War In Heaven

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.”
Revelation 12:7-9 NLT

I must say I was perplexed when I read these verses because they don’t seem to fit in with the schedule of events in John’s vision. It is as though John has had a flash back in time. A bit like a film in which historical clips are occasionally shown in order to illustrate the plot, clips perhaps including the leading actor or actress when they were much younger, now being played out years later in front of the audience. The events that led up to the devil being ejected from Heaven are largely unknown though there are hints in Scripture that he was the most senior angel, involved in leading worship in Heaven. John’s vision described in today’s verses gives us some idea of the consequences of the devil’s rebellion. Sin was at the root of the devil’s downfall, as it was when Adam and Eve were ejected from their earthly paradise. We read in Genesis 3:23-24, “So the Lord God banished them from the Garden of Eden, and he sent Adam out to cultivate the ground from which he had been made. After sending them out, the Lord God stationed mighty cherubim to the east of the Garden of Eden. And he placed a flaming sword that flashed back and forth to guard the way to the tree of life.” There was, and is, no place for sin and sinful behaviour in Heaven, because our wonderful holy God lives there. The Garden of Eden was an extension of God’s domain here on earth – He frequently came to visit Adam and walked and talked with him – so sin couldn’t be tolerated there either.

The sad thing for mankind is that the devil and his angels are now occupying the same space on Planet Earth that we are. Not a problem for most people, because the devil’s malevolent ways fit in with their sinful and wicked inclinations. But for us pilgrims, trying to live and breathe God’s ways, the devil is a problem. Always trying to trip us up. Always trying to get us to fall into sin so that he can destroy our relationships with our loving Heavenly Father and divert us from polluting his sinful domain, Planet Earth, with purity and holiness. Of course, we have read the end of the Book. We know what will happen to him. But in the meantime we have to be on our guard. Thankfully, we have been warned in God’s Word, our Biblical Handbook. A well known verse is in 1 Peter 5:8, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” How does he “devour” pilgrims like us? One way is through temptation to try and get us to sin. He tried that on with Jesus (he failed, of course) but that never stopped him trying with anyone else. He started it in the Garden when he said to Eve, “ …. Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?” (Genesis 3:1). Putting doubts in our minds about God is one of the devil’s primary strategies. He will find out our weaknesses and will try and exploit them at every opportunity. 

Thankfully, God knows our weaknesses and doesn’t condemn us when we fail. We read in 1 John 1:9, “But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.” We are living in a season of God’s grace, but as we know from the information contained in  the Book of Revelation, it won’t last for ever.

I am writing this at the start of a glorious day in the West of Scotland. The sea is calm, like glass, and the Isle of Jura is visible through the early morning mist rising off the sea. In such a moment it is easy to forget the devil is still out there. But God has prepared a place of care for us, a place of beauty in the world He created. And we are thankful for His provision, sustaining us in our pilgrimages through life, as, step by step, we trust in His protection.

Dear Father. Once again we thank You for Your love and grace. We reach out to You today secure in the knowledge that You are caring for us. Amen.

The Woman Fled

Posted on by korgrocker

“She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.”
Revelation‬ ‭12:5-6 NLT

After the woman gave birth, and found that her child was safe, she did a runner, and ended up in the wilderness. To make any sense from this we have to be clear about who the woman was or who she represents. We considered yesterday that the woman could have been the Jewish nation, giving birth to their Messiah, Jesus. Or another possibility is that the woman represents the Church, giving birth to the rule and reign on Christ in His Kingdom. Or perhaps there is a combination of both possibilities.

But two truths do clearly emerge from these verses. Firstly, God took exceptional steps to make sure the child and his mother were protected. Secondly, the woman was important enough to Him that He cared for her, to the extent that the devil couldn’t touch her. We also have to consider that this could all have taken place over a significant period of time. Perhaps John’s vision provided a summary, condensed into a short video clip.

