‘Day 316

“It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Revelation 19:8 (NASB)

Read again Rev 19:1-9 c.f. John 14:1-3

Oppressive Babylon is gone, the cry of “How long, O Lord,” is answered. The suffering from Abel to the end is vindicated. Revelation assures God’s people that evil, oppression, and suffering will come to an end. It is now time for Christ to usher in His everlasting kingdom. The remaining chapters of Revelation describe not just the destruction of end-time Babylon, but also the destruction of Satan and all evil. We get glimpses, too, of the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom.

2000 years ago, Christ left His heavenly home with an invitation to a wedding supper (Matt. 22:1-14) that will take place after His marriage to His bride. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom, the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, called also ‘the bride, the Lamb’s wife’.
In the parable of Matthew 22 the judgment that takes place before the second coming is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb V:11.  After His death and resurrection, the Bridegroom returned to His Father’s house to “prepare a place” for His people, His wedding guests (John 14:1-3). They remain on earth preparing for His return. At the end of the world, He will come back and take them to His Father’s house.

Revelation 3:18 shows that the robe of Christ’s righteousness, the gold of faith and love, and the eye salve of the Holy Spirit are the greatest needs of God’s people living at the time of the end. Jesus’ offer that the Laodiceans “buy” these gifts from Him shows us that He asks for something in exchange for what He offers us. We give up self-sufficiency and trust in ourselves, in exchange for a life of faithful obedience to Christ and trust in Him as our only hope of salvation.

Please remember we are NOT saved by faith plus works but by a faith that works! We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone. While it is true that we are not saved by good works, it is also true that we are not saved without them. What “Righteous acts” define the life you are living?