The Comings of the Lord
The Lord’s first coming is being celebrated by a world that by and large does not believe in Him in a Biblical way. Many celebrate Christmas but do not get baptized scriptually nor do they celebrate the Lord’s supper often as the Lord requested. In many cases they do not love their neighbors. But the Lord did come and He is coming. And His second coming will happen when the world least expects it. Our believing doesn’t make this true, it is true whether we believe it or not. But if we believe the Lord, we can prepare by believing in the Lord (that is, by trusting Him). For the Christian His second coming will mean salvation from a world that has grown increasingly wicked. For the the unbeliever, read on:
Revelation 6:1-17
(1) Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, “Come and see.”
The Four horsemen of the Apocalypse
(2) And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.
(3) When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come and see.”
(4) Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.
(5) When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come and see.” So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.
(6) And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.”
(7) When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come and see.”
So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.
Martyrs who are now Praying for Revenge
(9) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.
(10) And they cried with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.
The Great Day of God’s Wrath
(12) I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.
(13) And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind.
(14) Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.
(15) And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,
(16) and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!
(17) For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
The Lord came to die. He gave Himself for us. He loves us. When we reject that love, there are consequences. John the apostle tells us, “Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.” (Revelation 1:7)
Please don’t worship Him your way this Christmas. Worship Him by really believing in HIm. The cross is the real reason for the season.
Bruce Collins
Meditation for the week of December 17, 2017