Avsnitt
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We have reached the conclusion of this great book. But it’s also how God chose to conclude the entire Bible. So, if these are the last words of the Bible, we need to ask ourselves, “What does God hope for us to remember?”
As I read through these final verses, I came up with a list of His hopes for us, and my hopes for you.
1. I hope we will have a greater commitment to the local church.The book of Revelation began with “To the seven churches…” Now it ends in the same way: “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches.” (Rev. 22:16)
This truth was written to real people in literal assemblies with the hope that they would live for God’s glory and extend His Kingdom…and that they would do so within the context of community. Putting it simply, from the very beginning, God believed in the local church as the hope of the world.
The church never has been perfect. But this imperfect new community was, and still is, His chosen tool to fix a broken world. And, that being the case, I want to challenge you - as never before – to commit your time, talent, and treasure to the local church.
2. I hope we will have a greater desire for heartfelt worship.One of the great themes of this book has been the supreme importance of worship. Now here in chapter 22, we see a two-word mandate given to John in vs. 9: “Worship God!”
My prayer is that you will come out of this study determined to follow the heavenly model. That every time you enter the sanctuary to worship, you will see it as an opportunity to glorify God on earth even as you practice for heaven.
3. I hope we will have a greater devotion to active obedience.
Verse 7 says: “Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy…”
My hope is that we will come out of this study with a newfound commitment to obey. That every time our King asks something of us, we’ll instantly respond, “As You wish.”
Obedience, though difficult, always leads to blessing.
4. I hope we will have a greater zeal for courageous evangelism.
One of the great points of joy in this study has been the hope of heaven that we who know Christ have. But we’ve also been confronted by the ultimate judgment that awaits those who don’t come to Christ: the Lake of Fire.
I hope we will look at every person we meet as someone who matters to God. Moreover, he/she is an eternal being who will live forever in either heaven or hell. And maybe, just maybe, God has brought them across my path so that I can help them move a bit closer to the Cross.
5. I hope we will have a greater anticipation for Christ’s return.
This is our hope. He is coming …He is coming soon. So, let’s be a church that is ready for Him…with robes washed white…actively serving while we’re excitedly waiting.Text: Revelation 22:7-21
Originally recorded on June 25, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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Home. What does that word mean to you?
Knowing there’s a heaven can keep us from handling discontentment in unwise ways.
Take all those wonderful memories, multiply them a hundred-fold, and you will just have scratched the surface of what our heavenly home will be like.
What will heaven be like? Revelation 21-22 gives us a glimpse. Here John describes a place that is absolutely perfect with streets of gold and gates of pearl.
He is introduced to the “Bride” – a city that is a family, God’s perfect new community.
What will life be like in this new community?
1. You will be wondrously transformed.
Verse 1 speaks of a “new heaven and a new earth,” and aren’t you glad? Satan’s savagery and human sinfulness have raped God’s creation. It’s a far cry from the “very good” world that the Lord first made.
But it’s not only the world at large that will be transformed – you will be transformed. Think of it! A new fit-for-eternity body and housing a whole new sin-free nature.
2. You will be thoroughly joyful.
Not only will all those things that rob you of joy be removed, but heaven will add the things that bring the greatest joy.
3. You will be ceaselessly productive.
You need never fear that heaven will be boring! We were made with a desire to grow and learn… to contribute and produce. And that’s what we will do in heaven. The responsibility God gave mankind in Eden will be reinstated… to have dominion and rulership.
4. You will be intimately cherished.
Think of it! We’re going to be in the very presence of the Father. We’ll get to crawl up on Abba-Papa’s lap.
We’ll be in the presence of the Lamb who died for us. We will see His face and look into His eyes. All our questions will be answered.
This is your destiny when you’re finally home. With that in mind, how should that impact the way we live?We have this deep longing for contentment, but in this world that desire is consistently frustrated. And you’re tempted to meet that need for contentment in a way that does not honor God or advance His Kingdom. But knowing what awaits us in heaven allows us to delay gratification and remain faithful to our Father.
Knowing there’s a heaven can comfort us when times are hard.When the bottom of life drops out…when the roof begins to cave in… the promise of heaven reminds us that there’s a firm, unshakable shelter above.
Knowing there’s a heaven can encourage us that our lives have meaning.Sometimes we’re tempted to think that life is futile and that we’re simply marking time down here. But the Bible clearly teaches us that every day has meaning and purpose.
Your life matters. Your actions are not in vain. Your sacrifices have not gone unseen. And that can make all the difference in the world in how you approach life.Text: Revelation 21:1-22:6
Originally recorded on June 11, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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After Jesus’ glorious defeat of the Antichrist and his armies at Armageddon, He steps down on planet Earth once more and takes up His throne. The King has returned to set up His Kingdom.
The 1000-year reign of Jesus is best known by its Latin name: the Millennium. Revelation 20 lays out four events that will take place during this time.
1. Satan will be chained.
Jesus commissions an angel to seize, bind, and chain Satan and throw him into a place called “the Abyss.” We can infer that with the subjugation of Satan, the world is swept clean of all demonic influence because vs. 3 notes that this imprisonment will keep him from stirring up the nations against the rule of Christ.
2. Saints will be enthroned.
Incredibly, as part of our inheritance as children of God, we will join with Jesus in the judging and ruling process. Specifically named are those who were martyred during the Great Tribulation, but most scholars see such a highlighting as a word of assurance more than a word of exclusivity. All believers who had died before this are now given their “fit-for-eternity” bodies. This is called “the first resurrection.”
3. Satan will be released.
Why bind Satan for a thousand years just to release him and have to deal with him again? I think God does this to prove once and for all that He is just in His judgment – of Satan and of mankind.
