TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:12-17
Woe to them! . . . They have rushed for profit into Balaam’s error. - Jude 11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Throughout Scripture, false prophets have been associated with sexual immorality and financial greed. They threaten the people of God by attempting to mix faith and truth with sinful aspirations and actions. The sorcerer Balaam, motivated by greed, could not curse Israel but encouraged Moab to bring judgment on Israel by enticing them through sexual immorality (Numbers 22-25; Rev. 2:14). The book of Jude warns against “godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality” for their own material profit (Jude 4).

The church in Pergamum had also been infiltrated by this same false teaching. They had not recanted their public profession of faith, despite intense persecution (v. 13). But their practice of faith had been compromised by a fundamental misunderstanding of God’s grace.

The Lord introduced Himself to this church as the One with the authority to judge. The image of the double-edged sword indicates the power both to see the deepest inward reality and to cut out whatever is rotten at the core (v. 12; see Heb. 4:12). This judgment connotes discernment—Christ knew the situation of this church (v. 13). It also promised punishment if the church did not repent (v. 16).

This image of judgment and the sword also struck against false teaching. The lie of Balaam and the Nicolaitans was essentially a distortion of the grace of God; it asserted that it was okay for Christians to engage in sexual immorality and promiscuity because these allowed more opportunities for God’s grace to be manifested. Christians were forgiven and had liberty—why not do what felt good (see 2 Peter 2:13-15)? This view presumed on the forgiveness of God to entice the church into a lifestyle that sought financial gain and sexual license.

God does extend grace and forgiveness—but He also judges persistent sin and hates wickedness. He has declared us “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The church at Pergamum had maintained a public profession of faith, but they were permitting sexual sin to go unchecked in their church. Private purity is as important as public praise. If the Holy Spirit is convicting your heart about persistent sin that you have not confessed, repent today before you join with others in corporate worship tomorrow. Repentance is a necessary prelude to worship.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 2:18-29
How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him. - 1 Kings 18:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
Scripture says that Ahab, king of Israel, “did more evil in the eyes of the LORD than any of those before him . . . urged on by Jezebel his wife” (1 Kings 16:30; 21:25). The sins of Ahab and Jezebel were many, including the murder of Naboth, stealing and selfishness, and disregard for the Word of the Lord. Their most grievous sin, however, involved replacing worship of God with worship of Baal to an extent unprecedented in Israel. God’s prophet Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal to a memorable showdown on Mount Carmel to see who worshiped the real deity; more than just a competition between religions, Elijah was calling the people of Israel back to true worship (see 1 Kings 18).

Although Jezebel was killed in a humiliating manner (1 Kings 21:23; 2 Kings 9), the temptation to replace or combine worship of God with false teaching has persisted among God’s people. The church in Thyatira had such a situation in their midst. The city was known for its numerous trade guilds, including bronze-smiths, each with their own guild deity. Apollo has been identified with the god of the city, so it seems likely that the description of Christ that opens this message intended to counter the gods of the city and commerce (v. 18).

The church was commended for numerous positive attributes: unlike the Ephesians they had love in addition to their faith; they had actions consistent with their faith, and they had served and persevered. In fact, they had exhibited spiritual growth (v. 19). The problem was that they had not put out the false teaching of Jezebel. Not everyone in the church had fallen prey to idolatry, but the church had not taken a strong stance against this evil (v. 24).

Sexual immorality appears again here, but in Thyatira it was accompanied by the temptation to mix worship of God with idols, or even Satan (vv. 20, 24). Just as Elijah called for the people of Israel to choose whether they would serve God or Baal, Jesus warned the church that true worship cannot be contaminated by allowances for other gods.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The church in Thyatira struggled combining worship of God with worshiping the guild deities, likely required for the ability to do business. Our cultural particulars are different, but we still face the temptation to worship the gods of materialism and greed and comfort instead of putting faith in God alone. Jesus reminds us that He holds all power and authority (vv. 26-28). Our worship should hold on to what He has given, not seek to supplement it with other sources of supposed security.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 3:1-6
Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die. - Revelation 3:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Renowned preacher A. W. Tozer wrote, “We are brought to God and to faith and to salvation so that we might worship and adore Him. We do not come to God that we might be automatic Christians, cookie-cutter Christians, Christians stamped out with a die. God has provided His salvation that we might be . . . vibrant children of God, loving God with all our hearts and worshiping Him in the beauty of holiness.”

