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)