Pattern of Seven: The Armor of God Epilogue ~ Put on the Armor of Light

“The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of Light. Clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for gratifying your earthly cravings (the desires of the flesh).” ~ Romans 13:12,14

Epilogue

As I neared the completion of the Pattern of Seven Armor of God series, I felt one more piece was in order.

Our English word epilogue is from the Greek word epilogos, which means “conclusion word.” I can think of no better term to describe the One with whom we are exhorted to clothe ourselves – the Lord Jesus Christ.*

John 1:1 tells us that, In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word (Logos) was with God, and the Word (Logos) was God.

The Word revealed His redemptive fullness of the Father when he I Am’d himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.¹ Prologue and Epilogue. Christ Jesus, the “conclusion word.”

Christ – love fulfilled and personified.

For all the apostle Paul captured in his scriptural writings, he wrote from a heart indebted to the Lord of Love.

The Law he was born into, by which he grew up, under which he studied, and through whose influence he conducted himself, was drilled down by the Light to one thing. Law was love fulfilled and personified in the Person of Christ.

Jesus did not abolish the Law; He concluded it. Midway through Romans chapter 13, Paul exhorted to all in Rome loved by God, called to belong to Jesus Christ, and called to be saints, to “let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another.” He had learned the one who learns to love is filled up; Law’s demands fulfilled.

The only debt from which we are never emancipated as a believer in Christ Jesus, is the unending debt of love to God. It is unrepayable except through showing His love toward us to those whom He also loves. Our love for God is true (real, genuine, constant, firm) when it does not injure, or desire or work ill towards another. It is the principle of sowing and reaping enrobed in the golden rule: doing as we would be done by. Whether actions, speech, or motive of the heart.

It is the Royal Law of Love – “love your neighbor (with the same sincerity) as you love yourself.” Our unending debt for God’s unending love coaxes us to grow. As long as every morning dawns a new day, His mercies – and love – never fail.

‘A Pledge for the Full Performance’

Sometimes we need to be simply reminded how fulfillment works. To be brought to its end, it must first begin. Matthew Henry phrased the titles of the Father given to the Son as ‘a pledge for the full performance.’

Alpha and Omega; the First and the Last; the Beginning and the End.

When Jesus came in human flesh, He was Alpha, the First, the Beginning entering the world He made. When He returns, it will be for the completion of the fullness of our Salvation – from faith to faith made sight. From hope that no longer needs to be hoped for. And love that has always been and always will be the greatest Gift.

Omega, the Last, the End. And then, the New.

We must not lose heart-hope, nor turn back in cowardice. Ours is to keep His faith and not deny it. Treat it as sacred as it is. For the night (this present evil age) is almost gone, and the day (of Christ’s return, lit. ‘our salvation’) is about to dawn. It is time to rouse ourselves from sleep and throw off the garments which only befit the darkness. Let us clothe ourselves with the weapons of Light, ‘putting on Christ’, the Armor of God for defense, offense, and standing firm to His prevailing End. To overcome, in His strength and power now, is to receive His promised outcome, then. Thank God for the mere glimpses that even now overwhelm, that will explode in His full radiance when we finally gaze on the King.

Prologue – the Light of Life

John 1:1-18 (The Voice)

Before time itself was measured, the Voice was speaking. The Voice was and is God.
² This celestial Word remained ever present with the Creator;
³     His speech shaped the entire cosmos.
Immersed in the practice of creating,
    all things that exist were birthed in Him.
⁴ His breath filled all things
    with a living, breathing light—
⁵ A light that thrives in the depths of darkness,
    blazes through murky bottoms.
It cannot and will not be quenched.

⁶ A man named John, who was sent by God, was the first to clearly articulate the source of this Light. ⁷ This baptizer put in plain words the elusive mystery of the Divine Light so all might believe through him. Some wondered whether he might be the Light, ⁸ but John was not the Light. He merely pointed to the Light. 

