Revelation 15
And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.'" – Revelation 15:3 NLT
This is the shortest chapter in the book of Revelation, yet it is anything but light. It not only sets up chapter 16, it glances backward to the Lord’s former judgments, and anticipates the glory of heaven that is soon to come. It also introduces the last 7 judgments of the Lord known as the "bowl judgments". The time period is midway through the tribulation. In this chapter we have the beginning of the end of the last 3 1/2 years where the Lord will set everything right. Verse 1 tells us that with the coming of these last seven plagues, the wrath of God is finished or complete.
But as in chapter 14, right in the middle of all the messages of wrath and judgment is singing. John sees a vision of a sea of glass on which are standing those believers who, having resisted the Antichrist and refusing to worship him, suffered martyr's deaths. They are singing two songs. The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. These are both songs of victory, praising God for what He has done and what He is about to do. They are praising God in the midst of all the judgment and wrath for His coming final victory. The song of Moses takes us all the way back to Exodus 15. It is a reminder of the song Moses sang after God had delivered the people of Israel by splitting the Red Sea and allowing them to walk across on dry land, and destroying the army of Pharaoh.
Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. He is my God, and I will praise him; he is my father’s God, and I will exalt him! … With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells. …The LORD will reign forever and ever!" – Exodus 15:1-2, 13, 18
The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my victory. You will lead this people. You will guide them to the place where Your holiness dwells. What a reminder that God is not done yet. He is still at work and He will complete that work. I can trust Him. This is all about deliverance and judgment. God will deliver His people and judge His enemies. He will have the final victory. He will triumph gloriously!
But there is another song. The song of the Lamb. We see this song in Revelation chapter 5.
You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth. … The Lamb is worthy––the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. – Revelation 5:9-10, 12 NLT
No victory would be possible without the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Had He not been killed, our ransom would not have been paid. Our victory is IN Jesus. He is to be praised and honored because He is the one who made it all possible. It reminds me of the words of the old hymn, Victory In Jesus.
I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
It really is victory in Jesus. His work on the cross is what will make future victory possible. He has guaranteed the outcome. So why wouldn't we sing?
Father, I don't sing enough about the glory and greatness of Your Son Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my salvation, but He has accomplished so much more than that. He has guaranteed the victory over sin and death. He has guaranteed the final victory over Satan and this world. His death and resurrection are what make the final outcome a positive one. It is why there can be singing in the midst of judgment. The end is NOT in question. It is guaranteed. And that is something worth singing about. Amen