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4. The Lamb of God's Victory Over the Antichrist - Proclaimed in Advance! (Revelation 17:9b-14)
The Unfolding Victory of the Lamb (v 14): The victory of the Lamb is a spiritual victory, gained without the use of tanks, rockets, bombs and deceit. The prophet, Zechariah, had already testified to the fundamental principle of God's victory: “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of Hosts.” (Zechariah 4:6)
The victory of the Lamb is not by chance, nor the own decision of the Son of God. The snake had already had to hear in paradise that one of the descendants of Eve would crush his head, while he could only bruise the heel of the woman's descendant (Genesis 3:15). The victory of Christ was frequently prophesied in the Old Testament, for it had been pre-determined in God's plan since eternity (Genesis 49:10; Numbers 24:17; Psalm 2:1-12; Isaiah 9:5-6; 11:4; Daniel 2:31-44; Luke 2:10-11; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 5:5).
The unique victory of Christ was based on His atoning death. “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19-21). With all his cunning and power Satan could not hinder the atonement offering of Christ (Isaiah 53:4-12; Matthew 4:1-11; 16:23; 27:39-44, 46; Luke 22:42-44; John 19:30; 1 John 3:8; Hebrews 2:14). Jesus had no sin; much more, He bore the sin of the world (John 1:29). That was the Devil's defeat! The victory of the Lamb is built upon justice (Matthew 12:20). Since the time Jesus sat down on the throne in heaven Satan has been once and for all cast out of heaven, having justified and sanctified His followers through His shed blood.
The direct and visible consequence of the atoning death of Christ was seen in the unfolding of His victory on Golgotha and His resurrection from the dead (Matthew 28:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Hebrews 2:14; Revelation 1:17-18). Christ overcame Satan and removed the power of death (2 Tim. 1:10). His life is eternal. He Himself is life (John 5:26; 11:25).
The ascension of Christ led to the triumphal enthroning of the Lamb of God (Revelation 5:5-14). All power in heaven and earth had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18).The Lamb is the One determining the course of judgment. He forces the son of perdition to appear and in the end annihilates him with the breath of His mouth (2. Thessalonians 2:3-4, 8; Revelation 6:1-2). “The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly. The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” (Psalm 118:15-16)
The fruit of the atonement offering of Christ was the pouring out of the Holy Spirit. Without the cross of Christ there would be no Spirit reception! Since then the followers of the Lamb have eternal life in them. His life, full of love and humility, is realized in them in their second birth (Ezekiel 36:25-27; Matthew 3:11; John 3:5-7; Romans 8:5-9; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:3, 23). The fruit of His Spirit in them grows out of grace (Galatians 5:22-23). He gives to them the certain hope of eternal life (Romans 8:16; 1 Peter 1:3). The victory of Christ is realized amidst Satan's realm of power: He robs him of his captives, sets them free and enlivens them.
Jesus came to establish the kingdom of His Father, which is His own kingdom (Matthew 16:28). He is the true God-King, full of righteousness and love (Matthew 19:28). His kingdom grows out of Himself, just like a grain of wheat brings forth many new grains of wheat in its stalk (John 12:24). The kingdom of the Lamb is a spiritual kingdom, that does not arise out of this world (John 18:36-37). Jesus testified: “If I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matthew 12:28; Luke 11:20; 1 John 3:8).
How is the victory of Christ realized in our life? The Spirit of the Lamb produces faith, love and hope for the fulfillment and glorification of His victory. “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5) Jesus, Himself, proclaimed His victory before His crucifixion, and promised us: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)
But why does the kingdom of Christ remain hidden to so many people? Whoever has the goal to become rich, famous or beautiful, removes himself, by so doing, further and further from Christ. But ones who are poor, small, dumb or ugly rush daily to their Savior and ask for His help (1 Corinthians 1:18-29; Matthew 11:25-29; John 3:3; 15:19; 17:14-15). Jesus said: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-25; Revelation 12:11). The Resurrected One said to Paul: “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Paul understood the lesson and soon confessed: “For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). He wrote the believers in Rome: “The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20). A few years after writing this Paul was beheaded in Rome. That was his ultimate testimony for the victory of Christ in his life.
The triumph of Christ over the Antichrist is one of the decisive events in the victory course of the Lamb of God. This victory includes the church on earth and in heaven. A great voice testified to the saints in heaven: “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Revelation 12:11). The driving power behind the fulfillment of the Divine plan of salvation, however, is the high priestly prayer of Jesus for His orphaned, suffering and embattled church (John 17:6-26).
PRAYER: Merciful Father, we worship You and we love Your Holy Lamb because His comprehensive victory appeared gradually. The Crucified One overcame the evil Satan and the bitter death, wiped off the sin of the world, and delivered us from Your just anger, granting us the Spirit of everlasting life. Help us to partake in the victory of Your meek Lamb through our faith in Him throughout our life. Amen.
QUESTION:
- Which Levels of the victory of the Lamb of God according to the Bible did you understand and experience?