“Cookie-cutter Christians” might have described the church in Sardis—as well as many churches today. No hint of theological controversy is given; no warning against insidious immorality is issued. This church seems full of peace and quiet—but it is the peace and quiet of the cemetery. Despite their reputation, Jesus declares this church to be dead (v. 1).

What worse declaration could there be than for God Himself to declare our religious rituals and solemn ceremonies to be meaningless? This church had become like a corpse propped up in the living room to impersonate the living. But the stench of death had reached the nostrils of God. Mercifully, the Lord sounds the clanging bell of an alarm clock: “Wake up!”

How could God tell a dead church to wake up? Shouting at a dead body won’t get any response. Unlike human efforts to rouse the dead, however, Jesus holds the keys to life, signified in this passage as the “seven spirits of God” (v. 1). Sometimes translated as the “sevenfold Spirit,” this phrase means the full power of the Spirit, including the power to bring the dead into life.

A flicker of vitality remains in this complacent church. Christ urges them to fan these embers into a roaring spiritual flame, to remember the truth, to obey God’s instructions, and to repent of their spiritual neglect (vv. 2-3). Only these measures will revive the church and spare them from judgment.

The conclusion of this message underscores that Sardis faced a life-or-death decision. Those who heed this warning will have their names in the Book of Life (v. 5). While other churches had actively compromised with the world in faith or practice, Sardis had passively slid into a spiritual stupor.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those who have been Christians for some time can face a similar danger as the church in Sardis. Everything might look fine on the outside, but worship has become dead. This message alerts us to pay attention to the prodding of the Holy Spirit: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (v. 6). If God is shouting for you to wake up, follow the path to revival of repentance and remembering and obedience. This is the path to life.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 3:7-13
For we are the temple of the living God. - 2 Corinthians 6:16
TODAY IN THE WORD
After Jesus performed His first miracle of turning water into wine, He went to the temple at Passover. Upon seeing men exploiting the poor and manipulating worship for their own profit, Jesus fashioned a whip and drove out the salesmen and their goods (John 2:12-25). As pastor Kent Hughes says, “While the religious authorities of Jesus’ day loudly proclaimed the holiness and otherness of God, they denied it in practice. Our Lord’s whip was loosed against what detracted from the communication of God’s glory, especially in worship.”

The message to the church in Philadelphia emphasized that God still cared about worship that had Him as the object. He still rejected worship that attempted to exclude or exploit others. He was still zealous for His temple (Ps. 69:9; John 2:17).

First, Jesus has the authority to determine the quality of our worship (v. 7; see John 2:18-19). He is the standard by which our worship is evaluated—He alone opens the door to eternal life with God, and He alone sees the truth of our deeds and motives.

Second, the Jews of the city had oppressed the Philadelphian church, insisting that Christians had no right to access the love of God. The church held fast to the gospel of Christ, however, despite the persecution (v. 8). Jesus made clear that attempts by the “synagogue of Satan” to exclude God’s people from worship would fail; indeed, the Jews who didn’t embrace the authority of Jesus would be forced to acknowledge the truth about the Messiah (v. 9).

