God is a Saviour Who gives eternal life to all who trust Him, a life so powerful it overcomes death. As our risen LORD Jesus demonstrated through His death, burial and resurrection, the process to enter eternal glory often involves the physical death of the body. This is true concerning those who come to faith in Christ and are martyred during the Great Tribulation. As Jesus laid down His life for lost sinners on Calvary, so they will choose to lay down their lives for His sake. It is a privilege and honour believers embrace by following in our Saviour's footsteps and surrender our lives for Jesus Who joyfully did so for us.
Revelation 15:2-4 describes a heavenly scene that includes this group of victorious martyrs: "And I saw
something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the
victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the
number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God. 3 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! 4 Who shall not fear
You, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone
are holy. For all nations shall come and
worship before You, for Your judgments have been
manifested." Revelation 12 describes believers who overcame Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, and by faith in Jesus these worshippers were also victorious over the beast (the antichrist), his image, mark and number of his name. This is only possible by the miraculous power of God at work in His people.
These redeemed believers sang the song of Moses found in Exodus 15 and the song of the Lamb. The context of the song of Moses was after God lead His people to pass through the Red Sea and drowned the army of Egyptians that sought to pursue them. They sang in Exodus 15:11, "Who
is like You, O LORD, among
the gods? Who is like You, glorious in
holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" Both the deliverance from Egypt through the Red Sea and the overcoming of the antichrist during the Great Tribulation are miraculous. As the children of Israel left Egypt in haste and were guided through the Red Sea, through tribulation many people will be ushered into God's presence in glory with exceeding joy. Many who will be born again during the Great Tribulation will be martyred for their faith, yet the end will be unending joy and worship of our awesome God, victorious in His presence.
Praise God He will not subject His redeemed people to His wrath which will ultimately consume the heavens and earth. All who fear the LORD, let us glorify His name because His judgments have been manifested to us through His word. It has been revealed to us by the Gospel God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The believers who praise God in the heavenly scene were justly in heaven because of the atonement for sin provided by Jesus. How gracious is God Who has opened heaven to us and given us Himself, for the Holy Spirit has taken residence in our hearts by the Gospel. The LORD God Almighty is just and true in all His ways, and let us praise our God Who is our strength and song forever.
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