The Apostle John was given the words of this prophecy through the angel of the Lord, and he has written it at the command of our Lord Jesus Christ as a warning and preparation for the Church. He said the time is near, and we are certainly in these times where many of the prophecies of the Bible have already been fulfilled. He said that those who read and keep the words of this prophecy will be blessed because we know that the events of the world will not come as a surprise, nor shall we be afraid because the Lord will be with us. As long as we walk in obedience, He will be in our midst. Jesus has already prepared an eternal kingdom for us, and we wait expectantly for His return. He has also made us a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9) to worship Him in spirit and truth, a holy generation to proclaim His praises and give all glory and honor to Him. Let us prepare the way of the Lord.
Jesus stands at the door and knocks, but should he even be knocking. Why is He on the outside? He should be inside your home and inside your heart residing with you. Is He even welcome in your life? Is Jesus not important enough that He should have to stand outside. Jesus is not the stranger; He is your friend. Your heart will be filled to overflowing when you welcome Him in, and He will dine with you. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit by rejecting Christ.
How fearful to stand in the presence of the King of kings! The glory of the Most High must have been too unbearable for John to remain standing. However, it is not just with John; it would be the same for all of us to encounter Jesus face to face. His holiness and glory would cause us to lie prostrate on the ground and a great reverent fear would overwhelm us. This holy fear must be upon us now and upon the Church, to respect and honor the Lord with our lips, our thoughts and attitudes and with our actions. Jesus is the Great I AM who was present at creation, making all things beautiful. He has been present in every event and moment throughout history. He has the power to reveal a flashback of your entire life so that you would not have any excuse when you stand before Him.
Where is the fear and reverence that Jesus deserves? It should cause us to think twice or thrice before we speak a word or act. May we use our two ears to listen to the voice of the Lord and do what is pleasing in His sight. We should make it a practice to ask Jesus if He is pleased with what we are doing. Then we may be surprised to find out that we need to stop many things. Let us give our King the due respect, honor and praise that should only be reserved for Him.
What good is it when you obey all the commands of the Lord and do His work, but do not know Him and love Him at a personal level? Where is the zeal in studying God’s word, the worship of sitting at His feet with adoration and praise with thanksgiving? Loving Jesus is having a daily walk with Him, hearing His voice, conversing with Him, lifting up your requests, confessions, and concerns before Him. Does it always mean you’re in a prayer closet to do this? No, sometimes we do need to be in a solitary place, but most times we are spending time with our Lord in the secret place of our heart and in our thoughts as we are working, cleaning, cooking, serving, walking, etc. In every activity that you do, let Jesus meet you there, and it will take on a completely new dimension and perspective, and you will always be in love with Him.
Throughout the centuries, Christians have been persecuted because they refused to deny Christ as their Lord and Savior, and they were subjected to all kinds of torture and suffering. Even today, certain countries still persecute the Christians living there. However, the Lord tells us not to be afraid of suffering for His name even unto death because we will be given the crown of life when Jesus returns for us. Most people are afraid to die, but the gospels say that whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Jesus will find it (Matt 16:25, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, John 12:25). Our earthly life is but a dot compared to eternity. God has promised us over and over again that He will be with us wherever we go, that He will strengthen us and uphold us with His righteous right hand, that He will give His angels charge over us to keep us protected, etc. The promises are many throughout the Bible. Death has no hold over us, and even if man can kill the body, he cannot kill the soul (Matt 10:28). Our lives are in God’s hands, and He will guide and guard us until He takes us home.
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” For those who uphold the teachings and commands of the Lord, the Word guides them in paths of righteousness. However, those who begin to accept other doctrine as truth, the double-edged sword will fight against that believer until he/she repents and comes back to the sound doctrine of the Bible. There is no room for compromise in the believer’s life; God will not accept it because we will discredit the work and grace of our Savior. We are either for God or against Him. The doctrine of this world will only pollute and destroy the soul leading to all kinds of vile sinful acts. God is a jealous and Holy God, and we must serve Him only. As Joshua 24:5 says, “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
In the Old Testament, the penalty for compromising and worshiping other gods was death (Deut 5:24-27). However, we live in a time of grace because of Christ’s great sacrifice for us that covers all our sins, but the time of grace will end soon, and Jesus will return to judge the earth. Therefore, let us guard our hearts and not give the enemy a foothold to our soul. We belong to God and only Him, for we bear the mark of His creation.
Jesus said that we must endure till the end, that we should not be like the seed planted on stony places that grows up fast but immediately withers when persecution comes. We must be planted in good soil, hearing and understanding the Word, applying its truths daily, and bearing fruit (Matt 13:20-23). The important thing as a Christian is not just reading the Word, but also what we do with it. Just as the Parable of the Talents (Matt 25:14-30), to each whom the Master of the kingdom has given, we are to utilize the gift for the glory of God – we are to multiply it and make it grow.
For those who overcome, just as Christ overcame the world, Jesus will crown us with the eternal crown of life, and He said in Revelation 3:11 that we should not let anyone take it from us. We are to guard it with our life even if it is to the point of sacrifice for the sake of the Gospel. The enemy can kill the flesh, but not the soul (Luke 12:4). The Lord God goes with us; He helps us and fights for us.