If we extrapolate and superimpose these events onto history, we find that Jesus is seated at the right hand of God in Heaven. We read in Mark 16:19, “When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honour at God’s right hand.” Secondly, we know that we Christians are living in a time of God’s grace. He cares for each one of us, loving us, helping us, healing our hurts and diseases, talking with us. And, perhaps more controversially for some, He is caring for His own people, the Jewish nation. In spite of pogroms, persecution, wars, natural events, and even the Holocaust, His people are still a nation, living in their own lands once again in Palestine. 

How much God cares for us can be found in the illustration, the parable, that Jesus taught in Luke 15. We read in verse 20, “So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” God not only provides and cares for us in a passive way, but He also more aggressively runs after us. He even encourages us to approach Him in times of stress. We read in 1 Peter 5:7, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” So we are living in a time of extraordinary love and grace, coming from our Heavenly Father. All we have to do is to take a small step towards Him. He’s looking our for us!

The “1,260 days”, three and a half years, is therefore a problem, if we take these verses literally.  Perhaps a time of seven years can be considered a representation of a very long time so half of that period might relate to what Jesus said in Matthew 24:22, “In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones.” But I don’t know the relevance of “1,260 days”, and if it relates to this season of God’s grace in which we are living. We will find out one day, I’m sure. However, one thing I do know is that while God is close to us and listening, we have an opportunity to grasp His grace with both hands. The time for our salvation is close. We read in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2, “As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvellous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” Perhaps we are in the caring place God provided for us in the wilderness of sinful humanity.

Dear Heavenly Father. We are so deeply grateful for Your care and provision in this sinful wilderness of life on Planet Earth. Please forgive us for the times when we have rejected Your care and tried to go our own ways. Your care covers us like a blanket, like the way a mother hen covers her chicks with her wings. Thank You Lord, Amen.

A Baby is Born

Posted on by korgrocker

“…He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born. She gave birth to a Son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days”. 
Revelation 12:4b-6 NLT

The devil wasn’t at all happy about the impending birth. Her offspring was someone or something that he was very much afraid of and he had to destroy it, come what may. The description in John’s Revelation account seems to fit with the expectation that one day Christ will return, His second coming, and He will rule and reign together with His people. Perhaps the rule all nations with a rod of iron is a reference to the prophecy in Psalm 2:9, “You will break them with an iron rod and smash them like clay pots”. But it is possible that the “baby” in our verse today applies to the rule and reign of Christ, an event that started with His birth two thousand years ago and is still in process. Or did John’s vision once again run the video of an event that had already happened, the birth of God’s Son, Jesus, Himself? The devil was waiting for something to happen, so are we still looking to a future event at this point? A future event that will see the establishment of the Kingdom of God, ruled by Jesus, His second coming? The traditional view is that the birth event described by John was the first coming of Jesus, and the mother of the baby was the Jewish nation. But how does this fit in with the 1,260 days being assigned the label, ”The Great Tribulation”, which is yet to come? Whichever interpretation we choose to believe, however, is is clear that John’s vision was of something very significant. Once again, the verses in Revelation seem to generate more questions than answers.

We continue to read John’s account and see that the child was “snatched away” into God’s presence, where the devil couldn’t get to Him. The child in fact was brought into the very presence of God, which indicates that they had a close and special relationship. Of course, the most plausible explanation in this context is that the child was, and is, Jesus, God’s Son. But God also has a special relation with His children as well, those people who were adopted into His family, of which the first born was Jesus. We read in Hebrews 2:11, “So now Jesus and the ones He makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them His brothers and sisters”.

Do we pilgrims consider ourselves brothers and sisters of Christ? Sadly, many Christians look with suspicion at those in other denominations, but the reality is that we are all part of God’s family. Once when Jesus was speaking to a crowd of people He was told that His mother and brothers were outside and wanted to talk to Him. His response, recorded in Matthew 12:48-50 was, “Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”” Unfortunately, we so often get caught up in worldly thoughts and behaviours without addressing the real issue about our heart attitudes. We pilgrims aspire to be siblings of Jesus, so the solution is clear – we must do what God has asked us to do – His will. Do we know what that is? Perhaps a good place to start is Romans 12:2, “Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect“.

