Faith & Love: A One Year Bible Reading Plan - Part 12Sample

Many people get lost in the interpretation of what the thousand years in today's chapter could mean. It's very important in the whole Bible, but especially in the Book of Revelation, that we stick to the absolutes. The assumptions and some of the deductions that people make and try to interpret are causing a lot of confusion. So the absolute here is that Jesus Christ came, and he conquered Satan and his work; that's the absolute. And then verse five includes us in the story. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and Holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection.

So we believe that as believers in Jesus Christ, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. And that salvation secures our eternity. So the first resurrection, the first coming of Christ, settles, all fear in regards to the second coming of Christ. It's interesting to talk about the second Coming, but I love the way that 1 John 3 puts it. He says: "We don't know what it will be like."

So, I've made a decision as an absolute that I'm going to settle for the uncertainty of how the second coming will happen. And then from that absolute, I believe that 1 John 3 captures it brilliantly when he says: "But I do know that we will see him as he is and we will be as he is." We are included.

There's no fear for eternity or for what's coming. And we know that our future as believers is secure in Jesus Christ. Verse 11: "then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it and from his presence, earth and sky fled away and no place was found. And I saw the dead, great and small standing before the throne and the books were opened."

Another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. I believe that my name is written in the Book of Life because of my faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.