When Satan is released, he will once again deceive the nations and lead a rebellion against the Lord. Who are these people who rebel? One theory is that these will be some of the children born during the Millennium. Notwithstanding a perfect environment and flawless social conditions, there will be some who will still want to do their own thing and have their own way. They will chafe at Christ’s rule.
This brief rebellion is the final proof that the terrible and final judgment that is about to happen is right and just.
4. Sinners will be judged.
Satan is thrown into the lake of fire with the Antichrist and False Prophet. Then a white throne is set up and unbelievers come forth to stand before the Lord one last time. “The books” are opened, the record of their deeds. Make no mistake, this is not seeing if their good deeds outweigh their bad. That’s impossible. These books do not save, they condemn.
Then the “book of life” is opened and all those whose names are not found written there, are thrown into the lake of fire.
What can we take away from all this as an application?
· Realize Christ’s authority.
There is no dualism. Good and evil are not two equal sides of an equation. God alone is God and Satan is nothing but an angelic being. Authority is Christ’s alone.
· Remember your destiny.
As children of God, you are destined to rule with Christ. All your sacrifice for the Kingdom is going to be worth it!
· Recognize man’s impurity.
There’s only one way to make real and lasting change. You need a new heart…and only Christ can give you that.
· Reflect on eternity.
Hell is real…and real people will be going there. If anything should cause you to consider Christ, it’s this. And if anything should drive you to your knees praying for your unsaved friends and family, and give you the courage to witness to your hope…it’s this.Text: Revelation 20
Originally recorded on June 4, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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The Second Coming of Christ is not a point on which the Scriptures are ambiguous or unclear. “In the same way” as He ascended, it says in Acts 1:9-11, He will return. Literally, bodily, gloriously. The Bible even tells us where He will return: the Mount of Olives (Zech. 14:4).
But it’s in Revelation 19 that the day of Jesus’ return is described.
First of all, there is rejoicing at the destruction of evil. “Hallelujah!” shouts this great multitude in heaven. “Praise God! At last! He has won!”
To all waiting for that day, waiting for evil to be overcome: your desire for justice may be deferred, but it will not be denied - so be confident.
Secondly, there is rejoicing at the wedding feast of the Lamb.
We all have a great fear of rejection. Rather we long to know and be known, to love and be loved. But the truth is, no relationship on earth can fully satisfy that longing. Only God can.
One of the uniquenesses of Christianity is that our God describes Himself as our “husband.” We are designed and destined to know an intimacy with God and He uses the illustration of marriage to convey it.
Verse 8 talks about the “bride” – the church – being given fine linen to wear, symbolizing the “righteous acts of God’s holy people.”
If you were to appear before God dressed in a wedding gown made up of your righteous acts (service and love), what type of gown would you be wearing? Would it be stained or wrinkled? Or would it be beautiful?
Your hunger for love will be fully satisfied – so be ready.
Finally, there is rejoicing at the return of Christ.
The setting of His return is the battle of Armageddon. The kings of the earth have rallied their armies against the Antichrist has his horde as his empire begins to implode. Suddenly, Jesus appears – riding on a white horse, with the armies of heaven behind Him. The earthly armies join forces and turn to take Him on. But there is no contest. With the sword of His mouth, the armies are destroyed.
There is a lot that is unclear about Christ’s return, but one thing is clear: Jesus is coming back to earth, and this time He’s no meek Lamb. He’s the Lion of Judah. And His judgment on all who have not come into His camp will be decisive and devastating. If you’re not prepared for His return…if you’ve not allied yourself with Him…you will face that wrath.
Your questions about the coming of Christ will be answered – so be saved.Text: Revelation 19
Originally recorded on May 28, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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Revelation 17 is one of the most difficult passages in the entire book. The identity of the woman on the beast has been a matter of great theological debate down through the years.
The lust of the flesh = SensualismThe lust of the eyes = MaterialismThe boastful pride of life = Egotism
In trying to interpret these thornier texts, it’s important to ask this basic question of biblical hermeneutics: What did the writer intend to say to his original audience? The Bible cannot mean what it never meant.
As John’s audience read the vision of this woman, they would have quickly identified her as Rome. The beast, as we’ve seen in earlier visions, symbolizes political power. In John’s day, that would have been the emperor. So, we have a godless system supported by political power.
But this vision did not simply apply to a 1st-century empire. It also points to a leader that is yet to come. The Antichrist – the beast of Rev. 13 - a charismatic leader who will arise in the last days out of a restored Roman Empire. He will create a city that will serve as his social, political, and religious base while he attempts to establish his kingdom. And world leaders will “get in bed” with the Anti-Christ and his godless system.
As God’s wrath is poured out with greater and greater destruction, the Antichrist will turn on his allies and the system will begin to implode. Like wounded animals, they devour each other.
So, what are we to learn here?
Rev. 18:4 is a key verse: “‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins…”
We need to understand that we all face the temptation to compromise with the system.
The system – “Rome” – is anything that could seduce you or intimidate you into not fully following Christ.
In an earlier letter, John called this system “the world.” He wrote: “Do not love the world, nor the things that are in the world…” (1 Jn. 2:5-6)
He then breaks down the things in the world as:We can have promising beginnings and thriving hearts, and then get seduced by the world. It is a very real threat.
We need to understand what will be the end of any system that defies Christ.
That John symbolized “Rome” as a prostitute isn’t accidental. He’s making a vivid point. You may think this grand and glorious world system is so desirable, but the reality is that “Rome the Magnificent” is a bloated, pathetic streetwalker. Doomed to destruction. So don’t be seduced by her evil or intimidated by her power. Take a long view of life and be faithful.
