Day 2

Day 2 - Rules of life

Prepare

In Revelation John eats a scroll that tastes at first sweet and then sour (Revelation 10:9,10). Ask God to make you open both to comfort and to challenge today.

Read

Explore

Why must the Israelites keep the Law of Moses? First, so that they and their children might ‘fear’ God (v 2), which is about worship, perhaps the most important – and most undervalued – human activity. Secondly, so that they might enjoy his blessings in the form of long life and fruitfulness in the Promised Land (vs 2,3). For Christians too, worship must be central and it is Jesus who gives true life, while the enemy steals and destroys.

Love for God has always been the doorway to living for him, and Jesus affirms this ‘greatest commandment’ (Matthew 22:37,38). Under the old covenant, God’s commands are to be shared as they are the route to life (vs 5–8). For us it is the good news of Jesus Christ that we need to share with our families and friends in any way that will make it accessible.

But the scroll is bitter as well as sweet! We, too, can fall into complacency and a comfortable lifestyle that blunts our faith and draws us away from our relationship with God (vs 10–12). Idolatry is a form of spiritual adultery (vs 13–16), and will be the result when, for example, Christians become Freemasons or seek healing via alternative therapies that are spiritual in nature and rooted in other religions. More subtle things – money, sex, power and so on – when put in their rightful place can be good, but if treated with undue reverence become idols. They may not destroy us, but they certainly draw us away from Jesus our Saviour.

Respond