VS 1 WHAT IS THE TIME PHRASE? AFTER WHAT THINGS? WHAT DID JOHN HEAR?

Transcription

1 REVELATION PART TWO CHAPTER 19 THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE LONG-AWAITED TIME OF JESUS CHRIST'S APPEARANCE APPROACHES, THE SCENE IN REVELATION SHIFTS FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN. AS THE TEXT UNFOLDS, TWO MAJOR SECTIONS EMERGE, FIRST, FIVE REASONS ARE PROVIDED IN SUPPORT OF HEAVEN'S JOY. VS SECOND, CHRIST'S GLORIOUS RETURN IS REVEALED FOR US. VS THIS NEW VISION (AFTER THESE THINGS) TAKES PLACE AFTER THE DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON (CHAPTERS 17-18) AND BEFORE THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST TO ESTABLISH THE MILLENNIAL KINGDOM (20:1-10) THESE ARE THE EVENTS THAT WILL TAKE PLACE BEFORE GOD "WRAPS UP" HUMAN HISTORY AND USHERS IN HIS NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH. I. HEAVEN WILL REJOICE- FULL SALVATION HAS COME 1. GOD HAS JUDGED HIS ENEMIES (1-4) WHEN BABYLON FELL ON THE EARTH, THE COMMAND WAS GIVEN IN HEAVEN, "REJOICE OVER HER!" (REV 18:20) AND WHAT WE READ IN THIS SECTION IS HEAVEN'S RESPONSE TO THAT COMMAND. VS 1 WHAT IS THE TIME PHRASE? AFTER WHAT THINGS? WHAT DID JOHN HEAR? WHAT WAS THIS "LOUD VOICE" SAYING? THIS IS A HEBREW WORD WHICH MEANS "PRAISE THE LORD". IT IS A TRANSLITERATION OF THE HEBREW "HAL LU" = TO PRAISE. LITERALLY, "PRAISE YE YAHWEH, JEHOVAH, OR GOD". THIS IS HEAVEN'S "HALLELUJAH CHORUS". ONLY HERE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT (AND VS 3,4,6) IS THIS WORD USED. ALL RELATE TO THE JUDGMENT OF GOD AND HIS GLORY. IT WAS A STANDARD CALL TO PRAISE IN THE TEMPLE WORSHIP. VS 2 WHAT ARE THEY SAYING ABOUT GOD'S JUDGMENTS? AND WHO DID HE JUDGE? WHY? 3. AND SINCE THE "GREAT HARLOT" OF REVELATION 17 WAS DESTROYED BY "THE BEAST" AND HIS FELLOW RULERS (REV 17:16) IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TRIBULATON, THE "GREAT HARLOT" HERE MUST BE BABYLON THE GREAT - THE CITY. BOTH THE APOSTATE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM AND THE SATANIC ECONOMIC-POLITICAL SYSTEM LED THE WORLD ASTRAY AND POLLUTED MANKIND. BOTH WERE GUILTY OF PERSECUTING GOD'S PEOPLE AND MARTYRING MANY OF THEM. 1

2 VS 3 WHAT DO THEY REPEAT? WHY? THE PHRASE "FOREVER AND EVER" MEANS "FINAL, IRREVERSIBLE". LOOK AT REVELATION 14:11 WHO ELSE SUFFERS THIS PUNISHMENT? 11 And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever; they have no rest day and night, those who worship the beast and his image, and [a]whoever receives the mark of his name. VS 4 THE FOURTH USE OF THE WORD "HALLELUJAH!". WE SAW THE TWENTY- FOUR ELDERS AND THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES WHEN JESUS TOOK THE "LITTLE BOOK" IN REV 5:8. 2. GOD IS REIGNING (5-6) VS 5 WHAT DOES THE VOICE THAT CAME FROM THE THRONE SAY? WHO IS THIS VOICE SPEAKING TO? WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT BOND-SERVANTS? 1. (FEAR= "PHOBEO" TO STAND IN AWE. IS THIS HOW YOU VIEW THE FATHER? AND 2.. VS 6 WHAT DO THE SIMILIES TELL US? WHAT WAS THIS VOICE SAYING? HAS GOD NOT BEEN REIGNING? WHAT DO YOU THINK THIS IS SAYING? IN HIS SOVEREIGNTY, THE LORD OUR GOD HAS PERMITTED EVIL MEN AND EVIL ANGELS TO DO THEIR WORST, BUT NOW THE TIME HAS COME FOR GOD'S WILL TO BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. TRULY, ONLY JEHOVAH IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP AND PRAISE. 3. THE BRIDE IS READY (7-10) VS 7 SO WHAT SHOULD OUR RESPONSE BE? 1. AND 2. AND 3. WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN? 1. WHO IS THE LAMB? WHAT ABOUT THE BRIDE? 2. WHO IS THE BRIDE? LOOK AT EPH 5:23, - For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 2 COR. 11:2 -For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I 2