Dear Father. We confess our desire to be Your children. Please help us to discern what Your will is for each one of us. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Time for Giving Birth

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labour pains and the agony of giving birth.”
‭‭Revelation‬ ‭12:1-2 NLT

John’s writings about his vision continued. He saw, witnessed even, “an event of great significance”. And he proceeded to describe what he saw. His vision of the woman must have been delivered to him with some considerable help. Otherwise how would he have known that she was wearing the sun, was standing on the moon, had a crown of twelve stars and was pregnant. Heavily pregnant, probably, because she was in the final stages of labour. And he knew he was about to witness something special.

The second sentence of today’s verses describes what the woman looked like, and we have to look back into Scripture to find out what the sun, moon and stars refer to. Taking the woman’s clothing, probably a cloak, it was described as being made of the “sun”. A mystery perhaps, until we find that in Malachi 4:2 Malachi prophesied, “But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings. And you will go free, leaping with joy like calves let out to pasture.” In the context of the chapter in Malachi, he was referring to the event in the End Times when the day of God’s judgement arrives. We read also in the same chapter in Malachi, “Look, I am sending you the prophet Elijah before the great and dreadful day of the Lord arrives.” (Malachi 4:5). This fits in well with the context in John’s Revelation, having just read the previous chapter and heard that the blowing of the seventh trumpet preceded the establishment of God’s Kingdom. We remember that the elders’ prayer included the statement “but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead”. So straight away we get the picture that being clothed in the Sun can mean nothing else other than being clothed in Jesus, the Christ, Himself. There is also a connection between Jesus’ righteousness and clothing. For Job said, “Everything I did was honest. Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban”. (Job 29:14).

In our verses today, we see that the woman is standing on the moon. At least we are told that it is beneath her feet. This is enough to see that in this context, the moon was something inferior, something beneath where the woman was at. Perhaps we could consider the moon as being her footstool. It may be another way of pointing out that God’s enemies are beneath His feet. We read in Psalm 110:1, “The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honour at my right hand until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.” 

What are the crown of twelve stars that the woman in wearing? Again, we consider the number twelve, which refers to two important groups in the Bible. The twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve Apostles. In this context, the twelve stars possibly means that the “woman” represents the Messiah’s Jewish roots and His subsequent extended family, the Church, founded by the Apostles. So the woman was cloaked in God’s righteousness, with her enemies her footstool, and she was wearing ID on her head, defining the roots of her very being. John’s Revelation seems to support the view that the End Times are very much connected to Christ’s Church, so we’ll take the perspective that the baby to come refers to events yet to happen. And the Jews and Gentiles will one day be united into Jesus’ wonderful Bride, the Church.

So the question now is, what is the gestation period of Jesus’ Church? Two thousand years or so have passed already, more if we include the Jewish years before the birth of Jesus. But the pregnancy has been difficult. Our enemy, the devil, has done his utmost to destroy the church. But the pregnancy has continued regardless. Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 16:18, “Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it“. If Jesus said it than it will happen. There is no power available to the devil that can destroy His Church. But he keeps trying, which is why we pilgrims have to be constantly on our guards. We cannot relax, even for a minute. Note if the twelve stars that formed the woman’s crown were the Apostles, Peter was one of them.

In John’s vision, the woman is about to give birth. The gestation period is over. Labour pains are increasing, and the woman is experiencing the agony of child birth. John’s vision is clear and concise. The only thing missing from it is the “when”. And that is something we pilgrims pray about, that we too will be birthed as part of Jesus’ Church, when the time comes.

Dear Lord Jesus. We thank You that You said that You will build Your Church. Nothing will frustrate Your plans and purposes. We praise and worship You today. Amen.

The Ark

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then, in heaven, the Temple of God was opened and the Ark of His covenant could be seen inside the Temple. Lightning flashed, thunder crashed and roared, and there was an earthquake and a terrible hailstorm.”
Revelation‬ ‭11:19 NLT

Look at the sequence of events in Revelation 11 regarding the third and last terror. The trumpet sound penetrated loud and clear over the earth. Then shouts were heard in Heaven, declaring that the time for the rule and reign of Christ had come. The elders gave praise to God, thanking Him that together with Christ’s reign comes the judgement of the bad and rewards for the good. And this chapter in Revelation then bows out with another confirmation of what is about to happen. We read that the Heavenly Temple of God is exposed for all to see, and, even more, the inner place where the Ark of His covenant is kept, will also became visible. But who will be able to see it?

