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November 25 Daily Devotional

(Monthly Theme: Christ's Full Victory)

They Don't Bow Before the Beast

Rev. Andrew Kuyvenhoven

"These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among the human race and offered as first-fruits to God and the Lamb." —Revelation 14:4

Bible Reading

REVELATION 14:1-5

Devotional

You would not think anyone could escape the rule of the beast and the cunning propaganda of the false prophet (Rev. 13). So it's comforting to view the vision of the redeemed on Mount Zion. The number 144,000 is mentioned again (see 7:4) so that we may realize anew that it is God who elects and protects and sanctifies.

At one time the prophet Elijah thought that no one had escaped the tyranny of Ahab and the false religion of Jezebel. "I am the only one left," he complained. But the God who elects and protects and sanctifies said to his prophet: "I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal" (1 Kings 19:18).

The church that escapes has been "redeemed from the earth"; that is, they have been bought by the blood of the Lamb. They are "virgins" or chaste; that is, single or married, they are single-mindedly faithful to their Husband, who is their Lord. They never consider God's commandments outdated by the theories of the false prophet.

They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have not created a Jesus after their own tastes—that innocent kind of false hero who never hurts anybody—but have obeyed the Christ of the Scriptures who gives his followers a cross to bear.

"No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless." Of course they were sinners; otherwise they would not need the blood of the Lamb. But they were not hypocrites. They rejected outright the lie of their times, which was proclaimed as truth and honesty by the false prophet. They abided in the truth of Jesus.

It's almost unbelievable that such people can survive to the end. But it proves that neither the dragon nor the beast, neither today nor tomorrow—in fact, nothing at all—can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

REFLECTIONS

Why do you follow the Lamb?


Andrew Kuyvenhoven's Daylight, a modern devotional classic, was originally published by Paideia Press in 1977. This updated edition is copyright 2009 by Faith Alive Christian Resources. You can order a copy of this revised version of the book directly from the publisher.

A man of many accomplishments, Andrew Kuyvenhoven is probably best known for his contributions to Today (formerly The Family Altar), a widely-used monthly devotional booklet associated with the Back to God Hour. Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations for this updated edition of Daylight are from the Holy Bible: Today's New International Version copyright 2001, 2005 by the International Bible Society.

 

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