Thinking in 3’s - Revelation 17:14 - Called, Chosen, and Faithful

Thinking in 3’s - Revelation 17:14 - Called, Chosen, and Faithful

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14 NAS95)

Opposition to Jesus will last until the very end. It is a reminder for us that things will get worse before they get better. But the Book of Revelation is also a reminder that our Lamb is, and will be, “Lord of lords and King of kings.” That is, we are assured of His victory in the end, and of our victory with Him.

We have a three-fold description of “those with him.” They are “called, chosen, and faithful.” These are not the most usual ways that we think of ourselves. They can be intimidating words, and have sparked many arguments over the years. Let’s see if we can gain a little bit of fresh perspective.

When Peter first preached in Jerusalem once the Holy Spirit had descended on the apostles, he quoted Joel 2, which says “all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Christians are those who call upon the name of the Lord. And if you are a Christian, it is because you have called on Jesus’ name for salvation, and all that it involves. There are no Christians who have not called on Jesus.

But what this first terms suggests is that while we call, it is a call in response to God’s call. Just like in the Garden, when Adam said, “Here I am,” he was calling in response to God’s call, “Adam, where are you?” Certainly God’s call is not always, and not ordinarily audible. His call may come through a human voice or message, or through a recollection of something that you were taught earlier. But our God is a calling God, and every Christian, that is, those who have answered the call, - every Christian has been called.

Similarly, if you are a follower of Jesus, it is at least partly because you have chosen to do so. No one is a Christian against their will. God made us with a will, and while there is a great deal of contentious discussion about how that will is able to function in sinners (and, we are all sinners), there is a choosing on our part that is necessary. Once again, Peter, in that first sermon, is asked by his hearers, “What shall we do?” Peter answers, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.” Not all the listeners heeded this call. Only those who chose to do so. 

But once again, we find that God’s choosing is a step ahead of our choosing. First of all, Jesus, clearly, is God’s Chosen One. He has been selected by God for the special role and purpose of being our Redeemer. And all who choose the Chosen One are themselves chosen ones. We participate in his chosen-ness. This subject goes even deeper than this. But we will leave it here for now.

The third word is “faithful.” This one seems more accessible to us, though not as accessible as we might imagine. Certainly if we are immersed in grace, then we ought to be gracious; and if we have received mercy, then we ought to be merciful; and if we have responded in true, saving faith, then we ought to be faithful. It is not that these are merely Christian duties. It is the natural and necessary follow-up to God’s actions toward us. And since He has shown great faithfulness to us in sending His Son “while we were yet sinners,” then faithfulness is a natural and necessary response on our part, even though we are oftentimes dismayed at the failings of our faithfulness, or the shortness of our mercy, or the shallowness of our graciousness.

In the end, we will be with Jesus as the “called, chosen, and faithful.” Let’s walk with Jesus in those ways today, knowing that God has worked these things for us, even as He is always at least a step ahead of us.