Unit 3: Visions of Praise
Praise for God’s Eternal Reign – Bible Background • Printed Text • REVELATION 11:15–19 | Devotional Reading • REVELATION 1:9–17
AIM FOR CHANGE
By the end of this lesson, we will DEFINE the nature of God’s reign for eternity; REFLECT on how God’s eternal reign affects our faith; and ENGAGE in activities that reflect the sovereignty of God in healthy, powerful, and transforming ways.
IN FOCUS
IN FOCUS
There was a lot of buzz in the halls; the merger had been publicly announced, and the company’s new owner was visiting each of the recently acquired subsidiaries. Today, he was in town to meet the staff at this site.
Phil tried to concentrate on the report he was writing on a looming deadline, but he had to stop. An announcement came instructing everyone to go to the large multipurpose room for a question-and-answer session.
At the front of the room, Phil saw the division vice president looking both grim and relieved. Grim because financial pressures had made the company vulnerable to the takeover, but relieved because the new owning company had a track record of adding resources to help its acquisitions grow.
For his part, Phil liked where he worked; the job fulfilled him professionally and offered time to continue his outside interests, like volunteering at his church’s food pantry and singing with the choir. He had left his previous job because it didn’t respect his need to devote time to serve the Lord through these activities. But this new company had a reputation for honoring its employees’ work-life balance—a directive from the top. When the new owner entered the room, the vice president stood and applauded, leading the group of employees to do likewise. It was a new day at the company, and Phil smiled with hope that it would be a better one.
When have things worried you, but then turned out for the better?
KJV Revelation 11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.
16 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God,
17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O LORD God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.
18 And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.
19 And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.