Come!

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 22:12-21

TO CHEW ON: "The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let him who hears say, 'Come!' Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.." Revelation 22:17

“Come!” What a welcome word to hear when we’re homesick. What a comforting word to hear when we’re lonely. What a delicious word to hear when we’re hungry or thirsty.

"Let everyone who is thirsty, Come" Designed by David Hetland
(stained glass window Trinity Lutheran Church, Jamestown, North Dakota.)

The book of Revelation ends with this arms-wide-open invitation from God. Though our sins separated us from Him, Jesus made a way for us to be friends with God. God invites each one of us to come to Him by putting our faith in Jesus. When we do, God sees us as clean and holy. And we can look forward to spending eternity (forever and ever and ever and ever... to infinity) with Him in heaven.

"Little Children" by Darlene Slavujac, Copyright 2008.
Used with the artist's permission

God’s invitation is to everyone. God’s invitation is to you. Have you come?

PRAYER: Dear God, thank You for the invitation to come. I accept it. I want to be dressed in a clean robe and spend eternity in heaven with Jesus. Amen.



MORE: What’s in a Name?
The names Jesus is called in Revelation 22:12-21 tell us some important things about Him.
Which name (or names) reminds us:

1. Jesus has always and will always exist?

2. Jesus is a King from David’s family?

3. Jesus is a person?

4. Jesus should be the boss of our lives?

5. Jesus is pure and beautiful?


ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The End of the Story

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 20:7-15

TO CHEW ON: "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever." Revelation 20:10

When you read a book, do you ever skip to the end, to see how it turns out? Today’s reading is the place we’d go to see how the story of the Bible, the story of the fight between God and Satan, ends.

"The Fall" by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, Published 1907

Throughout time Satan has tried every trick to win. He started out by lying to Eve and persuading her to disobey God - to sin. Through the centuries he has lied to, stolen from, scared and tricked people. When Jesus came, Satan and his demons worked hard to destroy Him. Jesus was killed. But God used Satan’s plan to backfire on him. For Jesus didn’t stay dead. He rose, won over death and now everyone who trusts in Jesus’ death as payment for their sins wins over death as well.

1. What is Satan’s end (Revelation 20:10)?

"An angel casts beast Satan into the pit" by Caspar Luiken, 1712

2. The trouble is, Satan and his buddies don’t go there alone. Who goes with them (Revelation 20:15)?

3. How does a person get their name written in God’s Book of Life? John 3:16 has the answer. Fill in the missing words: “For God so loved the world (including you!) that he gave his one and only Son (Jesus) that _____________ ______________ ____ ____ shall not _____________ but have ____________ ______________.” If your name isn’t written in God’s Book of Life, it can be. Just believe in Jesus. The minute you trust Jesus, it’s there.

PRAYER: Jesus, I believe Your death paid the penalty for my sins. Thank You my name is written in the Book of Life. Amen.

"The New Jerusalem descending from Heaven"
by Julius Schnorr von Carolsfeld, 1851-1860

MORE: Another Ending
What is the end of the story for those whose names ARE in the Book of Life?

Read about it in Revelation 21:1-8. Which things will be in heaven? Which things won’t?

sea                idol worshipers
water of life      tears
death              God
cowardly           pain
God’s people       murderers
liars              unbelieving
crying             New Jerusalem
magicians

"The New Jerusalem" by Darlene Slavujac
Copyright 1993, Used with the artist's permssion

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

And More and More and More...

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 6:9 -17

TO CHEW ON: "For the great day of their wrath has come, and who can withstand it?" Revelation 6:17

Have you ever read an exciting book where the closer you came to the end, the more bad things happened? You looked at how few pages were left and wondered, how would the author ever straighten this out! In a way John’s vision in Revelation is like that. John saw more and more bad things as more seals were opened.

In the fifth seal, John heard the voices of people who had been killed for believing in God (martyrs). They asked God, how long until He would punish those who killed them. God answered, it would happen, but even more people would be martyred first.

Then came the sixth seal. It predicted some things that have never happened on earth. Read Revelation 6:12-17 and list five things John saw:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

"The Opening of the Sixth Seal" by John Martin

Every day natural disasters like earthquakes, floods and erupting volcanoes take place somewhere on earth. The size of the disasters John saw here, though, were bigger than any our earth has ever seen. They help us understand how weak and helpless we humans are when we face an all-powerful God.

PRAYER: Dear God, I worship You as the one with power over nature and people. Amen.

MORE: The Seventh Seal

"The Seventh Seal" by Caspar Luiken, 1712

The last of the seven seals is described in Revelation 8 and 9.

1. What happens to the earth (Revelation 8:7)?

2. What happens to the sea (Revelation 8:8)?

3. What happens to the water (Revelation 8:10,11)?

4. What happens to the atmosphere (Revelation 9:1,2)?

5. What happens to people (Revelation 9:3-6, 18)?

6. This causes people to repent of their sins of worshiping idols, murders, practicing magic, sex sins and stealing. (Revelation 9:20-21)
YES?
NO?

