"The Second Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:11-18 (video)

 "The Second Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:11-18 (video) (youtube.com)

"The Second Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:11-18 (manuscript)

 

“The Second Beast”

Revelation 13:11-18

August 18, 2024 YouTube

          We’ve seen that the dragon is Satan, and the first beast is the governments and leaders who have the power to persecute the Church – believers. He is the Anti-Christ.  The second beast – the beast of the land – is the “minister of propaganda.”  He is a false prophet that supports the first beast by lying to the world to get people to worship the first beast. He is the religious institutions fostering the worship of the first beast – religion in the broadest possible sense. The land beast is a religious figure who gives a blessing to those who worship the sea beast. The false preachers and teachers we see in churches today have followed the second beast and followed him in worshipping the first beast and working to draw others into the worship of the first beast.

          The first beast is deified human political power.  The second beast is false worship.

          “Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon.”

          As we have seen before, Satan creates a blasphemous parallel of the True God and His salvation. The dragon, the first beast, and the second beast are a foul parallel to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The dragon, the first beast, and the second beast are a foul parallel of the Trinity.

          And the second beast has two horns like a lamb.  He is the wicked parallel of the Lamb of God.  And he speaks with the voice of the dragon.  Whereas the Lamb of God speaks with the Triune Voice of God.

          Daniel has a vision of the second beast, “I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great” (Daniel 8:3-4, ESV).

          The second beast gives a false message of a false salvation.  “All you need to do is be good and, God is satisfied.” “If you give beyond your means, God will let you into His heaven.” “If you just believe, God will give you anything you want.”

          We must be solidly grounded in the Gospel to stand against the second beast. We must know the Gospel.  The Gospel is Who Jesus is and what He did.  There is no other Gospel.  Anything else is a lie of the second beast.

          Jesus said, “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it.” (Matthew 24:23-26, ESV).

          John writes. “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (I John 4:1-6, ESV).

          “It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed.”

          The second beast – the lying prophet – the heretical churches and their ministers who seek to lead their people into sin – is given the authority of the first beast.  He has the power to persecute the true believers – to have the false churches and religions bear down on the believers and seek to have them punished – or even killed.

          As the author of Hebrews writes, “Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:36-38, ESV).

This is the work of the second beast even as he seeks to have the world worship the first beast – or else. The work of the second beast is to unite the world through religion – false religion, so the people who believe his lies will be turned to the worship of the first beast.

This is what the Caesars did.  They sought to unite the empire through religion.  It didn’t matter what religion or religions, so long as the empire was at peace and worshipped the Caesars.

In the context of religion, we read of the second beast:              

“It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

The second beast – the false religions and their promoters – did satanic versions of the works and miracles of the prophets and the apostles.  They brought fire down before the people and did other signs, and the second beast told the people who followed him to build an idol of the first beast “who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.”

Blasphemous copies!

The prophet Elijah challenged the 450 priests of Baal to see whether their god or the Living God would accept their sacrifice.  And we read: “And at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, ‘O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.’ Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench” (I Kings 18:36-38, ESV).

And we read of a miracle God performed through Paul: “And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, ‘Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.’ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted” (Acts 20:9-12, ESV).

The second beast – with the authority of the first beast – imitates the miracles of the prophets and the apostles.  We have seen some of these religious leaders and their churches on the T.V.

 “And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain.”

We have seen Isaiah and other prophets condemning the people for worshipping idols that cannot speak or hear or do anything.  Here, the idol that was made of the first beast – the wicked leaders of government – like the Caesars – is given the ability to speak and to command his worshippers to slaughter all those who do not worship the first beast.

We will remember: “When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne” (Revelation 6:9, ESV). Those who bear witness to the Word of God and Salvation in Jesus Alone may be slain for it.  You and I might be slain for it.  The false religious teachers may be given the authority to put us to death as they have in the past and as they are in other parts of the world now.

Now, we come to what is likely the most well-known section of Revelation – the mark and the number of the second beast:

“Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name.”

First, the mark.

The second beast – the false religions and their leaders will require everyone who follows them – believes in the second beast who worship the first beast – to have a mark on their forehead or their right hand.

What is the mark?

The people in the day that John is writing would know that the word “mark” used here refers to the emperor’s seal on an official document. 

It is a seal of ownership – of allegiance to the first beast – to the power of the government.  Slaves and soldiers were required to get the mark of the one they served placed on them to show who they belonged to – who their allegiance was to.

As John writes, it is a seal of those who are totally committed to allegiance to the government and its rulers – the first beast – the Anti-Christ.

The believing Jews who read Revelation would understand that this is another parallel perversion of what God said. You may have seen Jews who wear a small box tied around their forehead or around their arm called, “Phylacteries.”  The box contains a scroll with the Law of God written on it.  This is done based on an interpretation of Exodus 13:9-10 (ESV), “And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the LORD has brought you out of Egypt. You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.”

So, we see the perversion of this understanding by the second beast’s requiring of a mark on the forehead or arm.

We remember that Christians have a mark that identifies Who our Owner is and Who we give all of our allegiance to:

Jesus tells the angel “saying, ‘Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads’” (Revelation 7:3, ESV).

And we saw that the seal of our ownership and allegiance is the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit.

So, the mark is a choice between the world befouled by Satan and his beasts or Christ.

And we are told that those who do not have the mark of the beast – those who do not prove their ownership and allegiance to the first beast will not be allowed to buy or sell.

We have already seen this when we looked at the church in Pergamum.  The Christians in Pergamum were not able to buy or sell because they did not belong to a guild – and to belong to a guild, required that they worship idols and have sexual relations with prostitutes.

Second, the number.

“This calls for wisdom: let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

The name for the code that uses numbers to represent letters is called “gematria.”

Using this code, the number 666 has been “translated” to be Nero, Napolean, Hitler, Henry Kissinger, and others.  However, the only name on the list that we have that would have meant something to the first century Christians – and all of this had to mean something to them because the book of Revelation is first a book of comfort and hope for the Christians of the first century suffering persecution.  The only name would be Nero.  However, you can only come up with the name Nero if you spell it incorrectly.  So, Nero is not the one being signified by 666.

Let’s consider for a moment what we are told: “let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.”

First, this does not say it is anyone’s name. John says it is the number of the beast – the second beast – the false religions and their leaders.

Second, we don’t have to read this as being the number of a single man.  It can be ready as being a man’s number – a number belonging to a man – or a number belonging to man – or a number of men – humans.

So, let’s turn from gematria and look at biblical symbolism.

The number six is the symbol of fallen, sinful man.  Six symbolizes the character of being imperfect, incomplete, and defective.

We will remember that the Jews symbolized emphasis by repetition – from first to third degree.  So, we can read 666 as six hundred sixty-six, or, probably more accurately, six, six, six – or the greatest of what six symbolizes.  (I hope that makes sense.  If not, you might want to look at the manuscript after you finish watching the video, and maybe that will help.)

When we put these things together, what John is telling the first century Christians, is that the false religions and their teachers, the governments and politicians, and Satan who inspires them all, are the ultimate, sinful completeness.  There is nothing more sinful and damnable that Satan and the first and second beasts. And that is good news.

What?

The good news about the false, Satanic trinity is – no matter what God allows them to do for a time – they are doomed to the lake of fire – to Hell.  There will come a day when these evil people and beings are put away to suffer eternally, and the Creation will be restored and all those who believe in Jesus Alone for salvation will be forever welcomed into His kingdom.

Satan and the first and second beasts are powerful and will cause much suffering and death, but their power and the time they have before they are thrown into the lake of fire is limited by God, so we do not have to live in fear of them.  No matter what they may do, we are received into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, and they are damned to Hell.

The commentator, Joel Beeke, says that this text should make us respond in three ways:

First, we out to pray for the grace to be able to recognize the first and second beasts.

Second, we ought to repent of all of our sins.

And third, we ought to trust in Jesus, the Lamb of God. (Joel Beeke, Revelation, 371).

Let us pray:

Almighty God, we thank You for showing us that there are governments and leaders and religions and religious leaders who serve Satan and not You.  Help us to see them and proclaim the Gospel, nonetheless.  Keep us hoping and filled with comfort knowing that we will be received into the fulness of Your Son’s kingdom to live forever with great joy. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

"The First Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:1-10 (video)

 "The First Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:1-10 (video) (youtube.com)

"The First Beast" Sermon: Revelation 13:1-10 (manuscript)

 

“The First Beast”

Revelation 13:1-10

July 28, 2024 YouTube

          We continue to see behind the scenes, and we have come to a section in Revelation which may be familiar to us:  the two beasts. This morning, we will consider the first beast.

          “And I saw a beast rising out of the sea,”

          The first beast – this being, rises out of the sea.  The sea is symbolic of chaos and rebellion.  We will remember the fear of the disciples on the Sea of Galilee during a great storm – and the storm that came upon Jonah and, also, Paul, on the Mediterranean Sea.  This is a beast of chaos and rebellion, fear, and destruction.

“with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads.”

The horns and heads symbolize governments.  And the diadems symbolize power and royalty – strength over other nations and governments.  But it also shows that the power of the beast and these governments he has are influential through are limited.  There are ten horns – not an infinite number.  There are seven heads – not an infinite number.  As we have seen before, Satan and his satanic host are limited by God.  They are allowed – as God wills – this far and no further. There are wicked and satanic governments now and until the until of time that are limited by God yet are strong and will persecute believers – all Christians.  At this time, the government in mind was – at least – Rome.

