Weds.’s Devo - The Invitation

Read: Zechariah 12:1-13:9’ Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7 The Creator of the Heavens and the Earth who also formed the human spirit spoke. He would make Jerusalem immovable and so strong that when nations came to attack it, they would only be hurting themselves. The clans of Judah would protect all the land of Jerusalem from any enemies. God would give the territory of Judah victory and then Jerusalem. The royal line of David would have no more honor than the people of Judah. God will pour out his spirit of grace and prayer on both people. They will look upon the one they pierced and mourn for him as if it was their only son. All Israel will mourn as they realize they rejected the one who died for them.’On that day God will open a cleansing fountain where they can be cleansed from all their sins. The land will be rid of the false prophets and the spirit of impurity that they brought. If a man does stand to prophecy falsely, his own parents will kill him. No one will want to be known as a prophet. He calls the sword to go against the shepherd, God’s partner (Jesus). When Jesus was struck down his sheep scattered and God turned against the lambs. Two-thirds of his people were cut off and died but a third would be left in the land. Those apostles would be brought through the fire and made pure. The would be refined and purified to call on his name. God would answer them and proclaim that they were his people. This happened at the time of Jesus but this would happen again at the end. In Revelation, it sounds like a continuation of what we read in Zechariah. The same remnant of God’s sounded from heaven - God’s cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12). They shouted out the great things the Lord had done for them - punished the great prostitute and avenged the blood of the martyred. The twenty-four elders and the four living beings joined in the praise and worship. Then a sound announced the time of the wedding feast had come. The bride was ready and dressed in white linen. Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb. Heaven opened and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True - the one who judges fairly and wages a righteous war. His eyes shone like fire and he wore many crowns. He was given a name that no one understood except himself. His robe was dripping blood and his title was the Word of God. The armies of heaven followed him on white horses. From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations. He would rule them with a rod of iron and execute God’s wrath on them. On his robe at his thigh was written Lord of lords and King of kings. Another angel called to the vultures to come a gather for the great feast of Leviathan. There they would eat the flesh of kings, generals, strong warriors, horses and their riders and all humanity who didn’t worship God. The beast and the false prophet were captured and thrown into the lake of fire and burning sulfur. Their entire army was killed by the sword that came from the mouth of Jesus. The vultures feasted on their dead bodies. There are two great banquets at the end, the Banquet of the Lord’s, and the Feast of Leviathan’s. We get to choose which one we go to but we have to choose it in this life. To wait till then is too late. Lord, thank you that you have issued your invitation to come and dine with you and we have accepted the invitation. We are honored to be your guest and share in your happiness and glory.