Reading for Thursday, Nov 22: Revelation 9

First of all, Happy Thanksgiving!

Since it’s the holiday, I’ll keep it brief today. Chapter 9 continues to describe the terrors that befall the earth at the blast of the angelic trumpets. Interpretation may vary here, but the idea comes back to this: life on earth is full of strife and adversity — and it’s been this way since the beginning. Through all of this, and especially in light of the terrors of the last days, humanity seems always bent toward rebellion. With such terrifying images coming through John’s vision, we’re surprised when we read that the participants in this vision refuse to repent: “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts,” (v20-21).

Repentance. This is one of the hallmarks of the people of God, especially in the last days. Good food for thought today. The church should always be asking the question, “What does repentance look like?”