The Angel's Answer (Rev. 17:7-8)

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR

09/28/2005

My Worship Time                  Focus:  The angel’s answer

Bible Reading & Meditation             Reference:  Revelation 17:7-8

            Message of the verse:  “7 ¶  And the angel said to me, ‘Why do you wonder? I shall tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns.  8  ‘The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come.’”

            In verse seven the angel asks John a question and then he answers the question which I would imagine to some who read this is still a mystery.  The word “mystery” when used in the NT means that something was hidden, but is now revealed, and it can also carry the meaning that “the secret will of God: the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly.”  This is why I said that this could still be a mystery to some who read it, because they are reading someone else’s mail, and therefore do not understand it. 

            Verse eight speaks of the beast who was, and then was killed, and then brought back to life again and will then go to his eternal punishment in hell.  “Those who dwell on the earth will wonder.”  Those earth dweller’s will look at the antichrist with wonder thinking that he is the answer to all of their problems, but the elect, who are alive at that time will realize who he really is.

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  When I look at the world today and read about it’s history and compare it to what I have been reading in this book and also read some of the commentaries that I have read explaining some of the hard to understand things in this book, I can see that there, for instance, have always been antichrists in this world, as John wrote in 1John, but there will only be one true antichrist that is written about in Revelations.  What I am trying to say is that I need to depend upon the Spirit of God so that I will not get caught up in any of these false religions or anything else that is not true when it comes to what God has said in His Word as being truth.  The liberal movement in our country today is surely a movement that has been seen before in world history as it is a movement that wants to take control of all people in this country to, in affect make them slaves, but by the prayers of the saints and God’s grace this will fail.

The Word of God has challenged my heart as I read it this morning.

My Steps of Faith Today:  Continue to trust the Lord to make His will plain to me as I live my life in this very confusing world, that I will trust in the Lord with all of my heart and lean not upon my own understanding, in all of my ways acknowledge Him and He will direct my path.