Heaven's Parade of Nations

The Olympics and Heaven's Day of Rewards

Photo by leah hetteberg on Unsplash

Did you enjoy watching the Olympics this year? During the opening and closing ceremonies, I’m always amazed at the colorful assortment of cultural dress paraded from every part of the world. Some nations bring many competitors, some only one.

What a thrill to see the joy and awed excitement on the athletes’ faces as they walk into the stadium waving their flags, holding their heads high, proud to belong to the elite chosen few. I try to imagine what it would feel like to be them. To finally arrive at this long-dreamed-about moment.

The parade of nations also moves me because it gives a glimpse of what could be if all peoples on earth lived in peace. Recently, this international pageantry brought to mind Revelations 21:24-25 about the new Jerusalem, when the kings of the earth will bring the glory and honor of the nations into the city. And it got me thinking, what might heaven’s parade of nations be like, when the last believer has arrived and it’s time to reward those who overcame by the blood of the Lamb?

Imagine entering heaven’s stadium with the throng of saints as millions of angels, a “great cloud of witnesses,” cheer in the stands! All nations, tribes, and tongues—every race, every culture, every historical era—would be represented, some many, some few. Imagine the pageantry of such a procession! The charged, jubilant atmosphere!

Our faces shining with joy and excitement, surely we’d enter in stunned wonder, marveling at the honor of being present at this culminating moment in history. Surely we’d be flooded with a deep sense of eternal gratitude.

Our King is the only reason we belong to the throng of saints—he’s the One who recruited us and daily grows us into champions as he supplies strength to complete the unique course each individual must run (Hebrews 12:1-2). In this world we sweat, pant, and groan our way to the finish line. But when Jesus returns in his Father’s glory he will reward each person according to what he or she has done (Matthew 16:27). What the rewards will be and in what type of ceremonial manner they’ll be given, I don’t know. But I’m sure the Olympics won’t hold a candle to that great day!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us (Hebrews 12:1 NLT).