Come Quickly

Today's B'rit Chadashah Reading:
Revelation 22:6-21

Today's reading is short, but intimidating. It comes from the book of Revelation. True scholars and theologians - much worthier people than I - have written volumes on this book. I will be the first to admit that I find this book more than a little confusing. That being said, I would like to offer the small crumbs of insight I gleaned from reading today's passage.

Today's reading opens with an affirmation of the truth of the Bible and the command to worship G-d alone. I found the next part interesting. In Revelation 22:10 we see that the writer is commanded not to "seal up the words of the prophecy of this book." In the very next verse it goes on to say "Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong...and let the one who is righteous still practice righteousness..." What I understand this to be saying is that while we are called to proclaim G-d's truth, we are not made responsible for the response of those who hear. In other words, I have a responsibility to speak truth and let those who hear that truth respond however they may. It is not my job to force-feed anyone or to make them change. Their response to G-d's word is between them and the L-rd.

This makes sense to me, given our other readings from Bereishit, because those readings describe a holy, yet loving G-d. A holy G-d calls for righteousness among His people. A loving G-d then allows those people to choose for themselves whether they will follow truth or a lie. G-d does not drag His children kicking and screaming into heaven. Our choice regarding eternity is in our hands. In the same way, G-d does not force His followers to obey Him. He is a holy and just G-d and He calls us to obedience; but we are then responsible to choose to obey His commands.

Our passage ends with two things. First, an Affirmation of Y'shua as the promised Mashiach and a plea for Him to come. This sentiment resonates with me. Every time I look at the depravity of the world around me, every time I turn on the TV or read the news and hear of war, starvation, child abuse and man's inhumanity to man, my heart cries out, "Yes L-rd, may Your kingdom come quickly." Second, the final part of the passage asks that grace be with us. In a world such as ours, what more could we need than G-d's grace?

My prayer today is for G-d's grace upon us all.

Sunday: Noach