ASSURANCE OF THE VICTORY
The fact that an inscription is there at all indicates that victory was assured before it even happened. The history of these inscriptions tells us that they were given to the victor after the heroic event had taken place. This insignia describes the victory before the battle has even begun. Theologically speaking, How cool is that? Here we see that Jesus has already won the battle into which His army rides. There is no question of the outcome.
The final description of Jesus in this passage of scripture is found in Revelation 19:16 where is says, “On his robe and on his thigh, he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” There is no more important descriptive name for Jesus anywhere in scripture. This Name above all Names is the Name that pictures the reward for the sacrifice and ultimate victory over sin. This Name is the Name to which all nations will bow before him.
Therefore, God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Faith (Philippians 2:9-11, NKJV).
How is this battle an action of grace? It certainly isn’t showing grace to those who are decimated on the battlefield or the banquet for the birds afterward (Revelation 19:17-21). This battle for Truth and its results is an act of grace for several reasons.
First of all, any victory over sin and death is an act of grace. Our salvation is a victory over sin and death. Christians are less likely to commit acts of indiscriminate and unprovoked lawlessness. As a result, the world becomes a better place to live in, when people believe in God and are regular church attendees.[1] When you compare the 1950’s when church attendance was a common practice by a majority of Americans, you find less crime being committed.[2] I can remember as a child in the 1950’s that we never locked our house or our car. It was not unusual to have my mother leave the car with the engine running during cold winter days while we raced into the grocery store to get milk and eggs.
With the onset of this battle for justice, crimes of all kinds will be eliminated, and justice will prevail.
Secondly, the victory over Satan is an act of grace. Satan’s control over the world system and its followers is coming to an end. We see the example of the end of Satan here in Revelation 19 and 20 where he is defeated in battle and then locked up only to be released again after the millennium to be defeated again for a final time.
The greatest victory over Satan came at the cross. At the point in time when Jesus accepted the full penalty for sin followed by His death, Satan felt that he had won. Satan is not omniscient. He did not see the resurrection coming. He did not realize that the blood of Christ shed for sin sealed his fate. It was only through the resurrection that Satan realized that he was in deep trouble and was losing the war that existed between the all-powerful God of the universe and the pride-driven angel who thought that he could be greater than God.
However, Satan’s great pride will not let him see the final act of his final destruction coming. He sees the world becoming more wicked and moving away from God at a faster pace than at any time in History. He sees even Christians living like the world and he thinks that he is winning a war that cannot be won. Justice will prevail.
The glory of Christ reaches its apex in the obedient sacrifice of the cross where Jesus triumphed over the devil (Colossians 2:15). Jesus said, “Now [in my final hour] is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him” (John 13:31). Paul said, “We preach Christ crucified…the power of God and the wisdom of God” (Corinthians 1:23-24). Jesus said to Paul about Satan’s thorn in Paul’s side, “My power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Satan, and all his pain, serves in the end to magnify the power and wisdom and love and grace and mercy and patience and wrath of Jesus Christ. We would not know him in the fullness of his glory if he had not defeated Satan in the way he did.[3] – John Piper
Finally, anytime there is a prophecy that is fulfilled it is an act of God’s grace. It is an act of grace since it increases our faith. When God predicted “enmity” between the seed of the woman and Satan in Genesis 3:15 it was an enormous prediction. When it was fulfilled at the cross it was a colossal act of God’s grace. When the exact location of birth of Christ was predicted in Micah 5:2 it was an astounding prophecy. When it was fulfilled in Bethlehem of Judea (Luke 2:1-20) it was an act of the grace of God. The birth of Yeshua Messiah was the ultimate prophecy since without the virgin birth there would be no cross and no resurrection.
God is always in complete control of every situation. Since God is omniscient, he doesn’t miss anything. He sees all things, knows all things, and controls all things before they even happen. Every action of God is an action of grace.
Jesus, Yeshua Messiah, is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and this name and what it represents to those of us who are saved by grace through faith alone is the ultimate act of God’s grace to mankind.
[1] Frank Newport, In U.S. 4 in 10 Report Attending Church Last Week, gallup.com/poll/166613/four-report-attending-church-last-week.aspx.
[2] Steven Pinker, Decivilization in the 1960’s, http://quod.lib.umich.edu/h/humfig/11217607.0002.206/--decivilization-in-the-1960s?rgn=main;view=fulltext
[3] John Piper, The Fall of Satan and the Victory of Christ, © 2016 Desiring God, desiringgod.org/messages/the-fall-of-satan-and-the-victory-of-christ
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