March 21: BLUE IS FOR LOYALTY AND OBEDIENCE

“He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11

We generally think of the close of probation as the day of someone’s death, and this is correct for those who die before Jesus returns. Their eternal destiny is fixed and unchangeable. An individual who has died will not be conscious between his/her death and resurrection (Genesis 3:19; Psalm 104:29; Ecclesiastes 9:5; 12:7; Acts 2:29,34). But just before Christ’s return, He will stand up* and change from His priestly robe to His kingly one (Revelation 19:16). There is a day soon to come on this earth when everyone still alive will suddenly be on the other side of that line of demarcation, for probation will have closed. No more “switching sides”. This is the essence of today’s verse.

This day is foreshadowed by the day when God closed the enormous door of the ark. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded [Noah]; and the LORD shut him in (Genesis 7:16). Now, between the time that the door to the ark was closed and the rain began falling was a period of a week. The LORD had said, “For after seven more days I will cause it to rain on the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will destroy from the face of the earth all living things that I have made.” (v.4) During that week, the sad fate of the lost was sealed, but they did not know it. Jesus said: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39)

The angel’s pronouncement in today’s verse is a solemn one indeed. The spiritual condition of everyone alive on earth, from this point forward, is not going to change. By faith and in spirit, those who are saved will continue in their faithful stance upon the beautiful blue sea of glass (Revelation 15:2 and 4:6) which represents the throne of God and the law of God. Many Jewish scholars believe that the original tablets of stone for the Ten Commandments (the ones that Moses broke) were cut from the paved work of sapphire stone under the feet of the God of Israel (Exodus 24:10).

As the seven last plagues begin to fall upon the lost (see chapter 16), it will become unmistakably evident that the saved are not affected, as they do not have foul and loathsome sores (16:2) as do the lost. However, this period will be one of intense testing for the saved. Their faith will be increased. Therefore, at the end of time, as they stand firmly upon the sea of glass, it will be mingled with fire (15:2). The sight of the saved will greatly anger the lost.

*At that time Michael shall stand up, The great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people; And there shall be a time of trouble, Such as ever was since there was a nation, Even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, Every one who is found written in the book. Daniel 12:1

For further study: Numbers 15:38-39; Hebrews 4:14-16; Revelation 11:19; 15:5; 19:11