Category: Revelation

The Millennial Kingdom and It’s Purpose

Isaiah 40-41

Psalm 117

Revelation 20

-Devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)

The Millennial Kingdom is a controversial topic today and we need to see the importance of this period of time to our understanding of God’s purposes and to show us the way to the new heavens and earth where righteousness will be the only standard. Today we also read from Isaiah who is the most quoted prophet in the New Testament. Hear Isaiah’s words today :

Isaiah 40:12-14(NLT) Who else has held the oceans in his hand?
Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth
or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?
13 Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD?
Who knows enough to give him advice or teach him?
14 Has the LORD ever needed anyone’s advice?
Does he need instruction about what is good?
Did someone teach him what is right
or show him the path of justice?

The purpose of the Millennial is shown where the promises made to the nation of Israel about this earth will be fulfilled. It also is a time when the sinfulness of man’s heart will ultimately be revealed and destroyed. The first lie told by Satan is that if Adam and Eve disobey God and eat of the fruit they will become like god, knowing good and evil, and that they will not surely die. All lies proceed from this one as they are based on disobedience to God’s commands, and the desire in mankind’s heart to be their own god.

The lie that is the last to be destroyed is the lie of perfect justice: “Have a man with great power put over the earth and have perfect justice and righteousness on a restored earth then we will hear and obey God.”

The next coming events on this earth will be the great tribulation and all that happens surrounding these coming events. The Anti-Christ as well as the false prophet will be revealed to the world first as a great savior, and then as the leader of the powers of darkness and this world.  Sin will be openly revealed and then judged by Jesus Christ who is worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5.  He is the one chosen by God to bring judgement and justice to this present world.  This includes judgement and disposal of the Antichrist and the false prophet who are annihilated and removed from the earth at the end of this time.

The resurrection of those that believe and are judged righteous starts the beginning of the reign of Christ on this present earth. We see this rulership truth from prophecies from the Old Testament prophets and then reflected specifically in this prophecy we are given in the book of Revelation. The dispersion and regathering of the nation of Israel is covered in numerous prophecies of the Old Testament prophets and records. The promises of the future kingdom including Israel is a centering truth of our conference today.

Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Ephesians 1:9-11 (NLT) God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan. 10 And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. 11 Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Israel is God’s own chosen people and much of the Old Testament prophecy is about what He will do for them in this future kingdom ruled by His Son.  There are sections of scripture that give us specific information about what God will do for Israel, and then also how He chooses those that are true believers from among them.    

Isaiah 59:20(NLT) The Redeemer will come to Jerusalem to buy back those in Israel who have turned from their sins,”says the LORD.

The resurrection of the just is found in Revelation 20 where God decides based on His standards of faith those who will become part of the new kingdom of His Son in the time following.  Many of the promises of the OT prophets give us a preview of how God will deal with the people and the land.

Ezekiel 36:24 (NLT) For I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land.

Those that are judged just and resurrected are those that God finds the Word in their mouths and hearts like Jesus Christ to come. Descendants of Israel in the world today must turn to Jesus and make him their Messiah for them to receive forgiveness of sin, and life to come. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile at this time.  Being Jewish and going to temple will not give them eternal life in the kingdom to come. There is no righteousness today from the law of Moses for Jew or Gentile.

Revelation 20:4-6(NLT) Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given the authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus and for proclaiming the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They all came to life again, and they reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 This is the first resurrection. (The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years had ended.) 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. For them the second death holds no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him a thousand years.

The resurrection of the just is at the beginning of the Millennial reign of Christ on this present earth. Also, the Devil and all his minions are chained and locked up away from the earth. Satan is removed from having any influence on earthly events and on people’s actions for this thousand-year period. The devil’s influence over events is locked from the earth by his imprisonment and then from the coming mortal human events on this present earth. The excuse that the “devil made me do it” cannot be made by anyone during this time frame. 

Revelation 20:1-3(NLT) Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. 2 He seized the dragon—that old serpent, who is the devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years. 3 The angel threw him into the bottomless pit, which he then shut and locked so Satan could not deceive the nations anymore until the thousand years were finished. Afterward he must be released for a little while.

We need to think about how many mortal people might still be on the earth after the tribulation and the battle of Christ against the Adversary that ends this period. There are currently 8+ billion people on the present earth today. If a remnant is saved through the tribulation this still might be as many as 1 billion or more people left to live, procreate, and die on this present earth. They are given God’s promises that the justice and administration of the earth will be done with God’s perfect judgment of good and evil. The earth will be watered literally and figuratively to give everyone all that is needed. The needs for food, shelter, fellowship, and  every other need will be met. 

Ezekiel 34:29-31(NLT) And I will make their land famous for its crops, so my people will never again suffer from famines or the insults of foreign nations. 30 In this way, they will know that I, the LORD their God, am with them. And they will know that they, the people of Israel, are my people, says the Sovereign LORD. 31 You are my flock, the sheep of my pasture. You are my people, and I am your God. I, the Sovereign LORD, have spoken!”

The prophecies of the book of Revelation show us what will happen then in this new kingdom of Christ on this present earth. We see a picture of perfect judgement and administration of justice to all.  Many of those people alive at that time will see, hear, and believe and receive the grace that comes from Christ. The blessings and abundance of that time to come is amazing in the foretelling that we read. We know that mortals continue to populate this earth and procreate, work and live their lives during this time of blessing and abundance.  But the same result comes following the same pattern as through all of time. Some believe, and some reject Jesus as the righteous ruler of the earth and the kingdom of God. It is hard to even understand how people would reject Christ during the proof of God’s grace and love for people.  

Remember that there is also no influence of the Adversary and his minions in the affairs of mankind on the earth in this time. This is an especially important part of the purpose of the millennial reign. To have a new heaven and new earth where all is righteous, all disobedience must be demonstrated, judged, and destroyed. Heaven needs to have all disobedience removed  in order to make all ready for the coming new heaven.   

