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)