Tuesday - Revelation 22 - Amen

 

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VERY good gospel sermon ends with a compelling invitation (including both a promise and a warning). Revelation 22 is an invitation with both a hope-filled promise and a serious warning. The invitation and the warning are both wrapped up in the word "come" (Revelation 22:12, 17 & 20). Having read the whole Bible, it is appropriate that the reader be invited to do something about what he or she has read. And indeed, the invitation to salvation can be presented in so many wonderful ways. Yet here, the call is to partake of the water of life (Revelation 22:1 & 17). What a beautiful and appealing way of putting it. Human souls are thirsty and dry, but Jesus is willing to quench our spiritual thirst. He is willing to satisfy our longings and to give us eternal peace. But the choice is ours.

 

Dear readers, I have made my choice! In Christ, I have a right to the tree of life. I have a place in the New Jerusalem. I expect not only to drink from the river of life, but to swim in it as well. I am looking forward to walking on streets of gold, eating fruit from the tree of life, and serving the Lamb of God forever. I will see my Savior face-to-face (Revelation 22:4). His name will be in my forehead. And friends, the apocalyptic clock could start ticking at any moment (Revelation 22:10). Are you ready? The day will come when it will be too late to switch sides (Revelation 22:11}. Don't think for one moment that God will unravel and undo his entire plan of redemption after it is complete. The time to decide is now. Salvation is a once in a lifetime transaction with eternal blessings and benefits. However, rejecting God's salvation has eternal consequences. Won't you trust Christ today! He died for you! He loves you! Why would you scorn His generosity and grace? He is coming! Don't be left out (Revelation 22:15).  And if you already know Him, share Him with others!

THE END.

Monday - Revelation 21 - Eternal Bliss

 

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NCE every condemned soul and spirit has been locked away securely (Revelation 21:8), then eternity for the redeemed will begin (Revelation 20:1 & 3-7). Forever and ever, the saints and angels will commune together in God's holy presence (Revelation 22:5). The dominating feature of our eternal future will be the place we commonly call heaven. John called it "New Jerusalem." Let's look at the description John presents for us.

 

The greatest characteristic of our eternal home will be the pleasure of basking in God's full presence (Revelation 21:3, 7 & 22). Connected to that will be the absence of sin and temptation - "God shall wipe away all tears from our eyes; and there will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away" (Revelation 21:4).

 

Now, there will be both a new heaven and a new earth (Genesis 1:1 & Revelation 21:1 & 5). We should take this to mean a new universe; one untouched by sin and untainted by temptation (Revelation 22:3). And the new Jerusalem will evidently be inhabited by the church (Revelation 21:9). The new earth then will be filled with the saints from every other age, including millennium saints who will have escaped death altogether (Revelation 21:24 & 26-27 & 22:2). The significance of Israel in the new earth must not be overlooked either, because there has to be an ultimate fulfillment of God's promises to Abraham and of the words of Christ from Matthew 5:5.

 

Notice that the new Jerusalem is presented by John as a mountain with a square base (Revelation 21:10 & 16). We might do well to envision a gigantic pyramid so big that if it were to descend from the sky and land on Nebraska, it would cover most of the United States. This city will also be as tall as it is wide and deep: 1,500 miles! John's words in Revelation 21:11 make it sound like the whole city appears to be built out of clear crystal, but actually, there are many fine and pure substances that will be used in its construction. 

Friday - Revelation 20 - The Last 1000 Years

 

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FTER the Armageddon is over there will be a time of judgment which we should refer to as the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46). The armies of the antichrist will be dead. The antichrist & the false prophet will be in the lake of fire. Satan will be bound for 1,000 years in a place called the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3). The earth will be ruled by Jesus (in person, along with His saints – 1^st Corinthians 6:2 & Revelation 20:4). The survivors of the Tribulation will be separated according to how they treated Israel during the time of the antichrist. Those who have shown themselves to be humble sheep will live into the kingdom & will naturally repopulate the earth (Psalm 72).

