Revelation 16
November 14, 2022
“They cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.” (v9-11)
Even in the midst of God’s judgment against sin, God is reaching for repentance. And yet, there will be some people, who are so opposed to giving up their way and submitting to God’s rule - that they will “refuse to repent” (v9, 11).
Father, I praise You that You will not allow evil and wickedness to reign over your creation forever. There is a point when Your righteous judgment of sin will come. But I also praise You for Your compassion - that even to the very end - You will give people an opportunity to turn from their sin and turn to You. Many will still refuse, though, because as C. S. Lewis said, “In the end, there are two kinds of people - those who say, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, ‘Thy will be done.’”
— 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?