Finally, Jesus tenderly encouraged the Philadelphian church to maintain their profession and practice of faith in Him, for those who were faithful would be pillars “in the temple of my God” (v. 12). In John 2, Jesus used the metaphor of the temple to refer to His own body; just as “the body of Christ” also referred to the church, so too here the metaphor of the temple was extended to describe the people of God. Jesus cared about true worship of God in the physical structure of the temple, and He cares about worship in the lives and gathering of His body of believers.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The strong word of denunciation for the “synagogue of Satan” is balanced with the gentle words of encouragement for the Philadelphian church. Jesus’ zeal for His temple includes both rebuke for those who exploit worship and rest for those who endure faithfully for Him. If you are experiencing trials and difficulties, receive His comfort today. No one can shut the door He has opened for you. He sees your struggle, and He knows the truth. And He is coming soon!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 3:14-22
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. - Revelation 3:19
TODAY IN THE WORD
In Hans Christian Andersen’s story, “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” two men swindle a vain monarch by offering to clothe him in a garment so magnificent that it is not visible to stupid people. As they pantomime showing him the invisible garment, his pride prevents him from admitting that he can see nothing. He then parades through the streets while everyone pretends to admire the suit, unwilling to be thought stupid by admitting they can’t see it. Finally a young child declares the truth, “But he has nothing on at all!”

The emperor’s parade of triumph became a display of his vanity and humiliation. Misplaced priorities and perceptions still cause people to be unwilling to see the truth of a situation. This afflicted the church in Laodicea.

To begin, Jesus described Himself as the one who is faithful and true. He is the source of truth and proper perspective. In addition, He is “the ruler of God’s creation” (v. 14). He had the authority to announce the warning and judgment upon this church. And what a warning it was: the situation in Laodicea made the Lord sick (v. 16). He was disgusted by the complacent, passive worship that desired to determine its own terms of devotion.

No mention is made that this church had rejected or compromised the truth of the gospel. Instead, the grievous failure had been to trust their own resources and judgments rather than seek the Lord. Laodicea was a wealthy city with banking and pharmaceutical centers. But all the money in the city wouldn’t make the church spiritually rich; all the medicine wouldn’t make them spiritually healthy. Their misplaced priorities and perspectives had left the church “wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked” (v. 17).

The great mercy and love of God shines through in verse 19: this urgent plea, full of strong images of spewing this destitute church, was motivated by love. The Lord saw the true condition of the church, and He was unwilling to leave them in this dreadful condition without a call to repentance. If they would repent and recognize their complete dependence on Him, He promised spiritual victory and intimate fellowship (vv. 20-21).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Have we identified worship with exquisite church buildings, lavish music ministries, well-coifed parishioners, or the growth of our personal standard of living? These are not condemned in this passage—but it is wrong to value them above hearing the Lord’s voice. We measure spiritual health and wealth by His categories. In your prayer time, repent of any false priorities or perspectives in your life, and repent on behalf of churches who nauseate Christ with complacent, self-centered worship.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 4
You are worthy, our LORD and God, to receive glory and honor and power. - Revelation 4:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
The psalmist cried, “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze up on the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple” (Ps. 27:4). If we are worshipers of the triune God, the Creator and Redeemer, we will indeed dwell in the house of the Lord, gazing on His beauty. Our passage today provides a glimpse of this worship.

Revelation transitions to a heavenly vision in chapters 4 and 5. This vision is bookended between the messages to the seven churches and the tribulation unleashed in chapter 6. This placement reminds us that no matter what is happening on earth, God is on His throne. Before describing the judgment that will come upon sin and death and Satan, Scripture establishes that God remains completely in control of the universe.

This description of the throne room of heaven resembles those from Isaiah 6 and Ezekiel 1. The throne of God was in the center, not just in heaven but of all reality. The imagery of precious gems, the rainbow, and the sea of glass conveyed the “appearance of the likeness of the glory of God” (Ezek. 1:28). Truly power and majesty flow from the throne of God, but also beauty and glory.

