Daily Dose of Hope

March 25, 2025

Day 3 of Week 52

Scripture:  Job 34-36; Revelation 20

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope.  We are on day 3 of our very last week of reading the whole Bible in a year.  I’m so proud of all of you! 

Our Old Testament Scripture is back in the book of Job.  Today, we look at chapters 34-36.  We continue to hear from Elihu, Job’s friend who showed up yesterday in the Scripture.  Elihu operates under the same assumption as Job’s other friends.  God is just and so God must operate the world according to his justice.  But Elihu’s statements are a bit more complex than the others.  He states that God may use tragedy and suffering to build someone’s character.  God may also allow people to suffer so they will avoid sin in the future.  Elihu is adamant that Job is wrong for accusing God of being unjust.  Tomorrow, we will finally hear the Lord speak. 

Our New Testament Scripture is Revelation 20.  John sees an angel chaining up Satan and throwing him in the lake of fire, where he will be for one thousand years.  That means, for one thousand years, Satan won’t have his normal influence on humanity and our world.  Jesus will be in charge.  But after these many years of peace, Satan is released and some people still decide to follow him.  It is a sad state that people who have known the peace of Jesus would choose rebellion against God.  But it happens all the time.  What is it about us as humans that we think we know better than God?

Ultimately, Satan will be defeated permanently.  And those who have died before will be judged by what they did in their lives.  If they knew Jesus Christ, then they will be saved by his blood.  Their name will be in the Book of Life.  Those who didn’t know Jesus will be judged on their own deeds, which won’t turn out so well. 

By this point, Satan and death have been firmly defeated.  All that was wrong has been made right.  While the events in this chapter may not be a literal depiction of what will occur, there are definitely some things we can know for sure:  Satan will be defeated, Jesus wins, and all of us will be judged. 

More tomorrow...

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki