Sing

DEVOTION

THE REVELATION

SING

Rev 15:1-4

15:1 I saw in heaven another great and marvelous sign: seven angels with the seven last plagues — last, because with them God's wrath is completed. 2 And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the ages. 4 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."

NIV

We have to notice that John does not say “Then I saw”. This gives us a clue that these events he is about to describe are not in chronological order. Once again this gives us the sense that many of these happenings are all taking place, perhaps in some order of sequence, but mostly all within moments or at the same time. We are going to see these seven angels given seven bowls to pour out the wrath of God on those who had taken the mark of the beast. Yet we had just seen John describe for us the wrath of God upon them, using the angel with the sickle and their blood flowing for miles. This was certainly the destruction of the wicked, but here we are going to see a more detailed account of how that will happen with the seven bowls of his wrath. This chapter might be seen as parenthetical rather than chronological. Nevertheless we are assured here that all of us who are victorious over the beast, or the temptation to follow after the beast and we are victorious over his image and the number of his name are standing beside the crystal sea holding harps that are given to us by God. It is for certain we are not on earth as we were in fact harvested by Jesus riding on that cloud. This is not the time described as his return to earth to rule and reign for one thousand years. But this harvest is what we refer to as when we will meet him in the air. Also if that other angel harvested the wicked who then is left to assemble for the last battle with Jesus? We have to know that all this is not in some time order or chronological order, but that John can only write in order as he sees all that is going on, much at the same time. Yet here we are playing our harps, singing a song of praise to our God for all his just and true ways. We are singing about the fact that he is worthy alone, there is none like him. Who will not fear God and bring glory to his name. This should give us a moment to pause and ponder on that fact. In this world where there is so much evil at work, not just in the Middle East by those extremist groups who murder people, Christians in the most heinous manner, but wickedness throughout our world including right here in our own neighborhoods. Throughout the scriptures we can see how God views people, and they are simply in two categories, the righteous and the wicked. We are either one or the other, we cannot serve two masters. If we serve the Lord, if we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior then we are considered the righteous and we will be among those standing beside the crystal sea with our harps singing praises to God. But those who refuse him are considered the wicked and they shall experience the full force of his wrath. But his wrath is not just to punish them, but once again an attempt to turn them from their wicked ways and see that he is God. But it would appear from all the text there will always be those who will remain wicked, not turning away from their own ways, and accepting Jesus. Thus there are going to be people who will experience this wrath that is coming upon them. But at some point no matter how wicked, all the nations will worship God. That is also a fact. If they do not then they are gone, so all that is left are those who worship him. There will be people from all over the earth, from every nation, every tribe, and every language who will accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior and will be among those alongside the crystal sea. What a day that will be when we can sing that song, and we will all be in harmony, in perfect pitch, without any lessons or rehearsals. Yet in some sense our lives each and every day are lessons and rehearsals for that time. Now is the time we should be praising our God each and every day of our lives. Now is the time we should be singing his praises. Not just on Sunday morning for twenty minutes or so in the so called worship time of the service, but we should be singing his praises all the time, every day, throughout the whole of our day. If we are not singing his praises are we then hiding them? How can we witness of his mighty power? How can we witness of his love, his forgiveness, or his healing power, of his grace, his mercy, his offer of free salvation through Jesus Christ, if we are not singing his praises all the time. If we walk around, not only silent, but with a slouched over continence, appearing beaten down by life, we are not singing his praises. If all we see is our life through our human eyes, we might get discouraged at times, and forget to sing his praises. But if we are going to be ready for this great worship in heaven, we better get used to singing right now. Let our spirits soar with songs about our Lord, lift up our hearts and let them beat to the tune of God. We will praise his name forever and ever, for his name is worthy of praise.