Thinking in 3’s - Revelation 19:1 - Belong to God, and only to God

Thinking in 3’s - Revelation 19:1 - Belonging to God, and to God Alone

Rev. 19:1   After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;

Salvation, glory and power belong to our God, and only to our God. We use these three words in a number of ways, but when they are used in this way, they belong to our God, and only to our God. Salvation belongs to Him. Glory belongs to Him. Power belongs to Him.

All other salvations are derived. It is common today for politicians to say they are taking measures regarding to the pandemic to save lives. That is a completely different use of the word “save.” In fact, I think it’s a wrong use of that word. They may be credited with prolonging life. But that is different from saving. It could be, and no one knows for sure, that in some extreme cases, isolating at home could actually lead to death. No one here on earth is actually very good at “saving,” even in the short term, let alone eternally.

But our God is a saving God. There are many terms that we could use to describe God, but “saving” is certainly one of the major ones. “Salvation belongs to our God.” He delights to save. He purposes to save. He has saved; He does save; and He will save.

Likewise, glory belongs to God, and to God alone. Admittedly, we give respect, or honor to certain individuals all the time. We fête individuals and teams who win their events or championships. You could use the word “glorify” in a weaker way to describe what we do in these circumstances. But sometimes, we end up embarrassed about our human glorifying. When Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France seven times, he was “glorified.” Then, years later, we learned that he stole an advantage by cheating, by doping. Now all that glory is mixed with shame.

This will never happen in the glorification of God. When all is said and done, it will be pure glory. It is not so now. In this world, people steal glory from God to reapportion it as they will, and further, they shame God because He does not meet their expectations. But in the end, all of those twisted efforts will be silenced and brought to an end, and God, and God alone, will be glorified as He deserves.

Thee is a lot of power in the world. Machine power has reigned over the past century or so. Chemical power, nuclear power, virus power - they all are known in the world, for both good and evil. These powers are either admired or feared. They are often abused.

But these powers are all, each and every one, built into creation by the One who has all power. They are lent to us, and we dig them out of the secrets of creation. Because this world is fallen, these powers are often used for ill. But one day, we will all recognize that all power belongs to God, and the power He lends to us will be used only for good, in keeping with the good purposes of God.

“Salvation, glory and power belong to God.” They belong to God alone. Let’s make sure to give Him the credit He deserves today.