The Marriage of the Lamb
Revelation 19:6-10
The marriage of the lamb
Revelation 19:6-10
Main Idea: We prepare for the marriage of the Lamb through grace-fueled repentance, faith, and worship.
I. The Lamb (19:6, 10)
Revelation continually emphasizes that what awaits us at the end of time is the reign of Triune God over all of creation. The chaos of the world right now, seduced by the influence of the great harlot (17:1-6), the mighty beast (17:8-13) , and the ancient serpent (12:1-9) over the kingdoms of this world will one day come to a definitive and decisive end (cf. 12:11; 17:14).
Revelation 11:15: Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”
John is so overcome by the glorious, good news of this vision that he begins to worship the messenger (19:10). He is quickly reminded that the angel is a “fellow servant” and he must worship God alone. Though this “unveiling” seems almost too good to believe, John is reassured that the testimony and revelation of Jesus are true.
II. The Bride (19:7)
The announcement of the certain reign of the Lord and the Lamb over all of creation should produce rejoicing, exultation, and glory from his people, because it ushers in the long-awaited “marriage of the Lamb.” The picture of the Lord as the groom and his people as the bride is found all throughout Scripture (cf. Isa. 54:5; 62:4-5; Jer. 3:20; Hosea; Mt. 22:1-14; 25:1-12) and finds its consummation here.
In the time of the Bible, weddings had the following pattern:
The couple would become “betrothed” (engaged), often arranged ahead of time
The groom would pay a “dowry” to the father of the bride during
The wedding would begin with a processional of the bride to the home of her husband; great preparations were made for this presentation to her groom
The groom then receives his bride and the lengthy (often week-long) wedding feast begins
“The kingdom and the marriage are two aspects of the same reality, when God will finally be our all in all (1 Cor. 15:28), with no more distance, no more absence, no more waiting, but faith finally turned into sight, hope into possession, and earthly sorrows into pleasures forevermore... Unlike the marriage of the Lord with his old-covenant people Israel, which failed miserably, now the bride is so fully prepared for the approach of her glorious husband that she will be unable ever to spoil this eternal marriage.”
~ Ray Ortlund, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel
III. The Dress (19:8)
The clothing for the bride of the Lamb is meant to be in contrast to the gaudy appearance of the harlot (cf. 18:16). This “dress” represents both sides of our salvation, both our justification and our sanctification:
Justification: “it was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure…” (cf. 7:14; Eph. 5:27; Matt. 22:11-14)
Sanctification: “... for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.” (cf. Isa. 61:10; Eph. 2:10; 1 Jn. 1:9)
Titus 2:11–14: For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
“The gospel calls us to cleanse ourselves from everything dishonorable (2 Tim. 2:21) and to reach by faith and repentance for everything excellent (2 Pet. 1:3-11). This is the bride’s part, for the strong hope of that glorious wedding celebration above acts upon us now with purifying power (1 Jn. 3:2-3). And it is important to see that the bride does not wait to prepare herself until after all her oppressors have been judged and dispensed with… the church remains under pressure during her season of preparation. But her calling is not to defeat her enemies; her calling is to make herself ready for her groom.”
~ Ray Ortlund, Marriage and the Mystery of the Gospel
IV. The Invitation (19:9)
The angel tells John: “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the lamb” (cf. Lk. 14:15) This is the fourth ‘blessed’ promise of Revelation (cf. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15). We resist the seductive ploys of the great harlot of Babylon by living our lives in anticipation for this immeasurably great and endlessly glorious banquet feast that awaits the saints in the future.
Isaiah 25:6-9: On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples
a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine,
of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined.
And he will swallow up on this mountain
the covering that is cast over all peoples,
the veil that is spread over all nations.
He will swallow up death forever;
and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,
and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth,
for the Lord has spoken.
It will be said on that day,
“Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us.
This is the Lord; we have waited for him;
let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Hallelujah!
Revelation 18:20-19:5
Hallelujah!
Revelation 18:20-19:5
Main Idea: We are summoned to join the hallelujah chorus of heaven because Babylon will be judged and defeated.
I. The Harlot Condemned (18:20-24)
While the kings of the earth (18:9), merchants (18:11), and sailors (18:17) “weep and mourn” over the fall of Babylon, the “saints, apostles, and prophets” are commanded to rejoice in God’s judgment over the great harlot and the wicked city (18:20; cf. Rev. 6:10).
Jeremiah 51:47-49: Therefore, behold, the days are coming
when I will punish the images of Babylon;
her whole land shall be put to shame,
and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.
Then the heavens and the earth,
and all that is in them,
shall sing for joy over Babylon,
for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north,
declares the Lord.
Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel,
just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth.
The mighty angel throws a “great millstone” into the sea (cf. Jer. 51:60-64), symbolic of the total and complete judgment that will be poured out on Babylon. The emphasis of Babylon’s final judgment is on what will be “no more” (6x):
No more music (18:22a)
No more industry & work (18:22b)
No more light (18:23a; cf. 21:23)
No more weddings (18:23b)
The reason for Babylon’s judgment is threefold:
1. Self-glorification (18:23c; cf. Gen. 11); Babylon’s merchants were pridefully the “great ones” of the earth, who propped themselves up by exploitation and greed.
