Tag: blazing fire
God is just!
Scripture reading for September 21st: 2nd Thessalonians 1
Sometime after Paul had written his first letter to the church he had founded, reports came of confusion among members of the church concerning the coming of Jesus Christ.
“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God for which you are suffering.” (2nd Thessalonians 1:3-5) Paul spoke encouragingly to his brothers about their faith and love in the midst of trial. He reminded them that their perseverance in the trials was a sign of God’s favor upon them.
“God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.” (2nd Thessalonians 1:6-8) God is just! God knows how to pay back those who do evil and reward the righteous. Jesus would return from heaven and right the injustice and they would receive their reward, if they continued to persevere!
“With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may count you worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may fulfill every good purpose of yours and every act prompted by your faith.” (2nd Thessalonians 1:11) Paul prayed for fulfillment of God’s will, not deliverance from trials!
The King of Kings!
Scripture reading for December 28th: Revelation 19:1-21
Following the announcement of Babylon’s sudden fall, John heard the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of His servants.” (Revelation 19:1-2) Heaven’s multitudes rejoiced in God’s judgments. These had come out of the tribulation and had remained true to God and now were seeing God’s justice in action. The elders around the throne agreed with this worship and cried, “Amen, Hallelujah!”
Next, John heard a great multitude shouting in response to a command from the throne to praise God, “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Revelation 19:6-8) The next event was the wedding of the Lamb and the bride was made ready. The wedding garments of fine linen, were the righteous acts of the saints! The deeds of this great multitude would be their clothing at the event. No one would be allowed at the wedding supper without a proper garment! (Matthew 22:11-14) Those invited to this banquet would be blessed! (Revelation 19:9)
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider was called Faithful and True. With justice He judges and makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire and on His head are many crowns. He has a name that no one knows but Himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following Him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of His mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. . .On His robe and on His thigh He has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” (Revelation 19:11-16)
The heavenly Bridegroom comes on a white horse. He is no longer the Lamb, but now is King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He will strike down the nations and judge those who have not come under His authority. Is He your King?
The Revelation of Jesus Christ!
Scripture Reading for December 9, 2013: Revelation 1:1-20
John was imprisoned on Patmos for preaching the Gospel. Patmos was a rocky island in the Mediterranean Sea that served as a penal colony for Roman prisoners. John was probably in his 80’s or 90’s when he was sent there and maintained a strong personal devotional life and worship time. He serves as an example of a true disciple for every generation and was commanded to write this letter by Christ Himself.
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending His angel to His servant John, who testifies to everything he saw–that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it because the time is near.” (Revelation 1:1-3) All who read and heed this letter’s truth will receive a blessing. This blessing is promised to all who by faith will receive it!
“Look, He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him; and all the people of the earth will mourn because of Him. So shall it be! Amen!” (Revelation 1:7) John was immersed in a vision of the coming of Jesus Christ and wrote urgently to the church concerning the need to be prepared. All the earth would see Jesus Christ but many would mourn because of Him because His return would bring judgment. Those who by faith had taken to heart the words of Jesus would be ready and joyfully meet Him!
“On the Lord’s day, I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:9-11) As John worshiped, he heard a voice speaking to him. He saw Jesus Christ in all His glory. John was so overcome that he fell down as a dead man. Jesus placed his hand on him and encouraged him not to fear, but to write about the past, present and future. This amazing ‘revelation’ of Jesus Christ is what John saw! We are blessed to read it for the time is nearer now than ever!
Ready when Christ is revealed!
Scripture reading for October 13th: 2nd Thessalonians 1:1-12
Jesus is now seated at the right hand of God and making intercession for His bride, the Church. (Romans 8:34) We don’t see Him, but He is our brother and Priest. One day, He will be revealed from heaven to this earth. Jesus taught that the Son of Man would come on the clouds with power and great glory. His angels would gather the elect from all over the earth. No one knew when this day would occur, but all should be ready and working! (Matthew 24:30-31, 36, 46)
Paul wrote a second letter to the Thessalonians in which he sought to refute a false teaching that Jesus had already come and to strengthen the church there in preparation for the reality of the Day of the Lord. The Thessalonians had taken Paul’s Gospel and instructions in his previous letter to heart. They were growing in faith and love for each other. They were persevering in trials in the face of persecution from the pagans in the culture. (2nd Thessalonians 1:3-4)
Paul told them that those who were troubling them would get their due punishment. They must have patience and endure. “This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of His power on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed.” (2nd Thessalonians 1:7b-10)
Jesus will be revealed from heaven! He will come in blazing fire with His holy angels and those who are not standing in faith will not stand. It is truly a terrifying thing to know this truth and not be sharing the Gospel with those who are still lost. The punishment of unbelievers is an everlasting punishment, just like the reward of Christians is everlasting life with Christ! Unbelievers will be shut out from God’s presence forever, in outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth! (Matthew 24:51) Are you ready to meet our Lord?