WONDERFUL THING IN THIS PASSAGE – A war has been raging since the dawn of human history, a war between Creator God and all who oppose His rule. It’s a single war, but it’s fought on countless battlefields through the centuries. God’s people frequently emerge from these battles pretty beaten up.
Most of us know how that feels. We’ve often seen evil triumph over good both historically and personally. We’ve heard that God eventually wins the war, but we’re so overwhelmed in the battles that it’s hard to remember and hard to believe.
That’s where the final four chapters of Scripture come in. And that’s why I recommend that you start reading the Bible at the end and then go back to the beginning. For the first 1,185 chapters, victory and defeat bounce all over the place, and we lose many of the battles. However, chapters 19 through 22 of Revelation remove all doubt about the outcome of the war. Today’s passage provides a preview of the end:
“The seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying,
The kingdom of the world
has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign forever and ever.
The twenty-four elders, who were seated before God on their thrones, fell facedown and worshiped God, saying, ‘We give you thanks, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry, but your wrath has come. The time has come for the dead to be judged and to give the reward to your servants the prophets, to the saints, and to those who fear your name, both small and great’” (Rev 11:15-18).
WONDERFUL THING IN OUR LIVES – We need to remind ourselves and each other frequently, dear brothers and sisters, that the time WILL come when the Almighty God will give us our reward. That reward is great beyond our reckoning, it has been reserved for us from the beginning, and He will personally give it to each of us who serve Him: the prophets, the saints, and those who fear His name, both small and great.
There was never the slightest doubt in heaven about the winning side. That’s why the angels serve and fight with such perfect confidence. If you and I will take today’s passage by faith, we can serve and fight with that same assurance and courage.
