Real Enemy, Real Victory (11/1/2020)

Text: “13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, ‘Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?' 14 I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.’”

Today is more than just a day to remember our dead. It is that, to be sure. What a blessing that is— to remember them, to remember their examples of faith, to remember all of God’s blessings to them and His blessings to us through them. Just last night I remembered a story that Rollie Gaeth shared about his first Halloween there at the nursing home in Saginaw. A few days before Halloween, the staff would bring their kids trick or treating. Like the rest of the residents, Rollie arranged with his sons to have a couple of bags of candy to give out. So, when the day came, he was there lined up with the rest of the residents. And the kids came through in their costumes, getting candy. Since it was the first time he had taken part, Rollie had no idea how much candy he needed to have. And there were more kids than he expected. Sure enough, he ran out. But, being Rollie, he didn’t let that stop him. He took the empty bag and proceeded to get in the line of kids and trick or treat until the bag was full again, then he pulled out of line again and gave out the candy to the rest of the kids. Remembering those we love who have departed in the faith is a great joy and blessing today. But it goes further.

What a blessing it is to be able to go back to the book of Revelation right now— in the middle of so much unrest, uncertainty, and upheaval, to hear the words from St. John’s visions describing the end of the world.

Yes, I’m serious.

Revelation may not be the first place you would turn right now. With everything going on around us every day, a book, for example, where a seal is opened causing a great earthquake; causing the sun to become black as cloth and the moon to become like blood; causing the stars of the sky to fall to the earth and the sky vanishing like a scroll that is rolled up — that doesn’t seem like a great place to go right now. But it really is.

GK Chesterton famously wrote, “Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.” Well, to paraphrase Chesterton, “The book of Revelation doesn’t tell you that there will be great tribulation. You already know that there is great tribulation— violence, bloodshed, pandemics, natural disasters on the land and on the sea— you see it every day. The book of Revelation tells you that you are one of those coming out of the great tribulation, that you have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Who knows what the pandemic will bring? Who knows what will come next after the fires raging in California and hurricanes through the south? But know for certain that, even as God’s wrath is poured out on the earth, the angel has called with a loud voice for the judgment to be held back for a moment until the seal of the living God could be placed on your forehead in baptism. And not one of God’s own will be overlooked.

Who knows what sort of violence we will see in the coming weeks, even here in our little corner of Michigan? Who knows what sort of opposition God’s people and God’s church will face, in particular. Who knows whether we we ever reconcile and heal the racial divisions in our country? But know for certain that, one day, the Prince of Peace will return to rule visibly over all creation. We will beat our swords into plowshares and our spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not take up war against nation. Neither shall we learn war any more. In fact, on that day, “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, [will be] standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!'” (Rev. 7:9-10).

Who knows what the coming days will bring in terms of our elected leaders? Who will still be standing after the rallies and ads and phone calls and mailings come to an end? Who will be the guest of honor at the inaugural balls? Who will end up seated in the Oval Office? Who will be Commander in Chief? Who will control the halls of power? What will come of everything that they have promised?

But know for certain that “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!” The whole heavenly host— legion upon legion of angels— fall on their faces before His throne and worship, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” (Rev. 7:12).

Know for certain that He rules over the heavens and the earth. Before Him, “15 Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, [hide] themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, 'Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?'” (Rev. 6:15-17). And He has chosen to save you. Nothing can break or hinder His plan to save you.

Know for certain that His promises have all been fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Your enemies have raged. The devil and the world and your sinful flesh have done their worst. And they all lie crushed at the foot of His cross. Not just the book of Revelation, but all of scripture, testifies to the fact that the ancient serpent, the deceiver of the whole world, has been thrown down to the earth— he and his angels with him— and the children of God have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. (Rev. 12:10-11).

What a blessing to be able to turn to the words of St. John’s Revelation this morning. The book of Revelation doesn’t tell you that there will be great tribulation. You already know that there is great tribulation. You see it around you every day. The book of Revelation tells you that you are being brought out of the great tribulation, that you have washed your robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. “15  Therefore [you will stand] before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter [you] with his presence. 16  [You] shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike [you], nor any scorching heat. 17  For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be [your] shepherd, and he will guide [you] to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from [your] eyes.”