Rev. 14:10 WARDEN'S WRATH

"If any man worship the beast...the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God...and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone" (Rev. 14:10)

The doctrine of hell I hated most was the part about how it burned with fire and brimstone forever. I wanted to erase that from the Bible, somehow do away with it. But I realized something else. I THOUGHT that was the worst, but it's not.

This is a scenario that came to mind:

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A criminal, hearing the reading of the heaviest sentence possible for his crime, hates the court judge.

But then he learns that the prison he is being sent to has as its warden the father of one of the victims he mercilessly humiliated, tortured, then murdered. The icy stare coming from that warden tells the criminal it will not bode well with him; the "heavy sentence" is a small worry in comparison.

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Fire and Brimstone might be the legal sentence of sin, granted. But that's not the full picture. Rev. 14:10 tells me a Father's Wrath is going to be poured out. 

Some people think Satan is Master of Hell because he was handed the Key to the Bottomless Pit (Rev. 9:1). Jailers usually are handed keys to the areas they're responsible for. After all, he is going to be bound there (Rev. 20:1-3; a little preview!) But it's My Father Who destined Lucifer and his demon followers for the Lake of Fire when they were ousted from Heaven, Who handed him that key.

So...yes, my Father is the Warden, if you want to put it that way. Fire and brimstone don't sound nice either, but I sure wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of His Cup of Wrath.

Rev. 14:9 ONLY AS MUCH AS I EXPECT

 "saying with a loud voice" (Rev. 14:9)

I can't remember who exactly, but it was a Japanese who said you can't find a bad person who:

1. children like, and
2. speaks loud

Apparently, most children shy away from bad folks; and since those who are trying to deceive you often are doing underhanded, shady things and do not want to be caught (notice the modifiers being used?), the "bad guy" that speaks slowly, clearly, and with a loud voice is the exception, I hear. Hm; that does make sense.

And I do thank God for how He deals in the light with us. Even when it feels like something's not right -- altho' He hasn't given clear specific direction, in this sense, He has spoken to us "with a loud voice".

You know, the adage: "When in doubt, don't." But, diametrically opposed:

God can speak in a still, small voice, can't He? If we're walking intimately with Him, can't He develop our sensors such they register the slightest nudges of the Holy Spirit as seismic earthquakes?

I remember watching visitors to the park and seeing many humans look straight into the creek, not see the carp, and walk on. They didn't expect them to be there.

It's the same with children of God. When they expect to hear God's voice, they can hear Him; but most of the time, they'll just walk on.

It doesn't matter how loud and full of grace God's voice is, if my heart hasn't repented and ear isn't expecting to listen to Him; sigh; I won't be able to hear Him; and He'll just wait until I'm ready.

I know this isn't the most upbeat post, but that's the way our God is: sticking with us through the best and worst, yes? That's what makes our salvation priceless tho', isn't it?

Rev. 14:9 SHE LOVED THAT READING

"And the third angel followed them," (Rev. 14:9)

This has nothing to do with John's original message in Revelation, just the words in the verse... It's just that when I saw "THIRD ANGEL," I couldn't help but think about the 3rd "J" of the Oshiro girls. No, she is not an angel -- she herself would not claim to be one either -- but I do so thank God for the two sisters He has given me.

And during family devotions...I must take a detour here.

Some may think it only natural that we would have regular worship time. After all, being a missionary family, we were in full-time service, and that is to be expected of people that love God, right? Well...

How we struggled. When we were little, it was easier. But when we got into junior-senior high, everybody was always moving at different speeds and had different places to go. It was so hard to get all five of us together in one place to stop and read the Bible and pray.

But I really think it's true: THE FAMILY THAT PRAYS TOGETHER STAYS TOGETHER. I think with clashing of imperfect personalities, sinful created beings, some who have terrible communication skills, there are bound to be problems unsolvable by talk alone! But when family members know they all love the same Lord Jesus -- they have family worship together so know -- that pulls them through SO MUCH!

At any rate, we tried this and that, all sorts of things, to make it work. And I can say especially as teenagers, it was so important to see our parents' faith was real to them; it wasn't just the work they did. I know personal, vital relationship with the God of the Universe is one of the RICHEST things my parents have given me, and I think much of it was passed on during the sharing sessions we had in family devotions.

To parents EVERYWHERE: as patch-patch as your family devotions may be, or as terrible as your communication skills may be, or as it may feel like you don't know what you're doing as you hop around trying one approach and then another : KEEP TRYING! EVEN IF YOU MANAGE ONLY A DOZEN TIMES BEFORE THEY LEAVE HOME -- IT IS SO WORTH IT! GOD CAN WORK MIGHTILY WITH THAT DOZEN TIMES! PRAY HARD, AND HE WILL! (Oh yes. And do pray for your missionary families, that the parents will not be discouraged from bringing up their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord, even when it's hard to have family worship during teen years!)

