Sun.’s Devo - The Plan of Redemption

Read: Nahum 1:1-3:19; Revelation 8:1-13; Psalm 136:1-26; Proverbs 30:7-9
God’s judgment always starts with his own people. He uses his enemies to do the punishing, then he destroys his enemies. God’s enemy was Nineveh, the capital of Assyria. God had to give Nineveh a chance to repent first so God sent Jonah to Nineveh. They did repent temporarily but, they came back more evil than before. Now God could righteously judge them. Nahum’s name means “comforted”. He was a Elkoshite which means “of the gathered of God.” This is a picture of the end judgment. God will comfort his people who are called out as his bride and judge the rest. He promised to restore the splendor of Jacob and of Israel. Nahum also declared judgment against the king of Assyria which is a type of the Antichrist.
This was fulfilled when the Medo-Babylonians attacked Nineveh. The river, by a flood broke down the walls, and the king burnt himself and his palace and all his concubines along with his wealth. The enemy entered by the breach in the wall and took Nineveh.
In Revelation we have the opening of the seventh seal. The same seven angels of chapter One stood before God and were given trumpets to sound. Another angel with a golden censer was given much incense which he would use to offer with the prayers of all the saints. I think it is important to know that heaven was praying for the saints that would be persecuted for the sake of the gospel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and cast it to the earth and voices, thunders, lightnings and an earthquake happened. Then we go through the seven angels sounding their trumpets.
The first angel - Paul sounded his message and there was hail and fire mingled with blood cast to the earth. This was the persecution that the early church went through along with the fire of Pentecost. Acts 16 tells of an earthquake that shook the foundations of the prison and shook the doors open. A third of the trees - (spiritual leaders) and all the green grass (new converts) were burnt up (killed).
The second angel was John and I wonder if the great mountain that was thrown into the sea was the remnant of God’s people when Jerusalem fell and Jews were scattered into the sea of humanity. One third were martyred.
The third angel was probably Arius who was a leader of Christianity during the time. I wonder if the great star that fell from heaven wasn’t the same one seen by Constantine that caused his great interest in Christianity but his total lack of understanding. His lack of knowledge led to great apostasy and oppression for the true believer. So their freedom led to bondage and bitterness.
The fourth angel was probably Waldo and the lights being dimmed has to do with the Dark Ages when the light of revelation and prophesy was next to none. God seemed to be silent during this time. This ushered in the last three angels and their “woes”.
The church will be taken before the Jews are sealed so the seventh seal has to do with God’s people, the Jewish nation.
Our Psalm is a great song to sing after reading about the end of the world. It reminds us that God’s love is what endures till the end. Judgment sounds so horrible but it is God’s love at work. He is restoring his people and his creation to its original purpose.
Lord, thank you for your love and your plan of redemption.