Agape Devotions

Read Read Revelations 13 Meditate on the whole passage. Reflect What do you think the 2 beasts in the passage represent (from the descriptions given for each)? What do they do, or what are their roles?  How does the world respond to the beasts? How do they secure their following?  What do you think is the significance of the marking on the forehead or hand? What do you think is the significance of the number 666? How should we respond to them? Relate This passage, the 10th last chapter of the bible, introduces the villainous characters of the end times, if they have not already been introduced in other chapters of the bible, for example Daniel 7.  The first beast, arising from the sea, is largely known as the anti - Christ. The sea has always had a foreboding air to it in biblical times (see Psalm 74: 12 -13, 89: 8 - 9, Isaiah 57: 20). This sense of foreboding rightfully attends the coming of the first beast, which is the same beast as mentioned in Daniel 7:7. Although th...

  TEXT TO REFLECT ON  Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” REVE...

Read: Revelation 10-11 No devotional today (Sunday)

Read: Revelation 8:6-9:21 Verses chosen for reflection 20 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, 21 nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Reflect Some parts of Revelation is difficult to read. Chapter 8 and 9 talked about the destruction and plagues that humans will suffer if they do not submit their lives to Christ. That sounded high-handed. However, considering the time God is giving to us now and not sure until when; I think He is already being very merciful. And even when God gives extended time for all mankind to turn to the Lord Jesus verses 20 and 21 tell us that there will be some who will insist on their depravity.  Relate These two chapters of Revelation are not mere warnings for those who do not believe. They are as much of a ...

READ : Rev 7:1 to 8:5 with focus on 7:9-10 REFLECT/RELATE : As John is in heaven, he sees these things from an eternal point of view; there is no sequence or time limitations, no past or future in heaven. From our standpoint of time, John sees things that are happening at the close of the seven-year week. He sees ahead to the end of the seven years, and sees this great multitude that have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, and they have palm branches in their hands. When did we last find a crowd of people with palm branches in their hands, welcoming Jesus as a King? It was when he rode down the mountainside into Jerusalem. The prophet is linking that event with this. Then, Israel had the opportunity to receive their King, but the leaders of the nation rejected him. At this event, in the end times, they are welcoming and worshipping their King, still with palm branches in their hands. So this great multitude of J...

READ : Revelations 6 Verses chosen for meditation: Revelations 6:15-17 15  Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,  16  calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,  17  for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” REFLECT In this chapter, we see a grim picture of what’s to come, and the imagery becomes more and more elaborate. It’d be good to note that not all descriptions in Revelations are meant to be understood literally, and not all are meant to be understood symbolically too. Sometimes, John describes literal events, while using dramatic and poetic language. We must then exercise caution when interpreting. Here, there are seven seals. Seals 1 – 5 portra...

READ : Revelation 4 - 5. Verses chosen for meditation: Rev 5: 9 -13 . 9  They sang a new song, saying, “You are worthy to take the book and to open its seals: for you were killed, and bought us for God with your blood out of every tribe, language, people, and nation, 10  and made us kings and priests to our God, and we will reign on the earth.” 11  I saw, and I heard something like a voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders. The number of them was ten thousands of ten thousands, and thousands of thousands;  12  saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb who has been killed to receive the power, wealth, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing!” 13  I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, “To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!”   ...