Find life in which everything is as it should be. Revelation 22:1-5 (NIV) Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2  down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3  No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5  There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary So much about both John's gospel and this revelation given to him are now fulfilled in what he now describes to us. John records Jesus offering the Samaritan woman living water (John 4:10) and then later on he tells of Jesus standing up in the middle of temple courtyard on the most important day of a festival and loudly said whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them (John 7:39, quoting Isaiah 58:11). And now, right in the middle of the great and glorious city of God that descended from heaven, runs the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal. The source of this river, and indeed the very source of eternal life itself, is none other than the throne of God and the Lamb. This river, as many rivers do, irrigates the trees alongside it. But the trees John sees are no ordinary trees. This river feeds a very specific and important tree; a tree we read about in the opening pages of scripture - the tree of life , which is the very tree God placed His mightiest angel to guard so that Adam could not take hold of it . But now it's easily accessible by all of God's saints. Unlike conventional trees, which have one location, and at best bear one crop of fruit per year, this tree of life stands on each side of the river, bearing twelve crops of fruit, continually yielding its fruit every month, bringing healing to the nations (ethnos). Dig Deeper This river of the water of life , as awesome and amazing as it is, is not even the most significant aspect of what's revealed to John. That honor is found in v3 - no longer will there be any curse. What good would a river of life be if the everlasting life it provided was subjected to the ongoing curse brought about by sin? That's exactly why God guarded Adam from taking hold of it in the garden! But since Christ's atonement ended the curse, the separation necessary between sinful man and our holy God has been eliminated. His throne will be right there in their midst, in the city. We, His servants , will serve Him (the word serve can also be translated worship ). Best of all, we will see His face ; the same face that He's turned toward His covenant people in blessing, but yet which we're unable to fully see until we live in His presence in this new and holy city. The light of God's glorious face will be so sufficient that the sun will no longer be necessary, for the Lord God will give us light! It's here in the never ending blessing of God's Holy City on earth that we will reign for ever and ever! So we end our year together in the Belgic Confession the way that John ends scripture: Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen (v20-21). Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, from whose throne flows the water of life everlasting; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Echo John's closing prayer: erchou, Kurio Iēsou - Come, Lord Jesus! A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 22

Achieve victory in 2025 by grounding your life in God's unchanging character. Revelation 21:5-11, 22-27 (NIV) 5  He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6  He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8  But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” 9  One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10  And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. 11  It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. -- 22  I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23  The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. 25  On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. 26  The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. 27  Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary It's easy to miss it in the midst of John's best efforts to describe the fantastic beauty of the new heaven and earth, but right here at the beginning of our passage, we're given tremendous insight into the character and attributes of our Triune God: He's seated on the throne , fully sovereign and in control of all that comes to pass; All is done ; Everything that God set out to accomplish will be completed when He makes all things new; He is the Alpha and the Omega - the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet, symbolizing the Beginning and the End . This is the second of three times John records this in Revelation, and very consistent with the famous phrase with which John opens his gospel; He gives the water of life without cost to those who are thirsty ; He relates to us, His people, both paternally and covenantly. He will be our God, and we will be His children; He Himself will be the temple for His people; His glory is brighter than the light of the sun. Until this point, no man had ever been able to survive full exposure to God's glory, but in the new heavens & earth, we will live each day by its unfiltered light; The names of His children are written in His book of life , signifying those who will enter into the Holy City. They are the ones who, by God's grace, are victorious and will inherit all this. Dig Deeper How would you describe the indescribable? That's the challenge John once again finds himself tasked with in conveying the details of the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God . John does the best he can, comparing it to the most beautiful jewels and gems that were known at the time. But it's the way the angel with John describes this city that intrigues us today. He refers to it as the bride, the wife of the Lamb. This isn't the first time the Bible has mentioned the bride of Christ, but here it expands the image. Not only is the Church the bride of Christ, but it's also a city . "Apocalyptic metaphors are mixed and show little inclination to conform to any literalistic system of interpretation" ( Mounce ). Notice in this chapter how the bride of Christ - that is, the Church - is set against the harlot of Babylon, whose followers will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur . If you're wondering why it is that you ought to keep a healthy separation between you and the people of this world, let that be a good reminder! As a city , the bride of Christ "is the community of men who have fellowship with God. Nothing in the entire universe is as glorious as this fellowship with God, so that He tabernacles with us and we are His own. Moreover, as the symbol of the Holy City so clearly indicates, this communion is holy and lasting and it is enjoyed by a countless multitude... The Church of the future is described here, and also the Church of the present, mainly as a shadow of what is to come" ( Hendriksen ). Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that as you look forward to a new year, you will strive for victory - overcoming sin and death in Christ alone; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 21

