Exam

What feelings does the word "exam" evoke in you when you are about to take one?

My first exam was at the end of 8th grade. Summer, lilacs bloomed, the school year ended, all the children went to camps, and I stayed in the city to pass a strange test of my knowledge. I was prepared for this event for a long time, being told about various experiences, and how inevitable it was. I was calm, but I didn't know a single theorem in geometry. Three days before the exam, I sat down with the textbooks and decided to learn at least something. To my surprise, all this science turned out to be quite understandable and easy when I began to delve into it, and sines and cosines added up very simply between themselves. I saw a pattern between these laws and in 3 days learned all the theorems and proofs by heart. I came to the exam armed with knowledge and answered quite competently. But the teacher couldn't agree that I knew everything, and out of habit gave me a C. Three days after receiving the certificate, I forgot everything.

After that, I passed many different exams many more times, in which my knowledge and experience were tested. I noticed a certain pattern in successfully passing such tests. If I or others were diligent in study and work, then on the exam we knew what to do and how to answer. And those who loved to skip and behave irresponsibly could not pass on the first try or barely scored a passing grade.

I saw how many people experienced nervousness on the day of the test and couldn't find peace, although I tried to explain to them that they would remain alive no matter what.

I think that each of us has experienced similar events in our life and remembers what they felt, and how insignificant and small it all seemed later. Every person goes through such trials. The exam doesn't teach me anything, but shows the examiner the level of my knowledge or the depth of my ignorance.

But one feature is manifested in this event. I prepare in all areas of the studied science, but I answer only a part of it according to the ticket. And chance can solve this problem for or against me. And the examiner can be biased and fail me with difficult questions, or be very kind, or greedy for money. In the end, I pass this milestone and live on as advanced in life.

The Bible teaches us that serious trials and exams await those who believe in God. And their peculiarity is that failure can cost me the right to Eternal life. And this is already serious. The test of my knowledge and skills will be comprehensive, all-round and quite deep. The theory of a lucky ticket or a clever loophole is excluded. I will be entirely weighed on God's scales of His measure of righteousness. Each of my thoughts will be studied. And at the end of the test, I will be led into a fire that will burn out all foreign impurities that I didn't pay attention to.

This sounds somewhat mysterious and incomprehensible, but in my life it will happen naturally. A problem comes that I must deal with. In my arsenal, there are enough means and knowledge that immediately begin to offer themselves to solve my problem. Also, two spirits, God's and unclean, offer me their help. Sometimes I'm given time to think and decide, and sometimes I need to make a choice instantly. My skill and knowledge of the truth have already formed something in my heart, and in some cases I easily take God's position, quickly deciding to go His way. Not all of my trials and exams are final, but they all show something to Heaven and to me.

In the Bible, I read that there will be a final exam, after which the mysterious doors will close forever, and no one will be able to change anything.

The wise virgins entered the wedding feast with burning lamps. Matt. 25:10. The righteous still did righteousness, and the holy still sanctified themselves. Rev. 22:11. Someone will come to Christ with their deeds, and He will say that He doesn't know them and will ask them to depart as those who practice lawlessness. Matt. 7:23.

During my Christian life, I have many times attended the ceremony of water baptism and have also been to funerals. It's joyful to see the birth of a new soul for the Heavenly Kingdom. When a believer goes into the world of non-existence, you don't know how he will be on God's scales, whether mercy will be shown to him at the judgment. However, there is hope to meet him among the saved.

But the descriptions of the events of the last days teach me that I will already be cleansed alive, weighed, and endowed with what the Lord offers me for complete victory. And this will not turn out to be an accident or some special privilege for God's favorite. Either I do what is offered to me and become a winner, or I choose another path and lose forever.

The last struggle is so solemn, and its outcome is so important for the entire Universe, that in Christ's army there can be no random soldiers who got into its ranks through acquaintance or "for beautiful eyes."

All past exams showed me something and revealed something, and the coming trials will also reveal a lot to me. But God has a final exam that will decide everything forever.

Once God conducted such an exam with all living on earth. Only Noah's family and his sons with their wives passed it. And where were the others? Were there really no kind and meek people among those left? Why were those who possibly didn't understand the seriousness of God's warnings treated so harshly? Now God offers us a second Ark - rest in Jesus, but closer to the end He makes some additions and advises to buy goods from Him.

Was the purchase of oil offered to the virgins? Yes. But for some reason the foolish knew this and postponed it. And everything would have been fine, but the Bridegroom came unexpectedly for everyone and didn't wait for the unprepared.

And what should the Merchant from the Laodicean store (Rev. 3:18) do when His goods remain unclaimed? How much longer will He offer them?

When I decided to get married, I arranged an exam for my future wife. I made her a proposal, offering to marry me. I was very interested in how she would pass this test. And you know - she agreed, and then she even took my surname herself.

Jesus is preparing something similar for us. He has conditions that I must fulfill. Why did He decide to test me in this way? There is special divine wisdom in this, which is revealed in the process of agreeing to respond to God's advice.

At first, I don't understand what I've acquired, but as I acquire, I realize that I simply can't live without it anymore. When a bride thinks about the answer, whether to give consent, she doesn't understand what she's choosing. But when she decided to become a wife, she can no longer live without her husband. She is his flesh, and he is her head.

The advice to Laodicea is not just one of many things, but the only thing that will distinguish me from many as a true winner.

Until the close of probation, there are many ways to know the truth and gain unity with God. But before the close of this time, the Lord wants to have a special people who will differ from all others. The name of these people is 144,000. They will carry a special message for the world, after which the end of all evil and ignorance will come, and the time of harvest will come. Does this scare you?

Questions for reflection on this chapter

1. Please read: Gen. 7:7,16; Matt. 24:37-39; Rev. 22:6,10-12,18-19; Dan. 11:33-35; 2 Cor. 8:1-3; James 1:2-5,12-17; 1 Pet. 3:14-15; 4:12-19; Matt. 25:8-12,19; Luke 16:2; Rom. 14:12; Heb. 4:13; 13:17; Hos. 4:6 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

4. Do you think there will come a time when the Lord will send the last test of faith and love, after which no one will be able to change anything? Do you have a Biblical basis for your answer?

5. Why can't the time of grace continue until the very Second Coming of Christ?

6. Why does God need to arrange tests for me? After all, He already knows who I am.

7. How do you imagine your final exam?

8. What role does the Message to Laodicea play in the last time?

9. Does Jesus want to convey something important to us through the address to Laodicea?

10. What role does the advice to Laodicea play in your life?

11. Does the Lord know what awaits us in the future? Does He want to see us as winners?

12. What is the difference between all previous trials and the final exam?

13. Does the parable of the ten virgins from Matt. 25:1-13 have any relation to the message to Laodicea?

14. Does the message to Laodicea have any relation to the final exam?

15. Do you know where those mysterious doors of grace are? Rev. 3:7-8.