A Devotional Thought From Revelation

For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.     Revelation 22:15

I just completed a year and a half long devotional reading of the Bible (KJV). In the very last chapter we find this verse announcing God’s screening program for the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city. The city of our God is, of course, heaven, and according to God’s eternal plan there are those who cannot be allowed to enter and they are listed in this verse. They are left outside the walls because such people would defile the holiness of heaven. The list starts with “dogs.” In ancient days dogs were not usually the sweet, fuzzy, loving pets of our day. Mostly, ancient peoples would see dogs who were feral, raiding garbage heaps, terrorizing people, returning to their vomit, and “dog” became a term used for people who were savage, unclean even disgusting (cf. William Barclay, the Revelation of John).

Also, according to Barclay, a “dog” was the nickname for male prostitutes in heathen temples, and represented immoral people. Then in addition, to people represented by this word, “dogs,” John lists sorcerers, those who cooperate in occult religion; whoremongers, those who use or sell sexual services of women, debauching them, and being unfaithful to purity and morality for themselves and others; murderers, those who assault  the image of God in mankind by unlawfully taking the lives of people who should live long lives joyfully to God’s glory; and idolaters, those who worship false gods and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image (Romans 1:23) of corruptible man, birds, creeping things, dollar bills and euros, automobiles, smart phones or anything other than the true God. And, as well, those who love and make a lie; they’re the ones who tell our present society that what God says in His word isn’t true. They say sin is O.K. they say there are no consequences to actions. They say if God has spoken against sin then God is wrong. They say, don’t worry be sinful.

These people are outside the walls spiritually today, and will be literally in that future. But what if there are those among them who don’t want to live in such a way that they will be on the outs with God?

Some years ago I had a DVT blood clot. My physician of nearly 40 years walked in the hospital room and learning of the diagnosis said, “We can fix that!” If a person sees himself/herself in this list in Revelation God can fix that. Jesus died to fix our sins, to wash them away, to make us new, and fit us to be in the heavenly city forever. Trust Him as Savior and your destiny will be changed.