Revelation 19:11-21

Distinct from the religions of the world (Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism), Christianity rests on the identity of a person … Jesus. So, the question 'Who is Jesus?' is all important in the Christian faith. Many folks would allow that He was a good teacher (maybe the best ever) … a sterling moral example … a great man. These statements are all true, but Jesus was infinitely more than these descriptions suggest, and we do not do Him justice unless we see Him in all His divine grandeur and regal splendor.

Christ is humble and loving and compassionate and patient, but He is also holy and just and strong and glorious. In a word, He is a judge, the Judge. Revelation 19 displays Jesus in all His majesty as He comes to establish His kingdom and display Himself as the King of Kings. He rides on the white horse of victory. He bears the sword of judgment, which is His word. He comes to establish His rule and to bring justice to the world. All those who stand against Him are destroyed and their destruction is complete and final.

Let us live our lives with confidence and hope and joy because the One whose name we bear is the Ruler of the universe … and Judge of all the nations. His justice will one day be meted out. His peace one day will rule on the earth. He is the King of kings and He is our champion. So, let us bow before Him with humility and thanksgiving and awe and hope. We have no reason to fear … and every reason to rejoice.

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 1:15-23

The point being made in Ephesians 1:20-23 is straightforward enough. Having risen from the dead, Jesus has been exalted as head over all things. Conquering death itself, He now rules as sovereign over all authorities, seated at the right hand of God the Father. He reigns, not only now, but forever and leads His church as its regal and tender head.

It is the connection between this truth (the royal exaltation of Christ) and the immediate notion preceding it (the conversion and enlightenment of Christians) that is marvelously encouraging in its logic. Here is the logic . . . ... fact number one - Jesus was raised from the dead and is exalted in heaven above all earthly and angelic authorities by the power of God. ... fact number two - that same power, in all its omnipotent strength, is the power which has worked in the heart of every believer, drawing him/her to faith in Christ and changing him/her, year by year, to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus.

The power that raised Christ from His stone-sealed grave and set Him over everything, is the same power that has breathed life into our dead hearts. There are a few awesome implications that can be drawn from this truth. (1) What an amazing thing God has done in our lives in bringing us salvation! (2) God has the power to convert the most hardened person. This encourages us in our prayers and efforts to win others to Christ. (3) The eternal security of believers rests on the omnipotence of God. This produces genuine rest and hope.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 19:6-10

Revelation 19 contains a stirring image of the relationship between Christ and His people. The imagery is of a joyous wedding ceremony. "Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready."

What a beautiful picture of the relationship between Christ and His own. A marriage calls to mind Christ's love for His people. "Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Eph 5:25).

A marriage calls to mind the union Christians have with Christ, as they are frequently referred to as being 'in Christ'. "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come" (2 Cor 5:17).

A marriage calls to mind the beautiful wedding gown the bride wears. Christ dresses His people with His own righteousness. "It was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure - for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints" (Rev 19:8). "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor 5:21).

The relationship Christ has with His people is intimate, satisfying, meaningful, joyful, and everlasting. Indeed, to be loved by Christ and to belong to Him is the very life of life ... of greater splendor and majesty than any wedding we ever saw on this earth.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 17:8

Revelation 17:8 refers to people "whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world." Philippians 4:3 refers to people "whose names are in the book of life."

Though there are people whose names have never been written in God's book of life, the Bible is clear that this reality does not excuse someone from personal accountability. Unbelievers have "no excuse" for their unbelief and their suppression of the truth (cf. Rom 1:18-20).

The enemies of God, as they are described in Revelation, are unmistakably guilty. The people in Revelation, whose names were not in God's book of life, are also described as refusing to repent of their evil deeds (Rev 9:20,21) ... rejoicing over the murder of God's special prophets (Rev 11:10) ... and worshipping the antichrist (Rev 13:3,4). The people whose names were not written in the book of life are guilty, not because of the omission of their names from God's book, but because they love the darkness (Jn 3:19).

In His mercy God has rescued some people to be His, choosing them before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4), so that "no human being might boast in the presence of God" (1 Cor 1:29).

Let us not pry into a level of God's mind that He has not revealed. The God who has a plan for everything in His creation invites all ... indeed beckons all ... to come to Him that they might have life. "Come, everyone who thirsts . . . incline your ear and come to me; hear that your soul may live" (Isa 55:1,3).

