Being a Faithful Witness

Sunday, 25 August 2024 by

Bernard Gabbott - Sunday, 25 August 2024

Being a Faithful Witness

The next set of seven unfolds before John. The sealed scroll is now fully opened. The prayers of God’s people are heard. And now, reflecting the judgement of God on Egypt in Exodus, God now judges the idols of the world. As God does, He reveals their powerlessness in the face of His power, He reveals their damage in the face of His care, and He calls people to return to Him. God also reveals, in the interlude, the place of His people in all this. His people are to proclaim and prophecy. His people are kept safe, spiritually. His people will triumph, in exactly the same way Jesus did. As all things come to an end, we must recognise that what takes place here is both future-focused, but with wisdom and clarity for God’s mob now. We must call the world to turn from giving devotion to anything but God; and, as we do, we must know that the world will lash out but we are safe.

Scripture References: Revelation 8:1-13, Revelation 9:1-21, Revelation 10:1-11, Revelation 11:1-19

From Series: "Revelation"

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Sunday, 14 December 2025
Remembering and Forgetting
from Bernard Gabbott
I guess it is probably hard to forget an event like the Exodus, and the moments of the Passover – at least in the short term. But, God knows his mob. He knows that they forget quickly. He knows that they will be rebellious, and wander in the wilderness for forty years. He knows that he needs to command them to remember, especially when it is only Joshua and Caleb who will enter the land of Israel from the slavery of Egypt. And so, as they leave, God commands ‘statutes’, laws to enforce remembering – remembering the night of the Passover, remembering the strength of God who saved them, remembering their identity as ‘my firstborn’. The God who commands this remembering is the God who knows them, and so he orders their route as they leave. He is the God who follows through faithfully and relentlessly on his promises – just look at the bones of Joseph. And he is the God who is their constant companion, even as they wander in rebellion. He is our God!
Sunday, 7 December 2025
What Will It Take?
from Bernard Gabbott
The Passover is one of the seminal moments in God’s commitment to reverse the curse of sin in this world. It is the climax of His work to save His people from Egypt – for people to know Him, for His ‘firstborn son’ to be saved, for them to dwell with Him and be His people. In this sense, the last of the signs and wonders is both a salvation and a preparation. As the LORD sweeps over Egypt, delivering His judgement of death on those who have refused Him, in each of the households of His people, a perfect lamb has died. This lamb’s death is a substitute for God’s firstborn son, taking the judgement of death. This lamb’s blood protects God’s people, preparing them to be acceptable to live with God. As God’s mob obediently do as He commanded, they are trusting in His provision – they are trusting in His kind mercy. And so, they are both saved out of Egypt, and they are made acceptable to dwell with the God who has visited this world. Can you think of any other event that is similar to this?
Sunday, 30 November 2025
Why Does God Judge His Enemies?
from Trace Akankunda
Last week we considered why God saves His people. But God’s salvation and judgement often go hand in hand. Indeed God’ s judgement of His enemies is often the means by which He saves His people. In Exodus 7:8-10:29, we are given three reasons why God judges the Egyptians; To reveal Himself to the world, to display His power and authority and humble both His enemies and His people. The implication for God’s enemies is that they should repent and turn to Him for salvation while His people should learn to serve Him in humility because they recognise that except by His miraculous power, no one can be saved from his judgement.