Monday, September 12, 2016, 5:40 a.m. – The Lord Jesus put in mind the song “Broken and Contrite.” Speak, Lord, your
words to my heart. I read Revelation
14:1-7 (ESV).
The Redeemed
(vv. 1-5)
Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the
Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on
their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters
and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of
harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the
throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could
learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is
these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is
these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from
mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was
found, for they are blameless.
Who are the redeemed of the
Lord? And, what does it mean to be redeemed? Well, to answer the second
question first, to be redeemed by the Lord means to be bought back for God, and
this was done with the blood of Christ shed on a cross for our sins. So, why
did we need this? Well, when God created man and woman he placed them in a
garden. They were without sin and enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. God
commanded them, though, that they must not eat of a certain tree, but then Satan
entered the picture and tempted Eve to eat, and she gave some to Adam to eat,
too, and thus they both sinned against God. As a result of their sin, all of us
are born into sin, separate from God, and destined to hell (eternal damnation).
The Bible says that all have
sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God, i.e. we all come up short of
attaining God’s divine approval (See: Ro. 3:23). We can do nothing in ourselves
to earn or to deserve salvation from sin. So, God the Father sent his Son Jesus
Christ to the earth, to take on human form, and to die on a cross. He who knew
no sin became sin for us, so that when he died our sins were crucified and
buried with him. Yet, when the Father resurrected him from the dead, he rose
victorious over sin, hell, Satan and death. Thus, when we put our faith and
trust in Jesus Christ to be Lord (owner-master) and Savior of our lives, we are
crucified with Christ in death to sin, and we are resurrected with Christ in
newness of life, “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”
(Eph. 4:24). We are the redeemed of the Lord, bought back for God with the
blood of Jesus Christ.
So, who is the Lamb? Under
the Old Covenant God had with his people, he required physical sacrifices of
animals for the sins of the people. These had to be done yearly. When Jesus
died for our sins, though, he died once for all. He became our sacrificial Lamb
given in death for our sins so that we might be forgiven of our sins and have
eternal life with God in glory.
So, where is Mount Zion?
Well, in the times prior to Jesus’ death on a cross for our sins, Mount Zion
was the city of God. It was Jerusalem, where the temple dwelt. It was also used
figuratively in reference to the nation of Israel, God’s holy people at that
time. Since Jesus’ death and resurrection, Zion is a reference to the body of
Christ, the church, which is the temple of God, the city of God, and true
Israel (spiritual Israel), the heavenly Jerusalem. So, in this passage of
scripture we have a picture of Jesus, the Lamb of God, along with his redeemed
people on Mount Zion, which is the city of God, his church, the heavenly
Jerusalem.
The redeemed of the Lord have
the name (divine character) of God the Father and the Son written (inscribed)
on their foreheads (minds). The redeemed are described not just as those who
are made righteous through faith in Jesus Christ, but as those who live
righteously in the power of the Spirit living within them. They walk (conduct
their lives) in purity, and they follow the Lamb (Jesus Christ) wherever he
goes, i.e. they walk with him in obedience to his commands (his instructions).
They are also not liars, but are truth tellers. They are blameless, though,
only because Jesus paid the penalty for their sins, and his righteousness is credited
to their accounts. Only through him can we even live righteously, in purity,
and in obedience.
Fear God (vv.
6-7)
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead,
with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation
and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and
give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made
heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
So, what is this eternal
gospel being proclaimed? Well, it is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died on
a cross for our sins, and was resurrected from the dead, so that we might die
with him to sin and live with him to righteousness. Jesus died that the
righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who walk not
according to the flesh, but who conduct our lives according to (in agreement
with) the Spirit of God (See: Ro. 8:1-14).
This is what it means to fear
God and to worship him. It means that we honor our Lord by our lives, that we
walk in obedience to his commands, that we turn away from lifestyles of living
in sin, and that we give our lives to God as living sacrifices, holy and
pleasing to him, no longer conformed to the ways of this sinful world, but
transformed in mind and heart by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said that if anyone
would come after him, he must deny self, take up his cross daily (die daily to
sin and self) and follow (obey) him. He said that if we hold on to our lives
(of living for sin and self) we will lose them for eternity, but if we lose our
lives (die with Christ to sin), we will gain eternal life with God (See: Lu.
9:23-25). Paul reiterated this when he said that if we walk according to the
flesh we will die (without Christ), but if by the Spirit we are putting to
death the deeds of the flesh, we will live (with Christ eternally) – See: Ro.
8:1-14. And, John said that if we say we have fellowship with God, but we walk
in darkness (in sin), we are liars and the truth is not in us (See: 1 Jn. 1:6).
You see, Jesus did not die
just so we could go free from the punishment of hell, and just so we could go
to heaven when we die. He died that we might die to sin and live to
righteousness (1 Pet. 2:24), and that we might no longer live for ourselves,
but for him who gave his life up for us (2 Co. 5:15). His grace is not a free
license to continue in willful sin against God absent of true repentance. His
grace, which brings salvation, teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and
worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives while we
wait for Christ’s return (Tit. 2:11-14). This is what it means to fear God and
to worship him! And, this is what the gospel is all about, too.
Broken and Contrite / An
Original Work / May 13, 2012
I come before You, Lord, my Savior,
With humble heart and crushed in
spirit.
I bow before You, I implore You,
Heal my broken heart, I pray.
Love You, Jesus, Lord, my master,
You are the King of my heart.
Lord, purify my heart within me;
Sanctify me, whole within.
Oh, Lord, I long to obey fully
The words You’ve spoken through Your
Spirit.
I pray You give me grace and mercy,
Strength and wisdom to obey.
Father God, my heart’s desire,
Won’t You set my heart on fire?
Lord, cleanse my heart of all that
hinders
My walk with You, now I pray.
Oh, Jesus, Savior, full of mercy,
My heart cries out for understanding.
I want to follow You in all ways,
Never straying from Your truth.
Holy Spirit, come in power,
Fill me with Your love today.
Lord, mold and make me;
Your hands formed me;
Live Your life through me, I pray.
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