Revelation 21:1
My daughter Lydia loves to talk
about what she knows. When it comes to
watching movies you must rein her in or you will hear a description of the
whole movie before it even starts. Think
about it… those movies with surprise ending or an unforeseen twist would be
ruined. Watching the movie would be less exciting at best. In movies, suspenseful
or fast-moving moments add excitement. This
fun of the unexpected does not transfer to life. A life full of uncertainty leads not to enjoyment,
rather it leads to a life of anxiety and fear. One becomes anxious when he or
she does not know what comes next or how demanding circumstances will be
resolved. As we look forward to 2015 and
beyond, let us not be apprehensive.
Rather, let us have a scriptural view of that yet to come.
The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John
while he was on the island of Patmos, in the Aegean Sea near Greece. It
contains a glimpse into time to come. While there are a lot of details and many of these are debatable, you
and I need not be distracted by the details but ought to see and be defined by the
big picture.
In last several chapters of book of
Revelation, one can see a God-view of the world to come. A cursory reading of the end of this book
makes it clear that this world, this life will not last forever. So many live a life that declares otherwise… they
accumulate things in this life as if these things will last forever. However, God declares that all of the things
are around us are temporary, including this world itself. It’s important that as we begin another year,
we live as if the world is temporary, for it is.
In Revelation, our standing here
and in the future comes into focus. The
promised Savior came to this earth as a baby born to a simple couple and many failed
and continue to fail to recognize this reality. The same cannot be said of the
return of Jesus Christ in the nineteen chapter of Revelation. Here, John paints a picture of the return as
being triumphant and powerful and glorious.
He asserts that Christ will return as the prodigious arbitrator of
mankind. Countless people have lived and
live now as if God is not victorious in the end. Many professed Christians can be counted among
this crowd. Yet, scripture clearly announces
that Christ and His followers are victors.
Let each of us live as if the mighty
conquering victorious judge of humanity is our personal Savior.
It may be interesting to examine Revelation
to understand the endtimes, but let each of us not be blinded by the details
and miss the big picture. Despite all
the problems of our world today and the prevalence of sin, Revelations reminds
us that God wins. I find hope that knowing that this world will come to an end. I am exceedingly joyous knowing that I serve
the God who opener and closer of time.
That I serve the a powerful conquering King who deeply loves me and has
made a way for me to be forgiven and restored. As we begin the new year, let
each of us look ahead and see how the story ends… and let this foresight move
each of us to live today as if the end is but just a beginning.