Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
Revelation 19
After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting,
“Praise the Lord!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2 His judgments are true and just.
He has punished the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality.
He has avenged the murder of his servants.”
3 And again their voices rang out:
“Praise the Lord!
The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!”
After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting,
“Praise the Lord!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.
2 His judgments are true and just.
He has punished the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality.
He has avenged the murder of his servants.”
3 And again their voices rang out:
“Praise the Lord!
The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!”
Commentary:
19:1–2 John had seen a great multitude, representing every nation, standing before God’s throne in heaven and extolling his salvation (see 7:9–10). Now that countless choir, redeemed by the Lamb (7:14), praises God also for his just vengeance on the prostitute who murdered the saints. Hallelujah, which occurs only here in the NT (19:1, 3, 4, 6), comes from a Hebrew term for “praise Yahweh,” seen often in the Psalms (esp. Psalms 113–118). true and just. God’s judgments will expose every lie and right every wrong (Rev. 15:3; 16:7). As in 18:23–24, the great prostitute is condemned for twin crimes: she corrupted the earth (11:18) through beguiling pleasure, and she shed the blood of God’s servants (17:6), which he has finally avenged (6:10).
19:3 Babylon’s smoke … goes up forever and ever, symbolizing irreversible judgment (like the millstone in the sea, 18:21). The heavenly praise of God (Hallelujah!) for this judgment can be understood only in light of the pervasive evil of “the great prostitute” (19:2) and the infinite worthiness of the God whom she repeatedly blasphemed.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2490.
19:3 Babylon’s smoke … goes up forever and ever, symbolizing irreversible judgment (like the millstone in the sea, 18:21). The heavenly praise of God (Hallelujah!) for this judgment can be understood only in light of the pervasive evil of “the great prostitute” (19:2) and the infinite worthiness of the God whom she repeatedly blasphemed.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 2490.
Questions:
- Scripture makes it clear that the day is coming when EVERY person that rejected Jesus, without exception, will face ultimate judgement and punishment.. This judgement will be PERSONAL. Everything that has been hidden will be on display for all to see. It will be a PERFECT judgement, because God is fair and just. Unlike today's justice system, there will be no wrongful convictions. He is omnipresent and sees everything, so He is the best possible eye-witness. He is omniscient, knowing even thoughts and motives. He has a complete and detailed inventory of everyone's lives, a record of every time they said no to Jesus. There will be no defense, only prosecution. No jury, only a Judge. No appeal because the judgement will be final. There will be no parole because the sentence will be PERMANENT. How should these facts affect the way we live today? Knowing this, how could we not warn others?
- According to Revelation 19, God's justice is one of the reasons he is worshiped in heaven! His divine justice and judgement isn't just something He HAS to do. It's who He is. It's part of His character. Can you adjust your perspective enough to worship God for the fact that He punishes sin and disobedience? If so, how would this change the way you view the judgement that is coming on the Day of the Lord?
Prayer Topics:
- That God would give us the courage and conviction to warn those we love of coming judgment.
- That we could learn to worship God for His justice.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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