It is Jesus’s shed blood that cleanses us from all unrighteousness and covers our imperfect state. Therefore, let us be dead to our transgressions instead of being dead in the works of faith so that our clothing will not be defiled. The Lord repeats often that we are to be holy, set apart for God, that we should worship Him only and not being swayed by the teaching and influence of the world. It may sound good and feel good, but is what the world tries to offer actually good? Only Jesus is good. Many times, there are temptations that draw us further away from God and causes us to compromise more and more.
Those who overcome, Jesus will clothe in white and call us worthy. Even though I am trying to follow God with the strength and grace He gives me, it’s hard to accept that I should be called worthy. I certainly don’t deserve it and am truly humbled in His presence.
Jesus Himself is our open door; He is the Way and we must walk in His word. When we are joined together with Christ through faith in Him, we cannot allow man or the things of this world to break that bond because it is a marriage covenant. It says in Mark 10:9, and Genesis as well as the other gospels, “What God has joined together, let no man separate.” Although this verse talks about a marriage between husband and wife, it also applies to our relationship with Christ, for Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is His bride.
At the same time that the Lord opens doors, He also shuts doors, and those we must not enter because it goes against God’s will. To try to enter through a closed door is like fighting against God, and we will not win. God has His reasons that are beyond man’s understanding for closing doors, and we must trust Him because He knows what is best for us. However, until the timing is ordained by God, we are encouraged to pray for an open door, as it says in Colossians 4:3, “…meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the Word, to speak the mystery of Christ.” That is my prayer for our cross-country circuit ride to be able to do God’s will for each of the states where God will open the door for the Gospel and to strengthen the body of Christ. Despite the lockdowns and travel restrictions still in place, it is my prayer that God provide His best way and time to encourage the people around us.
Many people desire to be financially stable in order to live in comfort, to not worry about having enough money to pay the bills, and to be able to buy whatever they need or want. However, the problem with this attitude and desire is that there is little or no dependence on God. Through your self-sufficiency, what you’re really saying is that you can provide for your own needs, and you don’t need God’s help. The more you depend on self and the greed for money increases, the further it opens the door to all kinds of evil, which will cause you to stray from the faith (1 Timothy 6:10). The love of money is like a parasite that sucks all the joy out of your life without you even realizing it until it is too late. In the end, you are left with sorrow and the destruction of your soul. You cannot serve both God and money; it is one or the other.
The Lord desires that we buy gold refined in the fire, allowing God to purge us of all our sins that we would not be ruled by self, but be ruled by God. Furthermore, let God put His eye ointment upon us that we would not see through the world’s eyes, which causes us to stumble and wander aimlessly back and forth as if tossed by the waves, but that we would see the truth through God’s eyes. Let us not be afraid to be rebuked and disciplined by our Lord because it will lead to righteousness, just as a child is disciplined by his earthly father to correct the wrong and teach him what is right and good.
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Jesus the Lamb of God, the twenty-four elders fall down and worship Him, casting their crowns before the throne.
In the Church, worship is not what it should be. There are churches that have turned worship into a time of entertainment with loud music, lights and a great performance. However, is Jesus really honored and welcome in that place? When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman in John 4:23-24, He said, “the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” As I read these verses, it clearly reveals that when we enter into true worship, it opens the door of heaven into the throne room of God. We are literally in the presence of God in the spirit. In our lives worship should be 24/7, proclaiming the holiness of God and blessing His name, giving all glory, honor and power to Him. Therefore, let us go deeper into the heart of worship and desire more of Jesus.
Because of our Lord’s great sacrifice for us, only He has the authority to open the seven seals of the scroll to bring judgment upon the earth. If we cannot believe the One who was slain and gave up His life for us, then all the inhabitants of the earth who lack faith are not worthy to join Him in His kingdom. He gave his life for our lives as a ransom. We all deserve the death penalty because of our sin, but Jesus died in our place so that we would not have to suffer the second death, which would separate us from Him forever for all eternity. It isn’t that hard to believe and yet many have hardened their hearts, and some even hate Jesus. Now at this time, Jesus is separating the wheat from the weeds, the sheep from the goats, and He sees who is for Him and who is against Him. Let us follow Him wholeheartedly until the end, fighting the good fight, which He has already won.
It’s hard to fathom the multitude of the Church, the angels, and all creation worshiping the Lord Jesus Christ, who alone is worthy to receive all this honor and glory and blessing. Even the largest stadium could not hold the number of people who would be worshiping our Lord. The songs sung with the playing of the harps and the bowls of incense from the prayers of the saints are all sacrifices unto our God and King. Just as the Scriptures have said, “Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord.” No one would be able to deny His authority as King and Lord over all. What a sight to see! I would stand in awe basking in the glory of our Lord’s radiance, lifting holy hands unto Him to join the multitude in worship.