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Four Secrets

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 6:1-8

TO CHEW ON: "I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say, in a voice like thunder, 'Come!'" Revelation 6:1

If you get a letter in the mail, the untorn envelope and the stuck-tight flap tell you no one has opened the letter.

In Bible times, scroll letters were sealed with clay or wax. This clay or wax had the imprint of the sender’s seal - an impression of his ring or special stamp. This seal told the person who got the letter it was from the person who had stamped it, and it had not been opened. What was inside a letter stayed a mystery until the seal was broken and the letter was opened and read.

As John watched scenes of heaven, he saw the Lamb (Jesus) opening seven seals. Although these seals weren’t on actual letters, they were messages from God, telling John (and us) things that would happen in the future. Read about the first seals John saw. Then fill in the thing that each brought (pick the answer from the words below).


1. Seal 1 (Revelation 6:2)
A ____________ horse whose rider brings _________________.

2. Seal 2 (Revelation 6:3,4)
A ______________ horse whose rider brings ________________.

3. Seal 3 (Revelation 6:5,6)
A _____________ horse whose rider brings _________________.

4. Seal 4 (Revelation 6:7,8)
A ______________ horse whose rider brings _______________.

Death    white    pale
scales = Famine   
Conquest      black    fiery red
power to take away peace = War

War, sickness, not enough to eat (famine, pictured by the scales) and death have happened on earth for a long time. But as Jesus’ return gets closer, we will see more and more of them. We don’t need to be frightened by them. If we see these signs in our time, they tell us Jesus’ return is coming very close.

PRAYER: Dear Jesus, help me not to be frightened by these scary things that will happen, but to see them as signs that Your return is getting closer. Amen.


MORE: Sealed Letter
Send a sealed letter of your own.

• Write a note to a friend.

• Put it in an envelope and lick the flap shut.

• Roll a piece of plasticine or re-usable wall adhesive into a ball

• Squish the ball onto the middle of the flap with your thumb to make a seal.

• Engrave your initials into the seal with the end of a pen.

(Note: Melted wax could also be used to seal the envelope, but MELT THE WAX ONLY WITH AN ADULT’S SUPERVISION.)

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

A Heavenly Sight

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 4:1-11

TO CHEW ON: "Day and night they never stop saying, 'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'” Revelation 4:8

Have you ever seen an angel? Have you seen Jesus? God? Heaven? Most of us haven’t. But God gave John a peek inside heaven. As we read his description, we get the feeling heaven is so incredibly magnificent, John had a hard time finding words to describe it.

An Angel comes to Mary - Artist unknown

Look in Revelation 4:1-11 and then list:

1. Some of the sounds John heard:

2. Some of the sights he saw:

3. Some of the characters he watched:

But no matter how amazing everything else was, God was the center of heaven’s attention.

4. Where was God and what did he look like?

5. How did those who lived in heaven worship Him?

"God on His Throne" by Mathaeus the Elder Merian, 1625-30

God is heaven’s main attraction. All the glory and splendor and radiance and magnificence; all the cheering of nature, angel beings and people, belongs to Him!

PRAYER: You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things and by your will they were created and have their being. Amen (Revelation 4:11)

John's Vision of Heaven - Artist unknown

MORE: Snapshots of Heaven
Read some more Bible descriptions of heaven in:

Isaiah 6:1-10


Ezekiel 1:1, 25-28

John 14:1-4

Acts 7:55, 56

ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Tomorrow's News

TODAY’S SPECIAL: Revelation 1:1-11

TO CHEW ON: "The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.... On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: 'Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches...'” Revelation 1: 1, 10-11

Where would you go to find out what will happen tomorrow? Today’s newspaper? The six o'clock news? The internet?

Of course we know none of these places will tell us. Only God knows what will happen tomorrow. So when God sent an angel to John (Jesus’ disciple) and told him to write down the things God would show him about the future, we need to pay attention. Most of the Bible book of Revelation is what John heard and saw in a vision about the future.

John on Island of Patmos - Artist unknown

Though Revelation isn’t as easy to understand as a newspaper, you’ll find lots of interesting things in it. It has disaster and intrigue, dragons and mysterious horsemen, heroes and villains. Best of all, you’ll find out how the story ends - the story of the struggle between Satan and God.

"Vision of Death" (Revelation 6:7-8) by Gustave Dore

It ends with Jesus the winner. He takes all who believe in Him to be with Him in heaven.

PRAYER: Dear God, thank you for this book about the future. Help me to prepare for these things and be ready to meet You when You come back. Amen.


MORE: Prophecy
Much of Revelation is prophecy - a prediction God made through a person. The Bible has a great track record when it comes to prophecies that have come true. Match the reference of the Old Testament prophecy with its coming true in the New.



A. Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt. (Matthew 21:1-9)
This was prophesied in: _____________________

B. A virgin got pregnant and called her baby Immanuel. (Matthew 1:18-25)
This was prophesied in: _____________________

C. People cast lots to decide who would get Jesus’s clothes. (John 19:23-24)
This was prophesied in: _____________________

D. Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Luke 2:1-7)
This was prophesied in: _____________________

Isaiah 7:14
Micah 5:2
Zechariah 9:9
Psalm 22:18


ANSWERS

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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.