Reaping the Consequences

Did your parents ever give you an ultimatum? Perhaps your family was preparing to go somewhere fun, like an amusement park. You and your siblings couldn’t wait to ride the roller coasters, eat the park food, and play the games. There was one problem. Your parents told you that you had to get all As and Bs on your report card. The end of the school year arrived, and you realized that all those late nights playing video games should have been spent studying instead. You got your report card and saw that you had earned multiple Cs and Ds. Your siblings, on the other hand, made the grades. To your great displeasure, you watched from your grandparents’ house as your parents and siblings faded into the distance. While this fictional story is tragic to a student, Revelation 21:1–8 describes a much grander and more tragic future. Those who humble themselves before God and are found faithful will experience salvation and new creation. Those who reject God, however, discover themselves cast away.