“The chief purpose of humanity, according to [Revelation], is to glorify God and to enjoy him, not to glorify yourself and enjoy your own achievements. Self-glorification necessitates judgment in which a forced humbling occurs. It is idolatrous for Babylon and her allies to call themselves “great.” This title is reserved only for the true God. To focus on humanity as the center of everything and to forget God is the greatest sin.”
~ G.K. Beale, The Book of Revelation (NIGTC)
2. Deceptive influence and seduction of the nations to idolatry (18:23d)
3. Persecution and violence toward the prophets and saints (18:24). “It’s important to think of judgment and its horrific finality not primarily in terms of the suffering it inflicts but in terms of the just retribution it represents.” ~ D.A. Carson
II. The Hallelujah Chorus (19:1-5)
After John is shown the final judgment and the end of Babylon, the worship in heaven is unveiled to him. The “great multitude in heaven” cries out with a loud voice: “Hallelujah!” (lit. “Praise God!”; 4x in Rev. 19; cf. Ps. 146-150).
This burst of ‘Hallelujah’ praise is because of:
God’s salvation: He rescues us out of Babylon by the victory of the Lamb (cf. 12:11; 17:13; Eph. 1:3-14).
God’s glory: He is eternally ‘weighty,’ significant, and consequential.
God’s power: He alone is ‘immeasurably great, not mighty Babylon or Rome (cf. Eph. 1:19-20).
God’s perfect justice: He has avenged Babylon in righteousness for her immorality. (19:2a; cf. Rom. 12:18)
“That’s the goal of everything the angel has been revealing. That’s what the whole book of Revelation is about. That’s the point of all God’s judgments, all God’s dealings with the world. All God’s plans for history from beginning to end have this one goal— worship God! Don’t worship the wealth of Babylon, don’t worship the power of Babylon, don’t worship the pleasures of Babylon, and don’t even worship the holy messenger who brings you the news that Babylon has fallen forever. Worship God! ... God let John hear the celebration of heaven so that in his exile and his suffering he might join in and worship God. And John wrote it down in a book so that we might listen to the worship of heaven and join in.”
~ John Piper, “Worship God!”
In response to the loud, exuberant, joyful worship of heaven, the twenty-four elders (representing the totality of God’s people) and the four living creatures (representing all of creation) join the chorus: “Amen. Hallelujah!” (2 Cor. 1:19-20). As the hallelujah chorus swells, a voice from the throne summons all of God’s servants, “small and great,” to join in worship (19:5; cf. Ps. 115:13).
“Corporate worship is the declaration in the midst of Babylon that we will not be drawn into her harlotries because we have found in God the satisfaction of our souls. Corporate worship is the public savoring of the worth of God and the beauty of God and power of God and the wisdom of God. Worship is an open declaration to all the powers of heaven and to all of Babylon that we will not prostitute our minds or our hearts or our bodies to the allurements of the world. Though we may live in Babylon, we will not be captive to Babylonian ways. And we will celebrate with all our might the awesome truth that we are free from that which will be destroyed... Corporate worship is the blatant, public savoring of God in the midst of a seductive Babylonian culture. Worship is the flagrant, open enjoyment of God as the fountain of life. It is a public declaration that God is more to be desired than all the pleasures of Babylon.”
~ John Piper, “Worship God!”
Psalm 150:6: Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
Come Out of Her, My People
Revelation 18:1-20
Come out of Her, My People
REvelation 18:1-20
Main Idea: We who belong to Jesus are free from Babylon and commanded to break up with her.
I. What is Going on Here?
God is bringing judgment on Babylon.
Babylon is iconic as not just a place or an empire, but as a pattern of power opposed to God. As such, Babylon symbolizes political power used unjustly, economic exploitation, cultural arrogance, and moral corruption.
Revelation 18 predicts the utter and final fall of Babylon as a fiat accompli which occurs in history at the return of Jesus. (Revelation 19)
1. Why is Babylon judged? For her iniquities.
“Her sins are heaped high as heaven and God has remembered her iniquities.” (18:5)
She glorifies herself imagining she is entitled to the outlandish luxury she enjoys at other’s expense. So established is her mark on human history, she thinks she can never be dethroned. But her extensive network of seduction, commerce and might is nothing more than a "dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit” and beast. Her unequalled might amounts to nothing but smoke and debris before the Lord God almighty who has judged her.
2. How is Babylon judged? Suddenly and completely.
“Her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire.” (18:8)
Whereas the plagues of Egypt played out over weeks and months, the plagues Babylon faces will happen “in a single day,” more specifically, “in a single hour!” Even those drunk with the wine of her excesses will recognize it for what it is: JUDGMENT (18:10)
In the ancient world, as in our own, fire is representative of total loss. When a thing is “burned up,” it will never be repaired. It will never be seen again. The “smoke of her burning” is the only thing left to prove she was ever there.
3. What reaction does Babylon’s destruction produce? It depends on your relationship to her.
There is weeping and mourning among those who had become dependent upon her and entangled with her in her crimes. (18:9-19) This community is made up of:
“All nations (who) have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,”
“The kings of the earth (who) have committed immorality with her,”
“The merchants of the earth (who) have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” (18:3)
II. What are We to Do?
Come out of her, my people
A death sentence has just been passed on “Babylon the great.” We are to decisively, determinedly, and definitively “break up with” Babylon, “lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” (18:1-5)
The text lists two reasons for this “break up”
1. We can neither resist her wiles nor escape her plagues if we stay.
Keep in mind that “all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” (Rev 18:3) You are a fool to think that you shall resist or escape what these could not.
