Sermons / Talks

Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 1 September 2024

Follow the Lamb

This next section of Revelation, of the ‘what will be’, is a little less clear in its cycle of seven. We have had the seven seals. We have had the seven trumpets. And now, before the seven bowls, we get seven ‘signs’, or pictures. At the heart of these ‘signs’ is the great opposition of the devil to God and His rule through Jesus. At the heart of this great opposition is the establishment of a parody of God – an anti-Trinity of a dragon, a sea-beast and a land-beast. They mimic God, in His Trinitarian nature, in every way… but they persecute the people of God. And, in the context of this world, they can be seen to be embodied by any empire that sets itself up against God, claiming to be divine, offering messianic hope in policies and practices and power. In John’s day, that could clearly be seen in the power of Rome. And it has been ever since, as political authorities claim the divine power to rule the world: think of Rome, think of Hitler, think of Pol Pot, think of Stalin, think of Idi Amin, think of any current ruler or pretender who portrays themselves in messianic terms. And, yet, they have already been defeated by the ‘blood of the Lamb’ (12:11). The role of God’s mob now is to proclaim this victory, and to experience the sweet bitterness of following in the footsteps of the Lamb.

Scripture References: Revelation 12:1-18, Revelation 13:1-18, Revelation 14:1-20, Psalms 78:40-55

Related Topics: Revelation | More Messages from Bernard Gabbott | Download Audio

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