The Lamb is Praised (Revelation 12:10-12)

 Revelation 12:10-12 (NASB):

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying,
“Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. ¹² For this reason, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them. Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

     The DVR has become very popular in many homes. It allows you to set up ahead of time to record certain television shows, movies, or sporting events. This gives you tremendous freedom. Now, you can go out, run errands, go to that soccer game or school play and not have to fret about missing "your show" or "the game." Many people will say to me, "Don't tell me what happened on (fill in the blank). I haven't watched it yet!" Here in these verses, John has DVR'ed for us what is going to happen at a point in the future. Since we know the outcome, we don't have to worry about events surrounding us.

     In these verses the apostle John is focused on the loud clear message, not on the announcer. The proclamation declared vocally the same reality that John saw in 12:7-9. From heaven's viewpoint, the war has been decided. It's over. Satan and his evil minions are defeated and doomed. The one who unceasingly accuses God's people before the Lord has been conquered.

     The victory came through God's salvation...power...and kingdom in the saving work of His Messiah. Because Jesus died on the cross and rose again, Satan can no longer accuse God's people (see Romans 8:32-33). Moreover, as Revelation 12:11 declares, the redeemed share in the reality and power of Christ's victory by their faith in Jesus. They conquer Satan by the blood of the Lamb. They defeat the devil's schemes by the word of their testimony. Even in the face of martyrdom, believers taste the sweet victory of Christ (Revelation 2:10).

     In Revelation 12:12, John saw that Christ's victory prompted rejoicing in heaven. Yet is signified a short time of increased adversity on the earth. As though John were watching the "replay" of a fiercely fought contest, the final result was already known, although the struggle would continue to play out until the final horn.

     Obeying the text: In what ways does knowing about Satan's ultimate defeat give you confidence in living each day for Christ?

Serving God, Loving Others, and Growing Together,
Dr. Bryan Cox