Who Rules the Earth?

Intro

Let’s jump right in… gulp!

Really hard time prepping this week; 4 different scenes/thoughts

Segue with reading Rev. 19:1 - 5 (rejoicing over final fall of Babylon)

“Great multitude” = the numberless crowd of God’s people at the end

“The smoke from her goes up forever and ever” = In line with the picture of God’s complete judgment in Rev. 14:11)

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:6 - 10)

John again hears the voice of a great multitude (God’s people in the end)

Read verses 6 - 9

Revelation is completing the theme of faithfulness between God and His people with this marriage supper

Did NOT commit adultery with the prostitute Babylon; stayed faithful and pure to God

The Lamb (Jesus) is the groom

His Bride is the church

Symbolized as the New Jerusalem in Rev. 20 (holy city contrasted with the great city of Babylon)

Cf. Ephesians 5:25-27.

Jesus cleanses us completely, and presents us as a beautiful bride at the time He returns

*Talk about Lucas looking at Emily coming down the aisle*

This is how Jesus views and loves you. Jesus LOVES you

We are both the bride and the invitees to the feast

“Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage suppoer of the Lamb” (v. 9)

Cf. Matthew 22:1-14.

The Gospel invites each and every one of us to attend this wedding reception; how will you respond?

Accept the invitation (trust in Jesus)

Be prepared for the wedding feast (live like He is coming back tomorrow); Jesus LOVES you!

The Rider on a White Horse (Rev. 19:11 - 21)

“Then I saw...” NOT chronological; this is another picture of the second coming of Jesus Christ

Look at how Jesus appears:

“Faithful and True” = Jesus called “the faithful and true witness” in Rev. 3:14.

“Eyes like flames of fire” = exactly how Jesus was described in Rev. 1:14.

“Many diadems” on one head; contrasted with the seven diadems of the dragon and counterfeit beast in Rev. 12 & 13.

“Clothed in a robe” = Like in Rev. 1:13.

Except this robe is dipped in blood (from treading the winepress of God’s wrath in verse 15)

He is “The Word of God” = Logos! John 1:1 (same author)

A good time to preview our upcoming advent series

“From his mouth come a sharp sword” = Same as Rev. 1:16.

Becomes the way in which Jesus conquers all opposed to him (verse 21)

“On his robe and on his thught he has a name written; King of kings and Lord of lords”

Goes back to the description of Rev. 17:14 (we are talking about the Last Battle)

Look at what Jesus does:

“In righteousness he judges and makes war” (v. 11)

This judgment is to finally and completely overcome evil and all things opposed to God (righteous)

He will “strike down the nations and he will rule them with a rod of iron” (v. 15)

Fulfillment of Messianic prophecy (told in Rev. 2:27; 12:5)

“He will tread on the winpress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty”

Focused on in Rev. 14:19-20; another symbol of complete judgment

“The rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of hi who was sitting on the horse”

Marriage supper of the Lamb (rejoicing and pure) contrasted with the “great supper of God” in verse 17 (birds gorging themselves on the flesh of the enemies of God)

Gross!!! Which supper do you want to take part of?

When Jesus comes again, it is no small, meek or mild thing

He is the rider on the white horse, come to conquer

Do we ever picture Jesus this way? *Share Seth’s drawing*

It is a thing to be feared, but also hoped for

Christ’s return puts a final and complete end to all sin, evil and death

The beast and the false prophet (second beast) thrown into the lake of fire (verse 20)

When He comes again, lift up your heads, for it is your redemption… scary, scary redemption. Jesus WINS

The Millennium (Rev. 20:1 - 10)

Theological overview

1,000 reign of Christ ONLY mentioned in these 6 verses; can become overly important

3 main stances in evangelical Christianity: *Show millenial views*

Premillennialism

Jesus comes again before a literal 1,000 year reign of Christ

Postmillennialism

Jesus returns after the one thousand years

Not a largely-held belief currently

Amillennialism

The one thousand years is symbolic; there is no literal one-thousand-year reign of Jesus; His kingdom is present now

All 3 ways of reading Rev. 20 have good points… and problems

It is HARD to understand this consistently with the rest of Revelation and Scripture; it is OKAY to believe differently

I believe the big question is: Who rules the earth?

Remember our ground rules:

Ground Rule #1: The message of Revelation must be understood by the original audience

Ground Rule #2: Revelation uses imagery and symbolism that must not be taken literally

Ground Rule #3: Use clues from the rest of Revelation to interpret accurately and consistently

Ground Rule #4: Use clues from the rest of Scripture to interpret accurately and consistently

Ground Rule #5: Sometimes, mysteries will go unsolved

First, Satan is thrown in a pit and bound for 1,000 years (v. 1 - 3)

Cf. Rev. 9:1-2; 11. (Ground rule #3)

Satan thrown down; the bottomless pit is his abode (open and close)

Same name for Satan (the dragon, the ancient serpent) as Rev. 12 where Satan is thrown down from heaven

Throwing down/binding demonstrates a severe limiting of Satan’s power

Described here as no longer being able to deceive the nations (limited or complete?)

Cf. Mark 3:22-27. (Ground Rule #4)

At the cross, Jesus bound Satan; defeated him; severely limited his power

Next is the 1,000 year reign of Christ (v. 4-6)

1,000 years = symbol, not statistic (Ground Rule #2)

If EVERY OTHER number has been symbolical, it makes no sense to approach it differently here

John sees thrones, those with authority to judge and martyrs… sound familiar?

In the Throne Room vision of Rev. 4 John sees 24 thrones and elders (people of God) around the Throne

In Rev. 6 John sees the martyrs of Christ also around the throne, calling for God’s vengeance… and God listens to them

Rev. 20 is a reflection of Rev. 4-6.

The “first resurrection” is a spiritual resurrection; to be present with Christ

Cf. 2 Tim. 2:11-13.

Our true eternal hope is in resurrected physical bodies, which will happen at the end of all things

Those who reign with Christ (kingdom) will be priests… should also sound familiar

Cf. Rev. 1:4 - 8.

Jesus IS the ruler of the kings on earth

He HAS made us a kingdom and priests

He WILL come again

Jesus reigns NOW (the whole point of the book); we join this reign when we die to be with Him

We all still await His second coming

Before the end, Satan is unbound and defeated (v. 7 - 10)

Another picture of the Last Battle (Rev. 16, 17, and 19)

More than one last battle? That does not make sense (Ground Rule #1)

Jesus wins just by showing up, and Satan joins the beast and false prophet in the lake o fire

This is The End.

Judgment Day (Rev. 20:11 - 15)

EVERYONE goes to judgement

“great and small,” rich or poor, Christian or not. EVERYONE

Are you prepared to give an account for what you’ve done?

The ONLY way to escape the lake of fire (second death) is to have your name written in the Lamb’s book of life

Two books: Our book and Jesus’ book

My book is full of eraser marks, and drops of blood that bought my forgiveness. Jesus forgives.

Jesus LOVES you. Jesus WINS. Jesus REIGNS and invites you to join Him. In the very end, Jesus FORGIVES.