Session 15

How much do you need to know?

From Revelation: A 28-Day Devotional

Have you ever watched a movie and at the end of a scene you think to yourself, “What just happened?” You either rewind and replay to try to make sense of the events, or you turn to someone and ask them to explain.

That’s probably how John felt in Revelation 10. An angel appears, speaking loudly and holding an important scroll. When he goes to take notes, he’s told to stop. When he’s handed the scroll, he’s told to eat it.

The content of the scroll is never revealed, but what we learn from this exchange is important. It wasn’t time for Jesus’s return, but He would be coming soon. There will be no more delay, and the mystery of God will be accomplished (Revelation 10:6-7).

Throughout history, people have wondered about the end of the world, and God reveals some of that in Revelation. We don’t get the details about when Jesus will come back or what the afterlife will entail. But we do know that God wants us to be ready (Revelation 10:11). 

The best preparation for Jesus’ return is to truly examine where we’ve put our faith. If our faith and trust are in Jesus, we have nothing to fear because the end of this world means the start of forever with Him! 

But if we’re looking to anyone or anything else for our peace, security, or hope, we’re investing our lives in the wrong places. That’s the reason this word was sweet in John’s mouth and sour in his stomach. For the believer, God’s word brings encouragement. But for the non-believer, God’s word is a promise of judgment that’s coming.

Reflect:

• If Jesus came back today, do you know that you would go to heaven? Why or why not?
• Do you tend to crave details or go with the flow? How do you balance trusting God with the need to know everything?
• Does it give you peace to know that God understands and sees more than we do? Why or why not?