The New Jerusalem
(A Glimpse Of The Kingdom Of God)
Revelation 21:1- 22:21
Key verse: 21:2 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-28-11 delivered at DuPage UBF
“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.”
Have you even wandered what paradise is like? In this passage we will catch a glimpse of the only true paradise of the Kingdom of God. It is such a beautiful place. We will see the new Jerusalem; the dwelling place of God and his people. Here, God himself will wipe away all tears and there will be no death, sorrow or pain. But the most wonderful thing about it is that God and the Lamb are its temple. There is no need for any light, for God gives it light and the Lamb is its lamp. All nations will walk by its light. We will also see the tree of life which is for the healing of nations. All whose robes are washed in the blood of the Lamb may enter and eat its fruit, and quench their thirst at the river of life. It sounds beautiful doesn’t it? Do you want to be there? Well you can. You can behold the Kingdom of God with the eyes of your hearts, even now. You can get a taste of the Kingdom of God even now! When our robes are washed clean through faith in Jesus’ blood, then we can enter into it. Through our study of this passage may our hearts long to dwell with Jesus in his holy city. May our hearts resound with the prayer, “Come quickly Lord Jesus!”
Part l: The Renewal Of All Things (21:1-3)
In the vision we are told of a new heavens and new earth. Look at verse 1, “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”
There was a need for a replacement. The first heaven and the first earth served a great purpose…to lead us back to God. Originally the Garden of Eden was a perfect paradise where God and people lived in perfect harmony. They were given everything. They had no sin and they had eternal life. There was true hope, meaning and purpose. But because of mankind’s sin, Adam and Eve were kicked out of the garden to dwell in a world under a curse. The history of disobedience began and plunged the whole human race into rebellion against God. Living in this old earth, we are subjected to endless sufferings and hardships as we struggle to survive and find meaning in life. Mankind has tried again and again to elevate itself above this fallen world and attain utopia, but we have failed repeatedly.
God understands our suffering and since the creation of the world, God had in mind to make all things new. It was always God’s desire that his wonderful creation once again live in perfect harmony with him forever. That is why he sent Jesus into this world. Jesus came down from heaven to earth as a baby in a manger to start this process of restoring the world back to God. (Ro 8:21) In Jesus, God’s redemptive plan was completed. For those who have accepted Jesus and are born again, this world suddenly seems new. But at the renewal of all things there will be a new heavens and a new earth where sin will never be able to separate us from our God. We will love and worship and praise God while walking with him in perfect paradise, the great and glorious kingdom of God! Let’s think about John’s vision in more detail to discover some of the characteristics of this kingdom of God.
Part ll: The New Jerusalem (21:1-27)
First, it is the “New Jerusalem” Look at verse 2a, “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,...” It was always God’s plan to bring about this new heaven and new earth. It was foretold 800 years before Jesus was born. Isaiah 65:17, reads, “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.” Our hearts long for something new. We get stuck in the same ruts, the same routines, the same recurrent sin problems and we wonder if anything is every going to change. But God is oh so eager to bring about something new and fresh into our lives. All we have to do is come to him in humility, repentance and faith and you will become a new creation. Your old life will never be the same. Ultimately he will bring about the new heaven and the new earth in its fullness.
Next, this new Jerusalem came down from God. Look at verse 2a. “I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God,…” Mankind could never create or discover paradise on earth. The Tibetan Buddhists failed to create Shagri la. The Soviets failed to create a communist utopia. Democracy has failed to make America a Utopia. Young people fail to find paradise in other people. Older people fail to create our own utopias full of comfort, security and a comfortable retirement filled with world travel. Usually our sins scuttle these plans. It is impossible to make paradise on earth on our own. It must come down from God. That is the only way.
In the midst of our helplessness God came down to this world to meet us. God became man, in the form of a tiny baby and lived among us. (Jn 1:14) He took the initiative and dwell among his people. During the 3 ½ years of his earthly ministry Jesus taught about the kingdom of God. Through his suffering, death and resurrection he opened the way to the kingdom of God for all who believe. After his ascension into heaven, he is dwells in believer’s hearts through his spirit. He is among us even now for Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matt 18:20) But that is not all. Look at verse 3. “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.’” One day the new Jerusalem will descend from the heavens. There we will see Jesus face to face and walk with him in the streets of shining gold. Only Jesus can make this happen because he is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the eternal God. (5) With God all things are possible. (Matt 19:26)
In the new Jerusalem, the power death will be completely vanquished. Look at verse 4, “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” We know that wherever Jesus reigns, there is peace, security, comfort and love. Those who are in Christ have tasted this truth, for prior to meeting Jesus our hearts were full of tears and sorrow. We cried, sometimes not knowing why. In June 1986, I cried, “Oh God!” in my pillow over my loneliness and meaninglessness of life. I was suffering unimaginably while living under the old order of things. God heard that pray and saw my tears and started a process to help me accept Jesus into my heart as my own Lord and Savior. After one month of Bible study, and receiving the love and prayers of servants of God, I accepted Jesus. He wiped all my tears from my eyes. Sure there are times when I sucome to tears and sorrow and I feel pain, but these times are temporary. For I can always turn to Jesus and be set free once again to experience newness of life. I have a sure hope that in the Kingdom of God that every tear will be wiped from my eyes and there will be no more mourning, crying or pain at all. Praise God! No matter what we are going through, it is not the end. The great news is that Jesus came to save us from our sins. Come to him and receive his comfort and get a taste of what heaven will be like, even now.
Who gets to dwell in the new Jerusalem? Look at verses 6-8, “He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.’” It is those who overcome this world which is full of sin and temptation. The only way to be an over comer is to drink from the water of life, Jesus Christ. There was once a very thirsty women. She was not overcoming this world very well. In fact this world was dragging her down into the quagmire of sin. She was thirsty for love and in the process of trying to find love, she was divorced five times and had a live in boyfriend. Jesus came to her, in the midst of her thirstiness and offered her living water. He said to her in John 4:13-14, “…Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” This woman accepted Jesus’ invitation. She repented of her sin and believed in Jesus. In doing so, she drank the Springs of living water, Jesus Christ. Her soul was quenched. She left her water jar behind and told her whole village that she had found the Messiah. For the first time in her life, she overcame the world. She became part of the bride of Christ and a citizen in the new Jerusalem. There is more than enough of this living water in the new Jerusalem. Look at 22:1-2a, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city….”. There is more than enough for all to drink and quench our thirsty souls forever and ever.
The new Jerusalem is very beautiful. Look at verses 9-21. The gates are of a giant single pearl. There are twelve of them. There are precious jewels everywhere. The streets are shining gold. The beauty of this celestial city is reflected throughout the Bible. First it is reflected in the beautiful Garden of Eden. It is reflected in the temple worship. The temple was adorned with gold and the diadem worn by Aaron appeared to be a symbol of the new Jerusalem. You can read its description in Exodus 28:15-21. The beauty of the new Jerusalem is reflected in the Christian church itself. God wanted us to know throughout history that the kingdom of God is very beautiful and desirable. It is so beautiful that it makes this world look like we are living in a garbage can in comparison.
The new Jerusalem is huge. Look at verse 15-17, “The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. 16 The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long.” Consider it’s dimensions. 1,400 miles in length! That is like from here to Los Angeles. There is room for millions upon millions of believers. This new Jerusalem is the father’s house. Jesus once told his disciples that in the father’s house there are many room and that he is going on ahead to prepare a place for us. (Jn 14:2). Do you have your reservation?
The new Jerusalem is built on a solid foundation. Look at verses 14 and 19. “The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb….and “19 The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone…” Our faith is a reflection of this foundation. Christians do not believe something with no foundation. Ephesians 2:19-21 reads, “ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” Our faith in the Gospel is rooted in history, fulfilled prophecy, the Scriptures and the lives of faith of many great servants of God. You can entrust your lives to Jesus and his Gospel. The New Jerusalem reflects this fact. This city is solid. It is secure. It is everlasting. Nothing can ever bring it down. Ever!
There are many other things about this new Jerusalem. Look at verses 22-27. Verse 22 reads, “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” We will dwell with Jesus intimately, just as he was with us in the Garden of Eden so will he be in heaven. Look at at verse 23, “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 glory of God will shine so brightly that it will even outshine the sun. Millions of people will walk by the light of God, no longer by false ideologies our corrupt political philosophies or false human standards. “The kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. “ and “The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it” This means that even the greatest among people will dedicate all they have and do for the glory of God. How happy it is to take the focus off of ourselves and give all the glory and honor and praise to Jesus. Look at verse 25, “On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.” We lock our doors for security reasons. But in the Kingdom of God there will be everlasting peace and security…24/7 forever.
The new Jerusalem will be a place of healing and eternal life. Listen to verses 22:2b, “…On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” We spend billions on healthcare in this nation and it doesn’t make us live much longer. Health insurance is only a dream for millions of America. We beat our bodies in the gym. We overdose on antioxidants. But in the kingdom of God, there is the fruit of the tree of life which we will eat. We will have imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual heavenly bodies. (1 Cor 15:42-43) We will be in the prime of health. All of our weaknesses will disappear. All of our wounds and scars that have been caused by our sins will be healed. All of the world’s conflicts will be resolved. Believing Arabs and believing Jews will love each other. Believing Republicans and Democrats will vote together. Relationships will be healed. All people in the new Jerusalem will co-operate, and love and serve each other. There will be healing in abundance in God’s kingdom and that healing begins the moment we come to Jesus.
But there is only one way to get into this city. Look at verse 27, “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.” People can not just enter into the new Jerusalem illegally. We can not become pure or get into the Lamb’s book of life through our own goodness. At the judgment, the Book of Life will be opened. In these books are recorded the deeds of everyone, good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10 reads, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” This simply means, that while you are in the body,…in this life…, if you have done things that invite Christ’s salvation in your life, then you will have your name written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. You will pass through the judgment, and into the gates of the celestial city. These things are confessing and repenting of your sins. Listening to what Jesus has to say through his word and deciding to believe it from the heart. It means placing all of your hope and trust in Jesus and deciding to live for his glory and serving his purposes alone. These are things that will get you praise from Jesus at the final judgment. 22:14 makes this a little clearer.“ Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.” When you do these things, you are essentially washing your robes and may enter the new Jerusalem.
What will we be doing in the new Jerusalem? Some people think that heaven is like a Club Med, an eternal Caribbean vacation, where we laze around on the beach and sip Tahiti treats. Bt this is not so. Revelation 22:3 reads, “No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him.” In the past we only worked hard for three meals a day, only to barely survive and then die. But in the new Jerusalem we will be serving Jesus. This work will be joyful and fruitful because there will be no more curse. Look at verse 5, “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.” We will be walking by the light of the Lord and we will reign with him. We will be co-working with Jesus as part of his team. What a great privilege that is!
Part lll: “Behold I Am Coming Soon!” (22:7-21)
We are going to enter the new Jerusalem sooner than we think. Let’s read verse 7, “ ‘Behold, I am coming soon! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy in this book.” We tend to think that all of this talk about the kingdom of God is about about some far off place in some distant time. But not so. Jesus once said, the kingdom of God is near. (Lk 10:9) It is near to your soul. Also, Jesus Christ could come anytime. We don’t know the time, but the signs of the end of the age are clearly being set into place. But practically speaking, for all of us, the time when we see Jesus is when we take our fleeting breath. We do not know when this time comes. But we need to be ready and live as if Jesus is coming today.. “Behold! I am coming soon!” Jesus says.
Does all of this talk about Jesus and his kingdom move your heart? It sure did move John’s heart. Look at 22:8, “I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me.” John felt compelled to worship. This is the right response. So often we are “ho hum” about the kingdom of God, thinking we have heard it all before. For some it is an interesting story. But we need to see what John saw, with the eyes of our hearts and renew our sincere worship of Jesus.
Jesus will bring his reward. Let’s read verses 12 & 14, “ Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done…14 ‘Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city.’” There definitely will be a reward for all those who have remained faithful to Jesus. We will be ushered into eternal life where we will see our Savior, Jesus, face to face. We will behold the beautiful and glorious new Jerusalem, the kingdom of God. We will receive praise from Jesus in proportion to how we have lived our lives for him. Hopefully, he will hug us and say, “Well, done my good and faithful servant.” and not, “Wow! You just barely made it through the flames, my child.” Let’s be full of spiritual deeds, like repentance and faith and simple obedience to the words of God and receive Jesus’ reward when he comes.
There are many descriptions of Jesus in this passage. Jesus is the bridegroom. He is the one to whom we, the bride, must give our hearts. He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. He is the eternal God who was here in the beginning and who will be with us throughout eternity. He is the Root and the Offspring of David. That is he is the Promised Messiah, who will reign over the Kingdom of God forever. Jesus is the bright Morning Star, meaning he is the brightest star in the sky. The bright morning star always brought hope and direction to lost, seafaring mariners. Likewise Jesus gives hope and direction to wayfaring pilgrims like ourselves who are making our way through this troubled world to the new Jerusalem.
The angel gives John, and all believers a mission. Look at verse 17, “ The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” The word of God, the spirit of God and the Christian church, have one united beckon call to give to the whole world. It is a message for all people of every tribe and nation to come to Jesus and have their robes washed clean through faith in Jesus and receive the right to enter the gates of the new Jerusalem. Jesus himself gives this invitation in Matthew 11:28-29. He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” When we know who Jesus is we are happy to invite people to come to him.
