The Story: Week 17

Recap:

From the very beginning, Gods plan was to live in fellowship with His creation in a perfect union between the physical and the spiritual realm.

The job for Humanity was to spread Eden across the entire Earth.

Bringing all of creation into perfect submission to YHWH.

And ruling it under Gods authority.

Humanity was deceived in the garden, tainted with sin, and that original vision seemed lost.

But God does not entertain a “plan B”, He will not suffer defeat at the hands of a rebel, and He will achieve His victory while adhering to the very same rules He sets.

In other words, Gods plan will be accomplished, regardless of the opposition to it, and He will complete it without cheating like the rebels tend to do.

Through all of human history, God has worked to reveal Himself and His ways so that we could understand Him on a personal level.

He set the stage for His kingdom on Earth to begin and then arrived in Human form to establish it.

With His sacrifice on the Cross, humans were freed from the condemnation that sin had branded them with.

While simultaneously stripping all legal authority from the rebellious lesser gods who attempted to establish their own authority on Earth.

Through the resurrection God proved who He in and then intrusted the spread of His kingdom to the loyal followers and witnesses of His life.

While Jesus has all authority, there is a problem to be faced with rebellious spiritual beings that still cling to their power.

And so the Kingdom of heaven would spread through spiritual warfare conducted on behalf of the hearts of the enslaved.

The message of the Gospel was clear and unmistakable.

All peoples no longer have to follow the oppressive created gods, but instead can choose to follow the True King, the Most High Creator God who is like no other on Earth or in Heaven.

All you have to do is place your loyalty in Christ and trust in the Sacrifice He paid.

While many chose to believe, others were so fond of their chains that they would seek every way to oppose the Kingdom of Heaven on Earth.

Most often resulting in the capture and execution of anyone who claimed to be a follower of Christ.

However, what the world plans for evil, God will utilize to strengthen and preserve His church.

John, the last surviving apostle, is arrested and exiled to a desert Island.

And while here, alone, God gives John a vision of things that are, and things that are to come.

John would record the things He saw as best he could, and this writing would be preserved as a hope and a reminder so that, when the end comes, Gods people would not be caught off guard.

While the story continues in our everyday life, we know how it will end.

With fire, with blood, with war, with judgement, and finally with hope.

Let us see how this story ends...

Understanding Revelation

The book of Revelation is probably the biggest area where Christians disagree with each other.

There are so many different ways that people understand Revelation.

Some think its very literal, others think its very metaphorical.

Some think its both.

I cant even begin to scratch all the different interpretations.

All I can do, is share with you how I personally understand it.

I could be right, I could be wrong, I could be a mix of both right and wrong.

However, I want you to know that our salvation, and our identity as adopted children of Christ does not hinge on our interpretation of Revelation.

My Interpretation

Revelation begins with a series of statements that Jesus gives to seven different churches.

Some Jesus exalts for their faithfulness through hardship.

Others Jesus warns have lost their faith, and instead of following Him, they follow sin and disguise themselves as a church.

Now, when this was written, these seven churches were specific churches that were being called out.

But there was more than just seven churches at this time, and since the number 7 is symbolic for completeness or fullness to the Hebrews.

I believe this is a warning or exaltation to the whole Christian community.

The full and total body of believers.

There are churches today that claim to be christian while actively opposing everything Jesus said and stood for.

I even heard a teaching from one that said God was the bad guy in Genesis 3 and that the serpent was the good guy trying to enlighten humans.

And Jesus gives these warnings for good reason.

Because what follows isn't pretty.

In a scene involving God and His council, a scroll with seven seals is presented to Jesus who is pictured as a lamb.

All of the heavenly host cry out that only Jesus is worthy to open the scroll.

So, He takes it, and begins opening the seals.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 6

6:1 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, “Come!”

2 So I looked, and here came a white horse! The one who rode it had a bow, and he was given a crown, and as a conqueror he rode out to conquer.

3 Then when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”

4 And another horse, fiery red, came out, and the one who rode it was granted permission to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher one another, and he was given a huge sword.

5 Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!” So I looked, and here came a black horse! The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand.

6 Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay. But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”

7 Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!”

8 So I looked and here came a pale green horse! The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind. They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.

The opening of these seals is the beginning of the end.

Things get bad, really bad here on earth.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 13

13:1 Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name.

2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.

3 One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement;

4 they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”

5 The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months.

6 So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God—to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, those who dwell in heaven.

7 The beast was permitted to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation,

8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.

Lots of symbolic language here.

It references the visions Daniel had.

In essence, someone is going to appear and promote worship for the Dragon and Himself.

Lots of little details that I don't have time to fully explain.

Just know that someone is going to begin promoting worship, but things will be off about it.

They will deny Jesus as the Christ.

They will teach blasphemies, probably promoting ritual sacrifice and ritual prostitution.

And eventually this person will claim to be worthy of worship themselves.

Probably claiming to be the actual messiah.

And his claim to be worthy will progress to forcing everyone to worship him, under pain of death.

For a period of time, this false christ will rule, and everything will just progress to further and further debauchery.

Until, Finally:

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 19

6 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting:

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!

7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him glory,

because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come,

and his bride has made herself ready.

8 She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).

9 Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!” He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”

The church is described as the Bride of Christ.

And this is the marriage ceremony.

Christ will be united with His bride, that is, all of us, and the divine war will come to its fruition.

The NET Bible (Second Edition) Chapter 19

11 Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True,” and with justice he judges and goes to war.

12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself.

13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God.

14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses.

15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.

16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”

I told you, when Jesus returns, He’s coming as a warrior.

After this the beast and the Dragon are thrown into the Lake of fire.

Then, A judgement begins.