The church in Smyrna was well-acquainted with suffering, and Jesus assured them that He saw them and knew what they were going through. These were not things to fear, although they were things to expect. But despite these things, Jesus called them to be faithful. He gave them the reward of eternal life, and that made everything else worth it!

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The names of Gog and Magog may sound strange to the average person on the street, but they are well known to those familiar with Biblical prophecy. As is His right, God both calls out the enemies of Israel to invade Israel, only to supernaturally destroy these enemies in a powerful demonstration of His loving protection of Israel. This is God’s choice, and by definition, it is good.

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Does the resurrection matter? Yes! It actually happened, and because the resurrection account in the Bible is real and historically accurate, everything else the Bible says about Jesus is true. Because the evidence shows that the event is real, it means Jesus truly is our Savior.

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To resurrect a nation from the dead would seem to be an impossible thing. And it is impossible, apart from the all-powerful God. For Him, all things are possible, including bringing life from the dead.

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We can get so busy doing things for God that we neglect our love for Him. As Jesus shows the Ephesians, doctrine and deeds are important…but neither is a substitute for devotion. May God help keep our eyes on the big picture! Jesus is central to His church, and our primary job is to love Him!

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The people of Edom posed a direct threat to the piece of land that God specifically promised to Israel, and God’s word to Edom and Israel affirms that His word will always be proven true. What God gave, God would not take away. Praise God for His faithfulness to Israel! It is one more reason for us to rejoice and be affirmed in His faithfulness towards us.

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Have you ever found yourself taking Jesus for granted? The old saying, “familiarity breeds contempt” is often true. We need to beware the kind of familiarity with the Son of God that would breed contempt for Him, when we take His mercy and grace for granted. The more we remember Him as the God worthy of all glory, the greater appreciation we will have for His abundant love!

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We won’t always have the best leaders (either in government or in the church); we do always have our good God. Let us look beyond fallible men, and look to our Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ!

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Following his brief prologue, John got to his greeting in v4. In it, he tells us much about what is to come in the rest of the book. This is a book from the glorious God, about the glorious God. May our eyes be on Him and give Him praise!

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