All those residing in Heaven would have been no strangers to God’s Temple. They were in Heaven with God Himself. So this mighty Temple edifice must have become visible to all those on the earth. Imagine the process of looking up and seeing the Temple of God, and its inner parts, even those parts that were the most sacred. And as though to emphasise the event, there was a terrible tropical storm, complete with thunder, lightning, and hail. An earthquake completed the impact of this amazing event. But is that really what John saw in his vision?

In the beginning of chapter 11 in Revelation, John wrote about being asked to measure the Temple. And we concluded in a blog a few days ago that the Temple referred to God’s people. But we know that from 1 Peter 2:5, “And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple… “. As an aside, we thank Him that all we have to do is make ourselves available as living stones. He is the Master Builder. He will do the building. Making us fit into the living stones either side, above and below takes a lifetime of diligent attention. Thankfully God is very patient!

The elders, in their prayer in the previous verse, defined the people who make up the Temple – “…Your servants the prophets, as well as Your holy people, and all who fear Your name, from the least to the greatest…”. So at long last, by the visibility of God’s Temple, we have a public demonstration of who God’s people really are. And their relationship with God is exposed, as portrayed by His Ark. Presumably within the “Temple” there would also be all of God’s attributes there to see. His grace and mercy. His love and kindness. But also His righteousness and awesome presence, enough to instil a deep sense of foreboding, even fear, in those who don’t know Him. God’s holy people will experience the thunder, lightning and earthquake as well, but with a joy because of what was coming.

Is it too late for all those who didn’t know God to turn to Him? Having lasted this long through all the terrors and woes, perhaps they have become even more hardened of heart. But in this pre-End-Times season of grace, we have the time to turn to God, if we haven’t done so already. God’s love will always soften hearts, if we let Him.

Paul wrote in Romans 13, “Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbour, you will fulfil the requirements of God’s law“. And, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armour of right living“. (Romans 13:8,11-12). If Paul wrote two thousand years or so ago that the time for salvation was limited, how much more that must be the case today. God’s patience with mankind will one day come to an end, and the season of grace in which we live will end. We don’t know when the seventh trumpet blast will be heard. But it’s coming.

Father God. We thank You for Your love, always there and available for us to embrace. We join together in praying for our neighbours and friends, that they too will feel Your loving touch, while there is still time. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

It Is Time

Posted on by korgrocker

“The twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones before God fell with their faces to the ground and worshipped him. And they said, “We give thanks to you, Lord God, the Almighty, the one who is and who always was, for now you have assumed your great power and have begun to reign. The nations were filled with wrath, but now the time of your wrath has come. It is time to judge the dead and reward your servants the prophets, as well as your holy people, and all who fear your name, from the least to the greatest. It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth.””
Revelation‬ ‭11:16-18‬ NLT

The last trumpet has sounded. Loud voices are heard shouting in Heaven. At last, the Messiah’s rule and reign over His Kingdom will be established for ever. No more sinful world under the devil’s jurisdiction. No more curses striking mankind. No wonder that the twenty-four elders fall on their faces before God. And they offer Him a prayer of thankfulness. Their prayer is full of relief, full of “at-last” sentiments, as though all mankind’s pent up frustrations are finally going to be dealt with.

The elders’ prayer is in five parts. The first acknowledges who God is and always has been. There is a fashionable phrase that goes something like “live for the moment”. But such a sentiment has no roots. It floats in a hedonistic haze, soon to return to reality with a bump. We pilgrims always keep in mind that our loving Heavenly Father has always been around. We live in His design, in a world full of His created wonders. A moment in God’s presence extends on and on and …

The second part expresses the elders’ gratitude that, after a lifetime of grieving over a fallen, devil-controlled, world, God is finally calling time and is about to adopt His rightful place as Ruler over all He has made. The elders refer to God finally being about to use His “great power”, all that is needed to reign over His Kingdom.

