Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 19:1-6.

“After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.” And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And a voice came from the throne, saying,

“Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great.” Then I heard something like the voice of a great multitude and like the sound of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, saying,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.” Revelation 19:1-6.

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“The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.” Psalm 103:19.

Other doctrine grudgingly admits that God may reign over some things, but vainly maintains that God does not reign over man’s heart, claiming that man has free-will.

“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!” Psalm 2:3.

In response to other doctrine which vainly maintains that God does not reign over man’s heart, …

“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.” Psalm 2:4-6.

“But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” Luke 19:27.

But, Reformed Doctrine rejoices that God “rules over all”, even over man’s heart.

Reformed Doctrine accurately summarizes Scripture and teaches that salvation is a work of God alone, by grace alone, and that God handles all the points of salvation from beginning to end: from the beginning of “Unconditional Election” through “Limited Atonement” through “Irresistible Grace” to the end of “Preservation of the Saints”, the “U”, “L”, “I”, and “P” of “TULIP”, the Five Points of Calvinism, the Reformed Doctrine of Salvation. This true doctrine of salvation is more fully taught in the Reformed Confession called Canons of Dordt.

“For He says to Moses, “I WILL HAVE MERCY ON WHOM I HAVE MERCY, AND I WILL HAVE COMPASSION ON WHOM I HAVE COMPASSION.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. … So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.” Romans 9:15-16 and 18.

“How lovely on the mountains
Are the feet of him who brings good news,
Who announces peace
And brings good news of happiness,
Who announces salvation,
And says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 18:21-24.

“Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer.  And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer;  and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer;  and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;  and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer;  and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer;  for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.  And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.”  Revelation 18:21-24.

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“After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying,

“Hallelujah!  Salvation and glory and power belong to our God;  BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS;  for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.”  Revelation 19:1-2.  

“The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.” Psalm 19:9.

“3 And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
4 “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name?
For You alone are holy;
FOR ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU,
FOR YOU RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.” Revelation 15:3-4.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 18:9-20.  Here is a link to this Scripture – https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation+18&version=NASB1995

I quote only the following verses.

“And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city!  For in one hour your judgment has come.’

“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives.  …  And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’  Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”  Revelation 18:9-13 and 19-20.

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“Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you.  Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten.  Your gold and your silver have rusted;  and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire.  It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!  Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you;  and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.  You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure;  you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.  You have condemned and put to death the righteous man;  he does not resist you.”  James 5:1-6.

“Do not love the world nor the things in the world.  If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  The world is passing away, and also its lusts;  but the one who does the will of God lives forever.”  1 John 2:15-17.

But, there is hope!

“for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13.

Consider also the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled FIFTH HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Perseverance of the Saints.

Article 3.  By reason of these remains of indwelling sin, and the temptations of sin and of the world, those who are converted could not persevere in a state of grace, if left to their own strength.  But God is faithful, who having conferred grace, mercifully confirms, and powerfully preserves them herein, even to the end.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely;  and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 18:1-8.

“After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.  And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!  She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.  For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”

I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;  for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.  Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds;  in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.  To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning;  for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’  For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire;  for the Lord God who judges her is strong.”  Revelation 18:1-8.

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“Flee from the midst of Babylon,
And each of you save his life!
Do not be destroyed in her punishment,
For this is the LORD’s time of vengeance;
He is going to render recompense to her.” Jeremiah 51:6.

“Come forth from her midst, My people,
And each of you save yourselves
From the fierce anger of the LORD.” Jeremiah 51:45.

“20 Come, my people, enter into your rooms
And close your doors behind you;
Hide for a little while
Until indignation runs its course.
21 For behold, the LORD is about to come out from His place
To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity;
And the earth will reveal her bloodshed
And will no longer cover her slain.” Isaiah 26:20-21.

“The prudent sees the evil and hides himself,
But the naive go on, and are punished for it.” Proverbs 22:3.

“A prudent man sees evil and hides himself,
The naive proceed and pay the penalty.” Proverbs 27:12.

But, there is hope!

The Lord knows how to both keep the unrighteous under punishment and how to rescue the godly. 

“and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;  and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,”  2 Peter 2:6-9. 

Consider specifically how strongly he rescued Lot.

“When morning dawned, the angels urged Lot, saying, “Up, take your wife and your two daughters who are here, or you will be swept away in the punishment of the city.”  But he hesitated.  So the men seized his hand and the hand of his wife and the hands of his two daughters, for the compassion of the Lord was upon him;  and they brought him out, and put him outside the city.  When they had brought them outside, one said, “Escape for your life!  Do not look behind you, and do not stay anywhere in the valley;  escape to the mountains, or you will be swept away.”  Genesis 19:15-17.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 17:14-18.

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”

And he *said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues.  And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire.  For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled.  The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”  Revelation 17:14-18.

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There may be some mystery and wonder, but there is no mystery nor wonder Who is victorious and Whose sovereignty and dominion extends over everyone and everything.  

Our Lord Jesus Christ is “… the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see.  To Him be honor and eternal dominion!  Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:15-16.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
22 Bless the LORD, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the LORD, O my soul!” Psalm 103:19-22.

