A Voice And A Vision

Read Rev 1:1-20

Dave Kusumoto

The opening verse of Revelation begins with a powerful but simple statement. “The
Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon
take place.”

We may have mixed feelings and experiences when thinking about the final book in the New
Testament, as it is certainly one of the most misunderstood in the Bible. But the Revelation of
Jesus Christ is not just found in this last book. It’s found throughout Jesus’ life in the Gospels.

That’s good news! Jesus has been revealing the message of good news all along, and what he
expresses in this final book is no different. He is called the “Alpha and Omega,” the “Beginning
and End,” and has always known exactly what was about to occur. He knew he would be
betrayed by a close friend. He knew he would be hung on a cross as a blameless sacrificial
lamb for the sins of this world. And he also understood that he would not remain dead but
would rise and have victory over the powers of darkness.

Jesus was never unaware or uncertain about the future. We, however, sometimes allow
thoughts of fear and doubt about the future to affect us. We worry about our economy,
our health, or our children. But we can be confident that, as followers of Jesus, our final
destination is not uncertain or in doubt. Jesus is our hope. We know that the final victory is
His, and the end of the book describes dramatically the new heaven and new earth where we
will live with Him forever.

As we begin reading the book of Revelation we know that we share in the victory that is to
come because we have put our faith and hope in Jesus. So we can stand firm and confident in
the things that must soon take place...the return of our King and the end of all suffering.

P R AY E R
Lord, we stand ready and waiting for Your return. You are the Alpha and Omega, the Author
and Finisher of our faith. We live not in fear of the future, but look forward with confidence to
the time when Your Kingdom is fully established. In Your name, Amen!
 DAY 96

QUESTIONS
Do you have doubts and fears about the future when you look at the state of our world today
or at your own personal circumstances?

Do you feel assured of your eternal destiny with God?

Now that you have been introduced to this book, do you feel a desire to read and study
it thoroughly?

MY REFLECTIONS
Does any particular verse (SCRIPTURE) in today’s reading speak to you?

OBSERVE what this verse is saying to you:

How can you APPLY this verse to your life today?

My PRAYER for today is: