Devotionary

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Ep 502 – Revelation 9:13-21 May 02, 2018

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As the second of the three woes is pronounced, John is going to get a ring-side seat to mankind's sin-hardened heart. The dreadful wrath of God will fall on men, in the form of three devastating plagues that kill one-third of the earth's population. But as incredible as this sounds, the more amazing thing is that those who survive this unbelievable event, will still refuse to turn to God in repentance. Revelation 9:13-21 provides a sad indictment on humanity and its stubborn refusal to acknowledge God as the one true God. The people who will be alive on the earth during these final days of the tribulation will reflect the same attitude that the rest of humanity has displayed for generations. In spite of God's judgment against them, they will refuse to give up their false gods and arrogantly persist in doing things their way, seeking help and hope in anything and everything but God. And the list John provides of their false gods, includes demons as well as idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood. None of which can see, hear or even walk. And yet, the survivors of this apocalyptic scene will continue to turn to false gods rather than place their hope in the God of the universe. The God who made them and who is bringing His judgment against them.

Ep 501 – Revelation 9:1-12 May 01, 2018

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forgiveness for their sins and eternal life rather than eternal punishment? We call this offer the good news, but to many it is anything but that. In their darkness and sinfulness, they hear the words regarding God's gracious gift of salvation and they reject it as unnecessary and undesirable. And as John will discover in today's passage, even those going through the pain of God's unrelenting judgment will continue to reject Him and refuse to turn to Him. Revelation 9:1-12 reveals the first of the three woes that are going to fall on the earth in the final days of the tribulation. Demonic activity will run rampant on the earth, with the forces of Satan tormenting all those who live on the earth who wear the mark of the beast. These will be all those who have refused Christ as their Savior. And their torment will be so great that they will wish for death and even attempt to take their own lives, but fail in their attempt to do so. They will be stuck in their misery and pain, completely unable to do anything about it. It will be foretaste of their eternal destiny, reserved for all those who fail to accept God's gracious gift of salvation made possible through His Son. But all the tribulation saints, who have refused to bear the mark of the beast or bow down to the Antichrist, will be protected by God. During the darkest days of the tribulation, they will be preserved.

Ep 500 - Revelation 8:8-13 May 01, 2018

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With the trumpet judgments, John is given a vision of the wrath of God as it is poured out on the fallen world, in a succession of devastating supernatural events. And accompanying their arrival, John hears the sound of a voice calling out, "Woe, woe, woe." This will be a sorrowful time, filled with unrelenting pain and suffering upon the unbelieving world. And while we may find these judgments to be harsh, we must never forget that they are anything but undeserved. God has shown patience on sinful mankind for centuries, allowing them to continue to reject His sovereignty as God, and to refuse His gracious offer of salvation and forgiveness of sin made possible through His Son's sacrificial death. Even during the tribulation, while some will respond to God's offer and place their faith in Christ, the vast majority of people living during that time will worship the Antichrist instead. They will become part of an apostate church that no longer acts as the bride of Christ, but the sad victims of the great prostitute's seduction. So, God brings on the people of earth the hard-earned and long-overdue retribution for their rebellion against Him. For those of us, who as followers of Christ, have long wondered when God will do something about the injustice and immorality in the world, John paints a vivid picture of that very time. It will be harsh and deadly in its impact, but God will be fully justified in His actions. As the righteous Judge of the universe, He will be righting all wrongs and punishing all wrong-doers, giving each of them the punishment they deserve.

