6/15/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666. Then I looked. There before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with Him 144,000 who had His name and His Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 13.18b- 14.1)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

When I would teach students to overcome their fear of public speaking, I would call their attention to a baby’s “first steps.” Very few babies just jump right up and start walking. In truth, if we think about it, that “first” step isn’t walking: it’s just a first step. Walking happens when the other foot hits the floor before their hand or shoulder or butt or head does. How often do we encourage ourselves because we take the first step but never take the next step and start our “walk through life.” In whatever season we may find ourselves, we must embrace the same process of “walking” and not just taking “first steps.” I know many, and you probably know some as well, who participate in some kind of recovery program. The most popular and seemingly impactful programs have a basis and foundation in taking “twelve steps.” The value and power of twelve steps is the building up of repetition for doing the right steps again and again leading to next steps. Watching the movie about Jesse Owens, there is a scene where he is about to long jump as a member of The Ohio State University Buckeyes. It is not simply Ohio State or OSU or the Buckeyes. Ask any alumni where they went to college and they will say in practiced cadence as if taking steady steps “The Ohio State University.” It is a practiced course of action and perspective. In the capturing of that moment in Jesse Owens’ attempt to break the world record, he steps up to the launch line and feels the ground. He then walks around to ask one of the judges to show him where the world record would be in the pit. He marks that point. Then he goes to the starting line and starts with a step, then another and another until he reaches a full burst to the lauch point. It is a practiced routine which when put together leads to “where the other shoe drops.” This is the image I want to conjure in your mind as we move from Revelation 13 to Revelation 14.

We are led to a place where the much anticipated counterpoint is presented. We have seen the Dragon, Beast 1 and Beast 2. They represent a most unholy trinity filled with the desire to “rule the world” by the force of fear and death, if necessary. It will not be the death of the guilty but the innocent. It will always be presented with the perspective. The innocent, those who trust in the Lord their God, are the guilty party in the eyes of the world. They are guilty of not “fearing the Beast who has the power to kill the body.” We are already made aware of the confidence statement “Fear the One who can render body and soul as permanent residents in hell which is their destruction.” (Matthew 10.28) The guilty are those preserved by the unholy trinity because they not only fear them but accept his ownership over their lives as well as their permanent residence with him in his final “resting” place. It becomes evident because they are marked with his name or his number. Then, the other shoe drops. We are now being led into the “walk of life which adjudicates all unrighteousness so that true righteousness is made visible, undeniable and undefeatable.” For John, that next step was the appearance of “The Lamb and the 144,000.” It, too, is a number which represents a man. It is one body made up of many members. The number represents the twelve tribes of the Church harkening back to when God called twelve tribes of Jacob Israel to be His people with the promise that He would be their God. They appear. Their number has been made complete because of the work of the unholy Trinity. Their time has come to follow the Lamb into the fray. To the point of evil comes the counterpoint of good, God’s good and very good. Divine Sabbath is about to be invoked.

A PRAYER FOR TODAY:

You are our God and we shall be Your people in spirit and in truth. Continue to dwell among us. Let the revelation by Your Holy Spirit inspire us to greater service in a more refined identity. We do not live as ourselves for ourselves. Rather, we live in Christ as He lives in us. We declare it with all the elders and angels in Heaven, saying “Holy, holy, holy is He who was and is and is to come.” In Jesus’ name we live, serve and pray. AMEN.