And the beast has blasphemous names on its heads.  The governments and powers that the beast influences and rules take the Lord’s Name in vain.  For example, the Ceasars – the emperors – demanded that the people call them, “Lord,” the title reserved for God Alone.  They said that all people must worship them as God and call them, “Adonai.”  The holy title of God Alone.

We are given a description of the beast and where his power comes from:

“And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority.”

The beast is not Satan, but he is satanic, and his power and throne and authority are given to him by the dragon – who we have seen is Satan. The description of the beast shows us that the beast is dangerous and powerful – and we do well to be aware of him and to run to our God and Savior for protection against him.  All governments and political figures that insist we do things against what God has clearly commended must be refused.  No matter what happens to believers – the Christians of the first century we fed to animals, made up as human torches, had their head and other body parts removed, and they were mocked as they died for the sake of Christ.  Be ready if it happens to you.

          We have noticed that Daniel and Ezekiel have visions that parallel what is revealed in the book of Revelation.  The readers and hearers of Revelation would remember them. Daniel writes about four beasts.  In Revelation, they are condensed into two.  Of the fourth beast, Daniel writes:

“After this I saw in the night visions, and behold, a fourth beast, terrifying and dreadful and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth; it devoured and broke in pieces and stamped what was left with its feet. It was different from all the beasts that were before it, and it had ten horns. I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots. And behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking great things” (Daniel 7:7-8, ESV).

We will remember the vision Daniel had of a great statue made of different metals, Rome is symbolized by iron. The fourth beast – which parallels John’s first beast – had great iron teeth.  Minimally, the believers of the first century are being told that Rome is the first beast – or one of the first beast’s horns. Rome is a satanic government with satanic leaders that work against Jesus Christ and His people.

“One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, ‘Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?’”

One of the satanic governments will seem to be on the verge of death but will have a comeback and continue with their wicked actions.  And the world – all those who follow the beast and worship the dragon, worship the beast and praise him and say that he has all power – he is unstoppable.

The Roman Empire – and perhaps an empire or empires in the future – will seem to be on the verge of destruction, but it will recover and continue in its wickedness.  The Christians of the first century are being warned not to be too confident in the seeming destruction of Rome, because it will revive and continue.  The wicked empire is not done sinning against God and His people.

John may be referring to “the Third Century Crisis [that] almost destroyed the Empire and paved the way for its eventual downfall. From 235-284 AD, there were at least 26 emperors and all, but a handful was murdered. Rome’s traditional trade network collapsed during this period so by the time Diocletian brought an end to the Crisis; the Empire was on its last legs” (https://www.bing.com/search?q=was+the+roman+empire+almost+destoryed+and+then+made+a+comback&qs=n&form=QBRE&sp=&ghc=1&lq=1&pq=was+the+roman+empire+almost+destoryed+and+then+made+a+comback&sc=21&sk=&cvid=F31ABBCC93B441E0A594DDD3FCD16F28&ghsh=0&ghacc=0&ghpl=).

It is not wrong for us to look forward from the experience focused on the first century Christians to believe that in all ages, wicked nations rise and almost fall and recover and fall, in the Providence of God. We ought to pray for all believers throughout the world and for God to retrain the satanic governments and leaders of the world.

To state it starkly, the beast from the sea is the Anti-Christ.

The Anti-Christ mocks Christ to fool – if he can – even the elect of God.

Remember what Jesus says:

“For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and they will lead many astray. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 25:4-14, ESV).

Jesus wears many diadems.

John writes, “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. 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” (Revelation 19:11-12, ESV).

Jesus’ Name is worthy.

All the peoples of the world will worship Jesus.

Jesus was put to death and rose from the dead.

Paul writes of these things to the Philippians:

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11, ESV).

The Anti-Christ mocks the things of Christ – he enacts false copies of all the things that prove Jesus is the true God and Savior.  Even the followers of the dragon – Satan – have done this from the beginning.  We remember Moses faced Pharoah:

“Then the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, ‘When Pharaoh says to you, “‘Prove yourselves by working a miracle,’” then you shall say to Aaron, “‘Take your staff and cast it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.’”” So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just as the LORD commanded. Aaron cast down his staff before Pharaoh and his servants, and it became a serpent. Then Pharaoh summoned the wise men and the sorcerers, and they, the magicians of Egypt, also did the same by their secret arts. For each man cast down his staff, and they became serpents. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs. Still Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the LORD had said” (Exodus 7:8-13, ESV).

Then Moses called on God, and the Nile was turned to blood, but the magicians of Pharoah did the same.  Then Moses called on God, and the land was filled with frogs, but the magicians of Pharoah did the same.  But then Moses called on God, and the land was filled with gnats, and the magicians of Pharoah could not do that – and they could not do anything more that God dis through Moses, because God said, “This far, and no further.”

