The End.

in
 

REVELATION 22:16-21

16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

17 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.

18 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, 19 and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.

 
 

The End.

The message of not just the book of Revelation, but the entire Bible:

In The End, everything will be okay.
If it’s not okay, then it’s not The End:
And if it’s not The End, then God still has work for us to do.

So, no matter if Jesus returns in triumph now or later, it’s going to be good. Come on, Lord. Let’s go!

 

Be Faithful, No Matter What

in
 

REVELATION 22:6-15

6 And he said to me, “These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place.”

7 “And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, 9 but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God.”

10 And he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. 11 Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy.”

12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”

14 Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. 15 Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

 
 

Here we are again reminded of what we were told in the very first verse of the entire book: that the Revelation came to John from God by way of an angel.

And the purpose of that Revelation is to strengthen the church to be faithful no matter what, even to the point of death. This is what it means in Revelation by “wash their robes”—that is, to be faithful to the point of death, just like Jesus, and thereby participate in both his death and his triumph.

 

This Is God's Will for Your Life

in
 

REVELATION 22:1-5

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.

 
 

Way back on January 6 we read Ezekiel’s vision of a River of Life. Here we see in John’s vision that the reality is even better than what Ezekiel foresaw: how the Tree of Life spans the river and produces fruit and leaves that heal and delight.

And then there is that beautiful note that the servants of God and the Lamb will “reign forever.”

God’s plan is not to take away human freedom, but to allow it to flourish in its proper place. This was the plan from the beginning, and one day it will be realized.

[God’s] kingdom turns out to be quite unlike the beast’s. It finds its fulfillment not in the subjection of God’s ‘servants’ (22:3) to his rule, but in their reigning with him (22:5). The point is not that they reign over anyone: the point is that God’s rule over them is for them a participation in his rule. The image expresses the eschatological reconciliation of God’s rule and human freedom, which is also expressed in the paradox that God’s service is perfect freedom (cf. 1 Pet. 2:16). Because God’s will is the moral truth of our own being as his creatures, we shall find our fulfillment only when, through our free obedience, his will becomes also the spontaneous desire of our hearts. Therefore in the perfection of God’s kingdom theonomoy (God’s rule) and human autonomy (self-determination) will fully coincide.” - Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation

God’s will is for us to reign!

 

Work Hard at Something Beautiful Today

in
 

REVELATION 21:22-27

22 And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, 25 and its gates will never be shut by day— and there will be no night there. 26 They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 
 

Just like in Eden, in the New Jerusalem God’s presence pervades everything, and so there is no need for a Temple, just as there is no need for mediated sources of light—all the light comes from the Lord God and the Lamb.

And the city will be adorned with all that’s best and beautiful from the cultures of the earth.

Beautiful things that humanity makes, when dedicated to God’s glory, will have a place in the New Creation. All good things will have a place in the New Creation, and there will be no place for anything bad.

Work hard at something beautiful today!

 

A Description of the New Jerusalem

in
 

REVELATION 21:9-21

9 Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” 10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11 having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 12 It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed— 13 on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. 15 And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. 16 The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal. 17 He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement. 18 The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. 19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. 21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.

 
 

The city is a perfect cube, just like the Holy of Holies in the Temple.

It is made up of jewels, the same type of jewels that adorned the high priest’s breastplate.

The entire city is meant to reflect and refract the glory of God.

 

Kingdom Come

in
 

REVELATION 21:1-8

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trust- worthy and true.” 6 And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. 7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. 8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

 
 

The Kingdom has come, and with it comes the reality that there will never again be any bad thing.

From the opening message to the Ephesian church (chapter 2) all the way through, John’s vision is showing the churches what it looks like to conquer, namely to stay faithful to Jesus no matter what, even to the point of death. Why? Because when the Kingdom comes, it will all be worth it.

Note that:

“8 the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”

Why is that? Why can’t unrepentant sinners be included?

Because the New Creation is perfect, and people who refuse to accept God’s rule over their lives, admit that they need mercy, and repent from their ways can’t be part of what will happen, because they would bring sin with them.

 

Judgment Day

in
 

BIBLE STUDY TONIGHT (3/22) | 6:30 PM | SANCTUARY LIVESTREAM: asburytulsa.online.church

 

REVELATION 20:11-15

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

 
 

Note that what matters when Judgment Day arrives is having one’s name written in the book of life. How does that happen? You asked for it!

As Revelation has shown over and over—and as the whole Bible teaches—God desires that all people would come to know him and be part of his family. However, God won’t force anyone to accept his love and mercy, and ultimately God will give us over to our desires, which is what happens when the Judgment arrives in John’s vision—those who won’t repent are given what they want, which is NOT God. And because God is life and love and joy, eternal punishment is the opposite of those things—life without God is Hell.