Ep 499 – Revelation 8:1-7 Apr 29, 2018

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So much of what we read in the book of Revelation seems far-fetched and impossible to fathom. It reads like some kind of a sci-fi fantasy novel, complete with fantastic creatures, supernatural events, otherworldly imagery and apocalyptic scenes. Many have struggled with the book of Revelation, refusing to see any of its words as literal, preferring to interpret that book as allegorical and metaphorical. It is merely the attempt of John to describe events in a way that provides symbolic imagery that tells a hidden and mystical story. But if our refusal to take this book literally is because its content is too difficult to believe or explain, we fail to recognize that it tells of events that are the work of Almighty God. In Revelation 8:1-7, John is shown the opening of the seventh and final seal, and with it, he is given a glimpse into the beginnings of the judgments associated with the blowing of the seven trumpets. With each trumpet blast, a new and ever-more intense judgment is poured out on the earth and its inhabitants. John sees hail and fire mixed with blood. He is shown devastating destruction descending upon the earth. A third of the earth, a third of the forests and a third of the grassland are burned up. And as unbelievable as this may sound, it is not only possible, but probable, because we worship a great and mighty God. Nothing is too difficult for Him.

Ep 498 – Revelation 7:7-19 Apr 28, 2018

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The tribulation is going to be a very difficult time. And John is being given an up-close and personal look into just how difficult it is going to be. But in Revelation 7:9-17, John is provided with a glimpse into a heavenly reality that is meant to bring him hope. In the first eight verses of this chapter, he was shown the 144,000 Jewish converts to Christianity who are back on the earth. They represent a remnant from every tribe of Israel, who have been graciously and miraculously called by God and made followers of Jesus Christ. Their witness on behalf of Christ will have a major impact on the unbelieving world, resulting in many coming to faith. And John is shown some of these very same individuals standing in the throne room in heaven, as they sing praises to God for His salvation. They are clothed in white robes and waving palm branches. They are expressing their gratitude to God for their presence in His Kingdom and their deliverance from the persecution of the Antichrist. Each of them is a martyr, who has died for their faith at the hands of the Antichrist. And yet, their deaths have resulted in their transfer to heaven and their presence before God. But this is where John also receives a reminder that the difficult days are not yet done. There will be more people martyred for their faith before the Son of God returns. The Antichrist will continue to perpetrate his atrocities against any and all Christians, as well as the Jewish people. But his days are numbered. And the answer to the prayers of these martyred saints, that God enact justice, is right around the corner.

Ep 497 – Revelation 7:1-8 Apr 27, 2018

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God keeps His promises. He is a covenant-keeping God who never fails to follow through on His commitments. And that is an important lesson found within the pages of the book of Revelation. Every aspect of the vision given to John was prophesied well in advance. The Old Testament Scriptures are full of God's promises regarding His plans for the people of Israel and for the future judgment of the world. And yet, there are many who seem to believe that God is done with the people of Israel. There are those who read the book of Revelation and see all the promises described as being fulfilled for the nation of Israel as actually referring to the church. They interpret many of the references to the salvation of Jews as being symbolic of God's ongoing redemption of man through the salvation made possible in Jesus Christ. And while there are many who will come to faith in Christ during the days of the tribulation, we cannot overlook the fact that God will do a unique work among His chosen people, the Israelites. And in Revelation 7:1-8, we will learn of His plans for the 144,000. This group of Jewish men will be graciously and miraculously converted, placing their faith in Christ. They will become witnesses to the world, including both Jews and Gentiles, resulting in the salvation of many, even during the darkest days of the tribulation. The story of the Bible is one of God always preserving and protecting a remnant of His people, and that includes His wayward child, Israel.

Ep 496 – Revelation 6:9-17 Apr 26, 2018

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One of the most difficult things to come to grips with when reading the book of Revelation are the many references to believers being martyred for their faith. During these dark and difficult days, it will be extremely risky to be a confessing believer in Christ. The world's animosity toward Christians will reach an all-time high. The Antichrist will be on a mission to eliminate any and all Christians from the face of the earth. And while the church will have already been raptured long before these events take place, there will be many who come to faith in Christ during the seven years of the tribulation. And, as we have seen before, many of these believers will become martyrs, for refusing to the take the mark of the beast and for worshiping Christ rather than the Antichrist. Revelation 6:9-17 reveals that, at their deaths, the souls of these martyred men and women will be ushered into God's presence where they will call out to Him for justice and vengeance against their murderers. But God will give the surprising news that there are more who have yet to give their lives and join their ranks. The number of the martyred will continue to increase. But in the meantime, God will begin His just retribution against the unbelieving population on earth. He will punish them for their sins and pour out His righteous indignation against them. And no one will be able to stand before His righteous anger and that of His Son.

