What John records in chapter 15 serves as a final segment of the interlude between the seven trumpets and the seven bowls of God’s wrath. He sees “another sign in heaven, great and amazing.” Seven angels are entrusted with the final “plagues” of God’s judgment in the world. The next chapter will bring to completion the series of three “sevens” depicting God’s judgment in the world. And just as the seven seals and the seven trumpets ended with a vision of the final judgment, so too, here in the seven bowls, John sees that “the wrath of God is finished.”

In the Apostles Creed, Christians affirm that the Lord Jesus will one day return to “judge the living and the dead.” This final judgment has always been a part of essential Christian belief. Indeed, to deny the coming day of final judgment would be to deny a host of specific passages in the Bible. Denying the Lord’s return in judgment would also undermine the grand narrative of human history to which the Bible testifies, in which final justice will be accomplished. During his ministry, Jesus warned his hearers of the judgment to come and cautioned them to be ready to face it: to turn from their sin that they might receive eternal salvation.

For the better part of the previous two chapters, John’s vision has involved three strange and terrifying figures: the great red dragon (Satan) and two beasts, one that rises from the sea and the other which comes from the land. The coercive power and deceptive tactics of this unholy alliance are leveraged to lead the people of the world into idolatry. It takes only the slightest degree of discernment to see this diabolical work active in the world today.

But these dread visions are answered by what he describes in the opening words of chapter 14. Now instead of Satan and his allies, John looks and sees a Lamb (vs. 1). These words are a much needed reminder that no matter how great the opposition mounted by Satan against the church, the Lamb wins. The ultimate hope we have in the face of all the evil in the world is the Lamb who is enthroned in glory. Not only that, John sees the whole company of God’s redeemed people once again symbolized in a holy army of 144,000.

Here John helps us see beyond the awful schemes of the evil one into that bright day when the victory of the Lamb and his people will be brought to fulfillment. On that day, the Lamb and his people will stand on Mount Zion and sing the new song of redemption resounding like the roar of ocean waves and the mighty clap of thunder.

As we move on through Revelation, the beast from the sea will be referred to as simply “the beast.” The beast from the land will be referred to on three separate occasions as “the false prophet” (Revelation 16:13; 19:20; 20:10). What John sees is a blasphemous false trinity: the dragon (Satan), the beast, and the false prophet.

The first beast represents the satanic perversion of the civil or political sphere. The second beast represents the perversion of religion as it directs worship to the first beast. As we saw with the first beast, the second beast engages in a wicked parody of Christ. This second beast is likened to a lamb with horns as was Christ himself in 5:6. His description also fits the Lord’s warning against false prophets in Matthew 7:15, “they come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.” His two horns, rather than the first beast’s ten horns, seem to indicate his subordinate position to the first beast. Again, as so often in Revelation, it seems best to me to take this beast or false prophet as a power at work in the world throughout its history. However, it may also be the case that a particular figure will arise at the end of the age who sums up all the false prophets who have gone before.

The number of this beast, 666, is not meant as a puzzle to be solved. It represents fallen humanity in rebellion against God (vs. 18) and a parody of God’s sealing of his people. The economic penalty of refusing to worship the beast calls to mind the power of the trade guilds in the first few centuries. It was a way of marginalizing and impoverishing Christians as punishment for their rejection of the false faith. All of this calls for wisdom on the part of the church (vs. 18). Wisdom is needed to discern the second beast’s deceitfulness as it tempts God’s people into false worship, adulterating their allegiance to Christ.

One of the weaknesses of the strictly futurist reading of Revelation is that it misses the significance of John’s words for the churches he was writing to in Asia Minor. The futurist reading also fails to catch the significance of Revelation for every generation of Christians. As we have said before, Revelation is not to be read as a key for decoding future events (though John’s vision does include the future return of Jesus and the end of the age). The Book of Revelation is meant for every generation of the church as a warning of judgment, a call to faithful endurance, and a word of hope.

This week we continue in 2 Corinthians 5. Paul, being thoroughly convinced of his future home with Christ (5:5), now seeks to persuade the church even further of the glorious truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ (5:11). Paul will cover substantial theological ground in a few short verses, tapping into the roots of redemption, atonement, imputation, and sanctification. These doctrines, which can seem intimidatingly complex, are nonetheless a God orchestrated, grace filled, joyful reality for the believer. All this is from God, Paul declares (5:18).

In all the Christian life, Paul asserts, it is the love of Christ that controls and compels us to live not unto ourselves (5:14). In Christ, we are likened to new creations, the result of God’s redemptive work to reconcile us to himself (5:17). In turn we are now ambassadors for Christ, carrying forward the ministry of reconciliation, taking the gospel to the world (5:18-21). Christian, marvel at the lavish grace of the great exchange: Jesus takes on your sin; you receive his perfect righteousness (5:21).

Let us allow these truths to affect our affections, not just our minds. Church, may we not receive them in vain (6:1). Behold, now is the favorable time; behold now is the day of salvation (6:2).

The next two Sundays we will be preaching through 2 Corinthians 5. Paul begins this chapter picking up where he left off at the end of chapter 4 where he says, "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed…So we do not lose heart." (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9, 16).

Paul anchors the hope of the Christian in the world to come. This world matters, but this present existence is not our home. The hope we have as Christians transcends our circumstances because we have an imperishable, undefiled inheritance. Paul writes these things to encourage the church. He recognizes that we are weak and vulnerable, which is why he compares us to jars of clay and tents. No matter prosperity or poverty, health or sickness, comfort or sorrow, the church’s hope resides in a king and a kingdom that belong to a world where there is no sin, there is no death, there is no decay, and there is no suffering. Our hope is anchored in eternity.

2 Corinthians 5 is an encouraging chapter, reminding us that no matter the difficulties in this life, we have a future home with resurrected bodies in a world as it should be.

This passage recapitulates the same story depicted in the previous section but this time in greater detail. There is a basic progression at work: Christ triumphed, Satan attacked, God protects his people. This is the way that human history unfolds. The devil and his angels make war against Christ and His angels and His people. It is exactly what happened during the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ. But, it is also the same pattern of spiritual war that takes place throughout human history, that period of time recorded from Genesis 3 through Revelation 21. It is the account of a powerful Son (Christ), a protected woman (The Church), and a furious dragon (Satan).