September 24: UNTIL THE VERY END
Then he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven. Revelation 13:6
In addition to the pure church in the wilderness, honest men of God inside the fallen church had access to study the word of God and continuing opportunity for side-by-side comparisons of that word to the declarations, dogmas, practices, and corruptions going on within the church. Antibiblical, pagan practices had entered the church; practices that diverted worshipers toward rote, repetitious prayers and works as the means of salvation. The discoveries of the Reformers from inside the Roman Catholic church were confirmations of the revelation given to the apostle John, whose visions had confirmed those of Daniel the Prophet: And there, in this horn, were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking pompous words. I watched then because of the sound of the pompous words the horn was speaking…it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host…he even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host…an army was given over to the horn to oppose the daily… (Daniel 7:8,11; 8:10,11,12) Daniel saw plainly that this mouth speaking pompous words would continue until the very end of earth’s history and then be destroyed by Christ Himself, without help from any people (see Daniel 2:34-35, 44-45; 7:11, 25-27; 8:25; 11:45; 12:1).
The words of the little horn are against God because they misrepresent His character—His name—which is essential to understand correctly in order to love Him. His love for us is not only on display in the beauties of creation, but expressed verbally in countless ways, along with His great mercy. He loves us so much that He desires to dwell with us and in us! Remember His instruction for His rescued people in the wilderness: “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8) The great lessons within the tabernacle illustrated the way (Psalm 77:13) of salvation: God’s plan for separating His beloved children from their sin, preserving them alive. It is sin that He wants to destroy without destroying us in the process! The progression through Scripture of the tabernacle lessons illustrate that His followers become His place of dwelling, His temple. In walking with Him daily, in the light of His perfect law, His people are convicted on the spot whenever they fall short. He is there to intercede for us and cleanse us from our failures upon each humble confession. Because of our standing with Him in this love relationship, even as we live in a fallen world that is filled with every sort of evil, we are lovingly looked upon from above as citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20). For He has raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:6 – see also Revelation 1:6). It is the true followers of Christ, those who dwell in heaven, who, along with God Himself, are targeted by the dragon for mischaracterization.
This brings us to an important point: The specific phrase those who dwell on the earth appears ten times in Revelation. It is used to distinguish those who are not saved, in contrast with those who dwell in heaven. This designation, up until the close of probation, is redemptive. Many readers will recognize themselves as being among those who dwell on the earth and turn to the only Savior, glory to God, whose power will raise [them] up! Those already dwelling (spiritually) in heaven by God’s grace, are also reminded that they are former earth dwellers and, like Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32), must not look back; but instead continue onward in their escape from this world. It is a sobering reminder to lean fully upon the Holy Spirit of God in order to grow in faith and remain faithful until the end.
For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 2 Peter 2:20