Morning Prayer: 29 Oct – Revelation 16:1-2 ~ 1st plague / painful sores

Morning Prayer

+ In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

Lord, open my lips and my mouth will proclaim your praise.

I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me, God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me, God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me, God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me, God’s shield to protect me,
God’s host to secure me: against snares of devils,
against temptations of vices, against inclinations of nature,
against everyone who shall wish me ill,
afar and anear, alone and in a crowd.

Revelation 16:1-2 (ESV) – to be read aloud

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Reflection

THE SECOND VISION (4:1-16:21)

The Seven Last Plagues (15:1-16:21)

Plagues poured out (16:1-21)

The third and final series of numbered plagues depict the outpouring of God’s wrath…. Chapter 16 is given over entirely to the carrying out of the final series of plagues…. (Mounce, p.291)

These plagues must be seen in the context of the titanic struggle between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan pictured so vividly in Chapter twelve. These plagues are not the expression of God’s wrath against sin in general, nor are they punishments for individual wrongdoing. They are the outpouring of his wrath upon him who would frustrate the divine purpose in the world – the beast – and upon those who have given their loyalty to him…..

These plagues are God’s answer to Satan’s last and greatest effort to frustrate the divine rule. (Ladd, p.209)

The Seven Plagues now about to be described… are not tentative chastisements, but punitive and final. (Morris, p.186)

The first bowl (16:2)

The first bowl brings ‘loathsome and malignant ulcers” (Phillips) on people. (Mounce, 293)

The first plague falls directly upon… those who have surrendered to the enticements of the beast. John views the beast’s empire as worldwide in scope; only those who are loyal to the Lamb resist his satanic claims (13:7-8). In the end time, religion will be no longer a merely nominal thing; all men will have to declare their loyalty for Christ or for Antichrist. (Ladd, p.210)
__________

Petra – Who’s On The Lord’s Side

Listen, you’ve been runnin’ and runnin’ / Runnin’ for a long time, hey
Your time is windin’ up / You better make up your mind

It’s getting late in the evenin’ / The sun is goin’ down
You better get right, get right / While he may be found

I wanna know where / Who’s on the Lord’s side?
I wanna know where? Where? / Who’s on the Lord’s side

Where do you stand? / Come on, come on, yeah, yeah
I, I’m on the Lord’s side / So come on, come on

You got to run, got to work / Work while it’s day
For the night is coming / When you can’t find your way

Oh sinner I wonder / What will you do? What?
You better choose this day / Tomorrow’s not promised to you

I wanna know where? Where? / I wanna know where?
Who’s on the Lord’s side? / Tell me, tell me where? Where?

Come on, come on, yeah / Hey, hey, hey I’m on the Lord’s side
Come on, come on / Come on, come on, yeah

Oh yeah / Yeah, yeah

I wanna know who are you on the Lord’s side?
Get up if you’re on the Lord’s side
Get up, get up, the Lord’s side
Get up, get up, get up, if you’re on the Lord’s side
Get on your feet, now

I want to know where do you stand?
Who’s on the Lord’s side?
Tell me, tell me, tell me where? Where?
Where do you stand?
Ni ni ni ni ni, oh yeah, so come on
Yeah, yeah, yeah

Tell me, tell me, who’s on the Lord’s side?
Come on, come on / Alright
__________

Canticle

Christ, as a light – illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield – overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak; in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me, lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield; Christ beside me – on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you, wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
_____________________________________

Peanut Gallery: In September, we will begin reading through the Book of Revelation (ESV). Our purpose will be devotional, i.e. to discover the word of blessing that God has for us in these troubled times… to find hope and help for our daily lives.

This will not be a Bible Study per se: we will not attempt to unravel the “mysteries” of Revelation… that is far beyond our abilities and is not our interest here. However, so as not to get too far afield, we will rely on three study resources: primary – A Commentary on the Revelation of John (George Elton Ladd); supplemental Revelation (Leon Morris) and  The Book of Revelation (Robert H. Mounce).

The general format for Morning Prayer is adapted from the Northumbrian Community‘s Daily Office, as found in Celtic Daily Prayer (see online resources here.) On Sundays, we’ll return to the USCCB readings (see online resources here) and various liturgical resources in order to reflect the Church’s worship and concerns throughout the world. Photo illustrations and music videos, available online, are included as they illustrate or illuminate the readings. I will try to give credit and link to sources as best I can.