There are other aspects of placing our hope in the new Jerusalem. We need to trust God. Look at verse 11, “Let him who does wrong continue to do wrong; let him who is vile continue to be vile; let him who does right continue to do right; and let him who is holy continue to be holy.” We can try to do many things for God and change many things but there is a time when we deeply realize that all things are in God’s hands and we simply have to trust God and receive what God gives. Look at verses 18-20. These words show that God is very serious about his word. There are so many unrelenting forces tearing us away from the word of God. But we must uphold the word of God, never changing it, but preaching it as it is. The salvation of millions depend on it. Part of placing your hope in the new Jerusalem is praying for Jesus to come again…soon. Look at verse 20, “ He who testifies to these things says, ‘Yes, I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” Sometimes we want Jesus to come later on, after we have accomplished all that we want to accomplish in this world. But when we have the vision of the new Jerusalem our spontaneous pray will be, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.” We are ready to go anytime.
In this passage we discovered the only true and lasting paradise. It is the new Jerusalem in the eternal kingdom of God. When Jesus began his earthly ministry he proclaimed the words, “The time has come,…the kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news.” (Mk 1:15) This kingdom is beautiful beyond description. It is a place where there is healing, love, peace, light and eternal life and so much more. It the place where we will dwell with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for all eternity. It is the place that our hearts yearn for. It is not just a pipe dream. It is real! This new Jerusalem can be our eternal home when we wash our robes through faith in the blood of Jesus…through faith in his Gospel. Let’s take hold of this kingdom. Let us invite the whole world to come to Jesus and receive the right to enter into his glorious celestial city, starting at COD and NIU campus’. May our daily prayer be, “Amen. Come Lord Jesus.”
Thursday, June 9, 2011
A TESTIMONY TO ALL NATIONS
Matthew 24:1-35 (51) Message delivered by Sarah Barry at the Missionary Conference 5/30/11
Key Verse: 24:14, (30-31) Forward by Kevin Jesmer of NIU UBF
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.”
“At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Forward by Shp Kevin Jesmer (NIU UBF)
The following is the message delivered by Mother Sarah Barry at the Missionary/Shepherd conference in Seoul Korea (May 30th to June 1st 2011). This was the site of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of our UBF ministry. I feel that it is important to hear this message because it is a message that is heard by all of our UBF members worldwide. Through the hearing of this message may our hearts be filled with the same hope and vision that filled the hearts of all attendants to the missionary/shepherd conference. Our ministry was founded on September 1, 1961, in South Korea, in the midst of national turmoil following a military coup d'etat. At the time, Korean college students fell into deep despair due to the social instability and the deteriorating value systems of the times. At that time, Dr. Samuel Lee (1931-2002) was ministering to college students after graduating from a Presbyterian seminary. He was translating Bible material for the “Navigators.” Dr. Lee met Missionary Sarah Barry who volunteered to come to Korea to help this war-devastated country. She was sent by the Board of World Missions of the Presbyterian Church. They shared a common belief that the best way to help Korea and the world was to plant faith and hope for the future in the hearts of college students with a life-giving, Gospel spirit, so that they would grow to be future leaders of the Korea and the world. To this end, they began to pray with the prayer topic, "Bible Korea, World Mission," and studied the Bible with college students. This was the beginning of the University Bible Fellowship. Since then God has established over 1800 full time missionaries in over 92 countries. In the 1980’s, Julie and I came to Jesus through the love and the prayers of such Korean missionaries. Julie in LA and I in Winnipeg Canada. It is through the lives of faith of these missionaries that we have found our own mission and calling in life and the calling and mission of our family. Maybe it is your calling and mission too? You will eventually find out. And so God has been working and using our ministry to touch the hearts of college students world wide, over the last 50 years. This year we wanted to celebrate this fact and find some clear direction for our ministry as a whole for the next 50 years. That should cover the rest of my earthy life and half of my kids’ lives, if everything goes as planned. And so now is the time to sit back and relax and image that you are an attendee at the Missionary/shepherd conference at Seoul Korea and imaging that I am Mother Sarah Barry who is in her eighties. God bless you all. …..Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we give thanks to God. We are here to praise God for his gracious work in and among us. We are here to worship him. We are here to pray for one another and encourage one another. Through the blood of Jesus and by God’s grace alone we have forgiveness of sin. Through his resurrection, we have life and hope in the kingdom of God. We are ready to welcome and worship our King when he comes. God has made our calling, to take the gospel to the campuses of the world, a sure calling. It is a privilege for me to be here among you who have served God sacrificially in the mission fields of the world. We thank him for his presence with us during the past 50 years. As we look forward toward the future, we want to think, not about what we must do, but about what God is doing.
Through earthquakes, famines, a tsunami that devastated Japan, through wars and revolutions in Africa and the Middle East, God has reminded us that he is in control of nature and history. He reminds us that Jesus is coming again. We don’t know when. But his coming is sure. Let’s read verses 30-31. “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
What is God doing in these end times, and what can be our response? Let’s read Mt 24:14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” This is God’s promise. God keeps his promises. There is no failure in world mission. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world..
Part 1: Jesus’ Sorrow –Jerusalem Destroyed
In Matthew 21, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble king, riding a donkey. He went first to the temple. He cleansed it. He drove out all those who were doing worldly business there. He rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He wept over Jerusalem because it rejected God’s love and blessing. He wept because of the suffering that would come to Jerusalem. Let’s read Mt 24:1-3. Jesus and his disciples walked away from the temple and climbed up the Mount of Olives. They sat down, overlooking the beautiful temple which King Herod had built. Jesus’ disciples were moved as they looked at the beautiful buildings. The disciples revealed a value system focused on wealth and power, on material things. Jesus was still weeping in his heart because of God’s people who rejected God’s love (23:37). His heart was full of sorrow when he responded, “I tell you the truth. This temple will be demolished. Not one stone will be left standing on another. Every stone will be thrown down.”
The destruction of Jerusalem happened just as Jesus prophesied: In 70 A.D. a Roman army under General Titus entered Jerusalem. He was bent on destroying the Jews and their religion. Someone set fire to the temple and it burned to the ground. He killed all the Jews he could find. The streets of the city ran with blood. A few people sought refuge in the Masada fortress, but they were discovered and before they could be massacred, they committed mass suicide. The Jewish people were killed or driven out of Palestine. Those who escaped scattered throughout the world. Jews would not return to reclaim Jerusalem for nearly 2000 years–until after WWII in 1948, when the State of Israel was established. When they began to return, they could not rebuild the temple, because a Mosque was sitting on the temple mount. This was God’s sovereign wisdom. There is still no temple; no animal sacrifices. There is no need for the temple, for Jesus is the temple; he is the perfect sacrifice. The destruction of Jerusalem and the attempted annihilation of the Jews is an event comparable to the holocaust of modern times.
To the disciples, the destruction of the temple was tantamount to the end of the world. Indeed, the destruction of the temple foreshadowed the end of the age and Jesus’ second coming. Jesus had these two events in his heart.
Part ll: The End Of The Age And Jesus’ Second Coming.
The disciples asked Jesus two questions about the end of the age: When will you come again? And, what will be the sign of your coming?
Jesus begins his answer to the question about signs with a warning: “Do not be deceived.” People who only look for signs are frequently deceived. Watch out that no one deceives you–false Messiah’s will come. In a world that does not care about truth, lies prevail. False Messiahs take advantage of this. God’s people must watch out and not be deceived. God’s word is truth. We must be equipped with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (35)
In the time leading up to the end there will be great suffering. There will be natural disasters and man-made disasters. Jesus says, “Don’t be alarmed, the end has not come. It is the beginning of birth pains.” We should not give in to fear. God is in control. He tells us that this is the beginning of birth pains. What does he mean by “birth pains”? A woman giving birth to a baby suffers excruciating pain. But it is not pain and suffering that leads to death; it is pain that results in a new life coming into the world. The birth pains herald a new and glorious age, the coming of the Risen Christ, King Jesus, and his kingdom.
What then is the sign of his coming? Read verses 30-31. “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” The sun will be darkened. The moon will not give its light. God will shake the heavens and the stars will fall from the sky. Jesus’ coming is a cosmic event. His elect are those who have accepted the gospel of his kingdom. The mourners are those who have not. The elect will come with the Risen Christ to join him in establishing his glorious kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
The disciples did not fully understand, but they believed. We also do not understand everything, but we believe that Jesus is coming again. It was promised to the first witnesses that Jesus who was taken into heaven would come back in the same way they saw him leave. (Ac 1:11). The Risen Christ will come, bringing God’s kingdom to earth. He will come with his elect. His coming marks the end of this present age. His coming ushers in a new heaven and a new earth. Jerusalem had been cruelly destroyed. But the Apostle John had a vision of a new and glorious Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (Rev 21:1,2) The kingdom of the Risen Christ will be full of love and joy.
The next question is, “When?” –What is the time of his coming? Jesus’ answer is, “No one knows when; Be ready; keep watch.” “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but only the Father.” (36) If we knew the time of Jesus’ coming, we could think, “I’ll get ready later.” People were like this in the days of Noah (24:37-39). Only Noah was ready. The rest of the people went about business as usual, eating, drinking, partying, getting married. They paid much attention to their flesh lives and no attention to their spiritual lives. Noah also lived an ordinary life, but he was different. He was ready. He made time to walk with God, and listen to him. He believed that God meant what he said. So, when God told him to build a boat, he built it. He believed and obeyed God’s word. He was saved, but everyone else drowned. In the same way, we should be ready. Like Noah, we should walk with God in prayer, listen to his word and be ready. Jesus will come like a thief in the night. He will come at a time when we do not expect him. Therefore, we should keep watch.
Part lll. What Is God Doing In These Times And What Will He Do?
What is God doing? First, He is working to help his elect stand firm. Look at verses 12-13. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Second, He is working now through his elect to bring his love and mercy and forgiveness to the world. Third, He will gather his elect from everywhere. “When the Son of Man comes with power and glory he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” Who, then are the elect?
God’s elect are those who have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. They are those who inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the Creation. (25:31-40) The elect love God because God first loved them. They are the “sheep” in Chapter 25 who care for the vulnerable people of society—they feed the hungry, visit the prisoners, minister to the sick, clothe the naked, love the unlovable. They don’t even realize that they are serving God and spreading the gospel of his kingdom. They inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the creation. But, on the other hand, wickedness will increase. God’s people will be persecuted, hated, put to death. Some will fail. They will turn from the faith and betray each other. Most men’s love will grow cold. But these, the worst of times, are also the best of times. It is the time of opportunity. It is the time for love to challenge hate, the time to make God’s saving grace known.
Tass Saada was a PLO sniper. He murdered Jews in Israel; he killed Christians in Jordan. He was born in a refugee camp in Gaza. When the Jewish state was formed in 1948, many Palestinians became homeless immigrants, Tass Saada’s family included. He was raised in a world of radical Islam and violent Palestinian nationalism. By his teenage years he was a cauldron of hatred. Especially, he hated Jews. He had no homeland, so he wanted to immigrate to America. Someone told him that the best way to get a green card was to marry an American. So he did. But in his heart, he was a jihadist and he hated America. One day a friend tried to evangelize him and he got mad. Then his friend offered him a Bible. He shouted, “Don’t get near me—that’s God’s book.” So his friend said, ‘You believe this is God’s book? Then listen to what God’s Book says about Jesus.” And he read John 1:14—“the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” It hit Tass that the Bible teaches plainly that Jesus is God and he trembled. He heard a voice, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” He didn’t know that these words were from the Bible. Jesus was speaking to him personally. Jihad is not the way; Jesus is the Way. He prayed, “Jesus, come into my life.” He repented of his sins. And this violent radical Muslim was transformed by the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. The killer became a man of peace and compassion. Once he called his friend. “Was Jesus a Jew?” “Yes, Jesus was a Jew.” So Tass Saada could love Jews. He could love his wife. He became a powerful and bold preacher of the gospel of the kingdom. He founded an organization called “Hope for Ishmael” dedicated to reconciling Arabs and Jews. He and his wife moved to a refugee camp in Gaza, where he was born, to share Jesus’ love with poverty-stricken children there. Tass Saada is one of God’s elect. God is working through his elect to bring his gospel to the world. This is the time to challenge hatred with God’s love. In these times God refines and purifies the hearts of his people through suffering. Through broken dreams, sickness, seeming failure God purifies our hearts. God’s mission to the world will not fail.
God is spreading his gospel to all nations through his elect. Look at verse 14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” God’s Son, the Christ, was born into a Roman world, according to God’s set time and foreknowledge. Roman laws, Roman soldiers, Roman roads and a common language unified the world in a way that it had never been unified before. Paul and the apostles could travel anywhere without visas. The gospel was spread to the whole Roman world.
We have “Roman roads” in our time, too. We live in the world of the internet, satellite T.V. and radio; in the world of facebook and Twitter and Youtube. Through these modern roads of communication, our world has become one community. In Egypt, Whael Ghonim, a Google executive and Asmaa Mahofouz, a 26 year-old woman, made facebook entries that sparked a revolution. Mubarak’s government fell. News travels. Revolution sparks revolution. The Muslim Radicals want to use the opportunities of our times to destabilize the world so that they can step into a power vacuum and rule. We don’t know which way the revolutions happening in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and other parts of the world are going. But this is a time of unprecedented opportunity for the gospel of the kingdom to be preached in the whole world. Wayne Pederson of Radio station HCJB continues to beam the message of the Prince of Peace into Libya and North Africa, and people are listening. Jesus promised that “the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” (14) Jesus keeps his promise. His coming is our glorious hope.
