All will be made immortal, but it will be quite different for those who repent now. Luke 16:19-31 (NIV) 19  “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20  At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21  and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22  “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23  In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24  So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25  “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26  And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27  “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28  for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ 29  “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30  “ ‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31  “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’ ” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 2) The evil ones will be convicted by the witness of their own consciences, and shall be made immortal— but only to be tormented in the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. In contrast, the faithful and elect will be crowned with glory and honor. The Son of God will “confess their names” before God his Father and the holy and elect angels; all tears will be “wiped from their eyes”; and their cause— at present condemned as heretical and evil by many judges and civil officers— will be acknowledged as the “cause of the Son of God.” And as a gracious reward the Lord will make them possess a glory such as the heart of man could never imagine. So we look forward to that great day with longing in order to enjoy fully the promises of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Summary We need to lead off with a disclaimer about today's passage. The number one consideration for properly interpreting any passage of scripture is to understand the context which it comes in. This story about the rich man and Lazarus is just that - a story. More specifically, it's a parable. Parables are more than just 'earthly stories with heavenly meanings.' A better way of thinking of them is as 'shocking stories with spiritual meanings.' That's exactly what Jesus does as he tells this story. It's part of a series of examples Jesus was using to shock His primary audience - the Pharisees - into changing their thinking. And this story contains some big shockers: first of all, notice the rich man doesn't get a name, but the poor beggar does. Secondly, it's the powerful member of the establishment who ends up in Hades, while the 'riffraff' Lazarus ends up in heaven. Third, the rich man ends up in Hades even though he had Moses and the Prophets . It's those points that would have shocked the Pharisees, not the details about what life would be like either in heaven or hell. Jesus' purpose in this parable is to explain that being a wealthy member of the establishment didn't result in a ticket to heaven. Dig Deeper Even though Jesus' point in this parable isn't to shed light on what the afterlife will be like, we can still take away a few very generalized ideas. The first takeaway is that there is, in fact, life after death. As our Confession puts it, all people shall be made immortal, but the way the evil ones will experience immortality will be significantly different than those who are in Christ. Jesus captures this reality in His parable as well: the rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day , experiences torment and agony, while the poor beggar is carried to Abraham's side . Jesus also describes a great chasm between Abraham and the rich man in Hades, which is uncrossable. Interestingly, Jesus never uses the term 'heaven' in this parable. But don't let that bother you; Remember, sharing eschatological (end time) details is not Jesus' primary purpose in this parable. The Bible is frustratingly vague when it does come to specific details about the life to come. That's because the Bible's primary point is the same as Jesus' parable here: that you must be convinced to repent here and now by the One who rises from the dead . By the time you attain immortality , it will be too late. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has prepared an everlasting fire for the devil and his angels; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will repent and warn others now, while there's still an opportunity to do so; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 17

There are only two types of people. Are you a sheep or a goat? Matthew 25:31-46 (NIV) 31  “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32  All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. 34  “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40  “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ 41  “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42  For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43  I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’ 44  “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ 45  “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ 46  “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. Summary In this parable, Jesus picks up on the shepherd theme that David used so powerfully in Psalm 23, and that Jesus has already applied to Himself as the Good Shepherd. Only this time, the Shepherd is cast in a different role; instead of kindly nurturing and guiding his flock, this time the Shepherd King separating them out. The sheep, who gave to those in need are placed on his right, away from the goats which are herded to the left. The Shepherd King commends the sheep for selflessly caring for the needy, as opposed to the goats who only looked out for themselves (anyone who's raised sheep and goats understands the brilliance of Jesus' imagery). Then the Shepherd King drops a bomb: whatever had been done, or had been left undone, for the least of these had been done or not done for the King Himself! Consequently, Jesus welcomes the righteous sheep into their inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. The obtuse goats, on the other hand, are commanded to depart from the King into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels . Dig Deeper It's fascinating that neither the sheep nor the goats recognized the opportunities they had been given in the moment. Both want to know when it was that they'd encountered the hungry, thirsty, and strangers who needed