Burunche’s Blog

Revelation 21:1”Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.”

We have already seen the old heaven and earth pass into nothingness; now there is a new heaven and a new earth. Barclay explains:

The dream of a new heaven and a new earth was deep in Jewish thought. “Behold,” said God to Isaiah, “I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things shall not be remembered, or come into mind” (Isaiah 65:17). Isaiah speaks of the new heaven and the new earth which God will make, in which life will be one continual act of worship (Isaiah 66:22).

The picture is always there and its elements are always the same. Sorrow is to be forgotten; sin is to be vanquished; darkness is to be at an end; the temporariness of time is to turn into the everlastingness of eternity. This continuing belief is a witness to three things–to the unquenchable immortal longings in man’s soul, to man’s inherent sense of sin and to man’s faith in God.”

While God is giving John this vision, He is also using texts with which John would be familiar, such as Isaiah, to imprint images on John’s mind. For John, there must have been many “Aha! So that’s what you meant!” moments when he remembered God’s words in Isaiah and suddenly saw them coming to pass in the vision.

What’s so important about the sea? Again, Barclay gives us insight: In this vision of the future bliss we come on one of the most famous phrases in the Revelation–“And the sea was no more.” This phrase has a double background.

(i) It has a background in the great mythological beliefs of John’s time. We have already seen that the Babylonian story of the creation of the world is of a long struggle between Marduk, the god of creation, and Tiamat, the dragon of chaos. In that story the sea, the waters beneath the firmament, became the dwelling-place of Tiamat. The sea was always an enemy. The Egyptians saw it as the power which swallowed up the waters of the Nile and left the fields barren.

(ii) It has a much more human background. The ancient peoples hated the sea, even though, by the time of John, they were voyaging long and far. They did not possess the compass; and, therefore, as far as possible, they coasted along the shores. It is not till modern times that we come on people who rejoice in being sea-faring…. In Jewish dreams the end of the sea is the end of a force hostile to God and to man.”

v. 2 “I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”

Barclay explains: Here, again, is a dream of the Jews which never died–the dream of the restoration of Jerusalem, the holy city.

 (i.) It has a background which is essentially Greek. One of the great contributions to the world’s philosophical thought was Plato’s doctrine of ideas or forms. He taught that in the invisible world there existed the perfect form or idea of everything upon earth, and that all things on earth were imperfect copies of the heavenly realities. If that be so, there is a heavenly Jerusalem of which the earthly Jerusalem is an imperfect copy. That is what Paul is thinking of when he speaks of the Jerusalem that is above (Galatians 4:26), and also what is in the mind of the writer to the Hebrews when he speaks of the heavenly Jerusalem (Hebrews 12:22)… This conception of preexisting forms may seem strange. But at the back of it is the great truth that the ideal actually exists. It further means that God is the source of all ideals. The ideal is a challenge, which, even if it is not worked out in this world, can still be worked out in the world to come.

 (ii) The second background of the conception of the new Jerusalem is entirely Jewish. Observant Jews still pray: And to Jerusalem thy city return with compassion, and dwell therein as thou hast promised; and rebuild her speedily in our days, a structure everlasting; and the throne of David speedily establish there. Blessed art thou, O Lord, the builder of Jerusalem.”

There are many descriptions of the New Jerusalem, but one of the most eloquent is found in Isaiah 54:11 – 12 “O afflicted one, storm-tossed, and not comforted, behold, I will set your stones in antimony, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of agate, your gates of carbuncles, and all your wall of precious stones.”

Obviously, the vision God gave John was so wonderful that it was almost beyond comprehension. Brides always dressed themselves in their finest clothes and their most magnificent jewelry as a demonstration of their love and respect for their bridegrooms. Now the New Jerusalem is gleaming on the horizon, stunning in its beauty. We will never know the full extent of this loveliness until the day that we see the New Jerusalem in God’s Kingdom.

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for every detail of the vision you gave to John. Lord, we long to see your glory and your beauty and your majesty! Put a desire in the hearts of all who read these words, that they may truly follow you and come to the New Jerusalem to live with you forever. In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 20:7 -10 “When the thousand years are complete, Satan will be released from his prison, and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to assemble them for battle. Their number is like the sand of the seashore. And they marched across the broad expanse of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. But fire came down from heaven and consumed them. And the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, into which the beast and the false prophet had already been thrown. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. “

Again, we are left wondering how this story fits into the rest of the vision. It’s possible that these are simply more details being given about the time when King Jesus rides forth leading the host of heaven to battle. Satan is still trying his best to overcome the hosts of heaven and moves all those left on the earth to a final battle. Here, it is understood that “the beloved city” mentioned is Jerusalem. Evidently, the camp of the saints is outside Jerusalem.

