- And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them…Revelation 11:7 – Sounds like a harsh ending for the two witnesses that have been faithful in all that God had commanded them to do. Notice though how in their efforts they were able to completely finish all they had come to do then the beast came. What this reminds us is that all the evil forces at play here are subject to God’s authority. If He says to them you can’t move, they can’t move. While we may not understand why in certain cases evil forces are allowed to move forward, let’s consider what havoc there would be on earth if God never held back any evil. If God never stepped in or never held anything evil Satan had planned for us at bay how wretched would our world be? While it can be confusing why some things still happen, let’s give praise to God that all the horrors Satan wants to bring aren’t able to move forward because of God’s power. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 1579
- Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Revelation 11:15 – Our chapter begins with John receiving a measuring rod to measure the temple within Jerusalem that will be built in the future, likely during the Tribulation. This measuring is to declare ownership of the Lord of His temple, yet we see the nations during this time will desecrate the temple area with their sinfulness. Two new characters come into play, the Two Witnesses. While we aren’t given clarity on who they are, we see for 3½ years they will speak the words of God over the people of the earth, pointing them to repentance. While unable to be defeated by the world, we see after their time of ministering, the beast (which is likely the Antichrist), is able to kill them. While the world rejoices over the death of the two witnesses for the message of repentance conflicted with the sin they wanted to continue living in, the two witnesses rise from the dead and are welcomed into Heaven by the Lord. While the earth watched this unfold, a massive earthquake hits Jerusalem, thousands perish, yet the remaining Jewish people there in the city finally acknowledge Jesus as Lord. Then the seventh trumpet blasts, setting in motion the final move of God’s redemptive plan. Heaven rejoices as this blast, for it means the end is soon and the eternal kingdom of Jesus was soon to be established. While this devotion certainly was more of a breakdown of the chapter, it and the ones to follow will be quite confusing to read. A takeaway though from this chapter is this wonderful reminder that God is still sovereign during the chaos of today, and His eternal kingdom will one day be established. The enemy will fight hard, and will have moments of what looks like victory, but our God is the God that breathes out life, not death. Whether it’s during the time of Revelation, or the hardships of your life today, remember Satan is not the one sovereign over all this, but our Savior Jesus is. I love you, but Jesus loves you more – Mac – Daily DEVO 2795
Daily DEVO 