The Marriage Supper. Rev 19-20

Intro

Shiloh asks hard questions at night. Love the times. What happens when we die? Is Papa Freddy there? What happens to people that don’t believe in Jesus, do they go to the other place. . . She asked some of these the other night as I have been deep in study for this message and this scene is playing in my mind. . . the birds being gorged on the flesh of the kings of the earth, and this “wedding reception” we have all been waiting for. . . But I think we have all wondered, What does the end look like?

JTTB, find ourselves this Christmas season looking at the book of Revelation.

Christ’s first Advent (arrival) was in Bethlehem over 2000 years ago. And each Christmas season we celebrate Advent which is the anticipation of Christ’s SECOND arrival, and he returns to fulfill his promises and prophecies to end evil, death once and for all and to restore all things and make all things new: In Christ we are a NEW creation headed to a NEW heaven and NEW earth. . . . The blessing of an eternity of a NEW Eden, paradise, as God creation is restored. The past two weeks spent time in the seven churches of Rev 2-3. And, if you kept reading, Then Ch 4-the end are a wild ride! Revelation is apocalyptic and prophetic literature. John is showing things that were sealed in Daniel, but are now revealed. Moments in Ezekiel and Zechariah become more clear in Revelation as we see: It was always about Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

But you may be aware that there are many interpretations. And, they have changed over the last 2000 years as Christians have taken their shot on explaining.

A Brief history on interpretations. . .

Much of the first and second century writings, commentaries on Revelation, have been destroyed, but they were quoted in other works so we get a small picture of what the first Christians were taught, or thought: Book borrowed from Pastor Jevaughn that summarize 4 predominant views or interpretations of Rev. The intro chapters have a good history of known interpretations: [Please put into Slides. Fit as many as can fit, not just one person per slide]

Papias (130 AD)

Millennium = future golden age of the church, followed by people like Justin, Irenaeus, Tertullian

Justin (130 AD - 165 AD)

premillennialist (Jesus returns before a 1000yr kingdom) writes that there are other pure and pious Christians that think otherwise. . .

Irenaeus (177 AD - 200’s AD)

1st Beast = Rome and will be divided into 10 kingdoms, Rome to ashes

Clement of Alexandria (190 AD - 200 AD) Allegorical Approach (not literal)

24 elders represent equality of Jews and Gentiles in the churches; locust tails represent the influence of immoral teachers, the many colored stones of New Jerusalem as the manifold grace of Apostolic teaching.

Hippolytus (200 AD - 230 AD)

Pregnant woman in ch 12 is the Church; Babylon = Rome; 1st Beast = Roman empire; 2nd Beast = 10 kingdoms that will replace the empire

Origen (230 AD - 250 AD)

7 sealed scroll as the scriptures to which Christ has the key

Methodius (300 AD - 310 AD)

Male-child in 12:5 as the baptized soul in which Christ is born; Dragon’s 7 heads = 7 deadly sins; 10 horns = 10 commandments; beast = symbol of fleshly lust

Tyconius (370 AD - 395 AD)

Millennium (1000 years in Rev 20) = time between Christ’s 1st and 2nd advent (ascension to return). Approach taken by Jerome & Augustine and became the norm for next 8 centuries

Andreas of Cappadocia (Early 500’s)

Blends historical fulfillment and mystical interpretations; Babylon = world opposed to the church; 7 kings = 7 embodiments of world power (6th Rome, 7th Constantinople)

Berengaud (9th Century)

Historicist: Revelation covers the whole course of human history. . . first 6 seals = period from Adam to fall of Jerusalem; 6 trumpets = preaching from patriarchs to martyrs; 2 witnesses are Enoch and Elijah (only 2 in OT that never died, but were taken to heaven); Babylon = Pagan Rome

Joachim (1130 AD - 1200 AD)

Earliest postmillennial. Jesus returns after golden age of church; 1 beast = symbol of Roman Papacy

Martin Luther (1500’s)

Beast and Babylon = Papacy

Ribera (1500’s) defending Papacy against reformers

Beginnings of Futurist view. Babylon = Rome not under Pope, a future corruption

Alcazar (1500’s) Introduces Preterist view;

Ch 4-11 Church’s struggle against Judaism culminating in the destruction of the temple in 70 AD

Ch 12-19 Church’s struggle with paganism culminating with the fall of Rome in 476 AD

Ch 20-22 Triumph of the Church in Papal Rome

Auberlen (1800’s) Introduces Idealist View

The point of Revelation is to reveal a philosophy of history. . .

