Today’s Reading : Revelation 13 and 14
We have made it to another Christmas season. Contrary to popular common belief, Christmas season starts on December 25th by the liturgical calendar. The season that precedes Christmas is the Advent season. We still have a couple of weeks, 12 days, of the festive Christmas season. We have been waiting and anticipating the birth of Christ, now we can celebrate His being with us. Let us not start to slow down the merriment and joy that He has given us.
From Christ’s initial coming down as a child on that first Christmas day, he lived with us and showed us how to live with him. With his sacrifice, he gave us the Holy Spirit, and with that the promise of a new life, and a new destination after we depart this one. This time of Christmas sometimes can be a joyous one, but it also can bring up sadness for others for the loss of loved ones. But we have the hope that we will be with Him after this life is over. He shows us that in all things He will prevail and nothing can over take him.
In today’s reading we are giving a glimpse of the apocalypse. The apocalypse comes from Greek, the original language of the Book of Revelation. It means “uncover, disclose, reveal.” In late 14th century Church Latin, it became “revelation.” In Middle English, its general sense was “insight” or “vision.”
As I read and meditated over these passages, I had an initial sense of sadness and foreboding. These texts reveal a spiritual battle that has taken place or will take place sometime in the course of time. Please review Chapter 13. As I read through this passage I had images of “the Lord of the Rings” and the final epic battle. This is not an easy read, but it is an essential read. Once the stage has been set and the characters have been established, we will see how the story plays out.
If I only stopped at one portion of this text, then I would be completely dismayed and questioning everything. Everything that I have prayed about and had faith in would be shaken. But in the midst of this epic setup, God shows us that He will prevail.
Revelation 14:2-3; 6-7
And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders.
Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”
When all of the things that have been done, God will show up and truly show his awesome power. He will herald a proclamation that will culminate all of our joy and prayers. Just like the time on earth before Christ entered in the human form, there was darkness and desolation and despair. But Christ came to give light that will not be taken from us. This same light will be with us even through this catastrophe because he prevails.
Let us not forget that just because the day of Christmas has come and gone, Christ is still with us and the celebration of his joy is forever.