But the time for rebellion has run out. Fire comes down from heaven and consumes the entire army! In an instant, all these warriors are vaporized. And the devil joins the beast and the false prophet in the lake of fire and sulfur, where they will suffer eternal torment.

Judgment before the Great White Throne

v 11: “Then I saw a great white throne and the One seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from His presence, and no place was found for them.”

In the beginning, God spoke a word and created the universe. Now God has come and earth and the galaxies and solar systems disappear forever. The time has come for final judgment. Is it God the Father or God the Son, Jesus Christ, who judges? The mystery of the Holy Trinity is such that Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are actually united, rooted deeply in each other. Barclay explains: In Romans 14:10 he (Paul) writes: “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of God.” But in 2 Corinthians 5:10 he writes: “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.” For Jewish believers, they anticipated that God would be the judge.

The old heavens and earth vanish. God foretold this many times throughout Scripture. “None the less it is still true that “they will perish … they will all wear out like a garment; thou changest them like raiment, and they pass away” (Psalms 102:25-27). “The heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment” (Isaiah 51:6). “Heaven and earth will pass away” (Mark 13:31). “The heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and the works that are upon it will be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10). Barclay states, “The new man in Christ must have a new world in Christ.”

THE FINAL JUDGMENT

v. 12 – 15 “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne. And there were open books, and one of them was the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their deeds, as recorded in the books. The sea gave up its dead, and Death and Hades gave up their dead, and each one was judged according to his deeds. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death—the lake of fire. And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

Everyone who has ever lived is now standing before the throne waiting to be judged. There are two sets of books: the book listing people’s deeds and the Book of Life. Nobody is to be left out of this final judgment. Even those who have drowned at sea and whose bodies could not be recovered are summoned to stand before the throne of God. But what about our deeds? Isaiah 64:6 says, ”…all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.” Nothing any of us can do is good enough for us to earn our way into heaven! Even when we are trying to be noble, somewhere in the back of our minds, we are admiring ourselves! And this is why Jesus had to come to live as a man, to die for the sins of the world, and to conquer death, hell, and the grave. NONE OF US COULD DO IT EVEN FOR OURSELVES, LET ALONE FOR ANYONE ELSE!

That is where the second book comes in, the Book of Life. In the time of John, rulers kept record books with the names of their citizens. Whenever someone died, his name was removed from the record of the living, so in a very real sense, these record books were books of life, books of the living. Notice that it is not those who have done wonderful deeds who are saved from the lake of fire; instead, it is those whose names are in the Book of Life. “ And if anyone was found whose name was not written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” Those whose names are in the Book of Life are those who have chosen to follow Christ Jesus, to make Him Lord of their lives, and to live for Him instead of for themselves. Nobody becomes a citizen of heaven apart from the Blood of Jesus!

These verses are not a fairy tale! One day, all of us will stand before the throne of God and every scummy thought, every bit of our shriveled souls will be on display. Nothing any of us can do is good enough to deserve heaven. On that day, will your name be found in the Book of Life? God doesn’t send anyone to hell; people choose to go there. How will you choose?

PRAYER: Father God, we tremble when we read these verses, and yet, we thank you for sending Jesus to deliver us from our sins and to save us. Lord, let everyone who reads these words turn to you! In the mighty Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 19:14 – 16 “The armies of heaven, dressed in fine linen, white and pure, follow Him on white horses. And from His mouth proceeds a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and He will rule them with an iron scepter. He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God, the Almighty. And He has a name written on His robe and on His thigh: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

Jesus is leading the hosts of heaven. These warrior angels are dressed in white linen to demonstrate purity and righteousness. Barclay describes: From his mouth goes forth a sharp two-edged sword. This description of the warrior Christ comes from two Old Testament passages put side by side. Isaiah says of the heavenly king: “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked” (Isaiah 11:4). The Psalmist says of the Messianic king: “You shall break them with a rod of iron, and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalms 2:9).

