plagues and the future

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

SDC11490Revelation 15.  First the good news: When God’s wrath is finished – there will have been a harvest of worshippers who praise him for his great deeds and holy ways.  This will happen in spite of the bad news.  During this time the earth will not be at peace or without pain.  Instead, terrible plagues will destroy the lives of millions.

The common denominator for both the good news of redemption and the bad news of wrath is God’s holiness.  The same holiness which punishes this planet for its rebellion also rescues believers by the blood of the Lamb.

LORD, may we endure your wrath and celebrate your grace.  May the gospel of salvation through faith in Jesus be our constant chorus.

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martyrs and the future

Posted on December 23, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 14.    Here we see the 144,000 again.  They are called the firstfruits because they were the first to hear the whole gospel, and be redeemed.  Many of those first Jewish believers paid for their allegiance to Christ by giving their lives.  John witnessed that.  All of his early companions in the ministry were now dead.  The question that looms in the air here is “Was it worth it?”  The answer:

‘“Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”’
(Revelation 14:13 ESV)

The wrath of man (even if it leads to death) is nothing compared to the horrible wrath of God that is coming upon this world.  God our creator loves us, and because of this love he cannot allow sin and Satan to continue to reign.  There will be a day of reckoning for Satan and sinners – a day of vindication for the martyrs.

LORD, may we love the people of this planet enough to warn them of your coming wrath.

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the beasts and the future

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 13.    The vision that we started reading yesterday introduced us to Satan, the great dragon/serpent/devil.  Today’s text describes the two great tools the devil has used against God’s plan and his people.  They are described as beasts.

  1. The first beast (the one from the sea) has all the elements of the four beasts of Daniel 7.  This is a way of identifying all the human empires.  What Jesus is saying is that human government will conspire to overthrow God’s plan and destroy his people.
  2. The second beast (the one from the earth) seems to represent human religion.  The apostate church will conspire with the rebellious state to undo God’s plan.  They will both fail.

LORD, we pledge our ultimate loyalty not to the church or the state but to Jesus Christ.

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the dragon and the future

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 12.  This one gets a bit complicated, but here’s how I see it:

  1. There is an enemy. He is the dragon, the serpent, the devil (9).  He opposes God’s plan for the future, and has sought to thwart that plan.
  2. The enemy first sought to thwart God’s plan for redemption and restoration by preventing the birth of the Messiah – the mail child.  Before Christ was born, Satan sought to destroy Israel – from whom the Messiah was to descend.
  3. When that didn’t work, Satan set himself and his forces to destroying both Israel (from whom Christ came and the church (for whom Christ came) (7).  Neither of these plans of the devil will be accomplished.  While individuals can be killed, God’s plan and his people will survive.

LORD, thank you that the enemy’s plans will not succeed.

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victory in the future

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 11.    The age in which we live is often one where the people of God and the word of God are in conflict with the kingdom of the world.  This chapter reveals that – in the future – that will change.  When the seventh trumpet blows, the “kingdom of the world (will become) the kingdom of our Lord and his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever” (15). 

THere is both persecution from man and protection from God in this chapter, but the most important truth revealed is that the victory will eventually come.  The  time given for the nations to trample the holy city is limited.  The future victory is certain.

LORD, give us strength to endure whatever we might face as we witness to your gospel.  We know that the victory you promise is sure.

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a sealed future

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 10.  John sees the future as a “mystery” that is revealed to him, but he is told to seal it up and not to write it down.  It should be enough to know that God has a plan, and that when the time is right, there will be no more delay.  Our tendency is to be impatient with God.  We have a glimpse in the sweet word of God of the precious inheritance that awaits us, but after eating the little scroll, it turns bitter in our stomach.  The troubles of today make us forget about the blessed hope.

One of the big ideas revealed in Revelation is that God has a plan that he has set in motion.  It involves “many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” They have a destiny.  Because of the gospel we preach – some will come to Christ and join us in eternity.  Others will experience his judgment.  We do not know the future – at least not all of it.  But we can trust the one who does.

LORD, give us the wisdom to proclaim your gospel to the lost, and trust you with the future.

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pain in the future

Posted on December 18, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 8:6-9:21.    I have not been entirely convinced by the various interpretations of this passage that I have read.  This seems like a prophecy requiring a number of clues to get at its interpretation. What I do get is that the events it describes take place in John’s future, but before the return of Christ. The wars and plagues are felt by the population of the whole earth.  The most unbelievable words here are “the rest…did not repent.”  But we have to admit that it accurately describes the stance this world has taken to the sufferings it has faced.

LORD, help us to listen to our pain.  May it drive us to you and not from you.

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citizens of the future

Posted on December 17, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 7:1-8:5.    The future will be populated by those redeemed “of the sons of Israel” (the 144,000 representing Jews saved during the first century) and also “from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages.”  Their eternal destiny is sure in spite of the fact that harm will come to the earth and the sea.  God’s promise to them (us) is that they (we)…

“…shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;
        the sun shall not strike them,
        nor any scorching heat.
    For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd,
        and he will guide them to springs of living water,
    and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
(Revelation 7:16-17 ESV)

 

He also promises that he will hear their prayers.  The prayers go up to him like incense at the altar.

LORD, we trust you to make our dreams of the future a reality, and to shepherd us during this dark and trying age.

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the age before the future

Posted on December 16, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 6.    The four chariots of Zechariah 6 represent spying out the land, but the four horses of Revelation 6 are war horses. They represent attacks against the whole earth.  This chapter parallels Jesus’ descriptions of this age of tribulation that will continue until his second coming.  The saints are not delivered from this tribulation, but endure it.  Those who pay the ultimate price for their faith (martyrdom) are told to continue resting (in their graves) until the whole number of martyrs should be complete (11).  This age ends with the population hiding in fear from the wrath of the Lamb.  The future will be a time of blessing for those ransomed by the Lamb, but a time of wrath and destruction for all others.

LORD, give us the wisdom and courage to reach out to the enemies of the Lamb, so that they do not have to face his terrible wrath.

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a certain future

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Jefferson Vann

sdc11490Revelation 5.   John sees a scroll – a picture depicting all the events that must take place for all creation to be reconciled to God.  The only one worthy of opening the scroll – thus revealing the future – is the Lamb.  He was slain, and by his blood has ransomed people for God.  That is why we have a certain future.  It is certain, and we can know it because it is written on the scroll.  The Lamb is revealing it to us.  What is certain about our future?

  1. We will be ransomed because of Christ’s death on the cross.
  2. We will be a kingdom of priests.
  3. We will reign on the earth.

LORD, thank you for giving us a destiny, and revealing it to us in your word.

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