Revelation 12 - Steve Wiggins Daily Devotional

“Then I head a voice in Heaven say: The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our G_d and the authority of His Messiah have now come, because the accuser of our brothers has been thrown out: the one who accuses them before out G_d day and night. They conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives in the face of death.” Rev 12:10-11

When I was a kid, I used to fake being sick just so I could watch TV at my Grandparents’ house. My folks didn’t have cable, but my grandparents did. One of my favorite old cable TV shows was “Perry Mason”. Forgotten by most, “Perry Mason” was a show about an attorney…the old school “Law & Order”. No matter what the case, Perry Mason always had a way of winning. Back in the days when “Matock” (Andy Griffith) was still “Sheriff Andy Taylor”, Perry Mason was the man.

The key to portraying a good courtroom drama is in making the spectator believe the innocent client is going to be found guilty, and that evil will win-out over justice. But right at the end, when all hope is lost, new evidence and a surprise witness shows up. Based on this new evidence and testimony, the judge has no option but the throw the case out of court…truth and justice prevail. That’s good TV.

This is similar to what happens in The Rev 12. Satan is the accuser, and Israel & the Greater Body of Messiah, are the accused. There is the irrefutable evidence of our sin, set against the backdrop of God’s standard. Finally, there’s the last minute evidence of the Blood of the Lamb atoning for the sins of Believers. The last-minute evidence is coupled with eye-witness testimony of Messiah’s act of redemption, by those who love L_rd above their own lives in the face of death. These are the Martyrs, and those who were willing to testify on behalf of Messiah, to the point of their personal physical death.

The L_rd’s Judgment is to throw the whole case out of court, along with the Accuser, holding him in contempt. Did you know that your Accuser is before the Lo_rd at this moment? Are you confident that Yeshua is your Advocate (attorney), or are you attempting to defend yourself before the Righteous Judge (G_d)? You know what they say about the man who defends himself in court? He has a fool for a client.

**Images to consider when reading this chapter: Verses 1-5 depict Yeshua’s birth and ascension into Heaven after being resurrected. The “woman” in the narrative is not Mary (Miriam), (Yeshua’s mother). (Compare Isaiah 66:7-10, 26:17, and Micah 4:10) Rather, the “woman” is Israel, from whom Abraham’s “seed” came forth. (Gen 17:7, Luke 1:55) The Dragon is, of course, Satan. And the “rest of her children” are the Gentile believers. After having failed to destroy Yeshua, Satan seeks to destroy both Israel (Messianic and non-Messianic), and the “Church” (Greater Body of Messiah), which bears Messiah Yeshua’s Name.

Blessings,
~Steve Wiggins, Associate Leader, Worship Leader
Shuvah Yisrael
Daily Devotional, Wednesday, December 25, 2013