2. We do not belong to her.
We are GOD’S PEOPLE. We belong to Him because He loves us and has freed us from our sins by Jesus’ blood. The very Son of God was slain for us, and by His blood He ransomed a people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and Jesus has made us a kingdom and priests to God, and we shall reign on the earth. (Rev. 1:5-6; 5:9-10)
We may reside in the precincts of Babylon and live out our days under her dread shadow - just as John was in exile on Patmos and his readers lived out their lives under Rome’s heavy hand - but we no longer belong to her.
III. How are We Supposed to Do it?
While this specific passage only gives the high-level command, keep in mind that the entire Revelation was written to seven churches just like ours. These people in the churches were the “my people” to whom the voice from heaven was speaking directly.
1. Repent
The first step to breaking up with Babylon is brutal specificity and ruthless honesty about the sins she has lured you into with an eye to killing them! Repentance requires admitting the specific ways in which we are “drinking the wine of her sexual immorality” and forsaking it.
Repentance is not a generalized uncomfortable feeling about some vague shortcoming you may or may not have. It is a specific awareness of a pattern of behavior that is either luring you into bed with Babylon or proof that you are already in bed with Babylon.
2. Remember
The second step is to remember Whose you are and re-orient your identity to Jesus and to Jesus alone. It is this remembering that strengthened the suffering saints in Smyrna to “be faithful unto death” (Rev 2:10) and enabled the succeeding saints in Philadelphia to “hold fast what (they) have, so that no one may seize (their) crown.” (Rev 3:11)
3. Overcome
Those who “overcome” are those who “conquer.” This idea shows up in each of the letters to the seven churches. It refers to those now anchored in Christ who re-structure their lives to pursue holiness and love, purity and peace, righteousness and virtue. This kind of life is made possible because they hear and obey “what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Rev 2:7,11,17 26; 3:5,12,21)
4. Rejoice.
This is how we know we have “broken up with” Babylon. At one time in our lives, we were “drunk” at her party along with everyone else. For now, we are forced to live in the shadow of her tenement and endure the humiliations and persecutions she doles out to her former lovers. But we are looking for Jesus and we know how the story ends. God gives judgment for His people against her. She burns, we live. “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets!” (Rev 18:20) THAT IS US!
Beauty & The Beast
Revelation 17:1-18
Beauty & The Beast
REvelation 17:1-18
Main Idea: We must resist the deadly seduction of Babylon and faithfully follow the Lamb.
I. The Harlot (17:1-6, 18)
John is given another look at the coming judgment and the end of history (cf. 16:17-21) through the fate of the “great prostitute.” John is given an ‘apocalypse’ into her identity, immorality, and influence from one of the angels of judgment.
Her Identity: The Harlot is revealed to be “Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes” (17:5; cf. 14:8; 16:19). “Babylon” is an example and ‘type’ of all nations who seek to deify themselves and therefore hate the Lord, his anointed, and his people (cf. Gen. 11; Dan. 4:30).
“Babylon cannot be limited to any one individual or institution or nation or city. You can’t point to any one location or country on a globe and say, ‘That alone is Babylon.’ You can’t confine Babylon within any particular geographical or territorial boundaries. Babylon is found wherever and whenever there is Satanically inspired deception and idolatry. Babylon is the symbol of all worldly entrenched opposition to Jesus Christ.”
~ Sam Storms, Our God Reigns
Her Immorality: The sexual immorality of the Harlot is symbolic of idolatry, spiritual adultery, and unfaithfulness to God. Her immorality is expressed through deceptive seduction or persecution against the saints (17:6). She is profiting off her immorality, holding a “golden cup” full of her “impurities and abominations” (17:4).
Her Influence: The Harlot is arrayed with royal clothing, gold, silver, and beautiful pearls. She allures and holds sway over:
“The kings of the earth” (17:2a)
“The dwellers on the earth” (17:2b; unbelievers throughout Revelation); she is "seated on many waters” (17:1), later identified as “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages” (17:15).
1 John 2:15–17: Do not love the world or the things 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 and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
II. The Beast (17:7-13)
The ‘beast’ that the harlot rides has already been introduced in Revelation 13; it is supporting and upholding the harlot in her immorality and sinful influence over the world by providing political support and military might.
Just as before, the beast is merely a Satanic “parody” of the true Lord:
The Lord: “who is, who was, and is to come” (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 16:5).
The beast “was, and is not, and is to come” (17:8); it ‘is not’ because of the finished work of Christ, who has overcome all the cosmic forces of evil that stand against him (cf. Col. 2:15). It ‘is to come’ because this powerful figure seems to have a resurrection from a mortal wound (cf. 13:3), but it is only to rise to destruction (17:8, 11).
The beast’s “seven heads” are a clear reference to Rome, a city built on “seven mountains” (17:9). However, the scope of the beast’s power extends beyond Rome; the seven heads and the ten horns likely represent the fullness of oppressive power throughout the ages. As powerful as a Rome-type power seems at any given time, they ultimately rise and fall, and will “only remain a little while” (17:11).
