Week 6

  

     Up to this point in the book of Revelation, we have been shown that despite an intense spiritual battle, many people from among all the nations will repent and follow the Lamb. And this is exactly what we have seen since the resurrection of Jesus 2,000 years ago. The Gospel has been opposed, oftentimes with great violence. Yet the Jesus movement that started with a small group of Jewish believers has continued to spread and grow and form communities of believers within most of the nations of the world. There is still much work to be done, but what John prophesied has happened, is happening now, and will continue to happen until the work is completed.

 

     The Book of Revelation has a vision for a huge harvest of souls. In chapter 7, John sees a great multitude that cannot be counted. In chapter 11, only a tenth of the city of Jerusalem falls and only 7,000 perish, while “the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.” These numbers are symbolic, but they show that the proportion of people who repented was far greater than those who perished. The faithful witness of Jesus through His church is far more powerful than the lure of sin. As Jesus told His disciples, the gates of hell will not prevail against the revelation that Jesus is the Christ.

 

     However, Jesus made it clear, as does the book of Revelation, that accepting God’s gift of grace and eternal life is a choice. And it is very possible that some will stubbornly refuse to repent and change their allegiance. What about those who ignore the warnings and refuse God’s offer of grace? I would rather not think about it, but think about it we must. There is only one outcome for those who cling to their intoxication with sin and their love of Babylon. They will tragically suffer the same defeat as Babylon, the dragon and the beasts.

 

     The final part of the scroll to be revealed is the 7 bowls of God’s wrath. The first set of seven seals showed this age from the perspective of the church. The second set of seven trumpets looked at this age from the perspective of a new exodus. This third set of 7 bowls will look at this age from the perspective of the unrepentant. To reject the way of Jesus is to choose the path of self destruction, which ultimately leads to death. While the 7 bowls seem extremely severe, they are the natural consequences of sin and only come after God’s attempts to turn hearts has been exhausted.

 

     God is long-suffering and patient. Sometimes it feels like, “why is this whole project taking so long?” As Peter points out, it is only long from our limited perspective. God is willing to take as long as it takes to extend His mercy to everyone. God is so committed to saving as many as possible that He will endure tremendous suffering to achieve it (2 Peter 3:9, John 3:16). As much as we long for God’s kingdom to come in full, we should equally long for His kingdom to be full (of people!).

 

     However, this struggle against evil is not going to be an eternal struggle with no end. The day is coming quickly when the Lord will say enough is enough. God has set a limit to the amount of time He will endure the evils of our world. A day is coming when His mercy will have been given in full and there is no more hope for the hearts of the unrepentant. It will be a terrible day for them, but a glorious day for all of creation.

 

     In chapters 17–20, the third vision, John is going to unpack in more detail what has already been hinted at. He looks at the Fall of Babylon and the Final Battle that defeats evil. We will be introduced to a queen who is also a harlot. She rules the people and is empowered by the beast. She is drunk and she causes others to get drunk. But this party is headed for great disaster. For in their stupor, they are stumbling down the path of self destruction.

 

     The final battle scene, while epic, is also pretty much over before it begins. And John drops a bomb about final judgment that has created possibly more debate than any other part of Revelation.

       

 

  

 

 

Monday, July 31, 2023

 

Blessing

Blessed are You. LORD our God, king of the universe, who forms light and creates darkness, who makes peace and creates all things.

 

 

Scripture Reading

Revelation 15:1–8

 

     The love of God is no human projection, but the wrath of God is.

      In fact, what we call the wrath of God is really the love of God

      experienced by a fool.      – Peter Kreeft

 

     The wrath of God is a difficult topic for a number of reasons. First, the term “wrath” conjures up images of irrational, uncontrollable outbursts of anger. We often use wrath to refer to fierce anger that is vindictive or vengeful. That is not what the wrath of God is about. The Bible actually describes God as slow to anger. When God is described as angry in the Bible, it is usually in response to betrayal from the people who previously declared loyalty to Him. God’s anger is described in the Bible as slow, measured and restorative. God’s anger is His “no” designed to move you towards His “yes.”

