1Brothers, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. 2For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4For Christ is the fulfillment of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
5For Moses writes about the righteousness of the law, “The one who does them will live by them.” 6But the righteousness which is of faith says this, “Don’t say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’ (that is, to bring Christ down); 7or, ‘Who will descend into the abyss?’ (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead.)” 8But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart;” that is, the word of faith which we preach: 9that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For with the heart one believes resulting in righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made resulting in salvation. 11For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes in him will not be disappointed.”
12For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, and is rich to all who call on him. 13For, “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in him whom they have not heard? How will they hear without a preacher? 15And how will they preach unless they are sent? As it is written:
“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Good News of peace,
who bring glad tidings of good things!”
16But they didn’t all listen to the glad news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17So faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18But I say, didn’t they hear? Yes, most certainly,
“Their sound went out into all the earth,
their words to the ends of the world.”
19But I ask, didn’t Israel know? First Moses says,
“I will provoke you to jealousy with that which is no nation.
I will make you angry with a nation void of understanding.”
20Isaiah is very bold and says,
“I was found by those who didn’t seek me.
I was revealed to those who didn’t ask for me.”
21But about Israel he says, “All day long I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and contrary people.”
Dear Reader: Thank you for making it through this book of devotional readings. This is the last chapter of the Book of Revelation and the final chapter of not only this book, but of things to come. John describes heaven to us in such wild terms that it’s hard to know if it is an actual description or a metaphor. He opens the end with a description of a river of life and a fruit tree that bears a different fruit each month of the year. This is the end of the vision that Jesus Himself gave to John, the disciple whom He loved. Jesus tells us that we who are reading and listening to these words should be careful not to take away from the words of the book of this prophecy. We should never discount anything that the Bible tells us. It is all the inspired holy word of God Himself. There may be parts of it that we do not understand, and that’s okay. Just don’t take away or diminish any of what you do understand when you read it. Many pick and choose what they want to believe about the Bible. Thomas Jefferson didn’t like the miracles, so he created a version of the Bible which had all of the miracles excised (cut out) of the book that he produced. Jefferson literally “took away” from the words God gave us, and in doing so, he replaced what God wanted to communicate with what Jefferson wanted to communicate. Interestingly, Jefferson’s version of the Bible has never been seen by most of us. And, it will never be seen. Yet, there are many copies of the Bible available on all sides. God’s word will endure forever.
Hence, the end of Revelation is a true warning: if we choose to read the book as Jefferson did, there is no room prepared for us in that Holy City, heaven. Likewise, we shall not be blessed to partake of the “tree of life.” I assume that to mean eternal life with Jesus. In this devotional book, I’ve examined the prophecies that foretold of Jesus’ coming. I’ve cited instances from His ministry on earth. I’ve walked through the early days of the Church in the Book of Acts, listening as Peter, Barnabas, and Paul have brought the gospel to the Jew and to the Gentile. We’ve walked together through the writings of Paul, as revealed by the Holy Spirit, urging us to believe, repent, and walk in newness of life. We’ve received teaching after teaching urging us to walk in the righteousness that is our new identity in Christ and to live lives of holiness by seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit daily, and in doing what He calls each of us to do. This book describes how to be a Christian and how to live not like a Christian, but as a true, devoted Christ-Follower. Each lesson is another look at how to live out the words of this book, The Bible, in real time. That means in real life!
If you are a believer, there is plenty in this book to digest and to pull you closer to Him if you allow Him to do so. If you are not a believer, you are now faced with a choice. It is a choice of eternal consequences. It is a choice that God gives you in His mercy and grace. He loves you, even while you are a sinner (Romans 5:8). By His love, He has attracted you and pulled you toward Himself (Ephesians 2:4-5). He specifically tells you how to enter into a relationship with him (John 3:16), and how to be born again. He likewise tells you what saving belief looks like (Romans 10:9-10). This salvation, offered to you, cannot be earned or deserved. But it is available to you as a free gift through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). Reader, are you ready to make such a commitment? When Abraham believed what God had said, God reckoned (or saw) that belief as righteousness. In that moment, Abraham was saved and found a place in the bosom of God for all of eternity. The same place can be set aside for you today. Today can be the day of your salvation. If you have never done so, I urge you to call upon the name of the Lord today and be saved! There is no better way to live.