 

The 1^st days of this Millennial Kingdom will have to include the construction of the kingdom temple according to the dimensions & description found in Ezekiel 40-48. Also, the curse will be removed from this earth (Isaiah 11:1-10). Things will not be entirely the same as they were in the Garden of Eden before The Fall, but neither will it be anything like life between The Fall & Armageddon. There will be true peace on earth. Jesus will be the King of the world & we will be with Him on the earth for 1,000 years (Revelation 20:6).

 

There will be many people born during the Kingdom Age. Many of them will willingly worship Christ, but some will only comply outwardly. After 1,000 years of heaven on earth, Satan will be released from his prison. He will be unleashed on this planet one last time in order to reveal what is truly in the hearts of many people who will be living on earth at the very end of time (Revelation 20:7).

Thursday - Revelation 19 - The Second Coming of Christ

 

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E’VE finally reached the end of those 7 abysmal years. We have read about the demise of the economic & religious infrastructures of the world. We have learned of coming ecological disasters, geothermal disruptions, tectonic instability, astronomical anomalies, the ruination of the hydrologic cycle, famines, disease outbreaks, & demonic attacks. By the end of the Tribulation the world will be so battered & torn it will hardly be recognizable as the same planet from which the church was raptured just 7 years earlier. Yet there will still be 2 systems that will have to fall. At the battle of Armageddon Jesus will put down the militaries of the world (as He deposes the antichrist & his international government). This is the 2^nd Advent; the 2^nd Coming of Jesus Christ; the event seen most often & as the most important in all of biblical prophecy.

 

What does this great Day of the Lord will look like? As the fallen world systems smolder in death, the saints of every era will worship Christ & celebrate His exaltation.  At this point, the Judgment Seat of Christ will have ended, & the marriage supper of the Lamb will have been prepared (Ephesians 5:25 & Revelation 19:7-9). Just as Israel was presented in the Old Testament as the wife of Jehovah, in the New Testament the church is portrayed as the wife of Christ. 

Regardless, all saints from all of history will join together with Jesus as He splits the eastern sky above Israel & returns (Zechariah 14:4) in the clouds; riding on a white horse (Revelation 19:11); coming to conquer the world (Jude 1:14- 15). Perhaps we should say that this might be called first & last battle of World War III; Armageddon

Wednesday - Revelation 18 - Economic Babylon

 

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atthew 6:24 reveals to us that Jesus once said, "No man can serve two ... You cannot serve God & mammon." Back in Ecclesiastes 7:12 Solomon wrote, "Wisdom is a defense, & money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have it (see also Proverbs 9:10). Obviously, economics keep many people out of heaven (Matthew 19:23-24). Jesus even said, "Whosoever he be of you that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke 14:33). But perhaps there is no place in the Bible where the damnable distraction of materialism is more distinctly condemned than right here in Revelation 18. The way of Balaam (Jude 1:11), & the modern expression of it (a prosperity gospel - see 1^st Timothy 6:5) will be completely destroyed along with the international economy. The "love of money" (1^st Timothy 6:10) will finally be gutted.

 

Some people may think that the story of human history is a record of the development of various economic systems. From subsistence level agrarian economies, to feudalism, to imperial mercantilism, to capitalism, to socialism, to communism – certainly we've tried just about every method imaginable. But this is only half of the story. In truth, history is a record of Satan using all these systems to distract humanity from the eternal economy. In Matthew 6:19-21 Jesus said, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven… where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."  A person doesn't have to live through to the end of the Tribulation in order to see the death of Babylonian economics. We can tear down the walls in our own hearts today.

Tuesday - Revelation 17 - Religious Babylon

 

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ay back in Daniel 2 we were introduced to God's perspective concerning the kingdoms of this world. In a dream, the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar saw a statue. It had a golden head, a silver chest & arms, a brass belly & thighs, iron legs, & – representing the revived Roman Empire under the Antichrist – a mixture of clay & iron for its feet. In Nebuchadnezzar's dream, a stone (representing Jesus) slammed against the feet of the statue & destroyed it completely. Well, here we are (finally) at Revelation 17 & we are at long last face to face with the actual destruction of Babylon. Religiously, economically, politically, philosophically, & literally: Babylon is going to fall.

