The book of Revelation is many things but boring! There is just so much going on in the book and the imageries that are painted, the description given of beings that are seen by the author John are almost impossible to picture. It is a book that makes you work your imagination for sure. What I have come to appreciate about that book is that more than being a prophetic book, it is also a book about the here and now as one of the words of the angel to John was “Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later” (Revelation 1:19, italics mine). In all my years of reading the Bible, I had never thought Revelation could be of help to me in my day to day but it is, indeed, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16). This week’s reading had me ponder about the power of God and it was evident that the multiple battles described in Revelation are nothing new for God. In fact, nothing takes Him by surprise; none of what is happening in the heavens and the earth or will happen in the heavens and the earth is a surprise to Him. You are probably telling yourself “I know that, tell me something new” but my answer to you is simply “do you though”? How much of that knowledge drives the way you live your life? In this week’s post, I would like to highlight the victory that those that are in Christ share even in the midst of the suffering now and the suffering to come.
In chapter twelve of Revelation, we are introduced to a woman who has the moon under her feet, is clothed with the sun and has a crown of twelve stars on her head. That woman is pregnant and cries out in pain as she is about to give birth. At the same time, there is also a red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his head that stands in front of the woman who was about to give birth so that he may devour her child (Revelation 12:1-4). This sounds like a movie, and to many of us, it does not belong in the bible yet that is where it is and it is the truth. Fortunately in this story, the dragon did not get a chance to devour the woman’s child because the child, a son was “snatched up to God and to his throne”. What I would like point out is that even in a situation like this one, God is in control. In fact, it was His will that came to pass. The dragon was positioned to get the woman’s baby as soon as he came out but as soon as the baby came out, he was snatched up to God. He got away from the dragon’s claws. It is important to highlight that this dragon was not just anybody, this is the enemy and he is powerful so the fact that the woman’s son got away from him is nothing short of mind-blowing. How, we ask? Only the One true God could have done that, only the Almighty could have done such a rescue. He sees all things, knows all things and is above all things. Again, nothing takes Him by surprise and what’s more, He is always steps ahead from anyone. It does not matter how long you prepare, how many times you plan, He is always steps ahead from you and might I add many steps after you. Ours is really to submit but His is to lead. God’s plan always prevails, His will “will be done on earth just as it is in heaven”. There was a great battle that followed that snatching of the woman’s son as the red dragon who is Satan was hurled down to earth because he and his angels were not strong enough to defeat God’s mighty angel for war Michael and his companions. Again, God is on His throne unbothered, He knows his army will take care of it. This too should be our attitude (not being bothered) when faced with difficulties because we know that God, our God is more than able, He is powerful. It is a simple truth but grasping it makes such a difference in how we live our lives and the decisions and choices we take.
In all the many battles described in Revelation, what transpires is always the victory that those who have believed in Christ Jesus have in the end. There is not a hint of defeat on God’s side or His children when you read throughout Revelation. Not even in the slightest form. What we are encouraged to do more and more is to keep the faith, to stand strong in the face of adversity because it is sure to happen. However, we who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and have victory because of the Lamb of God that was slain, should not be surprised at the suffering brought by Satan nor should we fear it when it comes. Moreover, we further read in chapter fifteen that those that were victorious over Satan held harps given to them by God and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb (Revelation 15:3). That sentence got my attention and I wondered what the song of Moses was. Fortunately for me, I was also reading through the book of Exodus and I found the song in question (see Exodus 15). I thought, how is it possible that a song that was written thousands of years ago was still so à propos? The song of Moses is the song that he along with Aaron and his sister and the rest of Israel sang when God delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians. God had set them free in a mighty way, parting the red sea in two before their very eyes, allowing them to cross that sea on land. That song recounted the beautiful works of God, His majesty, His power, His matchlessness, His greatness in all the earth, His might. This same song was sang in heaven by brothers and sisters who overcame the enemy. How did they overcome? “By the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony”. Indeed, they also overcame by denying themselves for “they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelation 12:11). Such a special song can be sung by all those who have put their trust and faith in the Lord Jesus and are striving to remain in him irrespective of what goes on in the world around them. While we may not know what is going on in the world, as Christ followers we ought to be completely convinced of the victory we have in Christ. Nothing or no one can take that away from us, indeed, just like the woman’s son, no dragon can take this from us, we have the victory and it is secure and eternal. Paul does remind us of our victorious status in Christ stating we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us when we go through tribulations and hardships and the like (Romans 8:35-37). While many of us might not live to see and experience the hardships that the enemy will send our way in the end times, the truth of the matter is that we must still learn to believe that we are more than conquerors in the mini trials we face. Indeed, if we can trust the Lord in the little trial, then we can trust Him in the big trial. The goal should be to trust Him no matter the trial. One observation that was striking as I have been reading Revelation is that God has not stood up from His throne, yet He is winning battles. God Himself is not going to fight any battles, He has subjects and armies to do that and He is not concerned not even once. He is the One to whom all glory and power is ascribed to, so why do we not trust that He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent?
If there is anything I am learning from the book of Revelation it is that I shall not fear the future because I am more than a conqueror, the Lamb of God who was worthy to open the scroll has defeated sin and death and has given me life everlasting. I have a victory that is not mine to forfeit, it is a victory that is not dependent on how I feel. What Christ did on the cross was beyond anyone could think or imagine and to think that we get to spend eternity with God at the price of saying yes to Jesus is quite unbelievable. We should all be singing that salvation belongs to our God, like the song of Moses we should say “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15: 3-4). May this be our song. Amen.
A Word Aptly Spoken 