Countless armies have marched through the land of Israel down through the centuries. But not all armies have come to fight. When Palestine was a British protectorate, before the modern state of Israel was founded in 1948, British troops were stationed there to maintain law and order. General Gordon, their commanding officer, was also a committed Christian. On the day that he led his troops into Jerusalem, on reaching the gate of the ancient city, he dismounted from the white horse he was riding and walked through the gate leading the horse. He explained to his troops, aThe only person ent.i.tled to enter Jerusalem riding a white horse is athe King of kings and the Lord of lords.aa General Gordon was referring to todayas pa.s.sage in Revelation 19. In Johnas symbolic language, the rider on the white horse was anamed Faithful and True,a ahis t.i.tle was the Word of G.o.d,a and aon his robe and thigh was written this t.i.tle: King of kings and Lord of lordsa (Rev. 19:11, 13, 16). These descriptions may seem strange to modern ears, but these t.i.tles and names express symbolically the following truths: his power and authority surpa.s.s all the powers of the rulers of this world; his status as the one who makes known the purposes and plans of G.o.d himself is overwhelming; and his character, unlike that of the kings and lords of this world, is totally reliable, without deviousness or chicanery. aHe judges fairly and then goes to wara (19:11).

But who is this awesome, mysterious figure? John identified athe Worda as Jesus when he wrote, aIn the beginning the Word already existed. He was with G.o.d and he was G.o.d . . . and we have seen his glorya (John 1:1, 14). Then in his vision of the aSon of Man,a John noted that aa sharp two-edged sword came from his moutha (Rev. 1:16). He is Jesus, the risen, triumphant Lord, whose kingdom will not pa.s.s away. John sees him in the role of a warrior-king about to exercise judgment on his enemiesa"something that will take place at the end of time. This is a dimension of Christas ministry that is often overlooked, ignored, or even rejected. But it should be remembered that his judgment will be justa"aHe judges fairly.a Moreover, he is aclothed with a robe dipped in blooda (19:13)a"a vivid reminder that he who will ultimately judge came first to be our Savior. Judgment will be reserved for those who reject his saving grace and repudiate his righteous rule. He rides an awesome white horse, but for the humbly repentant he will graciously dismount.

July 13

TO READ: Revelation 21:1-8

All Things New

aHe will remove all of their sorrows, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. For the old world and its evils are gone forever.a And the one sitting on the throne said, aLook, I am making all things new!a And then he said to me, aWrite this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.a Revelation 21:4-5

Modern politicians often end their speeches with a rhetorical flourish that promises a better world afor our children and grandchildren.a Such sentiments strike a chord in most heartsa"who does not wish for a better world for the rising generations? Politicians may commit to banishing poverty, providing quality education, putting an end to war, or starting health insurance for all. n.o.ble sentiments all, but desperately difficult to achieve.

It is interesting to note that athe one sitting on the thronea did not promise to make this a better world, he announced a new one! He said, aLook, I am making all things new!a (Rev. 21:5). That is precisely what John saw. He records, aThen I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeareda (21:1). The reason for this drastic actiona"the disappearance of the old and the creation of the newa"is explained: aThe old world and its evils are gone forevera (21:4). The evils that pervade this old fallen world can never be eradicated by the best government or the most enlightened politicians. Evil is too deeply ingrained. This world will not ultimately be perfected as evil is incrementally abolished. This world as we know it will be abolished, and a new one established in its place. This is the message of Johnas vision of the end.

But who can accomplish such a feat and produce an environment where athere will be no more death or sorrow or crying or paina (21:4)? The answer is athe one sitting on the thronea whose self-description is aI am the Alpha and the Omegaa"the Beginning and the Enda (21:6). It stands to reason that the only one who can legitimately bring about this worldas demise is the one who brought it into being, and the only one who can deal with the problem of evil, which is responsible for all that is wrong with this world, is the one who is intrinsically holy, righteous, and justa"the Alpha and the Omega! And he will.

This vision of the ultimate conquest of evil and the establishment of a new heaven and a new earth has led some to a.s.sume that nothing needs to be done about this worldas ills. But compa.s.sion and love insist that even if we cannot eradicate evil, we can certainly alleviate it. And we must never forget that when political promises of a better world disappoint, the divine a.s.surance of a new world helps us hope in the midst of death, sorrow, crying, and pain.

July 14

TO READ: Revelation 21:9-27

Mixed Metaphors

Then one of the seven angels who held the seven bowls containing the seven last plagues came and said to me, aCome with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.a So he took me in spirit to a great, high mountain, and he showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from G.o.d.

Revelation 21:9-10

A British parliamentarian once said, aI smell a rat, I see it floating in the air, and Iall nip it in the bud.a What he meant was that he suspected something was not quite right, and he intended to find out what was wrong and put an end to it. But he unwittingly bequeathed to literature a superb example of mixed metaphor. What he said made up in color what it lacked in claritya"something that metaphors, both mixed and unmixed, tend to do. But if clarity suffers, the point may be missed.

