Day 260/260: Read Revelation 22

We are first told of the tree of life in Genesis 2. The tree of life was located in the garden, and Adam and Eve were permitted to eat of every tree in the garden except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When they disobeyed the Almighty, God removed from them access to the tree of life.

In eternity, the redeemed will once again enjoy the benefits of the tree of life. “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” What a blessed promise for God’s faithful!

If you are reading from a version other than the KJV or NKJV, you may notice the phrase “do His commandments” is not present. Rather, those versions say, “was their robes.” The meaning is the same.

Ananias commanded Paul, “Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16). It is a simple act of faithful obedience. If you have not already done this, why not start the new year off right?

Memory (Recite to a friend without looking)

Revelation 22:18-19. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Pray

Pray a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s grace and mercy which will allow us to eat from the tree of life in eternity.

Day 259/260: Read Revelation 21

A lot of people love lists. Grocery lists, to-do lists, top ten lists. Lists are everywhere…even in the Bible.

Galatians 5 has two lists: the works of the flesh (5:19-21) and the fruit of the Spirit (5:22-23). Paul lists a number of sins that, without repentance, will prevent one from the kingdom in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10. Peter lists a number of things we should be adding to our faith (2 Peter 1:5-7).

Here in Revelation, we are faced with a list of traits of those who “shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Most of the things on this particular list make sense: the unbelieving, murderers, sexual immoral, idolaters. Of course, such things will prevent the impenitent from eternal life. But look at the top of the list: “the cowardly.”

Have you ever been a coward in spiritual things? Most of us can probably think of some situations that we do not use the power God grants us to overcome cowardice (2 Timothy 1:7), but we can work on that, can’t we?

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 22:18-19. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone ____________ to these things, God will ____________ to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes ____________ from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take ____________ his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Pray

Pray for the strength to access the power, love, and sound mind to overcome fear in your life.

Day 258/260: Read Revelation 20

How often do you seriously consider eternity? Once this life comes to an end, your eternal existence is established. You will either be rewarded, or punished.

Of the devil, the beast, and the false prophet, John writes, “And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Jesus calls it “outer darkness,” a place of “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12; 22:13).

Hell was not designed with people in mind, though. Jesus says it was “prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). God does not want any of His children to go there, but He is just; those who do not repent will perish (2 Peter 3:9).

While we cannot on this earth truly imagine the severity of hell, two things are certain from Scriptures: (1) it is eternal, and (2) no one truly wants to go there. Those who flippantly say otherwise do not believe or understand the nature of the punishment that awaits.

Prayerfully consider your spiritual condition right now. Are you on your way to eternal life, or the lake of fire and brimstone?

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 22:18-19. For I testify to ____________ who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If ____________ adds to these things, ____________ will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, ____________ shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Pray

Pray for wisdom as you consider eternity.

Day 257/260: Read Revelation 19

Caught up in the excitement of the worship scene revealed to him, John attempted to worship the messenger in Revelation 19:10. The messenger prevented this action, as he was not divine and not worthy of worship. He told John, “Worship God!”

Do we ever get caught up in the excitement of worship today and give too much praise to uninspired men? Far too often, Christians put more faith and trust in preachers than they do in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

Luke writes about the Bereans in Acts 17:11, calling them “more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.” They did not just take Paul and Silas’ word for it; they sought to verify their words with the Word.

We must be of that same noble spirit today, receiving the words preached and taught, but verifying the information for ourselves so we are not led astray.

Memory (Copy into a notebook 5-10 times)

Revelation 22:18-19. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Pray

Pray for the humility to submit to faithful preaching, and the wisdom to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

Day 256/260: Read Revelation 18

How powerful is the Almighty God? “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!” God has the power to destroy great cities of men.

How severe is His judgment? “The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.” When God executes His judgment, it is complete.

How swift was the fall? “For in one hour she is made desolate.” Once the decision was made to carry out His wrath, the city did not stand a chance.

Do not trust in earthly riches. “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

Do not trust in tomorrow. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14).

Trust in God.

Memory (Read aloud 5-10 times)

Revelation 22:18-19. For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Pray

Pray for greater trust in God and His will.

Day 255/260: Read Revelation 17

Whose side are you on?

Verse 14 states the theme of the whole message of Revelation: “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them.” God will win. He will defeat evil. He did it against the persecutions of the first century, and He will win again when time comes to an end.

Jesus, who “is Lord of lords and King of kings,” has all the power and authority (Matthew 28:18). Men may rebel against Him, but they will not conquer Him.

We have a choice to make. Do we want to side with the winner, or with the loser? We know the outcome. We know who will win. We must decide now—while we are yet alive—whose side we are on.

“Those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” Do those words describe you? Have you accepted the gospel call that goes out to all men? Have you associated with the chosen in His church? Are you faithful in obediently executing His will on this earth, laying up for yourself treasures in heaven?

“Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

Memory (Recite to a friend without looking)

Revelation 14:13. Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Pray

Pray for increased faith in the victory of Jesus, and pray for those who are not yet among the “called, chosen, and faithful.”

Day 254/260: Read Revelation 16

What should be the Christian’s attitude toward divine discipline? “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction; for whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights” (Proverbs 3:11-12).

The Jews were given ample time to repent and return to God. There were some who accepted His gospel and were saved, but many more who refused to obey and perished.

God is righteous and just, and those who were punished received their due. Let us remember, however, that it is not our place to exact vengeance, but God’s (Romans 12:17-21).

After all of His longsuffering, still “men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great.”

Let us learn from the stubbornness of those who perished—when we are confronted with truth, and that truth contradicts our life, we must repent and comply!

May we see discipline for what it is: a loving attempt to bring us closer to God, to make us more faithful and dependent upon His grace and mercy.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 14:13. Then I heard a ____________ from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the ____________ who die in the ____________ from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works ____________ them.”

Pray

Pray for God’s grace and mercy to continually cover your sins as you faithfully obey His gospel.

Day 253/260: Read Revelation 15

“The wrath of God is complete.” A dreadful thought to those who have not prepared themselves to meet Him!

God works at His pace; we are often impatient and ready for the next step, but God often grants time for repentance to those in sin. Should we not be as gracious and merciful as we deal with our friends and neighbors?

He told Abram that his descendants would be “strangers in a land that is not theirs…four hundred years,” but when the time was right, they would return to their own land. “But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete” (Genesis 15:13-16). Abram would not see that promise fulfilled in his lifetime, as God was not ready to pass judgment on the Amorites. Who knows how many were saved due to God’s patience?

May we never forget: “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Again, if God shows grace and mercy and patience, we should do the same.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 14:13. Then I heard a voice from ____________ saying to me, “Write: ‘____________ are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their ____________, and their works follow them.”

Pray

Pray for the longsuffering of God as you work through temptation and sin; pray for patience with others who are doing the same.