The four living creatures testified that the Lord God Almighty is “holy, holy, holy . . . who was, and is, and is to come” (v. 8, see Isa. 6:3). God is worthy of worship because He is perfectly holy and untainted with any hint of sin or darkness. He is perfectly powerful, able to accomplish His plan over the earth. He is eternal, and He is also involved with His creation—He has not forgotten His promises to redeem us.

Finally, we see that God is worthy of our worship because He is the Creator of all things. Notice that worship involves giving God thanks and praise (v. 9). It focuses on Him instead of our own accomplishments, seeing rightly the relationship between creature and Creator (v. 10). It recognizes who God is and what He has done (v. 11).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Rather than simply reading about descriptions of worship, also spend time today praising and worshiping the Lord. Praise Him for who He is, using passages of Scripture if you’d like. Praise Him for what He has done, both His work of creation and His sustaining care in your own life. You might want to sing or listen to music that praises God, like the beautiful hymn “Holy, Holy, Holy” or the gospel song “High and Lifted Up” by Joe Pace.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 5
Worthy is the Lamb . . . to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise! - Revelation 5:12
TODAY IN THE WORD
The word worship comes from the old English word worth-ship, meaning to attribute worth or value to something, or to recognize the true worth or value of something. When we worship God, we are recognizing His worth and attributing worth and value to Him. But at this point we might pause: Does that mean that God depends on us, His creation, for His worth and value? Not at all! It is entirely the other way around—we completely depend on Him! Instead, as one commentator put it, “As Creator and Giver of all life, God is entitled to the praise of his creatures. This praise itself does not furnish him his power and glory, but it is their visible and audible reflection.”

Our passage today continues our glimpse into the throne room of heaven. Yesterday we saw that God is worthy of our worship; today we see that the Lamb is also worthy of our worship.

Jesus was introduced in a way that should grab our attention: “See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah” was the announcement of the elder (v. 5). John looked to see the King, and instead saw the sacrifice—the Lamb (v. 6, see Gen. 49:9). He was both Lion and Lamb, both Ruler and Redeemer. The creatures who worshiped God also worshiped Jesus, evidence of His deity. He had been slain, evidence of His humanity.

Just as God was worshiped for His work of creation, the Lamb was worshiped for His work of redemption. He was declared worthy for His obedience to the Father in freeing us from sin and transforming people in rebellion against God into a “kingdom and priests to serve our God” (v. 10).

Before we move on in our study of Revelation, pause to let this scene sink into your soul. This is where the story starts and ends—God as Creator, the Lamb as Redeemer, and the response of praise and worship from all of creation. The song swells from every angel, every person, every created being: “Praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (v. 13).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
During this season many choirs perform selections from Handel’s Messiah. One majestic chorus is taken from today’s reading, “Worthy is the Lamb.” More contemporary songs, like those by Marvin Winans and Hillsong Church, are also based on this testimony of these verses. In anticipation of the eternal, resounding praise of all creation, listen to one of these songs and use this time to praise Jesus, the Lion, Lamb, and Redeemer, for who He is and what He has done.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 6
How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? - Habakkuk 1:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
Throughout Scripture, people have cried, “Where are you, God, in the face of evil?” The prophet Habakkuk lamented the prosperity of the wicked and the prevalence of injustice. He cried for God to deal with the destruction and violence that plagued the people (Hab. 1:3). The Lord declared that His justice would come: “It will certainly come and will not delay” (Hab. 2:3). In response to the word from God, Habakkuk prayed, “In wrath remember mercy. . . . I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength” (Hab. 3:2, 18-19).

In our passage today, we again hear the cry of God’s people, “How long, Sovereign LORD, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” (v. 10). For the next few days, we’ll consider the role of worship and praise during times of suffering and God’s judgment.

Yesterday we saw that the Lamb was proclaimed worthy of worship, and He was given the scroll sealed with seven seals. Today we read that the Lamb was also proclaimed worthy to judge, and He began to open the seals and unleash judgment on the earth. What followed was terrible: war and injustice and death and natural disasters marched out, creating havoc and leaving people to despair for their future.