This Christmas, look forward to Jesus making all things new. Revelation 21:1–5 (ESV) 20:14  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. 21   Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2  And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3  And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4  He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5  And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary As John's vision of the future draws near to its completion, the scene he sees goes from one extreme to the other. After witnessing death and Hades thrown into the lake of fire, along with anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life , John sees that every reality we've ever known - all of what was included in the first heaven and earth - no longer exist! In its place were a new heaven and new earth . It seems like there ought to be a grander name for this coming reality, but then again, what words could we use to adequately capture the splendor and goodness John describes? John's utilization of adjectives increases, however, to describe what he sees next. He calls it the Holy City, the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God . Just the fact that an entire city descends down ought to give you enough amazement to chew on all day, but John's not finished. The scene, John writes, is like a bride, beautifully dressed for her husband . Any groom or father of the bride can appreciate the words John conveys this vision to us with! As beautiful as this city is, the aesthetics are nowhere close to the best thing about it. It's the proximity of God's dwelling place. Finally, after 1,185 chapters (Genesis 3 - Revelation 20) spanning thousands of years, things are once again the way they're supposed to be: God's dwelling place is now with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God Himself will be with them as their God. Dig Deeper We have so much curiosity and so many questions about what life will be like in this new reality; everything from whether or not we'll recognize one another and maintain the same relationships to wondering what we'll do for tens of thousands of years. Our current mindset is focused on overcoming adversity, so it's hard to imagine anything different. But John really doesn't tell us anything about what life will be like. All he passes along is what life in the new heavens and earth will not be like: death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore . John simply reports what he's been told by the One who was seated on the throne: "Behold, I am making all things new." You're likely reading this on or around the 2,024th celebration Christmas day. You might be trying to count uncountable blessings in your life or trying to forget pain and disappointments that you've been counting for too many years. No matter where you find yourself now, thank God that when all things are made new, you will be found with Him! Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will wipe every tear from our eyes. A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will remember in the midst of either pain or gladness that you're a citizen of this new world to come; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 20

You're invited to the ultimate victory celebration! Isaiah 2:2 In the last days the mountain of the LORD’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it. Isaiah 25:6-9 6  On this mountain the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7  On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth. The LORD has spoken. 9  In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary God often associates Himself with mountains (but don't worry... He still loves us flatlanders too!). He introduced Himself to His people from Mt. Sinai. His temple was built on the mountain that Jerusalem sits on. His Son, our Savior, was transfigured upon a mountain and went on to atone for our sins on a mountain. The prophets often refer to God's enigmatic dwelling on earth as Mount Zion "where Yahweh lives with his faithful people in the absence of sin and danger” ( Lexham Bible Dictionary ). So it's no surprise that as God reveals messages of hope to his prophet Isaiah, that it's set on a mountain. Already in chapter two, Isaiah reported that not only will the mountain of the LORD's temple be established as the highest of mountains, but that all nations will stream to it. It's on this highest mountain , Isaiah goes on to report in chapter 25, that the LORD Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples , using similar imagery to the table prepared in the presence of our enemies, which David famously told of in the 23rd Psalm. Isaiah describes the LORD's mountain as a place of shalom, in which everything is the way it's supposed to be. The banquet that the LORD has set out celebrates victory, and not just any victory, but the victory to end all battles. For it's on His mountain that the LORD destroys the shroud that covers all nations; He will swallow up death forever. Those who find themselves atop the LORD's mountain experience not just a change in elevation, but a complete transformation, for the Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth . Dig Deeper We get a clue in v9 as to who it is that ascends the LORD's mountain; it is those who had trusted in Him . It's the people who, even when covered in the shroud of death, with tears streaming down their faces , had put their full faith and trust in the LORD. It's the people who, even as the nations considered God's people disgraced , will fully rejoice and be glad in His salvation. In other words, it includes the people who right now, at the end of the year of our Lord, 2024, who faithfully cling to Christ despite all of the temptation and distractions that surround them. Does this include you? Although today's passage comes near the middle of your printed Bible, it certainly is eschatological in nature - that is, it tells of end times. And Isaiah puts a stamp of certainty on this end-time prophecy. Just as certainly as the LORD spoke the universe into existence in the beginning , so will His victorious mountaintop presence be certain at the end. Isaiah grounds this certainty with the short line at the end of v8 - The LORD has spoken! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will call His faithful from every nation into His presence on Zion, the highest of mountains; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that God will continue to strengthen us for that day, even as we now live in the plains (both literally and figuratively); A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 19 Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt

Things don't end well for those set against our newborn King. Revelation 18:21-19:2 (NIV) 21  Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again. 22  The music of harpists and musicians, pipers and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No worker of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. 23  The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray. 24  In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people, of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.” 19 After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, 2 for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary Imagine both the sight and the sound of a massive boulder crashing into the sea. All at once, tons of water would be displaced, splashing high into the sky, the sea opening up and then just as instantly caving back into place as the boulder instantly disappeared beneath the waves, never to be seen again. It's with this same level of violence that the angel reports Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again . Babylon here represents much more than just the Ancient Near Eastern city where Daniel was thrown in with the lions and his friends faced the fiery furnace. All throughout the Bible, Babylon represents everything in the world that stands in rebellion against its Creator. The angel's song is steeped in the finality of it all: no more music, work, light, or love. It's people, once so haughty and proud, who slaughtered the prophets and God's saints, will never be heard again . The metaphor of the sinking rock is appropriate. In all of Revelation's fantastic imagery, all those opposed to God meet their doom quickly once God's patience runs out. Although the kings of the earth spend lots of time and resources assembling their armies, the battles end in their defeat almost as quickly as they begin. It will all be so instant. Dig Deeper 2025 will mark 80 years since the Allies erupted in unbridled celebration when the Empire of Japan surrendered, ending World War II. Even though victory came at the terrible cost inflicted upon the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the rest of the world rejoiced in relief, knowing that on balance, more lives would be saved with the conclusion of hostilities. Fresher in our minds is the killing of Osama bin Laden last decade. None of us are bloodthirsty people, but you likely celebrated the news, knowing that not only could he never unleash terror again, but that ultimately he got what he had coming. Take a moment to think about Babylon's tragedy. It was part of God's creation, just like you. The city was filled with people who made music, work their trade, married and carried on business. And in an instant, it all came to a crashing end. But after a second or two of silence there came the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: HALLELUJAH! It's natural for you to be sympathetic to the plight of the world around you which will face this tragic end. But then remember there are only two sides to this great cosmic conflict: either a person is for God or against Him, and those who are against Him are a corruption upon the earth. Let your sympathy drive you to share the truth of the Christmas miracle with those who will otherwise perish, even as you set your heart to celebrate that salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who will avenge the blood of His servants; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live in the tension of sympathizing for the lost citizens of Babylon even as you celebrate the coming victory of our newborn King; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 18 Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt

All will be made immortal, but it will be quite different for those who repent now. Luke 16:19-31 (NIV) 19  “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22  “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23  In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24  So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25  “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27  “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28  for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29  “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30  “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31  “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt Summary We need to lead off with a disclaimer about today's passage. The number one consideration for properly interpreting any passage of scripture is to understand the context which it comes in. This story about the rich man and Lazarus is just that - a story. More specifically, it's a parable. Parables are more than just 'earthly stories with heavenly meanings.' A better way of thinking of them is as 'shocking stories with spiritual meanings.' That's exactly what Jesus does as he tells this story. It's part of a series of examples Jesus was using to shock His primary audience - the Pharisees - into changing their thinking. And this story contains some big shockers: first of all, notice the rich man doesn't get a name, but the poor beggar does. Secondly, it's the powerful member of the establishment who ends up in Hades, while the 'riffraff' Lazarus ends up in heaven. Third, the rich man ends up in Hades even though he had Moses and the Prophets . It's those points that would have shocked the Pharisees, not the details about what life would be like either in heaven or hell. Jesus' purpose in this parable is to explain that being a wealthy member of the establishment didn't result in a ticket to heaven. Dig Deeper Even though Jesus' point in this parable isn't to shed light on what the afterlife will be like, we can still take away a few very generalized ideas. The first takeaway is that there is, in fact, life after death. As our Confession puts it, all people shall be made immortal, but the way the evil ones will experience immortality will be significantly different than those who are in Christ. Jesus captures this reality in His parable as well: the rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day , experiences torment and agony, while the poor beggar is carried to Abraham's side . Jesus also describes a great chasm between Abraham and the rich man in Hades, which is uncrossable. Interestingly, Jesus never uses the term 'heaven' in this parable. But don't let that bother you; Remember, sharing eschatological (end time) details is not Jesus' primary purpose in this parable. The Bible is frustratingly vague when it does come to specific details about the life to come. That's because the Bible's primary point is the same as Jesus' parable here: that you must be convinced to repent here and now by the One who rises from the dead . By the time you attain immortality , it will be too late. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has prepared an everlasting fire for the devil and his angels; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will repent and warn others now, while there's still an opportunity to do so; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 17 Help share & promote the 2025 Bible reading plan based on the Canons of Dordt

There are only two types of people. Are you a sheep or a goat? Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV) 31  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44  “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” 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 In this parable, Jesus picks up on the shepherd theme that David used so powerfully in Psalm 23, and that Jesus has already applied to Himself as the Good Shepherd. Only this time, the Shepherd is cast in a different role; instead of kindly nurturing and guiding his flock, this time the Shepherd King separating them out. The sheep, who gave to those in need are placed on his right, away from the goats which are herded to the left. The Shepherd King commends the sheep for selflessly caring for the needy, as opposed to the goats who only looked out for themselves (anyone who's raised sheep and goats understands the brilliance of Jesus' imagery). Then the Shepherd King drops a bomb: whatever had been done, or had been left undone, for the least of these had been done or not done for the King Himself! Consequently, Jesus welcomes the righteous sheep into their inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. The obtuse goats, on the other hand, are commanded to depart from the King into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels . Dig Deeper It's fascinating that neither the sheep nor the goats recognized the opportunities they had been given in the moment. Both want to know when it was that they'd encountered the hungry, thirsty, and strangers who needed clothing. So clearly the opportunities we have to serve others extend past the obvious physical signs of need like hunger and clothing. Certainly a person would remember an encounter with a hungry, thirsty naked person, whether they had stopped to help or not. It's even possible that the goats had often helped the poor; they ask the King when did we see these needs and not help you? But by going back to see how Jesus had used the metaphors of bread and water previously, we can see that these were people who needed the Bread of Life and Living Water, and not just their physical counterparts. The Shepherd King wants His sheep to care for people both spiritually and physically. It makes sense that the goats were clueless as to their missed opportunities, but what's so amazing is that the actions the sheep took in caring for these needs flowed so seamlessly from their faith that they didn't even notice the good they'd been doing. Do you think you'll be shocked to hear about how you reacted to the opportunities you've been given when you stand before the King? AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who blesses His sheep and prepares an inheritance for us; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your actions and your faith will be so seamlessly integrated that you just naturally respond to needs, whether you recognize them or not; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 16