 

     The first time the Bible describes God as angry is in Exodus chapter 4 when Moses objects to God sending him to Egypt to deliver the Hebrews out of slavery. Moses is a Hebrew z – someone who is supposed to worship Yahweh. And now, when God wants to deliver His people out of bondage to an evil oppressor, Moses refuses to trust and obey God.

 

     Although we think of wrath as a particularly intense form of anger, the Bible uses the term “wrath of God” a little different. It is generally used to describe the intensity of the judgment of God against evil, not the intensity of His emotion. As we have reviewed in earlier weeks, God’s judgment often comes by way of allowing us to experience the consequences of our our evil ways. However, God is also merciful and almost always gives loud, clear warnings before the consequences get severe.

 

     The wrath of God is used to describe times when God allows the most severe consequences of our actions to come upon us. For example, Israel experienced the consequences of her sin in the form of economic hardship, frequent attacks by enemy nations and in many other ways. However, God warned them that if they refused to listen to Him and continued on their path of idolatry and injustice, then they would experience much more severe consequences. The prophets often described this as drinking “the cup of God’s wrath” (Isaiah 51:17).

 

     For Israel, the more severe consequence came when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem and the temple and the people were taken into exile. Israel was trying to act like all the other nations, including Babylon, by playing political games, accumulating wealth and power in unjust ways, and serving other gods. Eventually, Babylon did to Israel what it did to every nation that did not submit to its control – it conquered them. God merely allowed Israel to experience the consequence of trying to play Babylon’s game rather than trust in Him. Israel’s exile was God’s wrath.

 

     God does not want people to experience His wrath. Nor does anyone have to experience God’s wrath – for the wrath of God only comes upon those who refuse to trust Him despite repeated invitations and warnings. As Paul says, “having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him” (Romans 5:9). God wants to save us from the most severe consequences of sin, which is death and separation from Him.

 

     But what about those who stubbornly refuse God’s offer of grace and mercy through Jesus? There is no other means of salvation. The only remaining option is for God to give them over to the path they have chosen – the path of self destruction which leads ultimately to death. This is what the bowls of God’s wrath are all about.

 

Reflection

1. Jesus referred to His crucifixion as drinking the cup of God’s wrath (Matthew 26:39 – although He does not use the word “wrath”, everyone agrees the cup He is referring to is the cup of God’s wrath). What do you think He meant by this?

 

Tuesday August 1, 2023

Blessing 

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has kept us alive, sustained us, and brought us to this moment.

 

Scripture Readings

Revelation 16:1–21

 

     Before the bowls are given to the angels, John sees “the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven opened” (Revelation 15:5). This is very significant. John is drawing from the most important part of Israel’s story – God’s presence in the temple in their midst.

 

     God’s presence is holy. Holiness is a biblical term used to describe the uniqueness of God. He is so unique that there is nobody or nothing like Him in all the universe. There are many qualities that make God unique, but the one quality emphasized above all others in the Bible is that God alone is the Creator of life. Many people associate the holiness of God with His moral purity. While it is true that God is uniquely pure in His moral qualities and therefore He is holy in this way, the primary emphasis on holiness as it pertains to the temple is that God is the source of life, not death.

 

     Some of the instructions associated with the temple system forbid anyone in an unclean state from entering the temple. Many of the things that made a person unclean had nothing to do with moral sin. For example, a priest that had come in contact with a dead body was ritually unclean and had to observe a waiting period, followed by a ritual washing before entering the temple. Touching a dead body is not a sin. It is just part of life. People die and we have to deal with their bodies properly.

 

     The reason you could not come into the temple after touching a dead body was because everything associated with death was prohibited from the presence of the One who is Life. Sin is also associated with death and so it too was prohibited. However, cleansing from sin required something more than just a waiting period followed by a ritual bath. Sin required blood – the sacrifice of a substitute offering.

