Articles
Revelation 14
Today’s reading is Revelation 14.
In contrast to the monsters of the previous two readings, our Hero stands on the mountain. But as a Lamb. Picture that, a Lamb walking to battle against a dragon and two beasts. However, He does have 144,000 with Him. This is interesting because if we removed the chapter break, we would see this 144,000 right after we hear about those the beasts had sealed with the number 666. If we didn’t have the chapter break, we might remember that the 144,000 are the group of people God had His angels seal showing that He knows exactly who belongs to Him. We spend so much time getting bent out of shape trying to figure out who 666 represents and what kind of seal that is that we miss the obvious. There are two groups of sealed people. Not only does God know who belongs to Him, the dragon knows who belongs to him. God also knows who belongs to the dragon. The question is not whether we are sealed, the question is whose seal do we wear. If we are God’s, He knows. If we are not, He knows. To whom do you belong?
A Word for Our Kids
Hey kids, in the last two readings, we’ve met the enemies of our Hero again. And it looked like they were winning. However, as we said then, the point of the story each time it is told is no matter how it looks, Jesus always wins. That is exactly what we see happening again in today’s reading. The Lamb is victorious. Judgment is come. Babylon is fallen (that is interesting because we won’t be officially introduced to Babylon until the next cycle of this story). Those sealed by God are victorious, even if they died in the persecution. The reaping is happening and Jesus always wins. Keep reading. Keep hearing the story. And remember it was true for the Christians persecuted in the first century and it is true for us. No matter what it looks like, Jesus always wins. Hang on to that.
Edwin Crozier