Ep 495 – Revelation 6:3-8 Apr 25, 2018

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Three more horses carrying three more riders. That is what John sees as Jesus breaks the seals of the scroll and the content of the judgments are revealed. John will ultimately see four horses and their riders, each slightly different than the one before it. And each brings with it a different judgment to be meted out on the earth. This will be the beginning of God's judgments upon the earth and its inhabitants, signaling that He is getting ready to bring to an end the reign of Satan on this earth. He will also judge all those who stand opposed to His will and in rejection of His Son as Savior. Revelation 6:3-8 signals the arrival of war, famine and death. These will be difficult days on the earth, with God bringing His long-anticipated judgment to bear on all those who are His enemies. With the breaking of each successive seal, a new aspect of God's righteous wrath will be manifested on the earth. And we will see that one-fourth of the earth's population will suffer death because of all that is going to happen in those final days. And it will continue to build in intensity and impact as time passes. But one thing we must not overlook is the clear assertion that all of this will take place according to God's timeline and in perfect keeping with His will. The judgments only happen as a result of Jesus breaking the seals. And any and all power displayed by Satan and his forces is under the sovereign will and control of God. Nothing that John sees is happening is outside the purview of God. He is in complete control and the events described in these chapters are His doing.

Ep 494 – Revelation 6:1-2 Apr 24, 2018

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In Revelation 6:1-2, we see the breaking of the first seal and the beginning of the judgments of God. With the first seal, we are introduced to yet another key character in the tribulation storyline. It is an abbreviated description, but when combined with the rest of the book and other prophetic passages of Scripture, we can piece together a fairly clear image of who this individual is and what his role in the end times will be. He will be the first a several riders who appear riding various-colored horses. There is a sequential nature to these seals, as each one reveals yet another aspect of God's coming judgment, each following the other in chronological order. John is being given a glimpse into the future, and he shared all that he sees with us, his fellow members of the church of Jesus Christ. As we will see, these images are not meant to scare or intimidate us, but to inform us about all that God has planned. They are also intended to produce in us a growing faith and confidence that our God is in complete control of all things, both today and into the future. There is nothing that is going to happen that God has not ordained to happen. The seeming instability of the world and the increasing presence of evil in our world are not the result of our God's indifference or inability to stop them. They are part of His sovereign plan. And we can trust Him.

Ep 493 – Revelation 5:6-14 Apr 23, 2018

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What John sees and records in this section of his book is pivotal in terms of the outcome of the rest of Revelation. God is holding in His right hand the scroll sealed with seven seals. There is a period of silence and tension-filled anticipation as the entire citizenry of heaven await the coming of the one worthy to take and open the scroll. And then John was introduced to "the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David." It is Jesus, the Son of God. And John sees Him in the form of a Lamb, a designation that brings to mind His sacrificial death on behalf of mankind. And John points out that the Lamb was "standing, as though it had been slain." He is the crucified and resurrected Lord, who because of His willing obedience to offer His life as payment for the sin debt of humanity, is worthy to take the scroll from His Father's hand and begin the process of opening it and revealing its content. Revelation 5:6-14 begins the release of God's judgments upon the world. And it will set the stage for all that is to come in the days after the church has been raptured and the Antichrist has come to power on the earth. The Lamb who was slain will become the Judge who brings His judgments upon rebellious humanity. And, He will become the King who rules and reigns in righteousness and justice upon the earth, receiving blessing, honor, glory and might forever and ever.

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