 

     In the center of the temple, in the Holy of Holies was the ark of the covenant, also called the ark of testimony. On top of the ark rested the glory presence of God. Inside the ark were the tablets inscribed with God’s commandments. Moses placed them there “as a witness against you” (Exodus 25:16, Deuteronomy 31:26). Moses knew the people would fail to obey God and would suffer the consequences. The ark containing the law of God was a witness that they had no excuse – for God had clearly communicated His instructions and the consequences for not keeping them.

 

     The message of the temple system was that God greatly desired to dwell with us. However, He is holy and nothing associated with death (including sin) is appropriate in His presence. Knowing the failure of humans, yet desiring to be with us, God provided a way for us to be forgiven. We have a choice. We can receive forgiveness and cleansing through the sacrifice provided by God and come into His presence. Or we can resist Him and remain outside His presence, cut off from the source of life. 

 

     John is reminding us of all this before the bowls of God’s wrath are poured out. God still desires to be with us and He has provided the way of forgiveness through His Son Jesus. God has made known His love and His holy requirements through the Scriptures and teachings of Jesus. He has made known the consequences of sin and rebellion. Those who refuse to repent and receive His grace have no excuse other than their disdain for God.

 

     This is why we preach the Gospel. To let people know that God loves us and forgives us of all our sin. He has made atonement for us through the sacrifice of Jesus. We all have a choice to make. We can freely come into His presence and receive eternal life. Or we can reject His grace and remain on the path of self destruction which leads to death.

 

     For this reason, the angel with the 3rd bowl can say, “they deserve it,” while heaven responds “Yes, Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.” These statements are not meant to be callous or insensitive. They are an acknowledgment that God has exhausted all attempts to turn the hearts of the unrepentant, and therefore nothing remains but to give them over to the path they have chosen.

 

     This is confirmed by the repeated statement “they blasphemed the God of heaven” and “they did not repent.” They blame God for the pain they have brought upon themselves. The tabernacle of testimony stands as a witness that they have chosen this path for themselves. They could have turned to God and He would have forgiven them. Instead they cling to their intoxication with sin and blame God for the results.

 

This all leads up to the sixth bowl – the final battle against evil in which all the spiritual and human rebels take their last stand against God in a final act of defiance in a place called Armageddon. In Hebrew it means the mountain of Meggido. However, there is no mountain of Meggido; it does not exist. This too is symbolic. Meggido is a famous valley in Israel in which military battles took place. It was a very strategic location at the crossroads of many great empires. King Solomon built a palace at this location that housed his chariots and horses. John is using this famous location as the scene for the final battle that evil wages against the Lamb.

 

The likely reason John uses “mountain” instead of “valley” is because mountains often represent kingdoms. This is the final clash of opposing kingdoms. Yet, as we find out later in Revelation, the final battle is not much of an actual battle. Jesus merely shows up and it is over. For He is “KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.”

 

With the pouring out of the 7th bowl, the angel declares “it is done.” This brings us back to Jesus’ own words on the cross, “it is finished.” The victory that Jesus won on the cross is the victory that His followers experience as they remain faithful to Him and overcome the beast. It is the same victory the whole world experiences when He appears again in glory.

 

Reflection

1. Take a moment to let the Spirit search your heart. Is there anything in your heart that is inappropriate in God’s presence?
2. God has provided forgiveness and cleansing for you. Confess your need for forgiveness and receive it to the full today.
3. Give thanks to God and take some time to enjoy your access to His presence

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

 

Blessing 

Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Ruler of the Universe, who has sanctified us with His Word and by the blood of the Lamb.

 

Scripture Reading

Revelation 17:1 – 18:3

 

"In these chapters (17-19) we finally realize why it is so hard to be a faithful disciple of Jesus.” – Darrel Johnson

 

     Chapter 17–20 is the 3rd vision in the book of Revelation. Now that John has finished describing what was on the 7 sealed scroll, he will re-visit the Day of the Lord which includes the Fall of Babylon, The Final Battle against evil and Final Judgment.

