They Refused to Repent.

Revelation 16

They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. – Revelation 16:9 NIV

If you've ever struggled with the concept that in order for a man to repent and turn to God he must first be called by God, chapter 16 of Revelation ought to change your mind. Here we have a picture of the final days before the final battle between God and the forces of evil on the earth. God is bringing consecutive judgments on the earth and its inhabitants – seven of them to be exact. And they are anything but light. They include horrible sores on men and the waters of the earth turning to blood. The sun will give off excessive, scorching heat. There will also be a period of supernatural darkness on the earth. The River Euphrates will completely dry up and then there will be a massive lightning storm accompanied by earthquakes that change the topography of the earth, accompanied by massive hail stones as large as 100 pounds each! Yet in the midst of this unbelievable time of terror and destruction, we are told that men will refuse to repent and glorify God. That is amazing to me!

With all those things taking place around them and to them, these people will blaspheme God rather than turn to Him. They will refuse to turn from their sin and rebellion and worship the very one who is causing all this to happen. But "affliction if it does not melt, hardens the sinner" (Jamieson, Fausset, & Brown). Back in Revelation 11:13, there were those who appeared to give glory to God, but it would be short-lived. Like Pharaoh, who would give in to the demands of Moses, then later harden his heart, these same people would go from glorifying God to blaspheming Him. Even in the midst of all the chaos and confusion, men will refuse to worship God. And they will die in their sin. But unless the Spirit of God turns a man's heart to God, it is impossible for Him to repent. Jesus said, "that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father" (John 6:65 NASB). The hearts of these people will be so dark and sin-riddled, they will unable to see the futility of their sin and the seriousness of their condition, even in the face of pending doom and destruction.

But if you think this all seems unfair, make sure you read verses 5-7. "And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, "You are just in sending this judgment, O Holy One, who is and who always was. For your holy people and your prophets have been killed, and their blood was poured out on the earth. So you have given their murderers blood to drink. It is their just reward." And I heard a voice from the altar saying, "Yes, Lord God Almighty, your punishments are true and just" (Revelation 16:5-7 NLT). We are reminded that, in spite of what we might think, God is just, righteous, and true – even in bringing His wrath and judgment to bear on the earth. He remains holy and completely right in all His actions. He has given the world ample opportunity to turn to Him. He sent His own Son to die for them. Yet they refused to believe and repent. So now He is finishing what He began. He is fixing what sin destroyed. And He is completely just in doing so.

Father, I don't always understand Your ways, but I try to trust them, because I know You are holy, just, and right in all Your ways. Affliction isn't always easy for me to handle. Sometimes I just want it to go away. Yet I know You have a purpose for it, just like You will in the last days. And while the days we are going through right now are nothing compared to what is to come, I pray that we would be willing to share the gospel with all those around us and that You would be preparing the hearts of many to hear. I know you use times of affliction to call men to Yourself, and we want to see that happen this coming new year. Amen

The Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb.

Revelation 15

And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb: "Great and marvelous are your actions, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations.'" – Revelation 15:3 NLT

This is the shortest chapter in the book of Revelation, yet it is anything but light. It not only sets up chapter 16, it glances backward to the Lord’s former judgments, and anticipates the glory of heaven that is soon to come. It also introduces the last 7 judgments of the Lord known as the "bowl judgments".  The time period is midway through the tribulation. In this chapter we have the beginning of the end of the last 3 1/2 years where the Lord will set everything right. Verse 1 tells us that with the coming of these last seven plagues, the wrath of God is finished or complete.

But as in chapter 14, right in the middle of all the messages of wrath and judgment is singing. John sees a vision of a sea of glass on which are standing those believers who, having resisted the Antichrist and refusing to worship him, suffered martyr's deaths. They are singing two songs. The song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. These are both songs of victory, praising God for what He has done and what He is about to do. They are praising God in the midst of all the judgment and wrath for His coming final victory. The song of Moses takes us all the way back to Exodus 15. It is a reminder of the song Moses sang after God had delivered the people of Israel by splitting the Red Sea and allowing them to walk across on dry land, and destroying the army of Pharaoh.

Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD: "I will sing to the LORD, for he has triumphed gloriously; he has thrown both horse and rider into the sea. The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my victory. He is my God, and I will praise him; he is my father’s God, and I will exalt him! … With unfailing love you will lead this people whom you have ransomed. You will guide them in your strength to the place where your holiness dwells. …The LORD will reign forever and ever!" – Exodus 15:1-2, 13, 18

The Lord is my strength and my song. He has become my victory. You will lead this people. You will guide them to the place where Your holiness dwells. What a reminder that God is not done yet. He is still at work and He will complete that work. I can trust Him. This is all about deliverance and judgment. God will deliver His people and judge His enemies. He will have the final victory. He will triumph gloriously!

But there is another song. The song of the Lamb. We see this song in Revelation chapter 5.

You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth. … The Lamb is worthy––the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing. – Revelation 5:9-10, 12 NLT

No victory would be possible without the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Had He not been killed, our ransom would not have been paid. Our victory is IN Jesus. He is to be praised and honored because He is the one who made it all possible. It reminds me of the words of the old hymn, Victory In Jesus.

I heard an old, old story,

How a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary

To save a wretch like me;

I heard about His groaning,

Of His precious blood's atoning,

Then I repented of my sins

And won the victory.

O victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever.

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

It really is victory in Jesus. His work on the cross is what will make future victory possible. He has guaranteed the outcome. So why wouldn't we sing?

Father, I don't sing enough about the glory and greatness of Your Son Jesus Christ. I am grateful for my salvation, but He has accomplished so much more than that. He has guaranteed the victory over sin and death. He has guaranteed the final victory over Satan and this world. His death and resurrection are what make the final outcome a positive one. It is why there can be singing in the midst of judgment. The end is NOT in question. It is guaranteed. And that is something worth singing about. Amen

A New Song.

Revelation 14

This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty–four elders. And no one could learn this song except those 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. – Revelation 14:3 NLT

I don't know why, but this chapter brings to mind the old Carpenter's song. I know you're going to hate me for this because you won't be able to get it out of your head now. But part of the lyrics are:

Sing, sing a song,

Sing out loud, sing out strong,

Sing of the good things, not bad,

Sing of the happy, not sad . . .

Chapter 14 opens up in with an image that is direct contrast to what John saw in chapter 13. In place of the dragon and the two beasts, we see the Lamb of God, Jesus Christ Himself standing on Mount Zion surrounded by the 144,000 Jews who have come to have a saving faith in Him during the tribulation period. And they are singing a "new song." What is this song? According to Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on Revelation:

The song is that of victory after conflict with the dragon, beast, and false prophet: never sung before, for such a conflict had never been fought before; therefore new: till now the kingdom of Christ on earth had been usurped; they sing the new song in anticipation of His blood-bought kingdom with His saints.

This is a victory song. These 144,000 have survived the worst the enemy had to throw at them. They had made it through the tribulation and the assault of Satan. They had remained spiritually pure (Revelation 14:4). They represent just the beginning of the Jews who will come to faith in Christ before God is done (Revelation 14:4). And unlike those who worshiped the Antichrist and ended up with the mark of the beast on their hand or forehead (Revelation 13:16), these individuals have the name of God written on their foreheads (Revelation 14:1). They belong to Him. So they sing a new song – a song of joy and victory. God is on the verge of defeating His great enemy once and for all. Yet in the midst of it all, He will give those who are alive on the earth one more time to respond to His "eternal gospel" (Revelation 14:6). He gives them one more opportunity to choose between the worship of God or the Antichrist.

Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water! – Revelation 14:7 NET

Chapter 14 is full of good news and bad news. It is a chapter of contrasts. The redeemed are singing a new song. Yet the judgment of God is falling on those who refuse to acknowledge Him as God. But in the midst of it all He is giving them one more chance to repent and worship Him. In this chapter we clearly see God's holiness, judgment, justice, and wrath, but also His love and mercy. Even to the end He is calling for men to return to Him as the only source of their salvation from the judgment to come. We worship a holy God who must ultimately punish sin and those who rebel against Him. But He will not cease calling men to repentance – even right up until the end.

Father, I can't wait until the new song is sung. I can't wait until you bring all of this to an end. This world is not my home, I just passing through. My treasures are laid up in heaven. We live in a fallen and flawed world, but You are going to restore everything back to the way it was meant to be. You are going to continue redeeming men to a right relationship to You right up until the end. Because You are faithful and true. And You are going to keep Your promises to the people of Israel. You will restore many to a right relationship with You again. Not because of anything they have done, but because You are faithful and true. Thank You for reminding me of that this morning. Amen

An Unholy Trinity.

Revelation 13

All the world marveled at this miracle and followed the beast in awe. They worshiped the dragon for giving the beast such power, and they worshiped the beast …,Then I saw another beast come up out of the earth. He exercised all the authority of the first beast. And he required all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death–wound had been healed. – Revelation 13:3-4, 11-12 NLT

I have to be honest. I discovered something in my reading this morning that I have never seen before. In chapter 13 we have the introduction of the Beast or the Antichrist. Most of us are familiar with the name. There seems to be speculation every year as to who the Antichrist might be, with the names of various celebrities, government officials, and powerful individuals being thrown out as possibilities. But the truth is, we don't have a clue as to who this person might be. But there is a second beast mentioned in chapter 13. It is the False Prophet or the Antichrist's lieutenant, so to speak. So in one chapter we see the Dragon, which represents Satan. We have the appearance of the Beast or Antichrist onto the global stage. Then we meet the second Beast, who functions as the second-in-command to the Antichrist. These three represent what many theologians refer to as The Unholy Trinity. Together they form this triumvirate of power that is a poor imitation of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Satan has always been an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). He is the great deceiver who attempts to replicate the power and authority of God. So this unholy trinity makes all the sense in the world. It fits Satan M.O. As his time begins to run out, Satan will unleash a final assault on mankind. And he will do so by attempting to replicate what God has done in the world. Satan will give the Antichrist his power, throne, and authority (Revelation 13:2). Just as God has given Christ all authority and has seated Him at His right hand in heaven, so Satan will give Antichrist power and authority here on earth. Not only that, but the Antichrist will apparently suffer some kind of fatal wound, but Satan will restore him to life. In other words, Satan will resurrect Antichrist, and as a result, every person on earth at that time will worship Satan and the Antichrist. Isn't it amazing how unimaginative Satan is? All he can manage to come up with is a poor rip-off of what God has already done through Jesus Christ. But it will have its desired affect. The people will be so taken with the Antichrist that they will say, "Is there anyone as great as the beast? Who is able to fight against him?" (Revelation 13:4 NLT).

But any similarities between Antichrist and Jesus Christ Himself are few. This individual will speak blasphemies (Revelation 13:5). He will speak against God, His name, His tabernacle, and all those who dwell in heaven. He will also make war with the saints who are on earth at that time. This will be those 144,000 who become Christ-followers during the Great Tribulation. Unlike Christ, the Antichrist will be against all that God stands for and all that Christ died for. Which is exactly why he is called ANTI-Christ. Yet everyone on earth will worship him. Except those whose names have been written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 13:8). They will remain faithful to the one true God and His Son.

The third individual in this unholy trinity is the False Prophet, the Antichrist's right-hand man. He will get his authority from Antichrist and operate on his behalf. In fact, one of his jobs will be to make all those on earth worship Antichrist. He will perform great signs and deceive those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 13:12-14). He is a poor imitation of the Holy Spirit. He will be the antithesis of the Holy Spirit. While the Holy Spirit convicts of sin, the False Prophet will encourage it. The Holy Spirit comforts and encourages. The False Prophet confused, deceives and ultimately, destroys. He will actually sentence to death any who do not worship the Antichrist (Revelation 13:15). And He will cause a mark to be placed on the foreheads of any and all. This mark will determine who can buy and sell goods, and will act as a mark of ownership – that they belong to Satan. Yet the Word of God says that He "set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come" (2 Corinthians 1:22 NIV). In His letter to the Ephesians, Paul reminds us "when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation) – when you believed in Christ – you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit" (Ephesians 1:13 NET). For believers, the Holy Spirit is our mark of ownership. But He is not a mark on our forehead. He lives within us.

Satan can only attempt to imitate what God has done, because he can't replicate it. The Antichrist and the False Prophet will both be men. They are not divine. Their power is limited and comes from Satan himself. Unlike God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, this unholy trinity is not eternal and all-powerful. They are limited in their power and influence and their days are numbered. That is the central message of the book of Revelation. God is going to bring all this madness to an end. Yet it is amazing to see men falling down and worshiping Satan himself. But in his commentary on Revelation David Guzik gives this insight:

"It may seem fantastic to some that the world would be led into worship of a man and of the devil. But by nature, men have an undeniable religious impulse, and they also have an undeniable rebellion against God. What men want most is not the elimination of religion, but their own religion. They say they want the kingdom, but they don’t want God in it."

Even today, men and women worship the kingdom of Satan. They worship the things of this world. They bow down before temporal things, making them the gods of their lives. In doing so, they worship Satan himself. We were made for worship. The question is whether we will worship God or Satan. In those days, man's rebellion against God's rule and authority over their lives will reach a crescendo. The worship of Satan will no longer be subtle and hidden, but outright and complete. But the story isn't over yet. God isn't done yet. Let's see what chapter 14 has to say next.

Father, Satan is such a loser. He is unimaginative and unable to mount a threat against Your kingdom. He is destined for defeat. But He will do his best to destroy men in his attempt to destroy You. But He loses in the end. He has already lost. All because of what Your Son Jesus Christ has done. He has defeated Satan, sin and death. And for that I am eternally grateful. Amen

It Has Happened At Last!

Revelation 12

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, "It has happened at last – the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth – the one who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night. – Revelation 12:10 NLT

While the book of Revelation is often thought of as a book of bad news, filled with images of destruction and judgment, it is also has a tremendous amount of good news – for those of us who are followers of Christ. I guess it depends on your perspective when you read it. For instance, this morning I read a story on the Dallas Maverick game that took place last night. I happen to be a Maverick fan, so when I read that they had beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, I was pleased. But if I had been a fan of OKC, I would have read that same story with a great deal of frustration and disappointment. My team would have lost. The same is true when reading the book of Revelation. When I read it as a Christian, I read it with the understanding that my "team" wins. And chapter 12 confirms that message. Once again, John hears a voice from heaven shout, "It has happened at last – the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ! For the Accuser has been thrown down to earth – the one who accused our brothers and sisters before our God day and night" (Revelation 12:10 NLT). As a believer, I hear those words and they are nothing but good news. Sure, chapter 12 is filled with its fair share of bad news. Israel (the woman with child) is going to be persecuted by Satan (the red dragon) during the tribulation time on earth. But God is going to protect Israel during the last half of the tribulation (Revelation 12:6; Revelation 12:14). The Great Tribulation is going to be an extremely difficult time here on earth as the final judgment of God draws closer. This is the last hurrah of Satan and His followers.

That"s why verse 10 is so exciting. John hears it announced that the defeat of our great enemy, Satan, is at hand. It is as good as done. It won't be until chapter 20 that we find out his final destination – the abyss. But the voice from heaven let's everyone know that Satan is defeated. The is "thrown down." The great deceiver and accuser of the brethren has been defeated by God. And he has been overcome by those who came to Christ during the tribulation.

