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.

Day 252/260: Read Revelation 14

Even in a highly symbolic, apocalyptic book such as the book of Revelation, the importance of evangelism is on full display.

Understand this: every Christian has a part to play in evangelism. Whether it is preaching from the pulpit or knocking on doors or having casual yet spiritual conversations with friends, you have a duty to spread the good news.

The angel “having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people” proclaimed the importance of fearing God and giving Him glory.

This echoes the preacher of Ecclesiastes: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).

The evangelistic angels of Revelation commanded their listeners to worship God and warned against the worship of the beast. Today, we must spread the good news and lovingly warn the rebellious of the severity of God.

Memory (Copy into a notebook 5-10 times)

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 opportunities to reach out to someone you know that needs the good news of Christ’s gospel.

Day 251/260: Read Revelation 13

Context is so important when studying the final book of the New Testament. The symbolic language has been abused by religious leaders throughout the years, and has led to great confusion. This chapter especially, with the “mark of the beast” and the “number of the beast,” has spawned many fanciful theories.

The mark of the beast was not a physical, literal mark. It was an act of submission to the evil authorities by those in the first century, the original audience of this inspired book. Those who submitted were permitted to take part in marketplace activities; those who refused were not allowed to buy and sell.

The number of the beast is also taken out of context, being applied to individuals throughout history such as the Pope, Hitler, and Ronald Reagan. None of those individuals fall under the scope of the message of Revelation.

There is a strong case for the number 666 to be applied to Nero Caesar. He was an early enemy of the church and fits into the historical context of Revelation. Some commentators make the case that the number simply signifies any evil when raised to its highest power.
Be careful when studying, and keep Biblical texts in the proper context.

Memory (Read aloud 5-10 times)

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 strength when faced with evil authority.

Day 250/260: Read Revelation 12

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” What a tribute to these faithful martyrs, persecuted by evil forces!

There is something greater waiting for us on the other side of this life. We may have it bad now, but God will reward faithfulness in eternity! Even if we have a great life full of physical blessings here, it won’t compare to what God has in store for us!

Think back to the letters to the churches and the promises given “to him who overcomes”:

• “I will give to eat from the tree of life” (2:7)
• “Shall not be hurt by the second death” (2:11)
• “The hidden manna to eat”” (2:17)
• “Power over the nations” (2:26)
• “I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life” (3:5)
• “I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God” (3:12)
• “I will grant to sit with Me on My throng” (3:21)

I can’t wait to get there, can you? We must be faithful, we must overcome.

Memory (Recite to a friend without looking)

Revelation 11:17. “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned.”

Pray

Pray that God gives you the wisdom and strength to “not love life to the death.”

Day 249/260: Read Revelation 11

The power of Revelation 11:3 refers to the miraculous manifestation of the Holy Spirit in God’s inspired preachers of the first century. Jesus told His disciples that even when they are “brought before governors and kings…do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you” (Matthew 10:18-20).

This applied only to those who were inspired in the first century, and not to us today. When we have an opportunity to speak to someone about the gospel, whether it is in a Bible class, a sermon, or a private study, we must be prepared through a study of the Word.

Going into a situation without proper preparation can be dangerous, and often leads to more spiritual harm. The Spirit does not operate in the same manner today; they did not have the completed written Word until at least the second half of the first century.

Today, we have no excuse if we are unprepared to have spiritual conversations. Let us better prepare ourselves by spending time in God’s inspired record daily.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 11:17. “We give You thanks, O Lord God ____________, the One who is and who was and who is to ____________, because You have taken Your great power and ____________.”

Pray

Pray for opportunities to prepare and opportunities to share the gospel with those around you.

Day 248/260: Read Revelation 10

Peter proclaims that God “has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). In other words, God tells everything we need to know in His revealed Word. That does not mean every curiosity is answered, however.

Luke tells of the time that Jesus traveled to the temple with Mary and Joseph, and was left behind. In our next encounter with the Lord, He is an adult. What happened in Jesus’ earthly life between age twelve at the temple and age thirty when His public ministry began?

When the scribes and Pharisees brought an adulteress before Him in John 8, Christ refused to answer their question of how she should be punished. Instead, He “stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger” (John 8:6). What did He write?

The voice from heaven told John the Revelator, “Seal up the things which the seven thunders uttered, and do not write them.” Am I the only one curious about what was uttered?

The bottom line is this: we don’t need to know. If we needed it, God would have told us! Let us be content with His Word, obedient and faithful to what He has revealed, and not worry so much about those things we don’t and can’t know.

Memory (Fill in the blanks)

Revelation 11:17. “We give You ____________, O Lord God Almighty, the ____________ who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great ____________ and reigned.”

Pray

Pray for increased trust in God’s Word, and opportunities to obey and teach others about Him.