The Anti-Christ tries to fool people into believing he is the long-awaited Christ, the Messiah, the Savior, and we are warned – the Christians of the first century were warned – anti-Christs will come and then there will be a final Anti-Christ.

Again, Jesus says:

“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There he is!’ do not believe it.  For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand. So, if they say to you, ‘Look, he is in the wilderness,’ do not go out. If they say, ‘Look, he is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. For as the lightning comes from the east and shines as far as the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Wherever the corpse is, there the vultures will gather” (Matthew 24:23-28, ESV).

“And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.”

The beast will try to look like the Christ so all the people of the earth will follow him and believe in him and worship him as the Christ, though he is bringing them into the fate of the dragon and his demons. People who are expecting the Christ to be someone other than Jesus – even people who know the Bible and believe they are interpreting it correctly – they will follow the Anti-Christ into the fate of the dragon and his demons.

As we have seen before – the only ones who will escape the trap of the dragon – Satan and his demons – are those whose names have been written in the book of the Lamb who was slain from before the foundation of the world.  The only ones who will not be cast into the lake of fire to suffer eternally are those who have been elected – predestined – by God from before He created anything – to be believers – to be the ones who receive the Christ as their God and Savior.

Between the time of the crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, and the return of Jesus – Satan are his demons are given permission to attack the Church for 42 months – three and a half years – approximately 1,260 days – symbolism we have seen before for the Church age.

The beast was given 42 months to blaspheme the Holy Spirit and to attack and conquer parts of the Church.  Remember, our deliverance from hell and the second death does not mean we will not suffer and, even die, for our faith. After the 42 months, God says, “enough.”

Before that, the first century Christians are told the song that the beast and his followers will sing.  “If anyone has an ear, let him hear: If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain.” The beast and his followers rejoice and sing at the destruction and death of Christians – who are the Church.

It was a great joy to see Jesus slump dead on the cross, and it is great fun and hilarity to see His people hunted down by the beast and the followers of Satan.  Satan thought he had won that day.  But when Jesus rose, he knew he had lost eternally.  Still, God gave him time to rampage the earth in terror and pain – until God says, “enough.”

Through these tribulations – from the first century until the end of the Church age when Jesus returns, all believers throughout time and space are told: “Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.”

The first beast is the Anti-Christ – one of many until the final Anti-Christ comes.  He is given power and authority by the dragon – Satan – to lead the governments and the rulers of the world in satanic action – especially against the Church – all believers throughout time and space.

The first beast tries to copy Christ and make people believe he is the Christ and get them to worship him.  But we who are chosen and believe have been warned by the True Christ that the Anti-Christ is coming and to beware of him – to be faithful to the end – and to the return of Jesus.

          The Christians of the first century – and all Christians throughout time and space – ought to pray for the governments of the world and for their leaders – that they would not be taken in by the first beast and used to go against Jesus and His Church.

          We also ought to be praying for every believer – for the Church – that we would stand strong and witness against the first beast and witness to the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and the salvation that Jesus Alone gives – let us witness to this – the Gospel.

          Let us pray:

          Almighty God, we thank You for revealing the coming of the Anti-Christ – to the first century Christians as they faced Rome – and to all those who claim the title of Anti-Christ until the final Anti-Christ comes.  Help us by the Power of the Holy Spirit to stand against the governments and their leaders and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ loudly and clearly until the day Jesus returns.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Review: "The Reformation"

 

The Reformation:  A History by Diarmaid MacCulloch, winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award, is a history of the Reformation. (Don’t be shocked.)

It is an extensive history – clocking in at over 700 pages of small print text. There are also three sections of pictures and art that helps to visually fill out the history.

In any history, it would seem that the author would have to pick and choose which things to emphasize – not to ignore anything relevant, but to keep the work from becoming unwieldy.  In MacCullouch’s book, the Puritan and Reformed traditions have less said about them than others.  Or, perhaps, it is just a matter of there being more said about the Anglicans and Episcopalians. This does not take away from his book.

My own studies have primarily been in the theology of the Reformation. What I learned the most about – which was almost totally lacking in my education about the Reformation – is how incredibly intertwined the theology, politics, and economics were.  (Perhaps like today?)  The theology of the Reformation which I knew fairly well did not exist apart from the economics and politics of the period but had a symbiotic relationship.  For this reason, it is a book I will keep and refer back to as I continue to learn theology – so I can place it in the whole of its historical context.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: "Walking Through Twilight"

 

Walking Through Twilight: A Wife’s Illness – A Philosopher’s Lament by Douglas Groothuis.

This is a remembrance of “waiting” (7).  Groothius remembers the joy of his life living with his wife, Becky, and her diagnosis with “a rare form of dementia, called primary progressive aphasia (PPA)” (9).