And they have defeated him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of their testimony. And they were not afraid to die. – Revelation 12:11 NLT

Even during the Great Tribulation, long after the church has been removed and the Holy Spirit with it, God will still bring people to a saving knowledge of His Son. Those individuals will place their trust in the blood of Christ shed on the cross – just like we did. And their testimony will overcome the deceiver and accuser. They will be so confident in their salvation that they will willingly face death and martyrdom during those dark days. Which reminds me that I should have that same level of faith right here and now. I should have a confidence in my salvation and in the love and mercy of God that allows me to face whatever comes my way in this life. I should also revel in the fact that my team wins in the end! All because of the the salvation and power and kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ (Revelation 12:10).

Father, while I won't be there to hear these words, I am excited to read them – "It has happened at last!" We are all waiting for that day. When Satan is defeated once and for all. We look forward to the day when Your salvation for mankind is complete. When Your kingdom is come in all its glory. But in the meantime may I have a confidence in the salvation of Your Son so that I stand firm in the face of adversity. I want to overcome the enemy through the power available to me in Jesus Christ. I want my testimony to be that I am willing to face even death for the sake of Christ. Because I trust that my team really does win in the end. Amen

And He Will Reign Forever and Ever!

Revelation 11

Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: "The whole world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever." – Revelation 11:15 NLT

You probably recognize the words from the Hallelujah Chorus in the verse above. "And He shall reign forever and ever." But if you're like me, you didn't know exactly where Handel got the words from. Well, now we know. They came right from Revelation chapter 11. Here we have a picture of the coming of the end of the "mystery of God" referred to in chapter ten. The final judgment of the world and of Satan is coming to a close. As it gets closer and closer to the time when God brings all things to completion and the time of His kingdom on earth is about to arrive, the seventh angel, the same angel who held the scroll in chapter ten, will make an announcement: "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: "The whole world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever" (Revelation 11:15 NLT). This announcement is in anticipation of God's final victory that will set up His kingdom on earth where He will reign forever and ever! At this news the 24 elders will fall on their faces and worship God saying, "We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were angry with you, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants. You will reward your prophets and your holy people, all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. And you will destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth" (Revelation 11:17-18 NLT). The time of God's wrath has come. He will reward His own and destroy the rest. Any mystery to God's redemptive plan will be completely revealed. Everyone will know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, what God's plan is. This event was prophesied about in the book of Daniel: "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever" (Daniel 2:44 NASB). God will put an end to all the other kingdoms of men, and He alone will reign.

It is the setting up of Heaven's sovereignty over the earth visibly, which, when invisibly exercised, was rejected by the earthly rulers heretofore. The distinction of worldly and spiritual shall then cease. There will be no beast in opposition to the woman. Poetry, art, science, and social life will be at once worldly and Christian. – Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary of Revelation

Think about it. Everything will be under God's control again. It is not that He is out of control now, but that He is allowing things to operate counter to His original divine plan. The creation is broken and marred. There is an enemy alive and well, walking the earth and wreaking havoc on mankind. But that day is going to come to an end. The world is at odds with God right now. But the day is coming when everything will be made godly again. The kingdoms of this earth will give way to ONE kingdom over which God will reign through His Son Jesus Christ! This should be a reminder that our God is in control. He is going to set all things right. Even though everything around us looks broken and out of sorts, God will restore His world back to its original glory. He will reclaim what is rightfully His. And He will reign forever and ever. Think about this passage the next time you hear the Hallelujah chorus this Christmas.

Father, You will reign forever and ever. You will rule here on earth and there will no longer be any opposition. That day is coming. Help me to keep my focus on that reality. You are not done yet. Amen

The Mystery of God Is Finished.

Revelation 10

…but in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preached to His servants the prophets. – Revelation 10:7 NASB

There has been a brief time of silence in heaven. We saw that in chapter nine. Now another angel breaks that silence with a voice that sounds like peals of thunder. He lifts up His right hand and swears an oath to God that there will no longer be any delay, because the mystery of God is finished. Evidently this "mystery of God" is the theme of the little book the angel holds in his hand. But what is the mystery he is talking about? What is this mystery of God? It is the mystery of God's plan of redemption. He is referring to the hidden ways of God that had been revealed through the prophets and made known through the apostles. Paul referred to this mystery when he said, "Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God" (1 Corinthians 4:1 NASB). In Ephesians, Paul once again refers to this mystery of the Gospel. He says, "that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery, as I wrote before in brief" (Ephesians 3:4 NASB). He goes on to explain what that mystery is: "to be specific, that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body, and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel" (Ephesians 4:6 NASB). The mystery or divine secret of God for mankind has come to an end. Now all will know what God is about to do. God had revealed His plan little by little through His prophets. Then with the coming of His Son, He made it more clearly known. Now the angel tells John that there will be nothing hidden any longer. The mystery of God's kingdom is going to be fully revealed. And that will include His final judgment of mankind. And it will involve the complete restoration of His kingdom. No longer will Satan rule on this earth. The ruler of this world will be dethroned and sin will be finally and completely dealt with. The result will be that God will reign. We'll see that played out in the next chapter.

Father, one day the mystery of Your kingdom on earth will be completely revealed. There are those who do not see it right now. They do not know that You are God and that You reign. But one day they will know beyond a shadow of a doubt. You will set all things right. You will deal with sin and Satan once and for all. Thank You for that assurance. Amen

Stubborn Right Up Until The End.

Revelation 9

But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to turn from their evil deeds. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood––idols that neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their immorality or their thefts. – Revelation 9:20-21 NLT

Now the imagery really starts to get strange. Locusts ascending from a pit in the earth who have the capacity to torment men by stinging them like scorpions. These aren't your everyday, ordinary, run-of-the-mill locust, but they appear like battle horses with human faces and on their heads they wear golden crowns. They have long flowing hair like women and teeth like lions. On top of that, they have tails like a scorpion, and they are given the power to torture and torment all those alive on the earth at that time for five solid months – except the 144,000 who have come to Christ during the tribulation period. They are protected by God. But it will be so bad for the rest who are alive, that they will want to die. "In those days people will seek death but will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee away!" (Revelation 9:6 NLT).

And it gets worse. Four angels or demons will be released who will destroy one-third of mankind. Added to the one-fourth who were killed under the fourth seal judgment these two judgments alone destroy one-half of the earth's population. Yet in spite of all that is happening, there will be those alive at that time who will refuse to repent. "The remaining men and women who weren't killed by these weapons went on their merry way--didn't change their way of life, didn't quit worshiping demons, didn't quit centering their lives around lumps of gold and silver and brass, hunks of stone and wood that couldn't see or hear or move" (Revelation 9:20 MSG). That's hard to imagine isn't it? How could anyone who lives through this kind of cataclysmic event not turn away from their worship of anything or anyone other than God? Yet it reveals the hardness of the human heart. They would rather worship idols they have made with their own hands than turn to the one true God who is bringing about judgment on the face of the earth. Others would rather die than repent. It just goes to how that there are those who, even in the face of eminent destruction, will not bow their knee to the living God. More than half of the earth's population will die and the rest will stubbornly cling to their misguided worship of false gods. And the result will be their eternal destruction.

Unless God moves our hearts, none of us would ever seek Him. We do not have the capacity to seek after God. Each of us would choose death over life if it were left up to us. But God, in His mercy, chose to reveal Himself to us through His Son Jesus Christ. He opened our eyes so that we might see the beauty of the Gift. He removed the scales from our eyes so that we might see the truth of our condition and the hope of salvation made available through His Son. We should be "eternally" grateful that God chose us in order that we might choose Him.

Father, what more can I say than "Thank You?! You opened my eyes to the truth. You softened my hardened heart. You placed Your Spirit within me. Otherwise I would never have chosen You. I would have been just like those in John's vision – stubbornly clinging to the ridiculous gods of my own making. So I truly am grateful for Your abundant grace and mercy. Amen

The Sound of Silence.

