The Song Of The Lamb

 I saw something like a sea made of glass, the glass all shot through with fire. Carrying harps of God, triumphant over the Beast, its image, and the number of its name, the saved ones stood on the sea of glass. They sang the Song of Moses, servant of God; they sang the Song of the Lamb:

Mighty your acts and marvelous,
    O God, the Sovereign-Strong!
Righteous your ways and true,
    King of the nations!
Who can fail to fear you, God,
    give glory to your Name?
Because you and you only are holy,
    all nations will come and worship you,
    because they see your judgments are right.~ Rev 15:2-4

So, for the next three chapters or so it goes a bit crazy. And yet again to spare myself and you,  dear readers,  I will once more abstain from commenting on the startling imagery and the (at times) baffling turns of events.  Better minds than mine have failed to make it comprehensible.  And besides, I don't want to speculate.

But yet again,  before a particularly bleak spell,  we have angels with specific responsibilities for bringing certain plagues on earth.

They echo, in part,  the plagues of Egypt.  We have boils and water turning to blood,  and then darkness.  There are definitely some parallels.

And the purpose seems to be, in part, that the followers of Babylon and the beast would turn to God in repentance.

But,  as we see time and time again, extreme pressure seems to reveal the true nature of those that suffer it.

And whereas some choose God through the fog of pain, others will curse him all the more.

But what is significant about these seven plagues is that they are the last.

The earth has been harvested.  The grapes have been trampled in the winepress and the wrath that oozed out fills the seven bowls that the angels are about to pour out.

And on one hand it all looks pretty bleak.

Just what you want to cheer you up in the morning.

But yet again,  in the context of extreme suffering,  the people of God seem pretty chipper.

The ones who are saved are stood on the glass sea,  and they are having a bit of a party.

The harps are out and they are celebrating the downfall of the Beast and it's image and number.

Interestingly they sing the song of Moses.

In Exodus 15 we can read the lyrics of the song of Moses. 

Sometimes we think Hip Hop has swagger.  But Jay Z or Kanye have nothing on Moses and the israelites. They lauded it over their vanquished enemy. 

Not very nice,  is it?  

But don't forget the centuries of oppression that the israelites had suffered at the hands of the Egyptians.  Don't forget how they had seen a God who they hardly knew, hear their cries for deliverance. 

Don't forget how Elohim,  the general 'God' of the world became their God, as he revealed his most holy and secret name to them. Elohim became Yaweh.  I am.

And more than the God 'who was', becoming their God 'who is',  he was not Just 'I am'. 

He became to them 'I am here'.  (Yaweh Shammah)

He became Yaweh Jireh ( I am your provider). 

He became Yaweh Shalom (I am your peace) 

He became Yaweh Rofe (I am your healer).

And he became deliverer. 

And don't forget the poor old Egyptians were coming in wrathful retribution to kill or re-enslave them.

Yeah they had a party. Wouldn't you? 

The relief.  The elation.  The Just deserts for their oppressor. 

And they sang and played music,  and lauded it over the dead Egyptians. 

And John draws the parallel.  The plagues of the end times are the judgement of God on the oppressors of his saints. 

That day is coming. 

But the Song of Moses becomes one with the Song of the Lamb.

Even at the start of these plagues,  the Saints are in jubilant mood.  They know this same God that delivered Moses has become their 'I am'. And Yeshua literally means 'the deliverance of God'.

Yaweh Yeshua. 

I am your salvation. I am your deliverer. 

Whatever we go through today,  we can know that the God of the Exodus,  the God of Calvary will become not just Elohim... Not just 'God', But Our God.  Yawheh.  Yawheh Shamma.  Yawheh Shalom.  Yaweh Jireh.  Yaweh Rofe. Yawheh Yeshuah. 

Today,  heavenly saviour,  may we sing your song,  the victory song of the Lamb, 

And may we still be singing when the evening comes. 

This day, 

And all days, 

Amen.