This book is a “walking through twilight” – not darkness.  Groothius alternates between telling about their life together before she became ill, her deterioration due to the disease, and reflections on what it means to be a Christian and a Philosopher in the face of what Becky was becoming through the progression of the disease. 

He takes the reader through this twilight, but not into the darkness of her death. He wants to share his lament for her as she suffers.  He wants to lead the reader through this lament so the reader will consider what this all means to be beings that are returning to dust – to prepare the reader for his time of lament.

Like Job before God’s questioning, as I read, I put my hand over my mouth. Groothius’ lament made me think about my life and others who have and who are walking through their own twilight – and how best to lament. 

I highly recommend this book for slow reflection.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

Review: "Murder Past Due"

 

Murder Past Due by Miranda James is the first mystery in the Cat in the Stacks Mystery.  The stacks refer to the library where Charlie Harris is the librarian, and the cat is his Maine Coon, Diesel.

Among other things, we get to know Charlie and Diesel, their housekeeper, and their border.  They live is Athena, Mississippi, and live – normally – a fairly simple and quiet life.

One of Charlie’s old classmates, Godfrey Priest, who was a jerk and a bully in school and hadn’t changed much, had become wealthy writing violent thrillers. 

Priest had come home to Athena as part of a book tour – and who knows what else – and he finds out he has a son – Charlie’s boarder.  Despite his excitement and meeting his son, one of the many people in Athena who held a grudge against Priest kills him.

The story is engaging and comes to a satisfying resolution. 

I have become fond of Diesel who always seems to know what his human family needs in the way of care. And I intend to go on to the next book in the series.

[This review appears on my blog, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com].

"Behind the Scenes" Sermon: Revelation 12:1-17 (video)

 "Behind the Scenes" Sermon: Revelation 12:1-17 (video) (youtube.com)

"Behind the Scenes" Sermon: Revelation 12:1-17 (manuscript)

 

“Behind the Scenes”

Revelation 12:1-17

July 7, 2023 YouTube

          As we open chapter twelve of the book of Revelation, we are brought behind the scenes of history to understand the spiritual conflict from the beginning of Creation to the return of Jesus. The beginning of the war and the prophesy of its end is found in Genesis 3:15: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel” (ESV).  And here we find the three figures of Revelation 12:  the woman, the Child, and the serpent.

          “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”

          We begin with the woman.  Who is she?  It is natural to jump to the conclusion that she is Mary, the mother of Jesus. (The Roman Catholic Church interprets this text that way.) But it is not Mary.  Mary does not fit the context of the rest of what is said.

          The woman is a great sign in heaven – she is a great wonder. She is clothed with the sun – her beauty is like the sun in the sky.  The moon is under her feet – she has authority.  She has a crown of twelve stars indicating her royal status and symbolizing the twelve tribes who waited for the birth of the Child Who had been promised to bruise the head of the serpent, and the twelve Apostles who saw it come to pass. She is the Israel of God. She is the Church. She is the elect people of God. She is the bride of Christ.

          The Song of Solomon is to be interpreted in two ways together: it is a love song to a woman that Solomon deeply loves and looks forward to marrying, and it is symbolic of Christ’s love of the Church, who is His bride.

          Solomon says, “He: If you do not know, O most beautiful among women, follow in the tracks of the flock, and pasture your young goats beside the shepherds’ tents. I compare you, my love, to a mare among Pharaoh’s chariots. Your cheeks are lovely with ornaments, your neck with strings of jewels (Song of Solomon 1:8–10, ESV).

          Again and again, Solmon speaks of the beauty of his intended bride.

          Likewise, John records these words about the Church in the Kingdom: “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. 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, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. 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—on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Revelation 21:9-14, ESV).

          The authority of the woman comes from bearing the Child through the line of the King of David in Judea.  The Child is the fulfillment of the Promise and the final King of all.

          “Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: ‘”And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel”’ (Matthew 2:1-6, ESV).

          John continues: “She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth.”

          Despite the promise that the Savior, the Child, would come from the line of David as the final King, the delivery of the Child was not easy – the serpent – grown into a dragon – fought against the Child and the Church through which He is born.

          At His birth, the dragon tried to kill Him:

“Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more’” (Matthew 2:16–18, ESV).

Throughout the life of the Child on earth, the dragon sought to kill Him, and finally, he saw the Child put to death:

          “So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, ‘I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.’ And all the people answered, ‘His blood be on us and on our children!’ Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified” (Matthew 27:24–26, ESV).

          The dragon believed he had won against the Child. But he soon found out he had failed in the greatest possible way.

          “And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems.”

          The great red dragon is the mature serpent of the Garden who led Adam and Eve into sin. He has seven heads and seven diadems on them – he is royalty in the house of the damned – the devil.  And he has ten horns – indicating his power in this world.  As Jesus said, “I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no claim on me, but I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Rise, let us go from here” (John 14:30-31, ESV).

“His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days.”

The dragon brought with him one third of the angels of Heaven who had followed him in his revolt against God, making them demons.

The dragon stood before the woman – from the beginning of the Church with our first parents in the Garden – to the birth of the Child – believing that he could kill the Child and overthrow the promise of God and His salvation of His people.

But the woman fled into the wilderness.  The Church was removed from the total destructive power of the devil.  The dragon cannot destroy the woman.  The dragon cannot defeat the Child. God protected the woman by moving her into the wilderness – away from the dragon’s power to stop the work of the Child.

And God nourishes the woman for 1,260 days.  We ought to remember this from chapter eleven when the two witnesses are dead for three and a half days.  Three and a half, forty-two, and 1,260 are the same symbol.  God tells us that there is a period that is specific and limited. It is the period from Jesus’ Ascension to His Second Coming.  It is the time of the tribulation. It is the age of the Church from Jesus’ Ascension until His coming again.  And Jesus tells the Church based on the true confession of Peter: “And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16:18, ESV).  All the powers of Hell cannot prevail against the woman – against the Church.  The Church will not disappear from the earth despite the dragon continuing to war against the Church.

Augustine says of the dragon’s warring agist the Church: “The earth has been filled with the blood of the martyrs as with seed, and from that seed have sprung the crops of the church. They have asserted Christ’s cause more effectively when dead than when they were alive. They assert it today, they preach him today; their tongues are silent, their deeds echo round the world. They were arrested, bound, imprisoned, brought to trial, tortured, burned at the stake, stoned to death, run through, fed to wild beasts. In all their kinds of death they were jeered at as worthless, but ‘precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints’” (https://www.gotquestions.org/blood-martyrs-seed-church.html).

The dragon and his demons will shed the blood of Christians, but he will never defeat the Church.  In fact, his warring hurts himself and grows the Church, as Augustine writes.

And John records the permanence of Satan and his demons exile from Heavan:

“Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.”

The devil remains hostile and powerful, but he is a fallen foe.  He has lost and will not overcome the Church.  The Church is in the wilderness being fed by God – protected and nourished – until the final trumpet is sounded and Jesus comes to earth with all of His angels.

As the Child is born – the Son of God – the dragon is outraged, and he attempts to devour Him – as we said – through many ways, the devil tries to kill the Child so He cannot accomplish His work of the salvation of the elect – His church.

Yet, the Child is born.  Jesus in born in the line of David as the final King. As is prophesied by the Psalmist: “I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel” (Psalm 2:7-9, ESV).

          And the rage of the dragon increases as he sees that the Child rises from the dead and ascends back to His throne at the Right Hand of Father. There is no future chance for him to attack the Child, so he turns to attack the Woman. 

          “And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, ‘Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.’”

          Christ has risen from the dead and ascended back to the Father in the power and glory of the Kingdom.  Having returned to His throne the authority of Christ is revealed to all and makes it plain that He has won over the creature, Satan.

          Still, until Jesus’ return, the devil and his demons accuse us constantly before God.  The devil does not know everything, but he knows our sins, because he has tempted us into doing them.  So, he accuses us as sinners before God and accuse us that God could not forgive us for our sins.

          Martin Luther wrote of this accusing of the devil for his sins: “I adhere to the fact that I am baptized, not to my life and my vocation, but to the Man called Jesus Christ. Through Him, I am in grace and have forgiveness of sin. Similarly, when I hear the Gospel, I hear nothing about myself or about my works that could justify me before God; I hear about Christ, who has been given to me by the Father for my redemption from sin and eternal wrath. Thus through the Word and Baptism you have a reliable testimony and a confirmation. You need no longer doubt and waver, but you can and should have the conviction that you have a gracious God and Father in Christ” (https://bibleportal.com/bible-quote/i-adhere-to-the-fact-that-i-am-baptized-not-to-my-life-and-my-vocation-but-to-the-man).

          When the devil accuses us of our sin and calls us to doubt our salvation, we are to remember that we are sinners, but that is why Jesus shed His Blood for us and delivered us from the punishment of Hell and death.  The devil is wicked and powerful, but he is fallen and lies to get us to doubt and sin all the more. But the Triune God has chosen to save us for Himself by Himself eternally.

          And so, we rejoice with the heavens and all the creatures of Heaven, “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!”

God flies the Church – the woman – away into the wilderness – protected so she will not be prevailed upon by the devil and his demons.  And God feeds her in the wilderness for a times, times, and half a time.  God sustains her for one time and two times and a half a time – three and a half times.  Three and a half again – the age of the Church from the Ascension to the return of Jesus.

 “The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.”