1 Corinthians 4:5(NKJV) Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

The disobedience that is prophesied in Revelation shows us that the human heart has not changed, and the desire to do evil is still evident even during the Millennial reign. For a new heaven and earth to appear, all evil and rebellion in both heaven and earth needs to be dealt with.  Christ is God’s agent of justice and salvation coming to all the earth. Those that believe and follow Christ are saved to a beautiful future with the rule of God and Christ. Those that desire to do evil and rebel will be annihilated and destroyed forever. This is the second death for all that are judged unrighteous.

The lie of perfect government and rulership is destroyed, and the forces of evil are all annihilated. The Millennial ends with the beginning of the new heavens and earth we will next read about.

Reflection Questions

  1. What are your thoughts and feelings as you read Revelation 20? What verse brings you the most hope and excitement?
  2. What are you looking forward to Jesus bringing to light?
  3. How often do you think of these things: Jesus’ second coming, resurrection, the Millennial reign, the new heavens and earth? How might it change the way you live your life today if you thought of these things more?

PRAYER

Father God, we are so humbled by the wisdom that You demonstrate in the earth, heavens, and peoples that You have created.  We are so thankful that You have invited us to join Your family and to have Your love and protection.  We pray that you will continue to sustain and keep us this day and forever in Your kingdom to come.  Come Lord Jesus come.  Praying to You in the name of Christ this day.

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Plagues and Worship

Isaiah 29-31

Psalm 115

Revelation 15

-Devotion by Daniel Smead (MN)

Revelation 15 involves the seven angels who will soon pour out seven bowls of God’s wrath onto the earth, completing that wrath. We first meet them here, before they receive the bowls of wrath, but they are spoken of as possessing seven plagues (v. 6). This seems inconsistent, but it may show that the “plagues” do not refer to the effects of God’s “wrath,” and that what they poured onto the earth was a mixture.

This chapter also presents a hymn, sung to worship God, by the crowd of those who overcame the beast. The song is referred to as “song of Moses” but is not the hymn that appears in Exodus 15. There is some similarity, the Exodus hymn includes more narrative sections about how God aided the people, and some verses in the middle that praise God. The Revelation text is shorter, and entirely in the second person (all “You,” “Your” statements). I have seen a list of citations proposed that figured these few verses of the hymn cite at least five Bible books, including four Psalms.

At the start of the chapter John said he saw “another sign in heaven,” and his use of the term “sign” suggests not everything he describes took place as literal events. I think it is a bit unusual for Revelation that John mentioned the sign several verses before the sign enters his account. It would be more usual for him to write about something just when it shows up in the story. One of the most common phrases in Revelation, “I saw,” appears dozens of times. As it turns out, writing the way he did about the seven angels allowed John to bring the total references to “wrath” in Revelation up to seven (six about God, and one for the wrath of the Lamb).

The intense emphasis on “seven” in Revelation might serve to emphasize a contrast with the number of the beast, which ‘falls short’ of being sevens. That is one hypothesis, anyway. Dozens of sevens overlap throughout Revelation. More than twenty sets of items are easy to recognize, like stars, candlesticks, etc. Less obvious are combinations of words, and categories of thought, like the presence of seven blessings, and seven uses of the phrase “will no longer.” Revelation has a very complex structure. Aside from all of that repetition, it is estimated to use over 500 references to Old Testament scripture (while never actually quoting it).

It may be worth refreshing our memory of the way Revelation 11 ended (despite how recently you probably read that text). The angel with the seventh trumpet sounded it, and then loud voices in heaven announced that the kingdom of the world had become that “of our Lord and of His Christ.” The twenty-four elders around the throne fell in worship, and part of what they said was to thank God:

because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 18 And the nations were enraged, and Your wrath came, and the time came for the dead to be judged, and the time to reward Your bond-servants the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name, the small and the great, and to destroy those who destroy the earth.”

19 And the temple of God which is in heaven was opened; and the ark of His covenant appeared in His temple, and there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder, and an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.

(Revelation 11:17b-19, NASB 1995)

First, notice the list of five points verse 18 gives:

Nations enraged

Arrival of wrath

Dead judged

Rewards for “the prophets and the saints and those who fear Your name”

Destroying “those who destroy the earth”

It’s a workable list. You might even say God has an agenda.

Second, at the end of chapter 11 things left off with the temple in heaven just having opened. And soon after John returns to describing the Temple, in chapter 15, the seven angels who will pour out the seven last plagues emerge from the Temple. (Their outfits, shining linen and gold sashes, take us back to the first vision of Christ; 1:13.) Almost immediately after this the Temple fills “with smoke from the glory of God and from His power,” after which no one can enter it until the plagues are finished (15:8).

It seems reasonable that this scene with the heavenly Temple would appear similar to events centuries earlier at the dedication of the Tabernacle of the Testimony in Moses’ time (Exodus 40:34-38; compare Numbers 9:15-16; 10:11-13), and the Temple in Solomon’s time (1 Kings 8:10-11; 2 Chronicles 7:1-3). In both cases the scripture tells us that fire descended (presumably to the ark of the covenant in the Holy of Holies) and a “cloud” filled the space. Our Revelation text refers to “smoke” rather than “cloud,” but perhaps we could think of the Temple as being filled with a ‘cloud of smoke’ and maintain both thoughts. The key element for us to keep in mind here is the glory of God; consider these verses:

In 18:1 we learn that an angel had sufficient glory to illuminate the earth while arriving.

In 21:11 we see that the New Jerusalem was brilliant, “like a stone of crystal-clear jasper,” illuminated from within by “the glory of God.” (Its wall and first foundation stone were clear jasper, v. 18-19. How does one recognize colorless jasper? I think that some of what a vision relays may just be knowledge that gets directly passed into the viewer’s awareness.)

In context, the other incidents of God’s glory entering the buildings seem like they were evidence of God’s approval of the buildings. In this case perhaps the glory is a sign of approval for the fact that judgment at last takes place. The entire fact of these verses of delay has to do with how momentous this situation is in history – this is the end of thousands of years of patience, this is judgment finally coming, the day of God’s wrath.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for your generosity. Reading about your glory, and thinking through the implications of your holiness and how different I am from you, I look at some of the darker portions of Revelation and have to acknowledge “there, were it not for the grace of God, might indeed be me.” You have done more than lift me out of miry clay, Lord, you have reshaped me. Help me to have all the patience it takes to handle the strains of your kneading hands, because I want to become what you intend me to be.