Revelation 8

When the Lamb broke the seventh seal, there was silence throughout heaven for about half an hour. – Revelation 8:1 NLT

Out of all the fantastic imagery found in this chapter, the ten words found in the second half of this verse jumped out at me the most. In the previous chapters John has witnessed the ceaseless praise going on before the throne of God. There are angels, elders, and saints dressed in white, all standing before the throne of God, giving him never-ending praise and glory. There is a "a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9 NIV). They are crying out in a loud voice,  "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb" (Revelation 7:10 NIV). Remember, this is a crowd of individuals so large, you can't count them. Now, imagine the noise level. On top of that, you have the four living creatures and the 24 elders singing before the throne, "You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth" (Revelation 5:9-10 NLT). And as if that wasn't enough, there are "thousands and millions of angels" singing before the throne, "The Lamb is worthy – the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5:12 NLT).

Can you imagine the sound? It would have been deafening. Beautiful, but deafening. And then suddenly, SILENCE!

With the opening of the seventh seal, there is suddenly silence in heaven. Most likely for the first time in eternity! The praising stops. The singing ceases. No one is saying anything. Do you catch the significance of this moment? John says that there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. It must have seemed like an eternity. For the first time in all of time and even before time began, God was not receiving praise. The sense of anticipation is palpable. Something significant is about to happen. Judgment is coming on the earth. John goes on to describe what that judgment is going to be like. The silence seems appropriate. It is as if the angels, elders, and saints all stop and hold their collective breath as Jesus opens this seventh seal. They know what is about to happen. The stored up wrath of God is about to be unleashed. His long-delayed judgment is coming. It is an event prophesied in part in the book of Zephaniah. "Stand in silence in the presence of the Sovereign LORD, for the awesome day of the LORD’s judgment has come" (Zephaniah 1:7 NLT). Zechariah penned a similar warning: "Be silent before the LORD, all humanity, for he is springing into action from his holy dwelling" (Zechariah 2:13 NLT).

He is springing into action from His holy dwelling. The day IS coming when God will judge mankind. He will not put up with all that is going on forever. He is not powerless or indifferent to the sinfulness of mankind. He is simply waiting for the perfect timing in His diving master plan. Christ must first return to take home His bride, the church. Then the great tribulation must take place. But after that, the day of judgment will come. Preceded by a time of deafening silence. Because what will follow will be like nothing the world has ever seen before – or will ever see again. The unrestrained judgment of God. The thought of it should cause all of us to stop and reflect.

Father, I can't even begin to understand all the imagery in this book. I don't know when all of these events will take place. But I do know they will. And I do know that Your judgment is going to be full and complete. There will be no one who disbelieves in You at that point. It will be the beginning of the end. This passage reminds me to stop and think occasionally about the reality of the future. There is a day of judgment coming. Right now, all I can hear is the noise of this life. And at times it is deafening. It is all we can hear. But help me to stop and meditate on the fact that You are going to bring judgment in the end. You are a holy God who will complete what He began. Amen

Our side wins!

Revelation 7

For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life–giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears. – Revelation 7:17 NLT

Regardless of your eschatology or view of future things, one thing we can all agree on is that God wins in the end. He will bring all this madness to an end. We can sit and debate the specifics and argue pre-trib, post-trib theology, but we can't argue over the fact that God is going to finish what He began. We can't debate the fact that He is redeeming a people for Himself out of all of mankind and their salvation is available only through His Son Jesus Christ. That seems to be the primary thought in this chapter. If you get beyond all the opinions as to who the 144,000 and the great multitude that couldn't be numbered really are, you see that the focus of chapter seven, like the rest of this book, is the Lamb.

John views a scene of a vast multitude of believers clothed in white robes and standing before the throne of God, carrying palm branches and crying out, "Salvation comes from our God on the throne and from the Lamb!" (Revelation 7:10 NLT). In response to this cry, the all the angels, the 24 elders, and the four living creatures bow before the throne and shout, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever. Amen!" (Revelation 7:12 NLT).

John is then told who the great multitude of people dressed in white are. They are those who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the lamb, and their robes are now white. In response to this transformation of their lives, they stand before the throne of God and serve Him day and night. God has transformed them through the sacrificial death of His Son, and as a result, they worship and adore Him. The elder tells John:

They will never again be hungry or thirsty, and they will be fully protected from the scorching noontime heat. For the Lamb who stands in front of the throne will be their Shepherd. He will lead them to the springs of life–giving water. And God will wipe away all their tears. – Revelation 7:16-17 NLT

Isn't this what it is all about? Isn't this what we all long for? A time when we will never hunger and thirst again. We won't hunger for change or for release from this body of death. It will have taken place. We won't thirst for more of God because we will be with Him. We won't have to suffer the scorching heat that comes from life in this world. But we will enjoy the constant refreshment of God's presence. We will feast and drink in the very presence of God. There will be no more tears and no more sorrow. No more longing for things to be different. No more anxiety. No more worry. No more disappointment. No more stress. No more fear. No more struggle with sin. No more depression. No more ….

For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be our shepherd.

Father, I can't wait until that day. While there is a lot about the end of time that I don't understand, I do understand that You win in the end. As confused and screwed up as this world seems to be, it will all be made right when You determine it is time. And I will be part of a great multitude of people who stand before Your throne and worship You day and night. Thank You for making this possible through the blood of Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to keep my eyes focused on the reality of the future. What we are experiencing here is just a blip on the radar screen compared to what eternity holds (2 Corinthians 4:17). Amen

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide!

Revelation 6

Then the kings of the earth, the rulers, the generals, the wealthy people, the people with great power, and every slave and every free person – all hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains. And they cried to the mountains and the rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb. For the great day of their wrath has come, and who will be able to survive?" – Revelation 6:15-17 NLT

There is a lot about this chapter I don't understand. I have to rely on the "experts" to give me any idea of what is going on and what all the symbolism stands for. Like the white, black, red, and pale horses. But one thing I do think is pretty clear is that a day is coming when everyone who is alive on the face of the earth will acknowledge "the one who sits on the throne." From the mightiest and the most influential to the wealthiest and the least significant, they will all share one thing in common: their fear of the wrath of God and the Lamb of God – Jesus Christ Himself. They'll attempt to hide themselves among the caves and rocks in the mountains, but it won't do any good. They'll even beg the rocks to fall on them to protect them from Gods wrath.

There is much debate as to exactly when this is going to happen. But there is no dispute that it WILL happen. And when it does, no one will be able to stand before the wrath of God. Jesus Christ will no longer be able to be ignored. The One whom they have despised, rejected, discounted, and continually ignored as irrelevant and unnecessary will suddenly be the focus of all their attention. Their power, wealth, prestige, and position will not be able to save them. That day will be the great equalizer. All men who have rejected the Son of God will stand before God and His holy wrath. And John asks the question, "who is able to stand?" No one.

God will set all things right. His Son will be seen for who He is. He will no longer be ignored. He will be feared. I may not know exactly when all this is going to take place. I have my opinions. But I DO know that it will take place and that this is a reminder to us all of the holiness and righteousness of God. It also reveals the power of God. All the cosmic events described in this chapter – earthquakes, darkened sun, blood-red moon, and stars falling from the sky are reminders that God is the one who holds it all together. It is all under His control. And the day is coming when He will exert full and final control over all creation and all men. The Lamb of God will become the Lion of Judah. And no one will be able to stand before Him! We serve a great God and an incredible Savior.

Father, You are in complete control. You have a perfect plan that You are working and You will bring it about in Your time. Help me to remember Your greatness. No man alive or yet to live can stand before Your divine power and wrath. Your Son is the King of kings and He will one day reign over all. Men who once ignored Him will bow down in fear before Him. Their ridicule will turn to respect, reverence, fear and awe. Help me to keep my eyes focused on the end. The good guys win. Amen

Worthy is the Lamb!