“ will tread the winepress of the anger of the wrath of God. The picture is of the warrior Christ trampling the grapes so as to produce the wine of the wrath of God, which his enemies must drink to their doom.” Poisoned and cursed drinks have been employed repeatedly as a means of ensuring defeat of one’s enemies. Ironically, the grapes in this winepress are the results of the persistent rebellion of the rulers of the world against the One True Living God. By rebelling and flagrant disobedience to God, these rulers have brought about their own destruction. Romans 3:23 says “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” There is no salvation for any of us apart from that available in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:24 says “and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” But here is the problem: these rulers have persistently refused the grace of God. Truly, God does not SEND people to hell; people CHOOSE to go there!

How are we to understand the mention of the Name being written on the robe and on the thigh? Barclay explains: The name might be embroidered on his girdle or engraved on his sword hilt. The name might be on the skirt of his general’s cloak, for that is where it would be easiest to read on a horseman…It seems clear that the name is visible to all, and, therefore, probably the likeliest solution is that it was written on the skirt of the warrior Christ’s robe, lying over his thigh, as he rode upon the white horse. In any event, the name singles him out as the greatest of all rulers, the only true divine One and the universal King.

v. 17-21 “Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out in a loud voice to all the birds flying overhead, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, so that you may eat the flesh of kings and commanders and mighty men, of horses and riders, of all men slave and free, small and great.” Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies assembled to wage war against the One seated on the horse, and against His army. But the beast was captured along with the false prophet, who on its behalf had performed signs deceiving those who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both the beast and the false prophet were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. And the rest were killed with the sword that proceeded from the mouth of the One seated on the horse. And all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.”

Ezekiel 39 describes the slaughter of the forces of Gog and Magog in the last days, complete with the invitation to vultures and other birds of prey to come feast on the dead bodies. The beast/Antichrist and the false prophet are thrown alive into a fiery lake of burning sulfur. All the kings of the earth and their armies – all those who have taken the mark of the beast – are destroyed. Scavenger birds swoop in to consume the dead bodies. Traditionally, Jews buried their dead as soon as possible, so for any body to be left to be consumed by vultures would be considered a truly horrible fate. It is also obvious that there is nobody left to bury these bodies.

What are we to learn from this gory discussion? A day of reckoning is coming for all those practicing corruption, thievery, lying, cheating, and perversions of every kind. The risen glorified Lord Jesus and the angelic armies will make an end of all those who have opposed Him. Is this a fairy tale? No! If you doubt, there is a simple solution: pray and ask Jesus to reveal Himself to you in a way that is unmistakable.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, some of us believe while others doubt whether or not you exist. Please make yourself so real to everyone who reads this that they cannot deny you. Help them to come to know you and the love you have for them. In your mighty and precious Name. Amen.

Revelation 20: 1 – 3 “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven with the key to the Abyss, holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. And he threw him into the Abyss, shut it, and sealed it over him, so that he could not deceive the nations until the thousand years were complete. After that, he must be released for a brief period of time.

Barclay explains the chaining of Satan this way: The abyss was a vast subterranean cavern beneath the earth, sometimes the place where all the dead went, sometimes the place where special sinners were kept awaiting punishment. It was reached by a chasm reaching down into the earth and this the angel locks in order to keep the Devil in the abyss. It was the abyss which the devils feared most of all. In the story of the Gerasene demoniac the request of the devils was that Jesus would not command them to leave the man and to go out into the deep, that is, the abyss (Luke 8:31). The seal is set on the chasm to ensure the safe-keeping of the prisoner, just as the seal was set on the tomb of Jesus to make sure that he would not escape (Matthew 27:66).

The Devil is to be kept in the abyss for a period of a thousand years. Even the way in which the word thousand is used in Scripture warns us against taking this literally. Psalms 50:10 says that the cattle on a thousand hills belong to God; and Job 9:3 says that a man cannot answer God once in a thousand times. Thousand is simply used to describe a very large number.

At the end of the period the Devil is to be let loose for a little time. H. B. Swete suggests that the reason for the final loosing of the Devil is this. In a period of peace and righteousness, in a time when the opposition, so to speak, did not exist, it might easily happen that people came to take their faith unthinkingly. The loosing of the Devil meant a testing-time for Christians, and there are times when a testing-time is essential, if the reality of the faith is to be preserved.”