Understand difficult prophecies using simple theology. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 (NIV) 3  We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4  Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5  All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6  God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7  and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10  on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 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 There's no greater compliment that Paul could ever give to a church than what he writes here to the Thessalonians. He commends them because their faith is growing and their love for one another is increasing. Paul connects the faith and love that the Thessalonians demonstrated as certain evidence that God will count them worthy of the Kingdom of God. The Thessalonians needed this shot in the arm because at present they were enduring persecutions and trials. So the big question that they had then, and that we still have now, is when? When will God pay back trouble to those who trouble and give relief to those who are troubled? The answer Paul gives, as our Confession puts it, is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people . God's justice will come in the apokalypsis (revelation) of the Lord Jesus from heaven. But notice that Jesus doesn't come back alone! He'll be accompanied by blazing fire with His powerful angels. Too often angels get thought of as being, well, angelic. We picture them as chubby little babies or a harp carrying choir with feathery wings and flowing white robes, but that's not how the Bible portrays these awesome creatures! But it's what Jesus is coming for that's so surprising. Certainly handing out reward or retribution as deserved will be a high priority for Him, but the primary reason He's coming is to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who believe. Christians present when this happens won't even notice all of the other apocalyptic events happening around them; they'll be comply transfixed by Jesus! Dig Deeper We refer to this aspect of theology which describes the consummation (Jesus' return and the final judgment) as eschatology, and it can be one of the toughest parts of theology to work out precisely. Good Christians who agree on nearly every other doctrine will often come to different conclusions in their eschatologies. Paul gives a good example of how to work through difficult eschatological teachings in today's passage. Some Christians take difficult passages from apocalyptic books like Revelation or Daniel and then try to contort the whole rest of the Bible to fit what they think the apocalyptic passage means. Paul, on the other hand, goes in the opposite direction. He begins with one of the most fundamental theological assertions there is: God is just (v6). Although the details about what will happen and when are often fuzzy, we can be certain that God's justice will prevail, and the wicked will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. Of course Paul here is inspired by the Holy Spirit as he writes theses words, and this passage is itself apocalyptic (meaning it reveals the future), but you can and should use this same pattern that Paul demonstrates. Know your core theology well and then use it as a lens to help you get a grip on the more difficult passages regarding the end times. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is just, and who gives relief to those who are troubled; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you, like the Thessalonians, will have an increasing faith and growing love ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 15

Imagine you had to pay for each word you utter. Actually, that's the case! Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) 36  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” 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 We tend to remember people by the great words they spoke. Often times a person's 'famous last words' are carved into their gravestone. Great leaders are remembered for an inspiring speech. Maybe you've been encouraged by uplifting words whispered to you decades ago. But Jesus isn't talking about the few 'great' words you've spoken that people remember. He's talking about the empty / careless / worthless words that clog up the vast majority of our speech. This certainly include words you regretted from the moment they fell out of your mouth, but most of these words end up forgotten, not only by those who heard them, but also by you minutes after you spoke them. But each and every word that you utter throughout your life ends up written down in the books we read about yesterday , and here Jesus warns you that you will have to give an account for every syllable. Literally translated, you will need to pay for each word. Image how many fewer words you would speak (and/or type) today if you had to reach into your pocket and pay for them as they spill out. Even if you only were charged a dime per word, I'll bet you'd use a lot less! But the sad fact of the matter is that all of your worthless words will cost you dearly, and may even condemn you! Dig Deeper Certainly many of your words - words of wisdom and encouragement and which help others out - are a good investment; you'll be happy to give an account of those to the Judge! And, in fact, some of your words are of infinite value; Jesus says that your words can acquit you - literally translated they can justify you! These words are not worth so much because they convey your brilliance, but because they connect you to the atonement and perfect righteousness of Christ. Decades after Jesus spoke these words, Paul would write out exactly how your mouth can acquit you when it's directly connected to your heart: If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (acquitted), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10). So pay attention to what you say, knowing now that you will have to pay for each word you speak! Use your words wisely! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, to whom you'll have to give an account for every word you've spoken; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will only speak when beneficial and that all of your words would be compatible with your belief and trust in Christ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 14

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