Devotionary

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.

The number of the martyred will continue to increase. But God will begin His just retribution against the unbelieving population on earth, punishing them for their sins and pouring out His righteous indignation against them.

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.

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.

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.

We must take comfort in knowing that the one who must open the scroll and usher in the end times, is already right where He needs to be. He is simply waiting for the divinely ordained moment to step forward and begin the process of judging the world in truth and righteousness.

Revelation 4:1-11 is filled with imagery that speaks of God’s holiness. And it provides John and all who will read his book, with a powerful reminder that all that is to come in the book will come from the throne and through the hands of our holy, righteous, all-powerful, and sovereign God.

They were measuring themselves by the wrong standard and drawing the wrong conclusions. But Jesus loved them enough to tell them the truth. He calls them to repent. confessing their self-sufficiency and turning to Him in total dependency.

Jesus was encouraging the Philadelphian believers to keep trusting, keep believing, and keep enduring, because their reward was going to include escape from future tribulation. Jesus holds the key of David and has the authority to open and shut the gate leading into God’s presence and His Kingdom. The enemy can try to keep us out, but he has no power to prevent what God has promised.

Fake Christians can do some serious damage to a local fellowship, creating an atmosphere that wreaks of spiritual death and lulling the church into a state of spiritual stupor. Which is why Jesus says, yet again, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Like a child with a favorite toy, we find ourselves offered something brighter, shinier and newer, but it requires that we let go of what we have. We trade in the source of joy for the promise of greater happiness. But Jesus will tell them to hold on to what they have. Because the reward to come is greater than anything the world could ever offer.

Compromise is nothing more than a selling out of what you say you believe and a selling short of the promises of God. Rather than take God at His Word, we listen to the lies of the enemy and settle for his offer of blessings without obedience, contentment without conviction, and fulfillment without faithfulness.

Jesus wants them to focus on their reward to come, not their suffering to come. He wanted them to look further down the road, to the day when God restores all things, and glorifies His people. There was going to be a very happy ending to their personal nightmare.

Remember and then repent. We must recognize that we have strayed and express a willingness to be restored to our former state. Remember and repent. Even good churches can wander. We can all lose our focus and our way. But Jesus calls us to return.

Jesus, the one who is worthy to open the seals is also the resurrected, all-powerful Shepherd of the church, the head of the Body of Christ, who is about to comfort and convict His bride, preparing them to finish what they have begun and to prepare for His eventual return for them before the end comes.