Notice the contrasting response of two groups of people in our reading. First, the martyrs, those who suffered and died for the sake of their testimony for Christ, cried out for justice. This was not the angry, defiant, fist-waving demand for God to show up. Rather, the martyrs knew that the Lamb was worthy to judge, and they asked the Sovereign God to be true to His character. They cried out from a place of worship—under the altar (v. 9). They received assurance that justice would come, and they were cared for and protected.

In contrast, the rich and powerful kings and generals discovered that their wealth and power could not save them. They sought their own destruction rather than face the judgment of God (v. 16). They asked the rocks to crush them, rather than stand securely on the Rock of Ages.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The Lord’s judgment is sure—how will you respond? Will you choose despair, or will you be in a place of worship, acknowledging His sovereignty and faithfulness? Evil and injustice flourish in the world today. Will you conclude that God is absent, or will you worship the true Savior who does not ignore or forget the suffering of His people? Whether it is the season of evil or the season of judgment, it is time to praise and worship the Lamb who is worthy.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 7
Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD! - John 12:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
In John 12, we find the account of Jesus anointed at Bethany—an action He described as a preparation for His burial—and Jesus’ prediction of His death. In between these two events is the description of His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, an interlude in the unfolding story of Jesus’ crucifixion in judgment for the sins of the world. As He rode into the city, the crowd waved palm branches and shouted, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!” (John 12:13).

We see a similar pause for praise in our reading today. In between the opening of the sixth and seventh seals, the narrative is interrupted to describe worship of the Lamb who is able to save.

John saw one of the greatest depictions of the relationship between the Lord and His people. An innumerable gathering of people “from every nation, tribe, people and language” stood before the throne of God and the Lamb. With palm branches in their hands, they shouted, “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb” (vv. 9-10).

The scene echoes the earlier recounting of heavenly worship in chapters 4 and 5. The praise of the multitude was joined by the adoration of the angels, elders, and living creatures: “Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!” (v. 12). While God was shaking the foundations of creation, His people recognized that it was time to praise Him.

This worship was possible only because of what Jesus had done; the white robes clothing the multitude existed only because they had been dipped in the blood of the Lamb (v. 14). After the tribulation, those who have identified with Jesus will find that God will supply all their needs out of His great riches (see Phil. 4:19). They will be protected from hunger, thirst, and affliction. The Lamb will lead them to living water. God will tenderly comfort them and eliminate any sorrow or pain. And they will have full communion with God around His throne, worshiping the Lamb who is able to save.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Especially in this season, we can be tempted to forget to pause. Advent should help us think about what God is doing around us and respond to Him with praise and worship. On this third Sunday of Advent, take a break from the hustle and bustle of shopping or baking or decorating or working and pause to worship the Lamb who has saved you. Praise Him for your eternal salvation as well as His protection and comfort today.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 8
May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice. - Psalm 141:2
TODAY IN THE WORD
The nature of the relationship between God and His people through prayer has fascinated Christian philosophers and scholars. Dismissing the idea that prayer works like a spiritual vending machine, forcing God to give us what we want if we push the right buttons, Søren Kierkegaard said, “The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays.”

We know that Christians should follow the exhortations to pray (see 1 Thess. 5:17). And we know that prayer is not intended to manipulate God into giving us our own way, but rather to conform us to His will (Matt. 6:10). But we also need to reflect on God’s perspective toward our prayers. Our passage today reveals that we worship a God who hears and delights in the prayers of His people.

Today’s reading opens with a surprising account of silence in heaven. The Old Testament prophets help us to understand what this silence means: “The LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth be silent before him” (Hab. 2:20, see Zeph. 1:7; Zech. 2:13). This silence was not the quiet of peaceful rest, but rather the ominous stillness before the holy Judge of the universe.

