Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ” (1:1) reveals the relentlessness of God in fulfilling His promises. Revelation 11:14 summarizes, “The second woe is past; and, behold, the third woe cometh quickly.” The first “woe” ends in Revelation 9:12. The “second woe” is inaugurated by the sixth angel trumpet and includes an assault by a demonically-driven army that kills a third of the world’s population; a new temple in Jerusalem; the ministry, murder, and miraculous resurrection of two anointed prophets of God; and a destructive earthquake in Jerusalem. In the middle of this detailed “second woe,” we find this statement: “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets” (Revelation 10:7). A “mystery of God” is not an intriguing detective novel (a genre which I generally enjoy); rather, it is a truth from God that has not yet been disclosed but will be when and how He sovereignly decrees. We have a glimpse of this truth as we read Revelation 11:15a: “And the seventh angel sounded.” It is our privilege to learn from our Lord. As “In the Garden” proclaims, “Thru the voice of woe His voice to me is calling.”
2023-07-21