We are given no miraculous signs; no prophets are left, and none of us knows how long this will be. Psalm 74:9
I'm not sure it's the exact context, but what this verse brought to mind was the long 400 year drought of silence between the OT and the coming of the Messiah. Can you even imagine that? The yearning and the longing for the Messiah to come - but with nothing but silence in response. No prophets, no miraculous signs, nothing. Only waiting.
So fitting for this season of advent, as we remember the period of waiting before the long-anticipated birth of our Saviour. And as we now wait for the Second Coming.
But, unlike the OT saints who longed for the first coming, we do not have silence.
We have the proof of the Christ's birth, death and resurrection.
We have the Holy Spirit.
We have both the OT and the NT scriptures.
And our NT scripture passage today quite fittingly proclaims Jesus, the Messiah whose birth was anticipated over 2000 years ago and whose Second Coming we've been anticipating ever since.....
You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth. Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise! To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power, for ever and ever! Revelation 5:9b, 10, 12b, 13b
Jesus, you came.
Come again, Lord Jesus, come!
Edited to add: I was listening to one of the Follow the Rabbi lectures (#10 I think) on the treadmill this morning and guess what was talked about? Revelation 5. He had been reading that exact passage in Israel on the island of Patmos when a cell phone rang with news of 9/11. And then he got it. This passage was written - yes, to let them know it was going to get worse. But more than that. It was written to say - it doesn't matter what Osama bin Laden or anyone thinks, says or does - God is still in control, God is still on His throne, God is still worthy of honour and glory and praise.
It reminds me of a post I read by Angie Smith and her reaction when they found out there was no medical hope for the daughter in her womb to survive - "I think my Jesus is the same as He was before I walked in that door".
Tomorrow's passage: Psalm 77-78, Revelation 6
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