We need to understand the loss for any person who trusts in such a system.
In Rev. 18:9-19 we see people who bet everything they had that alliance with “Rome” would give them power, wealth, and security. But in the end, “Rome” didn’t come through. All her promises were as empty as the words of a prostitute.
You’ve started the race well; but will you finish well?
Only you can answer that. Only you can put safeguards into your life - spiritual disciplines, solid community, honest accountability - so you can run the race, finish the course, and win the prize.Text: Revelation 17-18
Originally recorded on May 14, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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Deep inside every human spirit, there’s this unquenchable longing for justice. We look at the inequity of our world and ask, “How long, Lord? How long must we put up with this evil? How long before You step in and set things right?”
Since Christ will judge with absolute authority, I must not take vengeance into my hands.
At last, in our study of Revelation, we reach the point where God says, “Enough!” He pours out His wrath and final judgment on “every living thing.” (Rev. 16:3)
Since judgment is coming, how should we then live?
Let’s ask a few questions and consider some practical implications.
1. Who will do the judging?
The Bible makes it clear that God will be the judge (Rev. 16: 5, 7). But from other scriptural references we learn that, more specifically, the Father will delegate that judgment to Jesus. (Jn. 5:22; Mt. 28:19)Revenge is a losing proposition every time because the victim and the victimizer never weigh pain on the same scale. It never comes out as “fair” to both parties. Therefore, whenever you get hurt you only have two choices: to exact revenge or to forgive.
“You are just” “as they deserve” “true and just”
By forgiving, we are trusting God to be the judge, a role only He is qualified and competent to hold. He says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.”
When we insist upon vengeance, we are actually placing ourselves in a position that is reserved for Jesus Himself. And that is idolatry.
2. How will He judge?
Rev. 16:5-7 uses these phrases to describe God’s judgment:We see miscarriages of justice all the time in our world – and that makes us wonder if people will somehow pull the wool over the Lord’s eyes.
Since Christ will judge with utter integrity, I need not wonder if He will be fair.
But these verses make it very clear that He will be absolutely fair and unbiased. True justice will be done.
3. What will He judge?In vs. 15, there’s a sort of parenthetical statement that pops out in all the plagues. “Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”
Since Christ will judge with ruthless efficiency, I dare not stand before Him in naked rebellion.
Jesus warns that there is nothing hidden that will not one day be revealed. (Lk. 12:2-3) Have you ever done something in the dark you didn’t want to be exposed? Ever whispered words in private you wouldn’t want to be shouted?
It’s these dark deeds that Jesus will judge on that day. The only way you will keep from being utterly exposed on the Day of Judgment is if your sins are covered with Christ’s forgiveness.Too many people are “playing dress up.” They come to church, they put on a façade of righteousness, but they’ve never actually repented – given their lives to Christ and been covered in His righteousness. Their lives have shown no change. Their hearts instead are hard and rebellious.
Don’t play dress up. Run to the cross and be clothed in Christ.Text: Revelation 15-16
Originally recorded on May 7, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN
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In this message, I’d like to walk us through four key images in Revelation chapters 8-11 – one from each chapter – and then find an application in each for our lives.
Am I willing to engage in the responsibility of intercession?
When Revelation chapter 8 begins, Jesus opens the seventh and final seal on the scroll of God’s ultimate plans for mankind. This triggers the 7 Trumpet Judgments.
Before the first trumpet sounds, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. All of heaven seems to be holding its breath. Why? Because the prayers of God’s people were being poured out.
What prayers? Likely the prayers of the saints back in Rev. 6 when the martyrs prayed for vindication. “How long, Lord? How long?”
Now, at last, God answered those prayers…and acted.
God’s plan is to bring us into partnership, and the point of that partnership is prayer.
Your prayers matter more than you could ever know. As Walter Wink says, “History belongs to the intercessors.”In answer to the prayers of the saints, God’s judgments now fall on earth. As each trumpet sounds, a plague is poured out upon the world - the wrath of a holy God upon a people who had chosen to give its allegiance to the Antichrist rather than to His Son.
Is there any pain in my life that God is trying to speak to me through?
In each of these plagues, we read of the destruction of 1/3 of the earth. Why? Why not just destroy it all? I think it’s a sign of God’s mercy.
God’s desire is to bring about repentance, and sometimes pain is the only way to get people’s attention.
Do I feed on God’s Word, obeying the hard commands as well as enjoying the happy promises?
The third image comes from Rev. 10. John is given a small scroll and told to eat it. The scroll tasted sweet in his mouth but turned sour in his stomach. The scroll symbolizes God’s Word.
God’s Word is all truth, but it’s not all easy or pleasant.
Am I willing to take my stand for Christ even when it costs me?
Finally, we come to the 2 witnesses in Rev. 11. Whether these are 2 literal people or they represent God’s people faithfully witnessing in these last days, the reality is, the cost of their witness was death.
God’s call is for us to be courageous and faithful in our witness, not necessarily successful.Text: Revelation 8-11
Originally recorded on April 30, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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One of the central themes of the book of Revelation is the struggle that has been going on down through time between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan.
We’ve already seen how that conflict will culminate in a series of dramatic “end time” events. But in John’s vision recorded in Revelation 12, God pulls back the curtain of human history and lets us see what’s been going on behind the scenes.
There are three primary players in this great struggle:
1. The woman = faithful Israel
2. The Dragon = Satan
3. The Child = Jesus, the Messiah
To understand this conflict, we need to go back into eternity past. From the Creation account in Genesis 1, we know that God created everything and called it “good.” There was no evil whatsoever.