Thank you for being the kind of God I can trust with my heart.

Amen

Reflection Questions

  1. Does thinking about the “glory of God” texts help you consider how different God is from God’s creation?
  2. What traits of God stand out to you as the most unlike humanity, the most unlikely for us to replicate, or most difficult for us to comprehend? Do you see a day coming when your doubts or confusion on these points will be at an end?
  3. What does it mean to you that there are sections of hymns built into so many chapters of Revelation? (I have seen it suggested there are about a dozen hymns, and several doxologies as well.) Looking at them, how many can you recognize lyrics have been taken from for songs you know?

I have some new thoughts about the thing “like a sea of glass,” “like crystal” from Revelation 4:6. It didn’t really fit into the devotion well, so I wanted to set it down here as a note. For a long while I linked the “glass / crystal” thing in my mind with the “sea” in Solomon’s Temple and thought of it as like a storage container for water used in ritual washing. I now want to think of it more in terms of Ezekiel 1:22-26, as perhaps existing like a barrier between the throne and others. When Revelation 21:1 says “there is no longer any sea” I kept thinking of the comment in terms of God having made a new earth, but it may involve God having made a new heaven, with an adjusted layout. I’m unsure why the changes take place of it seeming to have fire in 15:2, maybe some interaction with God’s glory.

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When it’s the Dead Who Will be Blessed

Isaiah 27-28

Psalm 114

Revelation 14

-Devotion by Daniel Smead (MN)

Revelation 14 refreshes our minds about God’s greatness and victory, along with the glory of the Lamb, after what might be seen as chapter 13 emphasizing evil’s “successes.” The chapter opens with the Lamb and the 144,000 together at Mt. Zion – this is the first time the Lamb has been part of John’s vision since 6:1, and the first time the 144,000 have appeared since chapter seven. They make a fine demonstration of the principle that God has a remnant, in this case one which did not yield to the wills of the two beasts. But this is not simply a remnant, it is a first fruits (v. 4) preparing for the greater harvest.

The special status held by the 144,000 came from their being sealed with the seal of God. This sealing put the name of God, and the name of the Lamb, on each of their foreheads. Chapter seven said the group is twelve sets of 12,000 men, coming from twelve tribes of Israel, and that description gave a strong impression of symbolism rather than literal meaning. Some of the term they are described with align with Old Testament standards of purity in preparation for combat (Deuteronomy 23:9ff; 2 Samuel 11:9ff). It has been pointed out that this application of physical terms to spirituality with the 144,000 parallels the way Revelation speaks against idolatry in physical terms elsewhere in the book (for example how it links sexual immorality and idolatry at Pergamum and Thyatira in chapter 2, and with Babylon multiple times).

In 9:4 the 144,000 were referenced without being named, with the locust-like creatures with scorpion tails restricted that they could only hurt “the people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” That statement seems to require that the “144,000” stands for the entirety of those who were seeking to serve God and the Lamb in that time, even if it is 170,000, for example.

The inclusion of the sealed 144,000 in the vision here emphasizes the contrast between what God offers and what the beast(s) have been demanding and threatening. Those who accepted the beast’s mark are subject to God’s wrath, but those who accepted God’s seal are eligible for life (14:9-10; 20:4; 22:4). But the time for such decisions is basically finished. What is about to begin involves the “full strength” wrath of God (v. 10).

The situation is so dire that John is told “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!” (v. 13). This passage doesn’t even mention the idea of remaining alive allowing a person to provide useful service; it seems like in what little remained of the age that would not be relevant.

In 14:6-11 three different angels make announcements which prepare us for what is coming: fear God, for the hour of judgment is come; Babylon is fallen; the end is fast coming for the beast and those things aligned with the beast. Future chapters address all of those points.

The chapter closes with a description of harvest (14:14-20) that ties in with a somewhat vivid illustration involving a winepress for blood (perhaps tied to the idea that God is producing a cup of wrath for the nations to drink). The section seems to draw on Joel 3.

“Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe.
Come, tread the grapes, for the wine press is full;
The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.”

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!
For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.
The sun and moon have become dark,
And the stars have lost their brightness.

(Joel 3:13-15; NASB)

The image of the vats overflowing with grape juice / blood is described with the liquid getting up as high as a horse’s bridle (so, several feet) and spreading for a great distance – close to 200 miles – though whether that spread is to be thought of as a circle or semi-circle or along a straight path is unclear. The image seems to fascinate people, and attempts have been made to calculate how many human bodies it would take to produce that much blood. Those efforts involve assuming the blood is all human, and that the image is meant literally in the first place, neither of which can I be sure of. I will just note that some of the suggested totals are a bit absurd, amounting to more blood than exists in the world at present, so if this is a literal image its interpretation probably calls for some conservative guesses at what is meant (straight path flow, etc.).

Prayer

Lord, please bring my mind into alignment with yours and help me to trust you and your decisions. I have no real desire to experience the hour of your wrath, even at a distance, but help me to trust that you have all things under control. Some decisions are yours, alone, to make. I may not be sure which parts of the vision are concrete events, but I know that you are real and I can focus on that. You are greater than me in wisdom, love, patience, and awareness of my own heart. I wish to have your name on my forehead, to be known as yours – even to be known by my own self to be yours, with no question, no hesitation, no cloud on my mind. With you, the road will not always be easy, but you can lead me to where I need to be.

In the name of your son, who you sent for me,

Amen

Reflection Questions

  1. Revelation contains some of the texts that people outside the church speak about when they accuse God of being “blood-thirsty” – how do you address that charge when you hear it?
  2. Have you ever been so fascinated by the details of a prophetic passage that you lose track of how shocking its meaning is? Have you ever attempted to read a scripture passage as though you were not yet a believer, to think through how it might look to someone from that perspective?
  3. What does it mean to you that John was told those who died from then on would be blessed?
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Facing the Beasts

Isaiah 25-26

Psalm 114

Revelation 13

-Devotion by Daniel Smead (MN)

Revelation 13 discusses the activities of beasts. The two break points in the chapter are when John declared “I saw a beast” and “I saw another beast” (v. 1, 11). To clarify, the Greek word behind “beast” conveys “dangerous,” describing wild animals in terms of posing a risk.