Christ will return to the earth riding the white horse signifying His purity as the Lamb of God who was slain to take away the sins of the world. It is like the pure white robes that every Christ follower will be given when we are taken up to the heavenlies, being washed by the blood of the Lamb that we would be without stain or blemish. It is very possible that before Christ brings judgment upon the earth, He makes one more final call to His Church, who have been deceived and pierce their hearts with the arrow of truth, setting them free from the enemy’s blindfold. He said, “So shall my word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to me void (empty), but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11). Jesus goes out and conquers His enemies and makes His authority known by establishing His victory. No one can challenge Him for they will all fall down on their knees. Christ goes out and conquers with His crown for all to submit to Him and receive Him as their King. As long as people keep opposing Him, Jesus will go on conquering until He makes His enemies a footstool for His feet.
In life, the most important thing is not how you start the race, but how you finish. How sad it will be for those Christians who claim to have believed but reject Christ at some point in their lives because of wrong teaching, sin and compromise, or just losing interest in Christianity. When Jesus removes the deception, they will see how much they have grieved the Lord. We must set our hearts to never turn back, and to keep on pressing forward to the upward call of the Lord.
Even in the natural, after any war famine usually follows, and food is also rationed. However, in this judgment of famine it will be so severe that not even the rich can survive it. In my lifetime so far, I have never experienced war in our country other than the Gulf Wars that lasted a very short time, which was on a small scale compared to the World Wars. Yet we see the impact of scarcity from the recent lockdowns on such products as toilet paper, paper towels, sanitation products, flour, yeast, dry goods, etc. This hoarding has caused an increase in prices (inflation) on places like Amazon because of the short supply and greater demand. In Revelation 6:6 we see a judgment upon the wheat, which is the source of bread being cut down to rations. In Matthew Henry’s commentary it is explained that bread is compared to our spiritual bread of life, which is the Word of God. Since the people have rejected God’s Word which feeds the soul, He has taken away their bread that fills the body for sustenance.
Then comes the pale horse with Death and Hades. Many people believe in the prosperity message and that God is only a God of love, blessing and favor. However, it is clearly written in the Bible that our God is also a righteous judge. He blesses those who obey His commands, but to the wicked, He has stated over and over again that He will bring judgment (Leviticus 26:14-33). Because of our disobedience, we will be destroyed and curses will come upon us because our God is a jealous God, who loves His people but cannot tolerate disloyalty and disobedience. It is all or nothing. God has given us the choice of life or death, but He wants us to choose life that we may live under His blessing. “He is our life and the length of our days (Deut. 30:15-20).
As verse 11 tells us, there will certainly be many more martyrs during the tribulation. The ones who overcome will be given a white robe; and they will be without stain or blemish from sin for they have all been washed in the blood of the Lamb. We know that many will have to suffer for Jesus’ name because hatred will abound, and the love of most will grow cold because of lawlessness. However, the overcomers will be able to go into the throne room of God, worshiping Him day and night (Revelation 7:5). He will be our delight from everlasting to everlasting. Therefore, let us stand firm until the end and be found faithful when Jesus returns.
The day of the Lord – Judgment Day – will come like a thief in the night. There will be no warning for those who have rejected Him, but actually, the Bible has already warned us. Those who are wise can see that God has spoken about His day of wrath through His prophets, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Joel, Daniel as well as the apostles Matthew, Mark and John. They gave specific details through God's inspiration of what will happen during the tribulation when Jesus has opened the seals. Each of their prophecies align with the earth shaking, the sun becoming dark, and the moon and stars not shining. God’s anger is fierce, and no one will be able to stand because they will be gripped with terrible fear that they have never known. However, even in this time of tribulation, God is still merciful and whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. No living being would ever want to see this day, so we should always be on alert to not fall into the hands of Satan’s plots to steal, kill and destroy. God has warned us and if we are wise, we must heed His warning. How we spend eternity is at stake. Unlike gambling or a business venture, there is no risk when we commit our lives to Jesus Christ.
All heaven and earth seem to be at a standstill as the angel with the seal of the living God prepares to place the seal on the 144,000 children of Israel. In chapter 14, it says that they were all males who were still virgins. They are the firstfruits to God. It’s interesting that 12,000 of each of the 12 tribes of Israel were chosen, and they were redeemed during the tribulation. Just as God had chosen Israel from the very beginning to carry out His plan of redemption, He also prepared a harsher judgment because this nation was the first to receive His laws and teaching. However, they rejected Him, and a curse was put upon them for their disobedience and was forced to leave their land for 70 years. In God’s mercy, He reserved an elect number from Israel to be delivered from the great tribulation. Salvation belongs to our God and He is good. Let us not test His patience but seek Him while He may still be found.
The great multitude appears to reference the martyrs who had been slain for their faith and testimony. These Christians may have been martyred prior to the seals being opened most likely from the time the Church was established up until Jesus took the scroll and opened the first seal. One thing that especially stands out in all this judgment is that there is constant worship, blessing the name of the Lord, bowing down in complete reverence and awe. The martyrs are worthy to wear the white robes because they did not love their lives more than upholding their faith and testimony to Jesus. They did not fear death, but they feared God. Their reward is being in the throne room of God, serving Him day and night and having Jesus personally shepherd them. How priceless! I desire this more than anything else; I’d rather have Jesus more than anything!
