Word of Their Testimony

"And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death."

Revelation 12:11

In the sermon this morning, this verse from Revelation 12 stood out to me.  Revelation 12:10 said what happened after Satan was cast down from heaven:  "Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down."  The redeemed inhabitants of heaven praised the LORD and rejoiced in God's salvation, strength and kingdom was revealed by permanently excommunicating the accuser of the brethren.  Due to Christ's blood shed on Calvary for sinners, the power of Satan, sin and death is overcome by faith in Jesus.

Those in heaven also overcame Satan "by the word of their testimony."  The Greek word translated "testimony" is "martyrias" which means "witness."  The book of Revelation describes some residing in heaven who were indeed martyred for their faith in previous passages, and this was strong evidence they loved Jesus more than saving their own lives--having been bought with the precious blood of Jesus.  While some people see a martyr's death as an ultimate act of devotion to God, it is only ultimate in that it is the last thing a person can humanly do before their lives end.  In no way do I seek to detract from the courage and fortitude countless Christians have demonstrated in choosing to die for Jesus than to deny Him when their lives were at stake.  The strength and resolve they showed by God's power is commendable, and such sacrifice for Christ's sake ought to be an inspiration for us to live for Jesus every day.

When a witness shares a personal experience with a friend or stranger, testifying of what was seen and heard does not often come with the price of death.  There are places and regimes in the world where witnessing about how Jesus has saved us by the Gospel could potentially put our lives and families at risk.  We ought not be cavalier and foolhardy in our flesh to make waves but humbly led by the Spirit as we follow the example of people who have gone to heaven before us to overcome by the "word of their testimony."  "Word" is "logos," what Jesus is called throughout John 1:1-18, and John affirmed the "Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  John began Revelation 1:1-2 in this way:  "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants--things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, ² who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw."

In one sense Jesus personifies the word of the testimony of Christians, and our lives are to be living epistles through which God reveals His love, grace, mercy and life to the world (2 Corinthians 3:3).  It is by faith in Jesus Christ we are His witnesses, not merely repeating what the Bible says, but by the evidence of the life of Jesus being lived out in and through us.  When it came time for Jesus to die on the cross, He did not shrink from God's command but set His face like a flint for the joy set before Him.  Paul willingly went to Jerusalem knowing bonds awaited him, yet incarceration was a small thing when he was ready to spend and be fully spent for Christ.  Personal sacrifice for Christ is not reserved for witnesses who face the threat of execution for their faith but for those who live in lands of tolerance and inclusion.  Christians can expect intolerance and exclusion, and considering what Jesus endured we are steeled and encouraged when troubles arise.  Being accepted, included and loved in the kingdom of God is the Gospel message we should boldly share and live out before God--and in full view of others.

Those who have been martyred for Christ's sake are strong witnesses for Him, and every Christian God chooses to preserve alive unto this day has the potential to provide an ongoing witness just as strong by God's grace.  It isn't just those who are killed for Christ's sake who overcome the devil by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony, but those who die to themselves daily in following Jesus as His joyful servants wherever He leads.

Resolute in Love

"One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind."

Romans 14:5

By God's grace He has given Christians liberty to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, to serve and walk in love towards all inside and outside the church.  Though Christians are all united in Christ as one body, every person is unique and has their own perspective, convictions and corresponding actions.  My introduction to Christian liberty came when my friend's mum asserted I was listening to the "devil's music" because I enjoyed listening to a cassette of a metal band purchased from a local Christian bookstore.  After presenting the lyrics to defend myself and band from such slander, she resolutely held her position:  "It's the devil's music.  It has an evil beat."  In that moment I was faced with a temptation other people usher into our lives with different opinions and convictions:  to love her despite our disagreement, or to lose respect for her and brand her an enemy of thrash metal.  Isn't it ironic we can easily be offended that others are offended?

The music we listen to, our style of dress, way of parenting, even the days we celebrate or choose to ignore are all opportunities for us to make choices with the intent to honour Jesus Christ and to show love to others.  We have liberty in Christ to prefer one translation of the Bible over another, but this does not give us the freedom to bash or belittle those who tout their preferred rendering.  One person sees the decoration of a Christmas tree or hanging a wreath as pagan customs and another sees it as a fun family tradition.  Let everyone be fully convinced in their own mind in the way they celebrate Christmas or choose not to celebrate it at all.  What others do should be a little thing by comparison to choosing to live our lives before the LORD by faith in Him.  It speaks to our motivation if our whole point of doing something is because we know it bothers someone else--much to our enjoyment and amusement.  This reeks of flesh.

