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HEAVEN’S SONG

Rev.15:3,4 – And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

 

Great and marvelous are Your works,

O Lord God, the Almighty;

Righteous and true are Your ways,

King of the nations!

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?

For You alone are holy;

For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,

FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.

The book of Revelation is a book filled with contrasts. There are terrifying images of unimaginable destruction that fill the pages of the entire book. Images like fiery mountains being hurled into the sea, one hundred pound hailstones, and huge scorpions that attack humans. There are outbreaks of boils, and plagues, apparent nuclear wars; frankly, it is obviously worse than any of us could ever dream up. On the other hand there are the scenes in heaven and glimpses of the glory of God displayed in Jesus Christ. We see Him as the lion and the lamb, the exalted King of the Universe, the Lord of the harvest, and the triumphant returning King of all Kings.

The responses from the inhabitants on earth and those in heaven provide another amazing contrast. On earth there is terror, anger, and cursing of God. In heaven you have quite a different story. We see angels, seraphim, the elders, and an innumerable host of the redeemed caught up in worship. The contrast could not be more vivid.

Here is a scene of horror of the end of the Great Tribulation from Revelation 16:17-19,21 – “Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty… And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague was extremely severe.”

Compare that with this glimpse, the redeemed worshipping in heaven, Rev. 14: 2,3 ¶ “And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.”

How does this effect our lives today? I guess you have to ask yourself, “which world am I focused on?” The answer to that question will define your life.

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VICTORY OVER THE BEAST

Rev.15:2-4 – And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.

The Bible clearly says that His ways are not our ways. This passage displays this characteristic of the Lord with absolute precision. These worshippers were actually some of the martyrs from the Great Tribulation. These are those who died for their refusal to take the mark of the beast. The worldly view is that they lost the battle and the antichrist was victorious. That is clearly not the view we see in heaven. The martyrs are celebrating in victory before the very throne of God. Christ has rewarded their faithfulness, they are standing in the presence of the Lord in heaven, singing a song that even the angels cannot sing. They have overcome the beast and the devil by the blood of Jesus and the word of their testimony. Here are some thoughts from the Fire Bible on today’s passage.

“VICTORIOUS OVER THE BEAST. The scene changes, and John once again is able to look up into heaven around God’s throne. Standing on a crystal-like surface are those who did not abandon their faith in Christ when persecuted, threatened or killed by the antichrist . They “sang the song of Moses,” just as the Israelites had after they were liberated from slavery in Egypt, brought miraculously through the Red Sea and witnessed the destruction of the Egyptians that pursued them. Their song celebrates the Lord’s triumph and salvation.”

It’s easy for us to be effected by the spirit of the world. We often see worldly people apparently get away with all sorts of injustice with no apparent consequences. At the same time we see the righteous suffer from injustice of all kinds. The view from heaven is quite different. The Lord watches everything; the great day is coming. On that day we too can join with the victorious martyrs singing the heavenly songs of victory. How can you stay faithful in the midst of a compromising world? Get your eyes on Jesus, stay filled with His Spirit. It won’t be long until we too are singing the songs of heaven.

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THE ALMIGHTY

Rev.15:2,3 – And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.

And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, “Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations!

As in the gospel of John, the book of Revelation gives us a glimpse into the unthinkable mystery of the incarnation. Jesus is absolutely a man and at the same time He is totally God. John brings us into the scene in the throne room, a scene that is unspeakably holy. The martyrs are worshipping victoriously before the throne and are proclaiming that Jesus Christ is the Almighty God. All power and authority are displayed in this person, the Son of God. They see Him in His power as the Almighty and His sovereignty as ruler of the nations. Even in their death the Lord reigns and the martyrs are victorious. Here are some comments from Albert Barnes on today’s verse.

“…JEHOVAH—the uncreated and eternal One; that he is God—the creator, upholder, and sovereign of all things; and that he is Almighty—having all power in all worlds. All these names and attributes are suggested when we think of redemption; for all the perfections of a glorious God are suggested in the redemption of the soul from death. It is the Lord—the Ruler of all worlds; it is God—the Maker of the race, and the Father of the race, who performs the work of redemption; and it is a work which could be accomplished only by one who is Almighty.”

He has all power in all worlds and displays that power especially in His work of redemption. What kind of mess were you in or are you still in today? The power of God displayed through His Son is more than sufficient to heal any disease, break any bondage, heal any broken heart, and provide above and beyond what you can ask or think. More than that, He is able to satisfy the deep longings of our empty souls. Join with the martyrs around His throne and sing His praise, He is Almighty and the ruler of the nations.