This passage raises lots of questions. When in the events is this to take place? Is this to take place after the events described in Chapter 19? Remember that originally, there were no such things as “chapters” and that the chapters were inserted by later Bible translators to make things easier for believers. Why 1,000 years? This part of Revelation was very controversial in the early church with some church leaders refusing to accept it. Personally, I feel that this is one of those mysteries that will eventually be revealed at the end of time.

v. 4-6 “Then I saw the thrones, and those seated on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image, and had not received its mark on their foreheads or hands. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come back to life until the thousand years were complete. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”

The martyrs and those who suffered by refusing the mark of the beast are singled out for a particular honor: they are to reign with Christ for a long time before the rest of the dead will come back to life. Barclay describes the privileges these people enjoy as follows:

(i) For them death has been utterly vanquished. The second death has no power over them. Physical death for them is not a thing to be feared, for it is the gateway to life everlasting.

(ii) They are to be the priests of God and of Christ. The Latin for priest is pontifex, which means a bridge-builder. The priest is the builder of a bridge between God and man; and he, as the Jews saw it, is the one man with the right of direct access into the presence of God. Those who have been loyal to Jesus Christ have the right of free entry into the presence of God; and they have the privilege of introducing others to Jesus Christ.

(iii) They are to reign with Christ. In Christ even the most ordinary man becomes a king.

Those who have suffered will receive eternal rewards. Now, nobody chooses to become a martyr! The only choice we have is this: will we serve the One True Living God, no matter what, or will we serve something lesser? The day we die, any rewards we have received by serving something or someone apart from God cease; however, that is the day that those who have served God will find their rewards forever.

PRAYER: Father God, let this scripture touch hearts and cause people to look to You, the One True Living God, as their only Hope. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 19:11- 16 “Then I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse. And its rider is called Faithful and True. With righteousness He judges and wages war. He has eyes like blazing fire, and many royal crowns on His head. He has a name written on Him that only He Himself knows. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.

The Gospel of John begins “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” The Lord Jesus, Christ, the only Son of His Heavenly Father, is the living Word of God. For thousands of years, people have read these words, but how many people have actually expected Jesus to return as the Living Word with infinite power? Now the time has come for Jesus to show Himself in all of His Majesty and His Glory.

Jesus is the Rider on the white horse, the One called Faithful and True. The Greek term for “faithful” means ”absolutely to be trusted.” Jesus brings truth, His nature is true, and He brings complete reality. Jesus is the One who is capable of judging and waging war righteously. Even though men have attempted to justify their wars throughout the ages, Jesus is the only One who truly wages just war.

Barclay explains: His eyes are a flame of fire…. It stands for the consuming power of the victorious Christ. On his head he has many crowns. The word used here for crown is diadema, which is the royal crown, as opposed to stephanos which is the crown of victory. To be crowned with more than one crown may seem strange, but in the time of John it was quite natural. It was not uncommon for a monarch to wear more than one crown in order to show that he was the king of more than one country. For instance, when Ptolemy entered Antioch he wore two crowns or diadems–one to show that he was lord of Asia and one to show that he was lord of Egypt. On the head of the victor Christ there are many crowns to show that he is lord of all the kingdoms of the earth.

He has a name known to no one but himself….What is this name?…. In Philippians 2:9-11 we read of the name above every name which God has given to Jesus Christ because of his complete obedience; and there the name is almost certainly Lord.

(ii) It is suggested that the name is Y-H-W-H. That was the Jewish name for God.

(iii) It may be that the name is one which can be revealed only at the final union of Christ and the Church.

(iv) It may be… the old idea that to know the name of a divine being was to have a certain power over him.

(v) It may be that we shall never know the symbolism of the unknown name… Only the Son of God can understand the mystery of his own being.” Should a Supreme God be totally knowable, or is it part of that supremacy that mystery should remain? If your god is totally knowable, is it really God or merely something on which you have decided to focus your attention?

v. 13 “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and His name is The Word of God.” In the past, Jesus was the Lamb of God, slain for the sins of the world. But now the blood on the robe is the blood of Jesus’s enemies. The tables have turned; the Victim has become the Victor. The Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the Living Word. Barclay concludes: Here is the idea in Hebrews 4:12 : “The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword.” When John here called the warrior Christ “The Word of God”, he means that here in action is all the power of God’s word; everything that God has said, and threatened, and promised is embodied in Christ.”