 

Now, the title "Babylon" is at the same time very broad & highly specific. There is a sense in which all of the human ingenuity, imagination, & organization throughout history has ultimately been aimed at accomplishing success in life apart from God. At least from the tower of Babel on, men & women have been organizing against God (Genesis 11:4 & Psalm 2:2-3). So, Babylon is more than just an ancient empire or a specific city (although those perspectives are true too). Babylon is a system & philosophy. Babylon is a way of living & a manner of judging value. Babylon is the outward earthly expression of a satanic conspiracy that is as old as human governance. Everything that God starts, Satan emulates & pollutes.

Monday - Revelation 16 - Seven Bowls of Judgment

 

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he last seven plagues of the Tribulation Period will surely come rapidly & furiously upon the earth. These seven judgments are described briefly in Revelation 16. Let's look briefly at the contents of each bowl. They are full of God's anger against unrepentant sinners. But specifically, each bowl will bring some new trouble to the inhabitants of the earth. 

 

Bowl # 1 will bring sores on everyone who has the mark of the beast.  Bowl #2 will result in the waters of the oceans turning to blood, which will bring much death. Bowl #3 will turn fresh water into blood. Bowl #4 will cause the sun to change in such a way that it will result in global warming like nobody has ever imagined. Bowl #5 will produce a thick darkness intense enough to bring literal. Bowl #6 will cause the Euphrates River to dry up so that the armies coming from the east to Armageddon can pass quickly & unwittingly on the way to their own demise. Also, there will be a demonically driven amassing of the armies of the world into Israel (Revelation 16:13-14 & 16). Bowl #7 will signal the final judgment before the coming of Jesus Christ. There will be yet another great earthquake, & a hailstorm with 50 lb. projectiles plummeting from the sky.  The earthquake will be so large that the islands of the world will sink into the oceans, & mountains will be shaken flat (Revelation 16:18-20).

Friday - Revelation 15 - God's Anger

 

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OD's anger is always perfectly holy. His anger is always justified. And His expressions of anger are also always pure & right – necessary even. So, when the 7 angels pour out the 7 bowls of God's wrath at the end of the Tribulation Period, every recipient of those plagues will deserve every pain to the fullest.  And God will have already expended much mercy & grace in giving opportunities & options to those being judged. Even His justice is tempered by His patience & compassion (& is therefore better than fair – Ezra 9:13).

 

Here we are again at an important point in the unveiling of God's eternal plans, & wouldn't you know it, more music (vs. 2-4)! This singing & playing will accompany the revelation of God's full wrath against evil. What will such music sound like (as the sons of God go forth to war). Their song will indeed be a celebration of God's holy righteousness & mighty majesty. They will be singing a victory song before the battle even starts, knowing certainly that God will win. 

 

Notice that this song (which the saints in heaven will be singing at the end of the Tribulation) will be called "the song of Moses the servant of God, & the song of the Lamb" (vs. 3).  Our God of righteousness is triumphing over evil. That’s what Revelation 15 is about: God's conquest of evil.  And God will be glorified on that day!  

Thursday - Revelation 14 - Preparing for Armageddon

 

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EVELATION 14 is a stage-setting chapter. In fact, the next 5 chapters are simply more detailed accounts of what is introduced here. It is apparent that the 144,000 witnesses are no longer preaching on earth at his point (vs 1). We may even be down to the last few days or hours of the Tribulation Period. In heaven there will be a mighty song that will be sung by the 144,000 virgins (while God's Son prepares to conquer the earth). It will be a song uniquely fitted for them. 

 

Verses 6-12 reveal that there will be 3 great announcements connected with the end of the end of the time of the kingdoms of the earth. 1. The gospel, 2. the verdict against Babylon (the worldly kingdoms of the devil), & 3. condemnation against Satan's deluded followers. These messages will be the only relevant messages from God in that day. As for any surviving saints at that point, it will be best for them if they are martyred for their faith sooner rather than later (vs. 13). Things have been bad, but they're about to get much worse.

