every day. Yet, even as overwhelmingly wonderful and life-changing as the cross is, its complete fulfillment is yet to come.

Read Luke 22:14-16. The night before Jesus would lay down His life, Jesus shared how much He had been anticipating eating this particular Passover meal with His disciples. Jesus knew that He would be fulfilling Passover the next day when He, the Lamb, would lay down His life and fulfill all the pictures God had been painting for centuries.

At the first Passover, God’s people ceased to be the slaves of Pharaoh and became the servants of the living God. But at the last Passover, on the cross, the Lord Jesus Christ took the servants of the living God and made them sons and daughters of the living God.

Yet Jesus was also looking beyond this Passover meal because, the next time He was to celebrate it, it would be “in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:16). Jesus knew that while Passover would find its complete fulfillment in the cross, the cross would find its complete fulfillment in the marriage supper of the Lamb—when every tribe, nation, people, and tongue gather around His throne to praise, adore, and worship Him.

This is the fulfillment of the cross, and this is your future: “God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:3-4).

If you are in pain or suffering or if you have a longing heart, look to the day—just as Jesus did—of the great marriage supper of the Lamb. Look to the day when you will be fully and finally with God, who loves you so much He created the cross and then fulfilled the cross. Look to the day when you will praise the Lord Jesus Christ in the throne room of God and behold Him face to face. Look forward to that day when there will be no more pain, suffering, or tears but rather joy unspeakable.

Prayer: Lord, as I think about all that You’ve done for me, I am amazed. When I am discouraged, help me to look to that glorious day when every tribe, tongue, and nation will gather to worship You. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“And they cried out in a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (Revelation 7:10).

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