I was distracted again. In our family devotions, One part was scripture recitation where my mom would type out long scripture passages onto booklets, having different readers assigned different parts.  Sometimes we read in unison, and other times we divided up individually. It was handy that there were 3 sisters in the family, because whenever scripture mentioned 3 different things, my mom had individual names typed to read those lines.

I Cor. 13, for example. When we got to "And now abideth," the whole family recited it in unison. But after that, we divided up individually. Joyce (the 1st angel?) read "faith," I (the 2nd angel?) read "hope," and my sister Janice (the third angel?), read "love." My parents would say, "these three," and we'd all say in unison, "BUT THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE."

Janice was all smiles. She just loved that I Cor. 13 reading!

Rev.14:8 MY VIEW of the WORLD, or GOD'S VIEW of ME？

"Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city" (Rev. 14:8)

If you are like me, powerful people with their own garrison of bodyguards make you feel a bit unnerved; folks in designer apparel and accessories make you question your present income; evangelists boasting exceptional ministries start make you wonder your worth.

Funny thing is, altho' the natural heart's reaction is to be on top, we know you can never stay there. As ancient Babylon's mighty King Nebuchadnezzar was humbled to live like a  a cow for 7 years, we need to keep in mind too, that ultimately, it is what the God in Heaven thinks that is important. Really.

I like to go back and check my blog posts: whether the book of the Oshiro family history is doing well; how my Japanese testimony/autobiography is being received; whether Christians enjoy my journal notes to Revelation memory work; or lighter fictional works are more popular; and of course, if regular blogs are maintaining readership.

It's going to DISINTEGRATE!

June, you can't do that, I heard a voice whisper. "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his wisdom, let not the rich man glory in his riches, But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth ME" (Jer. 9:23,24) Don't we know that anything else -- viewing success in any other way -- results in FALLing?

Yeah; like that grasshopper that got carried away jumping too far and found himself plopping into the water.

Rev. 14:8 MAN, MESSAGE...MANNER?

"And there followed another angel, saying," (Rev. 14:8)

I suppose two thoughts hit me right away: 

1. Scriptures refer to men sent to perform tasks for God as "angels," so undershepherds of the flock -- pastors -- can be "angels", since they are doing the work of God.
2. Paul said, "Yea, tho' we, or an angel from heaven speak unto you any other Gospel than that we have preached...let him be accursed." The angel's message itself was important.

Yes, God does want us to be humble enough to be willing to accept direction from the person -- a spiritual leader, Church, or whatever "angel" God sends us. And the actual of content His message may be right as well. But how we choose to respond, our ATTITUDE in the whole thing, may make a big difference how it affects us.

Extra Thought: Altho' the teaching of the Church as Community may have its strong points, sometimes I do wonder if this hasn't been overemphasized. Pastors and church leaders probably see the alarming tendency of laity today is to sit in pews several hours a week and most no longer grapple with things of God themselves but often park their souls along with the car and are content to let 5% of the congregation do the work of the church. Individuals are after all, "only members" of the Body of Christ.

Not only do we sheep need the mindset "MY FLOCK" to get in and do what we can; but also need to think "MY SHEPHERD" to pray and support and fend off attacks of evil. And not just Sun AM and Wed PM, but throughout the week. The enemy is at work all week long! (Even people like me who cannot make it out to church for physical reasons need to do as much as we can from home--if we pray for God to show us how, He will!)

I've mentioned the below rotten attitude and wake-up call God used to let me see how much it had been there; may I share it again in a little more detail?

I remember walking to a nearby park in Iwatsuki, past a cult building, and I, in my spiritual pride, looked down on cults, of course ("Those poor deceived/misled souls!") each time I passed their gates, not praying for them or thinking of them as lost folk Jesus had died for, much less as potential friends with names, interests, ages, lives, real personalities! Love them? If you'd have asked me, I would've said I did and I thought I did, but I really didn't.

It's a long story about my chance meeting with a Jehovah's Witness at the park, and how we happened to be viewing the same juvenile mallard on the pond and formed a fast friendship. In just a few meetings, we had discussed much about not only wildlife, but also about life, philosophy, then curiously about religion...

And when we were talking about communicating with the animals and I mentioned about how I actually believed my God was sending His Son back someday to set up His Kingdom, and all the cruelty and injustices we see on earth would be righted then...I was sure she would smile and tell me she wished that too but of course no one could really know--as most natural men today would say. But she looked at me almost with a blank stare and said she believed the same thing and couldn't believe I did too! (Of course, I was thinking of the millenium, while she was thinking "Kingdom Hall".) VERY DIFFERENT! I

To make another long story short, we tried to keep everything aboveboard and not hide what we believed. But as a result, her elders instructed her, she told me, to end any interaction we had.

