You're saved by grace, but everything you do will be judged. Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV) 11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. Summary What a picture John paints for us here as he describes the final stages of the vision he witnessed. The material world - both the earth and sky and all that is far off - the created fleeing from its creator but finding nowhere to hide. The dead - those who had been great in life right alongside those whose lives had gone unnoticed - stand in a unity never before possible before a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. In the midst of it all sat a set of books containing a record of every action ever taken, and the dead were judged according to what they had done . John spares us the logistic details here, not explaining if the spotlight moved from one individual to the next as the rest of the dead watched each life unpacked, or if all the judgment unfolded simultaneously. One of the keys to properly interpreting books like Revelation is to remember that when the details aren't specified by John, they're likely not important. What's important in today's passage is another aspect that's conspicuously missing from John's account: there's no mention of anybody passing the test. None of the judged are singled out by the Judge has having met His requirements. Nobody enters into the Kingdom according to what they have done. In fact, there's no mention of salvation at all in today's passage; it's only referenced negatively. The books chronicling each person's actions are not the only books set out. John tells of a second book: the book of life , and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Dig Deeper As we've noticed several times this past year, the Bible presents so much of its theological truth in tension, and the doctrines of grace and salvation are perfect examples of that. On one hand, your actions don't save you. If that we're the case, certainly John would mention those who passed the King's judgment. Rather, your sins have been paid for and forgiven, and you're saved by grace, through faith, not by works. But on the other hand, every choice you make has eternal consequence! Each action will be examined and reviewed by a Judge so fearful that heaven and earth itself flees from Him. How will He view the decisions you make today? And as we'll read later this week, the good things you do - which are certainly not good enough to merit salvation, but actions sanctified by the Holy Spirit working in and through you - will be rewarded in the Kingdom of God! But today let's concentrate on what our Confession reminds us of: that the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, all because of one very important detail that John infers negatively: only those whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire. Those names written in the book of life are welcomed into the new heaven and new earth that John goes on to describe for the final two chapters of the Bible. If your faith and trust are in Jesus Christ, then your name is written in the book of life! So don't fear the coming judgment. Remember that every deed you do will be reviewed, but look forward to that day, confidently anticipating seeing your name writ large in the King's book of life. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sits in judgment of all people on the great white throne; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for wisdom, patience and confidence as you live in the tension of your salvation, knowing you're saved by grace but that every deed will be judged; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 13

Live momento mori - remembering that you'll die - but also view death as victory. 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NIV) 50  I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  55  “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary It's like oil and water, Paul writes. Just as the two liquids are wholly incompatible with one another, so it is between this present reality and the coming Kingdom of God. Perishable flesh and blood cannot inherit that which is imperishable . In order for you to be made compatible with God's eternal Kingdom, you need to be changed , and here we read that you'll experience that change in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye when the final trumpet sounds ( the heavenly trumpet we read about yesterday ). Paul compares this change you'll experience - going from that which is perishable to imperishable - as like changing your clothes, a metaphor he also uses to describe peeling away the stink of sin from our lives. But whereas getting rid of our old filthy sinful rags is a lifelong process, this final wardrobe change will be instantaneous. It's at that final trumpet that the dead will be raised imperishable . In this way, death is the gateway to eternal life! That's why Paul can echo the prophet Isaiah in exclaiming that death has been swallowed up in victory! Dig Deeper Just like it does with nearly every other doctrine, the Bible holds the idea of death in tension. On one hand, death is the ugliest evidence of the curse that resulted from man's fall into sin. For most people, there's nothing more painful or traumatic to experience than the death of someone close to them. But on the other hand, death is not something for the Christian to fear. There will be some who, as Paul puts it, will not sleep. That is, there will be some Christians who are living and will hear the awesome sound of the trumpet sounding from heaven announcing the end of all things perishable . But as a percentage of the whole, this group of people will be small in number. Most Christians will have died prior to that loud command coming down from heaven, as Paul described it yesterday in 1 Thessalonians 4. Perhaps we will be the generation that experiences this change in the twinkling of an eye , but it's probably more likely that you and those you love will die, as has everyone who has come before us. So live momento mori - remembering that you will die. Understanding this reality positively changes your perspective while you still live, especially for those of us in Christ who confess both with Paul and the prophet Hosea, Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? It's through death that God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gives us victory over death; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that Christ does return soon to change us from perishable to imperishable , but also for the confidence to face death victoriously if the Lord tarries; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 12

