December 27 – A Zealous Voice (Revelation 1:9-18)

“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”(Revelation 1:14-15)

IN WORD:
What was Jesus like? Many envision Him as a guru of peace who never said a harsh word. Others envision Him as a mellow mystic who could not relate to our humanity. There is no shortage of opinions, but few are entirely consistent with Scripture.
The misty-eyed, airy-voiced, peace-marching Jesus of modern films, wishful imaginations, and popular theology never existed. He has been crafted by those who have either never read the four Gospels or have never really believed them. The real Jesus was the Incarnation of the Jealous God (Exodus 34:14), the Warrior God (Exodus 15:3), the One who dwells in mystery and majesty. There was fire in His eyes and passion in His voice. And according to Revelation 1, there still is.
Jesus still speaks. Is the Hollywood Jesus the one you expect to hear? Don’t be swayed by false characterizations. Read the Gospels and see the anger at hypocrisy and the anguish of the Cross. Hear the violence in His prayers and the divisiveness of His words. Know that His coming was a crisis event, the turning point for the whole human race.

IN DEED:
The fiery, zealous Jesus may speak to us with a still, small voice, but do not rule out the roaring voice of thunder & lightning. He doesn’t always nudge us; sometimes He jolts us. The Jesus who offered comfort, healing, and peace to the troubled and outcast also blasted the legalisms and the proud. The Jesus who drew calmly in the sand and urged the meek to persist in their meekness, also made a scene at the Temple with His violent outburst. The Man of Sorrows is also a man of action. The Lamb of God is also the Lion of Judah. Make no assumptions about His voice. Just be open to it. Have ears that hear. When He speaks, it will be powerful enough to change your life.

“The voice of God, having once fully penetrated the heart, becomes strong as the tempest and loud as the thunder.”
-Ignatius of Loyola-