Next, an angel went to the heavenly golden altar to prepare incense. This alludes to the altar of the Lord in the tabernacle and temple (see Ex. 37:25; Lev. 16:18). The priests had been commanded to offer incense on this altar morning and night (Ex. 30:7). Other special offerings were also designated for the altar of the Lord (see Leviticus 2). All of these provided a sweet aroma to the Lord. Now in Revelation 8, we see that incense was mixed with “the prayers of all the saints” (v. 3). When God’s people offer Him the worship of their prayer, it is beautiful and pleasing to God. Prayer doesn’t just transform us—it also delights the Lord as the sweet aroma of incense.

After this pause of silence and prayer, the terrible judgment of the trumpets was unleashed on the earth. This juxtaposition reminds us that our God both savors the prayers of His people and sends judgment on those who defy Him.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
The image of the priests offering incense on the golden altar can shape our prayer life. First, we should set regular, dedicated times for prayer. Second, just as the incense wafted before God throughout the day, we should be in a continual relationship with God to converse with Him in prayer. Third, we should remember that our prayers matter—they shape us more into the image of Christ, and they also bring delight and joy to God. Worship Him through your offering of prayer today!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 9
During those days men will seek death, but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them. - Revelation 9:6
TODAY IN THE WORD
Jonathan Edwards’s sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” is the most famous sermon from the Great Awakening revival. After detailing God’s present and future judgment of the wicked, Edwards concluded the sermon with these words: “Therefore let everyone that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come.” The wrath to come is outlined in our reading today. We’ve examined descriptions of the worship of God by saints and angels, but today we see what happens to those who refuse to worship a holy and loving God.

The end of our passage today details the natural disasters that resulted from the judgments of the trumpets (8:6-12). After four trumpets, an eagle announced: “Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!” (8:13). The next trumpets would directly afflict the people who had chosen rebellion against God. They had not repented after the disasters from the first four trumpets, and now they would personally experience the consequences of their sin.

Notice first what emerged from the Abyss. The torment of the locusts echoes the plague in Exodus 10. But whereas those locusts were insects that devoured all the remaining vegetation (Ex. 10:5), these were demonic locusts that spare the plant life but afflicted all those who had rejected God (see Joel 2:1-11). Some like to imagine that hell is a place for the wicked to party. In reality, the torments from hell are so severe that people would prefer death (see Luke 16:23).

Next, God had sovereignly appointed this judgment. The four angels released to kill a third of mankind “had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year” (v. 15). The Lord is not surprised by man’s rebellion and disbelief, and He will surely accomplish His judgment.

Finally, note the tragic conclusion to our passage. After natural disasters, pain from demonic locusts and devastation of war, the remaining people still did not repent. They persisted in their idolatry and sin (vv. 20-21). They insisted on worshiping demons rather than the sovereign Lord.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
If we have trusted in the saving person and work of Jesus Christ, we will be spared the terrors of this judgment (v. 4, see Joel 2:12-14). But this passage should motivate us to share the gospel with our loved ones who do not yet believe in Jesus. Perhaps you can use this Christmas season as a time to introduce the gospel to friends and family. Invite them to Christmas services or musical concerts at your church, or host a social gathering in your home designed to talk about the meaning of Christmas.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 10
Before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations. - Jeremiah 1:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
The call to be a prophet of the Lord was not usually followed by fame and fortune. Instead, prophets were asked to be public laughingstocks (Jeremiah and Ezekiel), suffer devastating loss in their personal lives (Hosea and Ezekiel), and challenge powerful rulers (Nathan and Micaiah), all in service to the Lord and His word. No wonder Jonah tried to run the other way when God called him to ministry!

We might expect our reading to begin with the blast from the seventh trumpet. Instead, just as the pause after the opening of the sixth seal, there is an interlude after the sixth trumpet. We should beware of feeling like we want God to hurry up and finish His plan—He often has something important for us in the time of waiting. In this passage the continued mercy and judgment of God was manifested in the commissioning of John as a prophet.

