Day 362

Nehemiah 9:1-37, Revelation 19:11-21, Psalm 148:7-14

It seems quite apt, as we approach the end of this journey, that Nehemiah should offer us this quick summary of the Old Testament, reminding us of where we have been over that last 12 months. What Nehemiah is doing though is offering us a reminder of who God is and all the mighty things he has done, the name that he has made for himself.

In Revelation the stark imagery continues but the message is quite clear. And when the message is so important, the way you deliver the message has to have impact. As I was pondering the lake of sulphur and the burning I was imagining how some people might feel about these bits. But then I also thought about what John was telling us, that a day will come when all the hosts of heaven will ride out with Christ so that the devil and all the power of darkness will be defeated for all time.

Now for me, if this was put a bit more nonchalantly, for example “Yeah and Jesus defeated the Devil, OK”,  the impact would not be there, I would feel the message had been cheated. What God offered John in this vision, is an image that would stick with him for all time and that he has tried to make stick for humanity for all time. For there will be an almighty battle between the two and it will not happen in the blink of an eye. Such a powerful message needs a powerful medium and that is what we have in the vision of John told in the book of Revelation.

For me, the important thing is that Christ will win the day, a message that I can put all my hope in. What about you?