Part of God’s “good” creation were the angels themselves. These angels had various ranks and responsibilities, among the highest were archangels. The Bible names two of them: Michael and Lucifer.
However, the Bible tells of a time when Lucifer began to desire the throne of God for himself. He rallied other angels to his side - a full 1/3 of them - and a civil war of sorts broke out in heaven. This is what we read about in Rev. 12.
Michael and the holy angels defeated Lucifer and his horde, and they were booted out of heaven. Now called “the devil” or “Satan,” he prowls the earth assisted by those dark angels or demons. Their goal is to destroy the ones God, in love, created to be His family.
Though things looked ruined when Adam and Eve sinned, God still had a plan. A plan for Satan’s ultimate destruction and mankind’s ultimate redemption – all through the offspring of a woman. (Gen. 3:15)
When all things were ready, this promised Deliverer was born to a Jewish girl named Mary. The Dragon sought to kill that child, but God’s promise would not be thwarted.
Rev. 12 then leaps ahead to the end of time where it speaks of God’s protection of His faithful people and the persecution of the woman (faithful Israel) for 3 ½ years.
The chapter ends with the sobering truth that we who are committed to Christ are the unique focus of Satan’s rage and efforts to destroy.
The point of John’s vision is clear: there is a battle going on and like it or not… we’re in it.
From this passage, we see 3 strategies the enemy uses against us in this battle and 3 counter-strategies God gives us.
1. Deception (v.9)
If Satan can’t make you unfaithful to God, he will seek to make you unfruitful for God. And the primary way he does that is through deception. Every chain of sin begins with the link of deceit.
Deception is countered by Truth. Don’t buy the lie. You’ll lose every time. Rather, cling to the truth.
2. Intimidation (v. 12)
John Ortberg said, “The Evil One will use deceit to get you to do what’s wrong and intimidation to keep you from doing what’s right.”
Intimidation is countered by pre-decision. Before the temptation ever comes, you need to have already made up your mind about how you will react .
3. Accusation (v. 10)
The Evil One deceives us and intimidates us to induce us to do wrong… then when we give in…he takes on the role of the Accuser.
Accusation is countered by the cross. Verse 11 says the way we overcome the Accuser is by the “blood of the Lamb and the word of (our) testimony.”Text: Revelation 12
Originally recorded on April 16, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN. -
One of the most exciting events on the end-times timeline is the Rapture of the Church - the day when believers in Jesus will suddenly be “caught up” to meet Him in the air.
Paul speaks of this great day in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 when he says that we will be caught up to meet Christ in the air. The Greek word for “caught up” is the term “harpazo.”
There are 3 basic ideas conveyed in the word harpazo that will help us understand this great event.
1. To seize with a sudden and overwhelming force. Don’t imagine us all floating up into the sky. No, the Rapture will be a sudden snatching up.
2. To transport to another setting. This usage of the word harpazo is found in Acts 3 where we read of how Philip the evangelist, after leading the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ, is transported suddenly by the Spirit of God to a completely different city. Similarly, in the Rapture we will be transported from earth to a new heavenly location.
3. To seize and rescue from imminent peril. In this usage of harpazo found in Acts 23, Paul is saved from a violent mob when Roman troops suddenly step in to seize and thus rescue the apostle.
The term “rapture,” then, speaks of all 3 of these elements: seized suddenly, transported to another location, and rescued from harm.
The timing of the Rapture has been a matter of debate by Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians for years. There are 3 classic views of the timing of the Rapture.
1. Pre-Tribulation: This view believes the rapture will take place before the Antichrist ever shows up. They believe we could be taken up at any moment and we will see none of the events of the final 7-year period we’ve been talking about.
2. Mid-Tribulation: This view maintains that we will be here for “the beginning of sorrows,” but will be taken out at the 3 ½ year mark, before the Great Tribulation.
3. Post-Tribulation: This view takes the position that we will be here for all of it. We will be vulnerable to the Anitchrist’s persecution, but we will be supernaturally protected from God’s wrath.
There is an adaptation of this view that I have come to embrace, called The Pre-Wrath view. It seems to line up with both Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 24 as well as the book of Revelation.
In the timeline we’ve been working with, the final 7-year period begins when the Antichrist rises to power with a peace plan for the world and a special covenant with Israel. Three and a half years into this covenant, this ruler, aided by the False Prophet, will set up an idol in the newly constructed Temple and demand to be worshiped. Persecution then breaks out against all who refuse.
This is the beginning of The Great Tribulation. Jesus says that if those days had not been cut short, no one would survive.
What will cut those days short? The great cosmic event of cataclysmic proportions described in Matthew 24:29 and Revelation 6:12-17.
In Jesus’ description, this event is followed immediately by the Rapture. And then comes the pouring out of God’s wrath on the earth. The church is here for the persecution but taken out before God’s wrath.
We may be called upon to suffer and even die for our faith. But if God allows that, we need to know that He will also give us the same capacity He has for His people down through history.
God never commands something without giving the capacity to obey it.Text: Revelation 7:9-17
Originally recorded on April 9, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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What will the first five minutes after your heart stops beating be like? The answer to that question all depends on whether you’ve been sealed or marked. What do I mean by that?
In Ephesians 1, we read that those who come to God by faith in Christ have been sealed with the Holy Spirit.
A seal, such as a king’s signet ring, would be pressed into hot wax on a document to affirm its authenticity and guarantee its security. A seal, thus, denoted 2 things: ownership and protection. When you came to Christ you were given the Holy Spirit as God’s “seal of approval”. A sign of belonging to God and the promise of heaven.