1 Corinthians 15:51-52 “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 incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
“1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”
Revelation 5:8 also mentions that each of the four living creatures and 24 elders had golden bowls full of incense – the prayers of the saints. These prayers mixed with fire are hurled into Earth to signal the judgment of the trumpets. We also know that in James 5:15-16 that the prayer of a righteous man – the prayer of faith – will save the sick with the forgiveness of sins because the prayer is powerful and effective. It is like an arrow hitting the target. When the prayer is the Word of God aligning with His will and timing, it is a sacrifice of incense – a pleasing aroma to the Lord. These are the prayers that are filled in the golden censer. As the saints cry out, the Lord hears and avenges them. Therefore, let us consider how and what we pray making sure that it is pleasing to God for His will to be done, just as Jesus prayed at the Mount of Olives, "Not my will but Yours be done" (Luke 2:42).
In these four trumpet judgments, we see that mankind has not yet been touched. It was one-third of the vegetation, the sea, fresh waters, and the sun, moon, and stars. 1/3 of the earth was destroyed by these meteor showers and great meteors, mixed with blood; this blood could possibly be the blood of the martyred saints, Christ’s blood or both. Still, even with all this disaster, the worst is yet to come as the angel declared in verse 13. The remaining inhabitants of earth will experience the penalty for their sins because they did not repent and receive Christ as their Lord and Savior before His judgment upon the earth. His shed blood had held back God’s wrath for centuries and by this time all mankind will have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel. Many people seem to think they have all the time in the world, but they fail to realize God’s warning that “this day your life will be required of you.” We have a duty to our Lord and Creator to live according to His laws and not our own pleasures because the things of this world will all pass away and be burned by God’s holy fire. We need to ask ourselves daily, “Will this action last for eternity or will it be destroyed by fire?” Let us store up for ourselves treasures in heaven, for where our treasure is, there will our heart be also (Matt 6:20-21).
It’s hard to imagine the torture that people will experience during this judgment who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. However, even for the 144,000 who were sealed, it will be very painful for them to watch all of this happening. Although the Church will already have been raptured before this time, it makes my heart ache that so many will be left on the earth to experience this judgment. Even if they want to die, God will keep them alive to endure the torture. I’m sure many people who read these chapters of Revelation think it unfair and that God is a tyrant who is unjust, but God has been patiently waiting for the world to turn to Him to receive the gift of salvation. However, they have rejected Him, and the people will have already made their choice. God is a gentleman who does not force us to choose Him because He gave us a free will from the beginning. He will be grieved, but His wrath cannot be held back any longer. Until His judgment comes, we must be diligent to encourage the body of Christ to walk in faith and share the Good News to the lost.
2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
In Genesis 6:5-6 before the great flood, “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (all the day). And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Likewise, when God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He could not even find 10 righteous people living there and only Lot’s family was saved, except His wife, who had turned into a pillar of salt because she looked back and did not obey the voice of the Lord. Even today, there has been such a great increase of wickedness, people who believe right is wrong and wrong is right. Hearts have turned cold, and people are living for the pleasure of the moment. Their hearts will not change even during the judgment.
It struck me how evil humans can become over time when they stop following God. However, I am no better. The closer I come to know God, the more I realize what a wretched sinner I am. How could God love a sinner like me? I certainly do not deserve His grace and mercy. All the more I should live the rest of my life serving Him wholeheartedly for I am not my own, I have been bought with a heavy price.
Not everything is revealed to all God’s people as it was revealed to certain prophets like John, Daniel, Isaiah, etc. God spoke to them to write down many of the visions and words He revealed, but not to all of them. Certain words were meant to be sealed up and revealed at a later time. God not only spoke to John about sealing up His words, but He also said the same thing to Daniel in his book 8:26 and 12:4; he was told to seal up the words until the time of the end. God only reveals and gives understanding to those who seek Him. In Daniel 2:22, he said: ‘He (God) reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.’ God reveals things in His perfect time, and we must wait for it as it says in Habakkuk 2:3, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.”
In Zechariah 4:14 the two olive trees are said to be, “the two anointed ones, who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth.” They are like God’s signet ring (Haggai 2:23), who have been given all authority to harm those who harm them with fire from their mouths, to withhold the rain until their days of prophecy are fulfilled, and strike the waters with blood and the earth with plagues. Their end is not death but resurrection, and they will be lifted up to the heavens while their enemies watch. Those who are left on the earth will certainly experience the great wrath of God.
Just as God has commissioned these two anointed ones who stood at His altar, He has also anointed each one of us for a specific purpose. We who are called by His name are to fulfill the task that God has assigned to us. He said in Zechariah 4:6 that the work of the Lord is not done by “might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” Yes, it is the Lord who equips those He calls (Hebrews 13:21), and He is faithful to complete the work which He started (Philippians 1:6).