 

     Babylon is an image the biblical authors used to speak of humanity’s corporate evil. Babylon represents human systems, structures, institutions, and cultural practices that oppress the vulnerable. Behind Babylon are darker spiritual forces. Babylon originated with the snake in Genesis 3, working through the seed of Cain (Genesis 4) to build the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11).

 

     In the book of Exodus, Egypt has become a new Babylon – enslaving and killing the Hebrew people in order to build and consolidate their power. God responds by rescuing Israel and destroying the king of Egypt. This became known as The Day of the Lord. As Israel faced many enemies in its early days, the people longed for the the Day of the Lord – when God would again defeat His enemies and establish peace.

 

     After settling in the land given to them by God, Israel eventually followed the path of other nations, going from a free people being oppressed to becoming oppressors themselves. They had become a type of Babylon. And so Amos prophesies that the next Day of the Lord will not be good for them.

 

 

For what purpose will the day of the Lord be to you? It will be darkness and not light; as when a man flees from a lion and runs into a bear. (Amos 5:18)

 

 

     God would allow the strongest empire at that time (whose capital was actually called Babylon) to conquer Jerusalem. However, at the same time, God promised to preserve a remnant and bring them back to the land. Furthermore, He promised that the Babylonian empire would suffer the same fate as the people they conquered. In other words, Babylon would also be defeated by another kingdom. 

 

     The prophets also spoke of a final Day of the Lord in which God would finally deal with evil in all its forms. The cycle of kingdoms rising and falling is somehow part of God’s plan to one day strike a fatal blow to all the various Babylons of this world.

 

     But before the final battle, John is shown a beautiful women who is dressed like a queen. She is drunk, not on wine, but on the blood of the martyrs and the innocent. This is likely an evil parody of the Lord’s supper. The source of a believer’s joy is the blood of Jesus – the power of sacrificial love. The source of her joy is the power to kill her enemies.

 

     She has a long name that is a mystery, “Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and of the abominations of the earth.” She represents Babylon in John’s day (Rome), but she will birth many more Babylons. Rome would not be the last Babylon. She is ultimately behind the great evil among the nations of the earth.

 

     Although she is pictured as a queen over the nations, she is called a harlot, a whore for she deceives people into degrading themselves in the worst possible ways by selling their souls for pleasure, power and wealth, with no regard for the misery they create for those on the bottom. Despite her magnificent outward appearance, her inner reality is disgusting.

 

     John sees the harlot sitting upon many waters and also sees her sitting upon 7 mountains. John is told the many waters represent all the peoples of the earth. At the time of John’s writing, Rome was well known as the 7 mountains (for Rome was surrounded by 7 hills). The point being that she represents corrupt empires that rule over the people of the earth. She also

sits on the beast, who empowers her immorality and wealth.

 

     She is in contrast to the woman of chapter 12 who partners with God to birth His purposes and also in contrast to the woman at the end of the book, who is the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ. The harlot is empowered by spiritual forces of darkness who manipulate corrupt human systems and institutions.  She seduce the peoples of the earth into idolatry with sensuality and wealth.

 

     In this chapter, we start to get a picture of why it is so hard for christians to live according to the teachings of Jesus in this world. The world pushes God out of the picture - ignoring or opposing Him. The world promotes sensuality and the pursuit of self pleasure. The world perverts justice, rewarding un-Christlike behavior and punishing those who desire to live by His ways. The world is full of deception and lies, twisting truth in ways that make good look bad, and bad look good. Idolatry is celebrated as true freedom while worship of God is viewed as oppressive.

     The wine this queen gives to those she rules over make people intoxicated with their sin rather than repentant. She is Lady Folly from Proverbs 1–9 who seduces people with her sensualities and idolatries so they cannot listen to Lady Wisdom. Yet the Lamb will overcome them. And those who are called and chosen by Him will not fall for her temptations.

