Revelation

This is it – the LAST book!  Revelation is a great and yes strange read.  Here we learn about the end of times.  Hey, it is great news, GOD WINS!!!  If you had to read two books together, I would read Daniel from the Old Testament and then immediately read Revelation from the New Testament.  Prophecy and fulfillment!  I hope you have enjoyed our walk through the Bible!

REVELATION

AUTHOR:  John (1:1), the apostle

DATE:  Around AD 95

IN TEN WORDS OR LESS:  God will judge evil and reward His saints.

DETAILS, PLEASE:    Jesus Himself arranges for John to receive a “revelation” of things which must shortly come to pass.  First in chapters 2-3, Jesus gives John words of challenge and/or encouragement for seven churches – the good , the bad and the in-between.  Then the vision turns to the actual throne room of God, where a Lamb, looking as it had been slain, breaks seven seals from a scroll, unleashing war, famine, and other disasters on earth.  A dragon and two beasts, allied against God, arise to demand the worship of earth’s people who have not been killed in the earlier catastrophes.  The satanic forces and the people who follow them incur seven vials of the wrath of God, which bring plagues, darkness, and huge hailstones on earth.  The upheaval destroys “Babylon the great,” the evil and arrogant world system, just before an angel from heaven seizes Satan, that old serpent and imprisons him for one thousand years.  After a brief release to instigate a worldwide war,  Satan is thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where he will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.  God unveils a new heaven and a new earth, where He will wipe away all tears from His people’s eyes.

QUOTABLE:  Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches and wisdom, and strength, and honor and glory and blessings. (5:12)

UNIQUE AND UNUSUAL:  Revelation is an example of “apocalyptic literature” the only such book in the New Testament.  Apocalyptic implies revealing secret information.  The book of Revelation identifies Jesus Christ as the Alpha and Omega (1:8) and reveals the number 666 as a sign of the beast (13:18).

SO WHAT?  An old Southern gospel song says, “I’ve read the back of the book and we win.”  God has given his children a preview of how this world ends – and the new and improved world we will enjoy forever.  The curse of sin will be gone, we will live in perfect fellowship with the Lord Himself, and we will reign for ever and ever.  Kind of puts our bad days in perspective, doesn’t it?