Today, I can write about this pretty unfeelingly, but at that time it was rather traumatic, as Ryoko and I had become very good friends at the park before realizing anything about each other's faith. I believe God showed me very clearly how I needed to love the Jehovah's Witness as a person, not just see him as a person practicing wrong doctrine. For a good while after that, I almost "mourned" the loss of my friend, walking down south along the river near our home that led to the Jehovah's Witness "Kingdom Hall" and prayed hard against it.

No, it was not specifically for my situation, but about the grip of Satan over that cult in Japan as a whole--they are rather strong. And I knew I was no longer simply praying "while looking down my nose at them". It was more of a sincere:

"Oh God, the enemy has this group blinded and enslaved in their lives in so many ways. They think they are good, earnest people seeking to live right, but they are going to die and go to hell if left like this! Please help!"

                            

Yes, my perspective of the cultist had changed. I cannot love the falsehood the person carries, but I must love the one who is deceived by that falsehood.

In almost the exact opposite way, I feel the Apostle Paul pointed his finger at me and said, "YOU may not claim to love the truth and not love the One Who is truth eternal."

(And the below is in the white area in my Bible):

"If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha." (I Cor. 7:22)

"Some might wonder if Christians can go to an assembly called "church," call themselves followers of Christ and his disciples yet not have love for Him in their hearts. It is possible! Mechanical adherence to tradition, regulation, precedence, at times sadly covers up other greater crimes of heart-hatred for God and His law ("workers of iniquity or lawlessness") can coexist with appearance of piety!

BECAUSE: Christ is the only reason for the rest of any Christian life, of suffering, service, sacrifice, brotherhood, understanding...

Altho' some may proclaim the virtues of a moralistic religious life in the church, claiming Christendom, the apostle Paul says that without the love towards Christ, 1) it is not only meaningless, 2) it is blasphemous, and 3) he declares anathema over it. Today he would be called hateful, judgmental, unloving, extreme, stiff, "not nice".

*Again - I AM NOT saying I am INTERPRETING Rev. 14:8; NOT AT ALL! I Am NOT Implying that this angel carried falsehood! By no means! These are just the thoughts the words brought to me!

(Sorry if today's post wasn't exactly compact; I just shared....and today's was about the Holy Spirit's showing me about a stinking attitude I didn't know I needed to get rid of.)

Rev. 14:7 POTTY TRAINING, DRIVING PRACTICE

"and worship him" (Rev. 14:7)

It occurred to me THAT is the most important thing. I may have the largest church or ministry in the world and reached millions for Christ; have travelled to over a dozen countries to speak to many organizations' leaders and enacted good change to make a difference in trillions of lives.

But when I turn my face Heavenward toward the God Who rules the heavens and names the stars that habitate them...aren't one trillion only a microscopic fraction of all the existing orbs of space multiplied by the eons they have existed? That Mighty God asks me one question: SO, DO YOU WORSHIP ME?

Do I realize that everything that happens in my life happens because my heavenly Father is interested in developing my WORSHIP? I know as a human parent, I was concerned about my child's development; God is no less of a parent!

Potty-training is about the first "Developmental Training" any parent would give, no matter how uncomfortable the child finds it to be (and for the parent, this may be a matter of self-defense!) The child of God may learn to turn to Heaven regularly and pour his heart out to his Father (Ps.62:8). The soul that does this has less need to spill ugliness everywhere he goes. Some people do not like David's imprecatory psalms where he seems to express anger towards his enemies. But he knew it was far better to let God know about what was festering in his heart--a righteous God would know how to handle it than to try to hold onto it himself then unleash venom onto others.

Okay, now that I've been Potty-Trained, and God knows how sincerely I love Him, that's all the training I can expect in life, right? No? Development of patience, humility, prayer, trust, soulwinning, wisdom...it doesn't stop with just potty training!

Wait a minute. Wow; you were reading a verse in Revelation dealing with the worship of Jesus Christ, and now you're thinking about Potty Training? June; only you could do something like that.

"that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Rev. 14:7)

It all goes back here. And didn't that little girl settle back in her place with the knowledge; "God is in His Heaven, and all's right with the world"? It is when we take God off His throne and put ourselves on it that things get screwy.

This world looks like the mess it is because we think we're so smart and can handle it all ourselves now. Oh, sure the unsaved mind has been doing that a while; that is rather to be expected. That is like saying, "Man is breathing now; what do you think of that?!" No; I am referring to us crazy Christians who should know better!

