The Lord spoke to Jeremiah about the stiff-necked people of Judah saying, “Do not be afraid of their faces, for I am with you to deliver you, says the Lord,” (1:8) as Jeremiah responds in 5:3 stating, “They have made their faces harder than a rock.”
The book of Revelation in the New Testament is also known as the apocalypse, as well as the unveiling, disclosure, or Revelation, which came from Jesus about Christ Himself. In this intriguing writing penned by John during his exile on the island of Patmos, Revelation centers around visions and symbols of the resurrected Christ. Recently I was reading afresh John’s writing from the Passion version of the New Testament, which is also referred to as “The Unveiling of Jesus Christ.”
Chapter 1, vs. 3 tells us that for each person who reads this writing of John, there will be something special that takes place for them. “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” In the final chapter of the book…chapter 22, vs. 18-19 we read these words: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.”
As I was re-reading the letters to the seven churches located in Asia Minor, which is present-day Turkey, in chapters 2 & 3 of Revelation, can be found an example of every church in this 21st Century. Each and every church fits in to one of the letters Jesus Himself spoke about, and John wrote about. As I read, I came to John’s writing about the church in Laodicea. I could not help but laugh out-loud, as I read how the Passion version of the New Testament’s wording of chapter 3:19 reads. “All those I dearly love I unmask and train. So repent and be eager to pursue what is right.”
“Unmask!” I thought … if ever there was a word for today it was the wording, “Unmask!” “All those I dearly love I unmask and train.” Pardon the ‘pun,’ however, I thought, if there was ever a day when many are needing to hear those words, it is today! Jesus says that His desire and work will be to “unmask” people from what they thought was the right thing to do, the right way of living, and encourage them to live life and to “pursue what is right.”
Perhaps, you like Jeannie and I have noticed that more often than not, something strikingly apparent takes place with many who have strapped on their face covering. Certainly a smile from someone passing by has been reduced to zero! Friendliness, from someone saying thank you; excuse me; thank you; or even a simple jester of ‘it’s good to see you,’ has been diminished to a silent passing fearful to even try to look into another’s eyes. Is this the way God intended mankind to live? A person certainly will if they choose to vote for one presidential candidate who has already warned it will be “mandatory to wear a mask.” and for a very long period of time!
The words of Jesus in Mt. 5:16 remind us: “Let your LIGHT (face) shine before men, that they may SEE your good works and glorify Your Father in heaven” (Words in caps and parenthesis mine).
Blessings, Psalm 20:7 Dale & Jeannie