Rev 14:3-4 Singing With the Lamb on Mount Sion 3/5/2006 ßà

• Contrasts (Gen 11:6-7, Rev 14:8,20, 16:10,12,19, 17, 18, 19:2, Jer 50,51, Rev 14:1-5)

#1. The Purpose of the Present Vision (Rev 14:1,4, Heb 13:5, John 14:18)

• Elisha at Dothan (2King 6:13-18, 2Cor 5:7, Rom 10:17)

#2. The Power of the Lamb on Mount Sion (Rev 14:1, Psalm 2:1-9)

• They Sung a New Song (Rev 14:3, Rom 8:36, Psalm 98:1-2, 40:1-3, Rev 14:2)

#3. Graven in the Palms of His Hands (Rev 14:3, Isa 49:16)

• Not One Is Lacking (John 10:27-28, Rom 8:31-39)

Please turn to the beginning of your Bibles to the Prophecy of Genesis, Gen 11:6 (2X). The title of the present sermon is “Singing With the Lamb on Mount Sion” (2X). What a delightful topic after the depressing picture of Rev 13. God gave us in Rev 13 how Satan plans to build for himself an earthly kingdom, much like what is described in Gen 11:1-9. Do you remember how in Gen 11 the entire population of the world was united and how they planned to build a huge tower, the tower of Babel? Then we read in Gen 11:6-7, “And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech.” Here was the first attempt of Satan to build an earthly empire for himself. But God intervened, and God caused the people to be scattered over the whole world. God is not the author of confusion. God rescued the situation by causing division among the people of the world, so that Satan’s plan for a united people of the world would be frustrated. But toward the end of time Satan will be released and he will be allowed to build himself this earthly kingdom, although it will only be for a short season. Please turn to the end of your Bibles to the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Rev 14:1 (2X). We have seen in Rev 13 how the Devil plans to build for himself an earthly kingdom through the works of his anointed, the Antichrist, who is represented in Rev 13 as the beast that comes out of the sea and the false prophet that comes out of the earth. And from here to the end of Revelation we can see how the kingdom of Satan and the Kingdom of Christ are coming into focus. Here we see the

• Contrasts (2X) (Gen 11:6-7, Rev 14:8,20, 16:10,12,19, 17, 18, 19:2, Jer 50,51, Rev 14:1-5)

Revelation deals with the mightiest contrast that ever existed, the contrast between the Kingdom of Light and the kingdom of darkness. These two kingdoms are symbolized by two cities. The Kingdom of Christ is symbolized by “The New Jerusalem”, and the kingdom of Satan is symbolized by “Babylon”. From here on down we see the development of Babylon in almost every chapter. We see Babylon in Rev 14:8 and verse 20. We see Babylon in Rev 16:10,12 and verse 19. We see Babylon in Rev 17 the entire chapter, and in Rev 18 the entire chapter. We see Babylon in Rev 19:2 until it is finally destroyed This Babylon has nothing to do with a physical city on this earth, for in Jer 50 and 51 God promised that the physical city of Babylon would never be rebuilt, and that is indeed what we observe even unto this day. Here in Revelation 13 God gave us this development of Babylon to show us how we should understand chapters 17 and 18, and how we should see this in the light of the Tower of Babel project in Gen 11. And God gave us this development to warn us for the grave dangers that are pounding on our church in the years to come. Here in this prophecy of Revelation we have the prophetic record of the great battle of the ages on the part of the Devil against the Almighty for the possession of the kingdoms of the world. And for that reason it is only natural that time and again we meet with tremendous contrasts in this prophecy. We see the contrast between the dragon and the woman, between the dragon and the Lamb, between the Lamb and the beast, between the Christ and the Antichrist, between the church and the world. And for that same reason we also see in Revelation that a dark and dreadful picture is followed by one of light and joy and glory. For example, in chapter 6 we saw the picture of the time immediately before the Last Judgment and the opening of the seventh seal. And at the end of chapter 6 the question was asked, “Who shall be able to stand?” That dark picture was immediately followed by a joyous picture in Rev 7 where we read of the 144,000 faithful ones on earth who were sealed and secure in the midst of tribulation, and we also read of the innumerable multitude in heaven before the throne of glory. Likewise we saw the dark pictures of Rev 9 where the cloud of evil locusts came up out of the Bottomless Pit, and where the evil 200 million horsemen came up out of the great river Euphrates, where Babylon is. And that horrible picture was immediately followed by a hopeful and joyous picture in Rev 10, where we read of the mighty Angel standing with His feet un the earth and on the sea, and sweareth by Him that liveth forever that there should be no more delay. And when we come to Rev 13 we saw the horrible picture of Antichrist coming in a twofold power: as a mighty beast out of the sea and as a little lamb out of the earth, the false prophet. Most disturbing was the message that this Antichrist is going to be a world-power and that all the world shall be wondering after the beast because of the false prophecy given by the false prophet. And now, in Rev 14 we see a picture of the opposite side, a picture of the power and calmness and strength of Christ and His 144,000 faithful ones on this earth who oppose this world kingdom of Satan, and thus at the same time it is a picture of joy and salvation and glory for God’s people. That is the character of Rev 14, and that is also the purpose of the picture that God gave us in this chapter. We read in:

