Friday 8th
Today we will pause in our devotion from Isaiah 40 and reflect for a short while on what today is all about – the 75th anniversary of VE Day or Victory in Europe Day.
Britain along with its allies had been through a bitter and bloody world war, the second in the space of 30 years. It was a war that caused devastation around the world with the estimated loss of between 70 – 85,000,000 people. VE day marked the end of the conflict in Europe, the war would not come to a complete end until the 15th of August when Japan finally surrendered. The arrival of the Coronavirus has meant that all the planned celebrations for this anniversary have had to be cancelled. Just for a few moments today, spend time honouring those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy today and pray for all those who are serving in the armed forces today to continue to provide the freedom we enjoy. It would be a good opportunity to pray for peace in the troubled parts of the world today where there is conflict.
Reading for today – Colossians 2:6-15 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
Earlier this week our subject was celebration, and the day is coming where there is going to be the biggest and the greatest celebration ever, and it will not take place on earth it will take place in heaven. The battle took place two thousand years ago where Jesus took on the devil, the powers of darkness and death and he came out of the battle as the Mighty Conqueror. Colossians 2:14b-15 ‘by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.’
And 1 Corinthians 15:54-57 ‘When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’
There has been a constant celebration of victory ever since as many millions have been brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light, men and women born again by the Spirit of God, set free from being captive to sin and Satan, as we saw in earlier devotions, the angels in heaven are rejoicing. But the biggest celebration is yet to happen, and the good news is we will be there! We read of it in Revelation chapter 5 and again later in chapter 7.
Revelation 5:11-14 ‘Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped.’
Revelation 7:9-12 ‘After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honour and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”’
What a celebration this is going to be, the whole of heaven rejoicing, every blood washed man and woman joining with the host of heaven in celebration, giving a victory shout, declaring ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne.’ He has conquered, he has triumphed.
When World War I ended it was hoped that such a thing would never happen again, the same after World War II, but the sad fact is that because of the fallen state of humanity and its utter depravity war will continue to happen until the end of the age.
When Jesus conquered it was a once for all battle, it will never need to be repeated, because he has triumphed for ever and ever. He has already dealt the final blow, and the victory is already won!
See, the Conqueror mounts in triumph; see the King in royal state,
Riding on the clouds, His chariot, to His heavenly palace gate.
Hark! the choirs of angel voices joyful alleluias sing,
And the portals high are lifted to receive their heavenly King.
Who is this that comes in glory, with the trump of jubilee?
Lord of battles, God of armies, He has gained the victory.
He Who on the cross did suffer, He Who from the grave arose,
He has vanquished sin and Satan, He by death has spoiled His foes.
While He lifts His hands in blessing, He is parted from His friends
While their eager eyes behold Him, He upon the clouds ascends;
He Who walked with God and pleased Him, preaching truth and doom to come,
He, our Enoch, is translated to His everlasting home.
Now our heavenly Aaron enters, with His blood, within the veil;
Joshua now is come to Canaan, and the kings before Him quail;
Now He plants the tribes of Israel in their promised resting place;
Now our great Elijah offers double portion of His grace.
He has raised our human nature in the clouds to God’s right hand;
There we sit in heavenly places, there with Him in glory stand:
Jesus reigns, adored by angels; man with God is on the throne;
Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension we by faith behold our own.
Holy Ghost, llluminator, shed Thy beams upon our eyes,
Help us to look up with Stephen, and to see beyond the skies,
Where the Son of Man in glory standing is at God’s right hand,
Beckoning on His martyr army, succouring His faithful band.
See Him, Who is gone before us, heavenly mansions to prepare,
See Him, who is ever pleading for us with prevailing prayer,
See Him, Who with sound of trumpet, and with His angelic train,
Summoning the world to judgment, on the clouds will come again.
Raise us up from earth to Heaven, give us wings of faith and love,
Gales of holy aspirations wafting us to realms above;
That, with hearts and minds uplifted, we with Christ our Lord may dwell,
Where He sits enthroned in glory in His heavenly citadel.
So at last, when He appeareth, we from out our graves may spring,
With our youth renewed like eagles, flocking round our heavenly King.
Caught up on the clouds of Heaven, and may meet Him in the air,
Rise to realms where He is reigning, and may reign for ever there.
Glory be to God the Father, glory be to God the Son,
Dying, risen, ascending for us, Who the heavenly realm has won;
Glory to the Holy Spirit, to one God in persons Three;
Glory both in earth and heaven, glory, endless glory, be.
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