With this truth in mind, let’s look at Revelation 7 & 14. Here we read of a group of people simply called “the 144,000.” Their identity is mysterious, but one thing we know is that they will be specially sealed by God before the persecution and eventual Day of Wrath. They will not cave into the spiritual seduction of the Antichrist. They are blameless - not meaning sinless, but rather not being condemnable because of their faith in Christ.
Along with the rise of the Antichrist, we read of another figure – a second beast that comes from the earth. Other texts identify him as “the false prophet.” His description of having 2 horns is understood by most scholars to mean he will be more of a religious leader than a political leader. It is he who begins to concoct the scheme of universal worship of the Antichrist.
This false prophet will be satanically empowered (spoke like a dragon – Rev. 13:11) and will amaze and deceive with signs and wonders. But his best effort will be the animating of the idol or image of the Beast and then killing all who would not worship the image. (Rev. 13:13-15)
During this time, the pressure to capitulate will grow stronger and stronger. In order to gain control of the populace, economic sanctions will kick in. (Rev. 13:16-17) No one will be able to buy or sell without the mark of the Beast.
We must be cautious not to give in to conspiracy theories about what the mark of the Beast is. Nor should we be afraid that we will mistakenly take the mark without knowing it.
Scripture seems to make it clear that there will be no mistaking the moment when people are called to take this loyalty test. And I believe that part of God’s seal on His people is to protect us as well as identify us.Text: Revelation 14:1-13; 7:1-8; 13:11-18
Originally recorded on April 2, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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The Bible talks about a 7-year period of time that will be the climactic era of history - when the church will be raptured, God’s final judgments will be poured out, and Jesus will come again.
The deception will be powerful; don’t be fooled. (v.8)The challenge will be great; don’t be naïve. (vs. 7, 10a)The victory will be sure; don’t be intimidated. (v. 10b)
This 7-year period will be kicked off by the arrival on the world scene of a key figure: the Antichrist.
In 2 Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul reassures these young believers that despite the rampant rumors and false teaching, they had NOT missed the coming of Christ. The reason they should know that, Paul says, is because “that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed.” (2 Thess. 2:3)
This and other texts all seem to agree that before Jesus returns and before we’re raptured, there will appear on earth a human being who will be the ultimate false messiah - a satanic duplicate of Christ. The prefix “anti” not only means “against” but “in place of.” That is, he will not only be against Christ, but he will seek to take the place of Christ in the hearts of men and women.
We learn more about the Antichrist in Revelation 13. He is described as “a beast coming out of the sea.” The sea symbolizes the chaos of the nations. This figure arises out of the chaos and confusion of the world.
What can we learn about The Antichrist?
1. He will be a world-class political and military dictator. (v. 1)
This Beast is described as having 10 horns with 10 crowns and 7 heads. In Biblical imagery, horns have to do with military power and crowns with political power. The Antichrist will be a leader with unmatched clout and charisma.
2. He will be extraordinarily powerful. (v. 2a)
The imagery seems to mean that this leader will have the stealth of a leopard, the brute strength of a bear, and the intimidating power of a lion. The point is that this ruler will be incredibly powerful, and that’s because…
3. He will be energized by Satan. (v. 2b)
The dragon will both empower and enable this beastly leader.
4. He will gain an audience by recovering from a fatal wound. (v. 3)
Some scholars take this literally, while others interpret it symbolically. In any event, the world will be taken with the newly recovered life of this Beast and will see him as someone worth following.
5. He will seek to be worshiped and blaspheme God. (vs. 5-6)
At first, the Antichrist will win the world’s respect and admiration for solving the Middle East crisis and making a covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27), even creating a way for them to rebuild the Temple.
But halfway through these 7 years, there will be a shift. The Antichrist will demand more than respect. He will demand worship. He will break his covenant with Israel, set up an idol in the Temple, and demand the world to worship him.
6. He will persecute the people of God. (v.7)
This is the Great Tribulation.
What should we take away from all this?Text: Revelation 13
Originally recorded on March 26, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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We’re about to enter into the portion of this book that speaks of a series of cataclysmic events that will bring history to its dramatic climax. And one of the words we’ll be seeing with some frequency is “tribulation.”
Jesus makes it clear that tribulation – trouble, stress, pressure – is to be expected in this life because we live in a sin-stained, Satan-controlled world.
But there is coming a day when there will be a time of tribulation that is on another level entirely. In Mt. 24:21 Jesus refers to it as “a great tribulation” that is unlike any ever seen before or since.
The $10,000 question is, “when will it begin?” We begin to see the answer in Revelation 6.
The chapter opens with Jesus taking the scroll that contains God’s plan for the restoration of His Kingdom and one by one opening the 7 seals. These seals must all be opened before the scroll can be unrolled, which would seem to say that these 7 seals are preparatory and preliminary to the Great Tribulation to come.
If we look at Matthew 24 in parallel, we can gain some insights into what these seals mean.
Each of the first four seals brings forth a rider on a horse, sometimes called “the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
Seal #1: The White Horse
It is my belief that the white horse represents false Christs who will deceive many. Ultimately, there will come the consummate deceiver: the Antichrist himself. But until then, there will be an acceleration of counterfeits.
I have to ask you. Is that happening today?
Seal #2: The Red Horse
The red horseman symbolizes war. As the end nears, war will increase. Not only between nations but between people groups.
Are we seeing more war?
Seal #3: The Black Horse
The black horseman seems to reflect great scarcity if not actual famine. A time when it would take all a man earns to buy enough food to survive. But it also seems to indicate that luxury items would suffer no lack. That is, the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Is that happening in our world?
Seal #4: The Pale Horse
Death rides this horse with the grave (Hades) following close behind. The sword and famine will claim many lives. Some suggest the “wild beasts” might be the deadliest beast of all: the rat, spreading disease as their population explodes.
