THE LEDGERS
Opening Prayer
Pray these words before you read: “Send forth your light and truth, let them guide me” (Psa. 43:3).
Read REVELATION 20:7-15
The Judgment of Satan
7 When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
The Judgment of the Dead
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.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other’ (Isaiah 45:22). Praise God for his kindness and love in calling people to him.Once again Revelation shows how opposition to God is global, instigated by Satan and intent on destroying God’s people (vs 8,9). But before we despair, the reference to Gog (ruler of Magog) is there to reassure us. Ezekiel prophesied that Gog’s coalition of nations ranged against God’s people would suffer numerous judgments including fire and burning sulfur (vs 9,10; Ezekiel 38:4–6,18–23). Forget any ideas of a cosmic battle between equal forces. When we are hard-pressed, we need to remember that God’s power is unequaled. Satan will be tossed like garbage into the fire and consumed completely (v 10).
Pause at verse 11. Contemplate God’s supremacy. His holiness and glory are so ‘awe-ful’ that creation runs away. Nevertheless, God calls every human to face him, with no exceptions (vs 12,13)!
One day, our judge will decide if our lives have reflected his holiness and glory. Romans 3:23–25 sums up our guilt and our hope. The Lamb’s book of life is our only hope for life in God’s new chapter (v 15; 13:8). Your name is there if you have trusted God for the gift of redemption and righteousness won by Jesus.
Apply
Reflect on the verse we started with (Isaiah 45:22). Pray for the nations, for friends, family and colleagues, to believe and trust Jesus.
Closing prayer
Heavenly Father, when there is a whole lot of shaking going on around me, my hope in you keeps me stable. All thanks and praise to you.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
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