THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A BLESSING
We behold the book of Revelation as a mysterious and demanding book. It is seldom red. Yet, it is the only book in the bible in which God promises a blessing to everyone who reads it. REV 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it.
WRATH OF GOD
Events of apocalyptic proportions pan out over the pages of Revelation. Catastrophes roll out, one after the other. It is a dark and dreadful time, indeed. It supersedes anything in the natural, and we know, this is the wrath of God.
How are we to deal with the wrath of God? We read in Revelation 6:17 For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Well, keep reading because there is a silver lining to this cloud.
CROSS ROADS
LOVE AND WRATH
A God of love and a God of wrath. This is the sort of thing that can drive believers into unbelief. God is not suffering from schizophrenia. If you would, let me explain by use of an analogy.
SUPERMAN
People love to go to the cinema to watch Superman. In one scene Superman is a harmless and loving man going by his normal day. He works in an office. In another scene, around the corner, evil doers is beating up people. Defenceless people. You are watching this, and you know Superman is going to come around that corner at any moment. He is going to beat the living daylights out of those evil doers. The moment he arrives you know that everything is going to be fine.
JUSTICE
If we are honest, we want God to take care of the evil doers in this world. We want God to set right what is wrong in this world. We want God to judge. Remember the “how can their be a God if there is so much evil in this world?”
Acts 17:31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” Revelation is the book in the Bible where God is coming to judge every evil doer.
LION OF JUDAH
We read in Revelation, when Jesus Christ comes again, He comes as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. This is the second coming. This time He will come to judge. Revelation 19:11 I saw heaven standing open, and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
PROPHECY, ONLY GOD
PROPHECY
What is a prophecy? A prophecy is an event recorded long before it happens. An example of a bible prophecy is in Isaiah 53. The Lord’s crucifixion recorded about 800 years before it happens. Isa 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities.
ABOUT 2500 PROPHECIES
The Bible writers recorded about 2,500 prophecies. Many of these prophecies are in the book of Revelation. About 2000 of these prophecies are already fulfilled, to the letter. There are no errors!
ISAIAH
We read in Isaiah 46:9-10 I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’
God is saying “only I am God.” This is the lithium test. There is no prophecy in the Quran or in the book of Mormon. The Bible is the only book that foretells the future.
REVELATION
Revelation is the fulfilment of the promises made in the Old Testament. Promises which were faithful recorded by the prophets of the time. Daniel calls it “the day of the Lord”. Zephaniah calls it “that terrible day of the Lord”, and Joel calls it “that great and terrible day of the Lord.”
To understand Revelation, you need to know the Old Testament. That is the only prerequisite.
THE SILVER LINING IN THE CLOUD
BE OF GOOD COURAGE
It can be challenging to be of good courage when grim headlines, dishearten us. Hardly a day goes by that we don’t hear about disasters, lawlessness, and pestilence. Luk 21:26 People will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world.
We read in Matthew 24:8 “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” Labour pains starts of far apart and low in intensity. It grows closer and more intense towards the time of birth.
YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWS NEAR
Jesus said look for a time when all these things happen at the same time. Then, be of good courage, your redemption is drawing near. Matthew 24:33 When you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.
Luke writes in Luke 21:10 Then Jesus said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in varius places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 28 When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near. 31. When you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 34. Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and tat day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35. For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.
OUR BLESSED HOPE
The bible tells us the church will suffer difficulties and persecution, but the wrath of God is not for His children. Jesus died for the gospel, that we may be well. The Rapture is the event that takes the church out at the right time. See here The Rapture.
Who is the church? Individuals, not a religious institute. Those are people who believe in Jesus Christ as there saviour. People who believe in the gospel that Jesus died for.
The End.
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