Thurs.’s Devo - The Last Chapter

Read Zechariah 14:1-21; Revelation 20:1-15; Psalm 148:1-14; Proverbs 31:8-9 Zechariah deals with the last struggle with the evil world powers. The “Day of the Lord” is a time when God will vindicate his justice by punishing the wicked and saving his elect but it starts out pretty badly for Jerusalem. All nations will fight against Jerusalem and it will be violently taken over. God will then take vengeance out on Jerusalem’s enemies. His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives and it will split making a valley running east and west. Jerusalem will flee through this valley to Azal, a place in Palestine. Then the Lord will come back with his saints with him. There will be continuous light but not from the sun, moon or stars. Life-giving waters will flow out from Jerusalem flowing continuously. The Lord will be king over all the earth and he alone will be worshipped. God will send a plague on all the nations that fought against Jerusalem. Their flesh will rot away and their eyes will rot in their sockets. Their tongues will rot in their mouths. They will panic in fear and fight their neighbors. Their wealth will be captured. This plague will strike the horses, mules, camels, donkeys and other animals in the enemy camps. Those who survive the plague will go up to Jerusalem each year to worship the King at the Festival of Tabernacles. Any nation who refused to come will have no rain. If Egypt refused to come, they will get the same plague that was put on the other nations. Everything will be dedicated to the Lord and be holy. Every sacrifice will be holy. In Revelation, John saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a chain in his hand. He seized the dragon and threw him into the bottomless pit and shut the door and locked it so Satan could not deceived the nations. Thrones were set up for people who had been given authority to judge. The souls of all who had not bowed to the beast or taken his mark came to life again and reigned with Christ a thousand years. When this time is over, Satan will be let out of his prison to go out and deceive the nations of Gog and Magog. He will gather them together to fight God’s people. They will surround Jerusalem but fire from heaven will attack their armies and consume them. The devil will be thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur along with the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented forever. A great white throne appeared with God sitting on it. The earth and sky fled from its presence. The books were opened and the dead were judged according to the deeds. Then death and the grave were thrown into the lake of fire. Whoever’s name was not found in the Book of Life was thrown into the lake of fire. Zechariah and Revelation dove-tail into one great story of the end. The end is glorious for GOd’s people and not so glorious for the wicked. It will be an end to wickedness once and for all. What a great celebration that will be! Lord, may we be diligent to let your light shine through us to the people around us. May we light the way for others salvation. Open our eyes to see those who are being drawn to your light and reach out to them in love.