S) "6 And I heard something like a voice in the center of the four living creatures saying, 'A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not damage the oil and the wine.'"
Revelation 6:6 (NASB)
O) This chapter shows us the first seals being broken (that is, opened) by the Lamb. The first significance there, is to remember that these judgments are brought about by the sovereignty of the Lord. But, as it goes through them, we see imagery common to judgments given in the Old Testament. In fact, having just recently read through Ezekiel 14, reading about the sword, famine, wild beasts, and plague being used as judgment is not at all unfamiliar. Because this is apocalyptic, prophetic writing, it is hard to know how literally to take some of the details. If the examples given in this verse are literal commodities and literal costs, then it seems strange a famine would touch only the most common crops, and not something so delicate as oil and wine, which grows on vines and aren't exactly known for being easy to grow and harvest; they aren't exactly hearty crops. However, the fact that they do grow on vines brings up an interesting thought. If these details are meant more symbolically, then the first thing that comes to mind about oil and wine, both olives and grapes growing on vines, is that Jesus told us He is the vine and we are the branches. If this is not so literal, but indeed a famine was to come, then it's possible the famine would not damage (i.e., harm) the Christian. The timing of when these opening chapters of Revelation will happen, is a bit controversial. Some consider that they are still to come, while some consider that they apply to the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD (understanding, then, that the book was written around 66 AD, as opposed to around 85 or 90 AD). In either case, what becomes especially clear with this rider, and this judgment, is that God's control over such judgments is meticulous. He will judge exactly as He desires. If that means this famine only touches certain types of crops, that is within His power. If this famine only touches certain people, that is also within His power.
A) Like a lot of the book of Revelation, this passage is, more than anything, encouraging me about God's sovereignty. There is nothing that escapes His attention and, even more importantly, there is so much that He is directly involved in doing. Some of it will simply be beyond my understanding, beyond my comprehension, beyond the scope of my ability to observe. Some of it, He may actually reveal to me, whether in advance or after the fact. God has graciously moved in my life, prevailed, sustained, preserved me in various ways. I look back on my life and I see the way He kept me in my childhood, the way He preserved me through my teenage years. Even as I neglected Him in the early years of my adulthood, He was faithful with the wife I have, He was faithful with our first child. In His powerful grace, He drew me back to Himself, and my wife to Him in the first. His hand over us in those early years of seeking Him, the evidence of His finger directing us when we first learned to trust Him, serve Him, walk in faith and obedience. The freedom He brought to dark places, the healing He brought to brokenness. Then, even His hand of discipline upon me throughout this history, makes it clear He has purposes in what He allows me to face, to go through, to test me. Even the way He prepared me to face difficult times ahead of myself, reveals His sovereignty to accomplish His purposes. When it all is put together, I trust that He is going to allow into my life, exactly what testing, discipline, and blessing circumstances will serve His purposes. I trust that what He has in place for my life will be for my good, so long as I am seeking Him first, humbling myself before His throne, asking for His direction, and committed to obedience. I have nothing to fear, when I know that I am in God's will.
P) Father, the mysteries of Your ways are deep. I will never know all that You know. It is not for me to have all the knowledge You have. Your grace is sufficient for me, Your servant. It is enough to know that You know. It is enough to know that You are sovereign over Your creation, and that what You allow to happen doesn't happen without Your knowledge and permission. I know that times of testing will come to me, but I trust that as I seek You first, I will pass the test. I trust that if You want me to face circumstances, to overcome trials, that it will be for Your glory and my good. I don't know if a great, worldwide famine is supposed to come in the future, only affecting certain crops - You know. I don't know if this passage describes the time when You preserved Your church out of great tribulation, persecution, and destruction - You know. However, I do know that nothing will come against me that will surprise You. I do know that nothing will happen to me beyond Your permitting it to happen. Because of that, I trust in Your will over my life, and Your plan for my obedience. Help me to respond in a way that honors Your name and glorifies Jesus Christ. Let Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.
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