The third part of the elders’ prayer thanks God for exchanging the world’s wrath for His wrath. No longer will mankind’s anger, stoked up by the devil, have any place. Instead God’s wrath will prevail. Sometimes I wonder, when speaking to people, about their propensity to angrily wave their fists in God’s face. As though their puny efforts will matter. I’m reminded of Psalm 2, where we read, “Why are the nations so angry? Why do they waste their time with futile plans? But the one who rules in heaven laughs. The Lord scoffs at them.” (‭‭Psalms‬ ‭2:1, 4). And it is not as though mankind has had no warning about what is to come – Psalm 2:5-6 continues, “Then in anger he rebukes them, terrifying them with his fierce fury. For the Lord declares, “I have placed my chosen king on the throne in Jerusalem, on my holy mountain.””

The fourth part of the prayer contains the ominous phrase “it is time to judge the dead”. One day everyone who has ever lived will have to face into the reality that mankind will face a time of judgement. The grave will in no way be a place where God’s wrath can be avoided. All those who have declined God’s invitation to join His family will soon realise what that means. If they don’t want to live in Heaven, there is only one other place where eternity can be spent. And the elders’ prayer ends with the ominous statement that “It is time to destroy all who have caused destruction on the earth”. 

Thankfully there is a fifth part to the elder’s prayer. A time of reward is coming for God’s prophets, holy people and those who fear His name. The elders must have been ecstatic. No wonder they were on their faces before God.

Where do we pilgrims find ourselves this morning? On our faces before God or biting our nails in fearful anticipation of what is to come? While there is still time we must embrace God’s Son, Jesus. He warned His generation and, because of God’s grace, the warning still stands today. We read His words in John 12:35-36, “Jesus replied, “My light will shine for you just a little longer. Walk in the light while you can, so the darkness will not overtake you. Those who walk in the darkness cannot see where they are going. Put your trust in the light while there is still time; then you will become children of the light.” After saying these things, Jesus went away and was hidden from them.”

While there is time, while we can, we pilgrims must extend Jesus’ invitation, to trust in His light, to the generation in which we live. A brief examination of the news on the media soon exposes the fact that that there is an awful lot going on that has no eternal consequence at all. The psalmist was certainly right in Psalm 2 when he said, “Why do they waste their time with futile plans?” I summed it up recently, when discussing the pros and cons of Scottish independence, by saying that Scotland needs revival not independence. The adherents to worldly plans will find that they have no value at all, compared with a life to be spent in eternity. So we pilgrims have an opportunity, during this season of God’s grace, to reset the agenda, to remind those around us, while we still can, that “now the time of [God’s] wrath has come“.

Father God. With the elders we fall on our faces before You, giving thanks for who You are, and for the coming period of Your rule and reign on earth. Please help us to get ready. Amen.

Loud Voices In Heaven

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.“”
Revelation‬ ‭11:15 NLT

Once again, an angel with a trumpet readied himself for his task. I’m reminded this morning of a regimental bugler, playing in a military campaign, sounding a call to change the events in a battle. his clear tones penetrating across the noise of the battle to ensure all the troops hear the message. This angel, the last of the seven, sounded a clarion call preceding the final terror, the final woe. 

And after he sounded his note, there was a response. John, in his vision, heard, “loud voices shouting in heaven”. And what he heard marked a significant change in the status of the world. The ”loud voices” said, ”The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever”. The message cannot be clearer. Finally the time has come for the Kingdom of God to be established on earth. God’s Kingdom, to be ruled over by His Son, Jesus. 

