Seize the Moment – Day 373
The End of the Beginning!
Good morning! This is Pastor Jerry Ingalls from New Castle First Baptist Church and today is Thursday, March 25.
Do you know your place in God’s ongoing story?
Revelation 20 is the end of the beginning and the best is yet to come!
When I teach a survey class of the Bible, I take time to explain how Genesis 1-11 serves as the prologue and Revelation 4-22 serves as the epilogue to the greatest story ever told. I encourage you to take some time to read the prologue and epilogue of the Bible and see the whole Bible as one epic story.
Both are essential to understanding the meta-narrative of God’s redemptive story where Chapter 1 would be the choosing of God’s people, Abraham in Genesis 12, and then ends with Jesus Christ’s final words to the seven churches, the descendants of Abraham, in Revelation 1-3. Just as the Genesis prologue sets the stage and introduces God as the main character, the Revelation epilogue shows that the story does not end in this age of the Church.
While we currently live in the age of the Church; this age of grace concludes with the imminent return of Jesus Christ, who will come as the conquering King to vanquish evil, rule the nations, and judge the deeds of humanity.
Until these days are completed and evil is vanquished with all sin judged (the emphasis of Revelation 20), we must walk through hardship and remain faithful.
Faithful are those whose names are written in the Book of Life. Faithful are those who do not take the mark of the beast. Faithful are those who will never taste of the second death, the lake of fire.
Seize the moment and take your place in God’s story. Finish faithfully until the One who promises returns to make all things new.