Month: November 2016

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 17 – 18 (Day four)

The great city of Babylon represents the spirit of worldliness…the spirit of wealth and power…merchants taking advantage of the greed and fear of buyers to enrich their own pockets…deception and fraud for the purpose of personal gain.  There will be great mourning on behalf of all who have partaken in this immorality and idolatry.  When God brings judgment, there will be great lament.

Do the conditions of the end times sound familiar today?  Have you witnessed a culture that gives hearty approval to this distortion of God’s provision?  Chapter 18 says that in a day, it will all end.  God’s judgment will come swiftly and finally.  Scripture says all the nations have been deceived…the great leaders of the world have fallen for the deception of Satan.  Those whose names are written in the book of life will stand apart…holy and separate for God.  Guard carefully against envious eyes…place your trust in God’s provision.

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 17 – 18 (Day three)

“Come out of her, my people.”  We read here a violent tempest of condemnation: “abomination”, “blasphemies”, “drunk with blood”, “impure spirit”, “excessive luxuries”, “God has remembered crimes”, “plagues will overtake”.  Right in the middle of that storm of wrath, there lies the tender call of God.  He calls those who count on him to make their way to safety under his sovereign care.  The juxtaposition of such tenderness and fury does not reveal favoritism of a petty God towards the “in” group.  It reveals love.  This is the God who has warned and shouted and divided seas and saved widows and sent prophets.  This is the God who has served and healed and fed and bled and died.  The. World. Is. Ending.  Only those who hear and heed will survive.  This is love.  Are you listening?

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 17 and 18 (Day Two) “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.” 18:3

Almighty God, who has given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech you that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of your favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought together out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom whose to whom in they Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in you to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

 

BCP 820

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 17 and 18 (Day one)

Revelation 17 and 18 serve as a parenthesis.  In Chapter 16, we hear that the wrath of God is finished.  In Chapter 19, we see the long-anticipated return of Christ in glory.  Between these two events, God pauses to say again, “Babylon has fallen”.

John describes her as a woman dressed in scarlet and purple.  Rich.  Arrogant.  A harlot. Her name is Babylon.  Who is she?  Scholars have long debated the answer.

Some mark her as the apostate Roman Catholic church.  For long periods, history confirms,  she rode the beast of Roman power.  Corrupted by wealth and power,  she “drank” the blood of the martyrs.  Others see her as a future “church” rising up in support of the Anti-Christ.

The angel tells John the answer.  “The woman. . .is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”  (Revelation 17:18)  Those being persecuted needed this assurance. Someday, this powerful, wealthy, cruel city would be judged and destroyed.

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 15 and 16 (day seven)

“These are the last (plagues) because in them the wrath of God is FINISHED.”–15:1.

It is not like God to start something and not FINISH it.  Like me, maybe, but not like Him.  He is faithful.  To promises. . .to purposes.  If He is Alpha, then He will also be Omega.

For 2000 years the church has given testimony to this truth.  A universe with a supernatural beginning (God as creator) will have a supernatural end (God as judge).

The prophets predicted it speaking of”the day of the Lord”.  Jesus spoke of “the day of judgment”.  The Spirit bears witness to it.  Our task is to embrace and believe this powerful truth.

Christian faith causes a person to FINISH his own work because he serves a God of the same character.  Paul said , “I have finished the race.”  What do you need to do today to get God’s assignment for you closer to completion?

 

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 15 and 16 (day five)

Revelation 15:2-3 “those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God.  And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb,”

There is something remarkable about singing praise to God. It lifts eyes, perspective, and outlook. Regardless of past experiences or current circumstances, praising God creates opportunity for joy, peace, and determination.  The busyness and rhythms of our lives often place praising God secondary. The hymn writer points out that we are often distracted and disrupted (hearts are out of tune) from praising God. “Tune my heart to sing Thy grace, Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.”

The descriptions given by John indicate that in heaven that won’t be an issue. We see in chapter 15, even those who have been persecuted, praise God for His character, sovereignty, and work.

How about you? Will you intentionally sing and praise God today?

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 15 and 16 (day four)

It all depends on your point of view.  Each of us looks at life through different filters.  The experiences of our lives…the relationships we have…the focus of our spiritual eyes…all of these affect how we interpret or respond to the events of our life.  The angels were intent on serving and obeying the Lord.  When they saw God’s hand of judgment, they rejoiced!  It was about time!  Verse 16:5 says they called God holy because He delivered judgment.  “They deserved it,” they said.  The men under judgment experienced the same events and they blasphemed the Lord.  Same event, different perspectives.

How do you respond to the events of your life?  Do you look to see what God is seeking to accomplish through the trial, or test, or even, victory?  If we look through our Holy Spirit filter, we will be able to comprehend the confusion and confliction of today’s world.  Will we thank God for the good and the bad things in our life or will we blaspheme His name.  It’s all in the perspective…and the obedience!

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 15 and 16 (day three)

“God remembered Babylon the Great.”  No matter how powerful a national presence, nor how sophisticated a society, nor how celebrated one’s individual accomplishment, all must answer to God.  And just when one believes that God isn’t aware, that he doesn’t see, God remembers: “Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”  No one—no person, no group, no geopolitical entity—will get away with pitting his will against the Almighty’s.  This dreadful reality is actually the hope of those who count on God, just like it was the hope of our Savior, who declared as he stood before Pilate: “You would have no power if it weren’t given to you from above.”  Every power remains only as long as God allows—and no longer.

Re: Verse reading–Revelation 15 and 16 (day two) “They held harps given them by God 3 and sang the song of God’s servant Moses and of the Lamb.”  vs. 2b-3a

The beast has been defeated. The harvest has taken place. The seven plagues and the bowls of God’s wrath have been distributed. And in the midst of all of this, there is worship. To those who have rightly aligned their hearts and lives with the Lamb, all of these events are no surprise. They are not wavering in their devotion because a lost world is being judged. Those who see a world falling apart around them are remembering the eternal promise of deliverance, and they will not be shaken. Look around you. This world is not our home. Where is your gaze fixed? Set it on the eternal promises of God, and all that is crumbling about you will lose its power to bring you down with it. Worship in the midst of chaos.