November 5: LAST OF ALL – SERVANT OF ALL
They sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!” Revelation 15:3
John’s exciting vision of the saved in heaven continues. The song of Moses, recorded in Exodus 15, is a great study. The experience of the rescued children of Israel has powerful prophetic parallels with the 144,000, reminding us that a solid understanding of history reveals the strong hand of God in the affairs of men. God’s people lived through the plagues that fell upon Egypt. Then they made a successful exit after 400 years of affliction in Egypt’s pagan culture, subsequently escaping the greedy clutches of Pharaoh’s massive army in pursuit, and walking across the sea on dry land because the LORD miraculously parted the waters.
Like the children of Israel, God’s last-day church will live through the plagues that are to fall upon the world’s wicked. Probation will close (see John 9:4 and Revelation 22:11), and there will be a worldwide display of the difference between those who obey God and those who do not. There will be divine protection over the faithful (see Psalm 91), whose trusting hearts are enabled by the Spirit of God to honor the commandments, including the forgotten fourth commandment which begins with the word “Remember…” (see Exodus 20:8; Ezekiel 22:26; James 2:10 and Revelation 22:14).
God’s last-day church will be comprised of individuals who make a successful exit from the churches that propagate false doctrines (either the “mother church” or one of her “daughters” – see Revelation 17:5 and 18:4). There will also be many Jews who recognize their Messiah, and former Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. Jesus said, “Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” (John 10:16)
God’s last-day church will escape the clutches of powerful propaganda and military enforcement doing the bidding of the beast (Catholicism – see Revelation 2:21) and its image, the false prophet (North American Protestantism – 3:1). This is not to say that some will not suffer death at the hands of the persecutors (13:15). But it is saying that character and disposition of every faithful believer will be perfectly preserved, unscathed and unsullied by the world (6:11 and 14:13). We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22b)
And, like the children of Israel walking across the sea on dry land toward the Land of Promise, God’s last-day church will follow the Lamb wherever He goes . . . being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb (14:4). They will have gained a deep understanding of these words of Jesus: “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)
The redeemed will experience these things and more at the end of time. The preservation of their characters will be nothing short of miraculous. “Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!” The word marvelous is translated from the Greek word pala, which means too hard. The redeemed know that for the Creator who can re-create a stubborn heart, nothing is too hard!
Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for you. Jeremiah 32:17
For further study: Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 111:2-10; 145:17; Daniel 12:1-3; Malachi 3:18