Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Offer Eternal Rest (9/4/25)

Yesterday, Kent discussed how Jesus offers not only physical rest but also spiritual rest. As I read his devotional last night and re-read our next passage in Revelation, I was struck by the final verse, which mentions rest from labor. In the United States, many of us celebrated Labor Day this past Monday and enjoyed a day off from work - a temporary “rest from our labor.”

Jesus promises His followers a far greater blessing: eternal rest from the struggles of this life, including hardship, persecution, rejection for speaking truth, and even death. In contrast, those who reject Jesus and refuse to fear God or give Him glory will experience eternal torment with no rest.

Revelation 14:6-13 ⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language and people. ⁷ He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.”

⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” ¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

As verse 7 warns, God’s judgment will come on those who do not worship Him as Creator. However, as verse 6 indicates, everyone will have the opportunity to hear the eternal gospel and respond. Those who respond in faith and patiently endure will receive His blessing and eternal rest.

What encouragement do you find in these truths? How does it motivate you to persevere in sharing God’s truths with others so they too can enjoy eternal rest?

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Redeem the 144,000 (8/28/25)

I'm cautious about letting my kids use permanent markers – after all, they're permanent! However, for their swim meets this summer, I made an exception, allowing them to use permanent markers to draw pictures on each other's backs (though not on their faces).

One day, we'll all have permanent writing on our faces, but it won't be from a marker. In contrast to the second beast in last week's passage, which required everyone to receive a mark (the name of the first beast) on their right hand or forehead, Jesus chooses to put His name on the foreheads of the redeemed.

Revelation 14:1-5 Then I looked, and 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. ² And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of rushing waters and like a loud peal of thunder. The sound I heard was like that of harpists playing their harps. ³ And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. ⁴ These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. ⁵ No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.

You might recall the 144,000 from Revelation chapter 7, who were sealed by God on their foreheads before the final judgment. Some scholars interpret this number of 144,000 as symbolic, while others believe it's literal. There's debate about whether it refers specifically to Israelites who follow Christ in the last days or represents the broader body of believers across the ages – the Church, including Gentiles. Based on the passage in Revelation 14, it seems to me that the 144,000 might not represent all believers, as they're described as firstfruits. What's clear, however, is that Jesus is worthy of praise for His redemption of both the firstfruits and all who accept His redemption.

As we reflect on this, we're faced with a question: Whose name will you have on your forehead? Will you be claimed by Satan and the beast, or by God the Father and Jesus? The good news is that Jesus's redemption is permanent – His purchase with His shed blood on the cross was a one-time, definitive act for those who receive it.

Thursday Devotional – Jesus is Worthy to Offer Protective Wisdom (8/14/25)

I often pray for wisdom, whether it’s for efficiency at work, parenting decisions, writing devotionals, or daily activities. Yesterday, we received a clear answer to NOT do what we were planning to do – going bowling before dinner and a church event. When we arrived, there weren’t any available family lanes. So, we went home with a little more time for dinner. In God’s better plan, Edmund then spontaneously met some grandkids of a neighbor and enjoyed playing basketball with them.

Last week’s passage ended with a call for patient endurance and faithfulness. This week’s passage ends with a call for wisdom. We need perseverance and faithfulness to face Satan’s war against God’s people and his deception through the beast. We also need wisdom to see through the manipulation of the second beast. Notably, Satan (the Dragon), the first beast, and the second beast seem to imitate God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, as seen in the rest of Revelation chapter 13.

Revelation 13:11-18 ¹¹ Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. ¹² It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. ¹³ And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.¹⁴ Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵ The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. ¹⁶ It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, ¹⁷ so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

¹⁸ 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.

So, where do we get this wisdom? Perfect wisdom comes straight from God Himself! Reading His Word, talking with Him in prayer, and listening for His answers will help us gain wisdom.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Knowing God’s prophecy, like this passage in Revelation, will help us be prepared when these events happen. We will then be able to wisely discern the deception of Satan and remain faithful to God.