Part lV: How Can We Respond To What God Is Doing?
We can love God and love one another. Even though people’s love grows cold, God’s love does not grow cold. God is merciful and compassionate. God is love. He is working in and through you and me to bring the gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth. He is working in us to share his love in a world where love has grown cold. By his grace alone, we can stand firm to the end. Let us put our trust in Jesus and give him our hearts.
Again, We can love God and love one another. When we accepted God’s grace of forgiveness, we welcomed Jesus into our hearts. It is no longer I who live. It is Christ who lives in me. We cannot tell about a person’s inner life from his outward appearance. But God looks at the heart. When the Son of Man comes, two men will be working together in a field. They are doing the same thing. But their hearts are different. One knows God; Jesus is in his heart. God’s Spirit rules him. God does not know the other one. One will be taken; the other will be left. Two women will be working together, grinding grain with a hand mill. They are dressed alike and they are doing the same thing. But one has a heart that is ruled by Jesus and the other’s heart is full of greed and lust. One will be taken; the other left. (40-41) The heart cleansed by Jesus’ blood and ruled by the Holy Spirit is a heart that is ready to meet King Jesus. Let us forgive one another. Let us love one another and build up one another.
Paul says, “As we wait for Jesus to come again, ‘(Let us) put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet..let us encourage one another and build up each other, just as in fact you are doing...’” (I Th 5:8-11) Jesus’ blood has cleansed us. We are ready to welcome King Jesus. “He died for us so that we may live together with him.”
We can be faithful and wise servants. We should keep on living the life God called us to live. In verses 45-51, Jesus talks about the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to feed them…He says, “It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” As we wait for the coming of our King Jesus, the indwelling Jesus helps us to be faithful and wise servants. He helps each of us to feed God’s sheep, overcome our selfishness, to be mindful of all of God’s family. He enables my life and your life to be a testimony to the nations.
We can participate in his work of making disciples of all nations. He promises that this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. This is what God is doing. He invites us to participate. In the last verses of Matthew’s gospel, he sends his disciples forth to share in what he is doing. Go and make disciples of all nations. He gives us another promise: And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. We are in Christ and he is in us. We can stand firm. May God use our lives as a testimony to the nations. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.”
1. Read verses 1-3. How was Jesus' view of the temple different from that of the disciples? (Cf.
Mark 13:1) To what future events was Jesus probably referring? What was the disciples'
response? (3)
2. Read verses 4-8. What did Jesus teach about the climate of the world and of the end of the
age? What warnings did he give his disciples? What was Jesus' attitude toward these things?
Why? (6,8)
3. Read verses 9-14. What other things will happen in the last days? How will people react
under such pressure? What should Jesus' people do? What did Jesus promise?
4. Read verses 15-22. What does this "abomination" refer to? (cf. Daniel 9:27; 11:31) When
abominable things happen, what must God's people do? Why might worldly attachments
ensnare people? (16,17,18) How will God help his own?
5. Read verses 23-35. How will false prophets try to deceive God's people? How can we
not be deceived? Who will mourn and who will rejoice when the Son of Man comes?
What lesson can we learn from the fig tree?
6. Read verses 36-51. What does it mean to be ready? What can we learn from the
faithful steward? What happens to the unfaithful steward? (45-51)
Matthew 24:1-35 (51) Message delivered by Sarah Barry at the Missionary Conference 5/30/11
Key Verse: 24:14, (30-31) Forward by Kevin Jesmer of NIU UBF
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.”
“At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
Forward by Shp Kevin Jesmer (NIU UBF)
The following is the message delivered by Mother Sarah Barry at the Missionary/Shepherd conference in Seoul Korea (May 30th to June 1st 2011). This was the site of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of our UBF ministry. I feel that it is important to hear this message because it is a message that is heard by all of our UBF members worldwide. Through the hearing of this message may our hearts be filled with the same hope and vision that filled the hearts of all attendants to the missionary/shepherd conference. Our ministry was founded on September 1, 1961, in South Korea, in the midst of national turmoil following a military coup d'etat. At the time, Korean college students fell into deep despair due to the social instability and the deteriorating value systems of the times. At that time, Dr. Samuel Lee (1931-2002) was ministering to college students after graduating from a Presbyterian seminary. He was translating Bible material for the “Navigators.” Dr. Lee met Missionary Sarah Barry who volunteered to come to Korea to help this war-devastated country. She was sent by the Board of World Missions of the Presbyterian Church. They shared a common belief that the best way to help Korea and the world was to plant faith and hope for the future in the hearts of college students with a life-giving, Gospel spirit, so that they would grow to be future leaders of the Korea and the world. To this end, they began to pray with the prayer topic, "Bible Korea, World Mission," and studied the Bible with college students. This was the beginning of the University Bible Fellowship. Since then God has established over 1800 full time missionaries in over 92 countries. In the 1980’s, Julie and I came to Jesus through the love and the prayers of such Korean missionaries. Julie in LA and I in Winnipeg Canada. It is through the lives of faith of these missionaries that we have found our own mission and calling in life and the calling and mission of our family. Maybe it is your calling and mission too? You will eventually find out. And so God has been working and using our ministry to touch the hearts of college students world wide, over the last 50 years. This year we wanted to celebrate this fact and find some clear direction for our ministry as a whole for the next 50 years. That should cover the rest of my earthy life and half of my kids’ lives, if everything goes as planned. And so now is the time to sit back and relax and image that you are an attendee at the Missionary/shepherd conference at Seoul Korea and imaging that I am Mother Sarah Barry who is in her eighties. God bless you all. …..Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
As we celebrate our 50th anniversary, we give thanks to God. We are here to praise God for his gracious work in and among us. We are here to worship him. We are here to pray for one another and encourage one another. Through the blood of Jesus and by God’s grace alone we have forgiveness of sin. Through his resurrection, we have life and hope in the kingdom of God. We are ready to welcome and worship our King when he comes. God has made our calling, to take the gospel to the campuses of the world, a sure calling. It is a privilege for me to be here among you who have served God sacrificially in the mission fields of the world. We thank him for his presence with us during the past 50 years. As we look forward toward the future, we want to think, not about what we must do, but about what God is doing.
Through earthquakes, famines, a tsunami that devastated Japan, through wars and revolutions in Africa and the Middle East, God has reminded us that he is in control of nature and history. He reminds us that Jesus is coming again. We don’t know when. But his coming is sure. Let’s read verses 30-31. “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.”
What is God doing in these end times, and what can be our response? Let’s read Mt 24:14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” This is God’s promise. God keeps his promises. There is no failure in world mission. The gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world..
Part 1: Jesus’ Sorrow –Jerusalem Destroyed
In Matthew 21, Jesus entered Jerusalem as a humble king, riding a donkey. He went first to the temple. He cleansed it. He drove out all those who were doing worldly business there. He rebuked the Pharisees for their hypocrisy. He wept over Jerusalem because it rejected God’s love and blessing. He wept because of the suffering that would come to Jerusalem. Let’s read Mt 24:1-3. Jesus and his disciples walked away from the temple and climbed up the Mount of Olives. They sat down, overlooking the beautiful temple which King Herod had built. Jesus’ disciples were moved as they looked at the beautiful buildings. The disciples revealed a value system focused on wealth and power, on material things. Jesus was still weeping in his heart because of God’s people who rejected God’s love (23:37). His heart was full of sorrow when he responded, “I tell you the truth. This temple will be demolished. Not one stone will be left standing on another. Every stone will be thrown down.”
The destruction of Jerusalem happened just as Jesus prophesied: In 70 A.D. a Roman army under General Titus entered Jerusalem. He was bent on destroying the Jews and their religion. Someone set fire to the temple and it burned to the ground. He killed all the Jews he could find. The streets of the city ran with blood. A few people sought refuge in the Masada fortress, but they were discovered and before they could be massacred, they committed mass suicide. The Jewish people were killed or driven out of Palestine. Those who escaped scattered throughout the world. Jews would not return to reclaim Jerusalem for nearly 2000 years–until after WWII in 1948, when the State of Israel was established. When they began to return, they could not rebuild the temple, because a Mosque was sitting on the temple mount. This was God’s sovereign wisdom. There is still no temple; no animal sacrifices. There is no need for the temple, for Jesus is the temple; he is the perfect sacrifice. The destruction of Jerusalem and the attempted annihilation of the Jews is an event comparable to the holocaust of modern times.
To the disciples, the destruction of the temple was tantamount to the end of the world. Indeed, the destruction of the temple foreshadowed the end of the age and Jesus’ second coming. Jesus had these two events in his heart.
Part ll: The End Of The Age And Jesus’ Second Coming.
The disciples asked Jesus two questions about the end of the age: When will you come again? And, what will be the sign of your coming?
Jesus begins his answer to the question about signs with a warning: “Do not be deceived.” People who only look for signs are frequently deceived. Watch out that no one deceives you–false Messiah’s will come. In a world that does not care about truth, lies prevail. False Messiahs take advantage of this. God’s people must watch out and not be deceived. God’s word is truth. We must be equipped with the sword of the Spirit, the word of God. Jesus said, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (35)
In the time leading up to the end there will be great suffering. There will be natural disasters and man-made disasters. Jesus says, “Don’t be alarmed, the end has not come. It is the beginning of birth pains.” We should not give in to fear. God is in control. He tells us that this is the beginning of birth pains. What does he mean by “birth pains”? A woman giving birth to a baby suffers excruciating pain. But it is not pain and suffering that leads to death; it is pain that results in a new life coming into the world. The birth pains herald a new and glorious age, the coming of the Risen Christ, King Jesus, and his kingdom.
What then is the sign of his coming? Read verses 30-31. “At that time, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. He will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” The sun will be darkened. The moon will not give its light. God will shake the heavens and the stars will fall from the sky. Jesus’ coming is a cosmic event. His elect are those who have accepted the gospel of his kingdom. The mourners are those who have not. The elect will come with the Risen Christ to join him in establishing his glorious kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
The disciples did not fully understand, but they believed. We also do not understand everything, but we believe that Jesus is coming again. It was promised to the first witnesses that Jesus who was taken into heaven would come back in the same way they saw him leave. (Ac 1:11). The Risen Christ will come, bringing God’s kingdom to earth. He will come with his elect. His coming marks the end of this present age. His coming ushers in a new heaven and a new earth. Jerusalem had been cruelly destroyed. But the Apostle John had a vision of a new and glorious Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (Rev 21:1,2) The kingdom of the Risen Christ will be full of love and joy.
The next question is, “When?” –What is the time of his coming? Jesus’ answer is, “No one knows when; Be ready; keep watch.” “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, or the Son, but only the Father.” (36) If we knew the time of Jesus’ coming, we could think, “I’ll get ready later.” People were like this in the days of Noah (24:37-39). Only Noah was ready. The rest of the people went about business as usual, eating, drinking, partying, getting married. They paid much attention to their flesh lives and no attention to their spiritual lives. Noah also lived an ordinary life, but he was different. He was ready. He made time to walk with God, and listen to him. He believed that God meant what he said. So, when God told him to build a boat, he built it. He believed and obeyed God’s word. He was saved, but everyone else drowned. In the same way, we should be ready. Like Noah, we should walk with God in prayer, listen to his word and be ready. Jesus will come like a thief in the night. He will come at a time when we do not expect him. Therefore, we should keep watch.
Part lll. What Is God Doing In These Times And What Will He Do?
What is God doing? First, He is working to help his elect stand firm. Look at verses 12-13. “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.” Second, He is working now through his elect to bring his love and mercy and forgiveness to the world. Third, He will gather his elect from everywhere. “When the Son of Man comes with power and glory he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” Who, then are the elect?
God’s elect are those who have accepted Jesus as Savior and Lord. They are those who inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the Creation. (25:31-40) The elect love God because God first loved them. They are the “sheep” in Chapter 25 who care for the vulnerable people of society—they feed the hungry, visit the prisoners, minister to the sick, clothe the naked, love the unlovable. They don’t even realize that they are serving God and spreading the gospel of his kingdom. They inherit the kingdom prepared for them from the creation. But, on the other hand, wickedness will increase. God’s people will be persecuted, hated, put to death. Some will fail. They will turn from the faith and betray each other. Most men’s love will grow cold. But these, the worst of times, are also the best of times. It is the time of opportunity. It is the time for love to challenge hate, the time to make God’s saving grace known.