clothing. So clearly the opportunities we have to serve others extend past the obvious physical signs of need like hunger and clothing. Certainly a person would remember an encounter with a hungry, thirsty naked person, whether they had stopped to help or not. It's even possible that the goats had often helped the poor; they ask the King when did we see these needs and not help you? But by going back to see how Jesus had used the metaphors of bread and water previously, we can see that these were people who needed the Bread of Life and Living Water, and not just their physical counterparts. The Shepherd King wants His sheep to care for people both spiritually and physically. It makes sense that the goats were clueless as to their missed opportunities, but what's so amazing is that the actions the sheep took in caring for these needs flowed so seamlessly from their faith that they didn't even notice the good they'd been doing. Do you think you'll be shocked to hear about how you reacted to the opportunities you've been given when you stand before the King? AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who blesses His sheep and prepares an inheritance for us; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your actions and your faith will be so seamlessly integrated that you just naturally respond to needs, whether you recognize them or not; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 16

Understand difficult prophecies using simple theology. 2 Thessalonians 1:3-10 (NIV) 3  We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4  Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. 5  All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. 6  God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7  and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8  He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9  They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10  on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. Summary There's no greater compliment that Paul could ever give to a church than what he writes here to the Thessalonians. He commends them because their faith is growing and their love for one another is increasing. Paul connects the faith and love that the Thessalonians demonstrated as certain evidence that God will count them worthy of the Kingdom of God. The Thessalonians needed this shot in the arm because at present they were enduring persecutions and trials. So the big question that they had then, and that we still have now, is when? When will God pay back trouble to those who trouble and give relief to those who are troubled? The answer Paul gives, as our Confession puts it, is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people . God's justice will come in the apokalypsis (revelation) of the Lord Jesus from heaven. But notice that Jesus doesn't come back alone! He'll be accompanied by blazing fire with His powerful angels. Too often angels get thought of as being, well, angelic. We picture them as chubby little babies or a harp carrying choir with feathery wings and flowing white robes, but that's not how the Bible portrays these awesome creatures! But it's what Jesus is coming for that's so surprising. Certainly handing out reward or retribution as deserved will be a high priority for Him, but the primary reason He's coming is to be glorified in His holy people and to be marveled at among all those who believe. Christians present when this happens won't even notice all of the other apocalyptic events happening around them; they'll be comply transfixed by Jesus! Dig Deeper We refer to this aspect of theology which describes the consummation (Jesus' return and the final judgment) as eschatology, and it can be one of the toughest parts of theology to work out precisely. Good Christians who agree on nearly every other doctrine will often come to different conclusions in their eschatologies. Paul gives a good example of how to work through difficult eschatological teachings in today's passage. Some Christians take difficult passages from apocalyptic books like Revelation or Daniel and then try to contort the whole rest of the Bible to fit what they think the apocalyptic passage means. Paul, on the other hand, goes in the opposite direction. He begins with one of the most fundamental theological assertions there is: God is just (v6). Although the details about what will happen and when are often fuzzy, we can be certain that God's justice will prevail, and the wicked will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might. Of course Paul here is inspired by the Holy Spirit as he writes theses words, and this passage is itself apocalyptic (meaning it reveals the future), but you can and should use this same pattern that Paul demonstrates. Know your core theology well and then use it as a lens to help you get a grip on the more difficult passages regarding the end times. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who is just, and who gives relief to those who are troubled; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you, like the Thessalonians, will have an increasing faith and growing love ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 15

Imagine you had to pay for each word you utter. Actually, that's the case! Matthew 12:36-37 (NIV) 36  But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37  For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. Summary We tend to remember people by the great words they spoke. Often times a person's 'famous last words' are carved into their gravestone. Great leaders are remembered for an inspiring speech. Maybe you've been encouraged by uplifting words whispered to you decades ago. But Jesus isn't talking about the few 'great' words you've spoken that people remember. He's talking about the empty / careless / worthless words that clog up the vast majority of our speech. This certainly include words you regretted from the moment they fell out of your mouth, but most of these words end up forgotten, not only by those who heard them, but also by you minutes after you spoke them. But each and every word that you utter throughout your life ends up written down in the books we read about yesterday , and here Jesus warns you that you will have to give an account for every syllable. Literally translated, you will need to pay for each word. Image how many fewer words you would speak (and/or type) today if