Revelation 20 & 21

A fact: our world is a mess.

Headlines from the past week:

-On Tuesday a physical therapist was arrested for assaulting his 3 month old baby girl, after her crying annoyed him.

-On Tuesday March 20th, a school resource officer at a high school in Maryland intervened to stop an active shooter who had already hit two students. This followed a recent school shooting in Florida where the safety officer failed to respond, and the gunman killed 17 students and wounded 17 more.

-On Wednesday (March 21st), 24 year old Mark Conditt blew himself up when surrounded by police. Conditt was responsible for the construction of five bombs that detonated in Austin TX in March, killing two.

-On Wednesday and Thursday (March 21st and 22nd 2018) the stock market plunged to growing fears of an impending trade war with China.

-On Thursday, March 22nd 2018, President Donald Trump replaced his national security advisor, H.R. McMaster, with John Bolton, a man known for his aggressive approach toward foreign policy. Many heralded the move as a return to American strength and global hegemony, while others frantically proclaimed this move to signal inevitable nuclear conflict with North Korea and the Middle East.

Observation: Our world is a sin-filled, chaotic place that lurches from depressing, to at times terrifying. Our leaders often seem unable or unwilling to do right, and frequently the authorities are ineffective in keeping us from harm. The heart of man is evil, and despite our best efforts, we seem incapable of saving ourselves from ourselves.

>note that nothing said above is intended as a political statement.

-it is instead a basic observation that even a child should be capable of making.

-yet society continues to assert that man is an authority to himself, that each has a truth that is equally valid, that together we can make the world a better place.

“We believe that man is essentially good. It’s only his behavior that lets him down. This is the fault of society. Society is the fault of conditions. Conditions are the fault of society.

We believe that each man must find the truth that is right for him. Reality will adapt accordingly. The universe will readjust. History will alter. We believe that there is no absolute truth excepting the truth that there is no absolute truth.

We believe in the rejection of creeds, And the flowering of individual thought.

If chance be the Father of all flesh, disaster is his rainbow in the sky and when you hear

State of Emergency! Sniper Kills Ten! Troops on Rampage! Whites go Looting! Bomb Blasts School! It is but the sound of man worshiping his maker.”-Steve Turner

So how do we reconcile the world we see?

So how do we reconcile the world we see?

The New King James Version Psalm 94

3 LORD, how long will the wicked,

How long will the wicked triumph?

4 They utter speech, and speak insolent things;

All the workers of iniquity boast in themselves.

5 They break in pieces Your people, O LORD,

And afflict Your heritage.

6 They slay the widow and the stranger,

And murder the fatherless.

7 Yet they say, “The LORD does not see,

Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

Psalm

A Truth: God Reigns.

Revelation is undoubtedly a challenging book to unpack with its apocalyptic imagery and metaphors of profound actual and symbolic significance. It is a revelation of God regarding the end of all things (eschatology), though it may be better understood as the renewal of all things. But regardless of its interpretive challenges, one theme that we cannot afford to miss is this: God is seated on the throne. In short: God reigns. What a profound relief in a world so desperately wicked to know that evil will not go unpunished, that the righteous will be vindicated, and that none of this has whirled out of His control.

Ch 20

The Thousand Year Reign (ch. 20:1-6)

> By the command of God, Satan is bound 1000 years.

This prohibits him from deceiving the nations

(Jn. 8:44)

The New King James Version Chapter 8

44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

> Following the binding of Satan, the saints will reign with Christ for 1000 years. (v. 4-6)

The earth will finally be governed by a king who rules with righteousness and justice.

Satan Deceives the Nations Again, but is Vanquished (v. 7-10)

> At the end of Christ’s thousand year kingdom, Satan will be released (v.7)

He will again be permitted to deceive the nations, and he will do so, pitting them against the saints of God (v. 8-9).

It is important to note that Satan was bound under God’s authority, he was released under God’s authority, and he was allowed to deceive the nations, again under God’s authority.

This may seem perplexing to us, just as Christ being delivered up the the high priest must have confounded the disciples.

Ultimately we are assured that all these event occur expressly for the glory of God, and for the outworking of His sovereign plan.

God will rise in power to defend His saints with fire from heaven (v. 9)

God will will have the devil, the great deceiver of nations, of Adam and his wife Eve, the prince of the power of the air, thrown into the lake of fire, where he will remain and be tormented for all time (v. 10).

The New King James Version Chapter 20

The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

Hallelujah! How great is our God!

The Final Judgement (v. 11-15)

> The holiness of God ultimately requires His justice against sin

He is absolute light, and can tolerate no darkness ()

Therefore, those who would endeavor to say that God’s love prevents Him from punishing sinners previously err.

