Wednesday in the Third Week of Easter

Revelation 9:1-12

There Is No Honor Among the Wicked

I believe the saying is, “There is no honor among thieves.”  The meaning is that if two thieves would steal from someone else, there is no reason why they would not steal from one another, if given the opportunity.  I have simply substituted the word “wicked” for “thieves” to fit the context.

In this passage, God finally begins to execute his wrath upon the wicked – not vegetation, not rivers, not seas, not fish, not stars – the wicked!  He sends an angel to unlock the bottomless pit to release the most hideous and frightful-looking demonic creatures in the Book of Revelation.  These are given their orders that they may harm only those people who have not the seal of God on their foreheads.  So we learn first of all that Satan and his demonic host do nothing without the divine approval of our God.  The devil is on God’s leash.  He is no “arch-god” or “anti-god.”  He is nothing opposite of the true God.  God has no opposite, no thing that can stand against Him as an equal.  Our God reigns on high.  He does as He pleases, and others do as He pleases as well, even the devil (Psalm 115:3; 135:6; Job 1-2).

But this is not to say that God is responsible for evil.  Those who do evil do so because of their evil desire and will.  When God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, Pharaoh was more than willing to be hardened; Judas was willing to betray his master; and we all are implicated in our Lord’s crucifixion as he gave his life for all, even though we only did what God had predestined to take place (Acts 4:28).  God manifests His glory when He uses the wicked to fulfill His inscrutable will.  But He protects His own.

But back to our title above, about there being no honor among the wicked.  Do you see whom these demons attack?  Yes, the wicked.  One might think that Satan and his minions would “act nice” to those on their side.  After all, these people are out there persecuting Christians, wreaking havoc on the Church, and destroying God’s world.  But no!  Satan is as treacherous with them as he is with anyone else.  He’ll sting his own servants with whatever physical or spiritual torments he can impose, and do so with glee.  Demons are friends to no one – not to us, and especially not to themselves.  Theirs is a world of terror, where there is no love, and never shall be.  It’s dog eat dog.  It’s a picture of hell itself.  The sad thing is that so many people think that by serving Satan, they serve themselves.  But they will just be tasty morsels for him and his demons.  Remember, Satan is a thief, a murderer, and a liar (John 8:44; 10:10).  There is no honor among the wicked.

Author: The Reformed Baptist

My name is Stephen Taylor, ordained Baptist minister of eighteen years pastoral experience with a Ph.D. in Historical Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Better than that, I am married to a godly woman, Karla, who has been very patient with me since 1989. I have two daughters, both of whom I homeschooled for extended periods of time, who became godly young women, and who ran off and married godly young men, all of which is very proper. The oldest daughter has even seen fit to bless me with a grandson and a granddaughter, and my youngest daughter with a grandson, all three of whom are bundles of exceeding joy. As you can see, I am quite blessed. This website is dedicated to helping people grow in the wisdom and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ through the gift of writing that the Lord has given to me. It is specifically about helping His people grow in godliness, the theme you see repeated above. I write devotions with this aim and hope that they might be of some help to God’s people. Full disclosure: I am of a Reformed bent, meaning that my understanding of Scripture is primarily informed by the Reformers and their successors of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. However, as a student of church history and theology, I strive to remain true to that teaching handed down once for all unto the saints through every age of the Church. I like to think of myself as a “catholic” Christian, as the Reformers thought of themselves. At any rate, feel free to read, pray, and contact me if you wish, or correct me if need be. As you can see, I tend to follow the church year. Of course, I make no special claims about these devotions. I know very well that others have written better and plumbed the depths of God’s word with greater insight. But if my musings help someone draw closer to the Lord, well then, I have my reward. Blessings to you and may the God and Father of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ speak to you that word which He knows you especially need to hear. Grace & peace, Stephen Taylor View all posts by The Reformed Baptist