NT24 Fastنموونە

Day 24 by Michael Miller, Founder & Senior Leader of UPPERROOM

Today’s Reading: Revelation 16-22

You made it! You are finally to day 24 and have read the WHOLE New Testament! What a way to start the New Year! Congrats, and well done!

Today's reading closes out the New Testament. It's the last chapters in the book of Revelation.

These chapters tell of three main themes:

1.) The Fall of Babylon (ch 17-19)

2.) The Final Battle (ch 19-20)

3.) The New Jerusalem (ch 21-22)

Each one of these scenes unpacks the coming of God's Kingdom at the end of this age. Heaven will come to earth, and the earth will be made new. The Bible ends where it begins. The plan of redemption is completed, and we live eternally under Jesus's Lordship forevermore.

The first section is the Fall of Babylon, which highlights two main characters, which (I believe) are the two main principalities in Satan's regime: the harlot and the beast. These are the two primary influences upon the earth at play today. For brevity, I wanted to highlight the harlot who is influencing the Western world today. The Greek word for harlot is pornia…and you guessed it, this is the origin of our English word "pornography.” I bet you did not know pornography was mentioned during the last days. It's worth noting her role in these chapters and who is intoxicated by her. She is influencing the kings of the earth and intoxicating them with her seductions and immoralities. Welcome to the year of 2024.

Chapter 19 gives us a vision of Jesus returning upon a white horse, drenched in blood, and bringing justice and righteousness to the earth. His weapon is a sword, which is His Word. I also find it fascinating who is following the word of God…the armies of God. This is worth meditating upon and thinking about today.

The heart of our study today that I wanted to highlight is Revelation 22:17, which says, "The Spirit and the Bride say come." This verse is the identity and heart posture of the end-time church. She is stunning in nature and expectant for her bridegroom. This is the Maranatha (Come Lord Jesus) generation that is emerging today. This prayer (initiated by the Holy Spirit) puts a zeal and expectancy for the Lord's imminent return. This cry is a cry for restoration and the reign of Jesus now and forever more on earth. This cry is one that will not dry up, wane, or be quenched until that day arrives. It will only grow, and it's growing today. We are this bride, and we carry this cry.

My hope for you over the last 24 days is that you have grown in your hunger, desire, and pursuit of this one cry - come, Lord Jesus. Maranatha.

We love you.