Isaiah 45:9 shows a perfect picture of the condition of man; the man who contends with God will be judged by Him. How can man argue with his Maker, saying that He should have done it this way or that way? Are we in the place of God that we can tell Him what to do? He created a beautiful world that man himself destroyed by his own wickedness and greed. God created us in His image giving each of us wonderful gifts and talents to be used for the glory of God, but what have we done with them? We have either used them as instruments of unrighteousness for selfish gain, or we have allowed them to collect dust because we couldn’t overcome our fears and insecurities instead of trusting God to help us do what He desires. Yet mankind is outraged and fuming with anger because we think God doesn’t care. What deception! When Paul rebuked the church in Galatians 3:1-3, he asked, “Who has bewitched you that you should not obey the truth . . . having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” Those who refuse to submit themselves to God will be given over to their depraved minds and hardened hearts (Romans 1:28; Ephesians 4:18). However, the Lord has said to us, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Hebrews 3:15). Instead, we should ask the Lord to “give us a new heart and put a new spirit within us, to remove the heart of stone and replace it with a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26). Those who are faithful to the end will be rewarded, but those who refuse God’s gift of salvation will be judged.
Verse 4 gives an imagery of Satan who is also known as the serpent in Genesis when he tempted Adam and Eve. Satan and a third of the angels were also cast down from heaven because of their rebellion against God. Isaiah 14:1-15 and Ezekiel 28:13-19 describe Satan when he was Lucifer. He was called the son of the morning, a covering cherub, perfect and beautiful and was covered in precious jewels until sin entered his heart, and he forsook all that God had given him. He tried to destroy Jesus because He was the beginning of the Church age, but it was determined from the beginning that Satan would lose this final battle. Jesus will take His place as Lord and King over all the earth. This is our future promise and we should place our hope in God’s truth.
We see a great battle taking place in the heavenlies between Michael and his angels and Satan and his demons. As it was prophesied from the beginning that Jesus would crush Satan’s head, and Satan would be utterly defeated because he cannot prevail over God’s army of angels. When he was thrown down to the earth, he has been persecuting Christians all throughout history. It seems that in these last days in the time of Satan’s wrath, the Christians will overcome through the Spirit and power of the Lord Jesus Christ. They will hold true to their testimony even to the point of death. God is ever-present in times of trouble, and He promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. We can rest assured that God will strengthen our faith when it is put to the test, and we will rejoice in our suffering and look forward to the crown of glory.
Sunday School song: “My God is so great, so strong and so mighty; there’s nothing my God cannot do.”
The Lord wants us to listen carefully to what He is saying. He warns us to watch our actions. If we live in wickedness and treachery with intent to do harm, those things will fall right back on us. The overarching theme of the Bible is love. Love should always be the reason, the backbone of why we say what we say, and why we do what we do. We must persevere and live by faith. For in Hebrews 10:36-38 it says: “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not delay. Now the just shall live by faith; but if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure n him.” (also found in Habakkuk 2:2-4)
God will uphold His word and remain faithful to His promises. He said in 2 Peter 3:7-9 “But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same Word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. But beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. People seem to think that they have an entire lifetime to live how they want because they do not see any visible signs that Jesus is returning soon to fulfill the Bible’s prophecy. Jesus said, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” For the mainstream, “seeing is believing” but that is not faith. Hebrews 11:1 clearly states that “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Jesus will surely come, so let us prepare for His return and live by faith!
It appears that this is the final test of faith for those still remaining on the earth of who receives the mark of the beast or doesn’t receive it. The beast is given the power to deceive them, but not all will worship it. Satan disguises himself like a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He is ready to deceive but we must discern his counterfeit spirit by knowing the words of God. Those who know God and His truth are set free and will not fall prey to the schemes of the devil no matter how tempting they may be. We must remember all the hostility that Jesus endured from sinners so that we do not become weary and give up. We must press on even to the point of death and overcome sin (Hebrews 12:3-4).
The 144,000 was a select group of men set apart for God during the time of judgment to testify of God’s truth in the face of great persecution. No deceit was found in their mouths, and they were without fault before God. Could God say that about us? Psalm 32:2 says, “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity (charge his account with), and in whose spirit there is no deceit. King David prayed this Psalm when he was in sin and experienced the joy of God’s forgiveness when he confessed his iniquity before Him. The 144,000 were not perfect men, but they were forgiven and covered in Christ’s righteousness. God did not call us to perfection because no one is righteous, not even one because all have fallen short of the glory of God. However, Jesus paid the price for our sins once and for all. We are called to love God and obey His commands.
It is certainly more blessed to enter God’s eternal rest now rather than later because our eyes see the trouble and wickedness that abounds. Lawlessness increases causing the love of most to grow cold. To each person God has numbered our days, and we must live out these times while we still have breath by keeping the commandments of God and holding onto our faith in Jesus until He returns and gathers all His people to our heavenly home. We shall most likely see more sorrows, persecutions, hardships, etc. but let us keep our eyes on Christ who is the author and finisher of our faith. He will put all His enemies under His feet, even death, and we shall reign with Him for all eternity (1 Corinthians 15:25-26).
