The writer understands the reality that sacrifice offered by
a righteous person, not a perfect person, but one who is pursuing righteousness
and is therefore more attuned to sin and grace, is a proper sacrifice. Often we see the prophets upbraiding Israel
for their manifold sacrifices in times of prosperity, they can afford to sin
because they can afford to pay the price of the sacrifice. The pursuit of righteousness is job 1 in the
life of God's people. That pursuit makes
us more keenly aware of sin, that which needs to change and separates us from
God. Knowing good, or, more properly,
the good, requires us to identify that which is not good. The first time God says something is not good
is when there is no balance, there is no mate for Adam and everything else in
creation has a mate. The sun has the
moon, the earth has the sky, dry land has sea, and the animals have their
mates. By contrast, Adam is alone. The pursuit of righteousness reveals more
acutely that which is not righteous and then we can make a proper sacrifice of
a broken spirit and a contrite heart.
Seek the kingdom with everything you have and all that you
are because, ultimately, nothing else matters.
Everything on earth will pass away eventually, no one disputes
that. The only question we have is
when. Jesus says that there is something
which never passes away so we should seek that.
Our hearts and treasures are in the same place. What we value is revealed by how we spend our
time and energy far more than by what we say.
If I value time with the Lord my life will reveal that to be true. I will change whatever is necessary to make
that happen. Jesus says there is a
reward for being prepared always and a price to be paid for sloth in our lives concerning
the kingdom. We have been given work to
do, proclaiming the kingdom and making disciples. Where does your life reveal that is a
priority?
The two beasts work in tandem with one another. If we go back three chapters we find the
seventh angel standing with one foot on earth and one on the sea. John is given the little scroll and commanded
to eat it and then prophesy. Standing
astride the earth and sea is a sign of dominion and the angel then proclaims
God's dominion over all things, including the earth and sea. Now, two beasts emerge from the earth and the
sea to assert themselves and to take dominion over all things. The final scene here is the mark of the beast
necessary to buy and sell. There is a
choice between life and death and on whose terms, submission to God or
submission to the beast. It is all about
treasure and pursuit.
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