December 28 - Revelation 1-5: God will Set All Things Right in the End so Endure Until Then

Today’s Reading: Revelation 1-5

The Message

English Standard Version

We've read 65 books! Only one to go which will last four days!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

Don't focus on the numbers or the visions. Focus on the message.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God's message through John to Asian churches:
Glory to Christ, eternal Priest! No one will escape His Return.
While on Patmos, Jesus compelled me to write what I saw and heard in a vision.
To persistent Ephesus: return to Me. Listen!
To libeled Smyrna: never give up. Listen!
To bold Pergamum: remove saboteurs. Listen!
To impressive Thyatira: change and receive a reward. Listen!
To dead Sardis: stop napping. Listen!
To steadfast Philadelphia: keep going. Listen!
To lukewarm Laodicea: buy from Me. Listen!
I saw the Throne-room of Heaven where every living thing praised God. The resurrected Lamb opened God's Scroll.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

The purpose of the Revelation is to tell Christians that God will set all things right in the end.

Welcome to the playground of most conspiracy theories and off-the-wall theologies known to Christianity. We cannot blame them, since the Revelation (not RevelationS—pet peeve alert) does have quite a lot of imagery which seems ripe for picking and using in whatever idea you have cooking. Yet they—and Christians in general—focus on the wrong part of the book. The Revelation is not a book of encoded messages for readers thousands of years in the future. The Revelation is a letter to Christians to let them know their current persecution will last only so long before God sets it right. John uses imagery, visions, and other circuitous routes to bypass his Roman guards. To spend time on the numbers, the images, and John's commentary divorced from the overall message misses John's purpose. They had meaning to the original audience (24 = 12 Apostles + 12 tribes of Israel, many illusions coming from the the Prophets, etc.), which we will discuss a sampling, but the meanings are meant to help them realize that Caesar is not God. He will not win in the end and God will bring him to his knees:

Riding the clouds, [Jesus] will be seen by every eye,
   those who mocked and killed him will see him,
People from all nations and all times
   will tear their clothes in lament.
   Oh, Yes. (1:7, The Message)

Governments and other individuals/groups that grow in power and (self) importance eventually rival God. The message of the Revelation stays the same for us, though we should not look for a play-by-play description of what will happen in the near future. Some of the broad patterns repeat but the specific images are not the same.

The seven churches suffered different issues and were successful at varying degrees.

We should take heart that these groups had some things right, some things wrong, and Jesus wanted them to get better. No matter how bad we think of ourselves, God can still use us if we are willing to submit to Him.

Jesus has a level of Holiness all His own.

John wept when he realized no one was pure enough to open the Seals. Yet John was wrong—there was One worthy to open the Seals—Jesus! The amazing animals which had amazing power sang praise to the weak, resurrected Lamb. Only Jesus is worthy of our honor, praise, and glory!

Remember the vision of Jesus at the Throne of Heaven.

In the next few days we will read how the enemy mimics God in order to supplant Him.

How do you need to see that God is going to set all things right in the end?

September 17 - Daniel 10-12: God Loves His Chosen People through Persecution

Today’s Reading: Daniel 10-12

The Message

English Standard Version

The end of Daniel marks the end of 32 books. Only 7 more to go! And you are less than 2 weeks away from finishing the Old Testament! Keep going! You're almost there!

Thought to Guide Your Reading

These visions are about the same time as yesterday's reading and set up the story of the Apocrypha (which I am not going to read or comment on).

Summary in 100 Words or Less

Daniel saw a vision about the future of Israel's exile.
The northern and southern kings would wage a long, protracted war. God's Chosen People would be persecuted to show an example of faithfulness.
The northern king would think he was a god—to his death. The southern king would attack and win. Tens of thousands would die.
Michael, the prince over Israel, would eventually deliver everyone for judgment.
Someone asked when these things would happen. "A time, times, and half a time." Daniel was told to seal the words for later generations. God would reward Daniel for constant, steady faith.

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Daniel's vision would help the Jews understand why these things were happening.

The northern and southern kings would fight continuously. Their people would stage coups and rebellions. Israel was in for a very tumultuous time. God wanted them to understand that their difficult persecution was not meant to punish them but to make sure they stayed holy. God wanted Israel to know He would always care for them—even if they died in the process. God loves His Chosen People—even through death.

God would judge everyone, regardless of their power.

Even with the great persecution and trials coming Israel's way, God would eventually judge everyone's actions and separate them according to how they lived. Those who set things right would have eternal life. Those who did not would have eternal punishment. No matter how strong the world may be, God will judge in the end.

God's Judgment would come when you least expected it.

The phrase "time, times, and half a time" seem strange. Why not 3.5 years, months, days, etc? During university, I took a class by Kevin Youngblood who helped us understand that these are meant to help us pace when it would happen:

• Time – This is the amount of time you think should occur before God acts.
• Times – When you think it is time for God to act, it is not yet time.
• Half a time – When you think God will never act—God acts.

God wants His Chosen People to understand that our timing is not His timing. God works on His Time, not on ours.

Do you trust God to judge everyone in His time?

September 16 - Daniel 7-9: God Wins in the End

Today’s Reading: Daniel 7-9

The Message

English Standard Version

Thought to Guide Your Reading

God shows Daniel the future using grand visions with animals.

Summary in 100 Words or Less

God told Daniel through a vision that although four countries would rule over them, God's saints would receive an everlasting kingdom. The kingdoms would fight Israel but God would win in the end.
Two years later Daniel had another vision of Greece defeating Media and Persia. Greece would fight Israel, but God would win in the end.
Daniel prayed to God, "We deserve shame. May Your Mercy and Grace deliver us. You will give us salvation only because Your Name is great."
Gabriel answered Daniel, "God will set your relationship right but first Israel must have its evil removed."

How Today’s Reading Contributes to the Gospel: God is Setting All Things Right

Daniel's visions tell of the immediate future.

Similar to Nebuchadnezzar's dreams and Ezekiel's visions, Daniel's visions were meant to deliver a message for his day. The visions foreshadowed the regime changes that would soon occur. Each small part of the vision would correspond to a distinguishing characteristic of each king to come. In the second vision, Daniel sees the rise and fall of Alexander the Great's kingdom. Both the four kings and Alexander the Great would fight God's Chosen People. God's purpose for Daniel's visions was to prepare His Chosen People for persecution.

God would win in the end.

At the conclusion of each vision, the same event happens—God defeats the beast(s). Since God's Chosen People would have difficult times ahead, God wanted to make sure they knew He would defeat their enemies. The four beasts and the ram would not get the final say against Israel. No matter the persecution, God will win in the end.

Daniel thanks God for His Grace and Mercy removing Israel's sin and punishment.

When Daniel realizes Israel would be returned in 70 years (as Jeremiah informed the exiles), he also realizes Israel has not become holy. They do not deserve to be returned to their land. God would return them, though, because God wants to set all things right with those with whom His Relationship is strained. He is willing to set our relationship right repeatedly hoping we will acknowledge His Mercy and Grace and set things right in our relationships with others. How awesome is our god! Our forgiveness is not dependent on our actions but on our acceptance of God's mercy and passing it on.

Do you trust that God will win in the end?