Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“I looked and there was a pale green horse! Its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed with him; they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, famine, and pestilence, and by the wild animals of the earth.”
NL Daily Devotion for Thursday, August 14, 2025
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
More Metzger here. “One of the features that distinguishes the book of Revelation from other books of the New Testament is the author’s attempt to show how power fits into the divine scheme of God. God is the absolute ruler of the world. But because God gave humankind free will, there is always the possibility that we might misuse the portion of power entrusted to us. When this happens, however, it does not mean that God is helpless and frustrated. The world is still God’s world, and is still ruled in accordance with the eternal laws of right and wrong. The way that God’s power is manifested in the world is that the misuse of power brings on suffering and disaster.” (Metzger, p. 56)
In other words, we’ve brought all of this on ourselves. God doesn’t have to inflict it on us in some punitive way. In fact, God doesn’t punish us or take delight in our misery and comeuppance. That’s a completely human thing, which is happening in our government as we speak here in the U.S. We, ourselves, have created an environment conducive to the kind of self-righteousness, petty condemnation, and vindictive—cruel—laws and practices. We have unleashed upon ourselves this pale green horse of death, each of us hoping that it takes out those we don’t agree with. Bad news, folks. Pale green death doesn’t take sides. If we can’t change our ways, we’re all in danger of this self-created destructive force.
Do I find myself hoping those I disagree with will meet some dire fate?
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Metzger, Bruce M. Breaking the Code: Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville, TN: Abingdon Press, 1993.
