And I saw another great and astonishing sign in heaven, seven angels having the seven last plagues, because in them the wrath of God has been brought to completion. And I saw, as it were, a sea of glass mingled with fire, and the ones who had overcome the beast and his image and the number of his name stood upon the sea of glass having the harps of God. Rev. 15:1, 2.
As we have seen, this passage introduces the great final plagues of earth's history. They fall on those who have rejected God and hurt His followers. But like the original Exodus from Egypt, the mighty power of God delivers His people. While terrible things happen in the name of God, Revelation teaches us that even His plagues are acts of compassion to warn the unrepentant and to deliver the faithful.
David Kosoff tells the story of a famous rabbi who swapped places and clothing with his driver, Samuel, before visiting a synagogue. Upon their arrival the members of the synagogue immediately gathered around Samuel, thinking he was the renowned scholar. During refreshments the leaders of the synagogue flattered him and hung on his every word.
Relishing his newfound fame, Samuel refused to abandon the charade when it came time for the lecture. With misplaced self-confidence, he sauntered into the synagogue to expound upon the Talmud, one of the most important of Jewish writings.
The elders opened the book to an extremely difficult passage and asked Samuel to explain it. But he couldn't even read the Hebrew script, much less interpret it! It looked as if the ruse was up. But desperation sharpened Samuel's wit, and after examining the text for a moment, he said, "I'm surprised that you ask me to explain such a simple passage. Even my uneducated driver could deal with this!" Then he waved the "driver" forward to interpret the text, which he, of course, did with ease.
Most of us occasionally find ourselves in difficulties that are beyond our ability to fix. At such times it is good for us to have a "driver" who is far smarter and stronger than we are. One of the major purposes of the book of Revelation is to convince us that God is able to handle any problem, and that no matter how bad things get He will win the victory in the end. In spite of our weaknesses, we can move ahead with confidence, knowing that a great God will see us through.
Lord, I resonate with the story of the rabbi and his driver. So often in my life I have allowed myself to get into situations that are bigger than I can deal with. Thank You for the assurance that there is no problem too big for You to handle. Help me to trust myself completely to Your care today.
As we have seen, this passage introduces the great final plagues of earth's history. They fall on those who have rejected God and hurt His followers. But like the original Exodus from Egypt, the mighty power of God delivers His people. While terrible things happen in the name of God, Revelation teaches us that even His plagues are acts of compassion to warn the unrepentant and to deliver the faithful.
David Kosoff tells the story of a famous rabbi who swapped places and clothing with his driver, Samuel, before visiting a synagogue. Upon their arrival the members of the synagogue immediately gathered around Samuel, thinking he was the renowned scholar. During refreshments the leaders of the synagogue flattered him and hung on his every word.
Relishing his newfound fame, Samuel refused to abandon the charade when it came time for the lecture. With misplaced self-confidence, he sauntered into the synagogue to expound upon the Talmud, one of the most important of Jewish writings.
The elders opened the book to an extremely difficult passage and asked Samuel to explain it. But he couldn't even read the Hebrew script, much less interpret it! It looked as if the ruse was up. But desperation sharpened Samuel's wit, and after examining the text for a moment, he said, "I'm surprised that you ask me to explain such a simple passage. Even my uneducated driver could deal with this!" Then he waved the "driver" forward to interpret the text, which he, of course, did with ease.
Most of us occasionally find ourselves in difficulties that are beyond our ability to fix. At such times it is good for us to have a "driver" who is far smarter and stronger than we are. One of the major purposes of the book of Revelation is to convince us that God is able to handle any problem, and that no matter how bad things get He will win the victory in the end. In spite of our weaknesses, we can move ahead with confidence, knowing that a great God will see us through.
Lord, I resonate with the story of the rabbi and his driver. So often in my life I have allowed myself to get into situations that are bigger than I can deal with. Thank You for the assurance that there is no problem too big for You to handle. Help me to trust myself completely to Your care today.
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