Bethel Baptist Church was honored to host Reverend Joel David, North America Baptist Vice President of International Missions, during this years NAB Detroit Area Missions Conference.

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:22-47, 1 Peter 1:12

Scripture Reading: Revelation 18, 19

The city of Babylon is considered by some historians and archaeologists to have been the greatest city in the ancient Near East. With its thick double walls and scores of fortified towers, people living 600 years before Christ must have thought it to be unconquerable. Today the glory that was once great Babylon has utterly vanished, except in history books.

Revelation 17, 18 contain an extended description of the antichrist's kingdom on the earth in a coming day. Beginning with the tower of Babel in Genesis, 'Babylon' is the biblical symbol of godless, wealthy, arrogant, human glory. The final human kingdom on the earth will be an echo of the glory of ancient Babylon.

And, like ancient Babylon, the kingdom of the antichrist will be utterly destroyed by the just and omnipotent wrath of God. The wealth and power of collective humanity, aligned against the Creator, will be destroyed and the name of God, alone, will be exalted.

Because of who the almighty God is ... Creator of all things ... Giver of life ... unimpeachably righteous ... holy, holy, holy ... rebellion against Him is ultimate evil. Final and infinite punishment of such evil is altogether right. Thus, when God metes out His justice on the inhabitants of the earth, it will be right for the heavenly chorus to cry out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just" (Rev 19:1).

Scripture Reading: Revelation 17

Revelation 17,18 describe, at length, the global kingdom of the antichrist during the coming time of tribulation. We have already seen, in chapter 13, that there will be both a political leader and religious leader in this vast kingdom … the beast, and the false prophet. The political/religious structural system of the kingdom of the antichrist is called 'Babylon' in the book of Revelation. Revelation 17 describes the religious aspect of this global kingdom and chapter 18 describes the political aspect of it. The religious element of the antichrist kingdom is symbolically represented by a prostitute, riding on a scarlet beast. In the Old Testament, idolatrous rebellion against God, was sometimes characterized as spiritual adultery or harlotry (cf. Nah 3:4; Ezek 16:35; 23:1-3). Undergirding the movement of events during the tribulation is the reality of God's sovereign design, ordering even the dark powers to fulfill his will. "For God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled (Rev 17:17). How glorious is our God, who works all things after the council of his will! (Eph 1:11).

Scripture Reading: Revelation 16:1-11

The Nature of the Human Heart

Revelation 16 contains the third, and last, series of divine judgments on the population of the earth during the coming day of tribulation. It is a description of the seven bowl judgments. God is declared to be just because He has poured out His wrath on the wicked. "Just are you, O Holy One . . . for you have brought these judgments . . . Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments" (Rev 16:5,6).

The overwhelming response of the people of the earth to these frightful, awesome acts of God will be to curse Him ... and the statement is repeated three times in this chapter (Rev 16:9,11,21). "People . . . cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds" (Rev 16:11).

The Bible clearly reveals to us what the natural human heart does with the truth about God and why it responds as it does. Given clear information about God in creation, the human heart suppresses the truth. "For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God" (Rom 1:18,21). This is the response of every sinful human heart before conversion.

The reason for this suppression of the truth is a love for sin. ". . . people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil" (Jn 3:19). It is only the grace and power of God which can free the heart from its natural affection for the darkness of sin.

Scripture Reading: Revelation 15:1-8

Before each of the series of divine judgments on the earth, during the tribulation time, John describes a heavenly scene. The vision of heaven in chapters 4,5 precedes the judgments of the seven seals. The heavenly scene in Revelation 8:2-5 precedes the judgments of the seven trumpets. The bowl judgments will be described in chapter 16, but now, before those final judgments, there is another description of heaven.

Beside a heavenly glass-like sea, "those who had conquered the beast" are gathered and they are singing a song (Rev 15:3,4). It is called both "the song of Moses" and "the song of the Lamb." In this glorious song, they laud the character of God in very specific terms.

He is the Lord God Almighty ... He is just and true ... He is King ... He is holy. The only proper response is to fear Him and glorify Him and worship Him. The news, as has ever been the case, does not mention the majesty of God in its daily focus on the day's events. Revelation describes the unfolding of a coming day when "the lofty pride of men shall be humbled, and the LORD alone will be exalted in that day" (Isa 2:11). Let us ever fear and glorify and worship Him.