John recorded a fine mixed metaphor when he wrote about an angel saying to him, aCome with me! I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamba (Rev. 21:9). We have no way of knowing what John expected to see, but the angel, he tells us, ashowed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from G.o.da (21:10). So the bride was a well-known city situated in a historic geographical location, and yet it was descending out of heaven. Johnas description certainly was not lacking in color!

The dimensions of the city show quite clearly that this was no literal Jerusalem: aIt was in the form of a cube, for its length and width and height were each 1,400 milesa (21:16). The twelve gates bore athe names of the twelve tribes of Israel,a and athe wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were written the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamba (21:12, 14). So the acitya in some symbolic way was built upon the historic people of Israel and the apostolic work of the early churchas leadership. The link with the apostlesa city gives a clue that the city is related to the churcha"something that becomes very clear when we remember that the church is described in Scripture as athe bride of Christa (Eph. 5:25-27)a"which is just how the city was described!

So John saw a vision of the future glory of the people of G.o.d, the bride of Christ. This glory is something that can only come from G.o.d, because only he can make those who by nature were estranged from him into his own people. G.o.d was telling us that despite the turmoil of this worldas struggles, the church will survive and triumph. It will be a glorious church, as suggested by the proliferation of jewels in its description. It will also be a global church, for athe nations of the earth will walk in its lighta (21:24). And it will be a grateful church made up entirely of athose whose names are written in the Lambas Book of Lifea (21:27). And there are no mixed messages about that!

July 15

TO READ: Revelation 22:1-21

Hero Worship

I, John, am the one who saw and heard all these things. And when I saw and heard these things, I fell down to worship the angel who showed them to me. But again he said, aNo, donat worship me. I am a servant of G.o.d, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this scroll. Worship G.o.d!a Revelation 22:8-9

Despairing parents, on noting their sonsa behavior, have been known to say, with a note of resignation in their voice, aBoys will be boys.a Others have pointed out, aBoys will be boys, but if youare patient, boys will be men.a Even so, most men would admit to there being a little boy lurking somewhere in their mature masculinity.

Take hero worship, for example. It is understandable when boys wear the sportswear popularized by their favorite superstars, but it is rather surprising when a middle-aged stockbroker wears similar clothes on weekends. Perhaps men never really grow out of hero worship. It may be that men see in those whose lives are larger than life something attractive to which they aspire, something appealing that they admire.

This may very well be harmless enough, but Johnas worship of the angel who guided him through the intricacies and mysteries of his vision was unacceptable. John records, aWhen I saw and heard these things, I fell down to worship the angel who showed them to mea (Rev. 22:8). A clear case of hero worship of the highest order! But the angel said to him, aNo, donat worship me. I am a servant of G.o.d, just like you and your brothers the prophets, as well as all who obey what is written in this scroll. Worship G.o.d!a (22:9). Johnas hero worship elicited two responses. First, he must not worship an angel. Second, he must worship G.o.d only.

Many modern sports heroes would never be confused with angels, so the adulation that is all too often heaped upon them is misplaceda"particularly if those who indulge in hero worship fail to recognize that worship is reserved exclusively for G.o.d, to whom it rightfully belongs. aWorship G.o.d!a was the angelas brief but unambiguous order. It is a brief and unambiguous word for modern men, too.

It is interesting to note throughout the book of Revelation how often worship is a.s.sociated with afalling downa (see Rev. 4:10; 5:8; 7:11; 19:10; 22:8). This suggests that when a man rightly understands who G.o.d is, he will be awestruck by the discovery. When a man recognizes what it means to worship, he will humbly and joyfully prostrate himself at the masteras feet in a posture of willing submission and service.

The angel connected two vital themes in his instructions about worship. He explained how true worship issues from an obedient heart. When former hero-worshipers become true worshipers, they, in turn, become the real heroes their youngsters need to emulate as they learn to worship the one truly worth worshiping.

July 16

TO READ: Psalm 135

One Generation at a Time

The LORD has chosen Jacob for himself, Israel for his own special treasure.

Psalm 135:4

It is hardly a coincidence that some of todayas great baseball players are the children of former baseball legends, that many top stock car drivers are the sons and granddaughters of the original stock car pioneers, that the sons of former heavyweight boxing champions are now earning a living in the ring, or even that some of our best preachers are preachersa kids. It is beyond question that one generation can pa.s.s on interest and pa.s.sion, knowledge and discipline, to the next generation. The choices of each generation can have a lasting and profound impact.

What is true in the natural world is certainly true of the spiritual realm. There is a certain expectation in Scripture that spiritual heritage will be treasured by each generation and transmitted to the next. The psalm writer said, aLet each generation tell its children of your mighty actsa (Ps. 145:4). This injunction states an expectation that each generation will be conversant with the stories about G.o.das dealings with the human race and that they will treasure these stories enough to pa.s.s them on. There is also the a.s.sumption that each generation will be interested enough in the well-being of the rising generation to take time to nurture them in the things of the Spirit.

Each generation should recognize the importance of communication from the older to the younger if there is to be any continuity of principles, priorities, and lifestyle values in any given society. Sadly, in contemporary culture many young people have minimal contact with their elders but have maximum interaction with their peers. The result is a subculture with little or no sense of history or heritage, of transcendent values or spiritual realities.