As Joni Eareckson Tada said, there are too many of us -- I'm putting myself in here -- that say, Okay, I've figured out this "life" thing and pretty much know how people ought to walk. Here is the Bible, and I know where to look for the help I need. I think I've got this prayer thing figured out now (I have heard about it over 60 years, after all). There seems to be plenty of human help around me, in person, books, media, positively and sometimes actually a confusing influence. Now, as Joni put it (finally), "let me out the door on cruise control!" No, she says; if you live like that, the Bible sez God is AGAINST you!

The God Who made all things must be at the helm of my life, or all is not right with the world! And if God allows things to crumble to let us see they are not, that is His mercy to let us see we are going in the wrong direction, not something He is doing to be a Big, Mean Bully!

Lord, the forces of darkness would have your children doubt your goodness whenever anything bad happens. Let us always see things are OK if Our Heavenly Daddy is at the steering wheel, not one of the kids. And One Eternal Day, we can know He will have us in that Land where there are no bumps, potholes, broken bridges, or cross drivers!

Until then, let every unbearable headache simply remind us to scoot over and let you take the steering wheel -- we've been at it a little too long!

Rev. 14:6 NONE OTHER LIKE HIM

"and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people," (Rev. 14:6) 

Where did I read that? There was a Christian who set out following the goal of doing as much good for as many for as long as he could in as many ways as he possibly could -- isn't this rather an echo of the way God feels towards man?

He goes wherever necessary (to every nation) - Kinda the opposite of man, who wants to sit in his comfort zones. God is Love, which says I MUST REACH OUT past boundaries. No one would accuse as sinful doing less than that, the philanthropist's donation is an act of grace, and his lack of donation would not be called that: a lack.

He treats the creature as He would respect Himself (kindred) - Even humans know how to treat flesh and blood, kinfolk, differently than other strangers. We give them a different kind of care, for the very reason they're related. Somehow that merits distinctive treatment. Doesn't God see every person too what he could be as a child -- yes, even before he has turned to Him? Scripture says "while we were yet enemies, we were reconciled (Rom. 5:10), and God could see us as His own if we would but turn to Him. Oh, that we all would!

He'll use whatever means necessary (tongue) - Humans would do only the easier thing. Before, perhaps it had to do with the inkwell. Then it had to do with not wanting to use cursive to write because it took too much time. Then the manual typewriter was way too much work: use electrical. And instead of letter-writing, which had gotten much faster with pony express, then ocean liners and air mail. Then people said they couldn't be bothered to sit down to write letters; they'd just phone. Along came word processing, digital data, e-mail. But then it's changed to cellphone and one-liner chat message texting. Then there's a whole generation of people that do not know how to communicate via writing so do everything via ZOOM and online video.

We can go down rabbit trails of how this has led to depersonalization, scamming, cruel cyberbullying. There are vestiges, even online, of God's "tongues" heart: people are doing what they can to learn languages to reach out to other foreign cultures and lands they do not know -- you can do this via computer in ways that could not be done before! "For God so loved that he gave" is true in so many languages of the world. It is true today.

He makes no distinction according to race, background, social status, etc... (people) - Altho' the small human mind naturally puts things into sets so finds itself doing so with people too; and by itself, this may not be wrong if it were just done objectively; the problem comes when we find ourselves saying some groups are valued above others, and worse; deciding some groups are treated unworthy, period - "good" people like me (!) claim not to do this, not realizing we look down our noses at those who look down their noses at others!

ONLY THE SON OF MAN IS 100% PURELY NON-PREJUDICE, and it is because He is the One Who made all creatures He can be this way. No one else can say that. Jesus is the only one who couldn't get any better -- really!

When He looked at and sought the well-being of any people, profession, physical condition, life situation, age trial...He could do so completely free of any self-seeking. No one else on earth in history can say that!

"every nation, kindred, tongue, people"...hallelujah, what a Savior!

Rev. 14:6 JUST CAN'T STAY STILL

"to preach unto them that dwell on the earth," (Rev. 14:6)

For as long as I can remember, I have felt the urge to do what you would call "preach". No, not the get-behind-the-pulpit "preach" but proclaim God's truth  "preach". It’s an almost irrepressible longing, an I-have-to-tell. It's almost like there's a spring set at the jaws making my mouth open, and the heart burns, until it is released.

"Then I said, I will not make mention of him, nor speak any more in his name, But his word was in mine heart like a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I was weary with forbearing, and I could not stay." (Jer. 20:9)

And there were so many verses, well-known Psalms. "Let the redeemed of the LORD say so...Oh, that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!...Let the words of my mouth, and the medication of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength; and my redeemer." (Ps. 107:2,8; 19:14 then 19:1-3 speaking of how nature declares the glory of God, using words like "show, utter, speech, knowledge, language, voice." Nature's Sermons?)