> Before the glory of the holy God, the corrupted creation will forever pass away

Before the glory of the holy God, the corrupted creation will forever pass away

Creation was cursed by sin (, )

The New King James Version Chapter 3

“Cursed is the ground for your sake;

In toil you shall eat of it

All the days of your life.

18 Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,

And you shall eat the herb of the field.

19 In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread

Till you return to the ground,

For out of it you were taken;

For dust you are,

And to dust you shall return.”

It was long ago prophesied that they would pass away and be changed ()

The New King James Version Psalm 102

25 Of old You laid the foundation of the earth,

And the heavens are the work of Your hands.

26 They will perish, but You will endure;

Yes, they will all grow old like a garment;

Like a cloak You will change them,

And they will be changed.

27 But You are the same,

And Your years will have no end.

It will soon be replaced by a glorious new creation ()

> God will judge all mankind according to their works (v. 12-15)

It is appointed for all men to face judgement ()

The second part of the that we read at the beginning:

The New King James Version Psalm 94

Understand, you senseless among the people;

And you fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?

He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,

He who teaches man knowledge?

11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

That they are futile.

The New King James Version Psalm 94

7 Yet they say, “The LORD does not see,

Nor does the God of Jacob understand.”

8 Understand, you senseless among the people;

And you fools, when will you be wise?

9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear?

He who formed the eye, shall He not see?

10 He who instructs the nations, shall He not correct,

He who teaches man knowledge?

11 The LORD knows the thoughts of man,

That they are futile.

Those who are not found in the Book of Life, to whom the righteousness of Christ has not been imputed, will be cast into the lake of fire (v. 13-15).

—> God will act against sin. The evil and chaos of our world will not go unpunished.

Ch. 21

The Renewal of All Things (v. 1-8)

> Christ’s death established God’s redemptive plan for creation itself

The New King James Version Chapter 1

19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Crown of thorns/curse in

> The New Jerusalem (v. 2, 9-21)

This is the city which Abraham desired ()

We therefore understand that it is not a city of human fashioning, and is not to be confused with the earthly Jerusalem, which has passed away.

This is also the “Jerusalem above” that Paul mention ()

The saints of God dwell in her, so she is adorned as the bride of Christ.

It is resplendent in glory (v. 9-21)

> God will dwell with His saints (v. 3-8)

Sin destroys relationships, but with the removal of all sin, perfect fellowship is restored.

God Himself will preserve His people from all sorrow (v. 4)

Nor will death create separation any longer (v. 4)

God declares:

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

The New King James Version Chapter 21

5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

What a profound statement of the awesomeness of God! We dare speak little more of it.

The New King James Version. (1982). (Re 21:5–8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The Glory of the New Jerusalem (v. 22-27)

The Glory of the New Jerusalem (v. 22-27)

> There is no temple in it (v. 22)

John’s eyes naturally search out the temple in the New Jerusalem, but of course, it is not there

God Himself is fully present, there is no need to go to some place to worship Him. Instead we may stand before Him and worship in spirit and in truth

> There is no sun or moon(v. 23)

How marvelous to stand for the first time in true light!

Consider Moses in

> Who may enter this Holy City? (v. 24-27)

Interestingly the gates are never closed (v. 25)

what need is there of protection against threat? God has destroyed evil forever!

we rejoice in God’s sovereignty, knowing He is the rock for His people

Only the nations of saints may dwell therein (v. 24)

those who practiced unrighteousness will never gain entrance (v. 27)

The New King James Version Psalm 15

1 LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

2 He who walks uprightly,

And works righteousness,

And speaks the truth in his heart;

3 He who does not backbite with his tongue,

Nor does evil to his neighbor,

Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend;

4 In whose eyes a vile person is despised,

But he honors those who fear the LORD;

He who swears to his own hurt and does not change;

5 He who does not put out his money at usury,

Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent.

He who does these things shall never be moved.

Conclusion:

God reigns, and He is ordering all things according to his eternal purposes. Do our lives reflect our certainty in the promises of God to bring justice, to vindicate the righteous and establish peace, or are we instead consumed with the evil and uncertainty of our day?

Does our worship reflect our recognition of the awesomeness of the sovereignty, holiness, and love of God? How can we allow idolatry to flourish in our hearts before so great a majesty! Praise Him whose name is above every other!

“When all thy mercies, O my God,

my rising soul surveys,

transported with the view, I’m lost

in wonder, love, and praise.” -Joseph Addison

Psalm 99:1–5 NKJV

The Lord reigns; Let the peoples tremble! He dwells between the cherubim; Let the earth be moved! The Lord is great in Zion, And He is high above all the peoples. Let them praise Your great and awesome name— He is holy. The King’s strength also loves justice; You have established equity; You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob. Exalt the Lord our God, And worship at His footstool— He is holy.