God Never Fears His Enemies
I do believe we live in last chapter of earth’s history. The birth-pangs have begun, and we are beginning to see the world align with prophesy as time prepares for its end. Today’s reading captures a moment when God taunts His enemies. He invites them to come and face Him in battle. Though God is God and will undoubtably win, Satan still struts as if he leads the victors. The same pride that led him to believe he could win a rebellion against the Lord in Heaven spurns him on to ready his earthly army for battle. Revelation 16:12-16 reads, “The sixth angel poured his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, issuing from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet, three foul spirits like frogs; for they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Los, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place which is called in Hebrew Armageddon.”
We know there will be a fierce and painful battle. We watch the signs given to us in scripture – like the drying up of the Euphrates River – and we can understand that this battle does not lie too far off. As we see evil growing bolder in their declaration of hatred and superiority over God, I am reminded of Psalm 2. “Why do the nations conspire, and the people plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord and His anointed, saying ‘Let us burst their bonds asunder, and cast their cords from us.’” (Psalm 2:1-3) All the hatred that the world pours out against the Lord and His people is in vain. Their belief in their victory is misguided, a lie contrived by the Father of Lies to destroy even more of the people Jesus died to save.
Let us return to Psalm 2 to hear how the Lord responds to the threats of the wicked. It says, “He who sits in the heavens laughs; the Lord has them in derision. Then He will speak to them in His wrath, and terrify them in His fury, saying, ‘I have set my king on Zion, my holy hill.’” (verses 4-6) As frightening as the threats of the powerful may be, God laughs as if they were mere children shaking sticky fists in the air. As we return to Psalm 2:7-9, let us truly hear the promise of Christ’s reign. It says, “I will tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to me, ‘You are my son, today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Revelation 11:15 confirms Christ’s eternal reign by saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
The world rages against the Lord. They are angered by anything that brings their sin to light. Christianity irritates at best and infuriates too often. The joy and peace we have in Christ grates against the anger and sense of loss they battle in the hidden places of their hearts. As the world revs itself up for its final, epic battle, know dear Christian that God is not the least bit scared. He sees their preparation and laughs at their misguided belief that they could win against Heaven’s army. No matter what the news may cause you to fear; no matter how Satan whispers in your ear; God is not mocked. He does not grow fearful. Our God is always in control, even when His enemies fool themselves into thinking they have the upper hand. God is, always has been, and always will be… victorious.
(Written by Keegan Harkins.)
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