I've heard wartime stories of people who wanted to serve their country but were turned away for one reason or another (age, sex, health, etc.). But they found some way, even if they weren't accepted by the military's regular branches, to get out to the fray! They contributed specialized abilities: medicine, marksmanship, linguistics, wherever they saw a way to meet needs.

photograph: US Air Force Fighter Jet

But it is a certainty: eagerness to serve wherever and whenever needed must have pleased Uncle Sam as the war progressed.

I've heard of Christians who want to serve God but for one reason or another are held back (age, sex, health, etc.). Yet they find some way to propagate the Gospel, even if it's not via overseas missions agencies or local church branches. Some simply use personal abilities any way they can.

photo: traumatized Quasi and shrunken-shell Bilbo ready to plunge into pond

If there is an enthusiast who has an insatiable desire to "preach" whatever the need may be, would I be wrong in hoping the Father would be glad?

Rev. 14:5 WHAT DOES CHRIST SEE, THINK, AND FEEL？

" they are without fault before the throne of God" (Rev. 14:5)

I need to be careful how this is stated, yet I know fully what I mean, and I think it needs to be said. There is a concept being spread around out there that goes something like: When people get married, if one of them is an unbeliever, there is scriptural provision for separation, but if two Christians get married, they can't get divorced, period, that would be sin.

I know I have looked up at the Lord and told Him I was HIS completely. I believe scripture says God answers such heart-cry, "I have betrothed thee to Me forever." Something tells me GOD's eternal love bond, forged by God between Himself and one of his own, can never be broken, not by cruelty, not by infidelity, not by man-made pressuring of relationships, not by divorce. 

Fellowship is first between ME and MY GOD. I believe God sees the individual's heart and longs for this. Now let's say another person has the same arrangement with his Heavenly Father. One day, God causes the two of us to meet and marry, becoming ONE. By human regulation, we must stay together as long as contracted. But since each of us have ETERNAL bonding with a Heavenly Father, we are FOREVER ONE as well -- and when we were BROUGHT TOGETHER, our Heavenly Father commenced a marital unit to love and serve Him together.

(Pic at left of Daddy and Mommy at Harajuku train station, where they met serving as single missionaries.)

BECAUSE WE ARE MARRIED IN HIM,  it can be said we "have to stay married", but the argument is never "Christians stay married to each other"; but "They stay One In CHRIST". It might sound the same but is actually different, and when that is understood, variables become easier to see.

Anything else MUST start from there: how it affects CHRIST.

It's a little like getting a handle on the book of Revelation, isn't it? Christ has to be kept the focal point, or everything can get pretty chaotic-scary. We just need to focus on the Lamb and pray God will show us one step at a time what He wants us to see. 

Rev. 14:4 WHY "DEFILE"

"These are they which were not defiled with women; for they were virgins." (Rev. 14:4)

This passage bothered me no end. I've heard it taught by really smart Bible Teachers in several different ways, and I think my brain's not fast enough to understand the explanations. Please don't accuse me of being insubordinate or rebellious; I'm not intentionally disagreeing or trying to be contrary. I'm just one of those silly old women who wants to know what the Bible says; honestly doesn't get it. Anyway, here are some thoughts...

"Defiled." It feels like the verse says women are like bacteria, like men having wives are exposed to COOTIES. People are not "blessed" with females or "endowed" with their addition, but rather, the word "defiled" is used.

(This photo was taken at our honeymoon site!)

I checked other translations: ESV, NKJV, NIV, NASV...and they all say "defiled". Even the 新改訳 says「汚された」。Why?

Would God, the Author of scripture and Creator of humanity, view the physical union between man and wife as a defiling mechanism? I'm sure He doesn't! Then why is this word used? I could not really enjoy intimate time with my husband without getting a handle on this. It made me feel scripture itself was saying I was participating in 汚れるing my husband! God, please help!

I kid you not, it took maybe several SECONDS, and GOD answered almost audibly: "Right. Try to get something as humanly dirty as you can, and see if I can't make it PURER than SNOW, make it PRECIOUS! "

I FORGOT it was God Who permitted sufferings of injustice, torture, shaming at the Cross, to transform them into joys of Redemption of the World. He is the Creator that chooses an insignificant grain of sand and coats it to form a priceless pearl; He is the Master Designer Who causes moisture to crystallize around a dirty speck of dust to form the exquisite snowflake.