The very end of the Tribulation (with the 7 angels pouring out seven vials & the commencement of Armageddon) will be a more explosive situation than this world has ever seen before.  These moments are represented in this chapter by sharp sickles in the hands of two mighty heavenly characters (vs. 14-17). The summary is shocking. The earth's population (represented by clusters of grapes) is stomped until every drop of juice has been pressed out of them (vs. 18-20). It will be the time when God's full wrath is unleashed against Satan & on the unrepentant sinners of earth. 

Wednesday - Revelation 13 - An Evil & Unholy Trinity

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HE first beast of Revelation 13 is the antichrist. The second beast is the false prophet who helps the antichrist in his evil plot. The dragon who empowers those two beasts will be Satan himself. So, this chapter describes the unholy trinity of evil that will rise up on this earth during the Tribulation period (Revelation 16:13, 19:20 & 20:10). The world will be swallowed up in some new & strange version of the occult, just like Daniel prophesied in Daniel 7. This is as close as Satan will ever come to realizing the idea that he had way back when he fell from heaven in the beginning (Isaiah 14:14). After thousands of years of trying & failing, he will have his moment in the sun. But it won’t last. There will only be 42 months from the time the antichrist takes over the temple until the return of the real Messiah (Revelation 13:5).

 

One of the key traits of the religion of the Tribulation will be blasphemy. Satan, the antichrist, & the false prophet will do everything in their power to vilify the God of heaven. And, as they blaspheme God, the devil & the antichrist will demand (& receive) worship themselves. The world will follow this satanic cult willingly & foolishly right on to their own demise & death (vs. 3 & 7-8). In that day, it will be more dangerous than ever to be a true believer. Just as God’s followers are marked, Satan will mark his as well. But all with Satan’s mark will be hopelessly condemned (Rev. 14:9-11).

Tuesday - Revelation 12 - A Broad & Blessed Analogy

 

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N Revelation 12, John records for us a part of his vision that seems to be something of a review. It is sure that the history of Israel is analogous to the development of this drama. Read Revelation 12 & then consider how each character fits with all that we've learned about Israel's place in God's plan of redemption. The woman of Revelation 12:1 should bring to mind Jacob's wife (Joseph's mother), Rachel (Genesis 37:9-10). The 12 stars then would represent the 12 tribes of Israel. The baby boy of Revelation 12:2, 4 & 5 is none other than Jesus Christ. Israel as a nation existed to a great degree for the purpose of bringing the Messiah into the world. The red dragon of Revelation 12:3 is Lucifer & verse 4 describes his original fall.  The stars of Revelation 12:4 are the fallen angels who followed Satan in his rebellion against God. Verse 4 also communicates the effort which Satan put forth (through Herod) to kill baby Jesus when He was born (Matthew 2:13-18).  Revelation 12:5 presents Christ at both of His advents, the end of His first & the beginning of His second; His ascension & return.

 

Since Satan failed to defeat the Messiah Himself, he has turned his attention toward Israel as a whole (vs. 5-17). Revelation 12:6 & 14 alludes to the last half of the Tribulation Period, when the Jews will have to endure the greatest & most widespread anti-Semitic persecution of their history (Matthew 24:14-22). Satan will certainly have a large majority of the earth's population in his pocket at that point, & they will do all in their power to help him eradicate the Jews (Revelation 12:15). But they will fail (vs. 16). Verses 7-11 relate a final removal of Satan from heaven. And verse 12 gives us a peek into Lucifer's evil mind in his last hours before being (vs. 2-3).

Monday - Revelation 11 - The Time of the Dead

 

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N Revelation 11 we finally get to the 7^th trumpet (which is the 3^rd "Woe").  This event is so severe & intense that the 24 elders refer to it as "the time of the dead" (vs. 18). Now, while it is certainly going to be a time of many deaths, more specifically it is a time when God will finally deal with the spiritually dead population of the world. Our world has been dominated by an unregenerate population since the days of Babel. The end of the Tribulation period will mark the final eradication of that condition.