3 betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin. "WHAT DID THE BRIDE WEAR?" IS THE USUAL QUESTION AFTER A WEDDING. THE LAMB'S BRIDE HAS "MADE HERSELF READY." HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES READY? LOOK AT EPHESIANS 5: Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, 26 so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church [a]in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. WHO IS DOING ALL THE ACTION IN THESE VERSES? WHAT DOES THE BRIDE LOOK LIKE WHEN SHE ARRIVES IN HEAVEN AT THE JUDGMENT SET OF CHRIST? SO HOW DO WE MAKE OURSELVES READY? NOT BY OUR OWN WORKS, BUT RATHER BY GOD'S GRACIOUS WORKING. WE HAVE MADE OURSELVES READY IN THE POWER OF GOD, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, THROUGH THE WORK OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD, PHILIPPIANS 2:13 - for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. JEWISH WEDDINGS IN THAT DAY WERE QUITE UNLIKE WEDDINGS IN OUR DAY. FIRST, THERE WAS AN ENGAGEMENT, USUALLY MADE BY THE PARENTS WHEN THE PROSPECTIVE BRIDE AND GROOM WERE QUITE YOUNG. THIS ENGAGEMENT WAS BINDING AND COULD BE BROKEN ONLY BY A FORM OF DIVORCE. ANY UNFAITHFULNESS DURING THE ENGAGEMENT WAS CONSIDERED ADULTERY. TODAY, THE CHURCH IS "ENGAGED TO JESUS CHRIST, AND WE LOVE HIM EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NOT SEEN HIM (1 PETER 1:8). SECOND, WHEN THE PUBLIC CEREMONY WAS TO BE ENACTED, THE GROOM WOULD GO TO THE BRIDE'S HOUSE AND CLAIM HER FOR HIMSELF. HE WOULD TAKE HER TO HIS HOME WHICH HE HAD PREPARED FOR HER. ONE DAY, JESUS WILL RETURN AND TAKE HIS BRIDE (US) TO HEAVEN TO A PLACE HE HAS PREPARED FOR US. 1 THESS. 4:13-18 SHOW US THE LORD COMING FOR HIS CHURCH. AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST (BEMA SEAT=AN ELEVATED SEAT LIKE A THRONE OF A JUDGE. IN NT, JUDGEMENT SEAT IS USED.), OUR WORKS WILL BE JUDGED AND ALL OUR SPOTS AND BLEMISHES REMOVED. LOOK AT ROMANS 14:10-12 But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. 11 For it is written, As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall [a]give praise to God. 3

