September 12, 2016
Today’s reading from Encounter with God

WE MUST EXPECT SUFFERING

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Opening Prayer

Just and Merciful Father, help me lean my whole self in the direction of Your will. Grant me guidance, strength and peace.

Read REVELATION 11:1–14

[1] I was given a reed like a measuring rod and was told, “Go and measure the temple of God and the altar, with its worshipers. [2] But exclude the outer court; do not measure it, because it has been given to the Gentiles. They will trample on the holy city for 42 months. [3] And I will appoint my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” [4] They are “the two olive trees” and the two lampstands, and “they stand before the Lord of the earth.” [5] If anyone tries to harm them, fire comes from their mouths and devours their enemies. This is how anyone who wants to harm them must die. [6] They have power to shut up the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague as often as they want. [7] Now when they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up from the Abyss will attack them, and overpower and kill them. [8] Their bodies will lie in the public square of the great city-which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt-where also their Lord was crucified. [9] For three and a half days some from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. [10] The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. [11] But after the three and a half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and terror struck those who saw them. [12] Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, “Come up here.” And they went up to heaven in a cloud, while their enemies looked on. [13] At that very hour there was a severe earthquake and a tenth of the city collapsed. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the survivors were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. [14] The second woe has passed; the third woe is coming soon.

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

Reflect

“If the world hates us as it hated Jesus, then he is the model of inner joy and blessedness that we always ought to have in mind when we face persecution for righteousness’ sake” (John Killinger).

Jesus Christ said that he would build his church and the gates of hell would not overcome it (Matt. 16:18). Martin Luther once said that while God had work for him to do, he was immortal. Those two statements help us understand this passage. At a time when many Christians were called to die as they witnessed, and the Greek word for a witness was transformed into our word “martyr,” they needed encouragement that God’s purposes for his church, and they themselves, were secure.

 

John refers to images from the book of Zechariah, which speak of God’s protection over Jerusalem as it is measured (Zech. 2:5). Jerusalem here is the not included in the measuring, but only the temple and its worshippers, as the city is handed over to be trampled for a set period of time of three and half years.

 

Then we have the two witnesses. Echoes of Elijah, who announced drought and called down fire on God’s enemies, as well as Moses and the plagues of Egypt are found in the language here. These two will have time to finish their witness, be raised as Jesus was and be taken to heaven. Their enemies are those who reject God’s messengers and ultimately the God they represent.

 

The twentieth-century experience of the church in China presents a testimony to God’s faithfulness as demonstrated in this chapter. Mao Tse-tung persecuted the church and thought he could destroy it. Many Christians were killed and pastors were imprisoned. In 1979, the first of the closed churches was reopened. The church had not been killed, but had grown. Today there are 100 million Christians in China. They know that faithful witness involves suffering. It is a truth that many Western Christians have to learn.

Apply

In what ways have you experienced persecution (rejection, isolation, scorn) for righteousness’ sake? How did you handle it?

Closing prayer

Father, for those facing fierce persecution for their faith, minister to them and encourage them in their difficult situations.

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