Today’s Reading: Revelation 14:1-19:5

One of the most astonishing things about God is His loving patience and long-suffering. While it is true that He will act in righteousness, for me as a human – His patience – at times I am liable to think of it as His inability to act! But here even at this late date on the earth, how beautiful to see that He does have a remnant, even when it seems all has gone bad! Probably number wise, it indicates that it has something to do with Israel. Most certainly, 1 Thessalonians seems to state clearly, that anyone in our time period who refuses salvation, it will be forever too late for them after Jesus comes for His church at the rapture (which at this point has already taken place)! Certainly the details of the eternal gospel are not the same as the details of the gospel which we preach today (Romans 10:9?).

But then the following details about the angels and what they bring seems to indicate that the false church which always boasts that they are the only true church but which denies that salvation is ONLY through faith in Jesus Christ Himself, is here dealt with. And there is no hope for those who look to this church for salvation! And the city called Babylon is judged completely with no hope of recovery.

Interesting it talks about kings, probably indicating more of political heads of countries, whereas when it comes to talk about “the woman”, it is referring to those (or a system) which professes to be the bride of Christ, but which in actual fact is only a religion with no connection with Jesus Christ. But in the big picture, religion has become a big business and so maybe the religion controls the political system! But here the ten kings will turn on the religious “church” and destroy her (to get her wealth?). But in so doing, they will damage commerce!

But interspersed with the judgments, comes praise from angels, or saints, or martyrs that at last God has done judgment in all His righteousness! Won’t it be good to be part of the throng which shouts out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments!”

I suspect that what this is building up to is somewhat like the situation on earth where a man and woman are to be married, and the question before the marriage takes place, is asked “Is there any reason for the marriage not to take place?” And if some woman were to stand up and say, “This man is my husband and I am his wife,” the marriage won’t be able to proceed! But here the false woman, who PROFESSES to be Christ’s bride, is completely shown to be false and therefore the last barrier to Christ taking the church as His bride (all true believers in Christ Jesus as Saviour) is taken care of.

I know that all of these details are hard to understand, but it is not hard to know and understand that His love for me (& you too) is limitless! And because He loves me with such a deep love, I know that you and I are special to Him beyond my ability to fathom! But I love it and it is the most precious thing in life to me!