During a good chunk of Revelation John reports on short scenes, often with some shared elements, that don’t flow chronologically. Frequently these descriptions and explanations of them are split between scenes, as when the two witnesses are killed by the “beast” that came from “the abyss” (11:8). Only several chapters later do we get an angel talking about the “beast” from the “abyss” (17:8).

We can’t piece together the scenes John gives us to create one smooth story. But we can link several scenes which appear to overlap, through time references: “1,260 days” (11:3; 12:6), “a time, times and half a time” (Daniel 7:25; Revelation 12:14), or “42 months” (11:2; 13:5). These passages describe that period from several angles; among what we are told is:

it is a time when the nations trample Jerusalem,

while God’s two witnesses prophesy in the city wearing sackcloth,

meanwhile “the woman” has escaped the dragon and is being nourished in the wilderness,

and after her escape from the dragon, he sought a war with her children, conducted through the beast from the sea,

that beast uses the dragon’s authority to overcome the saints [here is the link with Daniel 7:25], and to be worshipped by all whose names are not in the book of life (that authority may also link with the fact that nations trampled Jerusalem – see above).

To some extent the complexity of the book, which helps maintain questions about its meaning, also points to God’s unconcern with whether most people over the centuries clearly understand everything that the book means. For most readers it may have been more important that the book bring encouragement.

Consider today’s text, for example. We read of the beast that comes “out of the sea,” which is often an image of the nations. It seems that this beast is a coalition of several kings/countries led by a blasphemous leader who should have died but survived. He parodies Christ in that way – his appearance of having been “fatally wounded” even uses the Greek phrase applied to the lamb that looked like it was slaughtered (5:6; 13:3). And rather than be repulsed by this foul-mouthed braggart, the world is awestruck by the beast. Perhaps their question “who is able to wage war with him?” is expressed a bit despairingly, picturing him as too powerful to oppose (v. 4). But some things are not opposed because you can overthrow them, but because you cannot give in to them. In any case, not too many chapters from now, his defeat will be total.

We also read of the beast “out of the earth” (perhaps this ought to be translated “out of the land,” that is, Israel, in keeping with an older theory that this other beast, also known in Revelation as the “false prophet,” is descended from Jacob). He has the dragon’s voice, revealing his true loyalties and affiliation, but in appearance tries to mimic the image of Jesus as the lamb. This beast got authority shared with it by the beast from the sea, who in turn had that authority from the dragon / “serpent,” “devil” – who we are told was able to deceive “the whole world” (12:9). (Maybe it makes sense for all this delegating of authority to occur. If evil doesn’t delegate, how do you get some sloth in the mix, to cover all seven of the ‘deadly’ sins? Meanwhile, good is more open to sharing the load and getting the job done – though it is a completely different job. But I digress.)

Much of the description given about the beast from the earth involves the relationship of the second beast with the first, as he builds up the influence and worship of the first beast (13:11-17). The second beast can do signs, and with them “deceives those who live on the earth.” That isn’t saying that the signs are faked, but that the people who accept what he calls them to are deceived because they are being directed toward death, in the lake of fire (13:14). So, perhaps he got his ability to deceive “the whole world” from his master. He won’t use it very long. And looking at the list of events happening during those 42 months, it doesn’t sound like he convinces the “whole world,” either. God always has a remnant. Always.

Prayer

Lord, sometimes it can be daunting to contemplate the extent of what you are willing to call your people to do, and to be. But then the recognition comes through that none of the people you call is ever alone. They all have you. They all have your son. And you set them together in the body of your son, through the Spirit, to accept your strength and to support each other. You do not wish to put us in situations beyond what we can handle, so one of the first things we need to do is reject despair as among the chief lies of the chief of lies. You are prepared to provide the strength necessary for any task you desire us to do. Please help us to properly prepare ourselves for serving you in whatever way comes next, with prayer, with confession, with fasting, with worship, with study and with generosity. Provide us the wisdom, the insight, to take whichever of those steps, or more besides, that we need to take. Because you are worthy of praise. And you are worthy of our best service, unencumbered by anything that would hold us back.

Thank you, Lord

Amen

Reflection Questions

  1. Jesus once spent forty days in the wilderness with the beasts, fasting, and exposing himself to temptation by the devil (Mark 1:13). Do you think he was afraid there? Do you think he was more sure of himself when he was finished there?
  2. When you seem to be in danger of giving in to fear, what keeps you from falling into it (or allows you to get out again)? What can be done collectively, in worship or otherwise, to guard against fear?
  3. Have you ever gone out of your way to help someone else address their own fear or doubts? Did it bring you joy to do so? Was it difficult for you not to get caught up in their fears?

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Doomsday Preppers

Isaiah 23-24

Psalm 113

Revelation 12

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)

            There are a lot of cross reference prophecies in today’s readings between Isaiah and Revelations, and it’s generally of the type of thing that most of us would very optimistically describe as “concerning”.  The devotions leading up to this one from a few days earlier remind us of a few things that I’d urge everyone to keep in mind as we read today’s scripture: Firstly, God loves His creation, even when “bad things happen” it’s usually an opportunity for correction and restoration.  Secondly, God loves us so much that He’s told us in advance what’s going to happen, so we don’t get too scared or discouraged.  It’s just that sometimes demolition has to take place before reconstruction.  Keep that thought foremost today.

            “1Behold, Yahweh empties the earth to destruction, eviscerates it, distorts its surface, and scatters its inhabitants.2And the people will be like the priest, the male slave like his master, the female slave like her mistress, the buyer like the seller, the lender like the borrower, the creditor like the debtor.3The earth will be completely emptied to destruction and completely plundered, for Yahweh has spoken this word.4The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the exalted of the people of the earth languish. 5The earth is also polluted by its inhabitants, for they trespassed laws, violated statutes, broke the everlasting covenant. 6Therefore, a curse devours the earth, and those who inhabit it are held guilty. Therefore, the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men remain. ” Isaiah 24:1-6, LSB.  Well, that doesn’t seem to leave a lot of room for interpretation, does it?  In my Bible I’ve got a note written: “See 2 Peter 3:7” right next to verse 6 above.

