SCRIPTURE: Revelation 21 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: The city here symbolizes the fullness of old covenant believers (12 gates of the twelve tribes, all who entered by faith) and the fullness of new covenant believers (12 foundations stones of the apostles). The perfect dimensions of the city represent the perfection of God’s people (adorned like a bride, the wife…
Category: daily meditations
giving my book to Jesus
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 20 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: When it comes to interpreting the details of this book, I get bogged down and confused by the details (if you are looking for clarity from the Pastor, I will disappoint you). When people talk about the end-times, about the rapture and the millennium and the 144,000 and the beast and the dragon,…
victory!!!
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 19 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Ever since we saw the vision of Jesus (the Lamb) opening the scroll (God’s plan of kingdom restoration), we have seen how Jesus will accomplish the victory against Satan, sin, death and hell. The many visions contain striking and frightening images and symbols that represent very real events. But the punch line…
don’t be surprised
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 18 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Will the political, economic systems of the world as we know them today last forever? Can we assume that the U.S. will always remain the leading super-power, that English will always remain the main language, that whites will always remain the privileged group in society, that democratic freedoms as we know them…
seductive, destructive
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 17 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: Why does Jesus use a female prostitute to symbolize the epitome of evil? Not because God has it out against women, but because she illustrates perfectly the seductive, destructive power of sin. We can also think of the beautiful Sirens in Greek mythology that lured sailors to their rocky shores, and then…
don’t blame God
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 16 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: What happens when I put my hand in the fire? I get burned, obviously. Doing something stupid has consequences, we all know that. Do we also realize that all of our moral failures have consequences? Every little way that we fail to reach perfection (as we were created to be) has ripple…
resist or repent, that is the question
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 15 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: In this life, it is hard for Jesus-followers to resist temptation or persecution, to stay true to our commitment to Jesus. So many pressures, so many distractions, so many doubts, so many fears. But the constant reminder in the Bible is to stand firm, to persevere. The intent of these visions is…
facing God’s wrath alone?
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 14 OBSERVATION/APPLICATION: God has every right to be angry. Imagine all the horrible things that people have done, that He has withheld judgment for. How long would I keep my anger in if someone kept cheating, stealing, slandering and abusing me and those that I loved? Would I just be nice forever and ever?…
why does the devil seem so strong?
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 13 OBSERVATION: In his vision, John now sees a horrible beast, which seems to symbolize a powerful empire (Rome?) with a fatal wound that appears healed. That beast has a beast that serves it (the Caesar?), and subjugates all nations, refusing to help those who do not worship him (or Rome), those who do…
his days are numbered
SCRIPTURE: Revelation 12 OBSERVATION: Another amazing vision. Here we see the story of the Bible visualized with a woman (God’s people, Israel, 12 tribes = 12 stars) having a baby (the promised messiah, and Satan doing everything in his power to prevent the messiah from coming. The messiah is victorious, snatched up to the throne (all…