Re 14:1 ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

Re 14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:

Re 14:3-4 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

Re 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

And so, what is the character of this scene that God paints before our eyes? The character of this passage is that the saints are singing because they are in the presence of Christ. In spite of all the pressure that Antichrist causes us to bear, we are singing, for we know:

#1. The Purpose of the Present Vision (Rev 14:1,4, Heb 13:5, John 14:18)

The purpose of the present vision is that God is lifting our spirits, for Christ is on our side. We have the Father’s name on our forehead, and we shall not be moved by any of the threats by Satan or by his Antichrist. Perhaps you remember, when we looked at Rev 7, we have seen that the 144,000 were a symbol for the saints that are living on this earth at any moment in time, and the great multitude that stands before the throne and before the Lamb represent all the saints that have gone to heaven. And thus when we see here in Rev 14:1 the Lamb, which represents Christ, standing with the 144,000, which represents us here on earth having our Father’s name written on our foreheads, we can rejoice and go on singing, even though we probably are in the midst of the FTP. It is a tribulation that is mostly spiritual in nature. It is a time of trouble for the saints, for we realize how the Gospel has been rejected and trampled upon, so that the probability for the Gospel to reach the ears of our loved ones has become very small indeed. But it is not a time of trouble for the unsaved of the world, for they are not able to discern between the true Gospel and a false gospel, or between the true God and an idol.

But let us also consider these words of Rev 14:1 carefully and let us recognize that these verses have been used by others to prove something that is not there at all. People of the premillennial persuasion will interpret Rev 14:1 as follows: “Then, at that time, shall Jesus appear on Mount Sion, Jerusalem, and He shall gather all His people in glory round about Him in order to keep them from the sufferings of the FTP, and He shall avenge Himself upon His enemies.” They have changed the word “And” to the word “Then”. But this violates the words of Scripture which assure us time and again that “the Lord shall come on the clouds of heaven in the Day of Judgment, and every eye shall see Him”. We must realize that John does not write history, he does not foretell the future, but he speaks in highly symbolic language. After the dark vision of the beast and his kingdom he now receives a bright vision of the Lamb and His people. And all this is kept in symbolism. Rev 13 was couched in symbolism, no question about it. Rev 13 and 14 belong together. John does not convey the idea that the Lamb was NOT on Mount Sion when the beast established his kingdom, but rather that He was there all the time. In all the confusion of the nations, who are swallowed up in the charismatic gospels during the entire FTP, the Lamb is on Mount Sion, calm and majestic, surrounded by His people, the 144,000. The symbolism of chapter 13 is simply continued. Let us now look at the symbolism in verse 4,

Re 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.

What is this picture that is here inserted? God is painting the great contrast between the Kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of the beast. In the preceding vision we have the beast lording it over all the world. Here we have the vision of the Lamb on Mt. Sion, standing majestic and in authority as the King and protector of His people. There we have the vision of the billions who worship the beast. Here we have the picture of the 144,000 who belong to the Lamb. There we found that the followers of the beast received his sign on their right hand or on their foreheads. Here we find that the followers of the Lamb have the name of the Father on their foreheads. There we saw that only the followers of the beast were happy. Here we see that only the 144,000 can learn the song of joy and glory. There we saw that the followers of the Lamb were threatened with destruction. Here we see that the followers of the beast are in the kingdom called “Babylon”, which is destined for destruction. In other words, God is reminding us the words that Christ has said in Heb 13:5, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” And in John 14:18 the Lord Jesus said, “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you”. How can we print these sayings into our memory? Please turn in your Bibles to the prophecy of Second Kings, 2King 6:13 (2X). You find 2^nd Kings after 1^st Kings, after 1^st and 2^nd Samuel, on page 650 in my Bible. God gave us here an event in the life of Elisha, the prophet of Israel, to show us His protection for those who are His.