Jesus taught much about the Kingdom of God, (or the Kingdom of Heaven in Matthew’s Gospel). All through His ministry He, by means of parables and illustrative stories relevant to His generation and the peoples around Him, taught what the Kingdom of God would be like. In Luke 17:20-21 we read Jesus’ response to a question offered by the Pharisees, “One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, “When will the Kingdom of God come?” Jesus replied, “The Kingdom of God can’t be detected by visible signs. You won’t be able to say, ‘Here it is!’ or ‘It’s over there!’ For the Kingdom of God is already among you””. So in this season of God’s grace we are in a time when we pilgrims are enjoying the benefits of His Kingdom. But it is obvious that the world we live in is not God’s Kingdom. Rather, the world as we know it is still under the curse of sin and the devil still rules. So we pilgrims are in the apparently anomalous situation of being citizens of God’s Kingdom but living in a world’s kingdom. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:20, “But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Saviour“. And the second part of this verse is connected to our verse from Revelation today. One day Jesus will return as our Saviour to reign for eternity. We will be familiar with the verses from Isaiah 9:6-7, “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!” Zechariah prophesised that Jesus will reign from Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:3). 

So when will the “Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” be established? The details appear at the end of the Book of Revelation so we will consider them in due course. In today’s verse, however, the “loud voices shouting in Heaven” declare its arrival is imminent. 

Dear Lord. We look forward to that day when You will come to rule and reign in a time when this world becomes Your Kingdom. In faith, we welcome You this day and every day, for the rest of our lives. Amen.

The Two Witnesses (3)

Posted on by korgrocker

“But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at them. Then a loud voice from heaven called to the two prophets, “Come up here!” And they rose to heaven in a cloud as their enemies watched. At the same time there was a terrible earthquake that destroyed a tenth of the city. Seven thousand people died in that earthquake, and everyone else was terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second terror is past, but look, the third terror is coming quickly.” 
Revelation 11:11-14 NLT

Can you imagine the scene? Two dead bodies lying in Main Street, Jerusalem. The world’s media would have been represented, video cameras rolling, interviews with the locals continuing. There would have been some conjecture about what should now be done with the corpses. But God had a plan. He solved the worldly problem by resurrecting the two witnesses, and they stood up. Can you imagine the ensuing chaos? The account talks about terror gripping the observers. It was the stuff of nightmares. No plot in a zombie film could match what would happen that day.

Then a loud voice from Heaven addressed the two resurrected prophets. Three, easy to understand, words. “Come up here!”. Said with a loud Heavenly voice that everyone could hear. But the terror the people felt was compounded because the prophets were surrounded by a cloud and ascended to Heaven before their very eyes. There was no dispute. This was no optical or magical illusion. This was happening in broad daylight. And while they were staring at this scene before them, the whole place shook with an earthquake so fierce, so terrible, that a tenth of the city was destroyed, and seven thousand people with it. 

The next piece of John’s narrative is interesting. The remaining terrified people “gave glory to the God of heaven”. To give glory to someone, perhaps for a significant sporting event, means that their achievement has been acknowledged. As I write this, the English Women’s Football Team is glorying in their win over Germany in the Women’s World Cup. But to give glory to God is much more than that. The phrase “give glory to God” was an old Jewish oath, inviting the person giving it to tell the truth before God. We see this is John 9:24 after Jesus healed the blind man, “A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. ‘Give glory to God by telling the truth,’ they said. ‘We know this man is a sinner.’” But that wasn’t what was happening here. People on earth had just witnessed two prophets give uncomfortable messages about the future for a period of three and half years. Then, to their initial relief, the devil killed them in an act of war. The people thought their troubles were now over. No more rivers turning to blood, or lengthy periods of drought. No more fire pouring from the prophets’ mouths, burning up any who opposed them. Two corpses lying in the street. But the next events – resurrection, ascension, earthquakes and destruction – finally convinced them that God was behind all this and they had no option other than give Him the glory for what had happened. But did they finally repent and turn from their wicked ways?

Do we pilgrims give God the glory for all He has done for us? Sadly, we have a tendency to take our many blessings too much for granted. Do we thank Him enough for the food on our tables, the air we breath, or our health? Do we take for granted our salvation through Jesus’s sacrifice for us. But when things are not quite what we would like, do we, like Paul, always have a thankful attitude, regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves? Or do we grumble? In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul wrote, “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” He also wrote in Philippians 4:12-13, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” In everything we are about today, we mustn’t forget to give God the glory for all the great things He has done. And, like Habakkuk, if things don’t go our ways, and we fall upon hard times, we are full of joyful praise, glorying God anyway. We read in Habakkuk 3:17-18, “Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord ! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!“

Dear Father God. Please forgive us for forgetting to thank and praise You enough. And please forgive us for those times when we grumble and complain. You have truly done great things in our lives and we give You all the glory today. Amen. 

