Revealing Two Ends

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls, and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come here, I will you the judgment of the great harlot who sits upon many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Revelation 17:1,2).

“And there came to me one of the seven angels which had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, ‘Come here, I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s wife… and he showed me that great city, the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, having the glory of God: and her light was like a stone most precious, even like a diamond, clear as crystal” (Revelation 21:9,10).

Revelation reveals two ends of two groups of people, and interprets who they are for us. The first group is “Babylon the Great.” It is the world system that rejects Christ and persecutes His people. They celebrate immorality, violence, deception, and greed.

The second group is the Bride of Christ. They chose the way of the Cross. Like Moses, they value sharing Christ’s reproach as greater riches than all the treasures of the world: for they fixed their gaze on the recompense of the reward (Hebrews 11:26). This group looked ahead, counted the cost, and chose Eternal Life.

How blessed we are to be shown how things end. The evil in this world that so grieves our hearts will not last. Jesus will come to gather His Bride safely Home to Heaven, then He’ll pour out His wrath in perfect justice, until the news breaks… “Babylon has fallen!”

Read ahead, look for His coming, and rest in His love.  

(Devotional by Lisa Cataford)