Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

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.

———————

“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.

—————-

“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.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation chapter 15.

“Then I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvelous, seven angels who had seven plagues, which are the last, because in them the wrath of God is finished.

2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, holding harps of God. 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 YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.”

5 After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, 6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. 7 Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.” Revelation chapter 15.

———————–

This scene in heaven of the seven angels who had seven plagues, through which the wrath of God would be finished, was “great and marvelous”. Verse 1.

We may at first pause and wonder how this scene of the preparation for the wrath of God could be “great and marvelous”. We may secretly think that the wrath of God is distasteful and repulsive even if we think it is necessary. But, then, we read the song of the Lamb and first generally understand that all of God’s works are “Great and marvelous” and then consider that the wrath of God is part of His works. Verse 3.

Then, we also specifically understand that the wrath of God is “Righteous and true”. Verse 3. We remember examples in Scripture where God goes to great lengths to explain how His wrath is justified by the wickedness of man who certainly deserve such punishments, particularly where He is calling for repentance. But here, the time for repentance may be over. The time for final performance of the wrath of God is at hand, and the “Righteous and true” conclusion in verse 3, without detailed explanation of how it is justified, is sufficient and appropriate. Furthermore, the wrath of God calls for demonstrations of worship, beauty, holiness, and glory in verses 5-8 and by us today.

“9 Worship the LORD in holy attire;
Tremble before Him, all the earth.
10 Say among the nations, “The LORD reigns;
Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved;
He will judge the peoples with equity.” Psalm 96:9-10.

“3 “For I proclaim the name of the LORD;
Ascribe greatness to our God!
4 “The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 3:3-4.

“… Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He does not fail.” Zephaniah 3:5.

“The LORD reigns, let the earth rejoice;
Let the many islands be glad.
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.” Psalm 97:1-3.

“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.
33 I will sing to the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
34 Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the LORD.
35 Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the LORD, O my soul.
Praise the LORD!” Psalm 104:31-35.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 14:14-20.

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and sitting on the cloud was one like a son of man, having a golden crown on His head and a sharp sickle in His hand.  And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.”  Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.

And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle.  Then another angel, the one who has power over fire, came out from the altar;  and he called with a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, saying, “Put in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters from the vine of the earth, because her grapes are ripe.”  So the angel swung his sickle to the earth and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God.  And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses’ bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles.”  Revelation 14:14-20.

——————-

“17 He put on righteousness like a breastplate,
And a helmet of salvation on His head;
And He put on garments of vengeance for clothing
And wrapped Himself with zeal as a mantle.
18 According to their deeds, so He will repay,
Wrath to His adversaries, recompense to His enemies;
To the coastlands He will make recompense.” Isaiah 59:17-18.

His timing is perfect. “Put in your sickle and reap, for the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Verse 15.

His performance is perfect. “Then He who sat on the cloud swung His sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.” Verse 16.

“Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? …” Revelation 15:4.

“3 “For I proclaim the name of the LORD;
Ascribe greatness to our God!
4 “The Rock! His work is perfect,
For all His ways are just;
A God of faithfulness and without injustice,
Righteous and upright is He.” Deuteronomy 3:3-4.

“… Every morning He brings His justice to light;
He does not fail.” Zephaniah 3:5.

“5 How great are Your works, O LORD!
Your thoughts are very deep.
6 A senseless man has no knowledge,
Nor does a stupid man understand this:
7 That when the wicked sprouted up like grass
And all who did iniquity flourished,
It was only that they might be destroyed forevermore.” Psalm 92:5-7.

“Upon the wicked He will rain snares;
Fire and brimstone and burning wind will be the portion of their cup.” Psalm 11:6.

“You have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked;
You have blotted out their name forever and ever.” Psalm 9:5.

“The LORD keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.” Psalm 145:20.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 14:6-8.

“And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people;  and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come;  worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”

And another angel, a second one, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality.”  Revelation 14:6-8.

——————–

There is the command to “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come;  worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”  Verse 7.

This command makes so much sense, and it is so righteous and true, but alas, we cannot worship God and serve Him as we should because of our enemies.

But, there is hope!

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

In other words, Christ has given us salvation from our enemies, so that we can worship and serve God as we should.  

“68 “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71 Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.” Luke 1:68-75.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 14:1-5.

“Then I looked, and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.  And I heard a voice from heaven, like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder, and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps.  And they *sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders;  and no one could learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been purchased from the earth.  These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste.  These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been purchased from among men as first fruits to God and to the Lamb.  And no lie was found in their mouth;  they are blameless.”  Revelation 14:1-5.

——————

The one hundred and forty-four thousand (144,000) in today’s Scripture represents a perfect and complete number.  We also see the 144,000 number used in Revelation 7:4-8 to represent the number of saved from the twelve tribes of Israel (12,000 from each tribe).  In both uses, this is not a literal use of 144,000, but rather, it is a figurative use of 144,000 to describe those who who have been “purchased from the earth”, that is, Christ redeemed a/k/a purchased with His blood all the elect, but only the elect, a perfect and complete number according to the will of God.

