Revelation 14
November 10, 2022
“‘There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.’ This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. Then I heard a voice from heaven say, ‘Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ‘Yes,’ says the Spirit, ‘they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.’” (v11-13)
From the very beginning, God established “rest” as a pattern (Gen 2:3) and a gift to His people. So it’s not a surprise that one of the judgements on those who refuse to submit to His Kingship is “no rest day or night” (v11). Can you imagine the despair of never experiencing rest? And what a great gift that one of the eternal rewards for those who belong to Him is that “we will rest” (v13). Hallelujah!
Father, I praise You that creation (from the very beginning) was marked by this beautiful rhythm of work and rest. Like everything else, though, we’ve messed that up by our rebellion, drifting into laziness or becoming work-aholics. Thank You for both work that we can do to glorify You, and for the gift of rest You’ve given us in the Sabbath that previews our eternal rest that is coming - that will be marked again by the perfect rhythm of soul-satisfying work and enjoyable rest.
— Pastor Joshua Brooks
Use the following steps to guide your daily time with the Lord…
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Start with prayer. Ask God to open your heart to help you understand and receive His Word.
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Read and observe the passage carefully. As needed, read a second Bible version to help with understanding.
➡️ What does it say?
What does this passage teach me about God? What does it say about my sinful nature and my need for God’s grace? How does this passage point to Jesus?
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➡️ What am I going to do about it?
Does this passage include a promise to claim, an action/attitude to avoid/embrace, or a principle to apply? How can this truth apply to my life? What could my next step be? How can I share this with others? Is there a verse or section of Scripture I need to memorize?