you had to reach into your pocket and pay for them as they spill out. Even if you only were charged a dime per word, I'll bet you'd use a lot less! But the sad fact of the matter is that all of your worthless words will cost you dearly, and may even condemn you! Dig Deeper Certainly many of your words - words of wisdom and encouragement and which help others out - are a good investment; you'll be happy to give an account of those to the Judge! And, in fact, some of your words are of infinite value; Jesus says that your words can acquit you - literally translated they can justify you! These words are not worth so much because they convey your brilliance, but because they connect you to the atonement and perfect righteousness of Christ. Decades after Jesus spoke these words, Paul would write out exactly how your mouth can acquit you when it's directly connected to your heart: If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified (acquitted), and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved (Romans 10:9-10). So pay attention to what you say, knowing now that you will have to pay for each word you speak! Use your words wisely! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, to whom you'll have to give an account for every word you've spoken; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will only speak when beneficial and that all of your words would be compatible with your belief and trust in Christ; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 14

You're saved by grace, but everything you do will be judged. Revelation 20:11-15 (NIV) 11  Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12  And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13  The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. 14  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Therefore, with good reason the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, since their total redemption will then be accomplished. They will then receive the fruits of their labor and of the trouble they have suffered; their innocence will be openly recognized by all; and they will see the terrible vengeance that God will bring on the evil ones who tyrannized, oppressed, and tormented them in this world. Summary What a picture John paints for us here as he describes the final stages of the vision he witnessed. The material world - both the earth and sky and all that is far off - the created fleeing from its creator but finding nowhere to hide. The dead - those who had been great in life right alongside those whose lives had gone unnoticed - stand in a unity never before possible before a great white throne and Him who was seated on it. In the midst of it all sat a set of books containing a record of every action ever taken, and the dead were judged according to what they had done . John spares us the logistic details here, not explaining if the spotlight moved from one individual to the next as the rest of the dead watched each life unpacked, or if all the judgment unfolded simultaneously. One of the keys to properly interpreting books like Revelation is to remember that when the details aren't specified by John, they're likely not important. What's important in today's passage is another aspect that's conspicuously missing from John's account: there's no mention of anybody passing the test. None of the judged are singled out by the Judge has having met His requirements. Nobody enters into the Kingdom according to what they have done. In fact, there's no mention of salvation at all in today's passage; it's only referenced negatively. The books chronicling each person's actions are not the only books set out. John tells of a second book: the book of life , and anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. Dig Deeper As we've noticed several times this past year, the Bible presents so much of its theological truth in tension, and the doctrines of grace and salvation are perfect examples of that. On one hand, your actions don't save you. If that we're the case, certainly John would mention those who passed the King's judgment. Rather, your sins have been paid for and forgiven, and you're saved by grace, through faith, not by works. But on the other hand, every choice you make has eternal consequence! Each action will be examined and reviewed by a Judge so fearful that heaven and earth itself flees from Him. How will He view the decisions you make today? And as we'll read later this week, the good things you do - which are certainly not good enough to merit salvation, but actions sanctified by the Holy Spirit working in and through you - will be rewarded in the Kingdom of God! But today let's concentrate on what our Confession reminds us of: that the thought of this judgment is horrible and dreadful to wicked and evil people. But it is very pleasant and a great comfort to the righteous and elect, all because of one very important detail that John infers negatively: only those whose names were not found written in the book of life were thrown into the lake of fire. Those names written in the book of life are welcomed into the new heaven and new earth that John goes on to describe for the final two chapters of the Bible. If your faith and trust are in Jesus Christ, then your name is written in the book of life! So don't fear the coming judgment. Remember that every deed you do will be reviewed, but look forward to that day, confidently anticipating seeing your name writ large in the King's book of life. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who sits in judgment of all people on the great white throne; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for wisdom, patience and confidence as you live in the tension of your salvation, knowing you're saved by grace but that every deed will be judged; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 13

