November 14, 2023

Passage Read: Revelation 15-16
Meditation Verses: 16:9-11

Thought

Three times in this chapter of the seven last plagues of God's wrath men curse God and refuse to repent. They refuse to admit they were wrong, even as God pours out His wrath on them, proving they are powerless before Him, proving that He exists and rules over all creation. They are helpless before Him, but instead of repenting, they curse Him. They know exactly who is doing these things. There is no mystery, there is no doubt. God has made it plain, and so proven that He is just in these judgments. Those who remain are those who would never repent. They are true enemies of God.

Application

There have always been those who would refuse to believe, those who would fight against the Lord. But there are also those who are willing to repent and believe. But we have so muddied what it means to believe that recognizing true believers and false has become difficult and even condemned. We're told by religious leaders not to judge a brother, quoting Scripture, while even ignoring Scripture that tells us to recognize sin and call it out. Men will go from bad to worse; they will slip in among believers and corrupt the truth. There will be many deceivers and liars, and all the unelect will be led astray. God will prove and reveal those who are true from those who are false, but it will be through a crucible of fire. So it is required that those who desire to prove faithful must stay awake and keep their clothes with them, continue to walk in righteousness even while the world grows more hostile to the Lord. The world must grow darker, and I must not be deceived by it, but must determine to trust the Lord and His Word to walk by it.