• Elisha at Dothan (2King 6:13-18, 2Cor 5:7, Rom 10:17)

The prophet Elisha dwelt at Dothan, which is a little town in walking distance from the capital city Samaria. The king of Syria had come to know that Elisha is telling the king of Israel where the Syrian army is lying in wait. This he did not once, nor twice, but several times. The king of Syria was angry.

2Ki 6:13-15 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! How shall we do?

2Ki 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

2Ki 6:17-18 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

What do we learn from here? We must always remember the words of verse 16, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”. How can we remember this? We do not have Elisha always on our side to open our spiritual eyes. But we do know that we must have spiritual eyes to see with our mind spiritual things. We can only see spiritual things if we see them with eyes of faith. And thus we need faith, rather than miracles before our eyes. This is a basic principle by which the child of God walks in this world, as stated in 2Cor 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” And thus if we know that we must strengthen our faith, we can pray to God and ask Him to strengthen our faith; and we can take action to strengthen our faith by reading the Bible, for God says in Rom 10:17, “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” And thus, like the enemy army that surrounded the prophet Elisha was doomed to failure, even so the army of Antichrist that encompasses the whole world is destined to defeat, even though it may not seem so when we are experiencing it in the FTP. We read in 2King 6:18 that the Lord smote them with blindness, and it reminds us of spiritual blindness of people who are unsaved, and it reminds us of the inhabitants of Sodom who were struck with blindness shortly before the Lord destroyed them with fire and brimstone, a picture of the Last Day. And thus the spiritual blindness is symbolic for the condition in the FTP. Please turn again to Rev 14:1 (2X). And so, when we see that spiritual blindness is spreading over almost the whole world, and Antichrist seems to be reigning supreme, and the Devil seems to have obtained the victory, and the people of God are in distress, then remember this story of Elisha at Dothan, and remember that there is another side, a spiritual side, to the entire economy of things. And when the light of heaven falls on the scene, and the eyes of the people of God through faith are opened, they see that the Lamb is standing on Mt. Sion in calm majesty, and that His people are safe in His protection. For the Lamb on Mt. Sion is ready to consume His enemies. So let us now consider:

#2. The Power of the Lamb on Mount Sion (Rev 14:1, Psalm 2:1-9)

Re 14:1 ¶ And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.

We know who the Lamb is. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, as seen especially from the perspective of His atonement on the cross. Christ is the Anointed of God. And it is the will of the Father to give Him the eternal Kingdom of God. But in order to receive the Kingdom He had to redeem it with His blood, and He had to redeem the ones whom the Father had given Him by paying the payment that their sins required to satisfy the righteousness of the Triune God. In that capacity He stands here as the Lamb that was slain. But what does Mount Sion represent? Let me outline a list of six possibilities of what Mt. Sion represents. #1. Those of the premillenial persuasion take it to mean the literal citadel of David at Jerusalem. But the symbolic nature of everything else in chapters 13 and 14 is against this view. We cannot separate one element from all the rest and explain it in the literal sense of the word. #2. There are others who claim that Mt. Sion represents the heavenly Jerusalem. But that is impossible because of the context. We read that as the Lamb stands with His people on Mt. Sion, a voice is heard from heaven, and this clearly indicates that Mt. Sion is here on earth. #3. There are others who claim that Mt. Sion represents the invisible eternal church on this earth. That is usually allowable, for I have always taught that Sion is the place where God resides, and He resides in the souls of those whom He has saved. Except, in this passage we cannot use this nice interpretation. If Mt. Sion is the eternal church on earth, then what must we make of the 144,000? They too represent the eternal church of the living God on this earth. But if they are, then Mt. Sion cannot mean the same thing. #4. Some will interpret Mt. Sion in the symbolical sense of the word as the center of God’s power, the stronghold from which Jehovah rules over and defends His people. The problem is that we must find such a place on this earth, for that center of God’s power must also be interpreted. #5. Others will also interpret Mt. Sion in the symbolical sense of the word as the hill of His presence on which He dwells among His people, without stating explicitly where that hill of His presence might be, or what it might represent. When we replace one metaphor with another one, which in turn also has to be interpreted we have actually not provided a solution for the metaphor that we want to interpret. And thus we arrive at our 6^th and final possibility. #6. We will never be able to explain this symbolism if we take the Lamb and Mt. Sion separately. We must interpret “the Lamb standing on Mt Sion” as one symbol; they both must be taken together as belonging together from the very outset. Please turn in your Bibles to the prophecy of the Psalms, Psalm 2:1 (2X). We have here a psalm that is not classified as a Psalm of David. It is not recorded who wrote it, but it is clear from the outset that God dictated this psalm to one of His holy men of old, for we can clearly see that it is a Messianic Psalm. It is clearly pointing to the Lord Jesus Christ as the chief person whom God is addressing here. And in this Psalm we see “the Lamb standing on Mount Zion” as one symbol. First we read of the rebellion of all people in the world. We read in:

Ps 2:1-3 Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us.