Interestingly, the first command given to John in this text was not to write. The seven thunders spoke in response to the roar of the mighty angel, and John prepared to transcribe the message. God halted him: “Seal up what the seven thunders have said and do not write it down” (v. 4). We can never presume to know the things God has chosen not to reveal (see Deut. 29:29).

Next, the angel attributed the authority to judge to the God of creation. In the midst of mystery, judgment, prophecy, and uncertainty, the one constant is our eternal God, who has created all things in heaven and earth and sea (v. 6). He knows the message of the seven thunders. He knows the time of the seventh trumpet. He knows the beginning and the end. He alone is trustworthy and all-powerful to accomplish His will.

We saw John commissioned to record this vision from Jesus Christ (see Rev. 1:9-11). Now we see John commissioned to the role of a prophet. Like the prophet Ezekiel, he was commanded to eat the scroll that was sweet in his mouth (v. 9; Ezek. 3:1-3). Now John was prepared for his prophetic mission to “prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings” (v. 11).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Those who follow God’s call into Christian ministry often face significant physical and spiritual challenges. Some pastors are lonely and underpaid. Missionaries encounter disease or persecution. Youth leaders and teachers struggle with burnout and apathy. Pray for the Christian leaders in your life, for God to strengthen and encourage them. During this Christmas season, make a special effort to express your appreciation through a letter or gift and a commitment to pray regularly for them.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 11:1-14
The survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God in heaven. - Revelation 11:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
When a men wishes to propose marriage to the woman he loves, typically he will first spend time searching for the perfect ring to offer her as the symbol of his love. He will become familiar with measurements like the carat weight of a diamond, the karat count of gold bands, the types of gemstone cuts, and the way that jewelers calculate a gem’s clarity. He cares about these measurements because he cares about this symbol of his relationship with the woman he desires to be his wife.

John’s first assignment as a prophet mirrors a task assigned to the prophets Ezekiel and Zechariah: he was to measure the temple of God (v. 1; see Ezekiel 40; Zech. 2:1-2). The temple represented God’s relationship with His people, particularly His love and faithfulness and covenant with them. Most significantly, the temple represented God’s presence with His people. Unlike the earlier prophets, John was also instructed to count the worshipers at the altar, those who are faithful to God. In this time of judgment against unbelievers, God still cared for His people.

Next, John described the world’s response to God’s prophets. These two witnesses performed their prophetic task in the context of great hostility, attacked by the beast from the Abyss and assaulted by unbelievers who hated the message and the messenger from God (vv. 5-7). Despite physical and spiritual opposition, God protects His people. Notice that this protection does not preclude death—the two witnesses were indeed killed, their demise a cause for sinners to gloat in triumph. But their death was not the end of the story: God raised them from the dead, and coincided their call up into glory with His judgment sent down to earth (v. 11).

The role of the prophet is to faithfully proclaim the message of God to people. Sometimes people will hear the word and repent (see Jonah 3:5). Other times, people refuse to hear the word and they receive judgment (see Nahum 1:14). Either way, God will receive the glory—the resistance of rebellious sinners cannot last forever (Phil. 2:10-11). Ultimately, every created being will give worship to God (v. 13).

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
How much better to offer that worship as a sacrifice of obedience than after the experience of righteous judgment! Either way, ultimately we will give glory to God. The question before us is whether we will obey God and experience the love and protection of a relationship with Him, or whether we will shake our fists in defiance and endure the day of His wrath. If you are facing opposition in your life today, pray to know God’s continued loving protection for you.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 11:15-19
The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our LORD and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever. - Revelation 11:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
A pernicious lie has circulated for centuries about the God of the Bible. This lie asserts that the God of the Old Testament was a God of wrath, but the God of the New Testament is a God of love. As Christians, we firmly reject this notion that describes God the Father as vengeful and angry and God the Son as meek and mild. Our God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—is the same in all of Scripture. We see this most clearly in the Cross, when both love and judgment met as Jesus offered His life to atone for our sins.