Seal #5: Martyrs
Persecution of Christians will increase and intensify.
A natural question here would be, “If these first five seals have been exhibited down through history, how will we know when it’s not simply a function of general tribulation and we’re in the Great Tribulation?”
As best I understand it, we won’t exactly know that we’re in the Great Tribulation until this moment when the sixth seal is broken.
Seal #6: A Cataclysmic Event
The cosmic meltdown alluded to is greater than any earthquake we’ve ever known. The seismic implications of this event will literally change the face of our planet. Could it be an asteroid or comet that strikes the Earth? We don’t know. But when it happens, it will be a day unlike any other ever to take place on this planet. And it will trigger in rapid succession all the other aspects of His wrath as the seventh seal is broken.
Simultaneously with this event, this may be when the Rapture of the Church takes place.
In light of this, what should we do?
1. Stand firm.2. Keep watch.
3. Be ready.
Text: Revelation 6
Originally recorded on March 12, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Revelation 5 continues from the previous chapter with the scene of God the Father on the throne. But now John notices that in His right hand is a scroll sealed with 7 seals. This is how important, confidential documents were kept private.
The scroll represents the title deed to Planet Earth. Whoever held the scroll and opened it up had the authority to rule the world and the ability to fulfill God’s ultimate purposes for the human race.
However, until it was opened, God’s plan could not and would not be realized.
The natural question that’s asked is this: “Is there anyone worthy to open the scroll? Who has the authority to rule the earth? Who is capable of setting things right? Is there anyone?
The answer comes back: no one. No one was found worthy to take the scroll in hand and open it.
Hearing this, John weeps. He weeps for the beauty of a world that could be but is not. And he weeps for his own failure to be part of the solution.
Friends, if you’ve ever wept that things are so ugly and so unfair and so wrong… then you’ve wept the tears of John.
Then one of the elders says to John, “Do not weep! There is One who is worthy to take the scroll and open the seals.”
Then John sees a Lamb – a Lamb who is worthy. He is worthy because…
1. He was slain. (v. 9)
Literally, “slaughtered” - like a sacrifice offered for sin. Jesus, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn.1:29), was the sinless sacrifice offered once and for all so that we might be saved. And not only saved, but adopted. And because we are children of God, we are also His heirs.
That’s why He is worthy of all praise and glory!
The Lamb is also worthy because…
2. He is strong. (vs. 6b)
The Lamb is described as having 7 horns and 7 eyes. The number 7 speaks of perfection or completeness. 7 horns indicate that He is all-powerful. 7 eyes convey that He is all-seeing. This Lamb was strong enough to conquer! He conquered demons, sickness, and disease. He conquered sin on the cross. He conquered death in His resurrection. He is worthy!
And He is...
3. Standing. (v. 6)
He is standing because He is ready to take action. Taking the scroll in hand, He is about to bring that power to bear upon our twisted and perverse world. He is about to begin the judgment on evil. He is about to vindicate His church and set up His millennial reign.
This is our destiny – and it’s a glorious one. (v. 10)
He is worthy! Worthy to rule. Worthy to worship.Text: Revelation 5
Originally recorded on February 20, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Much of the book of Revelation is about the future – the unfolding of God’s judgment and Satan’s last-ditch effort to thwart that plan. But before the visions of beasts and dragons, the Antichrist, and the Great Tribulation, God gave John a vision that would put all of that into perspective. He gave John a vision of heaven. Indeed, of the very throne room of God Himself.
His point is this: “Yes, the days ahead will be challenging – even for the redeemed. But know this and mark it well: there is a throne, and it is occupied!
Nothing or no one will preempt His sovereign plan. Everything is under control. That’s the theme of this chapter.
John tries to describe what he sees, but it is almost beyond explanation. It’s like looking into the sun on a summer day.
Around the throne, John sees a rainbow, the symbol of God’s covenant. It speaks of the fact that God will be faithful and merciful to His people - even through the storm to come. Which leads us to your first point:
1. There is no storm where He is not faithful.
Around the throne are 24 elders likely representing the redeemed of all mankind. There are also 4 creatures covered with eyes – cherubim – surrounding the throne. The number 4 may refer to the four corners of the earth, and their eyes speak to God’s total awareness of and complete control over all that He has made.
2. There is no situation where He is not sovereign.
Note that the text clearly says that One was sitting on the throne. Mark it well: God is not pacing about heaven hoping things are going to work out. He is never panicked. He’s not even nervous.Nor is He some sort of celestial cheerleader rooting us on and pulling for us in “the game of life” hoping that we win. No! He is our God, bringing all things together in the counsel of His will…working all things together for the good of those who love Him.
What are they doing in the throne room of God? They are worshiping. The elders are casting their crowns before the Lord and the cherubim never stop saying “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord.”
Worship is our destiny. If God is worthy of our worship then, is He any less worthy of worship now?
3. There is no setting when He is not worthy.Text: Revelation 4
Originally recorded on February 13, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Most scholars feel confident that the author of this amazing book is none other than the Apostle John, the brother of James, the “one Jesus loved.”
Stop being afraid.
The timing of the writing of this book is approximately A.D. 95. By now, John is nearly 90 years old and the only surviving member of the original 12 disciples who lived with and learned from Jesus.
During the reign of Domitian, severe persecution broke out against Christians. Many were martyred, including Paul and Peter. But John was sentenced to work the rock quarries on an island off the coast of Asia Minor called Patmos.
Imagine for a moment what life must have been like for this old man. Yet it was amid these brutal conditions that John received the most extensive revelation ever given of the victory-filled future awaiting God’s people.