            The rest of Isaiah 24 goes on to prophesy a few more things, particularly comparisons to making man scarce upon the earth, in verses 7-13, and in verse 13 in particular it compares the remainder of man to “the shaking of an olive tree” (olive trees were harvested by shaking them vigorously and picking up the ones that fell, but usually a few would be left) and “the gleanings when the grape harvest is over”.  This is going to be, in other words, a pretty climactic event for humanity.  If you haven’t read any of the earlier devotions leading up to this one, at the very least I’d urge you strongly to go back to the September 10th devotion and slowly read “Point 2” there, about 2/3 of the way down.  Seriously, it helps a lot with perspective.

            Why will all of this happen though?  Well, there’s no mystery here, moving on down to Isa 24:20, it tells us the earth is being punished because “…its transgression is heavy upon it...” LSB. There is an interesting verse down below this as well, “21So it will be in that day, That Yahweh will punish the host of heights on high, And the kings of the earth on earth.” LSB.  I’ve got a note written beside that verse in my Bible that says “Angels? The Rich?“, and I’m honestly not sure, but if we flip over to our Revelation reading today it does mention a war in heaven, and that the dragon and his angels were not strong enough, and cast down (Rev 12:7-9).  I have my own opinions on the interpretation of this, but I will tremble and not blaspheme against glorious ones with my own fallible and human speculations (2 Peter 2: 4-11).  I’m just a human.

            Another VERY interesting thing to note here and ponder upon in your heart is the number “1260”.  This pops up in our reading today in Rev 12:6.  Quick eyes will skim right past it, but a discerning eye will recall that it also appeared in yesterday’s reading, in Rev 11:3.  In fact, the number 1,260 appears in the Bible nine times across the books of Daniel and Revelation.  Specifically, it is mentioned twice in the Old Testament (Daniel 7:25 and 12:7) and seven times in the New Testament (Revelation 11:2, 11:3, 12:6, 12:14, 13:5, and two additional references in Revelation 11:9 and 13:5 depending on textual grouping.  This period is consistently equated to 42 months or three and a half years (using a 30-day prophetic month, also written as “a time, times, and half a time”).

            So is 1260 important, as a prophetic number?  I’m going to offer a resounding “Yes” to that, based on the frequency with which it comes up in books of known and proven prophecy.  Do I know what it means?  Like Mary, I will ponder these things in my heart, but I will tremble and be silent.  Again, these are matters that are above my station, since I’m just a human.  Please note though: since it’s something that God has revealed to us in scripture, I do think it’s important, and very healthy and wise to research these things and come to our own conclusions.

            I’m a simple guy, and I work with the littles in school, so I’m really good at kindergarten math and confident in my assertion that 1+1+1=3 (and not =1), no matter which way you slice it but beyond that I have a very healthy understanding about my lack of understanding in complex mathematical equations.  Even if God had revealed what the frequency of 1260 occuring repeatedly in prophecy meant to me (He hasn’t), I probably wouldn’t share it unless I was told to at the time.  There is just too much margin for human error when calculating these things, too much uncertainty.

            What I am certain of is that God never lies.  These things have been told to us in advance for a reason, so that we can attempt to refine and purify ourselves, and live in a manner that is pleasing to our God.  God loves us so much that He wants us to be aware that these things are coming, so that we can prepare for them.

            My wife and I love to watch the show about people who go to great lengths (sometimes a little overboard) to prepare for apocolyptic times, aptly named “Doomsday Preppers” (an American reality tv series).  If you’ve never seen it, you should give it a watch sometime.  In it, folks typically go to extreme lengths to “get ready”, using various and occasionally insane techniques and methodology to “prep” for an apocolyptic event of one type or another.  Instead of a series of reflection questions, today lets provide a helpful list of how to actually prepare yourself for some of these things.  Reflect on these, and it may save your life:

PREPPERS LIST

  1. Love God.  Acknowledge Him as your creator and give Him full authority in your life.  It’s the most important commandment: LOVE GOD.  It’s hard to be mad at someone who’s loving up on you.
  2. Love Your Neighbor, as much as you do yourself.  When you honor God’s creation, you honor God.  It’s the second most important commandment, and a way to show God we’re listening to what He says.
  3. Seek First the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.  What you go after shows what your focus is, if that’s anything besides being a citizen of the kingdom of God, I humbly suggest you redirect.
  4. Purify yourself.  God will not hear the prayers of the unrighteous, commit yourself to being obedient to Him and living a life that is holy, humble, and free from sin.
  5. Do Good Deeds.  Help the widows, help the orphans, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and those imprisoned, offer a ride, bless others in the same manner that God has blessed you.  Do you want God to save you, to grant you mercy, to protect you from a bad situation even though you may not deserve it?  You can start by doing the same for others, what you do for the least of these, you do for our king.  Listen!  This is important.  Not because it will make you righteous (it won’t), but because it will show your obedience.

PRAYER

Father God, our guardian and our creator, we bless Your holy name.  Please forgive us when we stumble, teach us to be servants who please you, and lead us into Your kingdom.  Your will be done, Father.  Thank you, in Jesus name, Amen.

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The 7th Seal

Isaiah 15-16

Ps 111

Revelation 8                   

-Devotion by Jeremy Martin (TN)                                    

            “The time has come,” the walrus said, “to talk of many things: Of shoes—and ships—and sealing-wax— Of cabbages—and kings” – Lewis Carroll, The Walrus and the Carpenter, (Through the Looking Glass, Chapter 4, 1871)

            Forget all that other stuff, today we’ll be be speaking of kings.  There is a famous line from a Mel Brooks movie where Mel repeats numerous times throughout the show, “It’s good to be the king!”  Being the king isn’t always a fun job though, sometimes being the king means doing the hard things that need to be done, sometimes doing the hard things that no one else can do.

