November 16, 2023

Passage Read: Revelation 17-18
Meditation Verse: 18:20

Thought

A day is coming when the saints and apostles and prophets will rejoice over the destruction of those who hated them. All heaven will rejoice over the destruction of Babylon, and the saints, apostles and prophets will do likewise. God will judge Babylon for the way she treated His faithful ones. Though today we pray for our enemies and desperately desire their repentance, it is not always that we will have to be abused and debased, scorned and mocked and ridiculed. Today we return kindness and love for abuse and hatred, but one day we will rejoice and celebrate the destruction of those who refused to repent, of those who hated God from the depths of their hearts.

Application

God rules over the nations and determines who will believe and be saved. I don't need to mourn over those who rejected His offer of mercy, who had no hope of salvation. They were destined to be objects of wrath. I can rejoice over those who hated Him and perished in their hatred; they are receiving the penalty of their wickedness. At the same time, I need to recognize that I stand by grace, not by my own power or goodness, but by the mercy and kindness of God. I should be overwhelmed with gratitude that He determined to choose me!