 

 

Reflection

1. How has God helped you in the past to change the way you view the world?
2. Continue to let the Spirit search your heart and mind. Are there any areas in your life that are formed more by the world than by the Word of Christ?
3. Give God thanks for the strength He gives us to remain faithful to Him.

 

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Blessing

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, Who bestows kindness upon the culpable, for He has bestowed goodness to me

 

Scripture Reading

Revelation 18:4–19:6

 

     A mighty angel cries out“Fallen, Fallen is Babylon!” Babylon is always falling. Whenever and wherever Babylon emerges, she is doomed to failure. She is already falling long before her final destruction. This is what John wants us to realize. No matter how strong and impenetrable Babylon may appear, she is rotting on the inside and will come crashing down one day.

 

     For this reason, those who follow Jesus should come out of her. How does that work?  Although we are in the world, we are not of the world (John 17:14). To come out of Babylon is to forsake the ways of Babylon and live according to the way of Jesus. You might pay a small price now, but you will ultimately reap a great reward.

 

     There are so many Scriptures that encourage us to trust God with all our hearts and to follow Him in all our ways. It may not always make sense by the standards of this world. It may not be rewarded in this age. Yet In the end, you will be rewarded by God and you will be shown to have made the right choice.

 

     Jesus said that we can either build our life on the rock of His teachings or we can build our life on the sand of the world’s wisdom (Matt 7:24–27). It may not seem like it makes a difference now, but be assured the storm is coming and the difference will be obvious for all to see. Paul, in the same way, said that we can either build our life with precious stones or with straw and hay (1 Corinthians 3:12–15). It may not seem like it matters now, but when the fire of God comes to test our work, it will be obvious to all which material you decided to use.

 

     One of the things that is so powerful about this chapter is the stark contrast between those who lament the fall of Babylon and those who rejoice over her fall. Those who benefit from the ways of Babylon will love the ways of Babylon, and will therefore find her collapse a painful catastrophe. However, those who love the way of Jesus, those who suffered for their faithfulness to His way will be relieved and full of joy at her collapse.

 

     John also wants to make clear that the collapse of Babylon is something the woman brought upon herself (18:6–8). She mixed a cup for others to drink that resulted in the death of martyrs and the innocent. Now she will have to drink from the very cup she mixed for others.

 

      Evil, by its nature, is self destructive. This is by God’s design. I think that is the point of Revelation 17:16–17 in which the kings who are empowered by the beast turn on the harlot. John says this is God’s purpose. In other words, God has designed His world in such a way that evil ultimately destroys itself. Evil cannot endure. 

 

     This is why God calls His people to come out of Babylon. He knows that to adopt the ways of Babylon is to adopt the way of self destruction. “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues.” To live the way of Jesus, while it might cost you temporarily in this world, will produce tremendous dividends in the new world He is creating.

 

Reflection

1. Let the Holy Spirit search your heart. Are there any ways in which Babylon has influenced your thinking or actions? Is there any area of your life in which you need to come out of Babylon?
2. Read Revelation 18:11–13. What do you notice about this list of the merchants and their cargo? What does this say about the difference between Babylon and the kingdom of God?

 

Friday, August 4, 2023

Blessing 

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the Universe, whose power and might fill the world.

 

Scripture Reading

Revelation 19:7–20:3

 

     Up to this point the book of Revelation has been incredibly intense. Dragons, beasts, judgments, martyrs and a great war waged against the Lamb and His followers. Throughout the drama we see the beast killing, persecuting and opposing the saints. Yet we are told that they overcome. Now, in chapter 19, we finally see the results of the victory of the Lamb and of His followers who faithfully follow Him.

 

     The heavens are opened and Jesus is riding a white horse (the symbol of victorious kings). The beast and kings of the earth have assembled themselves and their armies in their last stand against the Lamb (6th bowl). This is it; the final battle. And what an epic scene! It is packed with such rich imagery – more than I can cover here. But, let’s get a sense of the scene.

 

     First, the faithful witness has now become the judge. Jesus witnessed to the truth of God, without error or distortion. He demonstrated the love of God without giving in to temptation. He laid His life down for the salvation of all, trusting God through death into resurrection. He is worthy to judge.