It occurred to me recently the traditional American celebration of Halloween of dressing up and going to local houses trick-or-treating is no closer connected with paganism than rabbits and eggs are connected with Christ's resurrection celebrated by many on Easter.  There are likely people who frown on dressing up on a certain day (when some kids enjoy "dress up" most days) who have no problem with their child participating in an egg hunt.  Let each be fully convinced in their own mind and not condemn others for having convictions different than their own or when choices of others seem inconsistent.  Because humans tend to extremes, it is possible people who have come out of lifestyles they now recognise as sinful swing far to the opposite to avoid even the appearance of evil.  This was the case with my heavy-metal-hating friend's Christian mum.  She had been a fan of rock music growing up that coaxed her into sinful ways, and those electric guitars took her right back to a place she never wanted to go.  Good on her for not going back and keeping close to Jesus.

Knowing we ought not to condemn our brethren whom God makes to stand and we will all be judged by Christ, Paul wrote in Romans 14:13-14, "Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way. ¹⁴ I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean."  Paul was convinced of something we must grow to learn, that there is nothing unclean of itself.  We have likely many times, like Pharisees before us, imagined something to be unclean of itself when God has given us and others liberty and purity.  It is good not to do things which can stumble, offend or weaken ourselves or a brother--and at the same time it is not loving to cater to legalists by caving to their demands out of fear of man.  Whenever we are compelled to judge a brother due to different convictions, let us first take aim on examining our own hearts and motivation.  God teaches us to gladly forgo our liberties to demonstrate love to others without drawing attention to our sacrifice, seeing Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice for our sins.  This is the true freedom in Christ--not the freedom to listen to a style of music or dressing up for a party on Halloween--to resolutely love one another as Jesus loves us.

Exception or Rule of Life?

"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water."

Psalm 63:1

David made it a daily practice to seek the LORD early and often.  He had the perspective that seeking and  communing with God was necessary for his life, even as those who exert themselves need to drink more water to stay hydrated.  In a dry and thirsty land where there was no water, God proved Himself able and powerful to reveal Himself to David--the God who gives living water for our souls.

It is important to realise seeking God for David was his rule of life and not just an exception in dire times of need.  We do well to examine ourselves and see what our established rules of life are, especially concerning seeking the LORD.  Considering this in light of diet and exercise is a good illustration to see why we can languish physically and apply it to our spiritual walk with Jesus as Christians.  I have discovered when I am disciplined to exercise daily as a rule, my physical health improves more than when exercise is an exception to my typical daily routine of being sedentary.  If I am watching my portions and being intentional to eat healthier foods as a rule, I can make an exception for occasional sweet treats without ill effect.  But if my rule of life slides into eating more than I need to and having dessert after every meal, I will not see any physical benefit from denying myself one dessert.

The spiritual impact of seeking God as an exception rather than our rule of life is seen in king Saul.  Saul was the sort of fellow who sought the LORD when he faced calamitous trouble but not something he cared to do every day.  Early in his reign when Philistines mustered to attack, he offered a sacrifice to God out of the fear of man.  We do not read of Saul building an altar to God like Abraham or offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving like Solomon of his free will at any time.  Because seeking God was not his rule of life, when he tried to seek God he found it impossible--like people whose rule of life is binge eating junk food who hope skipping a meal will help them drop 20 kilos.  Towards the end of Saul's reign 1 Samuel 28:5-6 says, "When Saul saw the army of the Philistines, he was afraid, and his heart trembled greatly. ⁶ And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the LORD did not answer him, either by dreams or by Urim or by the prophets."  Saul's pride and self-confident rule of life exposed his poverty of heart before God, and when God did not answer when Saul hoped, he sought a medium in violation of God's word.  Doing his own thing and going his own way was Saul's rule of life, and thus his attempts to seek God were in vain.

David made seeking God his daily and continual practice, even as Daniel knelt three times a day and prayed facing Jerusalem.  When the command from Darius was signed into law that he alone could be the one to whom prayers were directed for a month, Daniel did not make an exception to his rule of life governed by God:  he turned towards Jerusalem with open windows and prayed to the God of Israel.  Now there is a man who obtained favour from God!  When he prayed for the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, God answered with a vision in the night.  After being thrown into a den of hungry lions, God sent His angel to shut the lion's mouth all night and Daniel was unharmed.  God was with Daniel and gave him wisdom beyond his peers because he made seeking and praying to God his rule of life without exception.  It would have been easy for Daniel to become slack with devotion, reading God's word and worship of God when there was no temple, synagogue or priests in Babylon.  He sought the LORD as a man greatly loved of God, and he was told this personally by an angelic messenger because seeking God was Daniel's rule of life.