There are two reapings that take place in this passage. In the first, Jesus Himself reaps the souls of the earth who did not receive the mark of the beast. With one quick sweep, He gathers these saints to Himself before His wrath is poured out on the earth. In the second reaping, the angel gathers the grapes to put into the winepress, and from this wine (blood), God will have the seven bowls filled with His wrath to fulfill His judgment on the remaining inhabitants on the earth who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as King and worship Him. Although God’s word is to be taken literally, far too few people actually believe that God’s judgment will take place. They believe they still have time and resist the Spirit’s prompting to submit to Jesus. More pastors and evangelists should be preaching to the people as John the Baptist did: “Repent, for the Kingdom of God is near.” Let us heed God’s warning and impending judgment.
How terrible the wrath of God is! It’s hard to believe how stubborn and prideful man can be to reject God in all these judgments. It can only be that God’s Spirit has left them just as He left King Saul when he disobeyed God’s command and did not completely destroy the Amalekites. He was supposed to carry out God’s judgment against them because of their surprise attack on the Israelites while they were traveling in the desert, tired and worn out. The Amalekites came from one of Esau’s sons, Eliphaz, and his concubine, Timna (Gen 36:12). This tribe’s actions were wicked in the sight of God, and they were bent on evil. There is a reason why God does not spare the wicked because they continue to do what is evil, and it becomes a poison to the entire human race. God maintains justice, and He avenges His people. God has given the world plenty of time to repent, and He’s given them plenty of chances to change their ways.
This also reminds me the value of marrying a God-fearing person. Unlike Esau who did not care who he married (women who worshiped other gods), we need to marry believers so that we can raise holy children and a holy generation and live under the blessing of God. May we fear God and always have a soft heart toward Him that we may be teachable and be used by Him.
The Lord God knows all things, sees all things and hears all things. Nothing escapes His eyes, especially injustice done to those He loves. He said in Psalm 7:11-16 that He is a just judge, and He is angry with the wicked. If they do not repent God prepares His judgment and executes His wrath upon them. Those who have sown iniquity, trouble and falsehood, who have made a pit for the poor, weak and righteous, will fall into their own ditch and trouble shall return upon their own heads. The slaughter of the saints and prophets will not be without penalty. The same blood they have shed, they will have to drink, for this is what they deserve. Just as the martyrs cried out, how long until their blood is avenged, God hears their cries, and He will avenge in His appointed time. Since God is our Avenger, we do not need to take the law into our own hands. God is just, and He is good.
“Vengeance belongs to our God; He renders punishment to the proud. (Psalm 94:1-2)
“For the Lord is the God of recompense, He will surely repay. (Isaiah 51:56)
“As you have done, it shall be done to you; your reprisal shall return upon your own head. (Obadiah 1:15)
Even though God is angry with the wicked, it still grieves His heart when He has to pour out His wrath. He commands us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, and to bless those who curse us, and do good to those who hate us (Matt. 5:44). This is Christ’s model in how we should live.
The Bible tells us there is an unpardonable sin in Matthew 12:31-32 and Mark 3:28-30. “All the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin,” “subject to eternal condemnation.” What is blasphemy? The commentaries explain it as “consciously, persistently, deliberately, and maliciously rejecting the testimony of the Holy Spirit to the deity and saving power of the Lord Jesus.” It is the unbeliever who refuses to accept the prompting of the Holy Spirit over and over again until it is too late to repent. When Jesus spoke of this unpardonable sin, the Pharisees accused Him of healing the demon-possessed man by the power of Satan. They refused to believe in the miracle and that Jesus is the Son of God. It is this blasphemy of which the people remaining on the earth are guilty. They refuse to believe that God is the one and only one true God. They would not repent of their sin, and they have become even more cold-hearted and blinded. God’s grace and mercy does have an end, so that is why He said, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” What was this rebellion? It was when the Israelites tested God in the desert even though they saw Him part the Red Sea and perform other miracles. Because of their rebellion, they never entered God’s rest. Always have a heart that is soft and teachable toward God with your full submission.
Where have we seen this exclamation before? It was spoken by Jesus Christ when He hung on the cross before He breathed His last breath. He said, “It is finished!” He conquered sin and death once and for all that all who put their faith in Him would be born again and have eternal life. In verse 17 when God says, “It is done!”, the blood of the saints has been avenged, the nations have received their punishment, and God has finished the outpouring of His wrath. The wickedness of man has come to an end, and now God’s children can enter their eternal rest. Just as God rested from His work of creation, after it was finished, we now look forward to the day of this heavenly rest, rest from our labor, rest from sorrow and pain. What a delight it will be to rest in His presence! Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29). When we rest in Jesus and learn from Him, our burdens will be lifted, and His truth will set us free.
It’s interesting that none of these ten kings have their own kingdoms to rule and yet, they have given all their power and authority to the beast, who may have promised them a kingdom. Satan made this same promise to Jesus when He was tempted in the desert during His forty days of fasting. Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain and “showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory,” and he said, “I will give You all these things if You fall down and worship me.” Jesus did not covet power and authority because He already knew it was His. He surrendered His power and authority temporarily so that God’s will could be fulfilled – His sacrifice for the salvation of all mankind.
