Revelation 21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

He is making all things new. Do you believe it?

It’s Easter Sunday. The tomb is empty. The Lord Jesus is Risen (Luke 24). All things have been made new (Revelation 21:5). The consequence of the fall of man–our mortality–has been paid in full. And there’s new hope for us in Him because of it. The sting of death is gone. The grave has no longer has any kind of victory (1 Corinthians 15:47-58). Satan is angry about it (Revelation 12). The saints have a joyful expectation of eternal life (Titus 3:3-7). Revelation’s woman clothed with the sun and with 12 stars as a crown–the Church–is waiting expectantly for the return of Jesus Christ, the firstborn among many brothers (and sisters). We are the family of God (Revelation 21:7). Eternal life and reigning with Him, serving Him as a kingdom of priests is our future. We do not need to fear anything anymore (1 John 4: 14-21). What can man do to us when this is the future God has promised (Hebrews 13:6)?

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, [you are here] and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8). Happy Easter! He is Risen!

You may have heard statements like “It’s always darkest before the dawn” or “Calm before the storm.”  Each refers to a time just before the “Soon”.  Silent, dark, stillness.  In the flow of Passion Week, Jesus is in the tomb.  Soon, everything will be made new because He defeated sin and death on the Cross. In the flow of Passion Week, that time is soon. In our day, Jesus’ victory over sin and death is finished.

Soon this will be our reality. Revelation 22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.  3 No longer will there be any curse.

Darkness and the curse will pass soon. 
We’re in the silence and darkness before the Soon.

Revelation 22:4 The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.  4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.  6 The angel said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets, sent his angel to show his servants the things that must soon take place.”  7 “Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.”

People may scream that it seems evil is taking over!  Do not fear.
It’s the Silence before the Soon as we live out the parable of the wheat and the tares.  Matthew 13:22-42.

Revelation 22:10 Then he told me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near.  11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.”  12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

Soon.

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”  17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.  “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. ”  (Revelation 22:20)

Concluding Thought: Are you ready?

===

This concludes the series Revelation in 40 vignettes. Thank you for joining me for this challenging series. I wish you all a very happy Easter because our Lord is Risen, and He makes all things new. God bless you all.

A three-dimensional physical world and a life experience marked by time—that’s our frame of reference.  From the time we’re born until the time we die, it’s with us … marked by movements of the sun and moon and stars, as well as by the movement of our earth.  Physical objects and marked time condition us to view things in a very concrete and linear way. 

Today, as we come to the final vignettes in our Lenten series “Revelation in 40”
and the big picture of the book of Revelation,
I’d ask you to consider that Jesus’ reality from heaven
was not marked by those things.
His perspective, therefore, is different.
Eternal.  Multidimensional.  Spiritual.

So, it’s hard for us to understand when Jesus says things like “I and the Father are one.” (John 10:30) or at the Last Supper before His Crucifixion “19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:19-21). 

Jesus’ experiences, reality, and understanding
transcend ours which are limited, physical, and finite. 
Hold that thought while we look at today’s vignette.

Revelation 21:1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.  3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.  4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”  

This will be the last “coming down” out of heaven.  From this point on, God dwells with His people.  There is a curious and mysterious new heaven and new earth…that are no longer separated by time and space.  Kind of like one of those Impossible Puzzles, MC Escher drawings, or a Möbius strip.

Revelation 21: 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”  6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

It’s hard to contemplate a reality we just don’t know, but this is all part of letting Revelation speak to us in its own words and not try to force understanding upon it from a finite physical world.

Thoughts for today: 

Read Revelation 21:8, (See also Matthew 8:12, 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30; Lk. 13:28, and 2 Peter 2:17 about hell, the second death being simultaneously an eternity of utter darkness and a blazing furnace or fiery lake.) How can literal flames of fire not give off literal light, so it is simultaneously utter darkness?

Read Revelation 21:9-21.  What does the splendor of the New Jerusalem tell you?

Read Revelation 21:22-27.  In verses 23 and 25 it states, “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp … On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.”  I chuckle sometimes thinking that’s why God neither slumbers nor sleeps.  But the truth is, His reality is not our finite one.

===

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

Today’s passage separates the Christian-Happy-Wishers from the realists.  The Christian Happy Wisher group wants to see all the good little Christians beamed up to heaven before things get really bad.  They want judgment to happen only to those nasty evildoers at the Great White Throne and the good little Christians sit by with hands folded like preschoolers waiting for recess.  Sigh…

Sorry, that’s not how it works. 

I don’t care how many prominent theologians try to insist that they know for certain that all Christians will be raptured out of trouble’s way and that all self-professed, good believers will be the peanut gallery and watch from the stands, the destruction of the wicked like we’re at the Roman Colosseum and “My, my, my how the tables have turned!  Now it’s their chance to be torn to pieces.”   Argh! 

