Daily Devotional | God’s Word Is Complete
- July 31, 2023 | Revelation 22:16–21
As a child in Sunday School and Good News Club, I sang: “The B-I-B-L-E, Yes that’s the book for me. I stand alone on the Word of God, the B-I-B-L-E!” Often it was my mother leading the song. She had a passion for teaching the Bible to the next generation.
The end of the Book of Revelation tells us that the Bible is complete (vv. 18–19). We’re strictly warned not to add to it or take away from it. Technically, these verses refer to the Book of Revelation, but due to its placement as the last book in the canon, tradition often reads them as referring to Scripture as a whole.
The Bible is complete in the sense that there will be no more Holy Spirit- inspired books added. This doesn’t mean God is silent. He speaks to us today through His Word, as well as through prayer and the Holy Spirit. Submitting to Scripture is a key mark of the true church.
As we follow Christ through the ups and downs of our lives, we wait eagerly for His Second Coming. This is the heart behind the prayer “Maranatha,” or “Come, Lord Jesus” (v. 20). He is “the Root and the Offspring of David,” a Messianic title indicating kingship (v. 16; see Isa. 11:1–10). He’s also the “bright Morning Star,” an image signifying hope, light, and salvation (see Num. 24:17; 2 Peter 1:19). He invites all who will come to eternal life with Him. All those who are thirsty can “take the free gift of the water of life” (v. 17; see John 4:13–14). This is the gospel of Christ!
>> Who do you know who needs to hear and believe in Jesus for salvation? Maybe you could gift them with a Bible or invite them to attend church or to study Today in the Word with you. Ask the Lord for an opportunity to share the gospel with them!
Pray with Us
Your Word is powerful, even for those who don’t have the aid of the Holy Spirit. Today we ask You to bless those who are earnestly seeking You. Draw them to You through Your Word and through the testimony of believers like us.
BY Brad Baurain
Dr. Bradley Baurain is Professor and Program Head of TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Moody Bible Institute. Bradley has the unique privilege of holding a degree from four different universities (including Moody). He is the author of On Waiting Well. Bradley taught in China, Vietnam, the United States, and Canada. Bradley and his wife, Julia, have four children and reside in Northwest Indiana.