But, no one need perish. All that it takes to receive life is to ask for it! “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me!” And he will.

If you have never asked to be saved, let today be that day. That’s what a Christian is: a person who has acknowledged that Jesus is who he says he is and someone who has asked Jesus to save him or her.

This is how the Apostle Paul explains salvation in his Letter to the Romans:

“ 9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11For the Scripture says, ‘Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.’” (Roman 10: 9-11)

 

It's Not a Fair Fight

in
 

Our FINAL churchwide Bible study on Revelation will be TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY, 3/22), 6:30 PM. Bring a friend! I’d love to pack the joint and make it our biggest Bible study so far. Also, I’ll give an extended Q&A over the entire book, so come prepared. (Livestream available, and so is dinner beforehand.)

 
 

And on Friday morning I’m speaking at a special men’s breakfast. All interested men and boys welcome! It’s free, but please register.

Here’s a 50 second video teaser we made:

 
 

REVELATION 20:7-10

7 And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. 9 And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, 10 and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

 
 

Once the King has appeared (chapter 19), evil never again has power. In John’s vision, Satan is released from the prison he was being temporarily held but it doesn’t matter.

It’s not a fair fight, and it's over before it even begins. There is God, and then there is everything else.

Don’t be afraid!

 

Blessed Are Those Persecuted for Righteousness' Sake

in
 

Our FINAL churchwide Bible study on Revelation will be THIS WEDNESDAY, 3/22, 6:30 PM. Bring a friend! I’d love to pack the joint and make it our biggest Bible study so far. Also, I’ll give an extended Q&A over the entire book, so come prepared. (Livestream available, and so is dinner beforehand.)

 
 

And on Friday morning I’m speaking at a special men’s breakfast. All interested men and boys welcome! It’s free, but please register.

 
 
 

REVELATION 20:4-6

4 Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

 
 

The message of Revelation to the church is, “Don’t give up, and don’t be afraid—stay faithful to the Truth no matter what.”

The reason this message is needed is because the beast often seems all-powerful, and even goes so far as to put the followers of Jesus to death. But, John’s vision reminds the church that appearances can be deceiving, and that the way they conquer is staying faithful even to the point of death.

At the end, John sees that it is the martyrs who will reign with Christ, and not the beast. In the end, they are vindicated such that John sees it as a special blessing to be used by God in this way.

I’m reminded of what Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount:

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. [Matthew 5:10-12]

 
 

The 1,000 Years

in
 

Our FINAL churchwide Bible study on Revelation will be Wednesday, 3/22, 6:30 PM. Bring a friend!

 
 

REVELATION 20:1-3

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. 2 And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, 3 and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while.

 
 

Evil has finally been defeated! Now, it’s just the cleaning up and the sorting out that needs to occur— the "scouring," to paraphase Tolkien. The source of evil—the devil—is thrown into the abyss until it’s his time to be judged. It’s like he’s being kept in a holding cell, awaiting trial!

Let me say again: don’t despair—evil loses in the end.

 

Recap of the Book So Far

in
 

Our FINAL churchwide Bible study on Revelation will be Wednesday, 3/22, 6:30 PM. Bring a friend!

 
 

REVELATION 19:17-21

17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.

 
 

The Second Coming results in a complete rout of the enemy.

In John’s vision, judgement on the earth is described in multiple different ways, starting in chapter 6. To put it another way, John describes the same thing—the earth under God’s judgment—to us in different images and with different emphases. In each series of judgments, right before the Second Coming would occur, there is a digression as John describes the church’s mission.

And then each time he circles back to a theme he’s previously discussed, he tells us something new.

Allow me to recap the book’s plot so far and show you what I mean:

  • SET UP: Chapters 4-5, John sees the heavenly throne room.

  • JUDGMENT 1ST DESCRIPTION: Chapter 6, the judgments of the seals (#’s 1-6);

  • CHURCH DIGRESSION: Chapter 7, a description of the messianic army;

  • JUDGMENT 2ND DESCRIPTION: Chapters 8-9, the 7th seal, then the judgments of the trumpets (#s 1-6);

  • CHURCH DIGRESSION: The message of the scroll (chapters 10-11), and then further explication of it (chapters 12-15);

  • JUDGMENT 3RD AND FINAL DESCRIPTION: Chapters 16-19.

    The reason for the digressions is so that John can explain to the church that it has a role in God’s plan: to testify to the truth about Jesus so that the unbelieving nations will hear and repent.