            There is a nice little supplemental to the many prophecies of the coming Messiah, when it says in Isaiah 16:5:  “And a throne will be established in lovingkindness, And a judge will sit on it in truth in the tent of David; Moreover, he will seek justice And be prompt in righteousness.” (LSB).  This seems to be a nice foreshadowing of our king Yeshua, the Messiah, the Christ.  These little bits are all throughout the Old Testament, just a little nod that one day our king will be coming, and a reminder that he will be from the house of David, and that he will also seek justice and be righteous.

            Here’s the thing though: most of us don’t want justice, we want mercy (and with good reason, if we’re being honest).  In our Revelation reading today we see an ominous revelation (thus, the name of the book) of things to come, and we begin to see some of the harder things that the king must do to fulfill his function. 

            Earlier on in the book (Rev 5) we see that God has in His hand a scroll with 7 seals and that initially no one was found in heaven or on earth or under the earth that was able to open the scroll, and then we see that our king, the lamb of God, the Christ (or Messiah) from the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has overcome so as to open the scroll and it’s 7 seals. 

            Revelation 5 is a very clear picture of the hierarchy of heaven.  There is God, all powerful and holy, surrounded by “myriads upon myriads” of angels and the elders, sitting on the throne and holding a scroll of great power that is sealed.  Then coming before the throne is the Lamb who was slain and by his obedience granted authority by the God who rules over all, the man chosen from the house of David to be given authority, by God.  This is a very clear and unambiguous picture of the relationship of the Most High God, and of His chosen king whom He has granted authority: the Lamb of God.

            In Rev 6 we see that the Lamb (whom we understand to be Yeshua/Jesus) takes the scroll from the right hand of God and begins to open the seals.  It’s important to understand that only the ruler whom God granted authority and dominion would be able to do such a thing.  There was no one else found worthy in heaven, earth, or under the earth to do this job.  We see back in Rev 5:9-10 that he is worthy specifically because: “…you were slain and purchased for God with your blood people from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom…”. Observe that God is still seated on his throne, the ultimate power, when the Lamb (Yeshua/Jesus) begins to open the seals, to perform one of his first functions as the chosen king.

            We see clearly that the Lamb is the one who is opening the seals in Rev 6:1, under the authority of God.  This is what I referred to earlier as having to do the hard things as king.  It should be noted that all of these seals as they are broken have a calamitious effect upon the earth, getting progressively more horrific.  The first 6 seals that are opened (in Rev 6) sound pretty scary.  When we get to our reading today of Rev 8, it sounds downright terrifying.  When the 7th seal is opened, there is complete silence in heaven for about half an hour (Rev 8:1).  That sounds ominous.  I have a couple points to make here. 

            Point 1 is, we aren’t 100% sure of the timeline of these events.  Like all prophecy, it is somewhat obscured.  Different folks have different beliefs on how much of this we’re going to have to endure.  There are Pre-tribulation, Mid-tribulation, and Post-tribulation theories on when the faithful will be taken, each theory having their own supporting scriptures or interpretations.  I have my own opinions, but I also believe that stating them dogmatically is foolish since I’m just a man.  Here is my suggestion though: hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.  I would also suggest that it’s going to get a lot worse before it gets any better.

            Point 2 is: all of the earth, and everything (and everybody) in it belongs to God (See Ps 24:1).  Before we get all “ach, waily waily waily, how could a merciful God…”: stop it.  It’s all God’s, including us, and He can do whatever He wants with His stuff.  Yes, this might be a terrible time, but consider that anytime you are building a new and magnificent structure, the first thing that needs to be done is a demolition of the old rickety structures that were there already.  This is that.  Do you remember that guy who lived in the bamboo hut underneath where the Taj Mahal is located now?  Me neither, because that hut had to go to make room for the new building.  That’s what’s going on here.  All of these things need to happen so that the kingdom of God can be established here on the earth.

            After the 7th seal is broken, the trumpets begin to sound.  The 1st trumpet brings hail and fire mixed with blood and a third of the earth and trees and all of the grass is burned up.  Trumpet 2 brings a great burning thing thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea turns to blood and a third of the living creatures in the sea die and a third of the ships are destroyed.  The 3rd trumpet brings a star falling that causes a third of the waters to become poisoned, or “wormwood”.  The 4th trumpet causes a third of the sun, moon, and stars to be struck so that a third of them would be darkened.  This is literally some apocalyptic stuff going down.

            As if that wasn’t enough, the last verse in chapter 8 is the most worrying: “13Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!””  (LSB).  This is going  to be a dark and scary time for any of those left on the earth.  Knowing this, we as Christians should be taking extreme steps to make sure that we’re living a holy life that is pleasing to God, seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.  Are you living in a bamboo hut right now? Well, act right and you might be relocated once the new facility is in place.

            The best advice I can offer is from Zeph 2:3 –

“Seek Yahweh, All you humble of the earth

Who have worked His justice; Seek righteousness, seek humility.  Perhaps you will be hidden In the day of Yahweh’s anger.” (LSB)

REFLECTION QUESTIONS -based on the above verse

  1. Are you humbly seeking Yahweh?
  2. Are you working His Justice here upon the earth?
  3. Are you seeking righteousness and humility?

PRAYER

Father God, blessed be Your name.  You have created the earth, and all that is in it.  You have told us in advance of the things to come.  Please help us to humble ourselves and to be servants who please You.  Help us to work Your justice.  Help us to be a righteous and holy people who do Your will.  Protect us in the coming troubles.  In Jesus name, Amen.

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The One on the Throne

Isaiah 6-7

Psalm 109

Revelation 4

-Devotion by Daniel Smead (MN)

Revelation four shows John’s vision-state resuming. He sees an open door in the heavens, and hears the voice like a trumpet which marked the launch of his vision in chapter one. It says “Come up here,” which sounds like a summons. It doesn’t seem like this was meant to convince John to do anything, though, as he doesn’t get an opportunity to. Rather, John simply passes into the next scene, which he then describes. The impact of John seeing the open door, and hearing the words, is that he thinks of the new scene as positioned “above” where he had been, in heaven. Really John hasn’t moved, since all of this is in a vision. (Seeing something like that “open door” might be a somewhat normal part of visions about heavenly matters. They say things like “the heavens were opened,” I think we just don’t normally ask what that looked like; Ezekiel 1:1, Acts 10:11.)