The Symbolism in Revelation
When reading the book of Revelation, it’s necessary to understand that is written in a literary style known as “apocalyptic.” Apocalyptic literature is highly symbolic. The drama between God and Satan, this evil age and the age to come, is played out in spectacular imagery.
Apocalyptic symbolism uses objects, creatures, and numbers. We’ll see all of that throughout the book of Revelation.
We begin to see some of that symbolism in chapter 1 with an incredible vision of the risen Jesus.
The Savior in Revelation
Each element described – from His robe and sash to His white hair; His blazing eyes and feet like bronze, the sword in his mouth, voice like an ocean, and face like the sun - symbolized Jesus’ position as priest and king, His eternal wisdom and all-seeing power. They portrayed Jesus’ justice and authority, His Lordship and glory.
What does all this mean for us today?
1. All of us end up on Patmos sooner or later.
Patmos is the place of disappointment. When you’re confused, alone or disillusioned. Patmos is a place of pressure and pain. We’ll all end up there eventually and when we do, all we want to do is get out!
But God’s plan was not to take John off Patmos but to meet John right there.
2. Patmos was the place where Christ was unveiled.
You can never be in so forsaken a place that the Lord can’t seek and find you. Christ is with you - in the midst of your crisis. Jesus is closer than you think.
3. Christ is seen by those who turn to Him and touches those who fall at His feet.
All too many never see Jesus because they’re so wrapped up in their crisis that they never turn to see who is with them. This is one reason why worship is such an important part of this book. Those who turn in worship see that Jesus is with them after all.
4. His words to us are still the same:
Pass on the truth.Text: Revelation 1:9-20
Originally recorded on January 16, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Are we living in the last days?
Technically, we’ve been living in the last days for 2000 years, ever since the Day of Pentecost with the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that “in the last days” God would pour out His Spirit on all people. (Acts 2:14-18)
The real question we want answered is: Are we in the last days of the last days?
Truth is…we just don’t know. It’s like a soccer match where you aren’t even shown the clock. We have no idea how much time is left. The best we can do is say, “It’s got to be close.”
This study of the book of Revelation is going to zero in on the last part of the last days.
There are 2 Wrong Responses people have toward the book of Revelation:
1. Obsession. We get so preoccupied with charts and timelines that we get diverted from the heart of discipleship and lose our evangelistic credibility.
2. Avoidance. Many Christians have decided that the book of Revelation is too hard to even attempt to understand.
So, why study it?
Here are 3 Right Reasons:
1. Because it’s in the Bible. There is practical truth here for our equipping and we’ll end up more mature as a church for having studied Revelation.
2. Because it provides a source of hope for tomorrow. You can summarize the book of Revelation in two words: “WE WIN!” John wants us to know that whatever may come our way, in the end, we win!
3. Because it contains the promise of blessing for today. Revelation is the only book in the Bible that carries a promise of blessing for those who read it and take it to heart.
The word “revelation” literally means “to unveil.” This book is nothing less than the unveiling of the magnificence of the Lord Jesus Christ as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It is hope unveiled.Text: Acts 2:14-18; Revelation 1:1-8; Acts 1:6-8
Originally recorded on January 9, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN. -
In the beloved telling of the Christmas story in Luke 2, the angel gives this amazing message: “Don’t be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” (vs. 10-11)
Good news… of great joy… for all people.
That sounds wonderful, but all you have to do is look at the news today and it seems that we are surrounded by bad news! In our world, in our city, and even in our own lives.
If you find yourself wondering where the good news is, it might interest you to know that the context within which the angels gave their message was to people just like you who lived in a world not much different from yours. For example, then as now…
There were real forces that sought to stifle the good news.
This Christmas story was set in a specific historical context. There were very real tyrants ruling in a world that was characterized by violence, oppression, and perversion.
The angel’s message of good news came right in the midst of all the bad news. It didn’t deny that reality; but neither did it surrender to it.See, God is not afraid of a mess. He came to a messy, bad-news world. But He didn’t come to simply experience what we experience in that world – though He did. He came to help us walk through that world, make a difference in that world, and ultimately to take us out of that world.
Today. Christmas joy is present.To you. Christmas joy is personal.A Savior. Christmas joy is powerful.
There were real faces that struggled to believe the good news.
This message of good news of great joy came to shepherds. Shepherds in that day were nomadic, poor outcasts. They epitomized the least and the last.
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you live, what you’ve done, or how others might view you. It doesn’t matter how hardened you’ve become, or how soured you might be that life could ever be different. It doesn’t matter how much you’ve messed up your life or been messed with by others. The fact is there is good news of great joy – for ALL people. And friend, that includes you!
Look at the angel’s message again: “Today… to you… a Savior.”Shepherds were a highly suspicious lot. They didn’t trust easily. You have to wonder if they thought all of this wasn’t simply too good to be true. But the angel challenges their doubts by inviting them to make their own investigation.
There were real facts that served to verify the good news.
Only after having investigated the angels’ words for themselves, did the shepherds agree that the evidence was undeniable.
Let me just say to those of you with more questions than answers regarding the event we celebrate and the One we worship: go to Bethlehem. Make your own investigation.
After finding the baby, the shepherds returned to their flocks. Outwardly it appeared that nothing had changed. But inwardly, everything had changed.Text: Luke 2:1-11
Originally recorded on December 18, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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From the very beginning, God desperately wanted to show Himself to mankind. To let us see that even in the chaos of life He was there and that above all, He really did LOVE them.
He attempted to do so through the sheer grandeur of creation itself. But many people still couldn’t (or wouldn’t) see Him.
