September 15th, 25: Finding the Heart of the Story: Gog, Magog, and the Revelation of Jesus

Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible! In today’s episode, host Hunter guides us through a powerful journey in scripture, reading from Ezekiel 38–39, Psalm 145, and Revelation 20. As we encounter dramatic visions of battles, God’s justice, and the ultimate defeat of evil, Hunter gently reminds us to keep our eyes on the true plot—the revelation of Jesus Christ. Rather than getting lost in the mysteries or using enigmatic passages as doctrine, we’re invited to approach them with humility, seeking the voice and presence of Jesus at the center. With heartfelt prayers for peace, unity, and gratitude for the Daily Radio Bible community’s 12-year journey, this episode encourages us to find joy, stay grateful, and remember that we are loved as we walk together through the Bible.

TODAY'S DEVOTION:

Let's get this story straight. Today, as we read through these mysterious passages in Ezekiel and Revelation, it can be easy to lose sight of what the real story is. We hear about Gog and Magog, armies and battles, the lake of fire, and the great serpent—images that are thick with mystery, allegory, and sometimes even confusion. It’s tempting, when we see this language of judgment and wrath, to let our hearts fixate on retribution. When we witness injustice or pain in our world, we understandably desire for wrongs to be set right, for evildoers to pay. And if we aren’t careful, we can let that longing color how we read God’s story—loading mysterious passages with our own longing for vengeance, making God in our own image, a God primarily defined by judgment and retribution.

But that isn't the real plot. John, in writing Revelation, tells us that this is “an apocalypse, a revelation of Jesus Christ.” The story is about Him. The Bible is always pointing us to Jesus—the living Word, the One who alone has the words of life. All of Scripture, even the perplexing and cryptic parts, ultimately draw us back to His love and His life.

This means we must approach passages like these with humble, reverent caution. Even early Church leaders understood that the book of Revelation was shrouded in mystery—they allowed the book, but advised the church not to use it to build doctrine. They knew that sometimes the cipher, the interpretive key, was lost, and it would be dangerous to presume mastery over God's mysteries. So we come not as know-it-alls, but as listeners with open hands and hearts, asking to hear the voice of Jesus, trusting Him to be the plot and the point.

Paul called himself not a master of doctrines, but a servant of Christ and a steward of the mysteries of God. That’s our invitation too: not to solve mathematical riddles, but to encounter a living Savior, to let His presence set our hearts on fire as He did for those disciples on the road to Emmaus. To walk with our Rabbi, to be students of His mystery and His love, allowing Him to be the interpretive key for every page.

Because Jesus is the unveiling of God. He is the heart and hope of every story. When we hold onto Him as the center, both the clear and the confusing scriptures begin to take on new light. Life in Him is more beautiful and hopeful than we could have dreamed.

That’s my prayer today—that I will hold fast to this plot, to Jesus our Rabbi. That I’ll hear His voice, know His joy, and let His story shape my story. That’s the prayer I have for myself, for my family—my wife, my daughters, my son—and that’s the prayer I have for you. May it be so.