Others may not like His sovereignty ruling over all.

“Let us tear their fetters apart
And cast away their cords from us!” Psalm 2:3.

But, what does Scripture state?

“4 He who sits in the heavens laughs,
The Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then He will speak to them in His anger
And terrify them in His fury, saying,
6 “But as for Me, I have installed My King
Upon Zion, My holy mountain.”

7 “I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD:
He said to Me, ‘You are My Son,
Today I have begotten You.
8 ‘Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance,
And the very ends of the earth as Your possession.
9 ‘You shall break them with a rod of iron,
You shall shatter them like earthenware.’” Psalm 2:4-9.

“But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” Luke 19:27.

“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him!” Luke 12:5.

“10 Now therefore, O kings, show discernment;
Take warning, O judges of the earth.
11 Worship the LORD with reverence
And rejoice with trembling.
12 Do homage to the Son, that He not become angry, and you perish in the way,
For His wrath may soon be kindled.
How blessed are all who take refuge in Him!” Psalm 2:10-12.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 17:1-13.

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness;  and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns.  The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.”  And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.  When I saw her, I wondered greatly.  And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder?  I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction.  And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.  Here is the mind which has wisdom.  The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, and they are seven kings;  five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while.  The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction.  The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour.  These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast.”  Revelation 17:1-13.  

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Some think it is a badge of honor to remain in wonder.

Although we may temporarily wonder, we should seek wisdom and seek to understand and seek to believe.  We do not need to perfectly understand everything, but we should be diligent to study God’s Word, pray for wisdom and understanding, and believe that God will give us wisdom.  We should not be content to remain in wonder.      

Today’s Scripture leads us to consider this point, very appropriate considering all the mysteries and wonders in the Book of Revelation.

“…  When I saw her, I wondered greatly.  And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder?  …”  Verses 6-7. 

Moreover, there is this warning.  “…  And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, …”  Verse 8.

“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
Fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Proverbs 1:7.

“13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found,
But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding.
14 Wise men store up knowledge,
But with the mouth of the foolish, ruin is at hand.” Proverbs 10:13-14.

“The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of understanding.” Proverbs 10:21.

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.
Because you have rejected knowledge,
I also will reject you from being My priest.
Since you have forgotten the law of your God,
I also will forget your children.” Hosea 4:6.

But, there is hope!

“… I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.” Verse 7.

“Here is the mind which has wisdom. …” Verse 9.

“How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
And in His law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”  2 Timothy 2:15. 

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind.  For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”  James 1:5-7.

“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak;  and He will disclose to you what is to come.”  John 16:13. 

“But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.”  1 Corinthians 1:30-31.

“Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him;  and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.  But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one.  For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM?  But we have the mind of Christ.”  1 Corinthians 2:12-15.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 16:17-21.

“Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.”  And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder;  and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty.  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell.  Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath.  And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found.  And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men;  and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe.”  Revelation 16:17-21.

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“and there will be great earthquakes, and in various places plagues and famines;  and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.”  Luke 21:11.

“9 “Remember the former things long past,
For I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is no one like Me,
10 Declaring the end from the beginning,
And from ancient times things which have not been done,
Saying, ‘My purpose will be established,
And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’;
11 Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man of My purpose from a far country.
Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass.
I have planned it, surely I will do it.” Isaiah 46:9-11.

“19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens,
And His sovereignty rules over all.
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels,
Mighty in strength, who perform His word,
Obeying the voice of His word!
21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts,
You who serve Him, doing His will.
22 Bless the LORD, all you works of His,
In all places of His dominion;
Bless the LORD, O my soul!” Psalm 103:19-22.

“According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.” Isaiah 59:18.

“2 Clouds and thick darkness surround Him;
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne.
3 Fire goes before Him
And burns up His adversaries round about.
4 His lightnings lit up the world;
The earth saw and trembled.
5 The mountains melted like wax at the presence of the LORD,
At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.” Psalm 97:2-5.

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.” Revelation 14:8.

“It is done.” Verse 17.

“… For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom endures from generation to generation.
“All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
But He does according to His will in the host of heaven
And among the inhabitants of earth;
And no one can ward off His hand
Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” Daniel 4:34-35.

“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.” Jeremiah 9:24.

“31 Let the glory of the LORD endure forever;
Let the LORD be glad in His works;
32 He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.” Psalm 104:31-22.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 16:1-12.

“Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”

So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth;  and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man;  and every living thing in the sea died.

Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters;  and they became blood.  And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things;  for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink.  They deserve it.”  And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”

The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire.  Men were scorched with fierce heat;  and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened;  and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores;  and they did not repent of their deeds.

The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates;  and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.”  Revelation 16:1-12.

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“And I heard the angel of the waters saying, “Righteous are You, who are and who were, O Holy One, because You judged these things;  for they poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and You have given them blood to drink.  They deserve it.”  Verses 5-6.

“… and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.”  Verse 9.

“And they *sang the song of Moses, the bond-servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and marvelous are Your works,
O Lord God, the Almighty;
Righteous and true are Your ways,
King of the nations!
“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? …” Revelation 15:3-4.