          The devil is after the children of the woman – the individual Christians of the Church.  He wants us to doubt and sin and even temporarily renounce Christ as a false sign that he is winning against Jesus.  But he knows he has been conquered.  He still has power – as God allows him to have it.  But he failed.  How could the evil one have succeeded against the living God?

          And God has made all we who believe conquerors because of the work of Jesus.  As we well know:

“Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:34-39, ESV).

          Brothers and sisters, behind the scenes of the world we observe, a spiritual war has occurred.  Satan, a mere creature created by God, attempted to overthrow God, his creator, the Almighty, and he obviously and surely was quickly defeated and thrown to the earth with his angels.  He is the serpent of the Garden of Eden who matured into the dragon.

          In order to save the people that God chose to be His from before the foundation of the world, the Son of God incarnate as the Person of Jesus – fully God and man, so He was able to live a perfect life under the Law and die as our Substitute for our sin.  He accomplished His work having been put to death, but rising and ascending back to His throne, where He reigns all-powerful.

          Since the devil failed to kill and stop the Child Who is Jesus, the devil has turned on the Church – knowing that he cannot defeat her, but looking to cause as much harm to her as he can until Jesus returns to throw him into the lake of fire.

          He knows he has been conquered.  He knows that we are conquerors through Jesus. He is using every power he has against we Christians. We are safe in Christ.  We are assured of Christ’s Work as we read and know the Word of God. And we overcome through the perseverance that God the Holy Spirit works in us – though we may be called to suffer death for Jesus.

          Let us remember the words of James, “But [God] gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:6-7, ESV).

          Let us pray:

          Almighty God, we thank You for allowing us to see behind the curtain – to see that all these things were planned by You.  We thank You for choosing a people for Yourself.  We thank You for Your use of the creature, Satan, to bring about the death of Jesus – that Jesus would rise and ascend securing our salvation.  Thank You for bringing Your Church through the evil Satan stills brings around us, let us live for You and be willing to die for You, and may we praise You forever.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

"He Shall Reign Forever and Ever" Sermon: Revelation 11:14-19 (video)

 "He Shall Reign Forever and Ever" Sermon: Revelation 11:14-19 (video) (youtube.com)

"He Shall Reign Forever and Ever" Sermon: Revelation 11:14-19 (manuscript)

 

“He Shall Reign Forever and Forever”

Revelation 11:14-19

June 9, 2024 YouTube

          We have reached the end of chapter eleven of Revelation.  It is the end of another cycle of the telling of the history of sin and its consummation, and the Incarnation of the Son Who pays the debt of believers and credits us with His Righteousness culminating in the full coming of the Kingdom – this history is told seven times with increasing intensity. The reason God revealed these things to John and sent them out to the Christians suffering great persecution is that they would be comforted and have hope knowing that their suffering has purpose, and Jesus is coming in Glory to bring them into the fulness of His Kingdom forever.  These things are true for all Christians throughout time and space.

          Our reading last time ended with verse fourteen: “The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come.”

          Take note for now that the second woe ends at the end of verse fourteen of Revelation 11, but the third woe does not come next.  Next, we have the joyous promise of the punishment of all evil eternally and the eternal Reign of God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit manifest in bringing all who believe in Jesus savingly into the Kingdom God prepared for them from before the foundation of the world.  The third woe will be revealed later – after this joyous good news about the end of these corrupt people and the restoration of the world.

          The seventh trumpet is blown by the seventh angel.  Paul tells us what the seventh trumpet is in I Thessalonians: “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words” (I Thessalonians 4:16-18, ESV).

          In Jesus’ time, when a General brought his army back victorious from a battle, the army would gather behind him, and then the people would gather behind them as they proceeded into the town.  We see this as Jesus enters Jerusalen with the crowds following after Him.

          Paul uses this imagery telling us that at the blowing of the seventh trumpet, Jesus will descend through the clouds – just as He ascended – to eternally put down evil and bring His people eternally into His Kingdom on earth.  Jesus – as the victorious General – goes forth, and all of the believes who died will be resurrected in their bodies and join Jesus, and then those believers who are still living will be brought to the clouds behind the dead, and they will all descend as His victorious entourage.

`        Paul says that these words should encourage believers because it tells us that suffering has purpose, there is hope, and we should find hope in remembering that Jesus will descend through the clouds, and He will raise the dead in their bodies to descend with Him, and He will bring the living up with Him that they too would be part of those who descend with Him in victory.  

The seventh and final trumpet in blown by the seventh angel, loud voices cry out in heaven – the angels, the creatures, the saints waiting for the last day, and they say, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.”

The cries in heaven become louder as we go through the book, “building a sense of excitement” (Beeke, Revelation, 330).