When I was a child, we had a saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me!” But that saying is a lie! In fact, words can kill or heal. Just ask the grieving parents of any teen who has been cyber – bullied until he or she commits suicide. How many adults have struggled to overcome hateful pronouncements made by parents or others. “You are stupid! You will never amount to anything! Why try? No matter what you do, you are bound to fail!”

Perhaps you are one of those people who has struggled to overcome horrible curses placed on you when you were young. Take heart, for Jesus, the Living Word of God, has come in His Strength and His Power to remove those curses. If you will only choose to accept the fact that Jesus died on that cross at Calvary to take away the sins of the world, if you will only believe that Jesus can deliver you from the bondage of those curses, you can be free now and forever!

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for sending Jesus, your Living Word! Thank you that Jesus has been, is now, and always will be victorious. Thank you that the Name of Jesus has power to free us from the curses of our sins and the curses spoken over us by others. Lord Jesus, we confess that we are sinners and that we cannot free ourselves. Please deliver us from our sins and free us from the curses placed on us. Thank you that you have promised to give us life and to give it abundantly. In your Name we pray. Amen.

Revelation 19:9 – 10 “Then the angel told me to write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Of this feast, Barclay writes: The Jews had the idea that, when the Messiah came, God’s people would, as it were, be entertained by God to a great Messianic Banquet. Isaiah speaks of God preparing for his people “a feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wine on the lees well refined” (Isaiah 25:6). Jesus speaks of many coming from the east and the west and sitting down with the patriarchs in the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 8:11). The word used for sitting down is the word for reclining at a meal. The picture is of all men sitting down at the Messianic Banquet of God. Jesus at the Last Supper said that he would not again drink of the cup until he drank it new in his Father’s kingdom (Matthew 26:29). That was Jesus looking forward to the great Messianic Banquet.

In Jewish culture, marriage suppers were among the biggest and most elaborate celebrations possible. Remember that Jesus’ first miracle when he turned water into wine was performed at a marriage feast in Cana when the wine ran out. Is the heavenly banquet likely to look exactly like this description? Probably not! But as Saint Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13 “Our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect….now we see as in a glass darkly…” Remember, John was still human when he was having this vision and so God had to give John pictures with which he could identify so that he would be able to describe the vision accurately.

“So I fell at his feet to worship him. But he told me, “Do not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who rely on the testimony of Jesus.” Throughout history, men have been tempted to worship angels. When angels of the Lord have appeared, they have always warned the men to whom they have appeared NOT to worship them. But it is important to remember that one third of the angels fell from heaven when Satan fell. There are many spiritualist churches that have some angel as their guiding spirit; these angels evidently have no problems with receiving worship and therefore are NOT angels of the Lord.

9b”Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The Word of God is rich in layers upon layers of meaning and this statement is a perfect example. 1. The testimony of Jesus may refer to the testimony of believers who have followed Jesus and have found Him to be completely true.

2. The testimony of Jesus may refer to those who have listened to Jesus and who have then brought His messages to men. With such men, their words and works all bear evidence of Jesus and point people toward Jesus.

Recently, one of our friends lost her older brother, a fascinating and multi – talented man. Although this man first thought he was called to be a preacher, he became an entrepeneur, conducting all kinds of businesses. But wherever this man went, he bore witness to Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and pointed the way to God for many of those who first encountered him through their business connections. The compassion, the faith, the joy, and the peace this man demonstrated drew many to Jesus Christ. This man was truly a prophet, albeit an unconventional one. But then, most prophets defy conventions.

Generally, when people send out wedding invitations, they only invite family and friends or close business associates. But Jesus is coming back for His Bride, the Church, and the invitation is open to anyone who will respond. Your invitation is waiting; what are you going to do with it?

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much that you came as a man to live and to die for our sins. Thank you that you have invited us to be with you forever. Help everyone who reads this to say “yes” to that invitation. In your mighty and precious Name, Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 19:3 – 8 “And a second time they called out: “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises forever and ever.” And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying: “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God, all you who serve Him, and those who fear Him, small and great alike!” And I heard a sound like the roar of a great multitude, like the rushing of many waters, and like a mighty rumbling of thunder, crying out: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.

“The smoke rises forever and ever…” This statement indicates that the corrupt city that has spelled doom for so many has been completely destroyed and shall never rise again. Remember that here “Babylon” or Rome represents every entity that has seduced mankind from the beginning of time. That ancient enemy of all believers has been crushed into the dirt!

