Isaiah 1

The prophet Isaiah issued some of the most frightful warnings, but also some of the most encouraging prophesies of the Messiah’s redemptive mission. We are catapulted from sinful despair to eternal bliss because of Christ’s sacrificial life, death and resurrection.

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”
    says the Lord.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
    they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
    they shall be like wool.
¹⁹ If you are willing and obedient,
    you will eat the good things of the land;
²⁰ but if you resist and rebel,
    you will be devoured by the sword.” [Is. 1:18-20]

Rev. 22

These are Christ’s last words to us. We are wise to live with an urgency to please Him and be obedient to His commands.

He also said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” [Matt. 28:18-20]

Rev. 21

Nothing impure will be found in the New Jerusalem, the City of God coming down out of Heaven.

Purity is a Godly quality. It means the absence of sin, corruption, dross, alloy, falseness etc.

Bill Gothard once said, “Don’t strive to make your churches big, strive to make them pure.”

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” [Matt. 5:8]

Rev. 20

Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom, is an actual valley in the city of Jerusalem. In Israel’s past, it was used as a place of child sacrifice. From the reign of Josiah onward, it was used as a garbage dump where the fires burned the refuse continuously. Jesus used it as an illustration of the final judgment of the wicked. Gehenna is the permanent place where both the body and the soul are reunited to spend eternity apart from God. It is located outside the new Jerusalem, the place where believers will be with the Lord.

-Don Stewart, blueletterbible.org

Rev. 19

John saw Heaven, and he saw Jesus seated on a great white horse as the commander of all the armies of Heaven. Christ commands the greatest army in the universe. We need to be mindful of His power as we meet the challenges of life.

God also revealed this army to Elisha’s servant. In 2 Kings 6 we read of how God opened the eyes of the servant to behold an army of horses and chariots of fire protecting them.

When God’s army gets done with the enemy at Armageddon, He will call in the birds to eat the dead flesh of the foe.

Our God is a great warrior. He protects us. He leads us. We are eternally safe with Him.

Rev. 18

David Wilkerson, I believe, said, “If God excuses the sin of NYC, He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah”.

When you read this chapter envisioning NYC, it makes sense. No other city in the world or in history matches the description like it. I think of David Wilkerson, Jim Cymbala, and others who have had a great ministry there. God is trying to reach its inhabitants.

One sad thing is that we have become so numbed to the depravity of NYC, LA, and other major cities, that we lose our disgust with their sin.

God doesn’t. He grieves. He will judge.

Pray.

Rev. 17

I am the first to admit that I don’t have much understanding about John’s book, the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Whether or not the U.S. is Mystery Babylon or who the identity of the Beast is, I’m not sure. Frankly, I haven’t been challenged to study it for these answers. I have a wait and see approach.

This one thing is for sure, and it’s one thing I understand … Christ, God’s Lamb, will overcome all. He will reign supreme and conquer all His foes. THIS I understand!

Surely Christ Jesus knows all and will protect me when times get tough. I rest in the Lamb. I trust the Lamb. I will stay with the Lamb.

Rev. 16

The word judgement has a scary sound. In general, it means to vindicate or hold to a standard. When the person judged has done wrong, it can mean punishment.

In most competitive events, there is a judge or evaluating official . In a baseball game, an official is designated to call balls and strikes. Likewise there are judges to make calls on each base, safe or out. Video replay has helped make some sports judgements more fair.

God is the Great Judge Who sits in the heavens and watches everything. He is the only perfectly accurate Judge of everything. We can have the blood of Jesus cleanse us from all unrighteousness and go on living our lives with the peaceful assurance that He will control the outcome of every judgment we are subjected to. We can thereby live life and REST. Just trust Him.

Rev. 15

Interestingly, smoke filled the temple John saw in heaven. It signified the thick glory and presence of God there. Smoke also filled Solomon’s temple when he dedicated it. We read of that in smoke in 2 Chron. 7.

Personally, I have never seen this type of smoke. I HAVE been in some very special services where God’s presence was VERY THICK. They are most memorable.

Regardless of whether we actually see the smoke, it’s a worthy goal to pray for this kind of services in our churches. One very key ingredient is prayer. We should be asking God for such a display of His presence when we gather together. We may not see smoke, but we surely desire to see His mighty power displayed.

Rev. 14

People literally have no idea about their fate if they reject Christ’s offer for salvation. This chapter of Revelation speaks of their punishment … “They will be tormented with burning sulfur …  And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” [Rev. 14:10b, 11]

You may recall the devo I published about my “blue light” treatment at the skin cancer clinic. For a mere 6 or so minutes of time, I was subjected to a burning pain on my face to treat pre-cancer spots. It was almost unbearable. In that moment, I couldn’t imagine experiencing it all over my body FOREVER.

People just have no idea of what they will experience if they reject Christ.