God also asks us to lay down our desires, dreams, finances, job and even ministry, so that He can train and prepare us to do His will. Jesus could not disobey the first commandment to worship God and serve Him only (Matt. 4:10, Deut. 6:13). Therefore, nothing in our lives should take the place of God. He must be first for He is second to none. Our God is a jealous God and does not want our heart to be divided. His promises are true and trustworthy. He has overcome our enemies, so we must be faithful to the end.
I find that the study of genealogies of people in the Bible quite interesting. When we go back to the time of Noah, we see that his youngest son, Ham, was the ancestor of the Babylonians, Ninevites, and Canaanites – these were all wicked nations who did not worship God (Genesis 10:6-20). The prophet Isaiah prophesied of Babylon’s destruction in chapter 47. Because Babylon boasted that she is the lady (queen) of kingdoms saying, “I am, and there is no one else besides me,” her shame will be uncovered, evil will come upon her as well as trouble and desolation. She will not be able to escape the vengeance of our God.”
This demonic spirit who desires greatness is the same spirit of Satan who wanted to become greater than God. At any time, Satan can tempt us with power, greed, fame, and pride. These desires can come upon us suddenly, so we must stand guard against the devil’s prowling and “test every spirit whether they are of God” (1 John 4:1).
King Solomon said about the pleasures of this world: “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure…Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun” (Eccles. 2:10-11). This comment was from the wisest man in the entire world, who was also the richest and most famous. No one before or after him was like him. Why would God allow Solomon to live life as he pleased? I believe God wanted Solomon to write about his life to be included in the Bible so that we could learn from Solomon’s errors and his sinful lifestyle. Every Scripture is God-breathed (inspired of God), suitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). God has given us these words so that we would be complete and thoroughly equipped for our calling. We are not to build up treasures on earth for they are all fleeting and will used as fuel for the impending fire of judgment; these are the wood, hay and stubble – all that Babylon represents. Let us store up for ourselves treasures in heaven that will last for all eternity, and only find pleasure in Jesus, our Savior and Lord.
In Psalm 7:14-16 it says, “Behold, the wicked brings forth iniquity; yes, he conceives trouble and brings forth falsehood. He made a pit and dug it out, and has fallen into the ditch which he made. His trouble shall return upon his own head, and his violent dealing shall come down on his own crown.” God’s laws demand justice and just as it is written in this Psalm, Babylon is reaping what they have sown. For the Word of God says, “whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” If we sow to the flesh, we will reap corruption, but if we sow to the Spirit, we will reap everlasting life (Galatians 6:7-8). Therefore, we must be careful how we live our lives making sure it is for the glory of God. As we continue to meditate on God’s word and the things of God, we will be filled with the Holy Spirit and desire to do what pleases God. However, if we invest in the world, it will swallow up our peace and joy, and we will always be empty.
This is the hope that believers all over the world are waiting for, the great wedding banquet when Jesus and His bride, the Church, shall be made one. We will see our Lord face to face and will be made complete in Him. No more pain and sorrow nor hunger or thirst; only joy and gladness – an experience that this world could never fulfill because this world in incomplete. This is the end goal for which every Christian should live, “working out our salvation with fear and trembling” and allowing God to work in us (Philippians 2:12-13). God is not only loving and merciful, but He is a righteous Judge, judging our hearts and actions. Therefore, let us not be found sleeping when He returns, but alert and ready at all times, keeping ourselves pure to meet our King.
The names of God are limitless because they represent His character and His works. In just these four verses alone, Jesus is given five names: Faithful and True, a hidden name, Word of God, Kings of kings and Lord of lords. Jesus was faithful from the beginning of time to the present. Especially when He came to earth as a man, He remained obedient to the will of God even unto death and no deceit was found in Him. He was and is always true. He has a secret name only known to Himself; one that is very special a d represents Him as He is – a treasure. His name is the Word of God because He was present in the beginning before all things were created. He was first the spoken Word and then the written Word of God. He is above all kings and above all lords because no one is greater. He deserves such honor because of what He has done on the cross. If we were to study and examine all the names of God, He does not fall short. Each name is an accurate and truthful description of who God is, and He said in James 1:12, “Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Yes, so let us stand firm to the end and wait expectantly for God’s reward because His promise is true.
As I study the Messianic Jewish viewpoint of chapter 20, it appears that those saints who are seated on the thrones are the 12 disciples, and then the other believers who testify that Christ is Lord in their lives, who had suffered for His name, who rejected the beast and did not receive his mark, would reign with Christ forever. This is the first resurrection, but the other believers do not rise up from their graves. This is truly a test of those who are completely sold out for Christ and those who are just nominal Christians.
Those who faithfully serve God with all their heart no matter what the cost will be richly rewarded and have the privilege to reign with Jesus as priests. I would much rather choose the life of a die-hard believer than a nominal Christian who just gets by in order to get into heaven.
As I studied the Bible teaching on this chapter, during the thousand years while Satan is bound up, the people will re-populate the earth. The sin nature has not yet been dealt with, so the people over time would once again forget their first love, Jesus the Savior. A relationship with Jesus takes effort just as any other relationship does. In this thousand-year period, the people could see Jesus face to face, and they could be in His presence being surrounded by worship. I’m not sure that everyone took the opportunity to get to know Jesus. Those who don’t cultivate an intimate relationship with Christ will be susceptible to the deception of Satan. His lies may seem like truth and be very appealing, but we must continue to be sanctified in God’s word and resist the devil, then he will flee from us (James 4:7). We must resist even up to the point of death that Jesus may welcome us into His kingdom with open arms.
