Now Or Forever

The last couple verses of Revelation 9 tells us of those who for the final time reject Jesus Christ. They refuse to turn from their sin and repent, and instead take the mark of the beast. Why do they do this? For many, it is to avoid the hardships that will come upon those who do choose Jesus during the time of the tribulation. Unfortunately, these are individuals who are caught up in the now at the expense of forever.

See, those who accept Jesus will be outcasts in society, unable to buy or sell things, and not allowed to work. And though it will be a struggle to survive, they choose to stand for Christ and spend eternity in paradise. However, those who reject Jesus will initially receive no pain but spend eternity in hell. They made a short-minded decision and undermined their forever.

While it is not nearly as serious in many cases, nor with the same ramifications, many of us make these decisions on a day-to-day basis. We choose things that benefit our now at the expense of our future and a much longer time period. We do this because like those who will reject Christ for all of eternity, we are only thinking in that moment. But God rewards us for having a long-term mindset.

Revelation 9 gives us a framework that we should follow, not just in regards to eternity, but in our everyday lives. When you make a decision, always think, “does this serve me in the long run, or just right now?” So many bad decisions are made when we sacrifice what we want most, for what we want in the moment. Do not make this mistake, my friend. Choose forever, even if it is costs you right now. You won’t regret it in the long run. And God will reward you!