Seven days of inspiration from Revelation - Day 1
Don’t be afraid
Bible text(s)
Revelation 1
The book of Revelation was written to encourage believers who were afraid. They were afraid of the government of the day, the Romans, who were hostile to them. They were afraid of their own people, the Jews, who rejected them because they had become Christians, and they were afraid of all kinds of powers and forces which, according to the view of that time, had an influence on the events on earth.
The consolation for believers is that Jesus Christ lives. He is the living God and ruler over the universe. The content of Revelation is not a number of predictions of things that will take place in the future. It is intended for the church of all times. God himself encourages his church – his servants – by opening something of heaven on earth for us. Angels often act as messengers of God in this book. This emphasises that it is a reliable message.
It doesn’t really matter exactly who John was. He represents the church as the instrument through which God conveys his message. God speaks to us through ordinary people and his message is not something to be afraid of. It actually makes us very happy. We are sometimes reluctant to read the book of Revelation because it contains so much symbolism and imagery. However, we should not be afraid to read it. The book is meant to comfort us. The end times are also not something that God’s church needs to be afraid of. We don’t have to live in fear of Jesus Christ’s return. It is something his church can look forward to. For every generation, the time in which we live is a decisive time.
Think about:
- 1.What fears do people live with today?
- 2.How does God encourage his church?
- 3.Thank God now that you are part of his church.
4. Ask God to free you from any fears that may be in your heart.
