Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 6:1-8.

 

“¹ Then I saw when the Lamb broke one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying as with a voice of thunder, “Come.”  I looked, and behold, a white horse, and he who sat on it had a bow;  and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.

 

³ When He broke the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come.”  ⁴ And another, a red horse, went out;  and to him who sat on it, it was granted to take peace from the earth, and that men would slay one another; and a great sword was given to him.

 

⁵ When He broke the third seal, I heard the third living creature saying, “Come.”  I looked, and behold, a black horse;  and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand.  ⁶ And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius;  and do not damage the oil and the wine.”

                                               

⁷ When the Lamb broke the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come.”  ⁸ I looked, and behold, an ashen horse;  and he who sat on it had the name Death;  and Hades was following with him.  Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth.”  Revelation 6:1-8. 

 

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As we start reading the Scripture which describes the breaking of the seven seals, we may focus on the vivid imagery and be alarmed, puzzled, and frightened.  But, we need to remember that those seals need to be broken to open the book of life.

“I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals.  And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?”  And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it.  Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it;  and one of the elders *said to me, “Stop weeping;  behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.”  Revelation 5:1-5.

Random “helter-skelter” did not break out in the breaking of the seals.  These are no “Pandora’s boxes”.  God is still sovereign and in perfect total control.

The events described in the breaking of the seals are things that must come.  We remember Revelation 4:1:  “After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”  Revelation 4:1.

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”  Romans 8:28.

“And they *sang a new song, saying,

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 5:11-14.

 

“¹¹ Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders;  and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, ¹² saying with a loud voice,

¹³ And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying,

¹⁴ And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.”  And the elders fell down and worshiped.”  Revelation 5:11-14.

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Some teach man’s free-will determines who will be saved.  If that were the truth, would there be such praise as we see in today’s Scripture?   

Are these myriads of myriads of heavenly voices in today’s Scripture proclaiming man’s free-will or God’s sovereignty?

God’s perfect sovereign dominion is eliciting such praise and worship. 

Our doctrine should be consistent and in harmony with these heavenly voices and the truth of God’s perfect sovereign dominion.  And, Reformed Doctrine a/k/a Calvinism is.

We read about such dominion in the Belgic Confession. 

Article 13:  Of Divine Providence.

We believe that the same God, after he had created all things, did not forsake them, or give them up to fortune or chance, but that he rules and governs them according to his holy will, so that nothing happens in this world without his appointment:  nevertheless, God neither is the author of, nor can be charged with, the sins which are committed.  For his power and goodness are so great and incomprehensible, that he orders and executes his work in the most excellent and just manner, even then, when devils and wicked men act unjustly.  … This doctrine affords us unspeakable consolation, since we are taught thereby that nothing can befall us by chance, but by the direction of our most gracious and heavenly Father;  who watches over us with a paternal care, keeping all creatures so under his power, that not a hair of our head (for they are all numbered), nor a sparrow, can fall to the ground, without the will of our Father, in whom we do entirely trust;  being persuaded, that he so restrains the devil and all our enemies, that without his will and permission, they cannot hurt us.  And therefore we reject that damnable error of the Epicureans, who say that God regards nothing, but leaves all things to chance.

We read about such dominion in the Heidelberg Catechism.

Question 1.  What is thy only comfort in life and death?

Answer.  That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own, but belong unto my faithful Savior Jesus Christ;  who, with his precious blood, hath fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil;  and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head;  yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live unto him.

We read about such dominion in the Canons of Dordt.

Article 7.  Election is the unchangeable purpose of God, whereby, before the foundation of the world, he hath out of mere grace, according to the sovereign good pleasure of his own will, chosen, from the whole human race, which had fallen through their own fault, from their primitive state of rectitude, into sin and destruction, a certain number of persons to redemption in Christ, whom he from eternity appointed the Mediator and Head of the elect, and the foundation of Salvation.

This elect number, though by nature neither better nor more deserving than the others, but with them involved in one common misery, God hath decreed to give to Christ, to be saved by him, and effectually to call and draw them to his communion by his Word and Spirit, to bestow upon them true faith, justification and sanctification;  and having powerfully preserved them in the fellowship of his Son, finally, to glorify them for the demonstration of his mercy, and for the praise of his glorious grace; as it is written:  “According as he hath chosen us in him, before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy, and without blame before him in love;  having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved,”  Ephesians 1:4,5,6.  And elsewhere: “Whom he did predestinate, them he also called;  and whom he called, them he also justified;  and whom he justified, them he also glorified,”  Romans 8:30.  The Canons of Dordt FIRST HEAD OF DOCTRINE Of Divine Predestination.

We read about such dominion in the Westminister Larger Catechism.

Question 13:  What has God especially decreed concerning angels and men?

Answer:  God, by an eternal and immutable decree, out of his mere love, for the praise of his glorious grace, to be manifested in due time, has elected some angels to glory;  and in Christ has chosen some men to eternal life, and the means thereof:  and also, according to his sovereign power, and the unsearchable counsel of his own will (whereby he extends or withholds favor as he pleases), has passed by and foreordained the rest to dishonor and wrath, to be for their sin inflicted, to the praise of the glory of his justice.

God accomplishes all of His good purpose.  Total Perfect Triumph.

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 4:9-11.

 

“And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

                                 

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power;  for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”  Revelation 4:9-11.