The Measuring Stick (1)

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then I was given a measuring stick, and I was told, “Go and measure the Temple of God and the altar, and count the number of worshippers. But do not measure the outer courtyard, for it has been turned over to the nations. They will trample the holy city for 42 months.”
Revelation‬ ‭11:1-2‬ ‭NLT‬‬

The Apostle John was still in his vision. And he was given a job to do, which was to go and measure the dimensions of the Temple and count how many people were worshipping God there. Strange? Possibly, until we start to unpack what might be happening. 

Why would God want to measure His Temple? He knows it’s physical dimensions of course. But what other dimensions does it have? So John must have been transported there in the Spirit but …. hang on a minute … wasn’t the temple destroyed in AD 70? And the scholars reckon the Book of Revelation was written in AD 96. So what Temple was John measuring? The Jewish Temple in Jerusalem was nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Perhaps we need to consider that the “Temple of God” in this verse was the Church, and the “measuring stick” wasn’t a ruler calibrated in metres or yards, but something with spiritual dimensions marked off. After all, John was still “in the Spirit” in his vision. So perhaps John was tasked with assessing the spiritual well-being of the Church, using a set of measurements that we can find in the Bible.

Here’s my suggestion for calibrating the “measuring stick”. First of all, we are Jesus’ disciples. Jesus said in John 15:4, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” So our status as a follower of Jesus could be the first mark on the ruler. Here’s another suggestion for the second. Are we friends with Jesus and obedient to His commands? “You are my friends if you do what I command.” it says in ‭‭John‬ ‭15:14. Number three. Are we fulfilling the Great Commission? “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭28:19). Number four. Have we been rebirthed into being a new person? “This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭5:17). Number five. Are we allowing God to perfect our faith? “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honour beside God’s throne.” (‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:2).

Perhaps the “measuring stick” has got a reverse side (most rulers are two-sided). How are we impacting  our societies as “salt and light”, as Jesus taught about in Matthew 5:13-16? And in James 1:27 we read about our responsibilities in our societies. “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” James only singled out the most disadvantaged in his society but each generation has its own challenges. What are we pilgrims doing to bring God’s light into our dark societies, helping those who seem unable to help themselves?

But before we know it we have invented a checklist. The temptation is to start ticking the boxes and find out how good we are as Christians. And if we manage to tick all the boxes then … But of course we can’t do that, and our spiritual ruler cannot be a serious contender for John’s mission if it’s wielded in our hands. Isn’t it amazing that we can be very good at assessing the good and bad points of others but are unable to come up with an honest assessment of ourselves. If John visited our churches today with his “measuring stick”  what would He find? Thankfully, only God Himself can assess how we are shaping up as Christians. We can only humbly bow before Him with repentant hearts, accepting His love, encouragement and grace. 

We live in increasingly secular times. Jesus, in His explanation of the End Times in Matthew 24, stated that “… many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.” (‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:10). The Christian life is not an easy choice, particularly as the challenges to practising our faith are increasing. But before we give up we remember. There was a time two thousand years or so, when “… God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (‭‭John‬ ‭3:16‬ ‭NIVUK). We pilgrims remember that priceless act of love, that melted our hearts and turned us around from a life devoted to sinful ways to a life devoted to serving, to loving, to embracing the One who gave Himself for me.

Father God. We are so grateful for Your grace. You are a loving Parent who wants us to become more like Your Son, Jesus. We pray today that through You we have that opportunity. Amen.

Power and Imagination

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, surrounded by a cloud, with a rainbow over his head. His face shone like the sun, and his feet were like pillars of fire. And in his hand was a small scroll that had been opened. He stood with his right foot on the sea and his left foot on the land. And he gave a great shout like the roar of a lion. And when he shouted, the seven thunders answered.
Revelation‬ ‭10:1-3‬ ‭NLT

The Apostle John’s eschatological vision continues with the appearance of another angel. A mighty angel. This angel was surrounded by a cloud and had a rainbow positioned over his head. And John was struck by the brightness of the angel’s face and he also noticed that the angel’s feet were like pillars of fire. The angel obviously had something to say, related to the scroll he was carrying. And he must have been huge, to be able to stand astride on sea and land. He gave a “great shout like the roar of a lion”  and received a response from the seven thunders.

