Prior to working at Emmanuel Faith, I had the privilege of teaching Jr. High School students at Escondido Christian School. I know some may think I’m crazy, but I LOVE Jr. Highers! They are fun and inquisitive – full of energy and not yet too consumed with trying to become adults. While at ECS, I taught 7th grade Old Testament and a week didn’t go by without a student saying, “Really!? The Israelites stopped trusting God and sinned again!?” What they soon realized was that what was common to the Israelites is not so uncommon to us today. So with that, I went on to teach about the Cycle of Sin and Slavery.
This “cycle” is repeated over and over again throughout Scripture. It goes like this:
Sin: Followers abandon their covenant with God and turn to worshipping other gods and committing acts that are “evil in the sight of the Lord”.
Slavery: Due to their disobedience, God allows his people to become oppressed and enslaved by the very gods they chose to serve.
Supplication: In their bondage and distress, the people of God cry out for help and deliverance.
Salvation: A compassionate God hears their cries, and raises up a leader or a judge to rescue his people from their oppressors.
Silence: Peace follows salvation as long as the judge rules. Soon however, God’s people forget about his deliverance, turn back to their sinful ways, and the cycle repeats itself.
You may see this pattern not only through the lives of the O.T. Israelites, but also in the lives of the many generations that follow. We see this cycle in recent history and in our society today. You may even see it in your own life.
But what does this have to do with Revelation 15? It is reminiscent of God’s people seeking a Savior, searching for ultimate victory in the Old Testament. Revelation 15:2-5 says, “And I saw what looked like a sea of glass glowing with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and its image and over the number of its name. They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb: “Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations; 4 Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
With this declaration, the song of Moses and of the Lamb, the cycle is forever broken. This song is a perfect union between the old and new covenants. God promised deliverance to his people centuries ago and he promises deliverance to his people today. It is a song of expectation and hope. A song of victory that declares, “even though… yet God”.
Have you seen yourself in the cycle above at any point in your life? Where do you find yourself today? As a practice this week, consider starting each morning proclaiming the song in verses 3 and 4 above. Wherever you may find yourself, each and every day, keep remembering that victory belongs to our God!
Lynette Fuson
Care & Counseling Director