 

John is given a measuring rod. He is then commanded to measure the temple of God. The temple that he was supposed to measure was evidently the Tribulation temple; the one defiled by the antichrist (2^nd Thessalonians 2:3-4). And just like with a person purchasing a piece of real estate, John was commissioned to come up with a property description for the temple. The publishing of this pending transaction will be placed in the able hands of two unnamed witnesses, whose power will resemble the powers that was exercised by Moses & Elijah in days of old (vs. 5-6). Maybe these 2 guys will actually be Moses & Elijah. After all, these were the two men who appeared with Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:27-30), & it was indeed prophesied that Elijah would return in the last days (Malachi 4:5). The men will preach God's truth, proclaiming wrath & judging the earth for 3½ years (vs. 3) until the antichrist finally kills them in Jerusalem (vs. 7-8). But they will also be resurrected & received into heaven (vs. 11-12).

 

Friday - Revelation 10 - The End is Near!

 

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EFORE the sounding of the 7^th trumpet, which will be the 3^rd "Woe," John heard the sound of 7thunders in conjunction with the presentation of a 2^nd scroll & a great cry from a mighty angel. While John seemed to understand the significance of it, he was not allowed to record its meaning (vs. 4). If God had wanted us to know, He surely would have had John write it down for us. There are some things that God just doesn't want everyone to know – at least, not yet. We should be satisfied with this. The fact that the angel has a rainbow on his head should give us some comfort concerning the contents of the little book & the 7 thunders, but nonetheless, we are generally left in the dark here.

 

B the time the 7^th angel blows the 7^th trumpet we must be close (chronologically) to the end of the Tribulation. Although the thunders are a mystery, the actual message of the angel is indeed recorded by John. His message was, "Time is up!" (vs. 5-7). God's mysterious program of "redeeming creation" is on its final chapter at this point. The little book must be associated with that reality (vs. 8-10). John was initially pleased with the approach of "the end of God's story," yet as he thought more & more about it, there was a sadness that overtook him.

Thursday - Revelation 9 - Millions of Demons

 

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E know that we are in a war against evil (Ephesians 6:11-13). Satan has been conspiring against God from the moment just before he was cast down from his exalted station (Isaiah 14:12-15). He has a fierce host of demons that rebelled & fell with him (Revelation 12:4). These were once holy angels, but now they are unclean spirits (Mark 6:7 & Revelation 16:3). Some of these demons roam the earth today, but others are imprisoned, waiting for the moments that we read of here.

 

This first "Woe" (which will come upon the earth at the sounding of the fifth trumpet) will involve the release of demons that will torment the earth's population in ways befitting the worst horror film ever. These are the infamous "locusts" of the apocalypse. Some have speculated wildly about what exactly John saw, but does it really matter? Isn't it enough to realize that 5 months of worldwide torture is insanely horrific, regardless of exactly what it will look like? The pain will be so bad that their victims will wish (hopelessly) that they were dead. These demonic creatures will turn this world into a boiling pot of despair & misery. 

 

Now, as if that army of devils isn't enough, the second "Woe" (which will be the sixth trumpet) will bring another army; an army of 200,000,000 spirit-horsemen who will pick up where the demon-locusts leave off. The fallen angels of the fifth trumpet will not kill their victims, but the horsemen of the sixth trumpet will (Revelation 9:18). The tails of the giant locusts will be like scorpion tails, but the tails of these tormentors will be like snake heads.

Wednesday - Revelation 8 - Thy Kingdom Come

 

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 love the book of Psalms. There is a certain beauty in the honesty of David's prayers, a beauty that attracts me back to that book again & again. But there is one particular thing about the prayers of David that has always caused me to pause. David prayed many imprecatory prayers. In other words, David prayed for God's judgment to fall on evil men. Now, we might at first be tempted to dismiss those prayers as unique to the Old Testament, but then what would we do with The Model Prayer? Planted in the heart of it is the little phrase, "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven."   There is only one way for God's kingdom to come, & that is with great wrath & judgment. The oldest prophecy in the Bible involves the bruising of the head of Satan. And we know that the devil is the prince of this world.  The kingdoms of this world will become the kingdoms of our Lord & of His Christ, & He shall reign forever. But this can only happen with the demise of Lucifer & of everyone who follows him (Jude 1:14-15). Just as John the Baptist warned that the first coming of the Lord required a smoothing & a straightening of the runway, when He comes again His coming must necessarily be preceded by a major adjustment of this world.