“The people in the churches who first received John’s letter would have found it difficult to envision a day when Rome would fall. But that day came, just as it has come for so many world powers since then… every human government has a shelf-life. One day all the many ‘isms’ that have such a grip on the many cultures of the world - classism, racism, materialism, consumerism, egoism, hedonism, humanism - will no longer rule the day. Every kingdom will one day give way to the true kingdom.”
~ Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation
III. The Lamb (17:14-17)
Despite the harlot’s seductive influence and the beast’s power, we are told of their sure and ultimate defeat:
The Lamb will conquer them (17:14). As the “Lord of lords and King of kings” he will overcome evil once and for all - and he will bring with him “those who are called and chosen and faithful.”
The Lord will turn evil against itself (17:15-17; cf. Gen. 50:20; Acts 2:23)
Psalm 2:1–6: Why do the nations rage
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers take counsel together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying,
“Let us burst their bonds apart
and cast away their cords from us.”
He who sits in the heavens laughs;
the Lord holds them in derision.
Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
and terrify them in his fury, saying,
“As for me, I have set my King
on Zion, my holy hill.”
“The harlot Babylon allures with pleasure that leads to the embrace of death and despair. The Savior Jesus calls with life from God for those who believe. The only blood he bears is the blood he shed in our place, to free us from the penalty of our sin. The key to Christian living, then, is in part to see the ugly destruction of the harlot who rides the beast. An even greater key is to see Jesus, who is altogether lovely, and who imparts true beauty, life, and glory to those who take the cup of life from his hands.”
~ Richard Phillips, Revelation
The Goodness of God's Judgment
Revelation 15:5-16:21
The Goodness of God's Judgment
Revelation 15:5-16:21
Main Idea: God’s judgment displays his goodness and glory, inviting us to repent and prepare.
I. God’s Judgment is Preparatory (15:5-8)
In this next vision, John sees the “sanctuary” of the tent of heaven opened, with seven angels commissioned as the Lord’s representatives of judgment. These bowl judgments recall God’s judgment in the Exodus, as they are described as “plagues” (15:6) and are poured out after the people of God sing the “song of Moses and the Lamb” (15:2).
These seven angels are given “golden bowls full of the wrath of God” (15:7). These bowls were previously mentioned in 5:8 as the “prayers of the saints,” like those martyrs who were crying out “how long before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (6:10).
“When the tabernacle and later the temple were built, God filled both with the cloud of his glory (Exodus 40:34–38; 1 Kings 8:10, 11). Revelation 15:8 tells us, “the sanctuary was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power…” No one can enter the sanctuary until the plagues are finished, and the plagues are going to finish the wrath of God. This seems to indicate that this final, purging judgment will purify the world. God will then take up residence in his cosmic temple, and the earth will be filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters fill the seas. The manifestation of God’s justice saves his people and wins him praise.” ~ Jim Hamilton, Revelation: The Spirits Speaks to the Churches
II. God’s Judgment is Proportional (16:1-16)
The angels are then instructed to pour out the seven bowls, describing the wrath of God and the folly of idolatry and false worship:
Bowl #1 (16:2): Painful sores on those who worship the beast (cf. Ex. 9:8-12)
Bowls #2 & #3 (16:3-4): Seas, rivers, and springs all turn to blood (cf. 8:8-11; Ex. 7:17-20)
Bowl #4 (16:8-9): Scorching heat from the sun
Bowl #5 (16:10-11): Darkness on the beast, his throne, and his kingdom (cf. 9:2; Ex. 10:21)
Bowl #6 (16:12-16): The battle of Armageddon (cf. 9:13-19; Ex. 14; Zech. 12:11; Judg. 5:19)
“In response to the cries of the Israelites in Egypt, God remembered his covenant. As Moses lifted up his staff, God sent a series of plagues on Egypt that were intended to make his glory known, expose the false gods of Egypt, and call Pharaoh to repentance. But over and over, Pharaoh’s heart was hardened. In Revelation 15-16, we’re going to see that God hears the cries of those being persecuted and sends a series of plagues on their persecutors that are intended to make his glory known, expose their false gods, and call them to repentance. And we’re going to see that the hearts of the persecutors are also hardened.”
~ Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation
There are two notable interjections in these first 6 bowl judgments:
John wants to draw attention to the fact that all of these judgments are fitting, appropriate, and righteous in nature (16:5-7).
“John is sensitive to those questioning the judgments and emphasizes that they verify God’s justice. The Holy One of Israel always does what is right. Even though life often seems futile and meaningless and irrational, in the end God will make everything right.” ~ Tom Schreiner, Revelation (ESV Expository Commentary)The voice of Jesus interrupts the flow of judgment in order to exhort and encourage believers to “stay awake” and “stay dressed” (16:15; cf. Matt. 24:42-44; 1 Thess. 5:2). “Nakedness” and “sleep” are associated with shame (cf. 3:8, 17-18; Matt. 25:5) at the end when Jesus returns.
III. God’s Judgment Puts an End to Evil (16:17-21)
Bowl #7 (16:17-21): Final Judgment (cf. Ex. 9:24; Isa. 66:6)
This bowl is poured into the “air” in order to defeat the “prince of the power of the air” (cf. Eph. 2:2). Earthquakes, lightning, and thunder all indicate final judgment throughout Revelation (cf. 6:12; 8:5; 11:13, 19; 19:6).