Tass Saada was a PLO sniper. He murdered Jews in Israel; he killed Christians in Jordan. He was born in a refugee camp in Gaza. When the Jewish state was formed in 1948, many Palestinians became homeless immigrants, Tass Saada’s family included. He was raised in a world of radical Islam and violent Palestinian nationalism. By his teenage years he was a cauldron of hatred. Especially, he hated Jews. He had no homeland, so he wanted to immigrate to America. Someone told him that the best way to get a green card was to marry an American. So he did. But in his heart, he was a jihadist and he hated America. One day a friend tried to evangelize him and he got mad. Then his friend offered him a Bible. He shouted, “Don’t get near me—that’s God’s book.” So his friend said, ‘You believe this is God’s book? Then listen to what God’s Book says about Jesus.” And he read John 1:14—“the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” It hit Tass that the Bible teaches plainly that Jesus is God and he trembled. He heard a voice, “I am the Way and the Truth and the Life.” He didn’t know that these words were from the Bible. Jesus was speaking to him personally. Jihad is not the way; Jesus is the Way. He prayed, “Jesus, come into my life.” He repented of his sins. And this violent radical Muslim was transformed by the power of the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. The killer became a man of peace and compassion. Once he called his friend. “Was Jesus a Jew?” “Yes, Jesus was a Jew.” So Tass Saada could love Jews. He could love his wife. He became a powerful and bold preacher of the gospel of the kingdom. He founded an organization called “Hope for Ishmael” dedicated to reconciling Arabs and Jews. He and his wife moved to a refugee camp in Gaza, where he was born, to share Jesus’ love with poverty-stricken children there. Tass Saada is one of God’s elect. God is working through his elect to bring his gospel to the world. This is the time to challenge hatred with God’s love. In these times God refines and purifies the hearts of his people through suffering. Through broken dreams, sickness, seeming failure God purifies our hearts. God’s mission to the world will not fail.
God is spreading his gospel to all nations through his elect. Look at verse 14. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” God’s Son, the Christ, was born into a Roman world, according to God’s set time and foreknowledge. Roman laws, Roman soldiers, Roman roads and a common language unified the world in a way that it had never been unified before. Paul and the apostles could travel anywhere without visas. The gospel was spread to the whole Roman world.
We have “Roman roads” in our time, too. We live in the world of the internet, satellite T.V. and radio; in the world of facebook and Twitter and Youtube. Through these modern roads of communication, our world has become one community. In Egypt, Whael Ghonim, a Google executive and Asmaa Mahofouz, a 26 year-old woman, made facebook entries that sparked a revolution. Mubarak’s government fell. News travels. Revolution sparks revolution. The Muslim Radicals want to use the opportunities of our times to destabilize the world so that they can step into a power vacuum and rule. We don’t know which way the revolutions happening in Libya, Syria, Yemen, and other parts of the world are going. But this is a time of unprecedented opportunity for the gospel of the kingdom to be preached in the whole world. Wayne Pederson of Radio station HCJB continues to beam the message of the Prince of Peace into Libya and North Africa, and people are listening. Jesus promised that “the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.” (14) Jesus keeps his promise. His coming is our glorious hope.
Part lV: How Can We Respond To What God Is Doing?
We can love God and love one another. Even though people’s love grows cold, God’s love does not grow cold. God is merciful and compassionate. God is love. He is working in and through you and me to bring the gospel of the kingdom to the ends of the earth. He is working in us to share his love in a world where love has grown cold. By his grace alone, we can stand firm to the end. Let us put our trust in Jesus and give him our hearts.
Again, We can love God and love one another. When we accepted God’s grace of forgiveness, we welcomed Jesus into our hearts. It is no longer I who live. It is Christ who lives in me. We cannot tell about a person’s inner life from his outward appearance. But God looks at the heart. When the Son of Man comes, two men will be working together in a field. They are doing the same thing. But their hearts are different. One knows God; Jesus is in his heart. God’s Spirit rules him. God does not know the other one. One will be taken; the other will be left. Two women will be working together, grinding grain with a hand mill. They are dressed alike and they are doing the same thing. But one has a heart that is ruled by Jesus and the other’s heart is full of greed and lust. One will be taken; the other left. (40-41) The heart cleansed by Jesus’ blood and ruled by the Holy Spirit is a heart that is ready to meet King Jesus. Let us forgive one another. Let us love one another and build up one another.
Paul says, “As we wait for Jesus to come again, ‘(Let us) put on faith and love as a breastplate and the hope of salvation as a helmet..let us encourage one another and build up each other, just as in fact you are doing...’” (I Th 5:8-11) Jesus’ blood has cleansed us. We are ready to welcome King Jesus. “He died for us so that we may live together with him.”
We can be faithful and wise servants. We should keep on living the life God called us to live. In verses 45-51, Jesus talks about the faithful and wise servant whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to feed them…He says, “It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns.” As we wait for the coming of our King Jesus, the indwelling Jesus helps us to be faithful and wise servants. He helps each of us to feed God’s sheep, overcome our selfishness, to be mindful of all of God’s family. He enables my life and your life to be a testimony to the nations.
We can participate in his work of making disciples of all nations. He promises that this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations. This is what God is doing. He invites us to participate. In the last verses of Matthew’s gospel, he sends his disciples forth to share in what he is doing. Go and make disciples of all nations. He gives us another promise: And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age. We are in Christ and he is in us. We can stand firm. May God use our lives as a testimony to the nations. “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations and then the end will come.”
1. Read verses 1-3. How was Jesus' view of the temple different from that of the disciples? (Cf.
Mark 13:1) To what future events was Jesus probably referring? What was the disciples'
response? (3)
2. Read verses 4-8. What did Jesus teach about the climate of the world and of the end of the
age? What warnings did he give his disciples? What was Jesus' attitude toward these things?
Why? (6,8)
3. Read verses 9-14. What other things will happen in the last days? How will people react
under such pressure? What should Jesus' people do? What did Jesus promise?
4. Read verses 15-22. What does this "abomination" refer to? (cf. Daniel 9:27; 11:31) When
abominable things happen, what must God's people do? Why might worldly attachments
ensnare people? (16,17,18) How will God help his own?
5. Read verses 23-35. How will false prophets try to deceive God's people? How can we
not be deceived? Who will mourn and who will rejoice when the Son of Man comes?
What lesson can we learn from the fig tree?
6. Read verses 36-51. What does it mean to be ready? What can we learn from the
faithful steward? What happens to the unfaithful steward? (45-51)
Whatever Happened to Melchizedek?
What Ever Happened to Melchizedek?
Genesis 14:17-24
Key verse 14:18 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine. He was Priest of God Most High.”
Do you like mystery novels? If you do then you will like this one. One of the most mysterious people in the Bible is the king of peace, Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the first priest/king in the Bible. He was a city-state leader whose heart was tuned into God. He was good at encouraging others to acknowledge God and serve God wholeheartedly. He was a man whose character reflected his love for God. He appeared one day in the life of Abram and then was gone. What happened on that day was to be remembered throughout history and eventually became a subject of a New Testament letter, Hebrews. There are many lessons we can learn from him. In today’s lesson we will learn about God who sends his servants at the crucial moments in our walk with Jesus to encourage us and point us in the right way. We will also learn what made Melchizedek great and how we can emulate his life, becoming a blessing to others. May God bless you to grow as a servant of God like Melchizedek.
Part 1: Abram Was At A “Cross Roads” Moment (Gen 14:1-16)
In Chapter 14 we find Abram, despaired of life because Lot had left him in order to pursue his own dream. (As you know, Lot went to live in the city of Sodom, where people were sinning greatly against the Lord.) Sodom, the city where his nephew Lot went to, had just been conquered by King Kedorlaomer. Thousands were no doubt killed. All the goods of Sodom and all of the survivors had just been taken captive. His nephew Lot, and some family members were among them. They were to become slaves in the some far off land.
When Abram heard of this terrible situation, his heart stirred into action. Even though Lot had abandoned Abram and had chosen to compromise with the world, Abram still loved him and hoped that he would repent and change his ways. Adrenaline rushed through his aged veins. He rallied his strength and called together 318 of his militarily trained men who were in his tent village. These men, along with the men of two other tribal leaders, pursued Kedorlaomer’s army for a couple of hundred miles. It was his shepherd’s heart and love for Lot that gave him strength to press forward and never give up. God gave him wisdom to divide his forces and defeat Kedorlaomer. And God blessed him. Abram recovered all the goods of Sodom and all the people, including Lot and his family. God was with Abram and gave him this great victory when he cared about the flock of God and was willing to sacrifice his own life in order to rescue them from slavery. May God stir in us the same courage and compassion for lost souls in our day.
Abram’s victory placed him in a spiritually vulnerable position. Look at Verse 17b, “…the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).” Kings came to him to seek an audience. They offered him, not only recognition, but great wealth. Suddenly Abram was a political and military force to be reckoned with. Look at verse 21, “The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.’" Abram was tempted with great wealth. He was also tempted to think that, through military victory, political intrigue and worldly wealth, God was going to give him the Promised Land,. Why not seized the land now by these human means?
Abram was also despaired. He once had placed his hope in Lot, that through Lot, he would become a great nation. He poured out all of his energies to raise his nephew through the teenage years. But Lot abandoned his uncle and took half the flocks and herds and left the Promised Land without a second thought. Lot took the best without even a care about his uncles’ feelings, nor God’s hope for him. Abram sacrificed so much to rescue Lot, even risking his own life. And do you know what Lot did after he was rescued? You would think that he would repent and come to his senses and return to the life of faith alongside his uncle Abram. But no! He went back to Sodom. As a dog returns to it’s vomit. (2 Peter 2:20-22) Lot did not learn his lesson. He was so selfish. Abram despaired that all of his efforts were in vain.
Abram’s heart could have went several ways. He could have become a worldly tribal chief and ruled over the area with military might. He could have despaired and spent most of his time, curled up in a ball, sleeping in his tent and giving up on living a life of faith. He could have packed his bags and returned to the Ur of the Chaldeans where he had a lot of relatives to visit and grow old with. I would feel like giving up if I were him. He could have been paralyzed by fear wondering if Kedorlaomer would come back to exact revenge on him the next spring. He could have remained bitter to God forever asking God, “Why is this happening to me?” Can you see why this was a very tempting time for Abram? This was indeed a “crossroads” monent in the Abram’s life.
Part ll: Melchizedek, The Great Encourager! (Gen 14:17-24)
There is one thing, that all people who know God personally, come to realize…God never abandons his people at these crucial moments in their lives. He always sends someone to their them in order to give them wise words of counsel in order to help them on their spiritual journey. That is exactly what God did for Abram. Look at Verse 18a, “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.” God sent his servant, Melchizedek.
We must always give credit to God for intervening at the crucial moments in our spiritual lives when we could have gone one way or the other. We must also thank God for his servants who have obeyed God and entered into our lives to shepherd us. It was clearly the hand of God in sending his servant to Abram. But what if Abram did not recognize Melchizedek as a priest of God sent by God himself? He could have told his servants, “Send that old man away. I am too tired and I don’t feel like talking to anyone.” He would have been the looser. But thank God that Abram had spiritual eyes to recognize the true identity of this great servant of God. Let us reflect on how God has been faithful to send someone into our lives to help us, by giving us the life giving words of God and showing us the way, when the way was not clear. In other words, who has been a Melchizedek to you? If you can not recognize the times when people were brought into your life to give you counsel, then ask God to open your eyes. There have been many! You must thank God for sending them. Maybe send them an e-mail. It will be much appreciated.
Who was this Melchizedek? Look at Hebrews 7:1-3, “ This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means ‘king of righteousness’; then also, ‘king of Salem’ means ‘king of peace.’ 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” The Bible says that he was the king of Salem. The city of Salem means the “city of Peace.” It is the name of ancient Jerusalem. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world. A city called the “Foundation of Shalem” appears in ancient Egyptian records as the first two references to Jerusalem. In c. 2000 BC and c. 1330 BC a city was founded by a Northwest Semitic people, descendents of Shem, with organized settlements from around 2600 BC. (Wikipedia) They were a people who worshipped the God of Noah and had their own unique religious practices.
Melchizedek ruled over a theocracy. He was the king and also a priest. Apparently in those days there was no separation of church and state. Cities could be ruled by a person that was a political leader and also a spiritual leader. We can see glimpses of this in today’s world. For example who is the symbolic head of the Anglican Church? Not the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the Queen of England. In the eighties, who was the leader of Iran? It was the Ayatollah Khomeini, a dual spiritual and political leader. One day we may have a Pastor/president.
He is a priest of God Most high. Some of us tend to think that Abram was the first person to believe in one God. But there were other people groups who worshipped God Most High, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Think of Noah and his descendants. They were believers in God Most High. Archeologists believe that the people who pioneered Jerusalem were Semites, decedents of Shem. Melchizedek simply did not worship God as Abram did. Abram is a pioneer of sorts for he pioneered a certain expression of faith. Abram’s faith tells us to believe in God’s promises and decide to live by faith; following God’s leading in our lives, ways that are tough and filled with faith building events. Melchizedek was a spiritual leader of a religion that worshiped the God of Noah and Abraham. But it did not involve living by faith as Abram was doing. Yet, he was a sincere servant of God and God was working though him.
There are times when we don’t respect other followers of Christ, if they do not worship like our own congregation or denomination. But Abram recognized Melchizedek as a servant of God and learned from him and submitted to him. We need to realize that God is not just working through evangelical, non-denominational Protestants. He is working through many denominations and expressions of faith. I am not saying that God is working through all world religions or purveyors of false gospels, but if there are Christians out there that are not like us and who worship differently in their churches we need to respect them as servants of Jesus Christ and acknowledge that God is working through them.