The Holy Spirit showed me something else. Would the wife hesitate to do something to "defile" her husband? Actually, God can cause anything to empower and glorify Himself; to further His purposes as well. Cannot the WOMAN'S WORDS/ACTIONS be used to tear down, belittle, discourage OR to build up and encourage; to be the helpmeet God intended? Wives can have a humongous impact on their partners.

Women may have such a strong influence on men, in fact, that the servant of God, when walking with a wife, finds His virgin fire to serve God cannot be rightly described as something solely between himself and God anymore, but it involves his partner too, and as long as they are both seeking to live for God are one in God's eyes. I believe He smiles on this.

When God took Eve out of Adam, let us make no mistake about it: He Himself brought woman to man (Gen.2:22). He declared it was good that man no longer be alone. My God doeth all things well. I've heard woman is "dust twice refined" (God formed Adam from the dust of the ground, so it was refined once; He then took Adam and refined it again, forming Eve!)

But when the "other half", who is supposed to be a helpmeet--even if she is born again--scolds/belittles; stokes fuels of ambition; aggravates hostilities; adds to lust and problems...can it not be said the Christian has lost the God-and-me innocence he once had, that it has now been "defiled"? 

Maybe another way of looking at that verse would be to read it thusly: "These are they who would not be turned away from God by women because they depend too much on them for self-image, zeal, and outlook."

Like I keep saying, I'm NOT claiming to teach these as actual interpretations of the passages; these are just thoughts derived from the verses! For example, today's would be more or less along the lines of: women, let's pray for and keep supporting men of God positively, so we'd never earn the label "defilers"! 

Rev. 14:3 UNTIL IT'S A NEW SONG

"And they sang, as it were, a new song before the throne," (Rev. 14:3)

Just do the next thing, seems to be the instruction at every turn. It's not really New Age, New Thought, New -ism anything, (a lot of stuff was written here about what I'd finished and found myself "just doing next"). Just line upon line, precept upon precept. Mundane obedience. Do the thing that's supposed to get done, even if nobody notices or cares or seems to really need you to do it.

...digitalized (blogged) memories of "June Oshiro Saito" were written about in Japanese thru' the early Koriyama years...I'm thinking if I start writing in detail about those days, I'll recall how busy I was kept with community activity doing はんstuff (not just neighborhood teas and talks but also funerals, banana-peels for early Sunday AM school festival responsibilities, early Sunday AM neighborhood cleaning before church, ほうか後committee activities, including doing patrol car backseat announcements for safety week, dividing up parents for school grounds clean-up, talking with other mothers at restaurants, going to school for meetings.

People don't realize how stressed out I felt at every single encounter. I think they figure it's perfectly fine for me because I understand both languages, but I feel so lacking and nervous the entire time--ONLY GOD REALLY KNOWS IT FEELS LIKE I'M HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN ALTHO' I MAKE MYSELF WEAR A SMILE THE WHOLE TIME. Personality too, probably. I'm not a people person to begin with, so even if it were English, I'd feel uncomfortable. Anyway -

I do this at church too. I can't wait for Heaven when I can really "let down my hair" and relax, be myself, and smile from the inside completely. The memory work today says we'll be singing a new song. I wonder what that will be like. Even so come, Lord Jesus!

"no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand who were redeemed" (Rev. 14:3)

Heaven does not define the most "gifted voice" or "musical mind" the same way Talent Competitions do. Million-dollar winners and gold-buzzer recipients, if unregenerate, cannot "sing by heart" even the most basic gurgles of praise offered by babes in Christ.

Only the redeemed can sing, "HE HAS FULLY PARDONED ME; HALLELUJAH!"

Rev.14:2 MEPHIBOSHETH

"And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, like the voice of a great thunder, and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps." (Rev. 14:2)

Heaven. A lot of people picture it with people sitting around playing harps for eternity. Today's passage spoke of a voice of many waters and thunder, distancing it even more. I remember this story from the Old Testament and the unexpected perspective of Heaven it gave me.

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When news of King Saul's and his son Jonathan's being killed in battle reached the palace, Jonathan's little boy's nurse panicked and decided to run away with the baby. Why? Well, in those days, whenever a new king sat on the throne, all possible threats to the crown were eliminated.

  

Everyone knew David was the next king, meaning Jonathan's baby (and all other of King Saul's male heirs) would be executed. In her hurry, the nurse dropped the child before managing to smuggle him away. By the time David found Mephibosheth (Jonathon's son), he'd grown up crippled in both feet.

Mephibosheth expected to be killed when discovered but found himself invited to dine at the king's table--a result of a promise between David and Jonathon decades earlier. Then he was given property as well as assigned a servant to manage it. Mephibosheth couldn't believe the favor King David extended him; royalty usually despised the handicapped; he had in fact seen himself as a dead dog.

