Revelation 1:3 Devotion

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

(Revelation 1:3)

John declares that the one who takes to heart the words of the prophecy will be blessed. The message of Revelation, as it unfolds, is not designed to provide fodder for intellectual speculation about the end times but is rather a series of commands addressed to the present-day lives of all who read it. 

Prophecy in the OT generally had two time references: it was a forth-telling of God's word for His people in the present, and a foretelling of events to happen in the future. Those who read in those who hear and obey it's message will be blessed. 

The reason those who hear the prophetic words must heed them is now given: for the time is near. Here John echoes the words of Jesus in Mark 1:15, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand," where "at hand" has the meaning of "about to arrive" or "is now arriving." The two clauses are parallel: the time Jesus spoke of is now fulfilled and the kingdom has arrived. 

John views the death and resurrection of Christ as inaugurating the long-awaited kingdom of the end times that the OT books (such as Daniel) predicted and that will continue to exist throughout the church age. He sees the end-time kingdom of Daniel as having arrived in the person of Jesus Christ. His prophetic words will speak into the heart of the present, not simply the distant future. To claim to have benefited from Christ's past redemptive work entails an acknowledgement to submit to Him as Lord in the present. 

(G.K. Beale)

Revelation 1:1

“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John,”

(Revelation 1:1)

The revelation of Jesus Christ could mean "the revelation by (or from) Jesus Christ" or "the revelation about Jesus Christ" or both may be included. The word revelation (or "apocalypse") expresses the subject and nature of the book. The book is a heightened form of prophecy which can be referred to as "apocalyptic". 

John begins by describing his vision as a revelation which God gave him to show his servants things which must soon take place. The roots of this verse are in Daniel 2:28-30, 45-47, where in the Greek translations of the OT the verb "revealed" appears five times, the verb "show," ("signify," "communicate,") twice in the phrase "what must come to pass" three times. The key to the significance of these allusions to Daniel is that Daniel is speaking there of the kingdom of God which will come to pass in the latter days. But what Daniel explicitly states will come to pass "in the latter days" John rewords: these events will take place quickly or soon. These words do not connote the speedy manner in which the Daniel prophecy is to be fulfilled, nor that mere possibility that it could be fulfilled  at any time, but the definite, imminent time of fulfillment, which likely has already begun in the present. What Daniel expected to occur in the last days, John is announcing as Imminent, or beginning to occur now. The change of phraseology implies that the final tribulation, defeat of evil, and establishment of the kingdom, which Daniel expected to occur distantly in "the latter days," John expects to begin in his own generation- and, indeed, it has already started to happen. 

There is no doubt that John saw the resurrection of Christ as fulfilling the prophecy of Daniel regarding the inaugurating of the kingdom of God. This indicates that what is about to be written concerns not just the distant future, but what is before us here and now. 

The chain of communication in v. 1 is from God to Christ to His angel to John and on to God's bond-servants. The latter phrase (bond-servants) refers to the community of faith as a whole, which has a general prophetic calling, rather than to a limited group of prophets. Where later in the book it is sometimes difficult to determine whether God, Christ, or an angel is speaking, the reality is that the message comes from all three. Therefore, John's book is a prophetic work which concerns the imminent and inaugurated fulfillment of OT prophecies about the kingdom in Jesus Christ. 

(G.K. Beale)

GENESIS 50: Devotion

Pharaoh allowed Joseph to go and bury Jacob. Joseph comforts his brothers fear and says, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good"

"Joseph’s brothers meant their actions for evil. But in direct parallel, God meant the same action for good. Due to the intention of the hearts of Joseph’s brothers, the action in the human realm was evil. The very same action as part of God’s eternal decree was meant for good, for by it God brought about His purpose and plan. One action, two intentions, compatible in all things. Joseph’s brothers were accountable for their intentions; God is to be glorified for His."

(Dr. James White)

In Acts 4:27–28. The early church confessed this same truth.

GENESIS 48: Devotion

Jacob became ill, so Joseph took his sons to see him. Jacob blessed Joseph's sons as his own, putting Ephraim ahead of Manasseh. Then Israel said to Joseph, "Behold, I am about to die..."

Q1. What is your only comfort in life and in death?

A. That I am not my own, but belong body and soul, in life and in death to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ.

He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven...

(Heidelberg Catechism)

GENESIS 47: Devotion

Pharaoh allowed Joseph's family to settle in Goshen. The famine continued and the Egyptians sold all they had to Pharaoh for food. Israel makes Joseph vow to bury him in Canaan.

"The good life in Egypt can never compare to the blessings of the Promised Land. But we all face the danger of becoming enamored with the goodies of Egypt and forgetting that we are looking for that heavenly city to come. We must remember that our purpose for being here is not to accumulate the things Egypt has to offer. We’re here to further God’s purpose, to communicate the good news of Christ to every tribe and tongue and nation. The person who by faith lays up treasure in heaven is truly prosperous, as Jesus pointed out. He has something that the world cannot give or take away."

(Steven J. Cole)

GENESIS 46: Devotion

Israel set out with all his household. God told him not to be afraid. Israel and all his family came to Egypt. Israel and Joseph had an emotional reunion.

"Words could never describe the emotion of this scene. The old father and his son whom he thought dead, who hadn’t seen each other for these 22 years, fall on each other’s neck and weep for a long time. 