4 12 So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.= EVALUATION OF OUR LIFE ON EARTH. VS 8 WHAT IS GIVEN TO THE BRIDE? WHAT DOES THE "FINE LINEN" REPRESENT? THE BRIDE'S CLOTHING CONTRAST WITH THE "HARLOT'S" GAUDY GARMENTS WE SAW IN REV. 17:4- THE CLOTHES OF A PROSTITUTE. THE FINE LINEN MAY, IN SOME SENSE, BE A PART OF THE REWARD GIVEN AT THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST TO THOSE WHO HAVE SERVED HIM, SEEN HERE COLLECTIVELY AS THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB. VS 9 WE SEE THE FOURTH OF THE SEVEN "BEATITUDES FOUND IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. (1;3, 14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7)- THE NUMBER SEVEN IS IMPORTANT IN THIS BOOK BECAUSE IT SIGNIFIES FULLNESS AND COMPLETENESS.) WHO ARE THE BLESSED?. WHO DO YOU THINK THESE GUESTS ARE? CERTAINLY THE BRIDE IS NOT INVITED TO HER OWN WEDDING! THE WEDDING WILL TAKE PLACE IN HEAVEN BUT THE WEDDING SUPPER WILL TAKE PLACE ON EARTH. THIS INVITATION GOES OUT TO THE GUESTS, BELIEVERS FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT ERA (WHO ARE RAISED AT CHRIST'S SECOND COMING) AND THE TRIBULATION SAINTS (WHO GO ALIVE INTO THE MILLINIMUN), THE DEAD TRIBULATION SAINTS ARE RESURRECTED AT CHRIST'S SECOND COMING (REMEMBER THE SOULS UNDER THE ALTAR CRYING OUT "HOW LONG"?). DURING THE MILLINIMUN, DIFFERENCES WILL STILL EXIST AS THE CHURCH REIGNS WITH CHRIST AND AS ISRAEL ENJOYS THE PROMISED MESSIANIC BLESSING. VS 10 WHAT DOES JOHN DO? WE MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE TREMENDOUS EMOTIONAL CONTENT OF JOHN'S EXPERIENCE. WHAT DOES THE ANGEL SAY TO JOHN? WHY? WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE BRETHREN? WHY? ALL PROPHECY REVEALS JESUS TO BE THE TRUE PROPHECY BECAUSE HE IS THE SOURCE. WHAT DOES THE ANGEL SAY WE ARE TO DO? CHRIST WILL RETURN (11-21) WHAT WE SEE HERE RESUMES FROM 16: THIS IS THE FIRST EVENT AFTER THE 7TH BOWL. THIS IS FULFILLMENT OF ZECHARIAH 14:3-4 - Then the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations, as [a]when He fights on a day of battle. 4 In that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which is in front of Jerusalem on the east; and the 4

5 Mount of Olives will be split in its middle from east to west by a very large valley, so that half of the mountain will move toward the north and the other half toward the south. THE MOUNT OF OLIVES TODAY HAS TWO HIGH POINTS, AND WHAT SEEMS TO BE A NATURAL DIVISION BETWEEM THEM WILL BE TRANSFORMED INTO A GREAT VALLEY STRETCHING TOWARD THE EAST OF JERUSALEM AND EXTENDING DOWN TO JERICHO AT THE JORDAN RIVER FIRST, JOHN DESCRIBES THE CONQUEROR (REV 11-13,16) AND THEN HE DESCRIBES HIS CONQUESTS (REV 19:17-20:3) THE RIDER ON THE WHITE HORSE (REV 6:2) IS THE FALSE CHRIST, BUT THIS RIDER IS THE TRUE CHRIST. HE IS NOT COMING IN THE AIR TO TAKE HIS PEOPLE HOME (1 THESS. 4:13-18) BUT TO THE EARTH WITH HIS PEOPLE, TO CONQUER HIS ENEMIES AND ESTABLISH HIS KINGDOM. VS JOHN DESCRIBES THE CONQUEROR- OUR SAVIOR RETURNS TO EARTH! VS 11 WHAT IS THE FIRST THING WE SEE HAPPENING? AND JOHN SAW A WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE RIDER? 1. AND 2. HE IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE AS IN CONTRAST TO "THE BEAST" WHO WAS UNFAITHFUL(HE BROKE HIS COVENANT WITH ISRAEL) AND FALSE (HE RULED BY MEANS OF DECEPTION AND IDOLATRY. WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GOD IS FAITHFUL AND WILL NOT DESERT US, BECAUSE HIS PROMISES ARE TRUE. WHAT IS HE GOING TO DO? VS 12 JOHN GIVES US A DESCRIPTION OF THE RIDER. HOW DOES JOHN DESCRIBE THE KING? 1. THE EYES "AS A FLAME OF FIRE" SYMBOLIZE HIS SEARCHING JUDGMENT THAT SEES ALL. (WE SAW THIS DESCRIPTION IN REVELATION 1:14) 2. THE MANY CROWNS (DIADEMA- "RULERS CROWNS) THIS WORD "DIADEMA" IS A FILAMENT OF SILK LINEN TIED AROUND THE HEAD AS A SYMBOL OF ROYAL DIGNITY. IT IS USED ONLY THREE TIMES IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION. HOW MANY CROWNS (DIADEMA) DID SATAN WEAR IN REV. 12:3? HOW MANY CROWNS (DIADEMA) DID ANTICHRIST WEAR IN 13:1? AT CHRIST'S SECOND COMING, HE WILL BE WEARING ALL OF THEM! IN ANCIENT TIMES, WHEN A MILITARY GENERAL CONQUERED A NATION, OFTEN HE WOULD SYMBOLICALLY WEAR THE CROWN OF THE KING HE HAD JUST DEFEATED. THIS SHOWS US THAT CHRIST IS IN CONTROL OF THE KINGDOM. 3. NOT KNOWING HIS NAME, WE CANNOT COMMENT ON IT, BUT IT IS EXCITING TO KNOW THAT, EVEN IN HEAVEN, WE SHALL LEARN NEW THINGS ABOUT OUR LORD! MAYBE THIS "SECRET NAME" IS THE SAME AS THE "NEW NAME" IN 5