Melchizedek was a great man and yet very humble. He was a king. He was also a priest. He had great power and authority. And yet he came to meet old Abram, out in the desert. He came and brought the bread and wine. He came to encourage and bless and share spiriitual fellowship. This is very humble. He reminds me of Jesus. The attitude of Christ Jesus, was, in a word, humbleness. Philippians 2:6-7 reads, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Jesus is the Creator God, through whom all things were made (Jn 1:1-3). But he did not clutch the power and glory of his equality with God. It was his. Yet, he divested himself of it and became flesh to dwell among us (Jn 1:14), even being born in a stable.
In our sinful nature, we want to be recognized, and honored. We want people to come to us. But Jesus’ attitude was humility, not self-glory seeking. He made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant. In the world, no one ever gives up his or her position of authority and power, whether it is deserved or not. We would rather be served by others, and lord it over them. Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth, but he used his power to serve the weak. Instead of demanding people to come up to his standard, Jesus reached down to us, serving our needs. He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) Melchizedek reflected the heart of Jesus.
The fact that he came to have spiritual fellowship is also very significant. We like to socialize and hang out with our friends. But do we intend to have spiritual fellowship with them? When we have spiritual fellowship with people, we pray with them, we discuss spiritual things, we examine the scriptures, we are mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Having spiritual fellowship is very intentional. It does not come easy. It is a sign of spiritual maturity when we seek this type of fellowship out.
Part lll: Melchizedek, The Blesser (Gen 14:18-20)
Melchizedek came to bless Abram. Look at verse 14:19a, “and he blessed Abram, saying, ….” What does it mean to bless someone? Does it mean to give endless charity? No, in fact, Abram is the one who gave money away to Melchizedek, not the other way around. Then what does it mean to “bless” someone? Look at how Melchizedek did it in verses 19b-20, ““…’Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Let’s think a little more about blessing others.
First, he turned Abram’s eyes to the God Most High. He knew that Abram was struggling spiritually and he knew that the only solution was to take his eyes off of himself and his present situation and place them squarely on God instead. God is Most High. He is more powerful than the armies of worldly kings. He can give the whole Promised Land to Abram with one swipe of his hand. Nothing is impossible with God Most High. One day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him and he said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29) Moses told the people to take their eyes off the poisonous snakes, repenting of their fears and vainly trying to save themselves, and look to the bronze snake on pole. (Nu 21:4-9) Those who look to the Son of Man, Jesus, high and exalted on the cross, will be saved. There is one hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Verse 1 reads, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus…look full into his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” To bless someone is to remind them of who God is and encourage them to fix their eyes on Jesus, the Creator God.
Second, he encouraged Abram to give God the credit for gaining a great victory over his enemies. Look at verse 20a, “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram had indeed accomplished a great task. He defeated an army many more times the size of his own. He was an old man, but he did something that even young men could not accomplish. It was easy for him to think that in his wisdom, his strength, his leadership, and his stick-to-itiveness, he got himself the victory. To think this way is pride itself. There is a danger of thinking that we can do it all because of our own power. But the Bible says that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. (Ja 4:6) What have we got that we have not been given? Paul knew that his great spiritual successes were not from him but from God. He says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.” If we become proud we are in a real danger of loosing the blessings that God has brought into our lives. I thank God for Bethany Erickson. She is the girl who got her arm bitten off by a shark and became a surf champion with one arm. She stated again and again that her strength comes from Jesus Christ.
Now is the time to think about all the victories that God has brought forth. What about school? sports? relationships? jobs? career? and family? These are outward things, but what about spiritual things? Is it not a victory that you are standing as a believer in God when the whole western world seems to be falling away from Christ? What about the fact that you are growing stronger as a servant of God and his word? What about taking away fear, judgment, criticism, and despair from your heart? Did you take them away on your own? No. It is all because of Jesus and his Gospel. Today, it is time to be blessed and give all glory and honor and credit to Jesus. Part of blessing others is helping them to give all the credit and glory to God for every victory in their lives.
Melchizedek blessed Abram by helping Abram to obey God. Melchizedek’s spiritual influence was great. Look at Verse 20b, “…Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” and also Hebrews 7:4, “Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder” It was not easy for Abram to give a tenth to Melchizedek. He had the equivalent of millions of dollars. A tenth of this was tens of thousands of dollars. Most people don’t want to offer anything to God. They hold onto their last dollar as if they were on a white knuckle roller coaster ride. As if that last dollar is going to make any difference anyways! It is not just money. People do this when they need to tithe their time, effort, and passion to Jesus. But Melchizedek had spiritual influence and power to help Abram obey God and offer. This is a great work of God. I don’t even have the authority and influence to help people to obey God in this way. I pray that all of us can offer God our tithe, but also grow in spiritual power and influence to bless people by helping them to obey what is right before God.
Melchizedek blessed Abram by helping him to accept the word of God with conviction of heart. Look at Verses 22-24, “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." Abram was not this vague old man who was just lingering, fearful and tired. No way! He had conviction of heart to do the right thing and walk the right path, the path that is pleasing to God. The devil was using the king of Sodom to come and tempt Abram to act like an ordinary king and keep the plunder for himself. This would have been devastating to the work of God. All of the surrounding peoples and the recorders of Biblical history, could say that Abram was blessed because of the generosity of the king of a wicked city. They could say that Abram’s heart was swayed by money. It would have ruined his witness. It would be like receiving money from an abortion clinic to open up a church. But through the shepherding and mentoring of Melchizedek, Abram could be very strong spiritually. He told the king of Sodom clearly the truth that he learned from Melchizedek. He stood firmly and boldly on the side of truth with a loud voice. Blessing others means to help them have a clear conviction of heart based on God’s word and declare their faith to an unbelieving world.
Melchizedek served the Lord with integrity of heart. After Abram gave him a tenth of everything, Melchizedek just leaves. He took the offering back to Salem and used it for propogating the knowledge of God Most High, the Creator. Abram did not demand an audit of how the offering was used. He gave it and never tried to micromange it from afar. He trusted God and he trusted Melchizedek because he was a trustworthy servant of God.
Melchizedek was selfless. After he interacted with Abram you don’t hear anything else about him. He went home and carried on with his mission to be a king and a priest. He did not want bring glory to himself, but bring all the glory to God. He was not competing with Abram. He was like John the Baptist who was a small light leading others to the true light Jesus Christ. John became less so that Jesus can become greater. And when his Jesus’ ministry grew he was more than willing to fade into the shadows and let Jesus take over. How often we want to stick around to gain more glory for ourselves. We want to compete with other ministries that are up and rising, feeling threatened by them. But we need to learn Melchizedek’s humility and support what God is doing and if it is God’s will, then simply disappear.
Part lV: Jesus Is Identified With Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-28)
Melchizedek was a Christ figure. The author of the book of Hebrews compares Jesus to Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:11, “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?” Jesus is so many things. But he also Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. What does that mean, “in the order of Melchizedek”? Hebrews 7:7-17 explains this a little bit. I would like to include it but it is all very theological and the subject of another message. Let’s think of some highlights. Melchizedek, who blessed Abraham, was greater than he, and thereby, greater than Levi, Abraham's descendant, for Levi was still in Abraham’s DNA. (To be born some 400 years later.) Under the Law, priests must be descendants of Levi. Through the priesthood, established by the descendants of Levi, God made a way for salvation through the blood of animals. In this way sinners could come to God. But this sacrificial system was inadequate. Melchizedek was a priest, but he was not a descendant of Levi. Jesus is not one also. Jesus came from the house and line of Judah. Concerning Melchizedek’s lineage, Hebrews 7:3 reads, “Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” The priesthood of Levi could not bring lasting and complete forgiveness of sins. This inadequate system looked forward to a better priest and a perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is the Son of God, without beginning of days or end of life. Psalm 110 speaks of a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is that priest--not because of his human ancestry, but by the power of his sinless and indestructible life. Through him we may draw near to God. That is the connection between Melchizedek and Jesus.
In this passage we learned about God who sees our need and knows our situation and always sends someone to help us along on our spiritual journey. We also learned how to be a blessing to others through Melchizedek’s blessing of Abram. We learn how to have spiritual fellowship with people encourage them. May God help you to be a person of abundant blessings and may you turn many hearts to the the Most High God, Jesus Christ.
Part 1: Abram Was At A “Cross Roads” Moment (Gen 14:1-16)
1. What event had Abram just been through? What was the outcome of the battle? (17a) What did the king Sodom offer Abram? (17b, 21) What was the temptation for Abram at this time?
Part ll: Melchizedek, The Great Encourager! (Gen 14:17-18)
2. Who came to Abram at this crucial moment in his life? (18) What was his dual occupation? Which city was he the king of? What did he bring? What does this mean? What is it important for us to bless others? What does this teach us about God?
Part lll: Melchizedek, The Blesser (Gen 14:19-20)
3. What did he do to Abram? (19a) What did he say to Abram? (19b-20) What God did Melchizedek worship and serve? What can we learn about our attitude towards others believers who worship the God of the Bible?
4. Who is the giver of every victory in life? How is our God able to give us victory upon victory? What enemies are delivered into our hands nowadays? How can we bring glory to God through our victories in life? What affect did Melchizedek’s counsel have on Abram’s spirit? (22-24)
5. What did Abram give to Melchizedek? Why? How does this reveal the greatness of Melchizedek? (Heb 7:4) What do you think Melchizedek did with the offering?
Part lV: Jesus Is Identified With Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-28)
6. What observation did the author of Hebrews make concerning Melchizedek? (Heb 7:3) How is this like Jesus?
7. What are the limitations of the Levitical priesthood? (Heb 7:11) How is Jesus’
priesthood like that of Melchizedek and not like that of Levi? On what basis was
Melchizedek and Jesus made priests? (Heb 7:7-17) What is Jesus identified with
Melchizedek and not with Levi? (Heb 7:18-28; Psalm 110)
Genesis 14:17-24
Key verse 14:18 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF
“Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought bread and wine. He was Priest of God Most High.”
Do you like mystery novels? If you do then you will like this one. One of the most mysterious people in the Bible is the king of peace, Melchizedek. Melchizedek is the first priest/king in the Bible. He was a city-state leader whose heart was tuned into God. He was good at encouraging others to acknowledge God and serve God wholeheartedly. He was a man whose character reflected his love for God. He appeared one day in the life of Abram and then was gone. What happened on that day was to be remembered throughout history and eventually became a subject of a New Testament letter, Hebrews. There are many lessons we can learn from him. In today’s lesson we will learn about God who sends his servants at the crucial moments in our walk with Jesus to encourage us and point us in the right way. We will also learn what made Melchizedek great and how we can emulate his life, becoming a blessing to others. May God bless you to grow as a servant of God like Melchizedek.
Part 1: Abram Was At A “Cross Roads” Moment (Gen 14:1-16)
In Chapter 14 we find Abram, despaired of life because Lot had left him in order to pursue his own dream. (As you know, Lot went to live in the city of Sodom, where people were sinning greatly against the Lord.) Sodom, the city where his nephew Lot went to, had just been conquered by King Kedorlaomer. Thousands were no doubt killed. All the goods of Sodom and all of the survivors had just been taken captive. His nephew Lot, and some family members were among them. They were to become slaves in the some far off land.
When Abram heard of this terrible situation, his heart stirred into action. Even though Lot had abandoned Abram and had chosen to compromise with the world, Abram still loved him and hoped that he would repent and change his ways. Adrenaline rushed through his aged veins. He rallied his strength and called together 318 of his militarily trained men who were in his tent village. These men, along with the men of two other tribal leaders, pursued Kedorlaomer’s army for a couple of hundred miles. It was his shepherd’s heart and love for Lot that gave him strength to press forward and never give up. God gave him wisdom to divide his forces and defeat Kedorlaomer. And God blessed him. Abram recovered all the goods of Sodom and all the people, including Lot and his family. God was with Abram and gave him this great victory when he cared about the flock of God and was willing to sacrifice his own life in order to rescue them from slavery. May God stir in us the same courage and compassion for lost souls in our day.
Abram’s victory placed him in a spiritually vulnerable position. Look at Verse 17b, “…the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Valley of Shaveh (that is, the King's Valley).” Kings came to him to seek an audience. They offered him, not only recognition, but great wealth. Suddenly Abram was a political and military force to be reckoned with. Look at verse 21, “The king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give me the people and keep the goods for yourself.’" Abram was tempted with great wealth. He was also tempted to think that, through military victory, political intrigue and worldly wealth, God was going to give him the Promised Land,. Why not seized the land now by these human means?
Abram was also despaired. He once had placed his hope in Lot, that through Lot, he would become a great nation. He poured out all of his energies to raise his nephew through the teenage years. But Lot abandoned his uncle and took half the flocks and herds and left the Promised Land without a second thought. Lot took the best without even a care about his uncles’ feelings, nor God’s hope for him. Abram sacrificed so much to rescue Lot, even risking his own life. And do you know what Lot did after he was rescued? You would think that he would repent and come to his senses and return to the life of faith alongside his uncle Abram. But no! He went back to Sodom. As a dog returns to it’s vomit. (2 Peter 2:20-22) Lot did not learn his lesson. He was so selfish. Abram despaired that all of his efforts were in vain.
