Zechariah 14:1-21
Revelation 20:1-15
Psalm 148:1-14
Proverbs 31:8-9
As we approach the end of the year, we approach the end of this year's Bible journey and find ourselves, fittingly, at judgment. And to me, Revelation 20:11-15 are some of the most frightening verses in the Bible. I am not going to speak for anyone else, but I certainly don't want to be thrown into the lake of fire. I used to read this and think was going to have to somehow bargain my way into heaven, because I certainly wasn't getting in on merit alone. I had a debt I could not repay.
Then someone explained to me what they believed happened when "the dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books", when "each person was judged according to what they had done". Because we have a Savior, when we stand before God to be judged, and the Book is opened to the page that shows the debt of sin we have incurred, Jesus reaches over and repeats Himself. He says "Tetelestai", which is sometimes translated as "it is finished", but I was told more accurately means "the debt is satisfied". We first heard Him say it as He died on the cross.
As we near year's end, I search for truth about myself to carry over into 2019, and the word that comes to mind is "dependence". Because there is no way I pay that debt on my own. I depend completely, solely on Him to do it.
Thank You, Jesus, for paying our debt and, in so doing, allowing us to look forward in anticipation, rather than in fear, to the day described in Revelation 20:11-15.
No comments:
Post a Comment