Reading 63

Revelation 11-14

I have to admit, when I signed up to blog about today’s reading, I was more than a little intimidated. I mean, come on, Revelation? The book with overt prophecy about the end times, dragons, beasts, warriors, witnesses, war, edible (but sour tasting) scrolls, and the like. I know in the end God wins, and I know before that happens there will be a lot of crazy things going on. And so, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to tackle a section smack dab in the middle of this book. But I felt God prompting me to, so here I am.

And God proved himself faithful, yet again (why am I surprised?). What I discovered as I read today’s reading was that even in this nearly sci-fi like book, there’s something for me, in my life, today: a warning. In chapter 12, John tells the story about Satan being cast out of heaven – well, hurled, actually – along with his band of angels. And then he tells us about an announcement made:

“Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.

“They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

“Therefore rejoice, you heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has gone down to you! He is filled with fury, because he knows that his time is short.’" (Revelation 12: 10-12)

John then goes on to describe how Satan pursues the woman who gave birth (earlier in the chapter) and how he tries to catch her, but she is protected by God. Then in verse 17, John says, “Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God's commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.”

We’re at war. If we are trying to be obedient to God’s commands, we are at war with Satan. And he doesn’t play fair. He isn’t nice. He will kick you when you’re down (verse 15 talks about a river spewing forth from his mouth to try and overtake the woman – nice guy, huh?!). This is serious stuff… and I can’t help but think of Ephesians 6 where we’re told to “put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes” (11).

We’ve been warned – and on top of that, we’ve been given the tools to stay standing even when the days are evil. From the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, to the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, to the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, we have armor. And that armor is designed to help us stand. So let’s stand together!

Cristin

Reading #63 (audio)

Reading 62

Rev 7-10

Well, well, well…I’m not even going to try to interpret these visions or address the theology of Revelation 7-10. The best I can do is offer a couple of observations.

While we have a hard time understanding this book, we get some glimpses of the end of this world as we know it. It will be a wild time and all will suffer. In today’s reading we see two responses to that suffering.

In Rev. 7:9 we read about an uncountable number of people worshiping God. (It sounds like this is a different group from the 144,000.) It says they are the ones who are coming out of the tribulation. Whatever the tribulation entails, it won’t be yippy-skippy fun. I find this group’s example comforting. This passage would indicate that there are many believers who make it through the chaos and recognize God for who he is as they say in 7:12, “Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and strength belong to our God forever and forever.”

How often are we tempted to be angry with God for hard times rather than worship him? We tend to think that a loving God wouldn’t allow suffering.

Which might be why another group who survives some plagues has an opposite response. In 9:20 and 21 we read, “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.” How much of their behavior is because they are ticked off at God?

One group suffers immensely and gratefully sees the reality that God brought them through it. Another feels offended and lashes out in hatred and rebellion.

We think that life will be peachy if we know and obey God. Have you noticed how untrue that is? I’m learning to accept that life involves hard times. I’m trying to embrace that and let God work on my character as well as basking in the joy of his presence when circumstances around me do not make sense. Then I can join my sisters and brothers in praising God…forever.

Sue

Reading #62 (audio)

Reading 61

Reading 61

Revelation 3-6

Have you ever had a vivid dream and woke up wondering if it meant anything? For the Apostle John it was not a dream but a vision and though he may not have understood everything in the vision, he did know that it was chock full of meaning.

At this point in his life John was an elderly man who had been exiled to a mining colony because of his faith in and witness to Jesus (1:9). It was a time when the early church was experiencing persecution and believers were dying for their faith. According to church tradition the Apostle Peter was crucified upside down while Paul was beheaded in Rome. John had not escaped unscathed and when he wrote that he was “your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus” (1:9) he wasn’t sympathizing from the rocking chair.

It was in the midst of these circumstances that Jesus Christ gave John this apocalyptic vision (apocalypse means “to reveal”). The primary purpose of the vision was probably to encourage the brothers and sisters to stay faithful to Jesus. To let them know that God knew they were suffering and that at the time of His choosing He would set things right.

There is much in this vision that is difficult to understand, but there are also things that clear. One of them is found in chapter 5:8

“And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.” (NIV)

This tells us that the prayers of God’s people are an aroma pleasing to him. They are precious to him, being brought to him in golden bowls and it lets us know that the prayers of God’s people come directly into his presence. There’s no screening process to see which prayers are “up to snuff”.

Whenever we struggle it is not uncommon to wonder if God hears our pleas. The Apostle John would want you to know that, yes indeed, God hears your prayer, they are precious to him, and at the right time in the right way he will answer.

--Nils

Reading 61 Audio