We see another example in our reading today. The seventh trumpet had sounded, and if we’ve been paying attention we should be holding our breath or peeking through our fingers in terror at what will surely be a devastating judgment on the rebellious sinners. Yet, instead of hearing of natural and spiritual disasters and the death toll of the ungodly, we first hear a resounding chorus of worship.

We learn something important about how to worship God from this passage. The scene should cause us to go back to the introduction of the heavenly scene in Revelation 4 and 5. The Lamb was introduced as the one worthy to open the scroll. He had opened each seal, and each trumpet had sounded. Thus the refrain of praise signaled that the Lamb had completed the work that He alone could do, and at that point the world had been brought under His authority (v. 15).

The twenty-four elders were introduced earlier, and now we hear their worship again. They first praised God for His eternal nature (v. 17). Second, they asserted His power and authority to reign over the whole earth. Next, they connected His judgment with His love and faithfulness (v. 18). God had heard the cry of His people, His “servants and the prophets and your saints and those who reverence” His name. His love for them was unfailing, because His holiness is unending.

This love is intimately connected with His judgment. When the ark of His covenant in heaven was revealed—signaling the Presence of God—it was a place where love and judgment met.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Praise the Lord that His character is the same yesterday, today, and forever! Praise the Lord that He will never forget you—He rewards those who reverence His name! Praise the Lord that Jesus is a worthy sacrifice for sins and that all the world will be subject to Him! Praise the Lord that His love and judgment meet, making possible your eternal salvation and relationship with Him! If you need additional words for praise, read through the passage again as your own testimony of praise.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Revelation 12
They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. - Revelation 12:11
TODAY IN THE WORD
Adventure stories are a genre as old as story-telling itself. Homer’sIliad and Odyssey, two of the earliest recorded tales, recount exciting battles, conflict between gods and mortals, intrigue and deception, and the fate of kingdoms hanging on the prowess of a warrior.

Our passage today is a thrilling adventure story—but this is no fiction. And the stakes of this battle exceed any imagined by the most gifted author. The fate of the world for all eternity hangs on the outcome.

The true nature of Satan is spelled out in these verses; note the descriptions of his person and deeds. He desired to devour the Child, the source of salvation (v. 4). He was the accuser, continually bringing allegations against believers (v. 10). He was filled with fury and made war against God’s people (v. 17). All of Satan’s character and works opposed God; He was in complete contrast to the faithful God who loves and protects His people.

In the next few chapters we’ll see more details of this war between Satan and God, and we’ll be introduced to other insidious, evil characters. But even as Satan’s evil persecution persisted, note the instruction to remain faithful to our Savior. Scripture does not deny that the affliction and temptation of the Devil is real (see the book of Job). He is the father of lies (John 8:44), the accuser of the righteous. But he does not have ultimate power!

Even as spiritual warfare between the angels and demons rages, we see the key to our faithful stand against the wiles of the Devil. We hold fast to the “blood of the Lamb”—the saving work of Jesus that atoned for our sins and freed us from bondage to Satan. Our hope is in what Jesus has accomplished, the Lamb who has all the authority and power.

Second, we remember the “word of their testimony”—the ongoing work of God that demonstrates His love and protection. Recounting what God has done for us keeps us from falling prey to Satan’s temptations. Our testimony keeps us focused on God, and also encourages others to stand firm as well.

TODAY ALONG THE WAY
Do you have a testimony of God’s love and protection in your life? If you are alive and reading this, the answer is yes! Each day that God grants us life and a reasonable portion of health and strength is an example of His provision. Additionally, He might have met a physical or spiritual need in your life in a way that was clearly a demonstration of His love. As part of your worship, share your testimony with someone, not only to encourage them but also to keep your focus on God.