Abram’s heart could have went several ways. He could have become a worldly tribal chief and ruled over the area with military might. He could have despaired and spent most of his time, curled up in a ball, sleeping in his tent and giving up on living a life of faith. He could have packed his bags and returned to the Ur of the Chaldeans where he had a lot of relatives to visit and grow old with. I would feel like giving up if I were him. He could have been paralyzed by fear wondering if Kedorlaomer would come back to exact revenge on him the next spring. He could have remained bitter to God forever asking God, “Why is this happening to me?” Can you see why this was a very tempting time for Abram? This was indeed a “crossroads” monent in the Abram’s life.
Part ll: Melchizedek, The Great Encourager! (Gen 14:17-24)
There is one thing, that all people who know God personally, come to realize…God never abandons his people at these crucial moments in their lives. He always sends someone to their them in order to give them wise words of counsel in order to help them on their spiritual journey. That is exactly what God did for Abram. Look at Verse 18a, “Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine.” God sent his servant, Melchizedek.
We must always give credit to God for intervening at the crucial moments in our spiritual lives when we could have gone one way or the other. We must also thank God for his servants who have obeyed God and entered into our lives to shepherd us. It was clearly the hand of God in sending his servant to Abram. But what if Abram did not recognize Melchizedek as a priest of God sent by God himself? He could have told his servants, “Send that old man away. I am too tired and I don’t feel like talking to anyone.” He would have been the looser. But thank God that Abram had spiritual eyes to recognize the true identity of this great servant of God. Let us reflect on how God has been faithful to send someone into our lives to help us, by giving us the life giving words of God and showing us the way, when the way was not clear. In other words, who has been a Melchizedek to you? If you can not recognize the times when people were brought into your life to give you counsel, then ask God to open your eyes. There have been many! You must thank God for sending them. Maybe send them an e-mail. It will be much appreciated.
Who was this Melchizedek? Look at Hebrews 7:1-3, “ This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, 2 and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, his name means ‘king of righteousness’; then also, ‘king of Salem’ means ‘king of peace.’ 3 Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” The Bible says that he was the king of Salem. The city of Salem means the “city of Peace.” It is the name of ancient Jerusalem. The oldest part of the city was settled in the 4th millennium BCE, making Jerusalem one of the oldest cities in the world. A city called the “Foundation of Shalem” appears in ancient Egyptian records as the first two references to Jerusalem. In c. 2000 BC and c. 1330 BC a city was founded by a Northwest Semitic people, descendents of Shem, with organized settlements from around 2600 BC. (Wikipedia) They were a people who worshipped the God of Noah and had their own unique religious practices.
Melchizedek ruled over a theocracy. He was the king and also a priest. Apparently in those days there was no separation of church and state. Cities could be ruled by a person that was a political leader and also a spiritual leader. We can see glimpses of this in today’s world. For example who is the symbolic head of the Anglican Church? Not the Archbishop of Canterbury. It is the Queen of England. In the eighties, who was the leader of Iran? It was the Ayatollah Khomeini, a dual spiritual and political leader. One day we may have a Pastor/president.
He is a priest of God Most high. Some of us tend to think that Abram was the first person to believe in one God. But there were other people groups who worshipped God Most High, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. Think of Noah and his descendants. They were believers in God Most High. Archeologists believe that the people who pioneered Jerusalem were Semites, decedents of Shem. Melchizedek simply did not worship God as Abram did. Abram is a pioneer of sorts for he pioneered a certain expression of faith. Abram’s faith tells us to believe in God’s promises and decide to live by faith; following God’s leading in our lives, ways that are tough and filled with faith building events. Melchizedek was a spiritual leader of a religion that worshiped the God of Noah and Abraham. But it did not involve living by faith as Abram was doing. Yet, he was a sincere servant of God and God was working though him.
There are times when we don’t respect other followers of Christ, if they do not worship like our own congregation or denomination. But Abram recognized Melchizedek as a servant of God and learned from him and submitted to him. We need to realize that God is not just working through evangelical, non-denominational Protestants. He is working through many denominations and expressions of faith. I am not saying that God is working through all world religions or purveyors of false gospels, but if there are Christians out there that are not like us and who worship differently in their churches we need to respect them as servants of Jesus Christ and acknowledge that God is working through them.
Melchizedek was a great man and yet very humble. He was a king. He was also a priest. He had great power and authority. And yet he came to meet old Abram, out in the desert. He came and brought the bread and wine. He came to encourage and bless and share spiriitual fellowship. This is very humble. He reminds me of Jesus. The attitude of Christ Jesus, was, in a word, humbleness. Philippians 2:6-7 reads, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Jesus is the Creator God, through whom all things were made (Jn 1:1-3). But he did not clutch the power and glory of his equality with God. It was his. Yet, he divested himself of it and became flesh to dwell among us (Jn 1:14), even being born in a stable.
In our sinful nature, we want to be recognized, and honored. We want people to come to us. But Jesus’ attitude was humility, not self-glory seeking. He made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant. In the world, no one ever gives up his or her position of authority and power, whether it is deserved or not. We would rather be served by others, and lord it over them. Jesus had all authority in heaven and on earth, but he used his power to serve the weak. Instead of demanding people to come up to his standard, Jesus reached down to us, serving our needs. He said, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mk 10:45) Melchizedek reflected the heart of Jesus.
The fact that he came to have spiritual fellowship is also very significant. We like to socialize and hang out with our friends. But do we intend to have spiritual fellowship with them? When we have spiritual fellowship with people, we pray with them, we discuss spiritual things, we examine the scriptures, we are mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. Having spiritual fellowship is very intentional. It does not come easy. It is a sign of spiritual maturity when we seek this type of fellowship out.
Part lll: Melchizedek, The Blesser (Gen 14:18-20)
Melchizedek came to bless Abram. Look at verse 14:19a, “and he blessed Abram, saying, ….” What does it mean to bless someone? Does it mean to give endless charity? No, in fact, Abram is the one who gave money away to Melchizedek, not the other way around. Then what does it mean to “bless” someone? Look at how Melchizedek did it in verses 19b-20, ““…’Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. 20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.’ Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” Let’s think a little more about blessing others.
First, he turned Abram’s eyes to the God Most High. He knew that Abram was struggling spiritually and he knew that the only solution was to take his eyes off of himself and his present situation and place them squarely on God instead. God is Most High. He is more powerful than the armies of worldly kings. He can give the whole Promised Land to Abram with one swipe of his hand. Nothing is impossible with God Most High. One day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming towards him and he said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (Jn 1:29) Moses told the people to take their eyes off the poisonous snakes, repenting of their fears and vainly trying to save themselves, and look to the bronze snake on pole. (Nu 21:4-9) Those who look to the Son of Man, Jesus, high and exalted on the cross, will be saved. There is one hymn, “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus.” Verse 1 reads, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus…look full into his wonderful face and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.” To bless someone is to remind them of who God is and encourage them to fix their eyes on Jesus, the Creator God.
Second, he encouraged Abram to give God the credit for gaining a great victory over his enemies. Look at verse 20a, “And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand." Abram had indeed accomplished a great task. He defeated an army many more times the size of his own. He was an old man, but he did something that even young men could not accomplish. It was easy for him to think that in his wisdom, his strength, his leadership, and his stick-to-itiveness, he got himself the victory. To think this way is pride itself. There is a danger of thinking that we can do it all because of our own power. But the Bible says that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. (Ja 4:6) What have we got that we have not been given? Paul knew that his great spiritual successes were not from him but from God. He says in 2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all surpassing power is from God and not from us.” If we become proud we are in a real danger of loosing the blessings that God has brought into our lives. I thank God for Bethany Erickson. She is the girl who got her arm bitten off by a shark and became a surf champion with one arm. She stated again and again that her strength comes from Jesus Christ.
Now is the time to think about all the victories that God has brought forth. What about school? sports? relationships? jobs? career? and family? These are outward things, but what about spiritual things? Is it not a victory that you are standing as a believer in God when the whole western world seems to be falling away from Christ? What about the fact that you are growing stronger as a servant of God and his word? What about taking away fear, judgment, criticism, and despair from your heart? Did you take them away on your own? No. It is all because of Jesus and his Gospel. Today, it is time to be blessed and give all glory and honor and credit to Jesus. Part of blessing others is helping them to give all the credit and glory to God for every victory in their lives.
Melchizedek blessed Abram by helping Abram to obey God. Melchizedek’s spiritual influence was great. Look at Verse 20b, “…Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.” and also Hebrews 7:4, “Just think how great he was: Even the patriarch Abraham gave him a tenth of the plunder” It was not easy for Abram to give a tenth to Melchizedek. He had the equivalent of millions of dollars. A tenth of this was tens of thousands of dollars. Most people don’t want to offer anything to God. They hold onto their last dollar as if they were on a white knuckle roller coaster ride. As if that last dollar is going to make any difference anyways! It is not just money. People do this when they need to tithe their time, effort, and passion to Jesus. But Melchizedek had spiritual influence and power to help Abram obey God and offer. This is a great work of God. I don’t even have the authority and influence to help people to obey God in this way. I pray that all of us can offer God our tithe, but also grow in spiritual power and influence to bless people by helping them to obey what is right before God.
Melchizedek blessed Abram by helping him to accept the word of God with conviction of heart. Look at Verses 22-24, “But Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to the LORD, God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth, and have taken an oath that I will accept nothing belonging to you, not even a thread or the thong of a sandal, so that you will never be able to say, 'I made Abram rich.' I will accept nothing but what my men have eaten and the share that belongs to the men who went with me—to Aner, Eshcol and Mamre. Let them have their share." Abram was not this vague old man who was just lingering, fearful and tired. No way! He had conviction of heart to do the right thing and walk the right path, the path that is pleasing to God. The devil was using the king of Sodom to come and tempt Abram to act like an ordinary king and keep the plunder for himself. This would have been devastating to the work of God. All of the surrounding peoples and the recorders of Biblical history, could say that Abram was blessed because of the generosity of the king of a wicked city. They could say that Abram’s heart was swayed by money. It would have ruined his witness. It would be like receiving money from an abortion clinic to open up a church. But through the shepherding and mentoring of Melchizedek, Abram could be very strong spiritually. He told the king of Sodom clearly the truth that he learned from Melchizedek. He stood firmly and boldly on the side of truth with a loud voice. Blessing others means to help them have a clear conviction of heart based on God’s word and declare their faith to an unbelieving world.
Melchizedek served the Lord with integrity of heart. After Abram gave him a tenth of everything, Melchizedek just leaves. He took the offering back to Salem and used it for propogating the knowledge of God Most High, the Creator. Abram did not demand an audit of how the offering was used. He gave it and never tried to micromange it from afar. He trusted God and he trusted Melchizedek because he was a trustworthy servant of God.
Melchizedek was selfless. After he interacted with Abram you don’t hear anything else about him. He went home and carried on with his mission to be a king and a priest. He did not want bring glory to himself, but bring all the glory to God. He was not competing with Abram. He was like John the Baptist who was a small light leading others to the true light Jesus Christ. John became less so that Jesus can become greater. And when his Jesus’ ministry grew he was more than willing to fade into the shadows and let Jesus take over. How often we want to stick around to gain more glory for ourselves. We want to compete with other ministries that are up and rising, feeling threatened by them. But we need to learn Melchizedek’s humility and support what God is doing and if it is God’s will, then simply disappear.
Part lV: Jesus Is Identified With Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-28)
Melchizedek was a Christ figure. The author of the book of Hebrews compares Jesus to Melchizedek. Hebrews 7:11, “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?” Jesus is so many things. But he also Priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. What does that mean, “in the order of Melchizedek”? Hebrews 7:7-17 explains this a little bit. I would like to include it but it is all very theological and the subject of another message. Let’s think of some highlights. Melchizedek, who blessed Abraham, was greater than he, and thereby, greater than Levi, Abraham's descendant, for Levi was still in Abraham’s DNA. (To be born some 400 years later.) Under the Law, priests must be descendants of Levi. Through the priesthood, established by the descendants of Levi, God made a way for salvation through the blood of animals. In this way sinners could come to God. But this sacrificial system was inadequate. Melchizedek was a priest, but he was not a descendant of Levi. Jesus is not one also. Jesus came from the house and line of Judah. Concerning Melchizedek’s lineage, Hebrews 7:3 reads, “Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, like the Son of God he remains a priest forever.” The priesthood of Levi could not bring lasting and complete forgiveness of sins. This inadequate system looked forward to a better priest and a perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ, the sinless Son of God. Jesus is a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is the Son of God, without beginning of days or end of life. Psalm 110 speaks of a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek. Jesus is that priest--not because of his human ancestry, but by the power of his sinless and indestructible life. Through him we may draw near to God. That is the connection between Melchizedek and Jesus.
In this passage we learned about God who sees our need and knows our situation and always sends someone to help us along on our spiritual journey. We also learned how to be a blessing to others through Melchizedek’s blessing of Abram. We learn how to have spiritual fellowship with people encourage them. May God help you to be a person of abundant blessings and may you turn many hearts to the the Most High God, Jesus Christ.
Part 1: Abram Was At A “Cross Roads” Moment (Gen 14:1-16)
1. What event had Abram just been through? What was the outcome of the battle? (17a) What did the king Sodom offer Abram? (17b, 21) What was the temptation for Abram at this time?
Part ll: Melchizedek, The Great Encourager! (Gen 14:17-18)
2. Who came to Abram at this crucial moment in his life? (18) What was his dual occupation? Which city was he the king of? What did he bring? What does this mean? What is it important for us to bless others? What does this teach us about God?