The new scene John enters often is referred to as “God’s throne room,” but we aren’t even told if it has walls. We do know that it centers on a throne. We are sure it is God’s throne, but the vision refers to “the one on the throne.” Later the vision sometimes describes individuals and objects as “in front of God’s throne,” but it never says “God” is in “God’s throne.” (In 21:5-8, “the one on the throne” at last speaks and acknowledges being “God.”)

The scene introduced in chapter four is the dominant one for John’s vision. Much of the activity in Revelation takes place or begins near the throne, and many announcements also come from there. John doesn’t spend the whole vision in one spot, but when he does move it seems that often this central location remains in his view.

Everything else in the scene is positioned relative to the throne. Twenty-four elders and their thrones encircle it. Four creatures covered in eyes, with six wings each, are also around the throne (similar to ones described in Ezekiel 1 and 10, with faces like a man, an eagle, a lion, and a calf/cherub). Before the throne there is something like a sea of glass, clear as crystal (see 1 Kings 7:23ff, especially v. 38; the “sea” expanded on the bronze basin used when there were few priests, in the Tabernacle, Deuteronomy 30:17ff). Also before the throne are seven burning lamps which are “the seven spirits of God.” That is the only detail in the chapter John offers any explanation for, but it isn’t extensive (1:4; 3:1; 5:6).

I haven’t addressed the description for “the one on the throne,” but seeing that figure would certainly grab your attention (well, in a vision – in person that would kill you). God seems to be a glowing, jewel-toned figure, surrounded by a halo with rainbow qualities. Lightning, thunder, and rumbling roll out from the throne. And any question one might have about the significance of that figure is shoved aside by seeing the attention paid from all else present. Elements of the vision seem to mirror other scenes in the Bible, like Isaiah 6, Ezekiel 1 and 10 (including the crystal sea, 1:22ff), Daniel 7, and God’s manifestation at Sinai in Exodus 19:16-18. This scene intensely shows God’s majesty and power – John speaks of how everyone present repeatedly sings praise to God, most of them after falling on the ground. And we hear nothing about John’s response to the scene. Over the whole vision we learn that John fell to the ground three times (twice to angels, by mistake; 19:10, 22:8) and wept once. He was not a stoic; I think what he experienced in his vision brought many responses from John which he simply did not record for us.

Of great significance is something absent from this text. Jesus. Spoiler alert, if you have not yet read Revelation, Jesus will be on the scene soon, and his presence changes things. I’m not sure how long John watched before the events of chapter five began, perhaps it was only a few seconds. John wrote about the pattern of praise offered by the living creatures, but probably not based on watching them for days. It might be through the kind of dream-logic knowledge that lets people “just know” certain things. Chapter four does not portray a particular moment in history, it reflects the idea of God, enthroned in majesty, receiving praise. But my mind wants to balk at the idea of separating out the glory of God from God making plans to save the world through Christ.

The scene, cut off where it is, strikes me a bit like a practice problem in a physics text which, in order to simplify issues, tells you to ignore the effects of friction, and also place all the events at sea level, so that the calculations you work out can focus on just one rule. In this case – God is great. But trying to picture heavenly matters without Jesus’ involvement, in the Church age, feels like this scene wants to show God’s majesty unaffected by God’s merciful plans for humanity, not having them come into play until chapter five.

Well, in my personal physics God is the mass of the universe (God is even more than that, still, grant me my metaphor, please). And if God is the mass of my universe, Jesus is the gravity by which I relate to all that is around me. Pulling them apart simply will not do. (Although the further you go from a center of mass, the less you feel the influence of gravity.)

Prayer

Lord, please open my eyes to your glory. I say I respect and honor you, and sometimes my mind is set on you, but at times I veer off and take my own course. If I were to see you, once, how great a difference that might make (if I survived). Help me to commit myself more closely to you without that step. Open my eyes, and let me recognize more fully the true importance of things I have not seen, but someday will. Thank you for your son, who has been such a help to me, and allow me to be of better service to him, and to you. Amen

Reflection Questions

  1. The book of Revelation contains several passages of praise, from angels, creatures, saints – declaring how mighty and worthy they found God and Christ to be. Have you ever tried using these in your private worship?
  2. We should be careful about basing a deep discussion of the relationship of God and Christ on a metaphor (a fully accurate metaphor wouldn’t be a metaphor). But you might use the following texts to consider how close you think John viewed God’s relationship with Christ as being:

“Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:10b)

“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11:15)

“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads. . . . These have been purchased from mankind as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.” (Revelation 14:1, 4b)

“I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb.” (Revelation 21:22-23)

“And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb” (Revelation 22:1)

3. John was recording this vision while an exile, and relaying it to people in churches at risk of persecution – some at risk of death. Do you think they had a different view on the practice of offering worship to God than we normally do today?

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Our Perfect and Eternal Life

Revelation 20-22

Devotion by Isaac Cain (NE)

As I write these words to you now, I am sitting in the kitchen of my house on a pleasant morning. My wife is playing music in the background, and I am hearing all kinds of crazy sounds from my two cats who are chasing each other around the house. This is a great day, and God has blessed me so richly.

For me to get to this blessed moment in my life there was a cost – I had to leave a series of previous modes of life. I once lived with my parents and I had to leave their loving care to gain my education at the Atlanta Bible College. Eventually I had to leave college and close contact with some of my closest friends to marry my lovely wife.

In the same, but much grander way, humanity is promised a wonderful mode of life in God’s care, but to get there, the old way of life has to come to an end. We can’t enter into an age of life where there is no more sickness, death, or sin until those things are gone. 

These chapters of Revelation teach us that before God can bring about His perfect salvation, He first needs to do away with this current age. This is why God is just, this is why God is devoting so much effort and energy into enacting His wrath against wickedness – so that the New Jerusalem can truly be ushered in for eternity:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2 ESV)

We humans like to live in the known and are uncomfortable with giving up what we know for what we don’t. This is so true that we humans are even willing to remain in an unfavorable situation if it means not having to leave it behind and wander into uncertainty. But for us as Christians, we need to overcome this and completely forsake this age and any sin that we are holding onto and embrace what God has to offer us instead. Besides, God has even blessed us with letting us know ahead of time where we are going and what we are getting ourselves into, and it is perfect.