Daniel's visions help you find comfort in the midst of chaos. Daniel 12:1-3 (NIV) CONTEXT: Daniel has been experiencing "a prophetic (and very selective) vision of the flow of history from the time of Daniel in the late sixth century B.C. until the end of the world, the final climactic conflict and victory of God" ( REC ). In Daniel's vision, great kings battle to consolidate power, both through might and intrigue, "but the people who know their God will firmly resist these kings" (Daniel 11:32). As we begin chapter 12, Daniel's vision reveals how God's covenant people will be saved from the chaos. “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3  Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary If you're familiar with the Old Testament book of Daniel at all, it's likely the first half of the book that comes to mind. That's where we read the familiar accounts of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace, as well as about Daniel overcoming the lion's den. But the second half of Daniel is far different than the first. The harrowing historical accounts of God's people exiled in Babylon give way to fantastic visions of the future that perplex and confuse even the best of Biblical scholars. The difficult nature of these prophecies often leads to unfortunate results on one extreme or the other. Some will arrive at certain, albeit dubious, conclusions regarding Daniel's and others' apocalyptic visions and then twist the rest of scripture to conform to their misguided prophetic interpretations. Others, seeing the damage caused by those who ground all of their theology in difficult to understand visions, steer clear of prophetic visions altogether and focus only on scriptural teachings whose meanings are far more certain (which, thankfully, are plentiful). I confess I find myself in that second camp. I'm instantly skeptical of attempts to map Biblical prophecy to current world events. I'm even more skeptical of TV & YouTube preachers who seem to only ever preach from books like the second half of Daniel or Revelation. While that skepticism tends to keep me safe on solid theological ground, I end up missing out on beautifully certain promises like what we read today in Daniel 12. Dig Deeper Daniel's visions are full of chaos wrought by powerful kings as they battle one another for supremacy amongst the nations. As previously mentioned, scholars argue and debate almost as stridently as to whether certain passages refer to already completed historical events, or point to future conflicts. So what stands out so strikingly in these few verses at the beginning of chapter 12 is the peace that they convey even in the midst of a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations . You need not fear, for here we're told that Michael, the great angel and commander of the armies of heaven, protects God's people . In fact, everyone whose name is found written the book will be delivered! And this deliverance from the chaotic & climactic battles of the world is not just for those alive at the time, but also for the multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth who will awaken . Although all people spanning all of history will awaken at that moment, they will awaken to one of two very different realities: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel's vision is quite clear as to the distinguishing characteristic of the people who wake up to heavenly life: it will be those who are wise , or as another translation better renders it, the ones having insight . In other words, it will be those who know their salvation comes in the Name of the LORD. Apocalyptic visions like Daniel's are certainly difficult and confusing portions of scripture. But don't be afraid of them; their purpose is not to frighten you or put you on edge every time you turn on the world news. Quite the opposite. God sprinkled these often cryptic words with generous amounts of His grace, mercy and peace so that you can have solid hope no matter what the future brings. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whom omnisciently knows the future as well as the past and omnipotently controls all that will come to pass; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have and live according to the saving wisdom that causes God's people to shine like the brightness of the heavens in the midst of the world's chaos; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 11

Encouragement comes to the informed. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) 13  Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed ( agnoeō ) about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14  For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15  According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18  Therefore encourage one another with these words. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary Often agnostics like to think of themselves as being intellectually superior to those of us who are certain about our beliefs. The evidence that the Bible is true that is sufficient for the rest of us just isn't good enough to be sure about for their advanced intellects. But Paul demonstrates what it truly means to be agnoeō in today's passage: uninformed. And he warns you not to be that, for to be uninformed is to have no hope . But informed Christians are on the other end of the hope-scale. We know that Jesus is alive, and that when the time comes, God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. This changes the way we grieve the death of a loved one; we certainly feel the pain of loss, but we know the pain is temporary and will resolve when Christ returns. It's the manner in which Christ will return that grabs our attention today. But as Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, paints the picture of the coming of the Lord not with vivid colors or imagery, but rather acoustically - he tells us what it will sound like. We'll hear the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God! Imagine what that will sound like! If you live in the midwest, you know the ominous sound of tornado sirens. Even when they test them on the first Wednesday of the month, the sound of them interrupts every other activity. Perhaps the uniformed - the agnostics - will be frightened of the bone shaking noise announcing the Lord's return, but those who recognize the