Revelation 5

Then I wept because no one could be found who was worthy to open the scroll and read it. But one of the twenty–four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals." – Vs 4-5 NLT

The scene continues in John's vision of heaven. God is seated on His throne surrounded by the four living creatures and the 24 elders who are worshiping him ceaselessly. In His hand God holds a scroll. But to John's dismay, there is no one deemed worthy to open to the scroll and read it. No one in heaven or on earth meets the qualifications for worthiness required to take the scroll from God's hand and read it. This news brings John to tears. Then one of the elders proclaims to him, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has conquered. He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals" (Revelation 5:5 NLT). At that point John sees a Lamb standing between the throne and the 24 elders. Isn't it interesting that the elder describes Jesus as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, but then He appears as the Lamb, standing as though it had been slain (Revelation 5:6). Jesus is the Lion and the Lamb. He is the conqueror, but only because He was slain. He defeated death and sin by dying a sacrificial, substitionary death on the cross for you and me. He is worthy because He was slain.

You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were killed, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. And you have caused them to become God’s Kingdom and his priests. And they will reign on the earth. (Revelation 5:9-10 NLT)

Jesus is worthy because He was faithful to do what He had been sent by the Father to do. He accomplished the Father's will. He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). His death resulted in victory. His death resulted in life for many (Romans 5:15). His death resulted in our becoming heirs of a kingdom of priests and citizens of a heaven (1 Peter 2:9). The whole emphasis of this chapter is on Jesus and His worthiness. He is the star of this scene and the central focus of the action. The angels join the celebration of His worthiness by singing, "The Lamb is worthy––the Lamb who was killed. He is worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5:12 NLT). Then every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea sang with them, "Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever" (Revelation 5:13 NLT).

The whole scene ends with the 24 elders falling at their feet in worship and adoration before God and the Lamb. He is worthy! He is deserving of our praise, honor, and adoration because of what He has done. He is the Lamb who was slain. He sacrificed His life so that I might live. He ransomed me from slavery to sin and death. And He deserves my praise.

Father, You sent Your Son to die in my place. And He did what He came to do. Because of that I have access before Your throne. I am Your Son and an heir to Your kingdom. All because of what Jesus, the Lamb of God did on the cross. Thank You for sending Him. Jesus, thank You for coming and being obedient, even to the point of dying on the cross in my place. Amen

Holy, Holy, Holy!

Revelation 4

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. – Vs 8 NIV

What does heaven really look like? That's a question we've all asked at one time or another. And in this chapter, John gets the opportunity to see it and describe it to us. Of course, he only gets to visit heaven in a vision, but there is no indication that what he saw was any less real. But in attempting to put what he saw into words that we could understand, John is stuck with similes, metaphors, and verbal analogies that paint a fantastic, but also somewhat confusing image for us. He describes God as "He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance" (Revelation 4:3 NASB). It's hard to get a clear visual representation in my mind of just exactly what that would look like. For whatever reason, what John is seeing is so incredible that he is unable to use normal descriptive terms to tell us what he is looking at. The scene is indescribable. It is more than words can express. Even the sounds he hears can only be expressed in the form of a comparison. He says, "From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder" (Revelation 4:5 NIV). His description of the four living creatures (Revelation 4:4-8) who surround the throne sounds like something out of Greek mythology.

Yet in the middle of all this fantastic imagery, John hears clearly the words the creatures are saying. He says that these creatures surround the throne of God and that day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." There is no question as to what he was hearing. He didn't have to describe their words as peals of thunder or like the roaring of a waterfall. No, he heard their words loud and clear. And he also heard the words of the 24 elders who respond to the cry of the creatures by bowing before the throne of God and crying out, "You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created everything, and it is for your pleasure that they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11 NLT). The scene John is witnessing is unbelievable and indescribable, yet the purpose behind it is quite clear: the worship and adoration of God. John may have had a hard time describing what he was seeing, but he was quite clear about what he was hearing. The point seems to be that while we may have a difficult time describing God, even if we got to see Him face to face, we should have no difficulty worshiping God. What the creatures and the 24 elders are doing in heaven, we should be doing right now – praising God as the only true God. We should be praising Him for His holiness, set-apartness, sinlessness, and perfect righteousness. We should be praising Him for His infinite power and eternal nature. We should be praising Him for His worthiness. We may not be able to describe Him, but we can praise Him.

What John heard was far more significant than what he saw. He heard the heavenly occupants who surround God's throne acknowledging the one-of-a-kind nature of God. He alone is God. He is the creator of all things. He is the sustainer of all things. He alone is worthy of our honor and praise. What these creatures and elders do ceaselessly, we should do willingly as well. Their cries are a reminder of who God is and why we should worship Him. He is the indescribable, unbelievable, indisputable, unapproachable, unforgettable, undeniable, immutable, unquestionable Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!

Father, You are worthy of our praise. I may not be able to see You, describe You, or even understand You, but I can praise You. Like these creatures and the 24 elders, may I never cease to say, day and night, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come! Amen

I Know Your Works.

Revelation 3

You brag, "I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone," oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless. – Vs 17 MSG

Jesus confronts three different churches in this one chapter and He begins with a single phrase each time: "I know your works." He is speaking to churches, not individuals. He is addressing the community of professing believers at a specific geographic location. He's talking to a local body of believers. Not to me as a single, solitary Christian. Why is this important? Because we tend to take so many of these passages and make them personal, and when we do we miss the whole point. While there are applications we can glean from these verses that we can apply to ourselves as individuals, the real message is for the church. And He is telling these churches that He is watching them. As a result, He says He knows their works. He knows what they have produced. The Greek word means "any product whatever, any thing accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind." These churches are not lazy. They have been busy. And their efforts have been producing fruit. The problem is, Christ is not pleased with their fruit. In each case, He has found something wrong. The church in Sardis is in a spiritual coma. They have a reputation for being alive, but in reality they are dead. They may have those around them fooled, but Christ knows the truth.

The church in Philadelphia is a slightly different story. They actually get a commendation from the Lord. He tells them, "Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world" (Vs 10 NLT). This church is under persecution, yet in spite of its difficult circumstances it has remained faithful to the Word of God and has not denied His name. He encourages them to hold fast and to remember that He is coming again soon.

The message to the church in Laodicea is the most striking one to me. And it is probably the most familiar one. He tells them, "You're not cold, you're not hot--far better to be either cold or hot! You're stale. You're stagnant. You make me want to vomit" (Vs 15 MSG). This church was spiritually flat-lined. They were addicted to the status quo. It was business-as-usual all the time for these people. They were indifferent and complacent. They were stuck in the middle. They weren't cold. This probably has nothing to do with spiritual coldness or carnality. Being Christ says, "I will spit you out of my mouth" (NASB), He is probably making a reference to water. Cold water refreshes and quenches thirst. Hot water warms the body when cold. Both are positive attributes, not negative. Yet this church is neither. They are tepid when it comes to their spirituality. And they literally make Christ sick.

Their problem? They are self-sufficient, overly confident, and spiritually prideful. Listen to Christ's description: "You brag, 'I'm rich, I've got it made, I need nothing from anyone,' oblivious that in fact you're a pitiful, blind beggar, threadbare and homeless" (Vs 18 MSG). They were blind to their true spiritual condition. They looked at themselves and saw success. They were oblivious to their true spiritual condition. They had come to a point as a church where they didn't really need Christ any more. They could accomplish everything they needed to do in their own strength. But Christ reminds them that they were really pitiful. From His perspective they were like a blind beggar, a homeless person totally dependent on the goodwill of others to survive. So Christ calls them to return to Him as the source of all their needs. But first they have to admit and confess their condition. That's where it always begins. Then He says that He will meet their needs. He will restore their spiritual vitality and usefulness. He will restore the fellowship and intimacy with Him that is missing in their church. That is why He pleads, "Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends" (Vs 20 NLT). This is one of the most misquoted passages in the Bible. It has little to do with salvation, but has everything to do with the kind of relationship Christ wants to have with His church. He wants to dine with us. He wants to spend time with us. He wants to have intimate, close fellowship with us. But He is standing outside a closed door waiting to be let into our midst. It is as if Christ is saying to the church today, "Please let Me be a part of what You are doing! Let Me in. I want to contribute!" Do we hear Him? Do we need Him? Or like the church at Laodicea, have we become so self-sufficient that we don't need Him anymore?