I don’t know that any good little Christians will be cheering
for anyone else’s eternal punishment. 
I certainly won’t be.  That person bore God’s Image, too. 
It’s a measure of love … for God.

You have no idea how angry that Happy Wisher group makes me for what it does to those who are still outside of the family of faith as we press into the Last Days.  The genuine damage it does to the Gospel!  Do they not comprehend how it makes God look?  Selective in His punishment?  Arbitrary in His judgments?  Choosing for His followers those who are superficial self-proclaimed do-gooders as sycophants? 

All this as if the Christian do-gooder … isn’t really … you know … a sinner?  

Is gratitude for your personal forgiveness in Christ
more important than seeing and loving God’s Image
in the equally sinful person who is condemned?

” Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.” (Hebrews 9:27-28)

True some are judged for reward: “For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” (Matthew 16:27 NIV)

Will God only repay a few people?  No! 

“God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”   To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.  But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.  There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism. (Romans 2:6-11 NIV)

Even in Revelation, Jesus is clear: “Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.” (Revelation 2:23 NIV)

With that tirade as a preface, today’s passage Revelation 20:11-15

Revelation 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.

Thoughts for today:

“The lake of fire is the second death.”  Glad John cleared that up.

This is what I ponder in quiet moments:
I don’t know how it will all be when the books are opened. 
I doubt it will be like a giant graduation ceremony or the Oscars
where names are called and recognized individually in front of an applauding crowd.  
I suppose I want to know so I don’t keep looking around heaven
for someone I loved who is not there.
I know I don’t want to see those who I tried (and failed) to reach for Christ
as they get punished with eternal wrath
for the very same works for which I’ve been forgiven. 
I think I would feel a mixture of tremendous gratitude,
but also overwhelming, horrific sadness and deep pain
that I had so little impact on this world.

Lord God, comfort us regarding Your wisdom in how You will do all of this.
And with tears and prayers, press on, Christian.

===

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.)
This is the first resurrection.
Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection.
Revelation 20: 5-6

What “rest of the dead” and who was part of that first resurrection? 
I’m glad you asked. Let’s back up:

Revelation 20:4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Big picture: There are martyrs who come to life (not just as ancient souls who predated Jesus under altar anymore or as those martyred in our day for their testimony about Christ, but now arguably, all of them are as whole beings not just their souls in heaven) as part of the first resurrection (which implies they have glorified bodies). 

Maybe martyrs are given special blessing because of the testimony of their sacrifice.

Big picture, next:  There are two earths outlined in Revelation: one as it is now (fallen, with evil), and a new heaven-new earth (holy, with only the redeemed). 

Is it possible this reign with Christ is happening with all of them from heaven as the spiritual realm, but taking effect (part 1) on the existing earth, until the close of history, then (part 2), eternally in the new heaven and new earth?

Let’s jump back to see the rationale behind that question.

Revelation 5:9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.  10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Made them (past) to be (future)…will reign (also future).  This is all still future in Revelation 5.  Already: kingdom and priests (a believer’s identity).  To come: their role of serving God and reigning on the earth. 

Stick with me. 
All this jumping around through Revelation will make sense.
Now, it’s important to remember that all of this which John currently sees
is in the context of the seventh angel and the seventh trumpet.   

Revelation 11:15 The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah, and he will reign for ever and ever.”  16 And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, 17 saying: “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.

Revelation 11:18 The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and your people who revere your name, both great and small– and for destroying those who destroy the earth.” 19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.”

It’s in the context of these bowl judgments (the wrath of God) that the kingdom of this world’s rulership gets stripped from the beast and remains now with Christ.  Revelation is coming to its climactic close and it’s all still future, including the reign for a thousand years and the martyrs with Him.

Revelation 20:“6b The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”

Big picture: These saints reigning already died once.  Arguably, they were recently just souls—but now at this point in Revelation—they are whole persons in heaven.  They will never die again but will reign with Christ… before the new heaven-new earth … a thousand years, because with the new heaven-new earth, it will become eternal from that point.

Thoughts for today:

Read back over the passages of Scripture until it makes sense.  I know it’s complicated.  It explains why theologians have argued for centuries about rapture of the saints and millennial reign of Christ. Important also to remember that until the new heaven-new earth, we’re still dealing with a spiritual realm and an earthly realm. Separate and distinct, yet what happens in one realm is as Jesus prayed, “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10 NIV). Just let the words and lines of “Revelation in these 40 vignettes” speak to you.

===

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

If you want to get into an argument with a theologian,
this next passage is a tutorial.
* * *

Revelation 20:1 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.  2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.  3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

Uh, set free? Why on earth would anyone do that?

 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

When is that?

Frankly I don’t know… and see?  This is what happens in a pixelated view.  According to Osborne, “Three positions have often sorely divided Christian groups.  To take them in chronological order, premillennialism … amillennialism … and postmillennialism.”  Big words and he goes on to define them. 