unmistakable sound will rejoice! Dig Deeper What always amazes me about the Bible's descriptions of the second coming is how brief it will be. There are no accounts of long, protracted battles between Heaven and the armies of evil. Even the final battle of Armageddon will be over before it ever really begins (Revelation 20:7-10). In the scene Paul describes here, even as the sound of the trumpet still rings out, the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. We don't even need to wait for the Lord to get all the way down! The moment He appears in the sky, His entire Church will be assembled around Him! But members of the Church will not be the only people participating that day. As our Confession reminds us by summarizing other Bible passages, all people - all of the men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world will be summoned there by the awesomely terrible sound of the trumpet. Sadly, though, as we read yesterday , not all people will join Christ in His Kingdom. Often times, even solid Christians think of the second coming with fear and trembling. The Bible doesn't explain every detail of it, so our minds try to fill in the blanks with imaginative and often wildly inaccurate details of our own. So I love the way Paul ends this passage. He reminds you that the second coming ought not frighten you. Rather, encourage one another with these words! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose victorious Son will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:31). A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be encouraged by the Bible's teaching about Christ's glorious return; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 10

Jesus is coming soon to settle up. What will He bring for you? Revelation 22:12-17 (NIV) 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward [ settlement ] is with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary Today's summary and Dig Deeper post are re-posted from January 27, 2023 . Today's passage is from the closing passage of the Bible, and it's packed full of theology that ought to give you hope. First of all, and most importantly, Jesus announces that He is coming soon! Yes, these words were recorded two millennia ago and we're still waiting, but remember God operates in the Divine Time Zone, which is entirely different than how we experience time in our world. So you ought to be ready at any moment. Second, Jesus is returning with His settlement . Since as a believer you've been given the perfect righteousness of Jesus, you ought to look forward to this! Jesus expands on what your reward will be in v14: you will have the right to the tree of life, and you may go through the gates into the city (the Kingdom of God)! But a settlement cuts both ways. Those lacking the perfect righteousness God requires will get what they have coming as well, and it can be summed up in one word: exclusion. They will not be allowed in, and in fact their fate was sealed a few chapters earlier when they were cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11-15). Dig Deeper Certainly the average American has a very distorted view of God in which the Father is viewed as an grandfatherly type who forgives sins and simply wants to bestow blessings upon His children, which they deserve for all of the 'good' deeds they have performed in their lifetimes. So when they read that at the end Jesus will return with His reward, they eagerly anticipate this, not understanding that a positive reward will be reserved only for those individuals possessing perfect righteousness, while all others will be paid back with the eternal wrath which their sins deserve. It ought to be obvious to you that you don't have the perfect righteous God requires on your own, and if you're not putting your full faith in Jesus Christ, this ought to trouble you greatly! Don't be one of the myriads of people who shortchange themselves by just considering Jesus as their good buddy up in the sky whom they can call on when they get in a jamb. Christ came so that you might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). He did this by putting your sin upon Himself, and in exchange giving you His perfect righteousness, which you so desperately need. And He's coming... Soon! Be ready for His settlement by making sure that in every aspect of life, you belong to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : The Alpha & Omega, the First & the Last, the Beginning & the End (v13) A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will submit every aspect of your life to Christ's Lordship, so that you can eagerly anticipate His settlement . A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 9

Stay busy building life even as you expect Jesus to return at any moment. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (NIV) Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4  But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5  You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary As we begin our three week focus on our Confession's final article, we'll likely find ourselves in Paul's letters to the Thessalonians often, especially in the passages that immediately precede today's. Each church that Paul wrote to, be it the Corinthians, Galatians or Colossians, had their own particular set of problems and concerns. The Thessalonians had concluded that Christ's return was imminent - as in the next few days, or possibly a few months at the latest. Their expectation that Jesus would come back quite soon was so high that Paul had to throttle them back a little bit in his second letter, since many had quit their jobs (2 Thess. 