The “great city… Babylon” is a symbolic stand-in for the “city of man,” the enemy of God and His people. The city will be made to “drink the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath” (cf. Isa. 51:17; Ps. 75:8; Mt. 26:39) as it is “flattened” by the righteous judgment of God.
“John is [also] the one who recorded the final words of Jesus on the cross: “It is finished” (John 19:30). It is hard to imagine that he wouldn’t intend for us readers to make that connection. He wants us to see that everything accomplished on the cross will come to its fruition on the day of Christ’s return. While the head of the serpent was crushed in his death and resurrection, the ancient serpent will be destroyed for good on the day of his return. With the seventh bowl John tells us that the wrath of God is finished. The justice of God has been fully satisfied. It has been exhausted either on his Son or on unrepentant sinners.”
~ Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation
Two Harvests & One Harmony
Revelation 14:14-15:4
Two Harvests & One Harmony
Revelation 14:14-15:4
Acts 17:30–31a: The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed…
Main Idea: We join the song of the Lamb because Christ saves his people and judges righteously.
I. The Grain Harvest of Salvation (14:14-16)
John now looks and sees a “white cloud, and seated on the cloud one like a son of man, with a golden crown on his head, and a sharp sickle in his hand” (14:14; cf. 1:7, 13). This figure is a callback to Daniel 7:13-14, and this description suggests complete rule and reign over all of creation (Ps. 110:1).
“On that great day, he will come sitting upon a cloud…. It must mean that his judgment-seat will be far more glorious than the thrones of mere mortal monarchs. They may sit upon thrones of ivory; they may exalt themselves upon thrones made of gold and bedecked with myriads of gems shining like the eyes of the morning, or the stars of the midnight sky; but their thrones can never be compared in splendor with the judgment seat of Christ. A great white throne shall come sailing along the sky, and on it shall sit the King of kings, and Lord of lords, the Judge of all, who has the right to sit in judgment, whose decisions will be impartial and infallible, and whose sentences will assuredly be carried out. He asks not for any throne that this world could supply; he borrows no leave to judge from Parliament, or Pope, or prince. He is Judge by divine right, as himself God, and as the Mediator, appointed by God to judge the quick and the dead.”
~ Charles Spurgeon, “The Harvest and the Vintage”
This “Son of Man” has a sharp sickle in his hand, used for harvesting. This first harvest seems to be an “ingathering” and a “reaping” of the plentiful harvest of salvation, frequently referenced by Jesus:
Matthew 9:37–38: Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
The Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13:1-9, 18-23)
The Parable of the Wheat & the Weeds (Mt. 13:24-30, 36-43)
Matthew 24:29–31: Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
God’s people must wait with a patient endurance for the harvest day of salvation to come. This is the day of our “blessed hope” (Titus 2:13) that we must keep before us in faith as we endure persecution and resist the schemes of the enemy.
II. The Grape Harvest of Judgment (14:17-20)
While the Son of Man himself does the reaping of the “harvest of salvation,” here he commissions “the angel who has authority over the fire” (cf. 8:5) to reap with a sharp sickle. This reaping is unmistakably one of judgment, and treading a winepress is often used symbolically in the OT to speak of God’s judgment (cf. Isa. 62:2-3; Lam. 1:15; Joel 3:13).
This winepress is “outside the city,” and not safe within Mt. Zion (cf. Heb. 13:12-13). The running blood for “1,600 stadia” symbolizes full and final judgment on evil, sin, and wrongdoing. This grape harvest of judgment is the answer to the prayer of “how long?” that permeates Revelation (6:10) and our human experience in this fallen world (cf. Ps. 13).
Matthew 3:7–8: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.
III. The Great Harmony of the Saints (15:1-4)
John now sees another “sign in heaven” that points to the resolution of the conflict between the first two “signs” of the woman (12:1) and the dragon (12:3). The “sea of glass” that the conquering saints stand beside (or on) reminds us of two realities:
The sea of glass in the heavenly throne room (4:6)
The Israelites crossing through the Red Sea, led by a pillar of fire (Ex. 14)
These saints, with harps of God in their hands, “sing the song of Moses” (Ex. 15; Deut. 32), and the song of the Lamb. Just as Israel responded to their own salvation through judgment by singing, so too the saints of God throughout all of human history sing and worship the Lamb, who has saved them through judgment.
The Song of the Lamb emphasizes:
The Greatness of God - “Great and amazing are your deeds…”
The Goodness of God - “Just and true are your ways… You alone are holy”
The Glory of God - “All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
“Revelation began with a vision of the Christ whom we worship (Rev 1) and was followed up with a vision of God’s people at worship (Rev. 4-5); it will conclude with the newly created heaven and earth fashioned into a place of worship, a sanctuary (Rev. 21-22). John, an exiled pastor with responsibility for seven congregations of Christians subject to a barrage of violence and propaganda from without and infiltrated within by cunningly attractive lies, can think of nothing better than to call them to worship. His insistence on contextualizing everything that they think, experience, and feel in the act of worship is not the fussiness of a liturgiologist who cannot bear the mess of ordinary life and so escapes into the arranged beauties of incense, chant, and ritual. No spiritual leader has shown as much evidence as John has of being in touch with and responsive to the manifold difficulties of living a difficult life in a difficult world… his recurrent representations of worship are not pious, escapist fictions, but theological convictions… In a world in which we are constantly subject to dizzying disorientations, worship is the act in which we are reoriented. Worship is the essential and central act of the Christian.”
~ Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder
Confidence in Chaos
Revelation 14:1-13
Confidence in Chaos
Revelation 14:1-13
Main Idea: When everything in our lives is actually out of control, we can trust Jesus, who is absolutely in control.
I. Our Final Outcome is Secured (14:1-4)
Revelation 14:1: Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads…
Where are they standing? On Mount Zion, God’s holy hill (cf. Ps. 2:1-6)
Who is standing there first and foremost? The Lamb (cf. Rev 5)
Who is standing there with Him? The saints who are sealed with His name and His Father’s name
What are they doing as they stand there? They are singing with a loud voice
There are two major truths to be taken from this vision:
First, everyone sealed in the beginning shall be safe in the end.
These did not obtain “saint” status by their performance, rather they were “redeemed from the earth,” “redeemed from mankind.” This is not a thing done by them, but a thing done for them by Another, namely by the Lamb.
Second, the ascendancy of “the beast” has absolutely no bearing on the outcome of the war.
For all intents and purposes, it looks like the dragon is winning, that the Kingdom experiment has failed, that the creation will disintegrate into the chaos from which it came. Then, in what appears to be the last flicker of humanity’s hope, John looks “and behold, on Mount Zion, stood the Lamb, and with Him 144,000.” There it is. Game over. Victory won. It wasn’t even close!
II. Our Game Plan has not Changed (14:5-11)
In the context of the chaos in which we have been placed:
We are to “Fear God and give Him glory” by proclaiming the eternal gospel to those who dwell on earth.
We are to keep ourselves “unstained from the world” (James 1:27) by remembering that “Babylon is fallen, fallen.”
We are to “Watch and pray that we may not enter into temptation,” for “if anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God’s wrath…and he will be tormented…forever and ever”
Here is the great irony of this vision of the angels: The ones who are putting the saints at risk of their lives are the very ones at the greatest risk. Their one hope is the very people they persecute. Those who proclaim to them the everlasting gospel that has power to save even the worst of sinners.
Here is the encouragement to the saints from the vision of the angels: The plight of the perishing is not lost on us. We know what it is to be “lost” and we know what it is to be “redeemed.” We know that the Lamb has called us to love our enemies and preach the gospel for the glory of His Father, even if it results in our suffering and death. The love of Christ compels us to keep telling everyone we can.
III. Our Marching Orders are Clear (14:12-13)
Revelation 14:12: Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.
This endurance is marked by two features:
The saints who endure “keep the commandments of God.” They obey what their Lord has told them in spite of threat, in spite of opposition, in spite of ridicule. They seek to observe everything that the Lord has commanded us to do. (Mat 28:20)
The saints who endure “keep…their faith in Jesus.” This means they not only obey the direct and clear commandments of their Lord, they also orient and organize all of their lives to and around the gospel. They keep “in step with the truth of the gospel.” (cf. Gal. 2:14)
There are two implications in this concept of obedience under “the endurance of the saints”
The first is obedience under the threat of certain death.
The second is obedience in the scope of uncertain life.
The Unholy Trinity
Revelation 13:1-18
The unholy trinity
Revelation 13:1-18
Main Idea: We resist the deceptive schemes of Satan through faithful, enduring worship and loving the truth.
I. The First Beast: Deceptive Power (13:1-10)
John sees the dragon call up a beast from the “sea,” the place of chaos (cf. Rev. 21:1). The description of this beast is a call back to Daniel 7. John sees a combination of the first three beasts of Daniel’s vision (representing Babylon, Persia, and Greece) in a grotesque fourth beast, representing the Roman Empire.
This first beast represents governmental tyranny throughout history working against Christ and his church. It is political and governmental powers demanding the loyalty that belongs to Christ alone. Because this beast is so devious, we don’t always recognize the work of the beast for the tyranny it is. Sometimes the evil of political, social, and economic entities is subtle. Instead of appearing beastly, it appears beautiful. Instead of outright persecution, its ideas and actions are much more subtle, yet equally as evil. They are beastlike in the way they demand loyalty to their philosophies, language, sexual ethics, priorities, and methods.
~ Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation
1 John 2:18: Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-4a, 9-10: Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship… The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
This beast is an “antichrist” and a counterfeit parody of Jesus:
He is given “power and great authority” with many horns and diadems, just as the Father gives his Son power and authority (13:2b; cf. 5:6; 19:12; Jn. 5:22-27)
He received a mortal head “wound” (cf. Gen. 3:15), but has a counterfeit resurrection and recovery (13:3; cf. Isa. 27:1)
He prompts the worship of the Dragon, the one who gave him authority (3:4; cf. Ex. 15:11)
Authority is given to the beast over “every tribe, and people, and language and nation” (13:7b; cf. 5:9, 7:9, 11:9)
The beast is allowed to “make war on the saints and to conquer them” (13:7a). However, it is through being “conquered” that the saints actually overcome, “for they loved not their lives even unto death.” (12:11; 13:10). This is all a “call for endurance and faith of the saints,” who must not yield and worship the seemingly powerful beast, and who must not grasp for power or position that belongs to God alone and become like the beast themselves (Dan. 4; Gal. 5:15).
