The Dragon & the Lamb

Songs of Gratitude vs. Cursing God

Deb Hill
EFCC Member

by Deb Hill

A Song of Victory

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

by Lynette Fuson

The Sickle Comes for Us All

“So He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle across the earth, and the earth was reaped.” — Revelation 14:16

Revelation 14:14–20 has quite the imagery! John looks and sees “one like a Son of Man” seated on a cloud, a golden crown on His brow, and a sharp sickle in His hand. Is this Jesus? It sure seems like it. An angel gives the order and the sickle swings… “and the earth was reaped.” Another angel appears, also with a sickle. This time he gathers the clusters of grapes for the great winepress of God’s wrath… “and blood flowed!” The first scene seems like a peaceful harvest; the second is a bloodbath. What is going on here?

As I thought about this, I realized I was getting confused by all this agricultural imagery—mostly because, if I were a farmer, I would have starved a long time ago. I just don’t know what I’m doing around anything that grows in the ground. I did what everyone does these days when they don’t know something, so I asked ChatGPT. I learned, among other things, that grain is cut only when it is dry and ready—that is the point at which the stalk’s “life work” is complete and the seed has reached its full potential. That is when a wise farmer strikes it down and collects the grain. To gather the grain, the stalk must die. So both images in Revelation 14 involve a death. The first may not include an ocean of blood, but it is still a death.

What does that mean for us? First, it means the harvest is unavoidable. “The sickle comes for us all.” Life under the sun ripens us until the day when what we have become is revealed. Second, where and how you are planted while you live really matters. We may not grasp every detail of the imagery—or why the grape harvest is linked with judgment—but the point stands: how we grow determines how we are gathered.

So how are you growing on this side of the sickle?

The only appropriate answer comes from another passage penned by John. In John 15, Jesus tells us to abide in Him and in His love. He says we cannot bear fruit unless we abide in Him (John 15:4). Yes, the sickle of death may come for us all, but there is one way to avoid the sickle of judgment: make your home in God’s love and allow that love to be the source of all your growth.

Josh Rose
Family Pastor

by Josh Rose

For Such a Time as This

“And who knows whether you have not come
to the kingdom for such a time as this?

Esther 4:9c

On Wednesday September 10th, in the middle of the writing team, we heard the news we hoped we wouldn’t hear, Charlie Kirk died. Silence, sorrow, but trust in our Father because “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of His saints,” Psalm 116:15. God was not surprised that this evil act would occur, but He was ready to welcome Charlie home with, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” His work on earth was done, but what God purposed in Charlie to do would continue on.

The following days were filled with stories of the accomplishments which could only be designed by God using a man completely surrendered to His Savior. As I listened and watched, the story of Esther came to mind. Charlie was clearly created ‘for such a time as this.’ As Esther was integral to God’s plan to rescue her people, Charlie would be used by God to bring people to know Jesus. The basis for all his work for faith, family, and our country, was the truth about Jesus. In an interview, Charlie was asked what he wanted to be remembered for. His answer was thoughtful but immediate. “I want to be remembered for my courage for my faith. My faith is the most important thing to me.”

We live in a time that calls for courage. Courage to speak the truth, even when people don’t want to hear it, because some will hear! We need courage because ‘In the absence of courage, truth is an orphan.’ As we've learned in Revelation, the Lord says to His children to be faithful, steadfast, stand firm, and endure; that all takes courage. The outcome is up to God and as Winston Churchill said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” But we believers are here at this place because God designed each of us ‘for such a time as this.’ Our placement here during this era is not accidental but purposeful. And the source of courage is a deep trust in God and His plan.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9

Prayerfully consider these questions:
How do you want to be remembered?
How does your trust in God and His plan give you courage?
How does knowing you were created for such a time as this make a difference in your life?
Praying for us all as we continue on with strength and courage.

Francie Overstreet
EFCC Member

by Francie Overstreet

Run a Good Race

For years I ran/jogged, and after a long break decided to train for the America’s Best half marathon in San Diego. I’d run 10k’s (6+miles) in the past so I knew I needed to train harder to run thirteen plus miles with many hills. I was in my fifties when I set this goal, but I knew if I ran enough miles, and trained hard enough I could at least complete the race and hopefully not come in last. I knew strength, and endurance were needed which required preparation and training. Also patience to go out and run a 12 mile route every Saturday morning plus miles during the week by myself (just me and the Lord and music).

Revelation 14 talks about a different kind of patient endurance. John says in Revelation 14:12 (NIV), “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.” These saints will apparently be saved during the tribulation. The world will be governed by the beast (or antichrist) who will harshly persecute anyone who believes in Jesus (Rev. 13) even to the point of their death.

From the beginning, our Creator has commanded his children to believe in Him. He captured the attention of people in many different ways and most importantly he spoke through Jesus Christ, His Son. In the last days of the tribulation people will still be commanded to believe in Jesus. Some will instead bow to the deceptive ways of the beast and his demand to wear his “mark” which is the sign of antichrist worship. Sp maybe it's logical to assume everyone not wearing "the mark" will stand out in the crowd and be subject to torment and persecution because they worship Jesus.

What does this mean for us right now? Patient endurance requires training and commitment. A commitment to follow God’s commandments, a commitment to study His word, a commitment to pray, and faith that He will always be with us to help no matter what trial or tribulation comes our way.  We have to be prepared for the enemy's attacks.

My training and prep for that half marathon worked. I finished the race and wasn’t last, but I pray we all always have the same commitment to endure the race in this life God created us for as believers.