How about you?  Is seeking God early and meditating on Him night and day your rule of life or is it more of an exception to your normal routine?  Do not be surprised when you do not grow much spiritually or benefit much from times in prayer and Bible reading when you have reserved these activities only for trying times.  Reading the Bible for a few minutes will not offset all the nonsense we can meditate on as a rule throughout the day.  Worship God and make seeking the LORD your rule of life, and you will find yourself satisfied in Him regardless of your circumstances.  If you go to church, pray or wait on the LORD as an exception to your practice and rule of life governed by faith in God, don't be surprised when nothing seems to make a difference for you practically and spiritually.

Sizing Up the Temple

In the book of Revelation, chapter 11 begins with John being given a reed and told to measure the temple, the altar and those who worship there.  This prompted me to look at other times in the Bible where God's house was measured, notably in Ezekiel 40-43.  In the 25th year of Israel's captivity, Ezekiel saw a vision of the new temple that would be constructed in Jerusalem.  This would have been a thrilling revelation to Ezekiel and God's devout people who knew the temple had been destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians.  Ezekiel saw a man with a line of flax and a reed who carefully measured the temple and rooms in great detail.  Because this temple far exceeds the size and scope of the second temple--including the extensive renovations later done by Herod--many see this as the pattern of the Millennial temple which has yet to be built.

Ezekiel 40:4 says,  “And the man said to me, "Son of man, look with your eyes and hear with your ears, and fix your mind on everything I show you; for you were brought here so that I might show them to you. Declare to the house of Israel everything you see."  This is a good exhortation for all God's people to take to heart and practice, and it is really the purpose behind posting to this blog.  As the LORD opens our eyes to see and consider what we observe in the world and His word, we ought to value the wisdom of God above gold.  God revealed much to Ezekiel, not merely for his own training or edification, but to the end he would declare to the house of Israel everything he saw.  The point was hardly for people to look on Ezekiel as knowledgeable or clever, but that they would hear the word of the LORD and grow in the knowledge of God, His goodness and understand His plans for them.  God will be faithful to guide us into truth and will surely fulfill His promises.

After a length measuring session, Ezekiel 43:10-12 reveals one purpose of God sizing up this new temple in detail:  "Son of man, describe the temple to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities; and let them measure the pattern. ¹¹ And if they are ashamed of all that they have done, make known to them the design of the temple and its arrangement, its exits and its entrances, its entire design and all its ordinances, all its forms and all its laws. Write it down in their sight, so that they may keep its whole design and all its ordinances, and perform them. ¹² This is the law of the temple: The whole area surrounding the mountaintop is most holy. Behold, this is the law of the temple."  At one stage the children of Israel had a temple that stood in Jerusalem, and the fact it had been destroyed was a source of great grief and sadness.  God had given His people instruction and warnings in the Law of Moses they did not heed, and He sent many prophets to expose their sin and need for repentance.  Those people who felt ashamed for their sin that led to their exile, the overthrow of Israel and destruction of the temple were to be given more details concerning new designs for the temple.  People who lamented their sin and felt strongly the loss of the temple would rejoice in the hope of a new temple where holiness is the law.

Though God's people had been unfaithful to Him, He remembered them and would restore His people to their land.  A new temple would be built, and the sanctified descendants of the priests would again offer sacrifices to the God of Israel according to the Law.  People who would remain in captivity for decades would be brought out in due time as the LORD promised in Ezekiel 43:27:  “When these days are over it shall be, on the eighth day and thereafter, that the priests shall offer your burnt offerings and your peace offerings on the altar; and I will accept you,' says the Lord GOD."  The long season of captivity would end with acceptance by God when atonement was provided for sins.  By faith in Jesus Christ who shed His blood for sinners, Christians enjoy acceptance by God and are the temple of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  By the Gospel we are "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" apart from the Law as Romans 10:4 affirms:  "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes."

Having been declared righteous by faith in Jesus our Saviour, we ought to embrace individually the law of the temple in Zion:  "Be holy, for I am holy."  The mountaintop was holy because God was there, and we ought to live holy lives sanctified by God's wisdom and word through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  We have been freed from the guilt and shame of sin, yet sin's shamefulness ought to remind us to heed the words of Christ and to obey Him, loving one another as He loves us.  Jesus would have us try on holiness for size, for we are thus clothed as God's people by spiritual regeneration and acceptance into God's family.  Our inspiration of obedience is the goodness of our God and the love He has poured out on us, and may we follow His example of holiness and wisdom always.