3:6-12). After all, work doesn't seem very important if you're convinced Jesus will be back next Tuesday morning. But in today's passage, Paul's exhortation is aimed at the other extreme: those who have no expectation for the second coming at all. Paul emphasizes the shocking nature that Jesus' return will have - the same stunning surprise you'd have if you woke up in the middle of the night because a thief was rummaging through your stuff. But it's the people who feel the most secure in life that will be the most caught off guard. They'll have so much confidence in themselves that they'll be busy evangelizing for the peace and safety we can have here and now rather than looking for Christ's return. Paul doesn't mince words about their fate, writing destruction will come on them suddenly... and they will not escape. Dig Deeper It's interesting that although all of these early churches had very unique and particular issues that they struggled with, Paul's prescription for each is remarkably similar - and not just from Paul, but also Peter and John. All of them, in nearly all of the epistles they wrote, to do the same thing Paul commands the Thessalonians in today's passage: to walk confidently in the light rather than stumbling through the darkness. Today's diverse church landscape really isn't all that different from the variety of emphases present already in the first century. The Corinthians had strengths and weaknesses that were very different than the Thessalonians. Reformed churches have strengths and weaknesses very different from Lutherans or Pentecostals. Our strength as Reformed churches certainly is in our grasp of the doctrines of grace and salvation. As you look back over this year of working through our Confession of Faith, you'll notice that we spent the most amount of time focused on concepts like election, atonement, justification and sanctification. What a wonderful strength to have! But it's fair to say that we have a weakness when it comes to our emphasis - or lack thereof - on Christ's return. We certainly believe in it, but it just all seems so nebulous and mysterious, especially compared to the chiseled precision with which the Bible describes the mechanics of our salvation. So we're going to spend the final three weeks of the year coming to understand what the Bible does say about the Second Coming so that we don't find ourselves shocked and surprised when that trumpet finally sounds. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has long pointed His people to the coming Day of the LORD; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for strength to live in the tension of working hard to build homes, churches and communities here in this world while at the same time expecting Christ to return at any moment; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8

You need to take this pagan king's advice! Ezra 6:6-12 (NIV) This passage is a letter written by the mighty King Darius of Persia, written to some of his regional governors ordering them to support the Jewish exiles who had returned to Jerusalem in order to reconstruct the temple which Nebuchadnezzar had destroyed. Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. 7  Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.    8  Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God:   Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. 9  Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, 10  so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.    11  Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. 12  May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.   I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary King Darius, who ruled the Persian Empire roughly 500 years before Christ, is remembered as adfdn a leader who brought law and order in addition to instituting huge improvements in governmental efficiency and communications to the sprawling empire he ruled over. In lots of ways, he made life better for his citizens. His support for his people is evident in this memo he sent to his regional governors in charge of the region which included Jerusalem. The first thing he tells them is to stay away and not interfere with the work of the temple of God. Darius seems to understand that his government didn't need to have absolute control over every sphere of life. But he does order them to financially support the the rebuilding project, not only with cash, but also with all of the animals and produce the Israelites would need to sustain daily sacrifices to the God of heaven . Darius finishes his memo with an order of protection for the temple project which is quite harsh: anybody interfering with it will be impaled upon the pieces of his demolished house. The memo ends with Darius imploring God, who has caused his Name to dwell there , to crush anyone who goes against the king's orders. It's the reason that Darius gives for his support of this project that attracts our attention today: not just so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven , but also so that they could pray for the well-being of the king and his sons. King Darius could see that rebuilding the Temple benefited him! Dig Deeper King Darius made a positive impact upon his world and supported this work to rebuild God's temple in Jerusalem, but historians don't consider him to have been a genuine believer in the One True and Living God. Darius was an adherent of the dominant religion of his day known as Zoroastrianism, but he also showed respect for the religions and customs of his subjects, which helped maintain stability in his diverse empire. Darius understood it was far better for his far flung citizens to be praying to their gods for him, rather than praying against him, so he was happy to support projects like the temple rebuilding. Pragmatically speaking, Darius tsdfolerant approach was immensely successful, and both he and his subjects enjoyed a long time of peace and prosperity because of it. Now certainly today's lesson certainly isn't to praise the benefits of unchecked religious tolerance. While it was beneficial in the short term, the Persian tolerance would backfire in later years as their vast empire fragmented into disparate regional religious rebellions that caused its overall downfall. The point here today is that even an outright pagan king knew he needed prayers from his people. And since you know what Darius didn't - that the God of heaven sovereignly holds all things in His hands, how much more shouldn't you be praying to God for our own rulers that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways (as we were commanded to do in 1 Timothy 2 which we read earlier this week ) AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the God of heaven , who has caused His name to dwell in His temple (us!); A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Timothy 2:2); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 7

