Prophecies have this particularity that they make you look forward to a thing, they increase your longing and expectation so that you do not grow complacent and give up. That is why, the Bible is filled with prophecies about what the Lord will do, the return of Christ and the judgement that is coming. Moreover, the Old Testament prophecies we see in the books of prophets like Jeremiah, Isaiah and Ezekiel often turned the reader’s attention to the future, to the accomplished thing the Lord would do. The goal was to be completely focused on the new thing, so that the mind would not be on the old or the current. Indeed, many of those prophecies came at a time when the people of Israel were living in bondage or exile, their situations were not bright hence the prophecy was meant to encourage them to look outward, towards God rather than inward towards themselves. Similarly, the book of Revelation is filled with prophecies about Jesus Christ, the new heaven and new earth that the Lord is bringing to pass and the newness of life that the children of God will experience. For us today, the idea is the same, we ought to look at the new thing the Lord is doing and forsake the former things which include what we are currently going through as a nation. My goal today, as I close on my readings on Revelation is to get you to realize that the end is brighter, what you see is not what is, rather, Christ is.
In the last three chapters of Revelation we see the final judgement coming to an end, with chapter nineteen beginning with the “hallelujahs” to the Lord by a great multitude in heaven declaring that “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgements are true and just.” (Revelation 19:1-2), in the same way, the twenty-four elders along with the four living creatures also worshipped saying “Amen. Hallelujah!” and from the throne of God a voice said “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great” (Revelation 19:5). These hallelujahs follow the judgement of Babylon the great who enticed many nations into her prostitution and caused their ruin. These hallelujahs put the centre back to God as it must be. The focus is now turned away from tragedy to the marriage supper of the Lamb which was the reason for the mighty roar that was blasted by the great multitude saying “let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready” (verse 7). As the multitude was shouting that, they were prophesying in a sense, announcing what was about to take place next. Then we see the next new thing, which is the one who is called “Faithful and True”, “The Word of God” and “King of kings and Lord of lords” make his appearance and going for battle, ever ready to annihilate God’s enemies for good with his armies. It is precisely what he did as we read in verse twenty of chapter nineteen that the beast was captured with the false prophet and thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. Next, we see an angel coming down from heaven and chaining Satan, binding him up and throwing him in the pit for a thousand years. An interesting note here is that you have angels that are more powerful than Satan. Again, there is no rivalry between God and Satan, the two are not on the same level. During these thousand years of Satan being bound, we see the martyrs coming back to life, those who were beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, those who never bowed down to the beast and its image reigning with Christ for a thousand years (Revelation 20:4). This is called the first resurrection as it is only for the ones who died for Christ, others that were dead did not come back up to life until the thousand years were ended. After the thousand years, Satan is released but his release is for his final and complete judgement. However, as soon as he is released, he will do what he does best which is deceive the “nations that are at the four corners of the earth” and together with him they will march out against the saints but fire will come down from heaven and consume them and Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where his friends – the beast and the false prophet – were and they will all be tormented there day and night forever (Revelation 20:7-10). This is the final and complete judgement for Satan and for the world. As we read that those whose names were not found in the book of life will be judged according to what they had done. No one will escape this judgement, those who had already passed away will come back to life for this final judgement. In fact, even “Death and Hades” will be judged and thrown into the lake of fire! What a sight, what we see as Death is actually an enemy of God and he too will be judged. This judgement will be for all so if you are not in Christ, know that there is hope for you today and Christ is calling you to come to him. He promised to save you if you confess with your mouth that he is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9), this is the only way to escape that judgement.
What follows that judgement is the long awaited new thing the Lord is doing. This newness touches all areas of life. It is not something we could have anticipated no wonder the Lord will tell us to not remember the former days (Isaiah 43:19) for they are not close to what the new days are! Unfortunately our minds are too skewed, our imagination does not go too far so we have a hard time not focusing on what we see. Let me give you a glimpse of this newness found in chapter twenty-one. First, we see that there is a new heaven and a new earth for the old ones had passed away along with the seas (following the many plagues mentioned in the previous chapters of Revelation). Second, there will be a new Jerusalem. This will continue to be the holy city and she comes down out of heaven from God as a bride adorned for her husband (Revelation 21:1-2). Third, we see that God himself will dwell with man something that was not the case in the old earth, we see a restoration of what was broken with Adam’s sin. What the Lord had prophesied many times has now come to pass fully that is “I will be your God and you will be my people” (verse 3). Fourth, God will wipe away every tear from the eyes of His people. Fifth, death shall be no more. Sixth, there shall no longer be any mourning nor crying, nor pain for the former things have passed away. This is glorious! As I was meditating on this new heaven and earth, I just could not fathom it but I know my spirit longs for such a place. Seven, the Alpha and Omega is making all things new. This is a trustworthy saying, it is a true saying that we ought to take to heart. Once more, any reference of the old we had will not hold at all. For one, the new Jerusalem, is a city of made of pure gold like clear glass. This is a city not a house. I have a hard time picturing a house made of that kind of gold how much more a city? What glory indeed! I pray the Lord helps us to arrive at a knowledge where these things no longer become abstract but our very reality.
In closing, I would like to remind you that the marriage supper of the Lamb is what we should be focused on this means our lives should honour the Lord Jesus Christ in every aspect and in every area he has placed us. As believers in the Lord Jesus, our allegiance is to him first and we must seek to let his kingdom come in our own small spheres of influence. That is why our minds must be focused on the things above first (Colossians 3:1), so that the things below do not consume us. We should endeavor to use the things below for God’s kingdom advancement. That will include doing things tirelessly like “not growing weary of doing good” or like today’s verse of the day “ turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it” (italics mine, Psalm 34:14). To pursue something like peace means it will require you to not give up, it will not be easy, it will require your dedication. This is what we who have Christ in us must be all about. May the knowledge of the victorious life that awaits you spur you on to not lose faith so that when your master returns he finds you faithful. Amen.
A Word Aptly Spoken 