It has been said that the Christian faith is never more than one generation away from extinction. This may be an alarmist statement, but there is an element of truth in it. There are cultures in the western world at the present time that have seen a progressive decline in spiritual nurture over three generations to such an extent that these cultures, which were previously strongholds of the faith, are now post-Christian societies, mission fields as dark as any primitive society.

The answer to such a threat is simplea"every man who brings a child into the world should accept the privilege and responsibility of seeing that his child is given a working knowledge of the Lord, his dealings with mankind, his offer of salvation, and the joys of living in vital communion with him. No one can guarantee the next generation will come to faith, but everyone can make sure they have the chance.

July 17

TO READ: 1 Corinthians 3:5-17

G.o.das Building

The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. . . . We work together as partners who belong to G.o.d. You are G.o.das field, G.o.das buildinga"not ours. Because of G.o.das special favor to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder.

1 Corinthians 3:8-10

Three men working on a building site were doing the same kind of work. One day, they were asked to describe their work. One said, aI shovel dirt into a wheelbarrow, push it across the site, and empty it.a The second said, aI come to work to make a living, to put food on the table and a roof over my kidsa heads. Then I go home.a The third said, aIam privileged to be building a cathedral.a The first saw work as drudgery; the second as a means to an end. The third, however, had a sense of grandeur and purpose in what he was doing.

When Paul talked about his work and that of his fellow workers, he said, a[We] work as a team with the same purpose.a That purpose was to build aG.o.das buildinga (1 Cor. 3:8-9). He could have described his work as getting on a ship, sailing to a new city, preaching, getting beaten up and thrown in jail, and then moving on. But he saw the grand picturea"he was building aG.o.das buildingaa"the church.

Paul wanted the Corinthians to recognize and revere the church. He told them, aDonat you realize that all of you together are the temple of G.o.d and that the Spirit of G.o.d lives in you?a (3:16).

But he and his fellow apostles were not in this work alone. He claimed, aI have laid the foundation. . . . Now others are building on ita (3:10). And he had stern words for those who were involved in continuing the work of building athe temple of G.o.d.a They amust be very careful.a Great care had to be exercised to ensure that they built on the proper foundation, the only legitimate foundation for the churcha"aJesus Christa (3:11). Obviously, any building erected without an adequate foundation cannot stand. In the same way, any church that gets away from loving, worshiping, and serving the Lord Jesus cannot claim to be a genuine church.

Paul was well aware of the dangers of apostasy. But he also worried about the way churches would go about being the church and the kind of church work they would do! He said some work is like agold, silver, [or] jewels.a When tested in fire, it survives. Other work resembles awood, hay, or strawa (3:10). It cannot survive a blazing inferno. Paulas point? aEveryoneas work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its valuea (3:13).

Church life is neither mundane nor routinea"it is G.o.das work. Weare building G.o.das building, and he expects quality workmanship.

July 18

TO READ: 1 Corinthians 12:1-13

Special Abilities

I will write about the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives to each of us. . . . It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have.

1 Corinthians 12:1, 11

Most things slip away into the mists of history, remembered at most by only a few peoplea"if any. Some special things endure, though. The works of Leonardo da Vinci, Mozart, and William Shakespeare are greatly valued today, long after the men themselves have pa.s.sed on. These men had special abilities that gave their work special value and secured for them a special place in the world of achievement.

One of the most remarkable realities of human history is the survival and growth of the Christian church. The church was founded by Jesus, who spent his life in a limited sphere of influence. It was entrusted to a small group of men who had initially failed miserably to further his cause. The church has subsequently spread to the four corners of the world, touching billions and transforming society wherever its influence has spread. From a human point of view, this is a remarkable achievement. Thereas something special about the church.

But what is special about it may be a surprise to many people. It is not necessarily that the church is made up of remarkable people. On the contrary, Paul tells us that it is intentionally made up of few who are awise in the worldas eyes, or powerful, or wealthya (1 Cor. 1:26). The question that must then be asked is, aHow could the church become so remarkable, so unique, so special when made up of people who are quite ordinary?a The answer is found in Paulas statement aabout the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives to each of usa (12:1). The church is special because she is comprised of ordinary people who have been granted aspecial abilitiesa by the Holy Spirit.

The effectiveness of the church is directly related to the churchas grasp of the significance of this special gifting by the Holy Spirit. It should be noted that the aspecial abilitiesa are given to aeach of us.a The vast numbers of people who make up the worldwide church are impressive, but what is infinitely more impressive is the truth that these vast numbers of people have all been given special abilities by the Holy Spirit. That means there is a vast amount of special ability latent in the church.

These abilities vary in much the same way that the members of the human body differ from each other. It is the Holy Spirit aalone [who] decides which gift each person should havea (12:11).

Each man should be aware of his special abilities and be exercising them. And when a church full of people do thisa"it is special!

July 19

TO READ: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Secret Wisdom

I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world, and not the kind that appeals to the rulers of this world, who are being brought to nothing. No, the wisdom we speak of is the secret wisdom of G.o.d.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7