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Revelation 16:15, “Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

It’s getting ugly.  God has assured his people that they are safe but really no one else is.  God’s wrath is about to be poured out on those who were marked by the beast, aka the evil one.

Throughout the chapter, we read about the cups of God’s wrath being poured out.  I don’t know about you, but I find it very hard to read.  While I don’t think these images in Revelation are meant to all be taken literally, we do have to come to terms with the fact that Jesus will return and he will judge us.  Those who belong to him will be safe and protected.  Those who don’t belong to him will face the wrath of God.  Will that mean boils and fire?  Probably not, but these cups of wrath do represent something real, something we don’t understand. 

Our focus verse for today is interesting.  Think back to the teachings of Jesus.  Matthew 24:42-44, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.  Jesus, in his earthly ministry, made many references to being ready for the coming reign of God.  As much as it makes us feel uncomfortable, he also spoke of being ready for the coming judgment. Notice how now, in Rev. 16:15, the resurrected Lord is saying that he will come like a thief; blessed is the one who stays awake and remain clothed. 

I think we need to stop and reflect on this issue of being ready.  Some people may say that we’ve been waiting for Jesus so long, he will never come.  But the Bible clearly says he will.  Certainly, we aren’t to sit around and be scared, nor are we to watch the clouds and wait (as many of the early Christians did.) We are to simply do life, expanding his Kingdom, living as he called us to live.  But there is something to this whole idea of readiness.  I’d love to hear your thoughts.  Spend some time in prayer about this today.

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, Help us be ready for you.  Hear our prayers…