SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 6/29/2015
8:46 AM
My Worship Time Focus: Antichrist’s
Admirers PT-2
Bible Reading & Meditation Reference: Revelation
13:8-10
Message of the
verses: “8 All who dwell on the
earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the
foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain. 9
If anyone has an ear, let him hear. 10 If anyone is destined for captivity, to
captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be
killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”
As we look back on what we back on what we learned in our
last SD I want to continue on that theme for a moment longer because of the
importance of remembering or perhaps just learning the fact that once God chose
us in eternity past that we are secure in the salvation that He has given to us
through Jesus Christ as He paid the price for our sins on the cross. John MacArthur writes “Believers are doubly
secure, because the ‘book of life’ belongs to ‘the Lamb who has been slain.’ Not only the decree of election, but also the
atoning work of Christ seals the redemption of the elect forever. Believers ‘were not redeemed with perishable
things like silver or gold…but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished
and spotless, the blood of Christ’ (1 Peter 1:18-19). The Father will not undo the work of Christ
in redemption (cf. Rom 4:25; Heb. 1:3) by allowing any of the elect to be
lost. Jesus Christ is ‘to all those who
obey Him the source of eternal salvation’ (Heb. 5:9), and it is not within the
power of Antichrist, Satan, or all the forces of hell to alter that glorious
reality. The very saints that Antichrist
massacres during his persecution of God’s people are later seen triumphant and
victorious in heaven: ‘2 And I saw
something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been
victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on
the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 3
And they sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song
of the Lamb, saying, "Great and marvelous are Your works, O Lord God, the
Almighty; Righteous and true are Your ways, King of the nations! 4 “Who will
not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE
NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN
REVEALED." Antichrist may take
their lives, but he cannot destroy their faith.”
Early in our study of Revelation when we were looking at
the seven churches we saw a phrase at the end of each letter to each of the
churches and it was “If anyone has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches.” This phrase, that is
without the last part about the churches is used sixteen times in the New Testament,
and it emphasizes a particularly important truth when it is used. Now as far as when it is used in chapters 2-3
or Revelation it is a warning for the church to understand what it is that
Christ is saying to them, but in our text today there is no mention of the
church which could mean that because the church is now in heaven at the Rapture
that is why that phrase is omitted. We
can compare Revelation 3:10 to make this point “’Because you have kept the word
of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour
which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth.”
This phrase here, introduces a proverb to us “If anyone
is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes; if anyone kills with the
sword, with the sword he must be killed. Here is the perseverance and the faith
of the saints.” If you were alive at
this time when Antichrist is persecuting believers then this proverb would be
of help as it contains some important practical truth. What they are to do is depend upon the
providence of God and so they will not take matters into their own hands, but
trust in the Lord who controls all things and as Romans 8:28 promises “we know
that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to
those who are called according to His purpose.”
We can see from this proverb that those believers who are destined to
die for their faith will do so, and those destined to go into captivity will
also do so that is imprisonment. Those
who are destined to be killed for their faith will have this happen to them
also, but it is in the hands of the Sovereign God. MacArthur writes “God’s people must not
retaliate against their persecutors; there is no place now, and there will be
no place then, for militant, aggressive, violent believers terrorizing their
persecutors. ‘Those also who suffer
according to the will of God,’ wrote Peter, ‘shall entrust their souls to a
faithful Creator in doing what is right’ (1 Peter 4:19).”
Believers are not to act violently but to remember that
they must exemplify “the perseverance and the faith of the saints.” Remember what Peter wrote about how our Lord
acted “while being reviled…did not revile in return; while suffering
righteously” (1 Peter 2:23). We
believers follow the example we can be sure “that those who revile your good
behavior in Christ will be put to shame (1 Peter 3:16).” Peter goes on to say in 1 Peter 4:14 “If you
are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of
glory and of God rests on you.”
MacArthur concludes “The message of this passage is
clear. Let the monstrous beast from the
abyss do his worst. Let Satan and his
demon hosts have their hour. God
controls the future and believers belong to Him ‘In all these things we
overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us’ (Rom. 8:37), and we will
triumph on the glorious day when ‘The kingdom of the world [becomes] the
kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever’
(Rev. 11:15).”
Spiritual meaning
for my life today: God’s timing is always
perfect and in light of what is going on in our country this message was
certainly needed to remind me that even though Satan is behind what is going on
in our country that God is in control and this is comforting for me to know,
for God has a plan for me and for all of those who name the name of Christ and
in the end believers will be in heaven and Satan and all that he has used to
bring about what is going on in our country if they do not repent will be in
hell with him.
My Steps of Faith for Today: Praise the Lord who is in control of all
things, and to live a life that is pleasing to the Lord so that others can see.
Answer to yesterday’s Bible
question: “Faith, hope, charity (love)”
(1 Corinthians 13:13).
Today’s Bible
question: “Under what condition would
Jeroboam and all Israel serve Rehoboam?”
Answer in our next SD.
6/29/2015 9:46 AM
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