6 REVELATION 3:12. JUST AS "THE WORD" WAS THE FATHER'S AGENT IN CREATION (JOHN 1:1-3), SO "THE WORD" (JOHN 1:1-3) IS HIS AGENT FOR JUDGMENT AND CONSUMMATION. FOR 3500 YEARS THE JEWISH PEOPLE HAVE PRAYED THAT THEIR MESSIAH WOULD COME. IN FACT, ONE JEWISH PRAYER GOES LIKE THIS: "I BELIEVE WITH COMPLETE FAITH IN THE COMING OF THE MESSIAH, AND THOUGH HE TARRY, YET I WILL WAIT FOR HIM EVERY COMING DAY." NOW ISRAEL'S PRAYER IS ANSWERED. THE MESSIAH HAS COME AGAIN. VS 13 WHAT ELSE DOES JOHN TELL US ABOUT THE RIDER? 1. THIS IS NOT OUR LORD'S BLOOD THAT MARKS HIS ROBE, BUT THAT OF HIS FOES. THE ROBE DIPPED IN BLOOD SPEAKS OF JUDGMENT. LOOK AT REVELATION 14:20. ALSO ISAIAH 63:1-6. Who is this who comes from Edom, With garments of [a]glowing colors from Bozrah, This One who is majestic in His apparel, [b]marching in the greatness of His strength? It is I who speak in righteousness, mighty to save. 2 Why is Your apparel red, And Your garments like the one who treads in the wine press? 3 I have trodden the wine trough alone, And from the peoples there was no man with Me. I also trod them in My anger And trampled them in My wrath; And their [c]lifeblood is sprinkled on My garments, And I [d]stained all My raiment. 4 For the day of vengeance was in My heart, And My year of redemption has come. I looked, and there was no one to help, And I was astonished and there was no one to uphold; So My own arm brought salvation to Me, And My wrath upheld Me. 6 6

7 I trod down the peoples in My anger And made them drunk in My wrath, And I [e]poured out their lifeblood on the earth. WHAT IS THIS RIDER'S NAME? JUST AS "THE WORD" WAS THE FATHER'S AGENT IN CREATION (JOHN 1:1-3), SO "THE WORD" IS HIS AGENT FOR JUDGMENT AND CONSUMMATION. WHO IS "THE WORD"? ALL THESE PASSAGES POINT TO THE SAD CONCLUSION THAT IN THAT DAY OF JUDGMENT IT IS TOO LATE FOR ANYONE TO EXPECT THE MERCY OF GOD. VS 14 WHAT DO WE LEARN ABOUT THE "ARMIES" WHO ARE THE "ARMIES"? CERTAINLY THE ANGELS ARE A PART OF THIS ARMY. (MATTHEW 25:31, 2 THESS. 1:7), BUT SO ARE WE (THE SAINTS) 1 THESS. 3:13 (REMEMBER THE WORD "SAINTS' MEANS "HOLY ONES" AND COULD REFER TO BELIEVERS OR ANGELS.) VS 15 HOW WILL HE DEFEAT HIS ENEMIES? 1. WHAT WILL HE USE IT FOR? AND WHAT WILL HE DO? THIS REPRESENTS UNYIELDING, ABSOLUTE GOVERNMENT UNDER WHICH EVERYONE IS REQUIRED TO CONFORM TO THE RIGHTEOUS STANDARDS OF GOD. REV.12:4-5 WHAT ELSE WILL HE DO? WHAT DOES THIS "WINEPRESS" REPRESENT? VS 16 WHAT ELSE DO WE LEARN ABOUT THIS RIDER? ON HIS AND ON HIS HE HAS A NAME WRITTEN THE ROBE IS A SYMBOL OF MAJESTY, AND THE THIGH SUGGESS POWER. EVIDENTLY THE NAME APPEARED ON THE PART OF CHRIST'S ROBE THAT COVERED HIS THIGH, WHICH WOULD BE MOST CONSPICUOUS. PEOPLE LIVING ON THE EARTH AT THE TIME OF THE SECOND COMING WILL SEE JESUS CHRIST RETURN. LOOK AT MATTHEW 24: But 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 [a]the sky, and the powers of [b]the heavens will be shaken. 30 And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. 7