Years later, an uprising occurs, and the depth of Mephibosheth's gratitude fully shows itself. The king had been temporarily driven from the castle and was leaving the city when met by Mephibosheth’s servant, who slanders him, saying:

Behold, he abideth at Jerusalem; for he said, “Today shall the house of Israel restore to me the kingdom of my father.” (2 Sam. 16:3)

At this news, all property once given Mephibosheth is declared the servant's.

However, when the tide turns and the King is able to return to Jerusalem, he finds Mephibosheth at the outskirts of the city not having washed or changed since the day David fled the palace--he'd been heart-sick the king could get kicked out of his own home. Clearly such a man could not have been planning to take over of the country!

But it was Mephibosheth's words that got to me.

When David saw he had been wrong in believing the other servant's words so said they could divide the property in half, the natural human response would've been: “Only Half?”

After all, It had been ALL his before the FALSE accusation and David's WRONG judgment to take it away, right? But no. Mephibosheth said, “Oh, LET HIM KEEP IT ALL--THAT DOES NOT MATTER! I'M JUST GLAD YOU'RE BACK SAFE AND SOUND!” I think I wanted to cry when I read that.

“Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord. The king, is come again in peace unto his own house.” (2 Sam. 19:30)

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Recently, I was thinking about how Heaven isn't that real to a lot of people anymore. But even to Christians who find it real, in order to talk about it, we often speak of the following: our new, sinless hearts; the restored, unbroken world; how sin-suffering-parting-death will be no more; perfect love and light will be for eternity, etc...(I am starting to get giddy.)

But that's a bit like the “rightful property” Mephibosheth said he wasn't as interested in as the KING that came back to Jerusalem.

It hit me: would I be just as quick to find myself saying naturally; FORGET ALL THAT: I JUST WANT TO SEE JESUS! 

Fanny Crosby wrote a song that says, “Take the World, but Give Me Jesus”. I wonder if it should be retitled, “MEPHIBOSHETH 2”(I mean, I know technically, he didn't even know the Name of Jesus at the time, but...)

Rev. 14:1 FOCUS, PAUL; THEN JUST CORRESPOND!

"And I looked and, lo, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion" (Rev. 14:1)

O that every Christian would remember that the focal point of Revelation must be Jesus Christ the Lamb, not the prophecies, judgments, beast, tribulation, etc...; for which some avoid reading the book! In a similar way, people stay away from Christianity or church because of some judgmental hypocrites who've hurt them before and given them a bad time, etc..., not realizing Jesus Christ must be kept central, and Satan has succeeded in having men take their heart-eyes off that.

Jesus should be everyone's last hope. Instead, some minds have been conditioned, like Pavlov's dogs, to hear the Name of Jesus, and lose interest in things of God.

"and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's Name written in their foreheads." (Rev. 14:1)

These were Jews bearing the Name of Yahweh, gathering at last on Mount Zion, where David lifted his hands toward Heaven, and it had been foretold that the people of God would assemble before Him again. How thrilled the woman of Sychar would feel to see this, I thought: Jesus told her one day they would worship Him in spirit and in truth, and a multitude had come!

My sister's Jewish classmate at Oak Park High who sincerely sought the One True God would've been startled that 144,000 Jews could affirm the Redemption by Jesus Christ for the sin of the world. She married a man by the name of Jacob who trained to be a rabbi, not unlike a young religious genius and scribe by the name of Saul. However, after converting to Christianity, Saul found himself ousted by the group that once treated him as the rising hope.

But he didn't mope around waiting for God to vindicate him and write His Name on his forehead (which might've happened later), but just began writing, encouraging believers here; instructing others there; sending warnings to groups of disciples in a certain area. They found his epistles helpful and widely circulated them among themselves. By the time he died, Paul (his name had been changed) had written about half of the material of what we have as the New Testament today.

The focus of each of our lives today MUST be Jesus Christ. We can't sit around waiting for God to "write His Name on our foreheads"...I mean, we can't hope for vindication in any way, when we feel we have been offended, just need to get moving, as Paul did.

"Arise, and let us go from here." (Jn 14:31)

Jer. 29:11 NOT THAT KIND OF HOPE

The YouTube Speaker said misuse of Jer. 29:11 sometimes "gets to him", and I wanted to hear what he had to say. I knew God's purpose and plan was held out for the Christian...but what's wrong with that, I wondered.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD: thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer. 29:11)

We need to see when and to whom those words were spoken, it was explained. We went back with Jeremiah to chapter 29 verse 11. God was speaking to the Israelites, whom He had to reassure He would not forget, because He had just told them in verse 10 THEY WOULD BE GOING INTO CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS!

