All I need to know about the future . . .

Deuteronomy 15; Psalm 102; Isaiah 42: Revelation 12

Today’s prayer asks for protection from my darkness. Odd request. I don’t know what my darkness is but do know what I am in the dark about: I don’t know what will happen to my family in the future, and I am in the dark about my own future. It seems the Lord anticipated these questions so gave me today’s devotional readings.

First, God cares about future generations. He speaks through the psalmist: “Let this be recorded for a generation to come, so that a people yet to be created may praise the Lord.” (Psalm 102:18) This psalm tells me that He hears the prayers of the destitute that we might praise His name. He also says, “The children of (My) servants shall dwell secure; their offspring shall be established before (Me).” (Psalm 102:28)

The Bible says much about the future and how it will turn out:

Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice or make it heard in the street; a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. (Isaiah 42:1–4)

He says, “I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations” (Isaiah 42:6) speaking of Jesus whom He will “give as a covenant for the people, alight for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon” and who will “lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known” guiding them and “turning the darkness before them into light and the rough places into level ground” with a promise to never forsake them. (Isaiah 42)

The Son showed up and initiated the new covenant, keeping this and all the promises God made through His prophets. He gives me clues for the future in these passages. One is that God will take care of the next generation. His eternal power and faithfulness will keep the many promises He makes to that end.

Two, He said He would sent His chosen One and He did. Jesus came and I need not to grow faint of be discouraged until He establishes justice in the earth — and do we need justice!

Three, He will lead me, even when all seems dark. He will not forsake me. Even the prince of darkness cannot harm me. That promise is made near the end of the New Testament:

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 12:7–12, italics mine)

God says that Satan deceives the whole world and is busy accusing God’s people before Him all the time. But he is conquered, first by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for my sin, then by my testimony of faith in Christ, a faith that I am willing to die for. Because of Jesus, the darkness represented by this liar and destroyer cannot ruin me. He tries and his attempts are persistent and relentless, but he knows his time is short. He will not defeat me or other people of God, nor our children or our children’s children.

APPLY: I have a responsibility to love and obey God, to love others like He loves me. I cannot ‘save’ anyone but I can point others to the Savior who is able to rescue them from sin and death. God, protect me from the enemy who would ruin my testimony if he could, and stop me from loving You if he could. I’m so thankful that in his darkness he seems oblivious to Your great power.