Take a minute to meditate on this verse in Hebrews 12 . . . let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Deb Hill
EFCC Member

by Deb Hill

The Mark of the Beast

Revelation 14:6-13

6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. 7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

8 Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality.”

9 And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.”

12 Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Our minds take the warning above, about the suffering that will happen to those who take the mark of the beast, as a description of hell. After all, it says “the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever.” A closer look reveals three tribulation warnings about tribulation trouble, not eternal trouble.

Warning 1, verses 6-7: Last chance to receive the gospel. God’s judgement (tribulation judgement, not final judgement) is about to be poured out.

Warning 2, verse 8: Babylon, or impurity & corruption in this world will be eliminated.

Warning 3, verses 9-11: If you get the mark of the beast, you will be in pain.

Many theologians and scholars believe verses 9-11 are about hell. The problem with that reading is verse 10 says this suffering happens in the presence of the Lamb and his holy angels. Hell, however, is separation from God. “They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might” – 1 Thessalonians 1:9. A better understanding is seeing verses 9-11 as a warning there will be a temporal consequence for getting the beast’s mark. Those consequences are revealed in Rev 16:2, “So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.” Since nothing “can separate us from the love of God” Romans 8:39, believers would not lose their salvation because of the beast's mark. Many people will be tempted to get that mark and worship the beast’s image to stay alive and buy and sell in those days (Rev.13:15-17). Those who do, however, will suffer in the days to come.

Verses 12 and 13 emphasize that Christians need to hold on to their faith as the end approaches. Babylon will fall and so will any chance of corruption or sneakiness. God’s people cannot trust in going around the systems of the world to survive. Anyone taking the beast’s mark will suffer greatly too. Three angels and three warnings encourage believers it is better to die in faith than to trust the systems of the world where God’s tribulation wrath will fall.

Pastor John Riley

by John Riley

Harps & Heaven

Remember watching cartoons as a kid? Sometimes a cartoon character would “pass away” and you knew this was the case when you saw that character float upwards, land gently on a cloud and start playing a harp.

The stringed instrument, a harp, is mentioned three times in Revelation. In chapter 5:8 it says the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, each one had a harp… and in Chapter 15:2 by a sea of glass mixed with fire, those who victorious over the beast (see Rev. 13) held harps given them by God. Revelation 14:2 says, And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing water and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures and the elders.

A loud noise of rushing water, thunder and harpists. Bless John the apostle, describing with pen on paper the dramatic sounds and scene of heaven. A group of redeemed heavenly singers singing a new song—this celestial chorus is described as pure, followers of the Lamb . . . verse 5 says “no lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”

Ephesians 4:1 says God chose us, in Christ, before the creation of the world, to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Holy and blameless.

How’s your week been? How holy and blameless are you feeling lately?

Those are big words, a lofty expectation when God chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight. Yet the singers in heaven are described as pure, blameless, honest through and through, followers of Jesus, the Lamb.

I don’t see myself as holy and blameless nor do I I see myself playing a harp and sitting on a cloud in the sky. But God planned this. God saw this before the creation of the world . . . saints, followers of the Lamb that was slain. God saw it all from before the beginning of time. He saw holy saints singing in heaven, blameless saints redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. He saw his beloved creation before Adam met Eve, with harps in hand, singing a new song before the throne. He saw His church, his followers made holy and blameless in Christ.

Lord, may your kingdom come and your will be done, may we live as you chose us, and predestined us to live—holy and blameless in your sight. May we follow the Lamb.

Harp or no harp—may we, with confidence, sing a new song, the song of the redeemed.

Donielle Winter
EFCC Member

by Donielle Winter

“Come What May, I Will Love You”

In John chapter 21 some disciples go fishing, the job they’d worked before following Jesus. They rowed the boat, threw the nets, they were fishermen. But hours later, muscles fatigued, sleep deprived, they had caught nothing.

Time to give up….

Rowing back to shore, a familiar voice called out, “FRIENDS!!” “Haven’t you any fish?” hollered Jesus. “Throw your nets on the right side of the boat.”

Having trusted this voice before, they obeyed. And caught too many fish to hoist into their boat! Then the apostle John, the same John who wrote the book of Revelation, proclaimed, it is the Lord. Jesus already had hot coals burning in the fire and together with his favorite friends, grilled fish that morning. After breakfast, Jesus cornered Peter, who had very recently denied his Lord three times. He said, Do you truly love me more than these? Yes, Lord, he said, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my lambs. Again Jesus said, …do you truly love me? He answered, Yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Take care of my sheep. The third time he said to him, …do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, Do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. John 21:15-17 (NIV)

Why ask the question repeatedly? Why hurt Peter’s feelings? Peter answered easily…But Jesus knows faithful love isn’t easy.

In Revelation 13:9-10 John writes to the saints whose names are written in the book of Life, who belong to the Lamb that was slain…He who has an ear, let him hear. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

Verse 10 serves as a reminder to believers in all generations. There is a cost to following Jesus. (Luke 9:57-62) Loving Jesus may result in persecution and has resulted in death for many faithful followers past, present and future.

The question Jesus pointedly asked Peter, he asks every believer today. Do you truly love me? Will you patiently endure? Will you be faithful? Will you cast your nets if there’s no fish? Will you do as I say when life doesn’t make sense? On difficult days when the red dragon deceives and his beasts attack, will you follow me still?

Jesus, I will love you until the end of time.
I will love you until my dying day.
I will love you, come what may.

Donielle Winter EFCC Member

by Donielle Winter