Day 356 a final note from God: Revelation 19-22

Who knows what the new year will bring?

Are you ready?

There is global warming, rising gas and energy prices, shortages of food and water, disasters on land and sea. There are new diseases and economic uncertainty. Terrorist activity is increasing and banks are failing.

12-21-2012 is the end of the Mayan Calendar.

There are rumors of war, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, war, famine, poverty, and more. We are surrounded by the signs or so we think.

The conditions in the world have been getting progressively worse for many years.

Have things gotten so bad that the world is going to end?

That has been the story for years, for generations, for centuries.

The one who bears witness to these things says, “Yes, I’m coming soon.” Amen.
Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

Revelation 22:20-21 CEB

I don't know when soon is . . .

Until then . . . Remember what you have learned in our journey this year:

God loves you!

He sent Jesus to die for you.

How you live your faith matters - now and forever!

Grace to all you in the adventure of faith that lies ahead for us.

Day 355 a note from God: Revelation 12-18

This calls for wisdom. Let the one who understands calculate the beast’s number, for it’s a human being’s number. Its number is six hundred sixty-six.

Revelation 13:18 CEB

We can not address the mark of the beast without acknowledging the Number of the Beast. The number is 666 in most manuscripts of the New Testament, and in modern translations and critical editions of the Greek text. Although Irenaeus (second century) reported several scribal errors of the number, there is still doubt by some theologians about the original writing, as some recently discovered third century early manuscripts of Revelation read 616. This topic is a source of contention for many church groups and theologians. Most scholars contend that the number 666 is a numerical coded entry that refers to the Roman Emperor Nero. 616 was a coded entry for Nero as well but while derived from using his Latin name.

What does the number mean? Futurist contend that the number would be a number that all currency would be based upon (and you thought the metric system was hard?). Exact interpretations vary widely and many now refer to more current technologies:

•Some interpret the mark as a requirement for all commerce to mean that the mark might actually be an object with the function of a credit card (e.g. implanted RFID tags)
•Some propose that the mark of the beast may refer to a social security number or card
•Others suppose the mark to be a microchip or a tattooed barcode on the human body

Some who take a contextual view of the Book of Revelation identify the Mark of the Beast with the stamped image of the emperor's head on every coin of the Roman Empire: the stamp on the hand or in the mind of all, without which no one could buy or sell. New Testament scholar Craig C. Hill, a Methodist, says, "It is far more probable that the mark symbolizes the all-embracing economic power of Rome, who's very coinage bore the emperor's image and conveyed his claims to divinity. It had become increasingly difficult for Christians to function in a world in which public life, including the economic life of the trade guilds, required participation in idolatry."

The ‘mark’ is also seen as an ironic contrast with the Jewish institution of tefillin – bible texts worn bound to the arm and the forehead during daily prayer. Instead of binding their allegiance to God to their arm and head, these places are instead taken up with the people's allegiance to the Beast.

Whatever the number and the beast represent it is important to understand that it is about choice - your choice - who will you choose to follow? Who will have your allegiance?

Day 354 a note from God: Revelation 5-11

They took up a new song, saying,

“You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slain, and by your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule on earth.”

Revelation 5:9-10 CEB

I have to admit I don't understand most of this book of the Bible. That is not to say that I am not fascinated by it.

I am also more than skeptical of anyone who claims to know what it all means - even the author didn't understand all that he saw and wrote!

Here is what I do know . . . this is the final chapter of God's revelation to humankind called the Bible. Like any good book the last chapter sums everything up and ties up the loose ends.

God wins!

All the battles that seemed lost - God wins!

All the evil that seemed to prosper loses - God wins!

Oh and Jesus - for those that had faith without seeing - You will see Him!

Every now and then, when the night is darkest, read the last chapter of the book and remembered how everything turns out - it makes the scary parts not so scary!

Day 353 a note from God: Revelation 1-4

Look, he is coming with the clouds! Every eye will see him, including those who pierced him, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of him. This is so. Amen. “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is and was and is coming, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:7-8 CEB

Before Santa and presents and tinsel and cookies, Advent was a time of preparation for new converts and the message concentrated on the return of Christ - not his first coming.

Perhaps it is okay that Christ's coming gets lost in the modern celebration of Christmas. His coming is really only the prologue to the story.

Easter isn't even the climax of the story - although the sacrifice and forgiveness of sin and the whole atonement thing is pretty awesome!

The climax of the story is the return of Christ!

That is still to come - we are still waiting.

Count the days and be ever ready for just as all the other promises were true -

this one will happen as well.

Day 352 a note from God: 1,2,3 John

We announce to you what existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have seen and our hands handled, about the word of life. The life was revealed, and we have seen, and we testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us. What we have seen and heard, we also announce it to you so that you can have fellowship with us. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

1 John 1:1-3 CEB

Does this sound familiar?

As you read this passage, did you recall the story of the shepherds at the birth of Christ?

When the angels returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go right now to Bethlehem and see what’s happened. Let’s confirm what the Lord has revealed to us.” They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw this, they reported what they had been told about this child. Everyone who heard it was amazed at what the shepherds told them.

Luke 2:15-18 CEB

Now that you know the story. Share it. Testify to others about it.

This Good News is too Good to keep yourself.

Day 351 a note from God: 2 Peter and Jude

Remember this day these words from Jude:

Dear friends, I wanted very much to write to you concerning the salvation we share. Instead, I must write to urge you to fight for the faith delivered once and for all to God’s holy people. Godless people have slipped in among you. They turn the grace of our God into unrestrained immorality and deny our only master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jude 1:3-4a CEB

On this day of family, presents, Santa, food, ornaments, and celebration - don't allow all of it to crowd out the reason for our salvation.

Merry Christmas!