Revelation 22 - Amen

Look, I am coming soon!  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll. (v. 7)

Amen.  Come, Lord Jesus. (v. 20)

Revelation 21 - It Is Done

A chapter a week, nearly every week for the past 3 years or so has us looking at Revelation 21.  I love this chapter.  I can't wait to see it.  I could read it over and over again and never get bored.  Check it out:

"It is done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children." (v. 6-7)

And:

"I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.  The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.  The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it.  On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.  The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it.  Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life."  (v. 22-27)

Having one's name written in this Lamb's book of life is not hard to do.  It simply requires that we humble ourselves enough to admit that we are in need.  We cannot save ourselves.  We cannot get out of our own way.  We need a savior and that Savior is Jesus Christ, who shed His blood to pay for our eternal salvation.

Revelation 20 - The Beginning of the End

In this chapter we have an angel seizing and binding Satan for a thousand years, locking him up for that time so that Satan will be unable to get at people and deceive them.  I don't really get why after the 1000 years he has to be set free (v. 3), but I guess maybe that will make sense to me someday.

It's pretty cool how the martyrs are honored and given a special place to reign alongside Christ.  (v. 4-6)

Then we get to Satan being released from his cell, going out and deceiving the nations.  This is a tough one to understand.  Why is Satan turned loose?  Why not put him in the lake of burning sulfur (v. 10) and just be done with him?

One thing that always impresses me in Revelation are the descriptions of our God.  Verse 11 is just awesome.  I love reading how powerful and majestic our God is.  I can't get enough of it.  As I read passages like Revelation 20, there's so much I wish I could understand, but then I see how awe-inspiring God is, and I'm reminded that I need to trust Him, not my own understanding.  His love is perfect and His plan is perfect.

Revelation 19 -- Hallelujah

We have a celebration, and then a final battle sequence going on here.

The great multitude, the 24 elders and 4 winged creatures, then the multitude again all sound their praise and gratitude for the defeat of Babylon in chapters 17-18.

Then the angel speaks to John, John is overcome by awe, the angel deflects John's praise back to God, and then we come to the decisive battle scene.  We see the resurrected Christ, looking virtually indescribable, leading the armies of heaven against the beast and the false prophet.  It is hard to tell how difficult or bloody this battle is while it's happening, but the forces of evil come to a gruesome end, thrown into the lake of fire or having their flesh devoured by birds.

Bottom line, God wins.

Revelation 18 - Babylon's Fall

When we read Revelation 18 we see that it's a bad day to be Babylon.  Who is Babylon?  Could it simply be the sum total of all the evil everywhere?  Is it more specific than that?  Scholars disagree so who am I to speculate?

But we clearly see that the destruction of this Babylon will be utterly devastating, and will change everything about the world as we know it.  Babylon will be obliterated, "never to be found again" (v. 21).

Revelation 17 -- Prostitutes and Beasts

One of the strangest chapters ever.  Full of symbolism and images of things that once were, are not, yet will come back again.  Whoa.

I loved verse 7 when the angel says, "Why are you astonished?  I will explain...".

The explanation wasn't the easiest thing I've ever tried to understand, but I certainly appreciate the idea that God and His angels realize that these writings aren't all that easy to comprehend for us human beings.

Overall, what I mostly see is that evil is going to be dealt with.  The sources of evil are going to be dealt with.  Evil is going to be eradicated, and what's left will be nothing but good.  That sounds pretty fantastic.

Revelation 16 - 7 Bowls of Wrath

I don't know what to feel when I read something like this chapter.  Should I feel grateful that our God deals with evil?  I think so.  Should I feel afraid because our God clearly doesn't mess around?  Probably.  Should I be distraught because of the people who are going to be the recipient of this wrath?  Yes?  I think? 

I don't like to read about 100 pound hailstones falling on people who are cursing God the whole time.  That is not a feel good story to me.  But I know He is to be trusted and everything He does is born out of a perfect, infinite love that I can't begin to imagine. 

I have heard it said that only in comfortable suburbia do we long for a God who deals with everything and everyone gently and quietly.  There are billions of people all over the world who have been crying out for justice for centuries.  They will get their justice.  I see that in this chapter.