 

There is much that is said about the prayers of the saints in conjunction with the first 4 trumpet judgments.  (The 7^th & final seal is so significant that it is subdivided into 7 trumpet judgments; the 7^th of which is subdivided again into 7 bowl judgments). What do the prayers of the saints have to do with God judging the world? Well, righteousness requires judgment. Holiness necessitates exclusion. Mercy can't be granted to God's children without justice being meted out to His enemies. 

Tuesday - Revelation 7 - Salvation in Every Dispensation

 

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OD has worked in various ways at different times in human history. Certainly, the Tribulation will be yet another unique dispensation. The paradigm of the church will have passed, but there will be one thing that will still be the same. Salvation will still be available to those who (with repentance & faith) are willing to call upon the name of the Lord. God's mercy & grace will indeed be extended into the day of God's wrath (Habakkuk 3:2).   Revelation 7 makes this grand realization abundantly clear. There is a cutoff point, but God will push it to the end.

 

While we know that the antichrist will have his own ominous mark (666) that he will put in the foreheads & right hands of his unregenerate followers), God will also be marking some foreheads. John saw four angels who will be – in a way – holding back the complete destruction of the earth. Then he saw a fifth angel who was sent to seal 144,000 Jews for the purpose of the preaching of the.  There will be 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel (note: Dan & Ephraim are not mentioned by name here).

 

These details are not the center of our attention today though; the thing that stands out wondrously is the fact that these many are recipients of God's grace during the Tribulation. And these are not all.  John also saw a grand mob of white robed saints standing before the throne of God (Revelation 7:9 & 13) who will be saved by God's grace during that time (Revelation 14-17). 

Monday - Revelation 6 - The Beginning of Trouble

 

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ESUS talked about "the beginning of sorrows." Jeremiah was amazed by the coming "time of Jacob's trouble." Daniel wrote about "one week" of desolation that would come at the "end of sins." Both Daniel & Jesus prophesied about the last half of this brief time of pain, with Jesus calling it a time of "great tribulation." Paul also foresaw the coming time of the antichrist. Paul called him "the son of perdition" &"that Wicked." In each case, these prophets & preachers were pointing toward the same time period that we find foretold here Revelation 6. We are looking at the 7-year-long Tribulation Period (on earth) that follows the rapture of the church. 

 

The 4 horsemen of the apocalypse might be familiar to you. At this point in John's vision, Jesus began breaking the seals on the scroll (which we read about in the previous chapter). With the opening of each of the first four sections of the scroll, four horses – each with a rider – arrive on the earth (see also Zechariah 6:1-3). These horsemen represent specific troubles that will commence at the beginning of the Tribulation. The first rider will be on a white horse (Revelation 6:2 & Daniel 8:25). He will bring a promise of forced & godless peace to the earth. This rider is surely the antichrist. Then there will be a red horse representing worldwide war, a black horse representing worldwide famine, & a pale horse representing diseases, plagues, & death. There is no reason to imagine that the world will actually see these riders on their horses, but the world will most assuredly feel the impact of what each one represents.

 

 

Friday - Revelation 5 - Worship in Heaven (Part 2)

 

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IMILAR to the way a husband and wife should expect nothing less than sincerity and loyalty from each other, since the day of the fall in Eden God has been calling out a faithful people unto Himself.  Of course He has to plant and culture this faith in us, but nonetheless, He is seeking unpretentious worshippers.

 

Now, God would deserve worship from us even if He never did anything for us. It's an impossible hypothetical, but IF we could become outsiders, strangers to this universe and to all of reality; if we could simply stumble upon God and His creation – then His power, wisdom, perfection, holiness, majesty, creativity, and eternality would merit an infinite measure of worship from us. God is great and is worthy of worship and praise, just because of who He is; because He exists. But in reality, that's not all. God is our Maker. He is our Creator. We owe Him a great debt of worship because He made us, and most specifically because He was gracious enough to make us in His own likeness, with prerogatives and real opportunities for creativity and love. But there is still a greater reason to consider. Through His cross He has transformed us from condemned sinners to conquering saints (Revelation 5:10). This is a gift that demands infinite gratitude. Jesus isn't just A Savior; He is OUR Savior. All "power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing" rightfully belong to this One who sits on heaven's throne.

