Choose

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"Satan...will come out to deceive the nations...the number of them is like the sand of the seashore." - Revelation 20:7-8 (NASB)
   This passage of Scripture is fascinating to me. According to John, after the 1,000 year reign of Jesus, Satan will be loosed from his prison to go out and, well, be himself. In doing so he will deceive an untold number, "like the sand of the seashore." If you keep the context in mind, Jesus, the King of kings and the LORD of lords, will be physically present on earth, reigning. People living during that time period will be able to physically see Him. They will know about how He defeated the antichrist at the battle of Armageddon, how He will have brought peace to the world, and how even the natural order of things have been altered. And still they are deceived? Surely this is not right. How is this possible? 
   In Jesus parable of the rich man and Lazarus, the rich man in torment wanted the angel to send someone to his family to tell them truth. The angel replied, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead." (Luke 16:31, NASB) The idea I get from this is that it does not matter how the LORD manifests His power and glory, man still much choose to believe, exercise faith, and serve the LORD. Here's why: In the Old Testament, man had to choose who to serve. In the New Testament (today), man has to choose who to serve. During the tribulation, those living will have to choose who to serve. During the millennial reign of Christ, those living still much choose who to serve. From the garden of Eden, to today, and until the end of creation as we know it, man must choose. 
   On his deathbed Joshua, the great successor to Moses, said it this way, "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:15, NIV) Faith and salvation has been offered to you by Jesus. Will you accept it?

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