December 30 - Stay Awake

 Read today’s texts first: Revelation 15-18

 MAXIMize YOUR DAY

Christ’s second coming is as certain as His first,
which we celebrate as a historical fact. 

These chapters contain some of the most vivid imagery found in the entire Bible: an outpouring of God’s wrath, horrific plagues, global earthquakes, and a world war to end all wars. While some theologians debate what is literal or figurative, physical or spiritual, this is undeniably a description of the end of the world as we know it. It has to happen before God can resolve man’s chronic condition of sin and idolatry and then recreate a new heaven and earth (21:1).

We can only speculate as to the extent of the plagues and earthquakes, the identity of the beast and false prophet, the meaning of Mystery Babylon, the significance of her seven heads and ten horns, and the scope of destruction after the Battle of Armageddon. What we do know is that this will be God’s last judgment and the world will never be the same. There will be a final separation of the followers of Christ and those who defy Him.

What John, and the Holy Spirit who inspired him, want us to hear within these shadowy images is the certainty of Christ’s second coming and the finality of His perfect plan of redemption. He will come again for His own and the only ones who will rule and reign with Him forever will be those who have been “redeemed by the blood of the Lamb” (7:9-14).

In my Bible, standing out in red, are the words of Jesus:  Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed (16:15). This is why the doctrine of “the soon-coming King” is a cornerstone message in the Foursquare church and should be preached in every church and street corner around the world. It is why Sister Aimee travelled across North America in her gospel car, draped with the banner: “Jesus is Coming Soon - Get Ready!”

“Lord, Your second coming is as certain as Your first, which we just celebrated as a historical fact. May I wake up every day in the new year thinking that You may come today, get dressed in the armour You’ve laid out for me (Ephesians 6:13-18), and be ready to live each day like it could be my last.”