Thursday - Revelation 4 - Worship in Heaven (Part 1)

 

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E are only 4 chapters into the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and already we are at point number 3 in the 3 point outline of this book (Revelation 1:19 & 4:1). As we have already seen, Jesus revealed some things to John about the past, the present, & the future. This future is all post-church-age stuff. That is, these events (in heaven and on earth) follow the rapture of the church. 

 

In Revelation 4, the Apostle John and 12 of the 24 elders represent the New Testament church. The other 12 elders represent Old Testament saints. If we think of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles, this should help us in our understanding.

 

Now, in John's vision, he was raptured up into heaven in a way that is distinctly reminiscent of 1^st Thessalonians  4:13-18,  as  well  as  1^st Corinthians 15:51-55. When we all get to heaven, there we will see the exalted Lord Christ, as John did. There we will wear crowns (Revelation 4:4) and will cast them at the feet of Jesus (Revelation 4:10). There we will be perfect and holy.  There we will see the glory of God and the majesty of His power. There we will join with the angels and the saints of old in worshipping our Almighty Savior, the Lord of heaven. There we will shout and sing, "You are worthy, 0 Lord!" There we will see fully the purpose of all things: that it is for God's own pleasure that He created all things (Revelation 4:11).

Wednesday - Revelation 3 - Each Church is Different (Part 2)

 

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N Revelation 3 the churches of Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea are addressed. Just like the four churches of chapter 2, each one of these is unique. Once again, we should examine ourselves and see if there are traits in our character (as individuals) that fit with the descriptions of these churches. If things are out of line, then we should adjust without hesitation.

 

Sardine Christians might be descried as believers who are doing really well, as long as they are only compared to other believers. We might have a resume that will impress the most nitpicking of critics, but if we lack sincerity in our hearts, then we are in grave spiritual danger (Revelation 3:1-2).  Our reputation is meaningless if our hearts aren't right in the sight of God (verse 2). God did not save us so that we could impress our neighbor.  

 

Like the suffering saints of Smyrna, the faithful saints of the Philadelphian variety receive only commendations from Christ. This type of believer is a wise opportunist.  Philadelphians redeem the time. These believers epitomize God's love: receiving, reciprocating and distributing it.  If we qualify for this label, then we are among those who value God's Word, both in principle and in practice.  

 

Now, Laodiceans are believers, but that's where our commendation ends. "Yet so as by fire" & "by the skin of our teeth" - these are appropriate descriptions for this brand of Christianity (1^st Corinthians 3:15 & Job 19:20). In fact, the word Christian should be hesitantly applied to them. If Christians are called such because of Christlikeness, then Laodiceans leave much to be desired. A Laodicean is carnal, complacent, comfortable, confident, & worldly.

Tuesday - Revelation 2 - Each Church is Different (Part 1)

 

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 have certainly bought into a dispensational interpretation of Revelation 2 & 3. Such an interpretation arises right out of the text. However, that is only one of four true perspectives to consider as we read these two unique chapters. These are the "things that are" (Revelation 1:19). In other words, these chapters are about the present. When John wrote this book, he was living in the church age as we are. So, it's no surprise that the "things which are" are presented in a perfect list of 7 specific, literal churches (Revelation 1:11). These were actual congregations of actual saints living in actual places during the days of John. From a dispensational perspective, these seven churches surely represent periods of time in the church age. But there are local churches today (as well as individuals within single churches) that fit respectively with each and every type of church that Jesus described for John. Focus on the challenges that Jesus issued here to all of His children, including you and me.

 

Four types of believers are addressed in Revelation 2, and the remaining three in chapter 3. We will call the first four kinds Ephesian, Smyrnian, Pergamian and Thyatirian believers. We should look for traits within ourselves that match with these descriptions. Then, we must take to heart what Jesus had to say in response to these traits.