What is all that about, was my first thought. Do we accept the picture that is forming in our minds at face value or do we try and make sense of it, interpreting the vision in a way that imparts a meaning? Firstly, this episode takes place between the sixth and seventh trumpets. An interlude perhaps? Did the people still alive see this angel – something that big wouldn’t have been hard to miss – or was this a spiritual event portrayed for John’s benefit, and ultimately ours as well?

We can draw some associations between what we see and what has been written in the Bible. For example, we remember that God led the Israelite slaves through the wilderness during their exodus from Egypt from within a cloud. And Psalm 104:3 reads, “You lay out the rafters of Your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds Your chariot; You ride upon the wings of the wind.” So the angel’s message from a cloud perhaps means that it has God’s backing, His seal of approval. Also we know about rainbows. In Genesis 9:13, God said, “I have placed My rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of My covenant with you and with all the earth.” We also have a Biblical precedent for a bright face. When Jesus was transfigured on the mountain, we read in Matthew 17:2 that “His face shone like the sun”. Regarding the “feet … like pillars of fire” we remember that God led the Israelites at night in the wilderness with a pillar of fire. So we, at the very least, can assume this “mighty angel” was someone of great importance. In fact, some have even suggested that He was Jesus Himself.

Regarding the mighty shout, we read in Hosea 11:10. “For someday the people will follow me. I, the Lord, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west.” In Joel 3:16 we read, “The Lord’s voice will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth will shake. But the Lord will be a refuge for his people, a strong fortress for the people of Israel.” John didn’t record in his vision what the great angel shout was about, and neither do we really know what the seven thunders represent. But we do know that when God responded to Jesus’s prayer in John 12, some people thought it had thundered. But, everything considered, this event in Revelation was a momentous event. God was about to say something very important and significant through the mighty angel.

Is there a message in this vision for us pilgrims today? Not many of us, if any at all, will have received such a vision as John did that day. But that is not to say that God has overlooked us and has failed to deliver an important word, tailor-made just for us. Over the years I have received several important messages from God – one of them delivered with His audible voice. Something intensely personal and encouraging. God is always listening to our prayers, to our petitions, to the anguished cries from our hearts, and He will graciously and lovingly always provide the answers and encouragement that we need. 

Jesus said that when He left this earth, He would send the Holy Spirit as His representative. And through Him we will have access to the same power that Jesus had. In Acts 1:8 He said to His disciples, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you…”. Today we pilgrims are Jesus’s disciples with the potential to be powerful for God through His Spirit. I know that many claim that the power of the Holy Spirit was just for the original disciples and their generation and that it disappeared when they all died. But that is not my experience, and neither can I find any Scriptures that explicitly say that this is what happened. 

I have always been challenged with what Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:20, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” Paul wrote that to a church fellowship located in the city of Ephesus. He didn’t pick out the apostles and the favoured few who knew them. This was written to all those in the fellowship of Ephesian believers. And I firmly believe today that it applies to us as well, and we all have that accessible power deep within us. Just waiting to be tapped. In the power of this Spirit, we can dream. We can allow our imaginations to be led by the Holy Spirit. There is no limit to what can be achieved through the power that is within us. So there may be a pilgrim reading this today who feels inadequate and is lacking confidence in who they are. They might be feeling inferior and incapable. But God wants to encourage us all today. In Ephesians 1:19-20 we read, “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honour at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” So let’s press in today, flexing our spiritual faith muscles, believing God for more of that Holy Spirit power to touch us and touch those around us. In Jesus there is no limit to what we can achieve, if we only believe.

Dear Father God. We confess that we feel most of the time like fragile clay jars. But we declare today our confidence in You, the One who uses such ordinary vessels as us to do great things for You. Thank You. Amen.