II. The Second Beast: Deceitful Propaganda (13:11-18)
John sees a second beast summoned by the dragon, this time from the earth (the land). This beast deceives by providing “religious” justification to worship the first beast. He speaks with authority, but what he says is deceitful and false.
Whereas the first beast speaks loudly and definitely against God, the second beast makes the first beast’s claims sound plausible and persuasive. False teachers within the church are encouraging compromise with the culture’s idolatrous institutions.
~ G.K. Beale, Revelation: A Shorter Commentary
Jesus and the Scriptures continually warn of false and deceptive teachers like this beast:
2 Corinthians 11:13–14: For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
Matthew 7:15: “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. (cf. Act 20:29)
Matthew 24:24: For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
This beast is a “false prophet” (cf. 16:13; 19:20) and a counterfeit parody of the Holy Spirit:
It directs worship to the first beast, just as the Holy Spirit has a “spotlight ministry” on Christ (13:12)
It is able to perform great signs and wonders (13:13), like the prophet Elijah (fire from heaven - 1 Kgs. 18:38-39), and the scene at Pentecost (Acts 2)
It was allowed to give breath and life, just as the Holy Spirit does (Gen. 2:7; Ezek. 37)As a consequence of Satan’s removal from heaven, he is no longer able to make accusation against the people of God (cf. Job 1; Zech. 3). Though he once had a case against a guilty people, there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).
The “mark of the beast” is a counterfeit “mark” to the saints who have the “seal” of God on their foreheads (Rev. 7:3; 9:4; Deut. 6:8). This “mark” is an invisible spiritual reality that a person thinks (on the forehead) and acts (the right hand) in a manner consistent with the beast. It was a needed “stamp of approval” to participate in the economic and cultural life of society.
Matthew 10:28: And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
The number 777 represents perfection, but John says 666 is the number of a man. The number 666 represents what is anti-god and antichrist, all that is in opposition to the one true God. If 777 represents holiness and perfect goodness, then 666 signifies the enormity and totality of evil.
~ Thomas Schreiner, ESV Expository Commentary: Revelation
This scene requires “wisdom” and discernment from the saints; when we try to grasp for the position of God, we end up becoming less than what we were created for, and serving the beast. When we humbly submit ourselves to God, loving the truth, and worshipping him with faithful endurance, we resist the beast.
The Woman and the Dragon
Revelation 12:1-17
The Woman and the Dragon
Revelation 12:1-17
Main Idea: Though Satan wages war on God’s people, we have victory in Christ who has defeated the dragon.
I. The Son: Ruling & Reigning (12:1-6)
John sees two signs in heaven:
Sign #1 (12:1-2): A woman, clothed with the splendor of the sun, with the moon under her feet, and 12 stars in her crown, about to give birth. This woman represents the people of God, waiting in labor pains for the promised Messiah (Micah 4:10; Isa. 26:17-18, 54:1; Gal. 4:26).
Sign #2 (12:3, 9): A great red dragon, with seven heads, ten horns, and seven diadems; this dragon is identified as “that ancient serpent, the devil, Satan, the deceiver of the whole world.” He is the animating force behind all wicked rulers who set themselves against the Lord and his anointed (Pharaoh - Ezek. 32:2; Nebuchadnezzar - Jer. 51:34-35, Herod - Matt. 2:13-18, etc).
In a revolting picture, this dragon is prepared to devour the son who is to be born (Gen. 3:15). “[Satan] Satan “takes the rage he had against Jesus in particular and directs it toward babies in general… the demonic powers hate babies because they hate Jesus. When they destroy the “least of these” they’re destroying a picture of Jesus himself, of the child delivered by the woman who crushes their head.” ~ Russell Moore, Adopted for Life
This son is the Messiah who is to ‘rule all the nations with a rod of iron’ (Ps. 2:7-9). Despite this violent opposition, he is safely born and “caught up to God and to his throne,” a summary of Christ’s incarnation through his ascension.
This is not the nativity story we grew up with, but it is the nativity story all the same. Jesus’ birth excites more than wonder, it excites evil. Ferocious wickedness is goaded to violence by this life… The nativity cannot be sentimentalized into coziness, nor domesticated into drabness, nor commercialized into worldliness… The splendors of creation and the agonies of redemption combine in this event, this center where God in Christ invades existence with redeeming life and decisively defeats evil. It is John’s genius to take Jesus in a manger attended by shepherds and wisemen and put him in the cosmos attacked by a dragon. The consequence to our faith is that we are fortified against intimidation. Our response to the Nativity cannot be reduced to shutting the door against a wintry world, drinking hot chocolate, and singing carols. Rather, we are ready to walk out the door with, as one psalm puts it, high praises of God in our throats and two-edged swords in our hands (Ps. 149:6).
~ Eugene Peterson, Reversed Thunder
II. The Dragon: Defeated & Defanged (12:7-12)
John then sees another “angle” from heaven of the defeat of the dragon by the Son. As Jesus accomplishes redemption through his crucifixion and resurrection, Satan is thrown down to earth from heaven.
John 12:31: Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out.