Part lll: Melchizedek, The Blesser (Gen 14:19-20)
3. What did he do to Abram? (19a) What did he say to Abram? (19b-20) What God did Melchizedek worship and serve? What can we learn about our attitude towards others believers who worship the God of the Bible?
4. Who is the giver of every victory in life? How is our God able to give us victory upon victory? What enemies are delivered into our hands nowadays? How can we bring glory to God through our victories in life? What affect did Melchizedek’s counsel have on Abram’s spirit? (22-24)
5. What did Abram give to Melchizedek? Why? How does this reveal the greatness of Melchizedek? (Heb 7:4) What do you think Melchizedek did with the offering?
Part lV: Jesus Is Identified With Melchizedek (Heb 7:1-28)
6. What observation did the author of Hebrews make concerning Melchizedek? (Heb 7:3) How is this like Jesus?
7. What are the limitations of the Levitical priesthood? (Heb 7:11) How is Jesus’
priesthood like that of Melchizedek and not like that of Levi? On what basis was
Melchizedek and Jesus made priests? (Heb 7:7-17) What is Jesus identified with
Melchizedek and not with Levi? (Heb 7:18-28; Psalm 110)
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Revelation 20:1-15
The Final Judgment
Revelation 20:1-15 Shp Kevin Jesmer 5/14/11
Key verse 20:6
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Today we want to examine the final judgment of God. There seem to be three stages of the final judgment. First, Satan is locked in the Abyss for a thousand years. Those who do not have the mark of the beast will reign with Christ. After a thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time to deceive many people, then he will be cast into the lake of burning sulfur to dwell forever. On the final day of judgment the living and the dead will stand before the throne of God. The books will be opened and every person will be judged according to what they have done. Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. This all sounds very ominous and foreboding. But those who are in Christ have nothing to fear. In fact, the blood of Jesus will enable them to pass through the judgment all the way to the kingdom of heaven. Through a study of this passage, may you not just be scared, but may you thank God for his grace given us through the blood of Jesus that put our names in the book of life. Also may we stand firm in faith, to the end, holding onto the grace of Jesus and knowing that our final victory is assured. We are true victors when we hold onto the Gospel. Let’s see.
Part l: The Thousand Years (20:1-6)
It has always been a controversy about the 1000 years, also known as the millennium. By the controversy is not an issue. It does not demand an absolute view. What is important is that we Christians believe exactly what the Bible tells us to believe. About the 1,000 years, we believe that Jesus will return according to his promise. He will also bind the devil for 1,000 and Jesus Christ will rule. After the 1,000 year, Christ will release the devil from his prison and he will do so for a short time. The devil will make his final stand against Christ and his people. It is really an amazing story. There are things that we don’t understand. For example, why would God bind the devil and then set him loose for a short time and then send him to his final judgment which is the lake of burning sulfur. There are things that we don’t understand, but we will try to understand.
Just how and when this 1,000 years takes place is understood differently among Christian scholars. The three major positions on this issue are referred to as postmillennialism, pre-millennialism and amillennialism. I began to ponder these different views after a rousing discussion at Maggie Burke’s house a few weeks ago. Briefly, postmillennialism looks for a literal 1,000 year period of peace on earth ushered in by the church. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be unleashed once more, but then Christ will return to defeat him and reign forever. Christ’s coming will not occur until after the 1,000 year period. Pre-millennialism, also views the 1,000 years as a literal time period, but holds that Christ’s second coming initiates his 1,000 year reign and that his reign occurs before the final removal of Satan. Finally, amillennialism understands the 1,000 year period to be symbolic of the time between Christ’s accession and his return. Thus millennium is the reign of Christ in the hearts of believers and in his church now. This it is another way of referring to the church age. This period will end with the second coming of Christ. What viewpoint do you hold? Do you know? If you don’t that’s O.K. It took me 25 years to even begin to start asking the question.
These different views about the millennium need not cause divisions and controversy among believers, because each view acknowledges what is crucial to Christianity. Do you know what it is? Yes! That Jesus Christ shall return one day. Christ will return, defeat Satan, and reign forever! Whatever and whenever the Millennium is, Jesus Christ will unite all believers. Therefore we shall not let this issue divide us. And since we are not divided then let’s continue to look closely at the text…
God and his powerful angels are much more powerful than the devil. Let’s read verses 20:1-3, “ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” Look how a powerful angel of God dealt with the devil in verses 1 & 2, ““ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” He seized the devil decisively. There doesn’t seem to be much of a struggle. The devil is bound in chains. When one is bound in chains, they cannot get free. He will surely be held securely until the final day of judgment.
Now, in this age, the power of the devil over the lives of believers is dramatically weakened. The Bible says that at the beginning, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Rev 12:9) Satan roams throughout the earth and leads the whole world astray. One look at the news shows that he is very busy. Before meeting Jesus personally, we were all prey to the devil and his whiles. We spent our entire days being deceived and led astray into the paths of sin. There was nothing stopping us from sinning. In fact there seemed to be some mysterious force at work in our hearts making us sin more. When I was not a Christian, I really felt that giving into my sinful desires and gratifying them was actually healthy for me. How blind I was! I was becoming more and more estranged from God and bearing the bad fruit in my life. I was being driven into the depths of depression and despair, when I was being led astray my the devil. But then Jesus came to this world to save sinners like me. Hebrews 2:14 reads, “ 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—“ Through Jesus’ suffering death and resurrection, the head of Satan has been crushed. (Gen 3:15) We are set free from his deceptive clutches. But still we seem to he harassed from time to time by our sinful nature. We do what we do not want to do. We fall into the trap of sin and bear the fruit of the sinful nature, even if we are Christians. What is happening to us? !!
Sure we are harassed by the devil from time to time. But picture this. The devil’s head is crushed but the devil’s tail is flailing back and forth causing some mischief. But the good news is that we are no longer enslaved by the devil. Believers can repent and decide by faith to follow the word of God. They can come out of the darkness of sin and walk in the light of God. They can actually grow stronger, spiritually, through their struggle with evil. But in the final judgment the devil will be bound in chains for a time. His tail will not be flailing around to torment anyone anymore. In the Millennium believers will not be harassed by him and his angels even one iota. The time of oppression and misrule ends. The time of toil ends in rest and reward. The time of suffering ends in glory. The time of Israel’s blindness ends in restoration and conversion. The time of creation’s bondage ends in the deliverance at the manifestation of the sons of God.
This is something that we can look forward to. Can you imagine a time when you don’t have to struggle with the sinful desires that creep up in our hearts, or the sinful thoughts that flood our minds, robbing us of the peace of God and that keep us separated from God and one another? What a great time that will be! That time is coming.
Next we learn about the first resurrection. Look at revelation 20:4-6, “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Who is involved in the first resurrection? Look at verses 4-5a again, ““I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands….” These are sincere believers who have given their hearts and lives over to Jesus. Peter once asked Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matt 19:27-29) Jesus also said to his disciples in Luke 22:27-31, “28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat.”
We not despair, thinking that we can never be holy enough to be part of the first ressurrection. We can not be holy enough on our own. We also do not have any authority in ourselves to reign over our own households. But because Jesus died for us and is pleased to give us his spirit, we are made holy by grace. We are made his sons and daughters with authority to reign. Believe and accept these basic facts of the Gospel.
Will there will be people to reign over and govern. Yes! There will be millions of people living at the time of the Millennium. There was not complete destruction of the earth during the time of tribulation. The majority of the populace perished because of their unrepentant hearts. But millions survived in the rubble and the wastelands. They are the ones who will come to Jesus and live under his kingship. During the 1,000 year they will have a chance to hear the word of God. They will not have eternal life, but each will have their own lifetime. They will be discipled. They will have a chance to submit to Jesus and live under his lordship. They will also multiply until their numbers become vast.
Part ll: Satan’s Doom (20:7-10)
At the end of the thousand year reign, the devil will be released. Look at Rev 20:7-8a. It reads,” When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle….” John doesn’t say why God once again sets Satan free, but it is God’s plan for judging the world. Those living in the millennium will have been given ample opportunity to accept Jesus and his lordship. No one, not even the devil himself, could accuse Jesus as being unfair and not giving people enough time. The devil’s release would sift people, exposing those who are prone to rebel against God in their hearts and confirm those who are faithful to God. Ultimately, Satan’s release results in the final destruction of all evil and the revelation of those who will spend eternity with Christ.
In this life there are circumstances that God allows that serve to sift us. Their origins may be from the devil. How we react to different events shows what is in our hearts. In some ways these are tests. I pray that we may have the strength and the grace to stand up under any test the devil may throw at us. The best way to pass the test is to always respond in humility, repentance and faith. The you will pass.
Apparently there were lots of people, at the end of the Millenium, who were not given over completely to Jesus. Look at verses 8-9a, “and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.” How could this be, even after 1,000 years of Jesus’ reign and careful shepherding? This shows us that our hearts have to be made right by the gospel before we can enter into heaven. If our hearts are not right there will battle lines drawn in heaven, against God over and over again. Only those who repent and accept Jesus and believe now will be able to dwell with Jesus forever with no chance of rebellion, ever, just pure joy and gratitude and love in their hearts for the savior who loves them.
This really amazes me how people just don’t get it! Maybe having Jesus reigning and teaching in Jerusalem for 1,000 years made them “home blind” to God. They could have said, “Oh I know Jesus is God, but I don’t care about his presence and I think we have chance to over throw him if we just unite together.” How soon people forget! How indifferent we become to God! How desensitized! How we are ready to commit past mistakes over and over again! May God help each of us to return to our first love!
We know the outcome of this battle. Look at verses 9b-10, “But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” – the beast and his forces are captured and thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (19:20-21), and fire from heaven devours Satan and his attacking armies. (20:9-10) For God is as easy as that. There should be no doubt, no worry, no second thoughts for believers about whether they have chosen the right side or not. When we are on Jesus side, we are on the winning side!
Part lll: The Great White Throne (11-15)
John then gives us a vision of the final judgment. Look at verse 11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” This is the resurrection of all people, billions of them. Some of them have not accepted Jesus as their own personal Lord and Savior. Some them have, but they were not the ones involved in the first resurrection.
At this judgment, the Book of Life was opened. These books represented God’s judgment, and in them are recorded the deeds of everyone, good or evil. People want to live as if there is on God. They think that they will get away with all the sins they have committed. But that is not true. 2 Corinthians 5:10 reads, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” No body will get away with anything. They will all answer to God one day. Therefore we should live with a fear of God in our hearts.
Does this mean that some of our deeds will save us? For instance, if you volunteer at “Feed ‘Em Soup” 100 times then you can go to heaven? Does it mean that if you are always nice to people and never say anything that is prejudice or judgmental and never “rock the boat”, and never hurt anyone, then you are going to heaven? No. It means, that while you are in the body, now…in this life…, if you have done things that invite Christ’s salvation in your life, then you will pass through the judgment, all the way to the kingdom of heaven. Doing things like confessing and repenting of your sins. Doing things like listening to what Jesus has to say through his word and deciding to believe it from the heart. It means placing all of your hope and trust in Jesus and deciding to live for his glory and serving his purposes. These are things that will be in your credit at the final judgment. We are not saved by our deeds. We are saved by our personal relationship with Jesus, through faith in his Gospel. But deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person’s actual relationship with God.
The sad reality is that most people will not make it through this judgment. The lake of fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked – Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, Hades, and all those whose names are not recorded in the book of life because they did not place their faith in Jesus Christ. They will have to face an eternity, separated from their Creator and their Savior. Their eternal reality is nothing to be desired. In fact it should be dreaded, for it is hell where their inner torment never dies. John’s vision does not permit any gray areas in God’s judgment. If, by faith we are not identified with Jesus, confessing him as Lord, there will be no hope, no second chance, no other appeal.
But this reality is not for those who take head of Jesus’ words and repent and accept the life giving Gospel. This is how our names get written in the Lamb’s Book of life. Place your reservations today. Right now! Come to Jesus and know that your name will be there. Why put it off?
Unbelieving people are not the last to be thrown into the lake of fire, Death and Hades will also be. Look at verse 14, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” Hades is the abode of the dead, where the dead await their final judgment. When Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, God’s judgment is finished. Paul talks about this great and glorious time, in 1 Corinthians 15:25-28, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[a] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, “54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[b] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Praise the Lord, that there will be no more death!” Praise God that in Jesus’ kingdom, there is no more death, there is only life, love and peace everylasting! Jesus will bring all of this about in his time and in his way. Since we have this faith, how shall we live? 1 Corinthains 15:58 reads, “ 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
In today’s passage, we learned that through faith in Jesus we can be part of the first resurrection and reign with Jesus in the Millenium. We can be part of Christ’s complete victory over all evil and death. We can also look forward to one day when we will not be harassed by the devil any longer but live in Christ’s peace. We also learned that it is through faith in the blood of Jesus that we can know with certainty that our names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Don’t you want your name written there? I sure do. Come to Jesus and renew your relationship with him. And in then give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. It is not in vain.