The Christian life makes more sense once you realize you're an exile. Jeremiah 29:4-7 (NIV) This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 4  This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5  “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6  Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7  Also, seek the peace and prosperity ( šā·lôm ) of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers ( šā·lôm ) , you too will prosper ( šā·lôm ) .” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary If it were not for that one word, this might seem like a rather pleasant correspondence from God to His people. It has echoes of the creation mandate God first gave to Adam & Eve, to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28). God instructed His people to quite literally make themselves at home; to not just eek out a living, but to truly thrive. But that one word was there, and it changes the entire context of the letter. God here addresses all those He carried into exile . There would be homes and gardens, weddings and new babies, but things would never be quite right. These people had been forcibly extracted from the Promised Land as a result of generations of sin. It was bad enough to be uprooted and brought to a foreign land and culture, but it also meant separation from God's temple - the very center of His presence among His people - and worse yet, their Babylonian captors would soon destroy that holy place as well! So this letter from God was more than a set of instructions, it was assurance that He would still be with His people, even in their exile. This meant that shalom was still possible for them. Shalom is a state of peacefulness when everything is the way it's supposed to be; not just having a nice house, good food and a growing family, but enjoying those good things in the presence of our loving Father who adds His blessing to them (watch the short video above for a good explainer). Dig Deeper From the time of Abraham on, God's focus and allegiance was to His covenant people, Israel. It's well attested in the Old Testament that God desired them to have shalom , but at up sdsuntil this point in redemptive history, shalom was thought to be exclusively for this one particular group of people. So it must have been shocking for the Israelites who received this divine letter in Babylon, whose exile was enabled by their very own God, to also read that He now expected them to seek shalom not just for themselves but for these polytheistic pagans who had hauled them off. And don't just seek shalom for them, God wrote, but also pray to the LORD for your new city, because if they have shalom, so will you . This is much more than ancient history for you. You, just like the Israelites of long ago, are God's child, part of His chosen people. And you, just like these folks who'd been hauled off to Babylon, are an exile. Even if you've lived in the same place since the day you were born, as one who is in Christ you are physically separated from Him, so you're not really at home until He returns or calls you to Him. In the meantime, this letter to these exiles of old is also addressed to you. So seek shalom in your township, city, county and country. Get involved in local government, boards & commissions. But most of all pray for them and the people in them, that they might enjoy true shalom as well by coming to know the only One who can truly provide it: our Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray to the LORD for it (your local community & country), because if it prospers, you too will prosper; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 6

It seems wrong to think of our government leaders as 'messiah's,' but that's what God calls them! Isaiah 45:1-7 (NIV) “This is what the LORD says to his anointed ( mā·šîaḥ ), to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: 2  I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3  I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4  For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5  I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6  so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7  I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary When we think of God's anointed one, the first name that ought to pop into your mind is of course His Son Jesus, who is the Messiah . He is the one anointed to be our prophet, priest, and king. So it's surprising to read of God addressing a different messiah in today's passage, and it's downright shocking to find out that this messiah is King Cyrus of Persia. Not only was he arguably the most powerful man to ever rule on earth, but it's well documented that he was a polytheistic pagan. Yet the LORD reaches down to take hold of his right hand and subdue nations, strip kings, open doors, level mountains and to give him hidden treasures. In other words, everything that Cyrus accomplished came because God enabled him to do it. The LORD did all of this - the same LORD God who formed the light and created darkness, who brings prosperity to some and creates disaster for others. What a reminder of what it means that God is sovereign over all things. Everything that happens is under His control - even the successes of pagan rulers. The LORD gives two reasons for guiding & blessing Cyrus. First, He does so in order that Cyrus may know that YHWH is the LORD, the God of Israel. But what's so ironic here is that even though the LORD knows Cyrus by name , Cyrus does not acknowledge the LORD. Yet even though Cyrus is blind to God's superintendence of all he did, people all over the world would come to know that there is none beside the LORD through the actions of Cyrus. Secondly, God appoints and controls even pagan kings for the sake of Jacob, my servant, of Israel my chosen . Everything that happens in this world, both the good and the bad, is being worked out for the good of those who love the LORD, who have been called according to His purpose ( Romans 8:28 ). God would use Cyrus to send the Babylonian exiles back home to Israel. Dig Deeper I have no idea how many of the forty six men who've presided over the United States have been genuine, professing Christians (and I have even less idea about those who've served as prime ministers of Canada). But it would be a safe bet that all of them likely played the 'Christian card' to some extent as they campaigned for office. It would be an even safer bet that none of them were truly men after God's own heart, as was King David. But yet all of them - and not just our North American leaders, or even Allied leaders for that matter - every president, minister, dictator, or king who has ever ascended to power governed according to God's sovereign plan, just like mighty King Cyrus. To be clear, God does not cause evil men like Hitler to carry out atrocities, but somehow and in ways we'll likely never understand in this life, God permits and even uses the actions of the leaders He's anointed for your good. You might be overjoyed or disgusted by the recent election results. Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. But regardless of your opinion of those who prevailed, you can have the confidence of knowing the LORD God remains firmly in control and that whether He uses these leaders to bring our nations either prosperity or disaster, all of it will be done for the sake of Jacob my servant, and for Israel (God's people, now embodied in the Church). AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who forms the light and creates darkness; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will trust that God is using our governments as He works all things to our good; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 5

