#DailyDevotion Only Non-Christians Should Fear The End Of The World
December 13th
Read Rev 1:1–19
Rev 1:4-8 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, (5) and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood (6) and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. (7) Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. (8) “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Verse 7 is really key here to the rest of the book. It is the first description of the end of the world in Revelation. There will be six more to follow. This is because Revelation is a circular book describing the history of the faith from beginning to end seven times.
Now John bestows grace and peace from God the Father and God the Son and from God the Holy Spirit. Think about that as we begin reading this book. It is to give grace, peace, comfort and solace for “Christians.” If you are not a Christian this book ought to scare the dickens out of you.
But for those of us who are Christians it is a book of grace and peace. Despite what some chicken little Christians out there may be saying, Jesus is ruling over the earth, over the kings of the earth NOW. We don’t have to wait for his return and see it last only a thousand years. There is nothing going on in the kingdoms or countries of the world that Jesus is not in charge over on behalf of the Gospel and the Church.
Not only that Jesus has made us a kingdom and priest to God the Father. We reign with Jesus in the heavenly places. Eph. 2 We offer up spiritual sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise as his priest. 1 Pet. 2 Through our prayers the world is sustained and order is maintained.
We don’t have to fear the end because Jesus has freed us from our sins by his blood. Where there is blood there is forgiveness of sins. Where there is forgiveness of sins there is freedom from the Law and compulsion. We live Christ’s life freely in our own. While the world of unbelievers will wail at His coming we will sing praises for our salvation.
Lord Jesus Christ we thank you for your first advent and we await your second. Keep us in the faith unto life everlasting through your precious blood shed for us upon your cross. Amen.