Father, we need Your Son more than ever. The church needs to open the door and let in the One who can help us survive and make a difference in this world. We can not be the salt and light You have called us to be apart from the influence of Your Son. Forgive us for thinking we are need of nothing. Open our eyes and let us see our true condition if we attempt to do Your work without Your Son. Amen

I Have This Against You!

Revelation 2

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. – Vs 4 NASB

The first church addressed by our Lord in this vision to John was the church in Ephesus. Christ reveals that He knows their deeds. He praises their zeal, perseverance, and determination to protect the gospel from falsehood. But in the midst of all that, He indicts them for having left their first love. The New Living Translation paraphrases His comment this way: "But I have this complaint against you. You don’t love me or each other as you did at first!" In his commentary on the book of Revelation, Matthew Henry explains the real issue:

"The sin Christ charged this church with, is, not the having left and forsaken the object of love, but having lost the fervent degree of it that at first appeared. Christ is displeased with his people, when he sees them grow remiss and cold toward him. Surely this mention in Scripture, of Christians forsaking their first love, reproves those who speak of it with carelessness, and thus try to excuse indifference and sloth in themselves and others; our Saviour considers this indifference as sinful. They must repent: they must be grieved and ashamed for their sinful declining, and humbly confess it in the sight of God. They must endeavour to recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as diligently, as when they first set out in the ways of God." – Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

These people were busy doing spiritual things and patiently enduring hardship for the cause of Christ, but at the same time, their lives exhibited a loss of love for Christ Himself. Their efforts had replaced the affection. Their obsession with performance had replaced their passion for the Savior. If you go back to Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus, you read where he commended them. "That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the Christians, I couldn't stop thanking God for you – every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks" (Ephesians 1:15-15 MSG). Their faith and love for Christ had resulted in love for one another. But now Christ was accusing them of having left or abandoned their first love.

The word translated "left" here is so much more powerful and impactful in the Greek language. It is a term that was used when referring to a man divorcing his wife. It carries the idea of abandonment. It paints a picture of unfaithfulness. It can literally be translated, "to depart from one and leave him to himself so that all mutual claims are abandoned." That is what Christ is indicting the church at Ephesus for and, by extension, the church of today. We too, can end up abandoning our first love, all the while appearing as if all is well in our relationship with Christ. It is much like a man or woman who emotionally walks out on their marriage partner, but remains in the same home, giving all appearances that their marriage is intact and in good health. But the reality is that the love has long gone. They are simply going through the motions.

Christ commended this church for their diligence in duty and for their patience in suffering. But He also points out what is missing. Or what has gone missing. They had abandoned their first love or that which was of first rank or importance. Our efforts for Christ must never replace our affection for Him. What we do for Him must be motivated by our love for Him. Christ tells the Ephesians to remember and repent. They must call to mind the way things began in their relationship with Him. They must consciously determine where they started and where they have ended up. Then their awareness must lead to confession and repentance. This doesn't come naturally. We can so easily become blind to our spiritual condition. We can convince ourselves that all is well because we do so much so well. But if we stop and take stock, we will see that we have really replaced our love for Christ with a love for something else. Like them, I can be busy serving Him, but fall in love with serving more than the Savior Himself. I can end up doing a lot for Christ, but not out of love for Him. I can replace affection with effort. But He wants my love, not my duty. 

Father, forgive me for falling in love with the trappings of spirituality and religion and losing my affection for Your Son. He must always remain my primary love. He must be where I focus my affection. Nothing and no one else can ever replace Him, even though I consistently try to find love and satisfaction elsewhere. Bring us back to our first love, as a church, and as the people of God. May Your church return to where we first began. So that the world may see Him in us and be drawn to the love He reveals for us and through us. Amen

Don't Be Afraid!

Revelation 1

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, "Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave." – Vs 17-18 NLT

Well, this is it. The last book of the New Testament – the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. And it's going to be a wild ride. This book is full of fantastic visions, difficult-to-understand imagery, and prophetic pronouncements that may seem to have little application for daily life, but it was actually written to encourage the churches that existed during the day when John penned the book under the Holy Spirit's influence. So in the midst of all the unbelievable imagery, there is a message that we must look for and listen to. John says, "God blesses the one who reads this prophecy to the church, and he blesses all who listen to it and obey what it says. For the time is near when these things will happen" (Vs 3 NLT). There is a blessing in store for those who hear and obey the words of the Revelation. So it seems that it would make sense for us to listen carefully and obey fully.

John starts out this book with a clear indication of its author – Jesus Christ. These are the words of Christ for His church. He appears to John in a vision on the island of Patmos where John has been exiled for his preaching of the gospel. John describes Jesus, "'like a son of man,' dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash round his chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance" (Vs 13-16 NIV). Wow! What a sight. And John's immediate reaction was to fall down as if dead.

But Jesus reaches down and touches John, saying, "Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave" (Vs 17-18 NLT). Jesus assures John of who He is. He is the eternal one who came and died on behalf of men. He is the one who was resurrected and lives forevermore – having conquered death and the grave. Jesus tells John not to fear. He assures John that He is the same Jesus he came to know when He walked with John along the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Yes, He looks a little different than John remembers. He appears in this vision clothed in glory, emanating power, and exuding strength. He is the same Jesus, but this time He appears in all His eternal majesty, glory, and divine power. The book of the Revelation is a book of hope and joy. It is a picture into the future. It is a glimpse into the unseen. But it is also a reminder to those of us who make up the church of Jesus Christ today that He is not done. This story is not over yet. He is ALIVE. He is in complete control and one day He is going to return and set all things right. But before all that happens, He has a few things He wants to say to us. He tells John to write down what He has to say the the seven churches – which represent His global church. So as we read this book, let us listen carefully and obey completely. If we do, we are assured a blessing.

Father, make this book come alive to me more than ever before. Open my ears to hear what You have to say to me and to all of us who make up the church today. Your Son has a message for us. And because of who He is, we should listen. Don't let me get bogged down in all the imagery and lose the message. May Your Holy Spirit assist me in understanding what it is You have to say through this book. Amen

What About Him?

John 21

Jesus replied, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me." – Vs 22 NLT

Jesus has just revealed to Peter that he is going to die a martyr's death."The truth is, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked and go wherever you wanted to. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will direct you and take you where you don’t want to go" (Vs 18 NLT). John makes it clear what Jesus meant by this seemingly obscure comment. "Jesus said this to let him know what kind of death he would die to glorify God. Then Jesus told him, 'Follow me'" )Vs 19 NLT). What a bombshell this must have been to Peter. Not only had Jesus just questioned him three times about his love for Him, now he was hearing that he was going to have to die a martyr's death. This must have been devastating news to Peter.

Listen to what Matthew Henry has to say in his commentary about this statement by Jesus to Peter:

He foretells particularly that he should die a violent death, by the hands of an executioner. The stretching out of his hands, some think, points at the manner of his death by crucifying; and the tradition of the ancients, if we may rely upon that, informs us that Peter was crucified at Rome under Nero, A.D. 68, or, as others say, 79. Others think it points at the bonds and imprisonments which those are hampered with that are sentenced to death. The pomp and solemnity of an execution add much to the terror of death, and to any eye of sense make it look doubly formidable. Death, in these horrid shapes, has often been the lot of Christ's faithful ones, who yet have overcome it by the blood of the Lamb. This prediction, though pointing chiefly at his death, was to have its accomplishment in his previous sufferings. It began to be fulfilled presently, when he was imprisoned, Acts 6:3; 5:18; 12:4. No more is implied here in his being carried whither he would not than that it was a violent death that he should be carried to, such a death as even innocent nature could not think of without dread, nor approach without some reluctance. He that puts on the Christian does not put off the man. Christ himself prayed against the bitter cup. A natural aversion to pain and death is well reconcileable with a holy submission to the will of God in both. Blessed Paul, though longing to be unloaded, owns he cannot desire to be unclothed, 2 Co. 5:4.