Colossians 2:14–15: …by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
As a consequence of Satan’s removal from heaven, he is no longer able to make accusation against the people of God (cf. Job 1; Zech. 3). Though he once had a case against a guilty people, there is “now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).
While heaven is to rejoice over the victory of the Lamb and the removal of the dragon, those on the earth face his “great wrath, because he knows his time is short” (12:12). 1 Peter 5:8-9a: Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith
III. The Church: Persecuted & Protected (12:13-17)
Cast from heaven and defeated by the Son, the dragon now turns his wrath on earth toward the “woman” - the Church. He “pursues” God’s people by the means of persecution (Acts 7:52, 9:4, 22:4), deception, and seduction (cf. Rev. 13).
Despite the Dragon’s pursuit, the Lord protects the woman, like “eagles’ wings” (Ex. 19:4; Isa. 40:31) to the wilderness. She is nourished in this place for “times, time, and half a time,” which equals 42 months (Rev. 11:2, 13:5), 1,260 days (Rev. 11:3, 12:6), and 3.5 years: “in between” of the number of perfection. This is a period describing the “time in-between” Christ’s first coming and second coming.
Conclusion: How do we conquer the dragon? (12:11) By…
The blood of the Lamb
The word of our testimony
Enduring suffering unto death (Mk. 8:35)
The message of Revelation to them and to you and me is this: Yes, doing battle against the devil may mean that you lose a lot in this life. You might lose your reputation, your friends, your job. You might even lose your life. But to live and die in the Lord will turn out for your blessing. To live your days on this earth all out for Christ, no matter what assault the devil sends your way, is true victory, not defeat. You won’t regret it. Your life won’t be over. You will awake to find yourself among the many who have laid down their lives for the gospel before you. Jesus himself will comfort and reward you.
~ Nancy Guthrie, Blessed: Experiencing the Promise of the Book of Revelation
The Return of the King
Revelation 11:15-19
The Return of the king
Revelation 11:15-19
Main Idea: We can have an enduring hope because of the coming and forever kingdom of Christ
I. God’s Forever Kingdom (11:15-17)
As the seventh trumpet is blown, the “third woe” occurs (11:14) marking the end of history. The New Testament often associates the return of Christ with a trumpet blast (1 Thess. 4:16a, 1 Cor. 15:51-52)
Two things to note about this coming reality:
1. The Kingdom of God will overcome the ‘kingdom’ of this world (cf. Ps. 2:2, Isa. 11:9, Hab. 2:14, Rev. 21:1-2)
“Rather than saying that Christ has returned to defeat all the different kingdoms on earth, the voices speak of a single earthly kingdom that is opposed to Christ. Daniel’s prophecy foretold the rising of different kingdoms in succession, each symbolized by its particular beast (Dan. 7:1–8), but in Revelation there is one beast that is a composite of them all (Rev. 13:1–2). All the secular empires are actually one earthly kingdom under the reign of Satan… When Christ returns, the “kingdom of the world” will yield to “the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ” (Rev. 11:15).” ~ Richard Phillips, Revelation
2. Christ will reign as King forever and ever (cf. 2 Sam. 7:16, Dan. 7:13-14, Lk. 1:33, Phil. 2:9-11)
The 24 elders worship God by bowing down in worship and giving thanks. Every time we worship and “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18), we are a preview of life everlasting and we experience a foretaste of glory.
II. God’s Final Judgment (11:18)
This particular vantage point of the return of Christ and the end of history zooms in on the righteous and final judgements of God. This is the overwhelming emphasis of the Creeds:
Apostles’ Creed: “The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead.”
Nicene Creed: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end”
This divine verdict will have two different outcomes:
The wicked who “raged” will be judged and condemned (cf. Ps. 2, Isa. 40:10, Rev. 20:12)
The righteous (servants, prophets, saints) who “fear your name” will be rewarded (cf. Mt. 5:11-12, 6:19-20, 25:14-30, 2. Cor. 4:16-18, Heb. 11:16)
“‘Rejoice and be glad.’ Why? ‘For great is your reward in heaven.’ Here is one of these great central principles you will find running all the way through the Bible. It is this consideration of the end, our final destiny… According to this argument, my whole outlook upon everything that happens to me should be governed by these three things: my realization of who I am, my consciousness of where I am going, and my knowledge of what awaits me when I get there… But someone may ask: ‘How is this reward possible? I thought that man was saved by grace; why speak of reward?’ The answer of Scripture seems to be that even the reward itself is of grace. It does not mean we merit or deserve salvation. It just means God treats us as a Father… It is not that the child merits a reward. It is given of grace, and it is the expression of the Father’s love.”
~ Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Studies in the Sermon on the Mount
III. God’s Faithful Presence (11:19)
Verse 19 recalls the fall of Jericho in Josh. 6 as well as the Lord’s theophanic presence at Mt. Sinai in Ex. 19. In both of these stories of God’s redemption, there is a “collapse” of the old order and an inauguration of a new era. The same will happen at the end of history, as life everlasting is ushered in.
The ‘ark of the covenant’ that dwells in the heavenly ‘temple’ signifies two realities:
God’s Covenant Promises: the ark contained the Word of God as a reminder of God’s covenant commitments to his people
God’s Constant Presence: the ark resided in the “holy of holies” where the presence and glory of God dwelt in the midst of the camp of his people
Revelation 21:3, 22–23: And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God… And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.