How can Revelation 11:14 inspire believers to remain vigilant in their faith? Revelation 11:14—“The second woe has passed. Behold, the third woe is coming quickly.” God’s clock keeps perfect time, and He lets us hear it tick. The drumbeat of prophecy is not background music; it is the countdown that keeps believers alert. The Second Woe Passed, the Third on the Horizon • God records real, sequential judgments—first woe, second woe, soon the third. • Each fulfilled warning proves the next one will arrive. • Faith is reinforced when we see that every previous line of prophecy has landed exactly where God said it would. Urgency: “Coming Quickly” Pushes Us to Stay Awake • Revelation 16:15 echoes the thought: “Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him.” • Matthew 24:42: “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come.” • 1 Thessalonians 5:2-6 reminds us that the Day of the Lord “will come like a thief in the night… so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us remain awake and sober.” Practical Ways Revelation 11:14 Fuels Vigilance 1. Guard doctrine – Revelation 3:2-3 calls believers to “strengthen what remains… If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief.” – Hold tightly to biblical truth; error dulls the senses. 2. Pursue holiness – 2 Peter 3:10-11: since the “heavens will disappear with a roar,” “what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives.” 3. Persevere in witness – The entire chapter showcases two faithful witnesses who speak fearlessly until their mission is complete. – Our commission stands until Jesus Himself ends history. 4. Invest in eternity – Hebrews 10:35-36: “Do not throw away your confidence; it holds a great reward… you need perseverance.” – Time, talent, treasure—aim them where moth and rust cannot destroy. 5. Cultivate daily expectancy – Begin each morning: “Maybe today.” End each night: “If not today, perhaps tonight.” – Expectation sharpens choices, conversations, entertainment, even spending. Encouragement Amid Sobering News • God’s sovereignty anchors hope. If He manages cosmic judgments with precision, He certainly manages our individual lives. • Psalm 121:3-4: “He who watches over you will not slumber.” His vigilance inspires ours. • The same Lord who measures out woes also secures an incorruptible inheritance for His people (1 Peter 1:4-5). Living Between the Woes • We stand in a real interval—past mercies behind us, foretold judgments ahead. • Revelation 11:14 sounds the alarm, but it also lights the path: stay spiritually awake, keep your testimony bright, and walk in confident obedience. The next tick of God’s clock could launch eternity’s dawn. |
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