Live momento mori - remembering that you'll die - but also view death as victory. 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 (NIV) 50  I declare to you, brothers and sisters, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51  Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52  in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”  55  “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  56  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary It's like oil and water, Paul writes. Just as the two liquids are wholly incompatible with one another, so it is between this present reality and the coming Kingdom of God. Perishable flesh and blood cannot inherit that which is imperishable . In order for you to be made compatible with God's eternal Kingdom, you need to be changed , and here we read that you'll experience that change in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye when the final trumpet sounds ( the heavenly trumpet we read about yesterday ). Paul compares this change you'll experience - going from that which is perishable to imperishable - as like changing your clothes, a metaphor he also uses to describe peeling away the stink of sin from our lives. But whereas getting rid of our old filthy sinful rags is a lifelong process, this final wardrobe change will be instantaneous. It's at that final trumpet that the dead will be raised imperishable . In this way, death is the gateway to eternal life! That's why Paul can echo the prophet Isaiah in exclaiming that death has been swallowed up in victory! Dig Deeper Just like it does with nearly every other doctrine, the Bible holds the idea of death in tension. On one hand, death is the ugliest evidence of the curse that resulted from man's fall into sin. For most people, there's nothing more painful or traumatic to experience than the death of someone close to them. But on the other hand, death is not something for the Christian to fear. There will be some who, as Paul puts it, will not sleep. That is, there will be some Christians who are living and will hear the awesome sound of the trumpet sounding from heaven announcing the end of all things perishable . But as a percentage of the whole, this group of people will be small in number. Most Christians will have died prior to that loud command coming down from heaven, as Paul described it yesterday in 1 Thessalonians 4. Perhaps we will be the generation that experiences this change in the twinkling of an eye , but it's probably more likely that you and those you love will die, as has everyone who has come before us. So live momento mori - remembering that you will die. Understanding this reality positively changes your perspective while you still live, especially for those of us in Christ who confess both with Paul and the prophet Hosea, Where, O death is your victory? Where, O death is your sting? It's through death that God gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who gives us victory over death; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that Christ does return soon to change us from perishable to imperishable , but also for the confidence to face death victoriously if the Lord tarries; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 12

Daniel's visions help you find comfort in the midst of chaos. Daniel 12:1-3 (NIV) CONTEXT: Daniel has been experiencing "a prophetic (and very selective) vision of the flow of history from the time of Daniel in the late sixth century B.C. until the end of the world, the final climactic conflict and victory of God" ( REC ). In Daniel's vision, great kings battle to consolidate power, both through might and intrigue, "but the people who know their God will firmly resist these kings" (Daniel 11:32). As we begin chapter 12, Daniel's vision reveals how God's covenant people will be saved from the chaos. “At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people—everyone whose name is found written in the book—will be delivered. 2  Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. 3  Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary If you're familiar with the Old Testament book of Daniel at all, it's likely the first half of the book that comes to mind. That's where we read the familiar accounts of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego surviving the fiery furnace, as well as about Daniel overcoming the lion's den. But the second half of Daniel is far different than the first. The harrowing historical accounts of God's people exiled in Babylon give way to fantastic visions of the future that perplex and confuse even the best of Biblical scholars. The difficult nature of these prophecies often leads to unfortunate results on one extreme or the other. Some will arrive at certain, albeit dubious, conclusions regarding Daniel's and others' apocalyptic visions and then twist the rest of scripture to conform to their misguided prophetic interpretations. Others, seeing the damage caused by those who ground all of their theology in difficult to understand visions, steer clear of prophetic visions altogether and focus only on scriptural teachings whose meanings are far more certain (which, thankfully, are plentiful). I confess I find myself in that second camp. I'm instantly skeptical of attempts to map Biblical prophecy to current world events. I'm even more skeptical of TV & YouTube preachers who seem to only ever preach from books like the second half of Daniel or Revelation. While that skepticism tends to keep me safe on solid theological ground, I end up missing out on beautifully certain promises like what we read today in Daniel 12. Dig Deeper Daniel's visions are full of chaos wrought by powerful kings as they battle one another for supremacy amongst the nations. As previously mentioned, scholars argue and debate almost as stridently as to whether certain passages refer to already completed historical events, or point to future conflicts. So what stands out so strikingly in these few verses at the beginning of chapter 12 is the peace that they convey even in the midst of a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations . You need not fear, for here we're told that Michael, the great angel and commander of the armies of heaven, protects God's people . In fact, everyone whose name is found written the book will be delivered! And this deliverance from the chaotic & climactic battles of the world is not just for those alive at the time, but also for the multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth who will awaken . Although all people spanning all of history will awaken at that moment, they will awaken to one of two very different realities: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Daniel's vision is quite clear as to the distinguishing characteristic of the people who wake up to heavenly life: it will be those who are wise , or as another translation better renders it, the ones having insight . In other words, it will be those who know their salvation comes in the Name of the LORD. Apocalyptic visions like Daniel's are certainly difficult and confusing portions of scripture. But don't be afraid of them; their purpose is not to frighten you or put you on edge every time you turn on the world news. Quite the opposite. God sprinkled these often cryptic words with generous amounts of His grace, mercy and peace so that you can have solid hope no matter what the future brings. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whom omnisciently knows the future as well as the past and omnipotently controls all that will come to pass; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will have and live according to the saving wisdom that causes God's people to shine like the brightness of the heavens in the midst of the world's chaos; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 11