 

     Second, Jesus is clothed in a robe dipped in blood. Whose blood? I think the obvious implication is that it is His blood. One, He has blood on His robe before the battle. Two, up until now, Jesus is always referred to as the Lamb and most of the references to blood have been His own. Third, the sword that Jesus wields is not in his hand, it is in His mouth. In other words, Jesus does battle with His words. The Lamb wages war with sacrificial love and the word of truth, not with violence.

 

     The final battle is won the same way. Jesus comes against the forces of evil with His own blood and the sword of His mouth (the word of truth). One of the things that stands out in this battle scene is that there is no actual battle. Jesus merely shows up and wins. Why? He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords! Let’s look a little closer at the details.

 

     There are several stories in the Old Testament in which God delivered Israel without a battle by causing their enemies to destroy themselves. The story of Gideon includes one such story. Gideon is facing an army of tens of thousands with his own army of only 300. He is told to take torches and glass pitchers and approach the enemy army in the middle of the night. The 300 men break the glass pitchers and raise a shout all together. The enemy is confused and thinks they are being attacked by a great army. They end up fighting each other and destroying themselves.

 

     In another story, King Jehoshaphat is also facing a huge army. He is told to assemble the worshippers and go out to face this large army with the weapons of music and song. When they arrive to the field of battle, they discover to their amazement that the army has somehow turned on itself and all they see are dead bodies strewn across the field. They won with the weapons of worship (this is worthy of a whole sermon!).

 

      As the heavens open and Jesus rides out on a white horse, an angel standing in the sun summons the birds to come eat. This is a well known image of scavenger birds circling the battle after it is over. But this is also a hyperlink to the previous chapter in which Babylon has become a dwelling place for demons, evil spirits and unclean birds (18:2). In other words, this is a picture of self destruction. The very evil that inhabited Babylon is the same evil that will destroy those who gave their allegiance to Babylon.

 

      Also notice that there is no battle between Jesus and the beast and the dragon. When Jesus shows up, the beast is seized and thrown into the lake of fire. No fight, no battle, no struggle. Someone just grabs him and tosses him in the lake of fire. Then in the first verse of chapter 20, an angel comes and bind the dragon with chains, opens the door of the abyss, tosses him in, and seals it up. It is not even Jesus who does this. He just has one of His angels do it. Again, no struggle. Just grab him and bind him.

 

     I love this scene. It is both epic and anti-climatic. After all that has happened, you kind of expect the final battle to be this great struggle where Jesus eventually comes out on top. That is how our super hero movies always end. But that is not how Revelation ends. The final battle of Revelation has Jesus showing up, covered in His own blood, wielding the sword of truth and all His enemies just self destruct. The beast is tossed into the lake of fire and the dragon is bound in the abyss. Battle over.

 

 

Reflection

1. How does this chapter challenge you to see what is happening in the world today differently?
2. How might it encourage you that following Jesus really is winning regardless any consequences for doing so?
3. Read Colossians 2:6–15. How does today’s Revelation reading help you understand what Paul wrote?

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Blessing 

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, the True Judge

 

Scripture Reading

Revelation 20

 

     This chapter just might be the most confusing and debated chapter of the Bible. When Jesus appears to defeat all evil, the beast is tossed in the lake of fire. However, the satan’s destruction is delayed by a thousand years. Furthermore, John says there is a first resurrection of those beheaded for their faith and also those who never received the mark of the beast. They reign with Christ for a thousand years and then everyone else is resurrected. The satan is then released and once again amasses an army from the nations. This time He is finally thrown in the lake of fire. The last thing to receive judgment and be thrown in the lake of fire is death. Hallelujah!

 

     Just about everyone has a different take on this chapter and its meaning. I must confess that I am really not sure how to interpret all this. Rather than review the many interpretations, I will just make a few observations from my own reflections.

