Tuesday, September 1, 2026

Opening Scripture

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:1-4

Opening Prayer

Gracious Heavenly Father, thank you for rest and the promise of a new day. I praise You for Your loving kindness, Your thoughtful provision, and Your comforting presence. Help my hope and security be in You today, not in what I do, or what I have, or what others think. May Your Spirit guide me in the way I should go. Help me to appreciate Your blessings and see You at work around me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Daily Bible Reading

Revelation 5:8; 8:1-5

And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.

When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Reflection  

John’s amazing, God-given revelation of the climax of biblical prophecy is a unique and fitting conclusion to Scripture. At a time when emperor worship was being enforced in the Roman Empire, Christians were suffering for their testimony that Jesus (not Caesar) is Lord! This Revelation was a source of great information and inspiration for persecuted followers of Jesus.

In exile on the island of Patmos, John faithfully describes what was revealed to him about Jesus’ second coming and the eventual arrival of the new Heaven and Earth.

“The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who testifies to everything he saw – that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ” (Revelation 1:1-2).

Today’s passage opens with the announcement that “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” has triumphed and is able to open the scroll with seven seals. Yet, as John looked, he saw not a Lion, but a Lamb that appeared to have been slain, standing at the center of the throne, surrounded by four living creatures and twenty-four elders.

The Lamb took the scroll, and the creatures and elders fell down before the Lamb. They were holding harps and bowls of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a song to the Lamb: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

Suddenly, millions of angels – ten thousand times ten thousand – surrounded the throne and burst forth into loud song, “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” (Revelation 5:12).

Eventually, every creature in Heaven and on Earth and under the Earth joined in singing, “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!” (Revelation 5:13). They all worshipped the Lamb, Jesus the Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Jesus the Lamb opened all seven seals, each resulting in a significant response, including the appearance of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. When the final seal was opened, there was sustained silence. Then, seven angels with trumpets arrived. More judgment was about to be handed out, but first, the prayers of God’s people – contained in a golden censer (a firepan with live coals used to burn incense) – were offered up as an offering to God.

Then, the angel threw the censer full of coals to Earth, producing a powerful meteorological display of thunder and lightning that shook the earth. After that, the seven other angels began to blow their trumpets, and an array of judgments fell on the Earth, some like the plagues that befell Egypt before the Exodus. All of it foreshadowed the final destruction of Satan and his evil accomplices.

Flourishing Habit

Flourishing Christians

The Book of Revelation is not typical apocalyptic literature. It is a letter written to actual recipients. In Revelation, “kairos” quality time is more important than “chronos” quantity time and is strongly connected to “eschatos” end time. The events described are more like looking through a kaleidoscope than a telescope. There is a lot of parallelism, symbolism, and numerology included.

Revelation reveals the sovereignty of God as Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Righteous Judge. It shows that history has meaning and purpose. Human history is a divine, providential working out of God’s eternal plan of redemption, and His purpose will ultimately prevail. Almighty God exists beyond the material plane, but He has chosen to lovingly relate to humanity in time and space for His good pleasure.

As John gazes on the heavenly scene in Revelation 4, he sees an open door and hears a voice like a trumpet saying, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place.” At once “in the Spirit,” John sees a throne and the One sitting on it had the appearance of brilliant, gleaming jewels surrounded by a rainbow. From the throne came flashes of lightning and peals of thunder.

Paul describes a similar setting in his first letter to Timothy. “God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:15-16).

Around the central throne, there were twenty-four other thrones. Seated on them were “twenty-four elders,” dressed in white and wearing gold crowns. The twenty-four elders are often understood to be symbolic of the twelve tribes of Israel, representing the Old Covenant, and Jesus’ twelve apostles, representing the New Covenant.

These elders are distinct from the angels and the “living creatures.” They are not named but can well be considered to represent the Church. Their thrones reflect authority and rule. Their white robes reflect purity and righteousness. Their golden crowns reflect victory and reward. Their golden bowls are filled with the prayers of God’s people.

In today’s passage, these elders are given harps, and they sing a new song of praise to the Lord Jesus. “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

This image beautifully reflects Peter’s declaration about “the saints of the Lord” in his first letter. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9).

I hope today’s reading gives you a better sense of the cosmic and eternal nature of your participation in God’s great plan of redemption. Our time on Earth is short. What we do today has lasting implications. Eternal life begins the moment we trust in Jesus as Savior, receive the Holy Spirit, and are adopted into God’s forever family.

“The Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:15-18).

Today’s text gives us a glimpse of that glory.

How will your understanding of the future affect your attitudes and actions today?

This week’s collective prayer: God, please empower and equip our Gospel partners to fulfill Your calling in their work. Amen.

You can do more than pray after you’ve prayed, but you can’t do more than pray until you’ve prayed!