The book ends dramatically. Half of it seems fulfilled and the other half, daunting.

“On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. The LORD will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one LORD, and His name the only name.” ‭(14:8-9‬)

The LORD Himself will get the job done. Even though parts of this sound intense (like parents stabbing their own children for being false prophets), I have to cling to the goodness of God I know to be true. He always saves those tender toward Him, but in these chapters He sounds like a momma bear who has had enough. 

Yesterday I saw news of a second animal attack against ISIS. The first story I saw was about a lion attack and this other one was a wild boar. You can check it out if you want. Now, I don’t know what this means and I don’t need to over spiritualize, but I think sometimes God puts His foot down and in chapter 14, both His feet are down.

We see this river coming out of Jerusalem and its living. It brings life. Revelation 22:2 says that the trees along it have leaves which heal the nations. Maybe that river will one day literally exist. Maybe, in the meantime, it’s God’s work through us. He uses us to heal, restore, revitalize. Uses us! That’s also crazy.

No one knows when all this will happen, and that’s fine, none of the dramatic end is our job. We just need to live in light of it. Am I going to prepare by snuggling my idols before they go? Will I huff and puff as if I’m the only one bothered by injustice? Hopefully not.

God is good. He is the source of all that is good. He’s going to get the glory He deserves. That’s good news.

-Bethany