But what I love about Peter is his honesty. How does he respond? Not with a bunch of questions. He doesn't even ask Jesus, "Why?" No, he turns the attention to John, asking Jesus, "Lord, what about this man?" Do you catch what he is asking? He wants to know what is going to happen to John. There is a hint of jealousy in his words. After all, John is the disciple whom Jesus loved. He knew Jesus and John had a special relationship. Jesus had turned over the care of His own mother to John while He hung on the cross. John hadn't denied the Lord like Peter had. Jesus hadn't questioned John's love and loyalty. So Peter wants to know if he is being singled out. Is he the only one who is going to suffer and die. He wants to know if John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, is going to hear similar bad news.

Isn't that just like us? When we have to suffer for the Lord or go through difficult times as believers, we want to know why someone else isn't having to go through the same thing or at least something similar. We compare. We complain. We want to know why we are being singled out. We want to know why so-in-so is doing so well while we are suffering. But what does Jesus say to Peter? "Jesus replied, 'If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You follow me.'" (Vs 22 NLT). What is that to you? Why do we have to worry about everyone else? Why can't we accept from the Lord what He has given for us to bear and not try to compare out lot in life to someone else? Others seem more blessed than us. Others seems to skate through life unscathed and untouched by trials and tribulations. Others seem to have everything go their way. So we begin to see life as unfair. When we do, we call into question God's love. Jesus had just told Peter, "Follow Me." Yes, the way was going to be difficult and would end in Peter's death. But Jesus was calling Peter to commit his life to following Him – regardless of the cost. Peter wanted to know what it was going to cost John. But as far as Jesus was concerned, that was noconcern of Peter's. "What is that to you?"

We have each been called by Jesus to follow Him. We have been called to a life of commitment and sacrifice. We have been called to a life of discipleship and service. We have been called to a life that calls for death to self and yes, sometimes suffering. I am not to compare my life with anyone else. I am not to compare my calling or my circumstances with anyone else's. I am to trust God and follow His Son faithfully. The path He has for me is going to be different and distinct. The circumstances I encounter along the way will be unique to me. I am not to concern myself with others or ask, "Lord, what about this man?" I am simply to follow Him and trust that He knows exactly what He is doing in my life and with my life.

Father, too often I ask, "Lord, what about this man?" I compare. I contrast. Then I complain. I want to know why my life has to be so hard. I want to know why I have to go through what I am going through. I want to know why others seem to have it so easy. Yet, what is that to me? I am called to follow Your Son and to trust His will for my life. May I grow in my commitment to and confidence in Jesus. May I trust Him more and more with the details of my daily life. Because He has never proven Himself untrustworthy. Amen

I have seen the Lord!

John 20

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” — and that he had said these things to her. – Vs 18 ESV

What a dark morning it must have been as Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb of Jesus. Not only was the sky dark, but everything in her world was darkened by sadness and the painful realization that her teacher and friend, Jesus, was dead. Her hopes in Him as the coming Messiah had given way to disillusionment and despair. Her mind must have been reeling as she tried to grasp what had happened over the last 24 hours. It all began so well, with His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, but somewhere along the way,  it had taken a nasty turn for the worse. He had been arrested, beaten, mocked, falsely accused, and run through a series of trials. And then it had ended with His excruciating death on a cross.

Now as she made her way to the tomb, she had one thing on her mind: the task of anointing Jesus' body for burial – something they had not been able to do the day before because it was the Sabbath. But when she and the other two women who accompanied her arrived at the tomb, the were shocked to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. They immediately ran to tell the disciples. But at this point, she had robbery, not resurrection on her mind. She told them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him" (Vs 2 ESV). They all ran back to the scene of the crime. Peter and John entered the tomb, but Mary Magdalene remained outside crying. Could it get any worse than this? Not only was her teacher dead, now His body was gone. Even when she was confronted by the angels and asked the reason for her tears, she could only respond, "They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him" (Vs 13 ESV). Then she turned and saw the resurrected Lord, but failed to recognize Him. He too asked her why she was crying, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking? (Vs 15 ESV). Assuming Him to be the gardener, she responded, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away" (Vs 15 ESV).

Do you see the irony in this scene? Here was Mary Magdalene, standing in front of her resurrected Lord and Savior, and all she could think about was completing her task of anointing His body for burial. She had come to do something for Him, and was failing to see the magnitude of what He had just done for her. She had become consumed by her circumstances. Everything around her was telling her that all hope was lost. The one on whom she had come to depend was no longer there for her to lean on, learn from, and hope in. She was on her on. This was the man who had given her back her life by casting seven demons out of her. But now He was gone. At least that was her perspective – until He said her name. Then her eyes were opened and she recognized Him. In joy she clung to Him. But Jesus gave her a job to do. And it was different than what she had originally come to do. She wasn't going to anoint. Instead she was going to announce. She was to tell the disciples the good news of Jesus' resurrection. And she did, exclaiming, "I have seen the Lord!" (Vs 18 ESV).

"I have seen the Lord!" Isn't that the news we all should be shouting? Those of us who have found new life in Christ should be telling everyone we meet that we have had a personal encounter with the Lord. We have seen Him. We have experienced Him. Our message of good news should not be academic, but actual. We should be able to say that He is alive and well and active in our lives. But for many of us, we are like Mary Magdalene. We live our lives focused on our circumstances, failing to recognize Him when He does appear. We act as if He is dead and our cause defeated. Our Jesus is a Jesus of the past. He is not alive and influencing our lives today. So instead of announcing Him as the living Lord, we "anoint" Him by paying our last respects. We sing about Him. We study about Him. We read books about Him. We listen to sermons about Him. But we fail to SEE Him. We fail to experience Him as the risen Lord. May we open our eyes and see Jesus standing before us today, so that we may say with Mary, "I have seen the Lord!"

Father, Your Son is alive and well, but I often act as if He is still in the tomb. I can so easily view Him as an historical figure. I can study His life and teachings. I can know all there is to know about Him. But I can fail to see Him and know Him. I can allow my circumstances to convince me that He is no longer with me. But open my eyes to recognize Him as alive and active in my life. He doesn't need me to anoint Him, but to announce Him. May I be able to shout, "I have seen the Lord!" today. Amen

More Than A Man.

John 19

When Jesus came out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe, Pilate said to them, "Here is the man!" – Vs 5 NIV

In this chapter we find Jesus in the middle of a succession of trials. Here he is before Pilate. He has been beaten, flogged, spit on, slapped, ridiculed, had a crown of thorns pressed down on his head and been made to wear a robe in mockery of His lofty position as "King of the Jews." Finding no fault in Jesus, Pilate appeals to the crowd in an attempt to release Jesus. So he presents him to the masses and shouts, "Here is the man!" In Jesus' current physical state, He had to present a hideous sight – covered in blood, the skin on His back and sides hanging off of Him due to the brutal flogging He had received. His face was most likely swollen and bruised. Blood would have been streaming from the wounds caused by the thorns pressing into His scalp. Perhaps Pilate was attempting to appeal to the mercy of the Jews by showing Jesus in this condition. He was still wearing the royal-colored robe and the "Crown." How could they fear someone so pitiful? What could He do now to harm them or their precious religious system?

But what Pilate didn't realize was that his words carried far more meaning than he could have ever dreamed. When he shouted, "Here is the man!," he was unknowingly referencing a Messianic prophesy from the book of Zechariah:

Then say to him, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of the LORD.'" – Zechariah 6:12 (NASB)

While in the immediate context, this passage refers to Zerubbabel, it is also a prophetic pronouncement concerning the coming Messiah. He would be a man whose name is Branch. The theme of the branch can be found throughout the Old Testament and is a reference to the Messiah – a role that Jesus Himself fulfilled.

