Last Days – Being a Pilgrim

“For even Christ didn’t live to please himself. As the Scriptures say, “The insults of those who insult you, O God, have fallen on me.” Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.
Romans 15:3-4 NLT

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In Romans 15:3, Paul quoted the second half of Psalm 69:9, “Passion for your house has consumed me, and the insults of those who insult you have fallen on me”. He was of course referring to Christ. We saw how Jesus dealt with corruption in the Temple in Jerusalem – we can read the story in the Gospels, but but after the event His disciples remembered this prophetic verse from Psalm 69, “Then his disciples remembered this prophecy from the Scriptures: “Passion for God’s house will consume me”” (John 2:17). Jesus was truly counter-cultural and suffered insults from those around Him as a result.

We believers too will discover that society will throw insults at us. And the availability of social media has amplified the vitriol that is aimed at Christians. If you want to find out what it might be like, just type “Jesus was crucified for me” on a Facebook page. Or even a Bible verse that confronts some of the current ideologies around sex and gender. The world is full of keyboard warriors ready and waiting to hurl insults at counter-cultural Christians, especially those who are willing to stand up for what they believe the Bible says. But the insults that Jesus experienced didn’t even end even when He was dying on the cross. We read what the soldiers did and said in Luke 23:36-37, “The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself“”! And even the crucified criminal on the next cross had a go at Jesus. He said, “One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it“” (Luke 23:39).

In 1 Peter 4:14,16, we read, “If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you. … But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian. Praise God for the privilege of being called by his name“! In our Christian journeys there will be a lot of opposition, because what we believe confronts a sinful and evil world he’d on. Insults are at the minor end of what we could suffer. Jesus warned His followers what would happen to them, “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers” (Matthew 24:9). John’s vision recorded in Revelation tells us much about the Last Days, the times in which we are now living. Sober reading, and we pray for ourselves and our families.

But those who shake their fists at God and insult Him do something pointless and damning. Don’t people know that, at a stroke, God could eliminate them, and cut short their time on earth? But we know His patience, His grace and mercy, won’t last forever, and there will come a time when the fist-shakers will find out that their insults and bad mouthing will have an outcome too horrible to even think about. Jesus received the insults of His people, and so will we, of ours. But we know that one day all the negatives in this life will be eclipsed by the positives in the life to come. Worth a “thank You God”?

Father God. Please give us patience and forbearance when we are abused and insulted by those in our societies. And please help us respond well, honouring You in the process. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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“And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying, “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was, because you have sent these judgments. Since they shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, you have given them blood to drink. It is their just reward.” And I heard a voice from the altar, saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just.””
Revelation‬ ‭16:5-7‬ ‭NLT

There was an angel who was in charge of all the water on Planet Earth. John didn’t see him in his vision, but he heard what he had to say. Although this angel didn’t have to give a reason for why all the water on the earth became blood, he gave an explanation anyway.

Firstly, God was at last dispensing judgement on mankind to all those who had killed His holy people. And not just Christians – there were many in Old Testament times, who were counted as His people. Jesus said, on one occasion when speaking to religious leaders, in Matthew 23:35-36, “As a result, you will be held responsible for the murder of all godly people of all time—from the murder of righteous Abel to the murder of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom you killed in the Temple between the sanctuary and the altar. I tell you the truth, this judgment will fall on this very generation.” God’s warning of judgement for killing His people has been made very clear, and every generation, whether they believe it or not, will never have an excuse. They will never be able to stand before God and claim ignorance. Isn’t it strange the lengths mankind has gone to in the protection of lives in this world? A mega industry has grown up developing alarm systems to supply advance warning of peril in this present life, but no attention has been paid to the life to come. Most people will protest that they have never killed anyone, particularly God’s people, claiming therefore that they will not have to face judgement. However, sadly, most people have been, or will be, guilty by association with the persecutors and murderers, those engaged in wicked and murderous acts against God’s holy people, because that is the default position for those who reject God’s invitation of grace through His Son, Jesus Christ. We pilgrims must never neglect promoting the afterlife alarm system however. It already exists. We call it the Holy Bible.

Secondly, the judgement was proportionate. Because of their evil deeds in shedding the blood of God’s people, they will be made to drink that blood. In the UK, the judgement for the crime of murder is a prison sentence, the miscreant incarcerated for a few years in a prison. But for most murderers, there will come a day when they will be released back into the community. The victim’s family, instead, has to endure a lifetime of loss, an imbalance that will be adjusted one day – those who are unrepentant, the rejectors of God’s grace, will find out how when they stand before God on the Day of Judgement. The angel continued by saying that, for those still alive in these last days, being made to drink blood was “their just reward”. This will be the reward for those who have supported the beast in his attempts to eliminate God’s people. In these grim and devastating last days of Planet Earth, the ultimate “reward” for the devil and his followers (remember that this is the default position) is not looking good. Their prison sentence, handed down by the Righteous Judge, will be eternal life, without parole, in a place where they would sooner not be.

The Apostle John, in his vision, heard a voice from the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, your judgments are true and just”. Earlier in the Book of Revelation, we read, “When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of all who had been martyred for the word of God and for being faithful in their testimony. They shouted to the Lord and said, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge the people who belong to this world and avenge our blood for what they have done to us?”” (Revelation 6:9-10). In the next verse they were told, “….to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters —their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them“. So here, with the third plague, we learn two things – firstly, that there were no more martyrs expected from Planet Earth, and, secondly, they were having to wait no longer for God’s judgement to be handed down. And the martyrs were satisfied with the outcome, saying that it was “true and just”.

We pilgrims are an enlightened body of believers. God in His grace and mercy, has shared with us what is going to happen one day. Perhaps quite soon. Are we ready?

Dear Lord. Once again we thank You for this glimpse of the End Times. Life on earth will always be difficult for Your people, but our patience and faith in a future in Your presence will one day be rewarded. We are so grateful. Amen.