One Minute Lessons (Lesson 32)

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. It was given power to wage war against God's holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world. Whoever has ears, let them hear. "If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity they will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword they will be killed." This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people.

(Revelation 13:5-10)

LESSON

I have to say that the word 'ALL' has always stood out. But meditating on these words this evening another word has stood out 'GIVEN'. Who is doing the giving? God. The active urgency of God is a key theme of Revelation. Now when you insert the words 'by God' after every appearance of given, it puts things into sharper perspective. We are not at the mercy of the coming Beast, we are at the mercy of God. History is unfolding according to the sovereign purpose and plan of God. The Devil is God's devil. How then shall we respond to what is to come? "This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God's people". Why, because in the end, the devil is God's devil. So we must be patient in all situations knowing that God is fully in control.

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