 

     First, this is very similar to Daniel 7, but in more detail. Daniel sees thrones set up (7:9) and books opened (7:10). Then after the beast has waged war with the saints, God sits in judgment, taking the kingdoms away from the beast and giving them to the saints.

 

     In the same way, John sees thrones set up (20:4), books opened (20:12), the beast removed and the saints reigning with Christ. This once again reinforces the message that despite the beast overcoming the saints, in reality they overcome him. The rulers of the earth who thought they won by killing the witnesses now discover that they have lost and the martyrs won.

 

     Second, as much as we would like God’s purposes to be simple, tidy and uncomplicated, that is not how it is. The world that God created is incredibly complex. Although God created what we call the physical laws of the universe, this world is not just governed by impersonal physical forces. It requires God’s active participation and wisdom. Furthermore, the world God created has all kinds of potentials and possibilities – many good, some dangerous. The greatest good of all is love. Love is mysterious. Love, by definition, requires agency. We are not robots. We have been give the power to make choices and act on those choices. Love cannot be programmed or compelled. It must come from deep within us as a willing act. 

 

     However, the same potential for good opens the door for evil to arise and act – and it has. Although God is not the author of evil, He clearly has taken responsibility for it. By this I mean that God is both using it for His purposes and committed to eradicating it from His creation. Evil is mysterious (2 Thessalonians 2:7). How exactly does God eradicate every trace of it without also eradicating the potential for good? How does God eradicate evil without eradicating every human, as we all have been overcome by evil? It is a complex problem that requires the extraordinary wisdom of God to solve.

 

     One of the things chapter 20 does is remind me that although God’s promises are straight forward, the way in which He fulfills them is not. The coming of Jesus was not a single event but a long series of events that have now spanned over 2,000 years. Chapter 20 would seem to indicate that the final judgement may not be a single event, but that different aspects of the final judgment may take place at different times.

 

     The beast is thrown in the lake of fire when Jesus appears, while the satan’s final judgment is delayed a thousand years. The faithful martyrs and those who did not receive the mark of the beast are resurrected first and receive favorable judgment when Jesus returns. The rest are raised later to face judgment. Although the number 1,000 is clearly symbolic (as all the numbers are), it seems to say that there may be a significant amount of time between the various aspects of God’s judgment.

 

     Why is the satan bound during this time only to be released again? It may help to understand the satan’s role. He was originally part of the divine council. And though he has fallen from heaven, he still plays some kind of role in God’s purposes (sort of like Gollum in the Lord of the Rings). The satan’s job was always to accuse. He was like heaven’s prosecutor, searching for anything wrong with God’s creation or God’s governance. This is the role he plays in the book of Job. He challenges God’s assertion that Job is blameless by asking the question, “how do you know that Job’s heart is really good? Maybe he is just doing what is right because you have rewarded him so well for it.” However, the satan became corrupt, directing his accusations against anything and everything associated with God’s purpose to the point of becoming a direct opponent to God’s rule and a source of great evil.

 

     As N.T. Wright says, “[the satan] must ultimately do the worst he can, so that when he is defeated there will be no last tiny remnant of suspicion that anything worthy of ‘accusation’ has been left unaccounted for.” Chapter 20 seems to hint there will be one final test of God’s work of salvation so that the declaration “there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus” will have been proven true beyond even the slightest doubt.

 

     However you interpret this chapter, one thing is clear. There really will be a great reversal where those who faithfully followed the Lamb will inherit the earth and its kingdoms and reign with Christ. And sin, evil, death, the beast and the dragon will be thrown in the lake of fire. Of this we may be assured even if the details of how it will happen is a mystery.

 

 

Reflection

1. Jesus said that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. How does this chapter help you understand that?
2. Many people struggle with the tension between God’s love for us and His hatred of evil. On the one hand, God intensely desires to be with us. On the other hand, He is determined to root our every trace of evil. What kind of person do we have to become to resolve this tension?
3. Read John 3:16–21. How might chapter 20 be related to what Jesus said?

Sunday, August 6, 2023