If we become enemies of Christ, we cannot win. Even though Satan’s followers were as many as the sand of the sea, they were completely destroyed instantly by God’s holy fire. Let us not take the Lord’s judgments lightly. He is a just judge, who has given so much grace and mercy with ample time for everyone to repent.
Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” for those who trample the Son of God, who reject His blood sacrifice and blaspheme His Name. God has said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay” (Deut 32:35, Rom 12:19, Heb 10:30). Nothing that we do escapes God’s eyes – the righteous will be judged by their good works since they are already in the Book of Life, but the wicked and unbelievers will be judged for their sins. Because there is no one righteous, without the seal of the Holy Spirit – the blood of the Lamb, all will stand condemned before our Holy God. His judgments are true and no one will have an excuse because their sins are all written in the books of His judgment. All the more, we should be sanctified through the blood of Christ and His holy word, working out our salvation with fear and trembling. His grace helps us endure the race to which we have been called. In Deuteronomy 10:12-13, the Lord requires us “to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes” which the Lord commanded.
The old has passed away and the new has come just as it says in 2 Corinthians 5:17. The process of being sanctified and becoming a new creation in Christ is now completed. In verse 6, Jesus said, “It is done!” In our mortal bodies we only know in part, but we shall know fully when we come face to face with our Maker (1 Cor 13:12). We shall no longer experience sorrow or pain and every tear will be wiped away. We will rejoice in the presence of our God and King who rules forever and ever. So as the apostle Paul exhorts us, “Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
If we were to picture how large the New Jerusalem is, it is comparable to the land mass size of the United States except smaller in width. What’s even more amazing is that its height equals its length and width! After doing some research, I found that if there were 12 feet between each story, the city would be over 600,000 stories, which would make it go past earth’s atmosphere (tourofheaven.com). It’s really hard to fathom that anything could be so tall, and yet it is also adorned with all kinds of precious gems of every color at every level with all the streets made of transparent gold. Our best imagination would not be able to fathom the beauty and luxury of our eternal home. Jesus is personally preparing it for His bride, the Church. That Sunday School song, “Heaven Is a Wonderful Place”, brings on a whole new meaning of a hopeful future for all God's children who are called by His name.
This glorious light was already prophesied by Isaiah 60:19, "The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; but the Lord will be to you an everlasting light, and your God your glory." It's hard to imagine that the glory of God would be brighter than the sun that we would not need the sun nor the moon, since there will never be night. No longer will there even be a need for the temple because verse 22 says that God and Jesus are the temple. Together the triune God is all-sufficient and no one else can satisfy our needs. To be surrounded by God's pure light and radiance would be absolute bliss. I could picture myself lying upon green meadows in the midst of rolling hills and beautiful flowers of rainbow colors all around with a gentle breeze upon my face from the very breath of God and the sun shining down on me from His radiance, but of course, I'm sure the glory of the new heaven and new earth would far exceed this experience. I look forward to this day of absolute contentment, a joy inexpressible, and a peace so soothing to my spirit. God is good!
Just as God is light, let us illuminate God's light to this world while we are still living, helping the people experience the glory of God through praise and worship, the preaching of the Word and prayer.
In Revelation 2:7 the Lord says, "To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life." The tree of life is reserved for the overcomers; it is their reward for obeying God's commandments who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb. This tree never runs out of fruit; it keeps growing new fruit monthly and the leaves have special properties to bring healing. If you think about all the battle wounds of those who have been slain for their faith, the leaves will be needed to heal their wounds. God is good! I look forward to all the restoration and all things being made new. Let us be overcomers because Jesus has already won the victory for us. He said, "Be of good cheer for I have overcome the world."
Jesus has always utilized the leaves of healing, and it is the reason why we have records of so many testimonies of healing in the Bible and throughout church history. Even the prophets were able to access this healing through the power of God. God still does heal today in our generation for He has not changed. He is the same God yesterday, today and forever. We need to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit to be used as His hands to bring healing to others.
When John was about to worship the angel, he forbade him to bow down because only God can receive worship. People often idolize famous actors and singers even among the Christian circle. It is wrong for us to give them such honor because it is God who gave them these gifts to be used for the glory of God. It's so easy to get caught up by all the attention and admiration when you are in the spotlight, but we must always remember who we are. Fame can open the door to pride. Just as angels are servants of God, we are the same. Whatever we do, it is in obedience to God's calling, and we should not dare to think or entertain the idea of reveling in the worldly fame. God can take it away in an instant if we abuse it because the Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction." Our God is the famous one who created the heavens and the earth, and glory only belongs to God. Therefore, let us always be careful not to take away the praise and honor that our Lord and King deserves. May we worship the Lord God alone by saying, "Blessing and honor and glory, and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever" (Rev. 5:13).