Now the twenty – four elders and the four living creatures, those closest to the throne, are worshiping God. Joining them are the prophets and martyrs and all believers. When these voices cry out, the sound is like that of an enormous waterfall – greater than Niagara or Victoria Falls or Iguazu Falls in Brazil as pictured above. And what is the song that they are singing?

“Hallelujah! For our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him the glory…”

Ages upon ages, believers have trusted, have continued to act in faith, and have frequently have faced persecution or death as their immediate reward. But now at long last, that faith has been justified! God’s promises are coming true! Now the final union of God and His Church is about to take place.

It is the Lord God Almighty who is being worshiped. The term here in the Greek translates to “He who controls all things.” God is the ultimate Authority and worthy of all praise and worship. Here God is described as the ultimate Bridegroom with the Church as His Bride.

For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. She was given clothing of fine linen, bright and pure.” For the fine linen she wears is the righteous acts of the saints.” When have brides NOT concentrated on preparing for their weddings? Even in the days of the early church, brides spent time preparing their costumes, the linens they would use in their homes, and preparing their bodies so that they would be as attractive to their bridegrooms as possible. In modern times, an entire industry has grown up around weddings and the celebrations surrounding them.

Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly referred to Israel as the chosen bride of God. That theme comes out even more clearly in the New Testament.

Barclay explains: “The marriage symbolism runs all through the Gospels. We read of the marriage feast (Matthew 22:2); of the bride chamber and the wedding garment (Matthew 22:10-11); of the sons of the bride chamber (Mark 2:19); of the bridegroom (Mark 2:19; Matthew 25:1); of the friends of the bridegroom (John 3:29). And Paul speaks of himself as betrothing the Church like a pure virgin to Christ (2 Corinthians 11:2), and for him the relationship of Christ to his Church is the great model of the relationship of husband and wife (Ephesians 5:21-33). This may seem to us a strange metaphor. But it conserves certain great truths. In any real marriage there must be four things which must also be in the relationship between the Christian and Christ.

(i) There is love. A loveless marriage is a contradiction in terms.

(ii) There is intimate communion, so intimate that man and wife become one flesh. The relationship of the Christian and Christ must be the closest in all life.

(iii) There is joy. There is nothing like the joy of loving and of being loved. If Christianity does not bring joy, it does not bring anything.

(iv) There is fidelity. No marriage can last without fidelity, and the Christian must be as faithful to Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ is to him.

…The Church, the Bride of Christ, is clothed in fine linen, pure and shining. There is a contrast with the scarlet and gold of the great harlot. The white linen represents the good deeds of God’s dedicated people; that is to say, it is character which forms the robe which arrays the Bride of Christ.”

If the marriage metaphor fails to speak to us, it is because our modern world has cheapened marriage into a matter of ceremony for the sake of convenience. But such a tawdry concept was never God’s intent. And this marriage is a union that will last forever.

“But,” you say, “I know that I am a rotten sinner. I know that I can never be good enough to be part of such a ceremony!” Congratulations! Welcome to the human race! NONE of us are good enough. By ourselves, not a single one of us can possibly earn his or her way into heaven. That is the message of Christmas: Jesus was born as a baby to become a man, the only perfect and innocent man ever created, so that He could die for our sins and conquer death and the grave. If we accept what Jesus has done for us, that is the only invitation we will ever need… if we will accept it. But don’t let that invitation just sit there. Now is the time to follow Jesus!

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, thank you for everything you have done for me. I confess that I am a sinner. And I confess that I cannot earn my way into heaven. But thank you that because you have died for my sins, if I follow you, one day I will join you in heaven. Amen.

A PREVIEW OF REVELATION 19, 20, 21, 22 (Source: William Barclay)

Before we begin to study the last four chapters of the Revelation in detail, it will be well to set out their general program of events.

1. They begin with a universal rejoicing at the destruction of Babylon, the power of Rome.

2. There follows a description of the emergence of a white horse and on it him who is Faithful and True.

3. Next comes the assembling of hostile powers against the conquering Christ; then the defeat of the opposing forces, the casting of the beast and of the false prophet into the lake of fire, and the slaughter of the rest.

4. Revelation 20:1-15 opens with the binding of the devil in the abyss for a period of a thousand years.

5. There follows the resurrection of the martyrs to reign with Christ for a thousand years, although the rest of the dead are not yet resurrected.

