Heralds Digest

"The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all." (Revelation 18:14 NKJV) Irrespective of religious inclination, most attractions in life are driven by the differential combination of affection for position, sex and money. Interest in either or all of position, sex or money makes the world a beautiful place, which was revealed as the great Babylon. Unless righteousness remains the primary pursuits in all relationships, no one is spared the plague of position, sex and money. Unfortunately, VIPs, the most beautiful or handsome, and the richest on earth will mourn the vanity of worldly pursuits, in place of the seeking of righteousness, when the beauty of their bride finally turn to ashes.

"For God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose, to be of one mind, and to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled." (Revelation 17:17 NKJV) Distractions from the path of righteousness are always brighter with every aspiration for the zenith position of life. Even Jesus Christ was not spared the temptation of the devil, when He was promised the kingdom of the world for a compromise on the divine purpose. While the desire of the Lord remains the dominion of His children, the dominion of the Lord over His chosen people should not be compromised for earthly pursuits. Unfortunately, affluence influences the heart to embrace worldly lusts. However, a divinely-driven purpose will readily trade satisfaction from the kingdom of this world for a service to the King of all kings.

"Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, “It is done!”" (Revelation 16:17 NKJV) It appears the amazing voice on the Cross of Calvary "It is finished" is related to the voice from the temple of heaven "It is done" in Jesus' revelation to John, when the bowl by the Seventh Angel is poured. The former was voiced by the Lord Jesus Christ, declaring the completeness of the price of redemption. Could the latter also be the voice of the Saviour from the throne, declaring the completeness of patience for redemption? Apparently, the plan of redemption takes both the price and the patience. Jesus paid both his blood as the price on the Cross of Calvary and his patience on the throne, praying the Father for a little time for sinners to come just as they are. The stretch in God's plan for the redemption of sinners from sin cannot be forever: delay is dangerous.

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 NKJV) The fall of man represents the loss of the righteous nature of God. However, God's plan of redemption brought righteousness at the expense of the atoning blood of His Son Jesus Christ. Instead of the unreliable apron of leaves, naked man can access the garment of righteousness. Unfortunately, redemption cannot offer the required after-sale maintenance, beyond the gracious garment of righteousness. The maintenance of the righteous garment against the corruption of sin is only possible by daily watching against shameless walk. A shameless walk is a naked display of a man stripped of God's garment of righteousness.

"And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things." (Revelation 16:5 NKJV) The scripture testifies that God was proud of the work of His hands after the creation of man. Being created in the image of God, there is no doubt about the high stake of the righteous expectation from man. Even after the fall of man, love moved God to sacrifice His only begotten Son for redemption of man from sin. Therefore, it would be painful to imagine the sorrow in the heart of God turned Judge to judge men turned 'these things'. Obviously, sin diminishes man from a valued image of God to a valueless thing.

"The temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power, and no one was able to enter the temple till the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed." (Revelation 15:8 NKJV) The lively engagements of people within the temple represent a positive move or good occupation. Lively engagements can provide people with sufficient reasons for a flash of season. For example, Moses' activities with the children of Israel provided the sufficient water refreshments from the rock, with his engagement with the God of heaven. Yet, this engagement was not only unacceptable to God, it undermines his future engagements with the Lord. This is because his good occupation was void of the fear of God; and it could not qualify as a representation of God's glory. Whenever God's glory fills the temple, man's movement, if at all, matters just a little.

"“Thrust in your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe.” So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (Revelation 14:18-19 NKJV) A joy of any vine-dresser comes from the relevance of the fruit grapes from the harvest of the vine. Being the special creature (grape) of God, made in His image and for His glory, man is not actually designed to be thrown into the great winepress of the wrath of God. Unfortunately, sin sinks sinners into the endless pit of hell fire. But amazingly, God's grace breaks the power of sin and reverses the punishment of wasted grapes for those who believe.