devotional

The last book of the Bible, Revelation has inspired fantasy and fanaticism. It has terrified and caused confusion. But to be understood, it must be understood in its literary genre. As a book about prophecy we must understand the purpose of prophecy to understand it.

The primary role of prophecy in Scripture is not so much to tell the future as to teach the faithful. But God’s people are not always faithful. So Revelation, like Old Testament prophecy, denounces sin, calls the people of God to repentance, warns them of judgment, encourages the righteous, and confirms the promises of God and the certainty of the fulfillment of what God promised through Abraham, Moses, David, and others. These predictions of the future deal with the end times (coming of the Lord) and the role of converted Israel in those days.

So, prophecy should encourage and challenge—it should motivate me to walk in a manner worthy of God with anticipation.
Prophecy should exhort and condemn those who are sinning—it sends out a call to repentance and return to walking purely in light of the surety of God’s discipline and judgment.
It both exhorts and provides hope—it gives hope based on God’s faithfulness, that God will do what He said He would do, therefore we can trust Him.

The Seven Churches
One of the unique elements of the book of Revelation is the first section, addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor. Of the seven churches only one does not receive commendation, Laodicea. What were they guilty of that would single them out?

Revelation 3:15-17 “ ‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (ESV)

What is their problem? Self-sufficiency, materialistic self-sufficiency and indifference.

The Lord wants believers who realize they are weak. Who understand their utter dependence on God and who live each day by faith. An understanding of need naturally and happily leads to a spirit of surrender which is evident by undivided allegiance, total surrender and total dedication to the Lord.

The temptation is great to depend on what we have, who we are, what we can do. When we become self-sufficient, we are telling God we don’t need Him. And since God’s greatest goal is His own glory, His worship, He will not be ignored or marginalized. He must be Lord, not just at the point of our conversion, but each day.

He doesn’t want to be part of our life; He wants to BE our life.
He doesn’t want people who are so comfortable in life that they lose the sense of His priority in their life.

He wants people that are sold-out, serve passionately, engaged with expectation and are grateful for every good gift.

So may we be needy, grateful people who are passionate, zealous about and for God.

Steve Kilgore