Can you see that this is an exact picture of what we have been told in Rev 13. All the kingdoms of the earth have combined and conspired together with the definite purpose of rebelling against God and against His Christ. The nations are raging with madness to establish their own kingdom apart from God, which means that they are worshipping the Devil and Jehovah is thrust from His throne. The Bible is seen by the nations as a hindrance, as bands and cords, instead of the beautiful Gospel of salvation that God has provided for all that believe. It shows us once again that no one will believe, for all mankind is born in rebellion against God, and delights in the ways of Satan. What is God’s attitude over against these raging nations and peoples? God reveals His attitude against them in verse 4:

Ps 2:4 He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.

When Antichrist shall rage and establish his kingdom and apparently will have the victory, God Almighty shall laugh, but it is a contemptuous laugh. “The Lord shall have them in derision”, which means that the Lord shall heap bitter ridicule and scorn upon them. The whole thing appears so utterly foolish to Him that He laughs about it. That man could conceive of the possibility of establishing a kingdom in which the Devil should be supreme is such a piece of folly to the God in heaven that He ridicules them from heaven, and mocks at the whole plan of the dragon. It is a vain thing which they imagine, and it is an abomination in the sight of God. And why is it a vain thing? It is because the Lord God Almighty has made His counsel. And that eternal counsel of the Almighty does not call for the permanent existence of such a kingdom of Satan, but for its destruction. Therefore we read in:

Ps 2:5 Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure.

Ps 2:6 Yet have I set “My King upon My holy hill of Zion”. (There it is!) (The Greek spelling is “Sion”)

Ps 2:7-8 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto Me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the

uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.

Ps 2:9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.

Therefore the heathen shall be dashed in pieces like a potter’s vessel, because God has anointed His Christ, and not the Devil, over His holy hill, the stronghold of His Kingdom. Therefore it is from this Psalm that we learn the meaning of the expression, “The Lamb on Mount Sion”. It means that God’s decree shall stand and that no ragging nations shall ever frustrate God’s plan. It means that God’s decree calls for a Kingdom under Christ, the Lamb, the Anointed of God, and that this Lamb actually stands in authority over the nations at all times. When the nations rage, Christ is not out of control; but He is carrying out His plan through the sins of the nations of the world. And so, the Lamb stands on Mt. Sion, calm and powerfully in control of the situation, for this was given Him in God’s counsel from before the foundation of the world. To the natural eye He is not visible, but the spiritual eye of faith sees Him clearly. And therefore the people of God need never despair, but instead:

• They Sung a New Song (Rev 14:3, Rom 8:36, Psalm 98:1-2, 40:1-3, Rev 14:2)

Please turn again to the Revelation of Jesus Christ, Rev 14:3 (2X). What has singing to do with the rest we have in Christ? You see, the text shows us the effect of the power of Christ upon His people.

Re 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.

The 144,000 represent all the elect who are upon the earth at any moment of the world’s history. These 144,000 are not Jews in the physical sense of the word, but they are Jews as God has defined the term in Rom 2:28-29. And when God redefined the term in Rom 2:28-29 who are we to ignore this definition in the Word of God? Certainly we must consider seriously if this new term now applies to many more passages, first of all in the NT, but also in the OT. And then we see that this number of 144,000 is not meant to be taken literally, for that will lead to the heresy of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. But why are the 144,000 mentioned here, so soon after the depressing announcement of the world-power of Antichrist? God did that simply to show that not one of the elect is missing. They are all with the Lamb on Mt. Sion. They have all remained faithful. They have all followed the Lamb wherever He leads them, even in time of tribulation. Not one is lacking! All God’s people are saved through the power of the Lamb, in spite of the raging fury of Antichrist. In what respect have they been protected and kept safe from the fury of Antichrist? Have they not undergone physical suffering? Absolutely yes! For we read in Rom 8:36, “For thy sake we are killed all the day long”. But this does not hurt us. We have a spiritual existence and life. The great question for the people of God in the world is not whether or not we must suffer the suffering for Christ’s sake when we are faithful, but whether we shall remain faithful in the midst of tribulation. And that is the case for all of us who are represented by the 144,000 who follow the Lamb wherever He sends us. But there is more: These 144,000 are singing. What are they singing? Please turn again to the prophecy of the Psalms, Psalm 98:1 (2X). This psalm tells us what the redeemed of the Lord are singing. In this evangelical psalm the unknown prophet praises the miracles, the victory, the salvation, the righteousness, the mercy and the truth of his Redeemer. And he does so because he is one of those who have received the Father’s name upon his forehead.