6. At the end of the thousand years Satan is again loosed for a brief space; there is

final conflict with the enemies of Christ who are destroyed with fire from heaven while Satan is cast for ever into the lake of fire and brimstone.

7. Then comes the general resurrection and the general judgment

8. and finally the description of the new heaven and the new earth to take the place of the things which have passed away.

Revelation 19:19:1-2 “After these things I heard what sounded like a great voice of a vast multitude in heaven. “Hallelujah!” they were saying. “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and just, for he judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication, and has avenged upon her the blood of his servants.”

“Hallelujah” literally means “praise God!” Salvation and glory and power belong to God! Salvation – only God can save fallen mankind. We are saved by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood has paid the price for our sins. All glory belongs to God. There is nobody else so worthy of praise. Only God truly has glory. The Romans had a phrase “Sic transit gloria mundi,” “so passes the glory of the world.” 1 John 2:15 – 17 says that “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. The world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God remains forever.”

God’s judgments are true and righteous. We live in an age in which leaders in all spheres are failing, having sold themselves to the highest bidder. There are those who attempt to argue that there are no moral absolutes and that each situation must be judged on its own merits; however, if there are no moral absolutes, what parameters will you use to assess a given situation? You are left with nothing more than shifting moral sand.

God has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication. For eons, God has withheld judgment but now the time has come to make an end to all corruption. Although those who murdered believers have rejoiced in their foul deeds, God has been watching. Now God is avenging every drop of blood that has been spilled. The same God who has every hair of each person’s head numbered certainly knows the names of the martyrs, the manner in which they have suffered, and those who have made them suffer and who have failed to repent. Judgment is the inescapable consequence of sin.

The Creator of the Universe has called all the stars by name; how much more will He treasure those who have loved Him so much that they have laid down their lives rather than compromise? Make no mistake! God is NOT Santa Claus; neither is He some distant figure on Mount Olympus as the Greeks imagined. Barclay comments, “There is one other reason for the rejoicing. The judgment on Rome is the guarantee that God never in the end abandons his own.”

PRAYER: Father God, thank you that you are TRULY the Lord of the Universe! Thank you that you are true, just, perfect, and glorious! Lord, help us to praise you and to value you as we should. In the mighty and precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 18:21- 24 “Then a mighty angel picked up a stone the size of a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying: “With such violence the great city of Babylon will be cast down, never to be seen again. And the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will never ring out in you again. Nor will any craftsmen of any trade be found in you again, nor the sound of a millstone be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again, and the voices of a bride and bridegroom will never call out in you again. For your merchants were the great ones of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.” And there was found in her the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who had been slain on the earth.”

Barclay comments: The picture is of the final desolation of Rome. It begins with a symbolic action. A strong angel takes a great millstone and hurls it into the sea which closes over it as if it had never been. So will Rome be obliterated. John was taking his picture from the destruction of ancient Babylon. The word of God came to Jeremiah: “When you finish reading this book, bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates: and say, Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the evil that I am bringing upon her” (Jeremiah 51:63-64). AND THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO ANCIENT BABYLON! In later days Strabo, the Greek geographer, was to say that ancient Babylon was so completely obliterated that no one would ever have dared to say that the desert where she stood was once a great city.

1. Never again will there be any sound of rejoicing. The doom of Ezekiel against Tyre reads: “And I will stop the music of your songs, and the sound of your lyres shall be heard no more” (Ezekiel 26:13). The harpers and the minstrels played and sang on joyous occasions; the flute was used at festivals and at funerals; the trumpet sounded at the games and at the concerts; but now all music was to be silenced.

2. Never again will there be the sound of a craftsman plying his trade.

3. Never again will the sound of domestic activity be heard. Grinding was done by the women at home with two great circular stones one on the top of the other. The corn was put into a hole in the uppermost stone; it was ground between the two stones and emerged through the lower stone. The creak of stone on stone, which could be heard any day at any house door, will never again be heard.

3. Never again will there be light on the streets or in the houses.

4. Never again will there be any sound of wedding rejoicing for even love will die.

Rome is to become a terrible silent desolation. And this punishment will come for certain definite reasons.

**It will come because she worshiped wealth and luxury and lived wantonly, and found no pleasure except in material things.

