The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 20:4,
"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God.They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
In the above verse John says he saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their faithful propagation of the gospel message.
We have all been given the responsibility to proclaim the gospel message, whether to family members, neighbors, to coworkers, to those where we relax and play. Peter tells his readers, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. " 1 Peter 3:15-16.
However, John tells us he saw in the revelation given him souls of those who lost their heads doing so. Why would God allow this?
I have often felt the interpretation of John's revelation has been skewed a bit by those who might wish to not have to live through some of the horrific things we read of within its pages. I know I have heard a number of times the thought that since God loves us, he wouldn't want us to go through those horrific things.
Leaving aside for now the debate over a "pre-trib rapture", and other discussions, the line of thinking that since God loves us, he wouldn't want us to have to go through horrific things is not supported by what we read in John's revelation. Supporting that meme will only cause confusion and consternation when what we see happens doesn't seem to square with what was preached behind the pulpit.
I am quite certain God has his own reasons why he allows things to happen, whether to enhance the quilt of those headed for perdition, to manipulate events to influence outcomes, or whatever. It is not my job to judge what God does - far from it! - and it certainly isn't my job to make assumptions about what God may or may not do, particularly when it contravenes what we read in the pages of Scripture.
Paul's observation is what we all need to embrace. In his quote of Psalm 44, we read in Romans 8:36, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." This might even be taken in a literal sense for some of us.
Just ask the folks John saw in his revelation!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
"I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God.They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years."
In the above verse John says he saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their faithful propagation of the gospel message.
We have all been given the responsibility to proclaim the gospel message, whether to family members, neighbors, to coworkers, to those where we relax and play. Peter tells his readers, "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. " 1 Peter 3:15-16.
However, John tells us he saw in the revelation given him souls of those who lost their heads doing so. Why would God allow this?
I have often felt the interpretation of John's revelation has been skewed a bit by those who might wish to not have to live through some of the horrific things we read of within its pages. I know I have heard a number of times the thought that since God loves us, he wouldn't want us to go through those horrific things.
Leaving aside for now the debate over a "pre-trib rapture", and other discussions, the line of thinking that since God loves us, he wouldn't want us to have to go through horrific things is not supported by what we read in John's revelation. Supporting that meme will only cause confusion and consternation when what we see happens doesn't seem to square with what was preached behind the pulpit.
I am quite certain God has his own reasons why he allows things to happen, whether to enhance the quilt of those headed for perdition, to manipulate events to influence outcomes, or whatever. It is not my job to judge what God does - far from it! - and it certainly isn't my job to make assumptions about what God may or may not do, particularly when it contravenes what we read in the pages of Scripture.
Paul's observation is what we all need to embrace. In his quote of Psalm 44, we read in Romans 8:36, "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." This might even be taken in a literal sense for some of us.
Just ask the folks John saw in his revelation!
A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just respond and let me know.
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