Grace
to you and peace…from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the
dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released
us from our sins by His blood— and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His
God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation
1:5-6
…for
now our salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost
gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and
put on the armor of light.
Romans
13:11
Come,
Thou long-expected Jesus
Born
to set Thy people free
From
our fears and sins release us
Let
us find our rest in Thee
Israel's
strength and consolation
Hope
of all the earth Thou art
Dear
Desire of every nation
Joy
of every longing heart
Born
Thy people to deliver
Born
a child and yet a King
Born
to reign in us forever
Now
Thy gracious kingdom bring
By
Thine own eternal Spirit
Rule
in all our hearts alone
By
Thine all sufficient merit
Raise
us to Thy glorious throne.
CHARLES
WESLEY
The
position they assigned to Him was superlative. They said with one voice, “To
Him be the glory and the dominion until the ages of the ages.” An age of days
is long, an age of years incomputable, but an age of ages is eternity; and it
was their desire and belief that through uncounted eons, every star would
shine, every jewel would flash, every wave break, every voice sing, and every
creature live to promote the everlasting radiance of His crown, that it should
embrace all beings, in all spheres, for all ages, without rival or successor;
that the Man of Nazareth and Calvary should be the only Ruler; that the Lamb
should be seated in the supreme place of authority—such was the confident
expectation and the desire of the church as reflected here. But on what ground
did the early believers base their estimate of our Savior’s superlative
claims? Whatever else might have
been urged, this was their supreme
consideration, that “He had loosed them from their sins by His own blood”
(vs.5) This was His greatest contribution to the world’s need; and it was for
this that they ascribed to Him, “blessings and honors and glory and might, unto
the ages of the ages.”(Rev.7:12)
Now
is our salvation nearer then when we believed. Jesus is about to appear the
second time unto salvation. The bodies of the saints are to be set free from
the power of death, and raised in the likeness of the body of Christ’s glory:
The creature is to be emancipated from the bondage of corruption; the last
remains of Satan’s rule over our world are to be destroyed. The golden ages are
to return. From the watchers and holy ones the song of redemption is yet to
ascend: “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and unto the Lamb forever
and ever.”(Rev. 7:10)
F.B. MEYER
1847-1929