Real joy in life comes through relationships, not through where you live or what you own. God has given us the family as the primary place to nurture those relationships. You can climb to the top of your career, even a “Christian career,” and have all the goodies that go along with success. But if you neglect your family to get there, you’ll come up empty."

(Steven J. Cole)

GENESIS 45: Devotion

Joseph told his brothers who he was. They were afraid, but he told them, "God sent me before you." His brothers went to fetch their father.

"Nothing ever happens that is defiant of the providential purposes of God. Not even the movement of one rebel atom. It is all apart of the unfolding purpose of God, even the wicked actions and words of sinful people who intend nothing else but to do you harm. Learn from Joseph that embracing God's providence empowers you to transcend the human sources of your pain. Which like Joseph, will free you to forgive those who have harmed you."

(Art Azurdia)

GENESIS 44: Devotion

Joseph hid his cup in Benjamin's sack, then sent a steward after his brothers. Judah offered himself as a slave instead of Benjamin.

"It is interesting, isn't it, here, the guilty offers himself as a substitute for the innocent. But there would be another lion of the tribe of Judah who was innocent, but who would offer himself as a substitute for his guilty brothers. And that substitute would be accepted and He would live and die in their place that they might experience His glory."

(Ligon Duncan)

GENESIS 43: Devotion

When the grain ran out, Israel (Jacob) sent Joseph's brothers back to Egypt with Benjamin. Joseph invited them to his house and gave them a feast.

"We are seeing God require a patriarch to risk everything in order to gain the promise. The covenant promise of God is at stake. Was there doubt mixed with Israel's faith? I am sure there was. Just like there is with ours. Was there an unbelieving fear mixed with Israel's faith. I am sure there was, just like there is so often is in ours. But ultimately this whole section beseeks his absolute trust in God. He is risking everything. Everything, as he sends his sons to Egypt. And we see a definition of faith even in his actions. He places his whole trust in God. Everything is in God's hands now."

(Ligon Duncan)

"In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind."

(Job 12:10)

GENESIS 42: Devotion

Joseph's brothers went to Egypt to buy grain but didn't they recognize him. Joseph kept Simeon in prison and sent the rest to fetch Benjamin.

"When Joseph’s brothers plotted murder against him and sold him into slavery they did it with the specific intention to defeat his dreams (Genesis 37:19-20). Instead, by sending Joseph to Egypt, they provided the way the dreams would be fulfilled. 

The great and glorious truth of God’s providence is He can and does use the evil actions of man towards us to further His good plan. This never excuses man’s evil, but it means God’s wisdom and goodness are greater than man’s evil."

(David Guzik)

"Surely the wrath of man shall praise You"

(Psalm 76:10)

GENESIS 41: Devotion

Pharaoh had a dream and called for Joseph to interpret it. The dream predicted seven years of feast followed by seven years of famine. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of all Egypt.

"It is doubtful that God can use a man greatly, until He has hurt him deeply."

(A.W. Tozer)

For Joseph it came in the pain of mistreatment.

GENESIS 40: Devotion

Pharaoh put his cupbearer and baker in prison. Joseph interpreted their dreams. The cupbearer was restored but the baker was hanged. Joseph was not remembered to Pharaoh by the cupbearer. 

God is strengthening Joseph's faith by teaching him not to judge his purposes by his senses, but to trust Him for His grace, and to believe in the goodness of His providence.

(Ligon Duncan) 

"Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, but trust Him for His grace. Behind a frowning providence, He hides a smiling face."

(William Cowper)

GENESIS 39: Devotion

Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his house. His wife tried to seduce Joseph, but Joseph repelled her and said, "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" She lied to Potiphar about Joseph and he sent him to prison.

This is C.H. Spurgeon on how obedience is much easier when we know who God is. Because Joseph knew and loved God, the thought of sinning against Him was unpleasant.

“When I regarded God as a tyrant, I thought sin a trifle; but when I knew him to be my father, then I mourned that I could ever have kicked against him. When I thought that God was hard, I found it easy to sin; but when I found God so kind, so good, so overflowing with compassion, I smote upon my breast to think that I could ever have rebelled against one who loved me so, and sought my good.” 

GENESIS 38: Devotion

Judah's sons Er and Onan died, leaving Tamar a widow. Judah sent her away but she put on a veil and acts as a Harlot. He sleeps with her and she has twins.

"It seems a wonder that of all Jacob's sons, our Lord should spring out of Judah, Hebrews 7:14. But God will show that His choice is of grace and not of merit, and that Christ came into the world to save sinners, even the chief. Also, that the worthiness of Christ is of Himself, and not from His ancestors. How little reason had the Jews, who were so called from this Judah, to boast as they did."

(Matthew Henry)

GENESIS 37: Devotion

Jacob favors Joseph. Joseph tells his family of dreams he had in which he was exalted, this angers his brothers. His brothers plot to kill Joseph, but sell him into slavery. They tell Jacob he was killed by a wild beast. 

"The promise of God, which had exalted Joseph to honor, almost plunges him into the grave. We, also, who have received the gratuitous adoption of God amidst many sorrows, experience the same thing. For, from the time that Christ gathers us into his flock, God permits us to be cast down in various ways, so that we seem nearer hell than heaven."

(John Calvin)