4 Predominant Interpretations [one slide]

Historicist: Revelation surveys the whole of church history.

Almost non-existant in modern scholarship.

Preterist: Fulfillment in in the past, shortly after the time of writing.

Futurist: Everything after ch 3 awaits fulfillment in the future.

So dominated the Christian media, that most are unaware of other views. Most evangelical churches hold this view. Major differences are when rapture occurs. . .

Idealist: No single fulfillment; only transcendent principles and recurrent themes.

Themes like: Good triumphs over evil, Christ over Satan, vindication of martyrs, sovereignty of God played out over and over throughout visions with no actual historical events. Battles = spiritual battles, persecution, or internal conflict; beast = any satanic influenced opposition to the church, other beast = the influence of corrupt religion; harlot = a compromised church

And in the middle of the views, and the symbolism:

Stars as angels; lampstands as churches, heads as mountains and also kings; horns as kings, etc. . .

There are a LOT of 7’s. . . Churches, letters, spirits, lampstands, stars, seals, horns, eyes, Angels, trumpets, thunders, thousand killed, heads crowns, plagues, bowls, hills, and kings

And in the middle of all this there are 7 Blessings: [Build 1 Slide]

Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. Revelation 1:3

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them! Revelation 14:13

Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! Revelation 16:15

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. Revelation 19:9

Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book. Revelation 22:7

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Revelation 22:14

Needless to say, Revelation is complicated, especially through the many different lenses, and, so, needs to be approached with humility, prayer, willingness to hear and think, and an acceptance that IT”S OK if you don’t have it all figured out. . .

Today we are going to be in Rev 19, looking at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb

Revelation 19 The Marriage Supper

Revelation 19:6–8

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

Wife wedding planner. First one was ours. 20 years ago. Years of preparation for Amy’s family to present a bride that’s ready, years for mine to do the same. Years of building our relationship and planning our future, a year of engagement and planning the wedding day and when it finally arrives it’s so surreal. The day just feels different. Cause in a moment, we are both about to get what we have always dreamed of, each other. . .

This is that moment for Jesus and us. Where we are both about to get what we have always dreamed of, each other. And all of heaven is praising because there’s a wedding.

Then the Angel says something profound.

Revelation 19:9

And the angel said to me, “Write this: 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.”

You thought it was cool to hear of the wedding, you’ll be blessed if you get to go to the celebration. It’ll be a feast. . .

Years ago I had the honor of being nominated for an award. . . 110 categories, 5 artists each, a room full of the who’s who of the recording industry. . . I was a nobody, so naturally i didn’t get an invitation to the Clive Davis afterparty. . . The ceremony was nice, but the after parties were where it went down, but we werent there. . .

Probably a bad illustration. . .

What’s important here is that it’s Blessed to be invited to this moment. . .The wedding’s happened and the bridge and groom triumphantly enter the reception together

Revelation 19:11-13

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God.

Jesus Christ like you’ve never seen him. . . you’ve probably envisioned the dying Christ on the cross, but this is a different day. . .

Revelation 19:14

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

I think this represents all of the redeemed; all that belong to Jesus.

And this is how we are going to celebrate. . . .

Revelation 19:15-21

15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.”

Revelation 20:10

and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

The feast, the celebration will be the final defeat of evil. And the blessed, those invited to the marriage supper, get to watch and celebrate with him in victory.

It’s good to look at this moment and remind ourselves that: God has the last word. Vengeance is HIS.

Here the the powers and forces of evil are defeated for ever. . . but the existence of evil is present in the of the choices of men. Where their allegiance was: Evil still exists in the grave. The last enemy needs to be defeated. . .

Revelation 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.”

If you had someone do you a tremendous evil, here is where God gets the last word, and this might be the moment of justice you always hoped to see. . . I think it’s going to be terrible to witness, but it’s just.