Consider the following from the Canons of Dordt in the section titled SECOND HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of the Death of Christ, and the Redemption of Men Thereby.

Article 8.  For this was the sovereign counsel, and most gracious will and purpose of God the Father, that the quickening and saving efficacy of the most precious death of his Son should extend to all the elect, for bestowing upon them alone the gift of justifying faith, thereby to bring them infallibly to salvation:  that is, it was the will of God, that Christ by the blood of the cross, whereby he confirmed the new covenant, should effectually redeem out of every people, tribe, nation, and language, all those, and those only, who were from eternity chosen to salvation, and given to him by the Father; that he should confer upon them faith, which together with all the other saving gifts of the Holy Spirit, he purchased for them by his death;  should purge them from all sin, both original and actual, whether committed before or after believing; and having faithfully preserved them even to the end, should at last bring them free from every spot and blemish to the enjoyment of glory in his own presence forever.

“These are the ones who have not been defiled with women, for they have kept themselves chaste” does not exclude Christians who have been married.  But, it should be understood in the sense that through God’s grace, they were so simply and purely devoted to Christ that they appeared as virgins.  “For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin.  But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.”  2 Corinthians 11:2-3.

More generally, we understand that all these qualities of the 144,000 were instilled in them through the work of God. God instills all of these qualities in all of His elect.

“For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.”  Hebrews 10:14.

“… Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing;  but that she would be holy and blameless.”  Ephesians 5:25-27. 

“How blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
2 How blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!” Psalm 32:1-2.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;  and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish;  and no one will snatch them out of My hand.”  John 10:27-28. 

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.”  John 6:39.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever.  Amen.”  Jude 1:24-25.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 13:11-18.

“Then I saw another beast coming up out of the earth;  and he had two horns like a lamb and he spoke as a dragon.  He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence.  And he makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.  He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men.  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who *had the wound of the sword and has come to life.  And it was given to him to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast would even speak and cause as many as do not worship the image of the beast to be killed.  And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the free men and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark, either the name of the beast or the number of his name.  Here is wisdom.  Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for the number is that of a man;  and his number is six hundred and sixty-six.”  Revelation 13:11-18.

—————

“Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast …”, so we will try.  But, as stated later in this devotion, whether or not we calculate correctly and understand the mystery of the beast and the number 666, our hope is not in our wisdom, our hope is in God. 

The number of man could be six based on the fact that God created man on the sixth day.  Genesis 1:26-31.

Nebuchadnezzar, a man (a 6, so to speak) and who was the king of Babylon, made an golden image that was 6 cubits in height and 6 cubits in width and commanded all people to worship it or else be killed by fire.  

“Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, the height of which was sixty cubits and its width six cubits;  he set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. …  Then the herald loudly proclaimed: “To you the command is given, O peoples, nations and men of every language, that at the moment you hear the sound of the horn, flute, lyre, trigon, psaltery, bagpipe and all kinds of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king has set up.  But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.”   Daniel 3:1 and 4-6.

These 3 sixes could combine to make 666, the number of the beast. Or, there could be a better way to calculate the number of the beast. But, in any event, the following Scriptures that we encounter pursuant to our calculation help our understanding overall.

Later, God humbled Nebuchadnezzar causing him to be like a beast.  

“All this happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king.  Twelve months later he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon.  The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’  While the word was in the king’s mouth, a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared:  sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field.  You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’  Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled;  and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.

“But at the end of that period, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever;

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 4:28-35.

But, there is hope!

The hope is not in the wisdom of man in understanding mysteries such as the meaning of 666 or in man regaining reason or otherwise.

The hope is in God.  “He does according to His will in the host of heaven And among the inhabitants of earth”.

“Thus says the LORD, “Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  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 9:23-24.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 13:1-10.

“And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.

Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea, having ten horns and seven heads, and on his horns were ten diadems, and on his heads were blasphemous names.  And the beast which I saw was like a leopard, and his feet were like those of a bear, and his mouth like the mouth of a lion.  And the dragon gave him his power and his throne and great authority.  I saw one of his heads as if it had been slain, and his fatal wound was healed.  And the whole earth was amazed and followed after the beast;  they worshiped the dragon because he gave his authority to the beast;  and they worshiped the beast, saying, “Who is like the beast, and who is able to wage war with him?”  There was given to him a mouth speaking arrogant words and blasphemies, and authority to act for forty-two months was given to him.  And he opened his mouth in blasphemies against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

It was also given to him to make war with the saints and to overcome them, and authority over every tribe and people and tongue and nation was given to him.  All who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain.  If anyone has an ear, let him hear.  If anyone is destined for captivity, to captivity he goes;  if anyone kills with the sword, with the sword he must be killed.  Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”  Revelation 13:1-10.

——————-

“Here is the perseverance and the faith of the saints.”  That is, our names have “been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life”.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.  In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.  …”  Ephesians 1:3-7.

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;  but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God.  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 1:26-31.

“so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”  1 Corinthians 2:5.