    BUT

    Those who ultimately refuse to repent will face judgment when Jesus finally comes and time runs out.

    This is what is described in graphic terms in John’s vision (19:17-21, above).

    It is not God’s desire that anyone should face judgment. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only son” (John3:16); Revelation tells us that the church’s role is to preach repentance in the name of Jesus to all nations, so that all nations might be saved. But God will not force people to repent, and those who stubbornly refuse will finally be destroyed.

 

The Second Coming of Jesus

in
 

REVELATION 19:11-16

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

 
 

THE SECOND COMING

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse!

This is the moment to which the book has been working: heaven is fully revealed on earth. The kingdom has now come.

The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is a conqueror, but he conquers as a martyr, hence the bloody robe. He comes as truth, which is why he is called The Word.

He strikes down his enemies with the Truth, which is why his mouth is a sharp sword.

His true identity is now revealed (an apocalypse!) to everyone: King and Lord.

 

Worship the Creator, Nor the Creation

in
 

REVELATION 19:6-10

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah!
For the Lord our God
the Almighty reigns.
7 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;
8 it was granted her to clothe herself
with fine linen, bright and pure”—
for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.
9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

 
 

THE ENDING OF ONE CITY AND THE ARRIVAL OF THE OTHER

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” 10 Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.” For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

These verses move us from the fall of Babylon to the arrival of the New Jerusalem.

I find it so interesting that John tries to worship his angelic guide, much to the angel’s horror! Why shouldn’t angels be worshipped in their majesty and glory? Because angels—no matter how majestic and glorious—are created things, and it’s wrong to worship any- thing except the Creator.

To worship the Creation rather than the Creator is idolatry, and it is the way of death.

Don’t miss the opportunity to praise and thank the Lord today for all his blessings.

 

Hallelujah!

in
 

REVELATION 19:1-5

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2 for his judgments are true and just;
for he has judged the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her immorality,
and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
3 Once more they cried out, “Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.”
4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, “Amen. Hallelujah!” And from the throne came a voice saying,
“Praise our God, all you his servants,
you who fear him, small and great.”

 
 

Today in our reading of Revelation we finally get to the point toward which the entire book has been proceeding, where what John has seen in heaven (chapters 4-5) comes to earth: the Second Coming of Jesus.

 

Looks Can Be Deceiving

in
 

REVELATION 18:21-24

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and
threw it into the sea, saying,
“So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,
and will be found no more;
22 and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,
will be heard in you no more,
and a craftsman of any craft
will be found in you no more,
and the sound of the mill
will be heard in you no more,
23 and the light of a lamp
will shine in you no more,
and the voice of bridegroom and bride
will be heard in you no more,
for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,
and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on earth.”

 
 

Note the contrast between all the marks of wealth and luxury, on the one hand, with the martyrdom of the prophets and saints on the other.

In this world, it often looks like the people of God have lost.

Don’t be deceived—death isn’t the end for God’s faithful ones.

Keep going.

God's Judgment of Evil Systems

in
 

REVELATION 18:9-20

9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,
“Alas! Alas! You great city,
you mighty city, Babylon!
For in a single hour your judgment has come.”
11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankin cense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.
14 “The fruit for which your soul longed
has gone from you,
and all your delicacies and your splendors
are lost to you,
never to be found again!”
15 The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,
16 “Alas, alas, for the great city
that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet,
adorned with gold,
with jewels, and with pearls!
17 For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.”
And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off 18 and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,
“What city was like the great city?”
19And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,
“Alas, alas, for the great city
where all who had ships at sea
grew rich by her wealth!
For in a single hour she has been laid waste.
20 Rejoice over her, O heaven,
and you saints and apostles and prophets,
for God has given judgment for you against her!”

 
 

Again—and this point is very uncomfortable for affluent American Christians like me—note how one of the marks of the evil empire is its great wealth, wealth that was derived from exploitative economic practices. It’s like the Capital in The Hunger Games—its citizens live in luxury that was only possible because other people were in poverty.

One of the messages of Revelation is that God’s Judgment will ultimately bring down such evil systems.

And the message to me today is to remember that wealth is fleeting and true joy comes from knowing God.

 

The Lure of Luxury

in
 

REVELATION 18:4-8

4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,
“Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;
5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,
and repay her double for her deeds;
mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.
7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,
so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,
since in her heart she says,
‘I sit as a queen,
I am no widow,
and mourning I shall never see.’
8 For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,
death and mourning and famine,
and she will be burned up with fire;
for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.”

 
 

In Chapter 3, Jesus warns the church in Sardis not to be self-satisfied or corrupted by wealth. Here we see that one of the ways that the woman (i.e., Rome) maintained power was through the corrupting influence of luxury and wealth.