Encouragement comes to the informed. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) 13  Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed ( agnoeō ) about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14  For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15  According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16  For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18  Therefore encourage one another with these words. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet . For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary Often agnostics like to think of themselves as being intellectually superior to those of us who are certain about our beliefs. The evidence that the Bible is true that is sufficient for the rest of us just isn't good enough to be sure about for their advanced intellects. But Paul demonstrates what it truly means to be agnoeō in today's passage: uninformed. And he warns you not to be that, for to be uninformed is to have no hope . But informed Christians are on the other end of the hope-scale. We know that Jesus is alive, and that when the time comes, God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. This changes the way we grieve the death of a loved one; we certainly feel the pain of loss, but we know the pain is temporary and will resolve when Christ returns. It's the manner in which Christ will return that grabs our attention today. But as Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, paints the picture of the coming of the Lord not with vivid colors or imagery, but rather acoustically - he tells us what it will sound like. We'll hear the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God! Imagine what that will sound like! If you live in the midwest, you know the ominous sound of tornado sirens. Even when they test them on the first Wednesday of the month, the sound of them interrupts every other activity. Perhaps the uniformed - the agnostics - will be frightened of the bone shaking noise announcing the Lord's return, but those who recognize the unmistakable sound will rejoice! Dig Deeper What always amazes me about the Bible's descriptions of the second coming is how brief it will be. There are no accounts of long, protracted battles between Heaven and the armies of evil. Even the final battle of Armageddon will be over before it ever really begins (Revelation 20:7-10). In the scene Paul describes here, even as the sound of the trumpet still rings out, the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. We don't even need to wait for the Lord to get all the way down! The moment He appears in the sky, His entire Church will be assembled around Him! But members of the Church will not be the only people participating that day. As our Confession reminds us by summarizing other Bible passages, all people - all of the men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world will be summoned there by the awesomely terrible sound of the trumpet. Sadly, though, as we read yesterday , not all people will join Christ in His Kingdom. Often times, even solid Christians think of the second coming with fear and trembling. The Bible doesn't explain every detail of it, so our minds try to fill in the blanks with imaginative and often wildly inaccurate details of our own. So I love the way Paul ends this passage. He reminds you that the second coming ought not frighten you. Rather, encourage one another with these words! AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, whose victorious Son will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other (Matthew 24:31). A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be encouraged by the Bible's teaching about Christ's glorious return; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 10

Jesus is coming soon to settle up. What will He bring for you? Revelation 22:12-17 (NIV) 12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward [ settlement ] is with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. 14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” 17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary Today's summary and Dig Deeper post are re-posted from January 27, 2023 . Today's passage is from the closing passage of the Bible, and it's packed full of theology that ought to give you hope. First of all, and most importantly, Jesus announces that He is coming soon! Yes, these words were recorded two millennia ago and we're still waiting, but remember God operates in the Divine Time Zone, which is entirely different than how we experience time in our world. So you ought to be ready at any moment. Second, Jesus is returning with His settlement . Since as a believer you've been given the perfect righteousness of Jesus, you ought to look forward to this! Jesus expands on what your reward will be in v14: you will have the right to the tree of life, and you may go through the gates into the city (the Kingdom of God)! But a settlement cuts both ways. Those lacking the perfect righteousness God requires will get what they have coming as well, and it can be summed up in one word: exclusion. They will not be allowed in, and in fact their fate was sealed a few chapters earlier when they were cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 19:11-15). Dig Deeper Certainly the average American has a very distorted view of God in which the Father is viewed as an grandfatherly type who forgives sins and simply wants to bestow blessings upon His children, which they deserve for all of the 'good' deeds