And they proclaim that the kingdom of Satan and his demons and all those who never believe in Jesus savingly will become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. Based on Jesus’ victorious work on earth to save His people, all that are evil will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever and ever.  However, Jesus will bring all of His people, resurrected in their bodies, to the restored earth, which is the Kingdom, and Jesus shall reign forever and ever over His Kingdom, and He lives among His people.

Paul tells us, “Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:52-57, ESV).

“And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God,”

We will remember that the twenty-four elders represent the tribes and the apostles – as well as all of the elect. They get down from their thrones, which is only right, and they fall on their faces as though dead and worship God. Is there anything more appropriate to do in the presence of God?

And notice that we must use our minds in worship – it is not all emotion – there must reasons behind our praising God.  We don’t just say praise God with no substance behind it (Beeke, Revelation, 335-336).  Listen to the song of the elders:

“saying, ’We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.’”

          “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was,” We give thanks to the Immortal God – why?

          Because You have taken Your Great Power and begun to reign.  At the blowing of the seventh trumpet, the fullness of the Kingdom is no longer future – it is now.

          Because the nations raged, but Your Wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged has come. All will rise from the dead in their bodies and the wicked will receive the Wrath of God.

          Because You will reward Your servants, the prophets and saints, and for the rewarding of those who fear Your Name, both small and great.  They also will be raised in their physical bodies.

          Because You destroy the destroyers of the earth.

          Because the seventh trumpet is sounded and Jesus returns with His entourage of the angels, the resurrected dead, and all those who believe but have not died, and He will judge all who bear the Image of God throughout time and space. Because He is Holy and cannot allow sin and evil to remain in His presence.

          Consider another song, “I love Him, oh how I love Him, sun and moon and stars, you know I love Him.” What does that tell us about God?  Is there a reason for why the singer loves Him?

          We worship for a reason – for many reasons – there must be a reason behind why we thank God, why we love God, why we worship God, and so forth.

          When the seventh trumpet sounds, God will display all that He has been doing.

          “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.”

          God’s temple will be opened to all people throughout time and space.  All will know that the physical Temple is gone, and the Heavenly Temple is revealed to all. 

Paul tells us, “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16, ESV).

And Peter tells us, “As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ” (I Peter 2:4-5, ESV).

Of course, we are not turned into real stones, and neither is Jesus.  We are like the house build on the rock that Jesus talked about in the parable.

Both believers and unbelievers will see the revealing of the heavenly temple, and all will see the Ark of the Covenant that we remember from the Old Testament.  A piece of Holy furniture in the Holy of Holies containing the two tablets of the Law.

The Ark of the Covenant is a sign of God’s presence with us.

It is the sign of God’s grace. Inside are the two tablets of the Law – those things that must be kept to be righteous before God.

Consider the Ark of the Covenant itself.  The lid of the Ark was the Mercy Seat, and it is where the priest would sprinkle blood for the forgiveness of the sin of the people – God’s pardon for their sin.  The Ark symbolized Jesus:  the Ark was gold covered wood.  The gold symbolizes the deity of Christ, and the wood symbolizes the humanity of Jesus. Jesus takes the place of the Ark of the Covenant on our behalf.  His blood – the blood of the God—man is poured out, so we are forgiven and pardoned. (Beeke, Revelation, 328-329).  

For all we who believe, the blowing of the seventh trumpet will be a glorious day when God reveals how God’s plan has worked out through history since the Creation until that day.

It will not be so for the unbelievers: “There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.” For the unbelievers, the seventh Trumpet, the coming of Jesus, and the opening of the Temple will be a day of great horror as they see the eternal plan of God for them and even nature attacks them in preparation for God’s judgement of them.

In the end of chapter eleven of Revelation, we see the joyous news that Jesus is the Victor over evil and sin, and He will gather all His people to descend with Him to earth where He shall reign forever and forever.

We see that worship is the right response to coming into the presence of God and seeing all that God has done.  The elders fell on their faces as they understood that Jesus will return and resurrect every person who has ever lived to face God’s Wrath for the evil or God’s blessing on believers.  And we see that worship has a purpose – everything that we lift before God has a “because” attached to it.  True worship is not a simple mouthing of words.

And we see that at the seventh trumpet, Heaven will be open, and all will see Jesus and all believers who make up the temple. Everyone will see the work Jesus did symbolized by the Ark of the Covenant, and the believers from all time and space will rejoice beyond all joy, and then those who never believe, Satan and his demons, will suffer and be thrown into the lake of fire.

And we have comfort and hope because our God and Savior is carrying out His Plan as He intended from before the foundation of the world. Know what happens to the Christians of the first century – and all Christians throughout time and space, don’t lose heart, our God reigns forever and ever.

Let us pray:

Almighty God, give us hope and comfort as we suffer for being Christians.  Keep our eyes on Jesus, and His eternal reign. Keep us focused on His promises and not the threats of the world.  Let us praise Jesus because He reigns forever and ever.  Rejoice!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.