(Illustration: Old man showing grandchild Century Plant: its flowers bloom every 70 years!)

Jer. 29:11 was not meant to be a "bright, positive-minded" verse for a promising future! No--it was meant to give STEADFAST LOVE TO CLING TO THRU' FUTURE DARKNESS!

But that's not the way we usually hear it presented.

What kind of promise do I want to claim/share? Maybe I better think twice the next time I quote this passage.

As that pastor said, God does promise bright blessings for closer tomorrows...through other scripture; that's NOT what this one was intended to say.

Rev. 13:17-18 Behold the Human 666 vs. the MAN 777

"or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast; for it is the number of a man." (Rev. 13:17-18)

Seeing the beast, my eyes wide open. I suppose when one sees God in His Perfection, he can't help but be awed and ends up standing with his mouth open. But with the beast, well, the longer you look, the more you see HE IS HUMAN. He is 6, not 7.

"I am a worm, and no man." (Ps. 22:6)

This was the Savior's cry on the Cross.

A person can see himself to be more than he really is. (That was, after all, what got the enemy in hot water in the first place: he was the first archangel saying "I will be like the Most High!")

Or, a person can feel less than his potential, as most individuals in depression would feel. The negative thoughts of "I just can't do it" or "I'm no good" or "Things will never change"...Really?

Jesus knew, down to His bones, what that felt like, as He hung on the Cross, alone. He'd felt abandoned by the closest relationships, torn apart and reversed in situations, battered physically and mentally. He's been made to feel like a worm.

"Here is wisdom." She cries, "Behold, the Man!"

What does Jesus do? Jesus, Who Himself was drowning in pain and needed to be rescued, does something another man did, recorded in an ancient historical account.

He'd been a wealthy man but found his material possessions swept away; then his children died; and his own body was ravaged by a painful disease. Initially, close friends were willing to come sit with him and just shed tears to share and ease his pain.

But then they too turned on and began accusing him! After days of this, you'd think he'd have exploded...BUT THEN HE PRAYED FOR THEM! And Jesus did that too. On the Cross, when the most natural thing would've been to hear, "God, kill those crummy no-gooders who put me up here, and get me down, ease my life please!"

JESUS' CRY WAS: "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!" And he prayed for his earthly mother Mary to receive a new earthly son John. Oh, can't forget the thieves on the crosses on either side of Him; they were extended the way to Heaven. And Jesus had told the mothers of Jerusalem not to cry for what was happening, but that there would be a greater lament to follow. ALL THIS WHILE JESUS WAS IN UNBEARABLE PAIN!

"Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man." (Luke 23:47)

Isn't that what I want God to do with my life: glorify Himself somehow? In fact, it rather gives me goosebumps to think that He might. But I know He has offered to do so, if I would be willing, just willing, to offer myself to Him. Like the woman at the well in Sychar, I think I'd throw down my pot and go running with glee. "He's going to use me! He's going to use me! He knows everything about me, and still He's going to use me! Hurry, you must meet Him too!"

What happened to those men in that first record? Well, "the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends; also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before." (Job 42:10)

His disease was cured; he ended up with several thousand sheep, camels, oxen, asses, ten beautiful children, and Job lived another 140 years after that.

Rev. 13:16-17 BIG MAN, BIG DEAL

"And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark...And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark." (Rev. 13:16-17)

Let's move on, God says. Altho' man may think of himself as important, there really is no need to spend much time here. (Quite the opposite of what happened a few verses earlier, when GOD wanted to STOP, and it was the humiliated beast that wanted to move on. カッコワルイところはhe didn't want to have people really see. I wouldn't either!

Now this verse deals with man: small/ great, rich/poor, free/enslaved. Today, a great deal of talk is heard of equality and individualism; of how everyone needs to be allowed to reach his full potential. Yet sinful man doesn't know how to help him do that, without somewhere in there, corrupting the entire thing with oppression and power play. Often, we end up thinking "It wasn't supposed to be this way."

"My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him." (Ps. 62:5)

"But Jesus did not commit himself unto them...for he knew what was in man." (Jn. 2:24-25)

Readers who have just jumped in may need to be told: this series is NOT a book study of Revelation. It's just that when scripture memory was being done of the book, these were some of the thoughts journaled while reading through passages being learned.

Neither is it a "Spiritual Historic Interpretation of Revelations" (that says concrete interpretations are not important but their spiritual applications are the only important thing). It is not an interpretation at all!

If you want to study the book of Revelation properly, please do it in Bible School classes or church Bible Studies set aside to teach it, ok? These journaled musings cannot give you anything near what those lessons can!