Today's Scripture
TODAY’S READING SCHEDULE: Revelation 6
Ready or not, here it comes ; Revelation 6:1-12 (NIV)
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.
What does this passage mean to me/us? Contributed by Fred Sistler
| I don’t believe we will ever understand apocalyptic (end times) scripture completely, but I am convinced that the Holy Spirit wants us to understand enough so we can apply it to our lives today.
There are many places in the world where there is no peace. Multitudes are dying because of war, famine, and diseases. Revelation reminds us that God allows and sometimes even brings about suffering. People have long struggled with the question of why a loving God allows bad things to happen. It comes as no surprise that no one has ever been able to fully explain the mind and the actions of an infinite God whose ways are not our ways and who does not think like we do. Perhaps the real question for us is whether or not we believe and trust that God really loves us and that Jesus died for our sins. When it comes to the things of God, we are in sales – not management. Perhaps the most disturbing part of today’s Scripture is that many Christians will be killed because they are followers of Jesus. Could such things really happen today? A few years ago, I was at a Bible college commencement ceremony in India. During his speech, the president of the school pointed to a large board containing the names of the honor roll students. He hoped to see many of their names on that list. Their honor roll was a little different. It listed the students who had been killed because they were followers of Jesus. They had chosen to die rather than deny their faith in the one who died for their sins. They were the honored ones. There were many names were on the honor roll, and room for many more. I spoke in a church in another country. Thirty of the fifty people in that service were under a death threat because they were Christians. A good friend of mine had been tortured and stabbed many times because he had been teaching people about Jesus. He bled to death after they cut his throat. One of my employees was beaten unconscious twice and sent to the hospital because he would not deny Jesus. Should we be afraid – very afraid – of what is to come? Absolutely not! Jesus said that he has overcome the world and promised to give us his peace that has nothing to do with our circumstances. Some, perhaps many, in our church have experienced the true peace of Christ. Jesus wants to give this peace to all his people. It’s for you and it’s for me.
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Prayer
Lord, you told us of terrible and terrifying things which are to come that will be worse than the things in the past. We know that suffering will continue until you return to take us home. Some who follow you will die. You called us to take up our cross and go with you. We would rather take up a small stick of inconvenience, but you did not give us that option.
Sometimes your words scare us. We believe you some. Help us to believe you more. Will you give us the faith and the courage and the peace to follow you even if means picking up a cross – to look good on wood – for the sake of your kingdom?
We come to you in the name of your son, Jesus, as living sacrifices ready to live or die for your glory and for our own good. AMEN
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