(The following is the November 30 devotional from my Next Step Devotions book. Before reading it, I suggest you read Revelation 1 and pay close attention to verses 9-19.)

Several books about end-time prophecy were popular when I was a teenager. Some connected Revelation’s imagery with nations, leaders, and technology available at the time. A few assigned dates to events (always foolish, given Jesus’ words in Acts 1:7). Reading them was exciting, but their predictions failed to materialize as time passed.

I had a dream after studying one of the books. In the dream, I stood before an enormous, brilliant white-robed person whose face shone too brightly to make out any facial characteristics. As I silently looked in awe at the figure, a booming voice proclaimed from the brightness, “The world will end in ten years.” Immediately I sat up in bed as awake as I would be at midday. I was relieved when ten years passed without that dream coming true. The dream happened more than fifty years ago, which tells you how reliable a prophet I am. (I’m not.)

The apostle John’s vision, however, is accurate and reliable. We may not easily understand every word, but we can trust it as God’s climactic revelation of what is to come. When John saw one like the Son of Man (v. 13) with an appearance challenging to describe, he “fell at his feet like a dead man” (v. 17). This figure, who was Christ, said, “Don’t be afraid. I am the First and the Last, and the Living One. I was dead, but look – I am alive forever and ever, and I hold the keys of death and Hades. Therefore write down what you have seen, what is, and what will take place after this” (17-19).

Countless articles and books exist about Revelation. It’s helpful to peruse them, but don’t ascribe infallibility to anything except God’s Word. Challenges in understanding aren’t the fault of the biblical text but our inability to comprehend an incomprehensible God.

Next Step:
Read Revelation chapter 1 aloud. Which portions lead you to worship our risen Lord with awe?