We'd love it if Jesus had said something different here... Matthew 22:15-22 (NIV) 15  Then the Pharisees went out and laid plans to trap him in his words. 16  They sent their disciples to him along with the Herodians. “Teacher,” they said, “we know that you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are. 17  Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?” 18  But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, “You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? 19  Show me the coin used for paying the tax.” They brought him a denarius, 20  and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?” 21  “Caesar’s,” they replied. Then he said to them, “So give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” 22  When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   36: The Civil Government We believe that because of the depravity of the human race our good God has ordained kings, princes, and civil officers. He wants the world to be governed by laws and policies so that human lawlessness may be restrained and that everything may be conducted in good order among human beings. For that purpose he has placed the sword in the hands of the government, to punish evil people and protect the good. And being called in this manner to contribute to the advancement of a society that is pleasing to God, the civil rulers have the task, subject to God’s law, of removing every obstacle to the preaching of the gospel and to every aspect of divine worship. They should do this while completely refraining from every tendency toward exercising absolute authority, and while functioning in the sphere entrusted to them, with the means belonging to them. They should do it in order that the Word of God may have free course; the kingdom of Jesus Christ may make progress; and every anti-Christian power may be resisted. Moreover everyone, regardless of status, condition, or rank, must be subject to the government, and pay taxes, and hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word, praying for them that the Lord may be willing to lead them in all their ways and that we may live a peaceful and quiet life in all piety and decency. And on this matter we denounce the Anabaptists, other anarchists, and in general all those who want to reject the authorities and civil officers and to subvert justice by introducing common ownership of goods and corrupting the moral order that God has established among human beings. Summary It's amazing what happens when people start thinking with their feelings rather than their intellect. That's exactly what was going on with the Pharisees, who were ostensibly the smartest guys in all of Israel. They knew all there was to know about the Bible and God's Law. They revered this Law so much that they had developed a complex web of secondary laws designed to keep people from even getting close to a situation where they might break one of God's Laws recorded in the Bible. That's quite a bit to keep track of on a daily basis, but these guys were really smart lawyers and were pretty good at it. But sadly their emotions - especially the hate they had for Jesus, who continually pointed out the glaring flaws in their complex legal systems - had taken the controls and was guiding their intellect. So they put their impressive intellects to work to trap Jesus in His words . Who knows how many plans got proposed and rejected before someone came up with the brilliant idea of asking Jesus a question that had no right answer: ask Him about taxes . Either He'd infuriate the nationalistic Jews who were following Him by telling them to pay their exorbinant taxes to the hated Caesar, or Jesus would get in trouble with the Roman authorities who'd nail Him for tax evasion (which is why they brought the Herodians into their plan, because they'd be sure to rat Jesus out if He sided against Caesar). So they catch up with Jesus and begin by buttering Him up, calling Him a man of integrity who teaches the way of God in accordance with the truth . They make it seem like they really wanted Jesus' advice on this thorny question. But Jesus knew what they were up to and sent them back with their tails between their legs. Dig Deeper Jesus brilliantly thwarts their brilliant effort. Their trap was predicated on the idea that a godly person could not simultaneously pay taxes to a pagan emperor and faithfully serve God. Caesar was so pagan that his coin was inscribed with the words Divi Filius (the son of a god). Certainly it would be sinful to comply with the orders of such a blasphemer! But their assumption was wrong. Jesus simply and eloquently demonstrated that a godly man can be " both a dutiful citizen and a loyal servant of God ." Jesus knew what Paul would make plain later, that the authorities that exist have been established by God - even the most pagan ones! G iving back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar does not make the taxpayer complicit in Caesar's sin. I'll bet that if we're honest, a bunch of us probably wish that Jesus had answered differently here. How much wouldn't we revel in being able to stiff our ungodly governments who so often use our tax dollars for such sinful purposes! But instead Jesus gives the advice that's reflected in our Confession: be subject to the government, pay taxes, hold its representatives in honor and respect, and obey them in all things that are not in conflict with God’s Word. Even if they themselves are sinful pagans. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who calls us to give to God what is God's - that is, our highest loyalty; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the wisdom to know when we should submit to Caesar and when we should obey God rather than man (Acts 4); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 4