However,
this morning God brought a “them-and-us” scenario into a far different light for me.
Instead of two groups of opponents identifying which team they belong to, God
uses the “them-and-us” relationship to reveal the wonderful blessings given to
God’s children in a way that brings both sides together. The “us” is built up
and blessed with the most amazing gifts from the “them”, and the “them” receives
a return of praise and joy out of the “us” they have so bountifully blessed
with their gifts.
The
“them” is first described as three persons, “…him
who is and who was and who is to come, and… the seven spirits who are before
his throne, and…
Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of
kings on earth”.[1] This is a description of the Triune God, the God who is
three-in-one, the Father, Holy Spirit, and Son. They are the “them” who bless
the recipients of their gifts.
Within
the “them” is the one who has the primary role of making God known. Jesus is
the “image of the invisible God”,[2] and so, in order to know God in his Triune glory, we must turn our
attention to the One who makes them known. This is actually where the book of
Revelation begins as we see that God, the invisible One, gives the revelation
to Jesus, so that Jesus can make it known to his servants.
As
we move along through the early paragraphs of the book, we notice that from the
“them-and-us” that is the Triune God blessing their people, the spotlight very
briefly narrows onto one of the “them”. The picture now becomes “him-and-us”.
There is little difference between “THEM-and-us” and “HIM-and-us” because one
member of the Triune is greater than all of their creation combined (though
such a thing as one member of the Triune acting independent of the others is
impossible).
If
the “them-and-us” or even the “him-and-us” is all or one of them against us, we
are hopelessly doomed. On the other hand, if this is a description of
friendship between Jesus’ servants and the Triune, or, more specifically,
between Jesus himself and his servants, then this is a wonderful revelation of the
most incredible and overwhelming and glorious hope anyone could ever imagine.
The
“him-and-us” relationship looks like this:
·
HIM (Jesus) has loved US
(1:5)
·
HIM (Jesus) has freed US
from our sins by his blood (1:6)
·
HIM (Jesus) has made US
a kingdom (1:6)
·
HIM (Jesus) has made US
priests to his God and Father (1:6)
If
this is what the HIM gives to the US, in fact, has already done for the US,
what does the US give to the HIM? Answer: “To
HIM be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1:6)
Now,
I’m sorry to say, but, as much as the word of God reveals this amazing,
gracious relationship between the “them-and-us” of the Triune God and his
people, there is also the other kind of “them-and-us” that is painfully deadly.
Those who are not part of the “them-and-us” of salvation, where they have
become the beloved children of God[3] through faith in Jesus Christ[4], are still the enemies of God[5], still under the condemnation of God[6], and will one day stand before the throne of God where it will be
very clear that the “them” is God and his children, and the “us” is the devil
and those who have followed him[7].
The
book of Revelation is not a calendar of events we can check off so we know when
we are close to the end of the year. It is a picture of the “them” of the
Triune God and the “us” who are their children, and the blessings in store for
God’s family at the end of all the troubles that will take place in this world.
It is also a picture of the “them” who are the Triune God and their children,
and the “us” who are their enemies and destined for destruction no matter how
peaceful and happy this worldly life seems to be.
Conclusion:
being part of the “them-and-us” that is the Triune God and their children, is
better by far than being those who have the Triune "them" against "us".
© 2012 Monte Vigh ~ Box 517, Merritt, BC, Canada, V1K
1B8 ~ in2freedom@gmail.com
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