December 21 - Revelation 11-15
This is a very exciting and descriptive section of the book of Revelation. Unfortunately, it describes a very dark time in the history of the earth. Did you notice all of the references to three and a half years? I noticed six references to "forty two months", "one thousand, two hundred and sixty days", or "a time and times and a half time." I believe these all refer to the final half of the time of tribulation, which will last three and a half years. It will be the time of even worse troubles, so some people call it the great tribulation. All I know is that all of the signs point to a showdown between God and Satan.
Chapter 11 tells us that two witnesses will evangelize the world for these three and a half years, and then, they will be taken to heaven in plain view. All the world will be told that they should turn to Jesus by these two men. Chapter 12 shows that Satan will fight against the Jews who turn to the Lord at this time, but God will protect them in a special place. (v.14) What makes this time so bad is that Satan no longer has access to God in heaven as he did before, and he knows his time is short. (v.12) Therefore, he empowers the Antichrist and the False Prophet to have authority on earth and to lead the world to reject God and to worship Satan. This is described in chapter 13. The chapter ends with the account of the mark of the beast being given, so that anyone without the mark can't buy or sell anything. However, to get the mark a person must worship Satan, so the believers are left out. Don't feel sorry for the saints, though. God will take care of them. He always does.
The last two chapters in this section show God's preparation for the end. He is taking care of the 144,000 evangelists who were finally martyred, and He is making sure His angels spread the gospel one more time. (14:6) He tells us that there will be one gathering time for the saints and one for the unbelievers. (14:14-20) The end will be a very drastic time of suffering, but eternity is near. Chapter 15 signals the beginning of the end of God's wrath. He will bring down the world system and the Antichrist, before Christ comes back. That is what we will read tomorrow.
This section reminds of us the spiritual war that is going on around us all the time. It will only get worse and worse, until it culminates in this time of tribulation. However, we need to be aware of the intensity of Satan's hatred for God and for those who follow God. This hatred is the source of many of the trials we face all of the time. God allows them into the lives of believers, so we can learn to trust Him. We can always overcome Satan by the "blood of the Lamb" and by the word of our testimony, if we don't love our lives, but we love Jesus supremely. (12:11) Have you realized that yet? If not, ask God to show you this reality. We should not fear Satan, this world, or death. Jesus has taken care of all of those enemies. We must trust Him completely and rely on His blood and the testimony of our salvation through Him to get us through whatever comes.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Revelation 16-19.
Chapter 11 tells us that two witnesses will evangelize the world for these three and a half years, and then, they will be taken to heaven in plain view. All the world will be told that they should turn to Jesus by these two men. Chapter 12 shows that Satan will fight against the Jews who turn to the Lord at this time, but God will protect them in a special place. (v.14) What makes this time so bad is that Satan no longer has access to God in heaven as he did before, and he knows his time is short. (v.12) Therefore, he empowers the Antichrist and the False Prophet to have authority on earth and to lead the world to reject God and to worship Satan. This is described in chapter 13. The chapter ends with the account of the mark of the beast being given, so that anyone without the mark can't buy or sell anything. However, to get the mark a person must worship Satan, so the believers are left out. Don't feel sorry for the saints, though. God will take care of them. He always does.
The last two chapters in this section show God's preparation for the end. He is taking care of the 144,000 evangelists who were finally martyred, and He is making sure His angels spread the gospel one more time. (14:6) He tells us that there will be one gathering time for the saints and one for the unbelievers. (14:14-20) The end will be a very drastic time of suffering, but eternity is near. Chapter 15 signals the beginning of the end of God's wrath. He will bring down the world system and the Antichrist, before Christ comes back. That is what we will read tomorrow.
This section reminds of us the spiritual war that is going on around us all the time. It will only get worse and worse, until it culminates in this time of tribulation. However, we need to be aware of the intensity of Satan's hatred for God and for those who follow God. This hatred is the source of many of the trials we face all of the time. God allows them into the lives of believers, so we can learn to trust Him. We can always overcome Satan by the "blood of the Lamb" and by the word of our testimony, if we don't love our lives, but we love Jesus supremely. (12:11) Have you realized that yet? If not, ask God to show you this reality. We should not fear Satan, this world, or death. Jesus has taken care of all of those enemies. We must trust Him completely and rely on His blood and the testimony of our salvation through Him to get us through whatever comes.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Revelation 16-19.