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
Yesterday and today are probably the two biggest shopping days of the 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, 7ff). 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). Nonetheless, few expect it to be that bad. However, 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'll be a shopping spree and a gift-exchange. Yet the Church will rise from the dead, as Jesus its 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: The Vietnamese martyrs, 117 known witnesses who gave their lives for their faith in Jesus Christ, included bishops, priests, religious, and laity.
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, May 10, 2012
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