From: December 24, 2023
“And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Revelation 15:3 NLT).
The Apostle John saw a gathering of believers in heaven who had been faithful to the Lord, enduring the persecution of the beast during the tribulation, without worshiping his image nor taking his mark. John heard them singing a song, which he recognized as the song of Moses and of the Lamb. What kind of song was this?
Perhaps the song’s title was an expression of the unity of both the Old Testament, as signified by Moses, and the New Testament, as signified by the Lamb. Certainly, Moses was seen as a redeemer of the people of Israel, who led them out of Egyptian bondage. His life foreshadowed that of the Messiah, the Lamb of God who would redeem His people out from bondage to sin. Moses actually wrote a song of God’s redemption, which he and the Israelites sang together on the shore of the Red Sea after the Lord had parted the waters for them to cross (See Exodus 15).
John recorded the lyrics to the song that he heard the saints in heaven sing. Like the song of Moses, it is also a song of God’s redemption. Yet, the words point to a “King of the nations,” to whom all nations will one day come and worship. This King is the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ.
As we consider the Lamb of God born in a manger on this Christmas Eve, let us join the saints in heaven in singing of our Redeemer!
PRAYER: Dear Father, thank You for Jesus, the Lamb of God. As we gather today with family and friends, help us to keep Jesus at the center of our celebration. For our Redeemer lives and we invite Him to sit at the head of our supper table today. Our Redeemer lives and we will sing of Him on this Christmas Eve! In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: December 24, 2022
ADVENT MEANS COMING
O how the psalmist David cried out to the Lord! He held nothing back in his prayers. Like a child insistently crying for his mother’s attention, David made his complaint known to the Lord. He would not be content until the Lord answered.
Have you seen a child in such a state? Nothing will do but his own mother’s touch. Even though another family member tries to comfort the child, his wailing grows more persistent. This is how David prayed for the Lord to “come quickly.”
On this Christmas Eve we remember that the Lord has come. Yet, we also look with confident expectation for Him to come again. As the apostle John closed his Revelation of Jesus Christ, he heard the Savior say, “Surely I come quickly,” to which he replied, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give thanks for the many blessings You have bestowed on us this day. Above all, we give thanks for the gift of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Stretch forth Your hand to change hearts as we declare Your gospel. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: December 24, 2016
Those who will come to faith in Jesus as the Messiah during the tribulation will sing a song of Moses and a song of the Lamb. These are Messianic Jews. The song of Moses may refer to the song that the Israelites sang in Exodus 15, a song of deliverance from Egypt. However, now they have believed in the Messiah of whom Moses was only a type. So, they also sing a song of the Lamb, celebrating the One who is both Savior and King. The ones singing this song of Moses and of the Lamb are the focus of the Great Tribulation. For while the seven years of tribulation are a time of judgment, they are also a time of great revival among the Jews who finally embrace Jesus as the Lamb of God. For some of us, the only way to get us to consider faith in Jesus, is to go through a time of tribulation. Many of us have to hit bottom before we will ever look up.
From: December 24, 2015
Who is this person that would fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy written in 520 BC? Here are some of the qualifications on his resume:
1) Will build the temple
2) Will receive the glory that belongs to God
3) Will be the king
4) Will be the high priest
5) Will unite the offices of king and priest
Clue: He was born in a Bethlehem stable around 520 years after this prophecy… (More clues: His temple is still being built and He is both the Cornerstone and the Capstone. He receives God’s glory because He is the Word made flesh. The offices of prophet, priest and king have always foreshadowed His fulfillment.) Who is He?
From: December 24, 2014
The vision that God gave the prophet Zechariah has a striking similarity to the one He gave John in the Revelation. Here, the “four spirits” and their chariots are similar to the four horsemen of the apocalypse (Rev. 6). In Zechariah, the four chariots are connected to the four directions of the compass, as God sent them out to “patrol the earth” and administer His justice on the nations. There are many interpretations as to the meaning of these four chariots, yet one thing is clear. They “stand before the Lord” and they go out to “do His work.” God is not a passive observer, nor an absentee landlord of His creation. He is ever-vigilant and active in His sovereignty. And He is not silent. He has revealed His plans to His people. We may not fully understand the details, but we can clearly see the overall arc of the story the Divine Author is writing. One day, the Son of God will judge the living and the dead and all creation will bow to His eternal reign. The rebellion will end and Christ will reign.