Or you might be like me and you’ve had to mourn the loss of someone that might experience this moment. . . it’s gut wrenching and devastating. . . takes your breath away.

This is why it’s Blessed to be invited to the marriage supper . . Why? Because those invited will be resurrected in the first resurrection against whom the second death (which we just read about) has no power over them. . .

Who is invited?

If we look at the end of the book, we see

Revelation 22:17

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

Seems like an open invitation, but not everyone attends. So, if it’s blessed to be invited, Who is that?

Take a brief journey back to Matthew 22:1-14 where Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast. . .

Matthew 22:1–14

And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, 3 and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.

[Those first invited, rejected the invitation]

Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.” ’ 5 But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.

[Not only did they they choose not to go, but ignored the reminder. . . even killing the servants which were the prophets]

7 The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

[did that not happen in 70 AD. The destruction of Jerusalem]

8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.

[All they had to do was accept the invitation and respond to it]

9 Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’

[here we see an open invitation]

10 And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.

[They were invited last, not preparation for wedding clothes. Luke says they were also poor, crippled, blind, and lame. The king would have to clothe them himself. 2 Cor 5:21 Righteousness of Christ are your wedding clothes. A person must respond not only outwardly, but inwardly, with faith, receiving the righteousness of Christ; their wedding clothes]

11 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. 12 And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

[Only those that properly respond to the invitation are welcomed to the feast]

14 For many are called, but few are chosen.””

Not all invited respond, but the chosen do!

You know, if we are handed the ministry of reconciliation; we are Christ’s ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5) , commanded to share the gospel (Matthew 28) , a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2), representing Christ to a lost world. . . Then we are the servants in this story too. . . sent to invite

3 Encouragements to invite

We have common ground: The Same Starting Place

We all start from the same place. Lost. Broken. Condemned already. Dead in sin.

Isaiah 53:6 “6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Proverbs 14:12 “12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Jeremiah 10:23 “23 I know, O Lord, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.”

John 3:18

18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

We must not forget that we were once lost, and that if someone had not told us, invited us to Jesus, we would still stand condemned. . . dead.

Thank God we were made Alive In Christ!

We are all travelers: Everyone is on 1 of 2 paths

No one get’s to be indifferent, to un-involve themselves. . .

We are all headed somewhere, some are just in denial.

Deuteronomy 30:19–20

“19 . . . I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, 20 loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days. . .

Matthew 7:13–14

13 Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Sometimes we need to show people where their pathway ends, but sometimes we need to show them where our pathway ends. . . and invite them to a new path, a new way, that leads to life. Promised by God

The Destinations Are Final

Each path ends at the grave. But the journey isn’t over. Both

Daniel 12:2

And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. [repulse; abhorrence, worthless, deserving scorn, hatred]

John 5:28–29

28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done’, and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done’.

C. S. Lewis The Great Divorce

God told us from long ago, life and death are before you: choose life.

So why do we invite? To reach those on the wide path, the path that leads to death, the second death. . . so that those we love, and those that are around us, know that Jesus made a way. . .

He is the way, truth, and the life. . . no one comes to the father except through him.

Closing

This is how I think we need to respond today:

1 Timothy 2:1–4

1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications [petitions; asks], prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 3 This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”

First of all, we pray. For others. On their behalf. . . This pleases God, because He doesn’t want them in Hell.

Second, we go invite them to join us in heaven.

Bow heads for time of reflection:

Some of you have joy right know, confidence in your profession and baptism into Christ and you know where the end of your path ends.

How many could say that’s you. “I know that when I pass from this life, I’ll be in the resurrection, at the Marriage Supper. I put my faith and allegiance in Christ?

So, how do we get the invited?

I’m inviting you right now.

We respond to our invitation with the RSVP of our faith and confession

The invitation is already there, you need to respond.

You wont earn your way, you wont pay your way, you wont sneak in, or break in, or crash the party, you will be let in based on how you respond to the invitation?

John 1:12 “12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,”

If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

For whoever calls on he name of the lord will be saved.

For God so loved the world that whoever believes on him will NOT PERISH but have everlasting life.

He who has the son has life, he who has not the son, has not life.

I am the way truth and the life, no one comes to the father except through me