8 WHAT A CONTRAST THIS COMING IS WITH THE LORD'S FIRST COMING; AS A BABY, IN HUMILITY AND OBSCURITY, RIDING A DONKEY INTO JERUSALEM, COMING TO DIE RATHER THAN TO REIGN. THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON THIS BATTLE WAS ANTICIPATED EARLIER IN REV. 14:20 AND 16:13-16 IT WILL BE UNNECESSARY FOR THE ARMY TO FIGHT, FOR CHRIST HIMSELF WILL DEFEAT THE ENEMY. HE WILL DEFEAT THE ARMIES OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH (VS 17-19,21) VS 17 BUT FIRST, WHAT DO WE SEE HAPPENING? REMEMBER A "LOUD VOICE" SIGNIFIES THAT SOMETHING IMPORTANT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. SO WHAT WOULD ANOTHER NAME FOR THE BATTLE OF ARMAGEDDON BE? VS 18 WHAT ARE THE BIRDS GOING TO DO? (BIRDS OF PREY ARE ALWAYS IN EVIDENCE WHERE THERE IS DEATH) VS 19 AT THE 7TH BOWL WHAT HAPPENS? LOOK AT REV. 16:13-14, 16. VS 20 WHAT TWO PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED? 1. AND 2. WHAT HAPPENS TO THEM? VS 21 WHO DOES JESUS KILL WITH THE SWORD OF HIS MOUTH? THESE UNSAVED WILL GO TO HADES UNTIL THE GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT. (REV 20) ONE THOUSAND YEARS LATER. TODAY, WHEN UNBELIEVERS DIE, THEIR SPIRITS GO TO A PLACE CALLED HADES, WHICH MEANS "THE UNSEEN WORLD" - THE REALM OF THE DEAD. HADES WILL ONE DAY BE EMPTIED OF ITS DEAD (REV 20:13), WHO WILL BE CAST INTO HELL TO JOIN SATAN, THE BEAST, AND THE FALSE PROPHET. WHEN BELIEVERS DIE, WE GO IMMEDIATELY INTO THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. (2 COR. 5:6-8) WHAT A BLESSED CONTRAST! THERE IS A STRONG LESSON FROM THIS SCENE: "IF YOU REFUSE TO REPENT, YOU WILL FALL INTO THE HANDS OF THE LIVING GOD- AND THAT, AS THE BIBLE SAYS, IS "A TERRIFYING THING". HEBREWS 10:31 BE READY FOR THE FUTURE EVENTS OF THE CHURCH: 8

9 1. WE WILL BE TAKEN UP AT THE RAPTURE - 1 THESSALONIANS 4: WE WILL GO BEFORE THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST - 1 CORINTHIANS 3:12-15; 11 CORINTHIANS 5:10 3. WE'LL ATTEND THE MARRIAGE AND THE MARRIAGE SUPPER - REVELATION 19: WE WILL RETURN WITH CHRIST FOR HIS MILLENNIAL REIGN- REVELATION 20:6 WE WILL FOREVER BE WITH THE LORD... 9