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, And a branch from his roots will bear fruit."– Isaiah 11:1 (NASB)

For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. – Isaiah 53:2 (NASB)

In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth. – Jeremiah 33:15

The epithet “Branch” (צֶמַח, tsemakh) derives from the verb used here (יִצְמָח, yitsmakh, “will sprout up”) to describe the rise of Jesus, the Messiah. In announcing Jesus as the man, Pilate was unwittingly announcing Jesus the Messiah. Even dressed as He was and in the condition in which He appeared, Jesus was fulfilling prophesy by appearing as the suffering servant. Isaiah 53 prophesies this role for Jesus:

"Though the Lord desired to crush him and make him ill, once restitution is made, he will see descendants and enjoy long life, and the Lord’s purpose will be accomplished through him. Having suffered, he will reflect on his work, he will be satisfied when he understands what he has done. “My servant will acquit many, for he carried their sins. So I will assign him a portion with the multitudes, he will divide the spoils of victory with the powerful, because he willingly submitted to death and was numbered with the rebels, when he lifted up the sin of many and intervened on behalf of the rebels." – Isaiah 53:10-12 (NET)

Jesus was the man. He was the branch. He was the suffering servant who came to give His life on our behalf. As He stood there before Pilate and the hostile Jewish crowd, Jesus appeared as the sacrificial lamb who life was being slowly taken from Him. His death had begun. The cross would only finish what the Roman guards had begun. Everything He had suffered to this point was intended for a convicted criminal. He was already bearing the brunt for our sins. He was suffering on our behalf. He was taking on Himself the penalty intended for me and you. He was the man. The God-man who alone could satisfy the just wrath of God against sin. He carried our sins. He acquitted us of all our transgressions. He was the man who is called the Branch who would bear much fruit. And today, because of what He did, we are the fruit of His faithful obedience.

Father, thank You for Your Son. That He was willing to be the man who alone could satisfy You by paying the penalty for sin. I could never have satisfied Your just demands. But He did. And He did it for me! And to do it He became a man. He became THE man. The only man who could live a sinless life and die a sinner's death. So that the penalty for sin could be paid for once and for all. Here is the man! Thank You, thank You, thank You!!! Amen

King Jesus.

John 18

My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm. – Vs 36 NASB

Ever since the day Jesus had begun His earthly ministry and called His first disciples, His followers had hoped that He was the "coming One," the Messiah they had long hoped for. For centuries they had been waiting for the arrival of the one who would come as their king and lead them in victory over their enemies. The Messiah for whom they were waiting was going to be a warrior-king. He would defeat the Romans, set His people free, and set up His kingdom on earth, reestablishing the throne of David in Jerusalem. G. N. H. Peters writes, "It is universally admitted by writers of prominence … that the Jews, including the pious, held to a personal coming of the Messiah, the literal restoration of the Davidic throne and kingdom, the personal reign of Messiah on David’s throne, the resultant exaltation of Jerusalem and the Jewish nation, and the fulfilment of the Millennial descriptions of that reign." The expectation of the disciples was high. They were anticipating that Jesus was going to set up His kingdom here on earth. That is why two of them asked Jesus if they could sit on His left and on His right when He came into power (Mark 10:37). It is also the reason why Peter rebuked Jesus for saying that He was going to Jerusalem to die (Matthew 16:21-23). This news did not fit into Peter's plans for the Messiah or himself. He was looking for a conquering King, not a suffering servant. The Jews had held onto the promises given to them by God found in the writings of the Old Testament:

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, On the throne of David and over his kingdom, To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness From then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. – Isaiah 9:6-7

But now, as we approach the last hours of Jesus life, we see that the kingdom He came to establish was quite different than that which the disciples and Jews had anticipated. Jesus clearly saw Himself as a king. He admitted it to Pilate when He said, "You say correctly that I am a king. For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice" (Vs 37 NASB). But He also clarified that His kingdom was NOT going to be an earthly kingdom – at least not yet. "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm" (Vs 36 NASB). Jesus came to establish a spiritual kingdom. He came to reign as king in the lives of those who would be His servants. He would not be recognized as king by His own – the Jews. But He was king nonetheless. And He is king today. He rules and He reigns from heaven. He is Lord of Lord and King of kings. He sits at the right hand of the Father and one day will return to finish what He began. The day is coming when He will establish His throne on earth and rule from Jerusalem.

But the real question is whether or not Jesus is king in my life today. Does He rule and reign over the affairs of my life? Or like the Jews of Jesus' day, am I guilty of anticipating a different kind of king? Was I looking for a king who would do what I wanted? Was I anticipating a king who would give me a life free from pain, sorrow, opposition, and struggles? At this point, Jesus' kingdom is a spiritual one. He rules in the lives of men and women. His kingdom is not of this earth. One day it will be. But for now, it is a kingdom that has a spiritual dimension. As a believer, I am a citizen of that kingdom. But do I obey its King? Do I allow Him to rule in my life every day? What about you? Is Jesus King in your life today? Read the following message given by Dr. S. M. Lockeridge. It could inspire you to let Him reign in your life.

My King was born King. The Bible says He’s a Seven Way King. He’s the King of the Jews – that’s an ethnic King. He’s the King of Israel – that’s a national King. He’s the King of Righteousness. He’s the King of the ages. He’s the King of Heaven. He’s the King of glory. He’s the King of Kings and He is the Lord of lords. Now that’s my king.

Well, I wonder if you know Him. Do you know Him? Don't try to mislead me. Do you know my King? David said the Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork. My King is the only one of whom there are no means of measure that can define His limitless love. No far seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of the shore of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessing.

He's enduringly strong. He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast. He's immortally graceful. He's imperially powerful. He's impartially merciful. That's my King. He's God's Son. He's the sinner's saviour. He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands alone in Himself. He's honest. He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprecedented. He's supreme. He's pre-eminent. He's the grandest idea in literature. He's the highest personality in philosophy. He's the supreme problem in higher criticism. He's the fundamental doctrine of historic theology. He's the carnal necessity of spiritual religion. That's my King.

He's the miracle of the age. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one able to supply all our needs simultaneously. He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and the tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He's the Almighty God who guides and keeps all his people. He heals the sick. He cleanses the lepers. He forgives sinners. He discharged debtors. He delivers the captives. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young. He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent and He beautifies the meek. That's my King.

Do you know Him? Well, my King is a King of knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness. He's the highway of holiness. He's the gateway of glory. He's the master of the mighty. He's the captain of the conquerors. He's the head of the heroes. He's the leader of the legislatures. He's the overseer of the overcomers. He's the governor of governors. He's the prince of princes. He's the King of kings and He's the Lord of lords. That's my King.

His office is manifold. His promise is sure. His light is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His Word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you . . . but He's indescribable. That's my King. He's incomprehensible, He's invincible, and He is irresistible.

I'm coming to tell you this, that the heavens of heavens can't contain Him, let alone some man explain Him. You can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hands. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found out they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. The witnesses couldn't get their testimonies to agree about Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my King.

He always has been and He always will be. I'm talking about the fact that He had no predecessor and He'll have no successor. There's nobody before Him and there'll be nobody after Him. You can't impeach Him and He's not going to resign. That's my King! That's my King!

Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory. Well, all the power belongs to my King. We're around here talking about black power and white power and green power, but in the end all that matters is God's power. Thine is the power. Yeah. And the glory. We try to get prestige and honor and glory for ourselves, but the glory is all His. Yes. Thine is the Kingdom and the power and glory, forever and ever and ever and ever. How long is that? Forever and ever and ever and ever. . . And when you get through with all of the ever's, then . . .Amen!