Category: Revelation

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 7 (day one)

“These. . . have come out of the great tribulation, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”–v 13-14.

It is not unusual for me to use my difficulties as an excuse for spiritual or moral failure.  I had a rough day.  I am frustrated.  The implied argument? I not responsible for being grumpy or ungrateful or unfaithful.  Sound familiar?

The narrative of scripture allows no such escape or excuse.  All believers ( in every age) have had tribulations to face and conquer.  “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God”–Acts 14:22.  The cross I carry is not unique and mild compared to that of others.

Struggle is not the story!  Christ is!  He is worthy to RECEIVE, receive from me, and no level of difficulty can ever change the fact that my robe, my actions, my ambitions, my choices must be washed white in His blood.

 

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day seven)

I am a wimp.  Pain-complaining, excuse-making, comfort-seeking.  At least, I was until I met Jesus.

For forty years, like a marine drill instructor, the Lord has been toughening me.  Training me to accept a threshold of pain that is higher than I would have ever expected of myself.

I whine and expect pity.  I make MUCH of my burdens.  HE calls them “temporary and light afflictions”–2 Corinthians 4:17.

I’ve come to see that He is right.  My burdens ARE light compared to the dangers ahead for the ungodly. (Revelation 6) His call to holiness is hard, but ultimately a great mercy.  My burdens ARE light compared to those that other Christians carry. (1 Peter 4:12).  My burdens ARE light compared to the glory that will be revealed.

“Godliness is profitable. . . since it holds promise for the present life and ALSO FOR THE LIFE TO COME.”–1 Timothy 4:8

Following Christ has been harder than I expected.  And better.

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day five) 

Revelation 6 is almost unbelievable: all kinds of symbols and predictions of judgment and the wrath of God. How can we trust that the Lord is telling us the truth? Answer: Because, He has proven to always be truthful and trustworthy. Even in the hard and disturbing things, God’s nature and character is to tell the truth. Look at the life and teachings of Jesus. (John 14) In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; (John 16) I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; Behold, an hour is coming, and has already come, for you to be scattered, each to his own home, and to leave Me alone… In the world you will have tribulation,

Praise God!! He has proven to be a truth teller in revealing both the beautiful and difficult parts of His plan for mankind.  Do you believe that?

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day four)

There was joy in heaven…the Lion of Judah was worthy to break the seals and open the scroll.  You might expect that good things were going to happen.  As each seal was broken, tragedy came upon the earth…war, famine, death, martyrs, terror.  The people of the earth tried to run and hide, but there was nowhere to hide.  They even wanted the mountains and rocks to fall on them to hide them from the presence of God.  The great day of wrath had come…they had put it off for too long.  “I still have time to follow Christ.  I’ll maybe do it after I have done all that I want to do.”  Is this the reasoning that you have been making?  We do not know when the Day of the Lord will come, but when it does…like a thief in the night…it will be too late to repent.

Will you have joy like the angels in heaven or will you be looking for a deep cave to collapse upon you?  What will you do with Jesus?

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day three)

“They called to the mountains and the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!”  Sound familiar?  We’ve heard this before–in Genesis.  Those who want to keep on thinking about the universe in the same way will always attempt to hide themselves from God. The underside of a rock or the interior of a cave now becomes preferred real estate. The intimacy of the echo chamber holds greater appeal than the intimacy of the confessional.  Which place do you seek?

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day two) “And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer…” vs. 11a

The voices of the martyrs cried out to the Lord for justice, and they were told to wait because their number would continue to increase before the end. One of the comforts that we have in the American church is that we do not live under any constant threat of persecution. There are indeed examples of pressure placed on the body, but we, as a group, are not under the kind of oppression that our Myanmar brothers and sisters have faced. We do not know and understand radical persecution like other parts of the world. For this we are thankful, but this passage serves as a warning that the church has not seen the end of persecution.

We, then, are forced to examine ourselves and ask if we are willing to die for our faith. Perhaps a better way to look at it is – are we living like we are willing to die? When it all comes to a close, what will really matter about our journey? LIVE FOR HIM

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 6 (day one)

There are seven seals on the scroll. And only Jesus is worthy to open them and set in motion the last events.  Lion AND Lamb, Alpha AND Omega, only He has the authority.

There are also (we will see in the next chapters) seven trumpets and seven bowls of wrath to be poured out on a world of rebellious men.  In every case (the seals and the trumpets and the bowls) the seventh involves an earthquake.  See 8:5, 11:19, 16:18.  Are these three separate and successive events?  (Some say yes)  Are they different symbols for one reality (the progressive and terrible judgement of God)?  (Others put their confidence here)

Whatever else we conclude, these are frightful symbols and warnings.  “But because of your stubbornness and the unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgement.”–Romans 2:5

Please, Lord, use your word to prepare your people.

 

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 4:1-7, 5:1-14 (day seven)

“Behold, a door standing open in heaven.”–v 4:1.

How long had the door been open?  I wonder.  John didn’t see it opening.  It was open when he saw it.  Maybe the symbolism is that heaven always is!

The Bible tells of a God who is light.  He shines!  Wants to be noticed and known.  From eternity, the great and good and glorious One has made ways to communicate Himself to the creation.  He invites us to know Him.  Calls us.

It gives new meaning to Revelation 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.”  What if (now and always) the lock on the door is on our side rather than His?  What if we don’t know because we don’t want to know, stubbornly unwilling to meet God’s conditions?

Ever hear of an “open book”?  God is an “open door”.

“Ask. . .receive, seek. . .find, knock, and it (the door) will be opened.”–Matthew 7:7

Re:Verse reading–Revelation 4:1-7, 5:1-14 (day six)

“And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,’To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 5:13

There will come a time when the Great Commission becomes totally obsolete. The church will no longer do missions; Gospel proclamation will no longer be an act of missions, but an act of worship. This is a good reminder of the truest purpose of Christ’s bride, the church-worship! Pastor John Piper said it like this, “Missions happens because worship doesn’t.” We were made for worship, that eternal and sweet fellowship with God the Father, through the Son, and by the power of the Spirit.

When that days come there will no longer be brokenness, and sin, there will no longer be war and opposition, there will only be worship from every created thing.

I can’t wait! How about you? In the meantime worship…and be on mission. Oh, and by the way, worship and mission are never mutually exclusive; one flows out of the other.