When the future is revealed . . .

 

 

READ Revelation 1–5

The OT prophet Isaiah wrote about a book that illustrated a vision of the future. He said, “And the vision of all this has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed. When men give it to one who can read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed.’ And when they give the book to one who cannot read, saying, ‘Read this,’ he says, ‘I cannot read.’ “ (Isaiah 29:11–12)

Daniel also wrote about a book that referred to “the end” and suggesting that even though humanity would be active in exploration of knowledge, that book would be sealed and no one could read it. It was given to him yet not understood. He questioned and was told, “But you, Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book, until the time of the end. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase.” (Daniel 12:4)

Today’s reading points again to that sealed book. John had been taken in the spirit to the throne of heaven and describes seeing living creatures and twenty-four elders worshiping the Lord God . . .

Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back, sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. And he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne. And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (Revelation 5:1–8)

Like a curtain going up, this is a dramatic scene, but with far greater import. What would Jesus do with the book? And what would those surrounding the throne do as He took it? And what would the pages of that book reveal? A few more verses add to the drama:

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” And I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, and all that is in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” And the four living creatures said, “Amen!” and the elders fell down and worshiped. (Revelation 5:9–14)

In this moment at the climax of history, every creature witnesses this event. They could have crowded close and cried, “What does it say? What does it mean?” but that is not what happened. Instead they shouted, “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!” and they fell before Him in worship.

The history of Christianity is filled with predictions and wild guesses about what will happen in the end. Cults also ignore the fact that the book is sealed and no one knows the day or the hour. Many are trying to figure out what it says even though the Bible is clear; only the Lamb of God is worthy to open that book and reveal what it says. This passage tells me what I already know: it is folly to play the guessing game for the only option that fits is not curiosity and date-setting but on-my-face worship. He is worthy, not only to open the book, but “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” Instead of questions about the future, I must praise His worth — lest I risk fearful terror when I finally see and understand the book and its contents.

 

 

Am I ready?

 

READ Matthew 21-24

Over the centuries, Christians have thought ‘this must be it’ yet Jesus has not returned. Most of this section in Matthew is about the Second Coming. Jesus gives clues, but not enough for anyone to know the day or the hour. When reading, I wondered if some events could be a pattern of that return. For instance, the excitement of the crowd when He entered the city . . .

And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

This describes a victory parade of a king who arrived home to take his place as a great warrior. Jesus will do that when He comes again, however this is not what happened back then . . .

And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:9–13)

The only way this could be a pattern for the second coming is that He will return to deal with the problem of “robbers” that have put themselves in the church. Today, as back then, our places of Christian worship are supposed to be places of prayer, dedicated to the love of God and to serving one another. But some of them are filled with those who call themselves Christian yet are more like money-changers who take advantage of true worshipers so they can live in luxury. This lust for personal gain puts shame on the name of Christ. This is also hypocrisy because those who urge people to sacrificial giving do not practice what they preach.

They were not the only ones who mocked the meaning of loving God and loving others. In Jesus day, the spiritual leaders fell short just as some do today.

Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others . . . and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. (Matthew 23:1–7)

Jesus condemned this kind of ‘spiritual’ leadership and said that “The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:11–12) He made it clear that the kingdom of heaven was for those whose hearts were right and their behavior matched their hearts. He warned about “outwardly appearing righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” (Matthew 23:28)

The church has always has its hypocrites. In condemning this selfishness, I must examine my own attitudes. Do I expect others to be more righteous, more sacrificial, more like Jesus — yet am not doing myself what I think they should be doing? Do I ever do things to impress others or for some sort of personal gain or recognition? If so, woe to me also.

Jesus told the religious people of His day that the two most important commandments were to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind . . . and love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:36–40)

It seems obvious that most people ‘love themselves’ yet Jesus was not talking about selfishness. His love is anything but personal gain, but it is also unconditional. It depends on who He is, not on my performance. That said, many times I’m not satisfied with me. However if that is how I ‘love myself’ then I’m not reflecting His love toward me . . . and if that is true, how can I have the right kind of love toward others? I could be dissatisfied with people, demanding more of them all the time, just like I always demand more of myself. Instead of focusing on the negatives, His love focuses on God’s grace and accepts me just as He accepts me.

This is lots to think about. First, Jesus is coming and it could be soon. He loves me beyond description and wants me to focus on His goodness and grace so I can share this with others. I am not to be shocked by sin in other people (Jesus wasn’t) but if I am often shocked at my own and annoyed about it, this will be reflected in my attitude toward others. That is not the love He wants. His love is not blind but it includes mercy, forgiveness and grace.