But I want us to read the lines of Revelation, not between them. 
Here’s what it says (NIV translation which I nearly always use for readability):

Revelation 20: 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.  6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.  7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth– Gog and Magog– and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Thoughts for today:

Big picture: Satan gets bound, gets freed to finish his work of deceiving people to Armageddon, and then gets destroyed.

Big picture: God’s people are protected whether the first resurrection or later when God rescues them from being outnumbered and surrounded in the city He loves.

Big picture: there is freedom, joy, and the blessing of reigning with Christ for those who are blessed and holy.

Big picture: eternal torment awaits the evil threesome: devil, beast, and false prophet.

In what way can we be more encouraged by focusing on the big picture than by getting caught up in the speculative detail?

===

If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

Alright. I’m going to tell you a little secret.  I love doing the photos associated with these devotionals each year.  This year’s has proven a little harder because of the content.  At times it’s been my favorite part…choosing images, rendering and piecing collages, to display visually what is going on. 

***
Not today. 
I don’t want to depict what’s actually going on.
***

Revelation 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”  19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army.  20 But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur.  21 The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. “

Thoughts for today:

I am aware that it’s hard to like on Facebook or share something that is frankly quite a disturbing image.  I think Revelation intends that we be disturbed by it.  Why might John give us this horrific visual of the last days?

Read through the list of those who will be devoured: “kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”  

Is anyone among them marked safe?

Take time to pray for your loved ones who are not yet “marked safe” by virtue of following Christ. 

Almighty Father in heaven, please draw ____ to Yourself during these Last Days.  Give them reassurance of Your power and presence in their lives.  Help them to see their sin for what it is and their need for forgiveness and salvation through Christ our Lord.  Draw them with everlasting love and place a holy fear of judgment in their hearts so they will believe upon Your Son Jesus, our Messiah.  Help them to see it’s a fear to be driven out by Your perfect love because “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment” (1 John 4:18).  And there is no punishment awaiting those “marked safe” by the blood of Jesus. We praise and thank You, Lord, and give You all the glory.  Amen.

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.

From the New Testament’s record of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry to Revelation’s Hallelujah! Lord God Almighty reigns…He is worthy of worship.

“The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:9-11)

Revelation 19: 5 “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small!”  6 Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns.”

This year’s Lent Devotional Series “Revelation in 40” resumes tomorrow after today’s Sabbath rest to meditate and worship, shouting “Hosanna in the highest heaven! Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!”.

Revelation 19: 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Compare with Revelation 17:14 They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings– and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

Thoughts for today:

Meditate on the power associated with KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Think also about who will be with Him…His called, chosen, and faithful.  Are these three separate groups or ones who display ALL of those categories?

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If you’re already signed up on my Home Page sidebar to receive posts, you’ll get the 2022 Lent Devotionals automatically. Or you can “Like” Seminary Gal on Facebook and they’ll be delivered to your Facebook news feed. If you haven’t signed up, today is a great day to do so. Advent and Lenten devotionals remain among my most popular offerings. You don’t want to miss this encounter with God to prepare your heart for Easter! Understanding that prior years’ devotionals continue to minister, you may want to have access to a full series ahead of time:

• Lent 2013 looked at The Letter to the Romans: Paul’s Masterpiece to reclaim foundations of our Christian heritage and began February 13, 2013.
•  A very special and ever popular offering was Lent 2014’s Be Still and Know that I AM God  which can be obtained through the archives beginning in March 2014. 
• Lent 2015 began on February 18, 2015 with a series entitled With Christ in the Upper Room: Final Preparations.  We explored what is often called “The Upper Room Discourse” found in John chapters 13-17. 
• ReKindle, the Lent 2016 series, began on February 10, 2016 and encouraged us to rekindle our spiritual lives.
• Light: There’s Nothing Like It was the 2017 Lent series and explored this metaphor often used to portray Christ.  It is archived beginning March 1, 2017.
• Lent 2018, we explored the questions of Pi and Chi (the Greek letter beginning the word Christos, which means Christ, Messiah, the Anointed One). We asked and answered the questions “Why?” from the movie Life of Pi as we discovered the uniqueness of Jesus Christ in a world of many faiths.
• Lent 2019 gave us a deeper window into Easter “More to the Easter Story” since we miss so much when we rely only on a superficial understanding of the work of Christ. These devotionals are archived beginning March 6, 2019.
• Our Lent 2020 devotional series offered prayer points surrounding “Be Thou My Vision” and were aimed at helping us to see God for who He is. The full set of devotionals are archived beginning February 26, 2020.
• The theme for 2021 Lent Devotionals was how to live between two worlds while waiting for Christ’s return. Into the gap between the City of Man and its fixation upon sin and the City of God with its demand for holiness, two words minister peace: But God. Praise God for His intervention! They are archived beginning February 17, 2021.