Focus

Experience silence in the midst of your busy day. Take some time to relax into a time to be with God.

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Read

Revelation 19:1-8 (NRSV)

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power to our God,
for his judgments are true and just;
he has judged the great whore
who corrupted the earth with her fornication,
and he has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Once more they said,
“Hallelujah!
The smoke goes up from her forever and ever.”
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who is seated on the throne, saying,
“Amen. Hallelujah!”
And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God,
all you servants,
and all who fear him,
small and great.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty thunder peals, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and exult
and give him the glory,
for the marriage of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready;
to her it has been granted to be clothed
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

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Reflect

This passage is linked to the events of chapter 18. Chapter 18 is the final death blow of “Babylon.” Babylon is the great whore mentioned in verse 2 and the smoke from Babylon’s destruction in chapter 18 rises for eternity as a reminder of the salvation and the bondage that God has broken for the God’s saints. It is a cause for celebration and worship, but in chapter 18 it was a cause of mourning.

Take a moment to read chapter 18 and chapter 19, notice the contrast of the people. In 18 the people mourn because the world system that allowed them to live fat lives on this earth, systematically taking advantage of the poor, creating unjust wealth and pleasure has been broken. Their salvation has ended, and they find that their lives are empty (Rev. 18:15-19)

Here in Chapter 19, the saints of all times and all places rejoice that their captivity has ended and the full experience of salvation has begun. I pray my heart is right so that when I see injustice I weep, and when I see a system of oppression being torn down, I can rejoice, even if it means I a part of me goes down with it. I pray for wisdom to know the difference between that which is praiseworthy and that which should be mourned.

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Pray

Gracious God, give me wisdom to see what needs to be changed, give me strength to work for good, and give me a heart to mourn for the broken and love what is good.

Go with God!