Discover God's Heart DevotionalSample

God’s Glorious End-Beginning

God’s Story

Satan is bound for a thousand years, during which Jesus reigns on earth. Then Satan is freed to do his worst for one final brief period. He deceives the nations and gathers a huge army that comes against God’s people. But a battle is never fought. Fire comes from heaven and burns up the army. Satan is thrown into the lake of fire, where the beast and false prophet were thrown earlier. They are to be tortured forever.

God resurrects the dead, and they stand in front of a large white throne. Books containing every action of every person are opened, along with the book of life. God, at last, takes His seat and executes the final judgment. And He also destroys death, the last great enemy.

John sees the new heaven and the new earth, and the new Jerusalem descends from heaven. Heaven and earth are joined together — God has come to live with us! He will personally wipe every tear from our eyes and we will never hurt again. “I am making everything new!” God says from His throne (Revelation 21:5).

An angel shows John the new Jerusalem and then measures it. The city is about 1,400 miles long, wide and high — a perfect cube, just like the Most Holy Place of the temple. The entire city is God’s dwelling place, and it gleams with His glory. From God’s throne streams liquid life; “the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, [flows] . . . down the middle of the great street of the city.” On either side of the river stands the tree of life; the leaves “are for the healing of the nations” (Revelation 22:1-2).

Then three times Jesus brings home the final point of this incredible revelation that He has given John: “I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:7,12,20).

“Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20).

The King’s Heart

Satan slithered into the garden accusatorially questioning God’s heart.

“God is good,” creation declared.

“Is he really?” Satan questioned.

And the evil one continued questioning, accusing, deceiving throughout all of human history.

But human history and our own stories stand as witnesses to the truth. And once God vanquishes Satan forever and joins heaven to earth so that He can live with us as hH always intended, we and the glorious angels will declare the most foundational truth of the universe. It’s what has always been true, but we will then know it in the depths of our souls: “God is good.”

“Is He really?”

“Yes! He is good, good, good!”

Insight

God’s Word ends with Amen — “Let it be so.” Indeed, King Jesus, let it be so.