gift-exchange
"The earth's inhabitants gloat over them and in their merriment exchange gifts, because these two prophets harassed everyone on earth." —Revelation 11:10
This time of year, people are compulsively buying Christmas gifts to exchange with others. A gift-exchange is also mentioned in the book of Revelation. The whole world is involved in this gift-exchange. The occasion for such merriment is the supposed destruction of God's Church, represented by the death of the two witnesses (Rv 11:3, 7). The world will have quite a party, complete with gifts, when they think the Church is destroyed.
Jesus said that we would be hated by all on account of Him (Lk 21:17). Yet few expect it to be that bad. It will come to a point that people will consider it their patriotic and religious duty to destroy the members of God's Church (see Jn 16:2). When the Church seems finally dead, there will be a shopping spree and a gift-exchange. Nonetheless, the Church will rise from the dead, just as Jesus her Head rose. "Sheer terror" will grip our enemies, and we will go up to heaven in a cloud while our enemies look on (Rv 11:11-12).
Prayer: Father, at the end, may I not give in to the pressure to apostatize (2 Thes 2:3).
Promise: "God is not the God of the dead but of the living. All are alive for Him." —Lk 20:38
Praise: When tempted to despair during dark, secular times, Lori looks to heaven and recites, "I know my Redeemer lives!" (see Jb 19:25, RSV-CE)
Reference: (Stay faithful to God's Church by reading the Bible every day. We have several tape series to help you. Overview of the Bible is six audio tapes starting with AV 10A-1 or three video tapes starting with V-10A. 15-minute Bible Teaching - New Testament is forty audio tapes starting with #700. An Introduction to each Book of the Bible is 32 audio tapes starting with AV 21-1 or 17 video tapes starting with V-21.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, April 6, 2010
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