He Reigns
Bible reading
8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, ‘Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!’
– Revelation 21:8-21 (NIVUK)
10 Then he told me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this scroll, because the time is near. 11 Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong; let the vile person continue to be vile; let the one who does right continue to do right; and let the holy person continue to be holy.’
12 ‘Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have 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 practise magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practises 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.
18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: if anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.
20 He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen.
Devotional
There are many things that we can’t wait to “come”. Christmas is coming which means that many of us will have our family “come” to celebrate with us. There are the Christmas sales that “come” around this time of year. We can’t wait for our online shopping packages to “come” to our house and into our possession. If you’re like me, I can’t wait until Spring and Summer “come” again – I’m not a fan of the cold!
We have spent a year together working through the book of Revelation. First, congratulations! This isn’t the easiest of books to read through. I hope you have been blessed as you’ve read about our hope and our future! Second, and most important, at the end of Revelation we find ourselves waiting for the greatest “coming” of all time! The second coming of Jesus will be far more public than his first coming and it will be definitive! The coming of Jesus marks the end and the beginning. It is the end of the old and the beginning of the new. It is the end of death and the beginning of life. John is so overwhelmed by it all, that he falls down and wants to worship. I hope our reaction to all we’ve read and studied this last year is the same, that it has brought us to a place where we want to worship!
“Come, Lord Jesus” is not only our prayer, it is also our guarantee. In a difficult world full of persecution, destruction and death, we hold on to the hope that Jesus will come again and make all things news! Jesus is very clear in his final words to John that our hope is not fantasy, and it is not in vain. Jesus will come again and in His words: “I am coming soon”.
So, hold on, stand firm, praise, worship, love well, be generous, but do not be afraid. Heaven is closer than you think, and Jesus is coming!
– Connie Main Duarte
This devotional is part of a series that helps us navigate the texts of the book of Revelation with fresh eyes. A new devotional every Saturday.
These devotionals are available in Portuguese and in English.