Four Living Creatures

December 13

Daily Bible Reading: Revelation 4

Verse of the Day: Revelation 4:7 – “And the first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face as of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.”

In today’s reading, we come upon four living creatures who are around the throne of God. These creatures show us a continuity within the Scriptures. We first find these descriptions in Ezekiel 1: 4 – 10. They are introduced as Cherubim or angels.

We can also see in this description that the four living creatures carry a connection to the four Gospel accounts. Matthew portrays Jesus as a king, or we could see a lion. In Mark, Jesus is portrayed as a servant. In Luke, Jesus is portrayed as the perfect man, and finally, in John, Jesus is shown as Deity. Deity is often represented as a mighty Eagle.

Only under the unifying hand of God could writers so far separated maintain a beautiful imagery.

Prayer: Spirit, may I see Jesus in all the Bible.

Ears to Hear

December 12

Daily Bible Reading: Revelation 3

Verse of the Day: Revelation 3:13 – “ He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.”

Continuing with what we were looking at yesterday, consider the final three churches.

We begin with (5) Sardis, the powerless church, (6) Philadelphia, the persevering church, and (7) Laodicea, the lukewarm or nauseating church.

To make sure that we understand that we all are to take heed from the messages sent to these churches, Jesus said five times the statement given in our reading today. Having an open spirit to listen to the Word of God helps the believer to understand the destiny that God has for them.

Prayer: Spirit of Understanding, I pray that You will open my heart, mind, and whole being to study and understand the truths that You have presented in this precious Word of God. It is my desire to delve into the depths of wisdom and life lessons that You have placed before me in this marvelous Book. Amen.

Letters to the Churches

December 11

Daily Bible Reading: Revelation 2

Verse of the Day: Revelation 2:11 – “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, he that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks:”

We begin a series of seven letters addressed to seven existing churches in John’s day. Each church receives a message just for them, yet, this being a circular letter would be read by all of them. Thus, the warning and commendations are a challenge to each church, just as it is to us today. 

In this chapter, the letters are sent to: (1) Ephesus, the preoccupied church, (2) Smyrna, the persecuted church, (3) Pergamum, the compromising church, and (4) Thyatira, the socially accepted church.

In the next chapter, we will read about the remaining three churches.

Prayer: Spirit, give me insight and understanding of how these four churches speak to me today. May I take the warnings and challenges that are presented here.

Apocalypse of Jesus

December 10

Daily Bible Reading: Revelation 1

Verse of the Day: Revelation 1:19 – “ Write therefore the things which thou sawest, and the things which are, and the things which shall come to pass hereafter;”

The Book of Revelation. Notoriously considered the most difficult book in the Scriptures. While the book certainly provides a declaration of God’s plan for the future, it was not designed to be used as a calendar for predicting what is happening and will happen next.

This is the Apocalypse (the revealing), so named because it is the revealing of Jesus Christ (vs.1) to show us what will take place. The outline of the Book is in the verse we read today and consists of (1) what John was seeing, (2) what are in existence now, and (3) what will come to pass in the future.

Read and be blessed (vs. 3), but remember to read from this Book, not into it. Don’t try to make it fit your personal preferences.

Prayer: Spirit, open my eyes that I might see and glean what is in this precious book .

Wedge of moral decay

December 9

Daily Bible Reading: Jude

Verse of the Day: Jude 1:17 – 19 – “But ye, beloved, remember ye the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; that they said to you, In the last time there shall be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts. These are they who make separations, sensual, having not the Spirit.”

Deterioration is not sudden. It happens slowly over time. My garden does not become overgrown with weeds overnight (although sometimes it seems that way). No church suddenly leaves the faith. No person suddenly walks away from God. It is a slow, gradual process of accepting things that once were rejected. They may appear to be harmless or non-essential. Yet, they become a wedge that slowly produces a gap that widens and widens, until there is a total break. The slow moral erosion produces a total spiritual decay.

Prayer: Spirit, watch over me, and keep me in the right path at all times. Strengthen my hearing to hear Your small, still voice directing me. May I set my life upon the tracks of Your guidance.