they have performed in their lifetimes. So when they read that at the end Jesus will return with His reward, they eagerly anticipate this, not understanding that a positive reward will be reserved only for those individuals possessing perfect righteousness, while all others will be paid back with the eternal wrath which their sins deserve. It ought to be obvious to you that you don't have the perfect righteous God requires on your own, and if you're not putting your full faith in Jesus Christ, this ought to trouble you greatly! Don't be one of the myriads of people who shortchange themselves by just considering Jesus as their good buddy up in the sky whom they can call on when they get in a jamb. Christ came so that you might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). He did this by putting your sin upon Himself, and in exchange giving you His perfect righteousness, which you so desperately need. And He's coming... Soon! Be ready for His settlement by making sure that in every aspect of life, you belong to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : The Alpha & Omega, the First & the Last, the Beginning & the End (v13) A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will submit every aspect of your life to Christ's Lordship, so that you can eagerly anticipate His settlement . A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 9

Stay busy building life even as you expect Jesus to return at any moment. 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (NIV) Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2  for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3  While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4  But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5  You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6  So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article   37: The Last Judgment (Part 1) Finally we believe, according to God’s Word, that when the time appointed by the Lord is come (which is unknown to all creatures) and the number of the elect is complete, our Lord Jesus Christ will come from heaven, bodily and visibly, as he ascended, with great glory and majesty, to declare himself the judge of the living and the dead. He will burn this old world, in fire and flame, in order to cleanse it. Then all human creatures will appear in person before that great judge— men, women, and children, who have lived from the beginning until the end of the world. They will be summoned there by the voice of the archangel and by the sound of the divine trumpet. For all those who died before that time will be raised from the earth, their spirits being joined and united with their own bodies in which they lived. And as for those who are still alive, they will not die like the others but will be changed “in the twinkling of an eye” from “corruptible to incorruptible.” Summary As we begin our three week focus on our Confession's final article, we'll likely find ourselves in Paul's letters to the Thessalonians often, especially in the passages that immediately precede today's. Each church that Paul wrote to, be it the Corinthians, Galatians or Colossians, had their own particular set of problems and concerns. The Thessalonians had concluded that Christ's return was imminent - as in the next few days, or possibly a few months at the latest. Their expectation that Jesus would come back quite soon was so high that Paul had to throttle them back a little bit in his second letter, since many had quit their jobs (2 Thess. 3:6-12). After all, work doesn't seem very important if you're convinced Jesus will be back next Tuesday morning. But in today's passage, Paul's exhortation is aimed at the other extreme: those who have no expectation for the second coming at all. Paul emphasizes the shocking nature that Jesus' return will have - the same stunning surprise you'd have if you woke up in the middle of the night because a thief was rummaging through your stuff. But it's the people who feel the most secure in life that will be the most caught off guard. They'll have so much confidence in themselves that they'll be busy evangelizing for the peace and safety we can have here and now rather than looking for Christ's return. Paul doesn't mince words about their fate, writing destruction will come on them suddenly... and they will not escape. Dig Deeper It's interesting that although all of these early churches had very unique and particular issues that they struggled with, Paul's prescription for each is remarkably similar - and not just from Paul, but also Peter and John. All of them, in nearly all of the epistles they wrote, to do the same thing Paul commands the Thessalonians in today's passage: to walk confidently in the light rather than stumbling through the darkness. Today's diverse church landscape really isn't all that different from the variety of emphases present already in the first century. The Corinthians had strengths and weaknesses that were very different than the Thessalonians. Reformed churches have strengths and weaknesses very different from Lutherans or Pentecostals. Our strength as Reformed churches certainly is in our grasp of the doctrines of grace and salvation. As you look back over this year of working through our Confession of Faith, you'll notice that we spent the most amount of time focused on concepts like election, atonement, justification and sanctification. What a wonderful strength to have! But it's fair to say that we have a weakness when it comes to our emphasis - or lack thereof - on Christ's return. We certainly believe in it, but it just all seems so nebulous and mysterious, especially compared to the chiseled precision with which the Bible describes the mechanics of our salvation. So we're going to spend the final three weeks of the year coming to understand what the Bible does say about the Second Coming so that we don't find ourselves shocked and surprised when that trumpet finally sounds. AAA Prayer (About) A CKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS : Our Father, who has long pointed His people to the coming Day of the LORD; A LIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for strength to live in the tension of working hard to build homes, churches and communities here in this world while at the same time expecting Christ to return at any moment; A SK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Revelation 8