⁹ The true Light, who shines upon the heart of everyone, was coming into the cosmos.

¹⁰ He entered our world, a world He made; yet the world did not recognize Him. ¹¹ Even though He came to His own people, they refused to listen and receive Him. ¹² But for all who did receive and trust in Him, He gave them the right to be reborn as children of God; ¹³ He bestowed this birthright not by human power or initiative but by God’s will.¹⁴ The Voice took on flesh and became human and chose to live alongside us. We have seen Him, enveloped in undeniable splendor—the one true Son of the Father—evidenced in the perfect balance of grace and truth. ¹⁵ John the Baptist testified about Him and shouted, “This is the one I’ve been telling you is coming. He is much greater than I am because He existed long before me.” ¹⁶ Through this man we all receive gifts of grace beyond our imagination. ¹⁷ You see, Moses gave us rules to live by, but Jesus the Anointed offered us gifts of grace and truth. ¹⁸ God, unseen until now, is revealed in the Voice, God’s only Son, straight from the Father’s heart.

Between Christ’s Prologue and Epilogue is the ongoing accomplishment of His Word, even now in our place and time –

“For as the rain and snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth,
Making it bear and sprout,
And providing seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

So will My word be which goes out of My mouth;
It will not return to Me void (useless, without result),
Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Isaiah 55:10-11 (Amplified)

Epilogue – Bright Morning Star, the “Conclusion Word”

Revelation 22:1-6, 12-21 (The Voice) – John the Beloved, scribe

¹ My heavenly guide brought me to the river of pure living waters, shimmering as brilliantly as crystal. It flowed out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, ² flowing down the middle and dividing the street of the holy city. On each bank of the river stood the tree of life, firmly planted, bearing twelve kinds of fruit and producing its sweet crop every month throughout the year. And the soothing leaves that grew on the tree of life provided precious healing for the nations.

³ No one or nothing will labor under any curse any longer. The throne of God and of the Lamb will sit prominently in the city. God’s servants will continually serve and worship Him. ⁴ They will be able to look upon His face, and His name will be written on their foreheads. ⁵ Darkness will never again fall on this city. They will not require the light of a lamp or of the sun because the Lord God will be their illumination. By His light, they will reign throughout the ages. ⁶ These words are faithful and true.

¹² See, I am coming soon, and I will bring My reward with Me. I will pay back every person according to the deeds he has done. ¹³ I am the Alpha and Omega, the First One and the Last One, the beginning and the end.

¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their garments. In the end, they have rightful access to the tree of life and will enter the city through its gates. ¹⁵ The dogs², the sorcerers, those who commit immoral acts, the murderers, the idolaters, and all who love and practice deception must remain outside the gates for all eternity. ¹⁶ I, Jesus, have sent My messenger to show you and guide you so that you in turn would share this testimony with the churches. I am the Root and the Descendant of David, the Bright Morning Star.

The Spirit and the Bride: ¹⁷ Come. And let everyone who hears these words say, “Come.” And let those who thirst come. All who desire to drink, let them take and drink freely from the water of life. ¹⁸ Beware, everyone who hears the prophetic words of this book. Know this for certain: if anyone adds to these words, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. ¹⁹ And if anyone subtracts from the prophetic words of this book, God will remove that person’s access to the tree of life and to the holy city which are described in this book.

²⁰ The One who testifies to these realities makes this promise: Yes. I am coming soon. To which we say, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.”

²¹ May the grace of the Lord Jesus [the Anointed One] be with all God’s people.³ Amen.

To every portion of your human spirit – Prophet, Servant, Teacher, Exhorter, Giver, Ruler, Mercy ~ Grace and Peace through Jesus Christ our Lord,

~ Nancy

*Psalm 24 – Lord Jesus Christ’s Resurrection and Ascension Song – Songs of the Lord series

¹ Revelation 22:10-21 (vs 13)           ² unclean; malicious hypocrites       ³ Weymouth

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