Remember the warning of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel: “where your treasure is, there your heart will be.” [Matthew 6:21]

In what way do you and I need to repent from loving luxury and wealth more than God today?

 

From What Do You Need to Repent Today?

in
 

REVELATION 18:1-3

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. 2 And he called out with a mighty voice,
“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!
She has become a dwelling place for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.
3 For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality,
and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

 
 

In Revelation 18, John sees the fall of the system that is opposed to God:

• 18:1-3, An angel pronounces judgment on Babylon;
• 18:4-20, A voice from heaven predicts the fall of Babylon;
• 18:21-24, An angel pronounces judgment on Babylon a second time;
• 19:1-8, Voices in heaven praise God for the fall of Babylon.

In the plot of Revelation, we are now within the final judgments, when all evil is being brought to account. At this point in the vision, it’s too late to repent and turn.

The good news is that it’s not too late for us and our world—the final judgment that John sees has not yet happened here.

FROM WHAT DO YOU NEED TO REPENT TODAY?

 

How to Use Your Decoder Ring

in
 

REVELATION 17:6b-18

When I saw her, I marveled greatly. 7 But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because it was and is not and is to come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom: the seven heads are seven moun- tains on which the woman is seated; 10 they are also seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come, and when he does come he must remain only a little while. 11 As for the beast that was and is not, it is an eighth but it belongs to the seven, and it goes to destruction. 12 And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. 13 These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. 14 They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.”

15 And the angel said to me, “The waters that you saw, where the prostitute is seated, are peoples and multitudes and nations and languages. 16 And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, 17 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. 18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.”

 
 

The angel is here explaining the vision to John, so that he understands clearly that the woman is Roman culture and commerce, riding on the back of Roman military power. The references to mountains and heads and horns are all images relating to Roman political history.

The point is that the woman is evil and persecutes the Church of Jesus, but that Jesus will win in the end, and evil will turn against itself.

Once again: don’t be afraid. Keep going.

P.S. Is this chapter about the historical city of Rome at the time of John’s vision, or is “Rome” a symbol for all governments and empires who are opposed to the Kingdom of God, both at the time John was writing and in the future?

Yes.

P.P.S. Note that the city is never called “Rome” in Revelation, but rather is referred to as “Babylon.” In other words, although John is speaking to Christians under the Roman Empire in the 1st century, he is using the image of an ancient enemy of Israel to explain what Rome is like. All the more reason to understand Revelation to be both speaking to John’s 1st century audience and to God’s people of all times and places.

 

The Whore's Allure

in
 

REVELATION 17:1-6a

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.

 
 

Richard Bauckham has a helpful summary of what John is telling us in Revelation chapters 17-18:

“The book of Revelation uses two major, complementary images of the evil power of Rome. One is the sea-monster (‘the beast’), introduced in chapter 13. It represents imperial power, the Roman Emperors as a political institution, and in particular their military might, on which the Roman empire was founded. The other image is of the great city Babylon, first named in 14:8, and then portrayed as a woman, ‘the great harlot,’ in chapter 17. Babylon is the city of Rome (built on the seven hills: 17:9) and in particular the city of Rome as a corrupting influence on the peoples of the empire. Chapter 17 brings the two images together: the harlot is enthroned on the seven heads of the beast (17:3, 9-10). In other words, Roman civilization, as a corrupting influence, rides on the back of Roman military power. The city of Rome grew great through military conquest, which brought wealth and power to the city, and its economic and cultural influence spread through the world in the wake of the imperial armies. John never forgets that Rome’s power is founded on war and conquest, but he also recognizes that it cannot be reduced to this. As well as the irresistible military might of the beast, there are the deceptive wiles of the great harlot.”

—Richard Bauckham, The Climax of Prophecy

 

In Revelation 17-18, John uses a startling image to describe Rome—as a prostitute. In John’s vision, Roman economic power and wealth have the seductive allure of a prostitute, but he wants his people to know that Roman prosperity comes on the back of Roman conquest and war. This language is striking:

1b “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” 3 And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. [Revelation 17:1-6.]

The woman rides on the beast, because Roman wealth comes from Roman conquest.

An important insight that John sees is that wealth and materialism can make you drunk—she holds a cup that looks good on the outside, but on the inside is the vilest filth.

Our global economic system can be like that, can’t it? Think of the ways that some of our economic practices enrich the people at the top but exploit the ones at the bottom.

It is important that we don’t allow wealth and the pursuit of wealth to corrupt us and pull us away from faithfulness to the gospel.