Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

This short chapter forms a bridge between chapters 14 and 16 – linking the vindication of the people of God with God’s final judgement of evil and condemnation of the evil one. In our prayers today, we will pray for deliverance from evil.

STUDY THE SCRIPTURE

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REFLECTION

The Wrath of God is Finished

by Mary McGinnis

God’s presence is undeniably holy. I have seen some amazingly pure, clean water in my time. But can you imagine a sea as clear as glass? And that glassy sea of God’s holiness is mingled with the fire of His anger. Out of God’s holiness proceeds the fire of His divine righteous anger against all evil and corruption that plagues the world He has made. He sees all, knows all and will surely put an end to all injustice.

Right alongside God’s holy presence were those who had conquered the beast. Who are these who stand in the presence of God’s holiness aside the crystal sea? 

Revelation 2:10 says, “Do not fear what you are about to suffer.  Behold the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelation 12:11 says, “And they conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

Revelation 7:14 says, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

Even though those who had been faithful to God unto death had been seemingly defeated by having their lives extinguished by evil and hate, they were now conquerors. “No, in all these things, we are more than conqueror through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37). 

It makes me want to burst out into song! The Queen lyrics keep ringing through my head: “We are the champions my friends, and we’ll keep on fighting ‘til the end. We are the champions! We are the champions! No time for losers, ‘cause we are the champions of the world!” 

Yet these who were conquered by the blood of the Lamb burst out into a different kind of song. They did not ever warm up with vocalizations of, “ME-ME-ME-ME.” 

Instead, so amazed and overcome by the awesomeness of God, they sang out:

“Great and amazing are YOUR deeds, O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are YOUR ways, O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify YOUR name?

For YOU alone are holy.

All nations will come and worship YOU,

for YOUR righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4)

In your prayer time, pray boldly against evil. Pray for God to forgive you for the evil you have committed, to protect you from temptation and to deliver you from evil in the world around us. Pray also for those who do not yet know the Lord, that they might turn from sin and receive the grace that God offers. In your prayer, turn over to God any bitterness or anger that you have because of what someone else has done to you, and remember that vengeance belongs to God and not to you.”