                               

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“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”  Genesis 1:1

 

“God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind;  and God saw that it was good.”  Genesis 1:21

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 4:5-8.

“⁵ Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.  And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;  ⁶ and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal;  and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.  ⁷ The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.  ⁸ And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say,

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 4:1-4.

 

“After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”  Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.  And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance;  and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.  Around the throne were twenty-four thrones;  and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.”  Revelation 4:1-4.

 

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Today’s Scripture reveals the beauty of the reign of Christ and the elders.  

 

 

“One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek:  That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple.”  Psalm 27:4

 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 3:21-22.

 

 

“He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  Revelation 3:21-22.

 

 

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We reach the end of Christ’s messages to the churches, and we reach the end of the ages, so to speak.  We may feel scared, threatened, and worried by both our shortcomings inside and by the ominous comings of the world outside.  How can we overcome?!

 

 

Christ said:  “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you have tribulation, but take courage;  I have overcome the world.”  John 16:33.

 

We should take courage.  Christ has overcome the world.  “For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Romans 8:38-39.

 

And, “… this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.”  1 John 4:5.

 

“For whatever is born of God overcomes the world;  and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”  1 John 4:5.

 

Today’s Scripture contains the blessing that “He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne …”.  Verse 21.  In other words, “He who overcomes” will reign with Christ.  “For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”  Romans 5:17.  “If we endure, we will also reign with Him;  …”  2 Timothy 2:12  “And there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.”  Revelation 22:5

 

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’”  Revelation 2:7.

 

^“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death.’”  Revelation 2:11.

 

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.  To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it.’”  Revelation 2:17.

 

“He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations;  and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father;  and I will give him the morning star.”  Revelation 2:26-27.

 

“He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments;  and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.”  Revelation 3:5.

 

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.”  Revelation 3:12.

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 3:20.

 

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock;  if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.”  Revelation 3:20.

 

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We need to clear our head of that picture of an impotent jesus meekly standing outside a door, wringing his hands and hoping that the door would be opened by “the Man” inside.  That is not the true Jesus.  

 

This is the Second Coming of the Lord Almighty!  This is not a neighborhood visit.  Behold, “the Judge is standing right at the door.” 

 

“You too be patient;  strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.  Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged;  behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”  James 5:8-9.

 

 

Remember the message to the churches is “Wake up!”  For example, we read:  “Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die;  for I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God.”  Revelation 3:2.  

 

““I was asleep but my heart was awake.  A voice!  My beloved was knocking:  ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one!  For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’”  Song of Solomon 5:2

 

Today’s devotion comes from Revelation 3:14-19.

 

“¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

 

The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:

 

¹⁵ ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot;  I wish that you were cold or hot.  ¹⁶ So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.  ¹⁷ Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be revealed;  and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.  ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”  Revelation 3:14-19.                                   

Luke-warm people are content to be in the middle of the pack.  They take comfort that they are better than others.  They are not drunk, drug users, nor abusive to others.  They support themselves.  They rest in the fact that they are moral, law-abiding citizens.  But, they don’t really look out for others or seek to be more.  They are like spit:  luke-warm, tolerable in their own mouths, but repulsive to everyone else.  They are self-righteous.   

Cold people admit that they have problems.  They don’t take care of themselves as they should.  They know that they are weak.  They make a lot of mistakes.  They are like frozen ice;  they really don’t get anything done, and others should be careful when they encounter them so as to not slip on them.  But, they are looking for a savior (small “s”).  They are sad sinners. 

Hot people are busy helping others.  They are always running around “doing”.  They are like boiling water;  they may be doing many things but not the “one thing” that they should be doing.  But, they are looking for solutions.  They are sincere searchers.   

Cold people and hot people are closer to salvation than luke-warm people, because they are at least looking for a savior (small “s”) or solutions.  They are more likely than luke-warm people to repent.  Verse 19.  They are more likely to buy that “gold refined by fire”, “white garments” and that “eye salve”.  Verse 18. 

There is hope for the cold people.  There is hope for the hot people.  “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline;  therefore be zealous and repent.”  Verse 19.

Today’s devotion again includes Revelation 3:12-13.  I will just quote these two verses rather than the whole section. 

 

“¹² He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore;  and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name.  ¹³ He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”  Revelation 3:12-13.

 

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We belong to God the Father.  “I will write on him the name of My God“.  

 

We belong to Jesus Christ, God the Son.  “I will write on him … My new name”.

 

We are citizens of heaven (Zion).  “I will write on him … the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven”.  “Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of God.”  Psalm 87:3.  “Then those who sing as well as those who play the flutes shall say, “All my springs of joy are in you.”  Psalm 87:7. 

 

 

“¹ For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not keep quiet,
Until her righteousness goes forth like brightness,
And her salvation like a torch that is burning.
² The nations will see your righteousness,
And all kings your glory;
And you will be called by a new name
Which the mouth of the Lord will designate.
³ You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
⁴ It will no longer be said to you, “Forsaken,”
Nor to your land will it any longer be said, “Desolate”;
But you will be called, “My delight is in her,”
And your land, “Married”;
For the Lord delights in you,
And to Him your land will be married.
⁵ For as a young man marries a virgin,
So your sons will marry you;
And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
So your God will rejoice over you.”  Isaiah 62:1-5.