**It will come because she led men astray with her sorceries. Nahum called Nineveh “graceful and of deadly charms”(Nahum 3:14). Rome flirted with the evil powers to make an evil world.

**It will come because she was blood guilty. “Woe to the bloody city!” said Ezekiel of Tyre (Ezekiel 24:6). Within Rome the martyrs perished and persecution went out from her all over the earth.

Everything that could possibly make any city attractive is to be stripped away from the cities of the world in an instant. All signs of life are to be obliterated. In the process, all those people involved in these activities will also vanish. On that fateful day, God will bring all normal human activities to an end. How is all of this supposed to happen? We have no idea. But the same God who spoke the universe into existence can easily stop all activities with a single word.

This last year, many people have lost things they thought were necessary, only to find that other more eternal values mattered the most. As we come to the end of 2020, what is important to you? What do you worship? On what do you spend your time?

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us. Thank you that we do not have to fear whatever the future holds, because you are already there and you have already made provision for us, if we will only trust you and serve you. Let your light shine in our hearts and let us truly know you and follow you all the days of our lives. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.

Revelation 18:9 – 19 “Then the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. In fear of her torment, they will stand at a distance and cry out:

“Woe, woe to the great city, the mighty city of Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because there is no one left to buy their cargo— cargo of gold, silver, precious stones, and pearls; of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; of all kinds of citron wood and every article of ivory, precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; of cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; of wine, olive oil, fine flour, and wheat; of cattle, sheep, horses, and chariots; of slaves and souls of men: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.” The merchants who sold these things and grew their wealth from her will stand at a distance, in fear of her torment. They will weep and mourn, saying: “Woe, woe to the great city, clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!” Every shipmaster, passenger, and sailor, and all who make their living from the sea, will stand at a distance and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. ‘What city was ever like this great city?’ they will exclaim. Then they will throw dust on their heads as they weep and mourn and cry out: “Woe, woe to the great city, where all who had ships on the sea were enriched by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been destroyed.”

“WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND!” “YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW!” The mighty city of Babylon/Rome that represents all the cities of the world, is being destroyed. God is punishing the pride. The Greeks had a term hubris, that is, overweening pride and arrogance that feels it has no need of God. Now God’s punishment has come, judgment for the immorality and the corruption of centuries. Kings, merchants, shipmasters, and sailors are all lamenting the fall of this great city that has made them all rich.

The detailed description of all the wealth that is being destroyed in an instant seems almost unbelievable; however, historians of the time have born out the fact that there was immense wealth in Rome, just as there is immense wealth in any of the big sites of the world today. We have just passed through Christmas, and many families have posted photos of their Christmas trees surrounded by mounds of presents. While most of these families would describe themselves as middle – class, the variety of gifts described in their Face Book posts is staggering. And these are only middle class people, not the very wealthy. Given that level of modern – day wealth, it is not difficult to understand why all these different groups involved in trading are grieving the loss of Babylon, their market and their supplier. Barclay comments: “There is something almost pathetic in these laments. In every case the lament is not for Rome but for themselves. It is one of the laws of life that, if a man places all his happiness in material things, he misses the greatest things of all–love and friendship with his fellowmen.”

v. 20 “Rejoice over her, O heaven, O saints and apostles and prophets, because for you God has pronounced His judgment against her.”

These are the cities that have persecuted the saints and apostles and prophets. Jesus himself grieved over the prophets who had been murdered in Jerusalem. The Apostle Paul was beheaded in Rome, and Peter was crucified there. Innumerable believers were torn apart by wild beasts or used as human torches in Nero’s gardens, or tortured to death in other ways by later rulers.

2 Peter 3:9-10 “The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance. But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare.” God is patient; however, for thousands of years, His prophets have warned men that a day of judgment would eventually arrive. Peter continues: Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. But in keeping with God’s promise, we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.”

2 Peter 3:11-13

God has given John this vision for many reasons, not the least of which is to warn mankind of His provision and eventual punishment should they refuse that provision. Truly, God is patient, and He does not SEND anyone to hell; people choose to go there.

None of us knows the day or the hour of our death. The only time we have is now. The question before us remains: will we worship the One True Living God, or will we turn away from Him?

PRAYER: Father God, thank you for loving us. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for our sins. Lord, help each of us to realize that riches and power can be gone in an instant and that only YOUR salvation is sufficient. Let all who read this turn to you. In the matchless Name of King Jesus. Amen.