Ps 98:1-3, O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory. The LORD hath made known his salvation: his righteousness hath he openly shewed in the sight of the heathen. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel: all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

The unknown prophet sings unto the Lord a new song. It is a new song because he praises the Lord for his personal salvation, and that is new. His heart is overflowing to the Lord for giving him this new-found faith. Please turn now to another psalm, Psalm 40:1 (2X). This is a Psalm of David.

Ps 40:1-3 <<To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.>> I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Here David praises the Lord for lifting him up out of a horrible pit, and out of the miry clay. When did that come to pass? David was never physically in a horrible pit like Jeremiah was, and David was never physically stuck in the mire somewhere. This pit that he referred to was the condition of being under the wrath of God, and on the way down to the deeper pit of Hell. The miry clay David referred to was the condition of being trapped in a vicious circle of sin and self deception. And David praised the Lord for saving him from his slippery slide into Hell. And then the Lord has set his feet upon a Rock. When we see the word Rock (singular) in the Bible, it often refers to Christ as the Rock of our salvation, the solid Rock on which we can depend as our unmovable foundation, and the Rock on which we can rest. And that is why the Lord has put a new song in David’s mouth, “even praise unto our God”. This is the new song that dwelt in the mouths of the 144,000 faithful followers of the Lamb. Please turn again to Rev 14:2 (2X). It is the power of God and of the Lamb that enabled these 144,000 to sing even in the midst of the battle, and to sing of joy and of victory and of their personal salvation. From heaven swells a song, strong as the voice of many waters, (like the voice of Christ as the Redeemer), it is rolling through the air and through heaven as the voice of a mighty thunder, (like the voice of Christ as the Judge of all the earth), yet it is carried along on the breeze in the sweet melody of harpers harping on their harps. What is this song? It is the song of the church triumphant in heaven. It is the song of the innumerable multitude that has previously suffered on this earth like the 144,000 are still doing, but the multitude has already gone into heaven. This glorified throng, this church triumphant, sings in forceful melody, “Salvation belongeth unto our God, and unto the Lamb.” It is the song of joy and victory, and it reaches the ears of those 144,000 who are still in tribulation, but they are with the Lamb on Mount Sion. And then they too understand it. They realize that this song is theirs. Surely they are still in trouble and tribulation, and their suffering is severe. But they are conscious of the fact that they stand on the side of the Lamb. They are conscious of the fact that they bear the name of the Father on their foreheads. They are conscious of the fact that they have been purchased to be firstfruits unto the Father and unto the Lamb. And in that consciousness they can learn this song of victory, as David has learned it. And to the amazement of the world, which cannot understand this song and which can never learn it, they chime in with the song of the glorified saints in heaven, “Salvation belongeth unto our God and to the Lamb forever”. That is the truth of the passage we have read here in Rev 14:1-5. The saints shall glorify God and His power, so that the world shall be amazed.

But there is more: We are singing in the midst of tribulation because we are:

#3. Graven in the Palms of His Hands (Rev 14:3, Isa 49:16)

Please turn to the prophecy of Isaiah, in the middle of your Bibles, Isa 49:15 (2X). If we have made sure that we belong to the 144,000, the redeemed who are still living on this earth, then we know that the Father has graven His name on our foreheads. But this implies that our names have been graven on the palms of Christ’s hands. We read in Isa 49:15,

Isa 49:15-16 Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.

A woman may forget her own son, but I will not forget you, for “I have graven thee on the palms of my hands.” Does God have hands? No. “God is a Spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth”, and a Spirit does not have hands. But the Lord Jesus Christ has hands, and he it is who is in view here in Isa 49:16. When were our names graven on the palms of Christ’s hands? When the Roman soldiers nailed the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross, that is when our names were graven on His hands. The sign we bear on our foreheads testifies to that. By this name of the Father we are reminded of God’s eternal counsel. From all eternity God Almighty has chosen us, and has placed our names in His Son, the second Person of the Triune Godhead. Therefore Christ knew whose sins He had to atone for, and He atoned for all our sins, even the ones we are not aware of. The Lamb of God has purchased us body and soul for time and eternity. Shall Antichrist then prevail over us? No way! Therefore we can stand in the power of the Almighty, conscious of this power by faith, conscious of having been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, we cannot and will not perish. We, whom the Almighty has formed for Himself, shall show forth His praise on this earth and throughout eternity, for this is why He made us in the first place. AMEN.

Let us turn to the Lord in prayer.