In this life we only have a taste of the goodness to come in God’s kingdom. Imagine every single moment of your life you are literally perfect, everyone you come across is also perfect in their own unique way. You have no need for medicines, hospitals, cemeteries, or even locks to your house. You can walk right up to the tree of life, which is everywhere you go. But most importantly, you can have communion with God Himself and His Son Jesus! This reality is what we are enduring and waiting for, and thank God He is one day going to cast away the trials, burdens, and hardships we suffer in this life and is walking us towards a future that is partially known, but is waiting to be better understood. 

Reflection Questions

What are ways you can maintain God’s future hope in the forefront of your mind and heart?

In what ways should reading these chapters of Revelation motivate us to share the gospel with those around us?

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The Fruitless Mourning

Revelation 17-19

Devotion by Isaac Cain (NE)

I’m certain that there were many times in my childhood that I cried about things that I have no memory of anymore. Perhaps I lost a hot-wheel that I really liked? Maybe I got vanilla ice cream when I was really hoping for chocolate? I am sure that in the moment, they felt like the worst things ever – but they really weren’t. Eventually I grew up enough to realize that those things that threatened to break my heart were trivial and not worth prioritizing as highly as I once had. However, for the rest of my life I will certainly remember the heart break, sadness, and grief I felt from my grandfather, Rex Cain, passing several years ago. My heartbreak over his loss, and the lasting memory of him, reveal that my heart highly honors and loved my relationship and memories I had with him

Sometimes the most tangible and revealing way to discern what you truly love is to observe what breaks your heart. If you mourn over the loss or corruption of things that are holy, honorable, good, and live-giving – it shows what your heart loves to see and help sustain. If you mourn over the loss or corruption of things that are profane, dishonorable, evil, and exclusively self-serving – it shows what your heart loves to see and help sustain. We should want our hearts to break over that which breaks God’s heart because it reveals that our hearts are aligned with His. This is what Jesus teaches us in his famous sermon on the mount, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4 ESV). 

In these chapters of Revelation, John is taught about the rebellious and great city Babylon, depicted as a prostitute riding the wicked beast (read chapters 13-16). We also learn how Babylon’s judgment will come swiftly and full of irony, the very methods of prosperity and rulership with the beast will be its own ruin. The angel speaking to John also touches on all the various kings and merchants who built up their life of luxury by communing with Babylon and its wickedness. Naturally, all of the kings and merchants who benefited from Babylon wail and mourn over the loss of their beloved city:

All the kings of the earth…will stand far off, in fear of her [Babylon’s] torment, and say ‘Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” (Revelation 18:9a & 10 ESV)

Their own heartbreak is a song of condemnation. The fact that their heartbreak is due to losing the epitome of human wickedness and evil illustrates what their hearts truly loved – and it was certainly not God or His salvation. So in the end, God will let them have what they claimed to want, and allow them to experience the self-destructive ends it brings. Their mourning will prove fruitless as God will not comfort them.

Meanwhile, chapter 19 contains the praises and redeeming joy of all of God’s people whose hearts were breaking all throughout the tyrannical and wicked reign of Babylon. Their mourning will prove fruitful as God will comfort them.

These chapters serve as an opportunity to see the cosmos and our place in it at a lofty height and decide what our hearts truly love and care about. Whatever we choose to love, inherently means we also choose what to mourn. I urge you, as do these chapters, to not be like the kid who’s so fixated on the momentary and shallow pleasures of this life only to mourn over them when they are gone. Instead, make the presently painful and eternally blessed choice of having our hearts break over the corruption of this age. Our momentary heartbreak will turn into eternal joy one day.

Reflection Questions

Is there anything that you are mourning the loss of, or perhaps the lack of, that God does not mourn?

What are things you can do to help “rewire” your heart to love what God loves?

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Stay Awake and Ready

Revelation 14-16

Devotion by Isaac Cain (NE)

Growing up in the midwest it was common for part of the “goodbye” routine to someone who’s about to drive away is to say “and watch for the deer”. Deer suddenly running out in front of a car is a common enough occurrence where it has become a regional culture to always remind one another of the potential threat. I personally have had many nights driving slowly with corn fields on either side vigilantly watching to make a response.

This readiness is exactly what God or Jesus (it’s not exactly clear) calls for us to do as his followers.

“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!” (Revelation 16:15) 

This reading section has all kinds of significant moments of judgment from God against all who have rebelled against Him – and you do not want to be on the receiving end of any of them.  We read of painful sores, rivers of blood, the world’s largest earthquake (literally chapter 16 states it is the world’s largest earthquake!), and hail weighing up to 100 pounds falling onto God’s enemies! Therefore, we are given a loving warning to keep true to the faith and allegiance to Jesus. 


Our watching, vigilance, daily process of dying to ourselves and living for Christ daily is not in vain. We not only evade the intense wrath of God, but we also receive the intense salvation and life from God. These peeks into the future are not serving as a trivial knowledge that does not serve much utility to our daily lives now. Instead, they serve as a tangible vision for what direction each of our daily steps needs to be headed. 

We currently are like the midwest driver at night surrounded by cornfields. At any point, the deer that we know is coming, is going to jump out in front of us, we will miss it, but the non-attentive driver will not be as fortunate. Not only that, but being a vigilant driver serves to our benefit throughout the drive anyway. There are far more things to consider when driving than simply not hitting the deer like staying in your lane, not running into other cars, going out into the ditch, or the countless other bad scenarios my mom concerned herself with when I first went behind the wheel! Staying awake and ready not only avoids the dreaded end and receives the blessed end, but it also helps us avoid the avoidable pains of this life.

So let us heed the warning from Revelation today as we navigate through this life to always remember to “watch for the deer” to worship God, receive salvation, and experience God’s goodness in this life.

Reflection Questions

What is the difference between being a vigilant Christian and a paranoid one?

How does God seem to balance His love and His justice against wickedness in these chapters?

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