(For the message from Sunday, October 17, 2021: “Hallelujah…the Lord our God Reigns!” You can view this sermon by clicking HERE.)
Yesterday pastor Gerald was back in the pulpit and we picked our study of Revelation back up with a study through the first 10 verses of chapter 19. I appreciated him taking the time at the opening of his message to offer a wonderful review of chapters 1-18. For this week’s Monday Reflection, I actually am going to include something Gerald wrote in reflecting on his message. He writes,
Be prophets, church!
I didn’t have the time to address I I should have verse 10 of Revelation 19: Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
The position of some is that the “testimony of Jesus” is Jesus’ own testimony that he bore in his life and teaching and especially in his suffering, death and resurrection. Others say the “testimony of Jesus” is testimony of those faithful messengers (angels & humans) who proclaim what Scripture says about Jesus. I believe the second position is preferable. Either way the message is the same, as is the result. Those who hold to or proclaim this testimony are Christian prophets. Thus “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Greg Beale says, “the angels in heaven and believers on earth are fellow-servants in that they both have prophetic roles.” Prophets here are not (as in some other parts of the NT) those who hold an exclusive office, but are those who faithfully proclaim biblical truth, those who proclaim the gospel. This is the role and responsibility of the entire church. This is the role and responsibility of every believer. Jesus is the subject of our prophetic message. Jesus is our message!
Gerald Hodges
What a tremendous challenge! What a tremendous encouragement! As he said in his sermon, righteousness is a gift we receive through faith AND it is our calling. And as we pursue that calling we do it to the glory of him who is worthy.
We looked at Psalm 96 in Sunday School yesterday, which really looks forward to, anticipates the scene we see in Revelation 19. The picture there is of all creation resounding in worship, led by the crowning jewel of God’s creation, humanity. What a beautiful picture of what this prophetic role is all about! We saw through that lesson how worship and evangelism are bound up together. And all of it is in anticipation of the scene we see in Revelation 19.
If we are in Christ, this is our story, this is our song. What is your life proclaiming?
know. be. do. 
What do you think? I would love to hear your thoughts!