Moses’ song

All heaven is about to be unleashed. The ragged survivors of the war against the dragon and the persecution by the beasts gather outside the temple to witness the pouring out of the seven bowls of plague onto the world. And they sing.

Their song? A song of Moses, recorded in Revelation 15:3-4: 

“‘Great and marvelous are your deeds,

Lord God Almighty.

Just and true are your ways,

King of the nations.

Who will not fear you, Lord,

and bring glory to your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship before you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.’”

Don’t you think that’s a weird song at this point? This is a group that should have collective PTSD, about to witness still further horror. Even if the wrath is about to be unleashed on their persecutors, it would have been unpleasant to see. 

But they sing of God’s goodness. They sing about his justice and holiness. Despite all the hardship, they know God to be a good, good father.

It makes me think how different God is than any human leader. All of his deeds are great and marvelous; there isn’t a single thing God has done throughout all of time that has been a bad move. His ways are always just and true; there isn’t a single thing God does that is mean-spirited or petty. Even the best leaders among us – Desmond Tutu, Colin Powell, Winston Churchill – have been selfish and imperfect. God never has.

I need to remember that. When I want to question God, or don’t really trust him to give me what I think I need, I should remind myself of Moses’ song. I should think about the fact that he is unfailingly good, just and true. I should remember what’s he’s done as proof of what he can and will do. And most of all, I have to remember that he and he alone is holy. 

God will protect his people. That’s been true since the time of Moses.