12 This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” 14 I looked, and there before me was a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came out of the temple and called in a loud voice to him who was sitting on the cloud, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” 16 So he who was seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.
17 Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18 Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.” 19 The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20 They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses ’bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.
This chapter in Revelation calls believers to have patience. We are called to continue to obey God’s commandment and stay true to our faith especially in times of trial.
The final few verses of our reading were part of the inspiration Julia Ward Howe used in writing the Battle Hymn of the Republic.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord,
He is trampling out the vineyard where the grapes of wrath are stored,
He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword,
His truth is marching on!
She wrote these verses at the beginning of the Civil War as a call to duty and perseverance when our nation was deeply divided. We continue to sing her inspiring song as a call for patriotism and social justice.
Dear Lord, keep us in our faith and reliance on you. Give us patience as we know that all things will come to pass in your time, not ours. Amen
Barry Dougherty
barryd72@aol.com
Prayer Concern - For perseverance in our faith especially in times of trial
Additional readings - Nahum 1:1-13 and Psalm 75
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