By David Campbell
The Church of God International
Springfield, MO.

While trying to fall asleep last night I began thinking about the content of the Bible study that we would cover this Sabbath which had to do with the book of Revelation.

Reading that the world is warned because of its rebellion against God’s instructions and understanding that this is a time of death and destruction for a lot of mankind, I also had some thoughts come to mind that I had not linked together before.

Reading from I Cor. 13:8

8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

(NKJV throughout)

Putting this verse into context I understand mankind does not have all knowledge in fact God says in Isa. 55:9

9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

And also from Rom. 11:33

33 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

So it is clear that there are things that we do not understand at this time and it is also clear from the verse in I Cor. 13:8 that prophecies will fail. Why would they fail, after all, God can not lie.

The answer is quite simple and is found in Matt. 24:22 and Mark 13:20.

22 And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

And then in Mark 13:20

20 And unless the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake, whom He chose, He shortened the days.

So here is the logic: Since prophecies were given in scripture to fulfill the entire days of mans existence on earth, and God shortens the days for our sake, then it stands to reason that some of the prophecies will fail or in better words, do not have to be fulfilled thus allowing for the scripture in I Cor. 13:8 to say that prophecies will fail.

We also know that God is a God of Mercy. Peter makes the statement in II Peter 3:9

9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Granted it may take the events mentioned in the book of Revelation to get the attention of many in the world. Especially the leaders of many countries but at some point ALL will acknowledge God and His instructions as the right way to live.

We are also told to pray “Thy Kingdom Come” in Matt. 6:10

10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

This is the thought that was on my mind today. Why are we instructed to pray “Thy Kingdom Come?”

As I pondered this thought I started connecting it to the shortening of days and the fact that not all prophecies had to come to pass because of the shortening of days. After reflecting on this for some time I began to wonder if we as the called out ones could impact the severity of the end time events by praying for Christ to return, spare the world of the death and destruction that is spelled out in Revelation and by doing so are we showing mercy to our enemies or maybe better said, the enemies of God?

We are told to show mercy, we are also told to pray for our enemies!

Matt. 9:12-13

12 When Jesus heard that, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.

13 But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” 

Matt. 23:23

23 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These you ought to have done, without leaving the others undone.

Rom. 11:32

32 For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

And in Romans where it deals with the gifts we have been given:

Rom. 12:6-8

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith;

7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching;

8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

The word “Mercy” is used 282 times in the Scriptures.

James sums it up well:

James 2:13

13 For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

I know we serve a loving and merciful God! Of that I am confident! Could it be that in showing kindness to our enemies, which we are instructed to do, that we, by prayer, could have an impact on the outcome of the punishment that is spoken of in the book of Revelation?

Or do we speak of their punishment and of our Salvation only?

Matt. 5:44-48

44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?

48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.

Some translations translate verse 48 using the word “Complete” in place of “Perfect”.

God does not delight in the death of anyone nor should we. Can the Churches of God Pray “Thy Kingdom Come” and mean it as a way to shorten the suffering that is to come on mankind even though it is what they have earned? But then again, what did each of us earn before we were shown mercy?