We're all familiar with stories of dragons, princes, and damsels in distress. They're all over our literature, our movies, and have been told in different cultures for as long as there's been written history. In Revelation 12, we understand why: they're all inspired by the story God is writing in redemption through His Son Jesus and through the Church He has established on earth. In John's vision, God shows Him Jesus as the promised King who finally destroys Satan, the ancient dragon. It's a story of joyful victory and conquering for God and those who love Him. In this week's passage we'll study to understand our place in the masterful story God is has written and celebrate Jesus, the slayer of dragons.

The passages of the Gospels that talk about Jesus' entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Holy Week are full of symbolism; "hosannas" in the streets, palms waving, and donkeys saddled up for his grand entrance, just to name a few. Much is said about how Jesus intended for all these to be interpreted. He was declaring His kingship, certainly. Beyond that, a point that is often missed is not just how he entered Jerusalem, but where He was going. This parade down the center of town took Him right to the temple, a fulfillment of all the Old Testament prophecies that predicted the Lord HIMSELF would one day suddenly visit His temple. When He arrived, His famous reaction was to drive out the money changers and make quite the scene. His explanation included these powerful words: "my house will be called a house of prayer." This week, as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we'll take a deep dive into what this important statement tells us about Jesus' mission, His character, and His design for those who are part of His Church today.

In this week's episode, Ryan and Jake take a look at one of Revelation's more complicated chapters. In it, we read about God's two witnesses, a couple mysterious, fire-breathing prophets that are described with all sorts or Biblical metaphors. Who are they? What do they have to do with us? Take a listen and find out!

"History contains many examples of declarations that had a lasting

impact on the world. None of them, however, can compare the declaration in heaven that John hears in Revelation 11. It announces that Jesus has begun to rule as king. Because of His victorious resurrection, He has been given ALL authority and has begun to reign. This is the most important declaration that's ever been made, and through it God calls us to a completely different type of living. In this week's message, we learn about what it means to live in light of this great declaration."

Through His saving work, Jesus "stakes a claim" to those who belong to Him. They are set apart by Him and for Him. John sees that play out in chapter 11 as God gives him the task of measuring out the temple and the worshippers within it. This whole vision, and the description afterward, was meant to predict what the early church would experience

in the turbulent years leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem. They

would serve as God's worshipping witnesses in the world, and their

message would cause the world around them to reject and trample them. Despite the trials they would endure, Jesus would deliver them

miraculously. As God's people today, we're called to fulfill the same calling; to be worshipping witnesses to Jesus. Even if the world is at war with the message of the Gospel, we have the hope of Christ's promises to carry us through.

It's been a while! Catch up with us as we talk through some of the big issues in Revelation chapters 9 and 10. In this passage, Ryan and Jake focus on understanding the trumpet judgments, and what to do when we find there are "Jericho-like" obstacles in our own journey.

After the massive revelations of the first half of the book, John receives another vision from the Lord. Essentially, the Lord has more for him

to say, and John needs to be prepared to speak it. The vision God gives him is meant to prepare him for the road ahead. As we navigate the last days, this passage contains important information about what we need to navigate our own road ahead as we live in the "last days." Like John, we've been given an important message of both bitter judgment and sweet redemption. If we're going to be God's ambassadors in these days, we need minds that are captivated by Jesus, hearts full of faith in the Lord, and bellies full of passion to receive and to speak God's Word.

In this passage, John sees that terrible things are on the horizon for

Jerusalem; not just conquest by the Romans, but something worse than death itself. In fact, what he sees is a vision of demonic powers infesting the city and causing untold misery and harm. A city that was once hallowed ground has become a haunt of demons. How does that happen? The answer is simple: the leaders in Israel had settled out for hollowed out religion that quickly became hijacked religion. Jesus doesn't settle for our hollowed out religion. He wants to offer us something better than life itself; the promise that if we'll open the door

to Him, He will make His home with us.

We often talk about life as a journey, and for Christians, that's a Biblical way to think. In the book of Revelation, John describes that the early church was on a journey just like the Israelites; leaving captivity behind and marching toward freedom in the promised land. Unfortunately, they had a Jericho in their way; the city of Jerusalem, where the apostles and believers were suffering and being killed for following Jesus. The Lord sends them a strong message: their prayers have been heard, and He's going to "blow the trumpets" on this sinful city. Just like them, as we follow Jesus, we are occasionally going to run into an obstacle, or a Jericho. When that happens, the Lord needs to knock things down in order for us to experience what He has prepared for us. If we trust Him and remain faithful to Jesus, He will lead us in victory as we inherit the land.

With the opening of the sixth seal, John witnesses scenes that can only be described as cataclysmic. He describes disaster on a massive scale as God's judgment rains down on the earth. It's quite the contrast from the previous seal, in which He saw faithful saints who were kept in God's presence. God was revealing to the church that a time of judgment was coming, and the symbols in the text suggest that these predictions would be fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem at Roman hands, which came to pass shortly after. What can we learn from these grim predictions? First, that God's judgment is very, very real. Second, that hard-hearted rebellion against God leads to preventable tragedy. Only Jesus, the Lamb of God who is Holy and True, can bring us from ruin to redemption.