So, He decided to showcase one nation that did grasp His reality: Israel. In displaying what He could do in and for that people – weak and insignificant as they were – He was also demonstrating what He could and would do for any people who would trust in Him and walk with Him.
But though some saw Him, most didn’t. The image was flawed in this all-too-human and all-too-fickle people.
But God wouldn’t give up. Outrageous as it may seem, He loved this blinded world. So much so that He decided to pull out all the stops – to do the unthinkable. He came Himself.
God became man for us. Why? BECAUSE HE LOVED US! Friends, this is the very heart of Christmas.
Because of Christmas, I can know that I matter to God.
Can one person on a speck of a planet in a smallish solar system in a mediocre galaxy make a difference to the Creator of the Universe? Yet God determined to prove how much we mattered to Him by becoming one of us and coming to us.
Because of Christmas, I can trust that God truly understands.
In Jesus, God came to experience all the hardship and heartache of life from the very beginning. He experienced firsthand the all-too-real fatigue and frustration that you and I face. He understands the agony of betrayal and the pain of losing a loved one to death.
And it's here where the LOVE of God is seen in its greatest dimension, because not only did Jesus experience our pressure and endure our pain in His life, He provided the way out of it through His death.
Because of Christmas, I can hope that God will take me home.
You and I will one day die. What then? Jesus offers to take His loved ones home.
That offer is still being made. In the book of Revelation, Jesus says, “Behold. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone will open the door, I will come in…”
He will come in, grant forgiveness, provide wholeness, and give meaning, purpose, and fulfillment. And ultimately, He will take you home.
Jesus came for you. He loved you that much. But whether you’ll open up to Him is up to you.Text: Hebrews 1:1-3; 10:5-7; John 1:1-3, 14
Originally recorded on December 4, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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On the first week of Advent, we light the Candle of Hope. For some of us, it symbolizes hope realized. It’s been a good year. Hope is soaring.
Yet for others, maybe you, it’s been disappointment after disappointment. To your way of thinking, God hasn’t come through as you…well, as you hoped.
Hope - or the lack of it - is a powerful thing. Proverbs 13:12 says: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” Or as one paraphrase puts it, “When hope is crushed the heart is crushed.”
But what is hope? Perhaps one way to answer that is to consider what hope isn’t.
Hope is not wishful thinking. There’s nothing behind that sort of hope, nothing to back it up.
Hope is not naive optimism. Denying reality has nothing to do with living in hope.
So, what is hope?
Hope is the confident expectation that God is willing and able to fulfill the promises He has made.
Hope is rooted in the character of God. Look at the story of Abraham. When God gave him the promise that he would be the father of many nations, he was childless. Not only that but he and his wife, Sarah, were nearly 100 years old! Yet, Abraham believed God could do what He promised.
That lends itself to three challenges that need to be faced in order to keep hope alive.
1. You need to come to a point of belief that God is good and in control.
When hopes are dashed, when things happen that make no sense, it’s then that your theology is truly revealed. What do you believe – not about the circumstance (which can be very bad), but about God? It’s in those times that I have to take time to review what I know to be true and to remember how many times I’ve seen God’s goodness
2. You need to discern whether a promise is yours to claim.
Here’s where a lot of folks get into trouble. They read their Bibles and put their hopes in promises they have no right to claim – a promise that was unique to that person in that day. And while the fulfillment of that promise back then can encourage us that God is powerful enough to keep His promises, they aren’t necessarily ours to claim.
3. You need to understand that God is not only the Master of time – He’s the Master of timing.
God’s promise to Abraham of a son wasn’t realized for 25 years! Hoping, all too often, requires waiting. Waiting and hoping. Hoping and waiting.
In reading through the biblical account of redemptive history, one thing is clear: God will not be rushed.
Christmas is a perfect picture of that. Galatians 4:4 says: “But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son…”
God literally choreographed history to prepare it for the arrival of His Son. His timing was perfect. He wasn’t one bit late in delivering on His promise. And friend, His timing is no less perfect in your life.Text: Luke 2:8-14; Is. 40:25-31
Originally recorded on November 28, 2011, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
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Stuff is very important to us. We see Stuff. We want Stuff. We buy Stuff. We compare our Stuff with other people’s Stuff. Stuff has a way of getting hold of us and how we view and use our Stuff affects our walk with God.
But David, “the man after God’s own heart,” illustrates the kind of heart that is needed to keep Stuff from controlling us. He displayed a generous heart.
After God said no to David’s desire to build the Temple, he didn’t get angry or sulk. Rather, in an extraordinary display of maturity, he said, “Okay then. Maybe I can’t lead the way in building, but I can lead the way in giving.”
David threw his financial weight behind a building project he will never see, to construct a Temple in which he will never worship.
He opened not only the nation’s treasury, he opened his own wallet, and gave generously. David knew that his stuff was not really his stuff. It all came from God. It all belongs to God.
One day, all of us – whether we had a lot of stuff or not so much stuff – will stand before God and He will say, “What did you do with the Stuff that I gave you to use?” And our response will carry eternal implications.
Do you have a generous heart? One way to assess that is this:
Consider your attitude in giving.
When the people were invited to give toward the Temple project, the word that describes the spirit in which they gave was... “willingly.” Freely, voluntarily, and joyfully.
2 Corinthians 9:7 says that when we give it shouldn’t be reluctantly or under compulsion. Why? Because God loves a “cheerful” giver. Literally… a hilarious giver! Someone who just loves to give and give generously.
You will never live a life of real discipleship if you never enter into a life of generous stewardship.Text: 1 Chronicles 28-29
Originally recorded on August 27, 2006, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN.
- Visa fler