Part l: The Thousand Years (20:1-6)
1. Read verses 20:1-3. How did an angel seize the devil and throw him into the Abyss? (2) Why was Satan bound in chains? (3) What does it symbolize? (12:9, Mk3:27, Heb2:14, Lk10:18) What is the purpose of rendering the devil powerless? What happens after the Millennium? What is God’s plan about his future release? (3, 17:8;13:1,7,13;16:13)
2. What happens in the first resurrection? (5-6) How are the believers given authority to reign with Christ a thousand years? (6b,1:6)
Part ll: Satan’s Doom (20:7-10)
3. What happens when the thousand years has ended? (7) How has the devil work against the Lord after his release from the Abyss? (7,13:2,7;16:14)
4. Describe the last battle with evil in verses 8-10. What is the sphere of his battle campaign? (8,9) What will finally happen to all the forces of evil? (10) How does the Lord destroy him and throw him into the lake of burning sulfur? (9,10) Think about how the Lord has destroyed all his enemies.
Part lll: The Great White Throne (11-15)
5. What happens at the final judgment when the books are opened? (11-15) How does the
Lord judge after having defeated the devil and his agents? (11) How will people be
judged? (11-14) Who stands before the judgment seat of Christ? (12,13, 2Cor5:10) How
are they judged? What are the books and the book of life, and what are recorded in
them?
6. Who was thrown into the lake of fire? (14) What is the last enemy to be destroyed?
(14,1Cor15:26) Why do we need Jesus?
Revelation 20:1-15 Shp Kevin Jesmer 5/14/11
Key verse 20:6
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.”
Today we want to examine the final judgment of God. There seem to be three stages of the final judgment. First, Satan is locked in the Abyss for a thousand years. Those who do not have the mark of the beast will reign with Christ. After a thousand years, Satan will be released for a short time to deceive many people, then he will be cast into the lake of burning sulfur to dwell forever. On the final day of judgment the living and the dead will stand before the throne of God. The books will be opened and every person will be judged according to what they have done. Those whose names are not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. This all sounds very ominous and foreboding. But those who are in Christ have nothing to fear. In fact, the blood of Jesus will enable them to pass through the judgment all the way to the kingdom of heaven. Through a study of this passage, may you not just be scared, but may you thank God for his grace given us through the blood of Jesus that put our names in the book of life. Also may we stand firm in faith, to the end, holding onto the grace of Jesus and knowing that our final victory is assured. We are true victors when we hold onto the Gospel. Let’s see.
Part l: The Thousand Years (20:1-6)
It has always been a controversy about the 1000 years, also known as the millennium. By the controversy is not an issue. It does not demand an absolute view. What is important is that we Christians believe exactly what the Bible tells us to believe. About the 1,000 years, we believe that Jesus will return according to his promise. He will also bind the devil for 1,000 and Jesus Christ will rule. After the 1,000 year, Christ will release the devil from his prison and he will do so for a short time. The devil will make his final stand against Christ and his people. It is really an amazing story. There are things that we don’t understand. For example, why would God bind the devil and then set him loose for a short time and then send him to his final judgment which is the lake of burning sulfur. There are things that we don’t understand, but we will try to understand.
Just how and when this 1,000 years takes place is understood differently among Christian scholars. The three major positions on this issue are referred to as postmillennialism, pre-millennialism and amillennialism. I began to ponder these different views after a rousing discussion at Maggie Burke’s house a few weeks ago. Briefly, postmillennialism looks for a literal 1,000 year period of peace on earth ushered in by the church. At the end of the 1,000 years, Satan will be unleashed once more, but then Christ will return to defeat him and reign forever. Christ’s coming will not occur until after the 1,000 year period. Pre-millennialism, also views the 1,000 years as a literal time period, but holds that Christ’s second coming initiates his 1,000 year reign and that his reign occurs before the final removal of Satan. Finally, amillennialism understands the 1,000 year period to be symbolic of the time between Christ’s accession and his return. Thus millennium is the reign of Christ in the hearts of believers and in his church now. This it is another way of referring to the church age. This period will end with the second coming of Christ. What viewpoint do you hold? Do you know? If you don’t that’s O.K. It took me 25 years to even begin to start asking the question.
These different views about the millennium need not cause divisions and controversy among believers, because each view acknowledges what is crucial to Christianity. Do you know what it is? Yes! That Jesus Christ shall return one day. Christ will return, defeat Satan, and reign forever! Whatever and whenever the Millennium is, Jesus Christ will unite all believers. Therefore we shall not let this issue divide us. And since we are not divided then let’s continue to look closely at the text…
God and his powerful angels are much more powerful than the devil. Let’s read verses 20:1-3, “ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.” Look how a powerful angel of God dealt with the devil in verses 1 & 2, ““ And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.” He seized the devil decisively. There doesn’t seem to be much of a struggle. The devil is bound in chains. When one is bound in chains, they cannot get free. He will surely be held securely until the final day of judgment.
Now, in this age, the power of the devil over the lives of believers is dramatically weakened. The Bible says that at the beginning, “The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.” (Rev 12:9) Satan roams throughout the earth and leads the whole world astray. One look at the news shows that he is very busy. Before meeting Jesus personally, we were all prey to the devil and his whiles. We spent our entire days being deceived and led astray into the paths of sin. There was nothing stopping us from sinning. In fact there seemed to be some mysterious force at work in our hearts making us sin more. When I was not a Christian, I really felt that giving into my sinful desires and gratifying them was actually healthy for me. How blind I was! I was becoming more and more estranged from God and bearing the bad fruit in my life. I was being driven into the depths of depression and despair, when I was being led astray my the devil. But then Jesus came to this world to save sinners like me. Hebrews 2:14 reads, “ 14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—“ Through Jesus’ suffering death and resurrection, the head of Satan has been crushed. (Gen 3:15) We are set free from his deceptive clutches. But still we seem to he harassed from time to time by our sinful nature. We do what we do not want to do. We fall into the trap of sin and bear the fruit of the sinful nature, even if we are Christians. What is happening to us? !!
Sure we are harassed by the devil from time to time. But picture this. The devil’s head is crushed but the devil’s tail is flailing back and forth causing some mischief. But the good news is that we are no longer enslaved by the devil. Believers can repent and decide by faith to follow the word of God. They can come out of the darkness of sin and walk in the light of God. They can actually grow stronger, spiritually, through their struggle with evil. But in the final judgment the devil will be bound in chains for a time. His tail will not be flailing around to torment anyone anymore. In the Millennium believers will not be harassed by him and his angels even one iota. The time of oppression and misrule ends. The time of toil ends in rest and reward. The time of suffering ends in glory. The time of Israel’s blindness ends in restoration and conversion. The time of creation’s bondage ends in the deliverance at the manifestation of the sons of God.
This is something that we can look forward to. Can you imagine a time when you don’t have to struggle with the sinful desires that creep up in our hearts, or the sinful thoughts that flood our minds, robbing us of the peace of God and that keep us separated from God and one another? What a great time that will be! That time is coming.
Next we learn about the first resurrection. Look at revelation 20:4-6, “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Who is involved in the first resurrection? Look at verses 4-5a again, ““I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands….” These are sincere believers who have given their hearts and lives over to Jesus. Peter once asked Jesus, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”28 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29 And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life.” (Matt 19:27-29) Jesus also said to his disciples in Luke 22:27-31, “28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you[a] as wheat.”
We not despair, thinking that we can never be holy enough to be part of the first ressurrection. We can not be holy enough on our own. We also do not have any authority in ourselves to reign over our own households. But because Jesus died for us and is pleased to give us his spirit, we are made holy by grace. We are made his sons and daughters with authority to reign. Believe and accept these basic facts of the Gospel.
Will there will be people to reign over and govern. Yes! There will be millions of people living at the time of the Millennium. There was not complete destruction of the earth during the time of tribulation. The majority of the populace perished because of their unrepentant hearts. But millions survived in the rubble and the wastelands. They are the ones who will come to Jesus and live under his kingship. During the 1,000 year they will have a chance to hear the word of God. They will not have eternal life, but each will have their own lifetime. They will be discipled. They will have a chance to submit to Jesus and live under his lordship. They will also multiply until their numbers become vast.
Part ll: Satan’s Doom (20:7-10)
At the end of the thousand year reign, the devil will be released. Look at Rev 20:7-8a. It reads,” When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8 and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle….” John doesn’t say why God once again sets Satan free, but it is God’s plan for judging the world. Those living in the millennium will have been given ample opportunity to accept Jesus and his lordship. No one, not even the devil himself, could accuse Jesus as being unfair and not giving people enough time. The devil’s release would sift people, exposing those who are prone to rebel against God in their hearts and confirm those who are faithful to God. Ultimately, Satan’s release results in the final destruction of all evil and the revelation of those who will spend eternity with Christ.
In this life there are circumstances that God allows that serve to sift us. Their origins may be from the devil. How we react to different events shows what is in our hearts. In some ways these are tests. I pray that we may have the strength and the grace to stand up under any test the devil may throw at us. The best way to pass the test is to always respond in humility, repentance and faith. The you will pass.
Apparently there were lots of people, at the end of the Millenium, who were not given over completely to Jesus. Look at verses 8-9a, “and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9 They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves.” How could this be, even after 1,000 years of Jesus’ reign and careful shepherding? This shows us that our hearts have to be made right by the gospel before we can enter into heaven. If our hearts are not right there will battle lines drawn in heaven, against God over and over again. Only those who repent and accept Jesus and believe now will be able to dwell with Jesus forever with no chance of rebellion, ever, just pure joy and gratitude and love in their hearts for the savior who loves them.
This really amazes me how people just don’t get it! Maybe having Jesus reigning and teaching in Jerusalem for 1,000 years made them “home blind” to God. They could have said, “Oh I know Jesus is God, but I don’t care about his presence and I think we have chance to over throw him if we just unite together.” How soon people forget! How indifferent we become to God! How desensitized! How we are ready to commit past mistakes over and over again! May God help each of us to return to our first love!
We know the outcome of this battle. Look at verses 9b-10, “But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” – the beast and his forces are captured and thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. (19:20-21), and fire from heaven devours Satan and his attacking armies. (20:9-10) For God is as easy as that. There should be no doubt, no worry, no second thoughts for believers about whether they have chosen the right side or not. When we are on Jesus side, we are on the winning side!
Part lll: The Great White Throne (11-15)
John then gives us a vision of the final judgment. Look at verse 11-15, “Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” This is the resurrection of all people, billions of them. Some of them have not accepted Jesus as their own personal Lord and Savior. Some them have, but they were not the ones involved in the first resurrection.
At this judgment, the Book of Life was opened. These books represented God’s judgment, and in them are recorded the deeds of everyone, good or evil. People want to live as if there is on God. They think that they will get away with all the sins they have committed. But that is not true. 2 Corinthians 5:10 reads, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” No body will get away with anything. They will all answer to God one day. Therefore we should live with a fear of God in our hearts.
Does this mean that some of our deeds will save us? For instance, if you volunteer at “Feed ‘Em Soup” 100 times then you can go to heaven? Does it mean that if you are always nice to people and never say anything that is prejudice or judgmental and never “rock the boat”, and never hurt anyone, then you are going to heaven? No. It means, that while you are in the body, now…in this life…, if you have done things that invite Christ’s salvation in your life, then you will pass through the judgment, all the way to the kingdom of heaven. Doing things like confessing and repenting of your sins. Doing things like listening to what Jesus has to say through his word and deciding to believe it from the heart. It means placing all of your hope and trust in Jesus and deciding to live for his glory and serving his purposes. These are things that will be in your credit at the final judgment. We are not saved by our deeds. We are saved by our personal relationship with Jesus, through faith in his Gospel. But deeds are seen as clear evidence of a person’s actual relationship with God.
The sad reality is that most people will not make it through this judgment. The lake of fire is the ultimate destination of everything wicked – Satan, the beast, the false prophet, the demons, death, Hades, and all those whose names are not recorded in the book of life because they did not place their faith in Jesus Christ. They will have to face an eternity, separated from their Creator and their Savior. Their eternal reality is nothing to be desired. In fact it should be dreaded, for it is hell where their inner torment never dies. John’s vision does not permit any gray areas in God’s judgment. If, by faith we are not identified with Jesus, confessing him as Lord, there will be no hope, no second chance, no other appeal.
But this reality is not for those who take head of Jesus’ words and repent and accept the life giving Gospel. This is how our names get written in the Lamb’s Book of life. Place your reservations today. Right now! Come to Jesus and know that your name will be there. Why put it off?
Unbelieving people are not the last to be thrown into the lake of fire, Death and Hades will also be. Look at verse 14, “Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.” Hades is the abode of the dead, where the dead await their final judgment. When Death and Hades are thrown into the lake of fire, God’s judgment is finished. Paul talks about this great and glorious time, in 1 Corinthians 15:25-28, “For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27 For he “has put everything under his feet.”[a] Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.” Paul also says in 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, “54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.” 55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”[b] 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Praise the Lord, that there will be no more death!” Praise God that in Jesus’ kingdom, there is no more death, there is only life, love and peace everylasting! Jesus will bring all of this about in his time and in his way. Since we have this faith, how shall we live? 1 Corinthains 15:58 reads, “ 58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
In today’s passage, we learned that through faith in Jesus we can be part of the first resurrection and reign with Jesus in the Millenium. We can be part of Christ’s complete victory over all evil and death. We can also look forward to one day when we will not be harassed by the devil any longer but live in Christ’s peace. We also learned that it is through faith in the blood of Jesus that we can know with certainty that our names will be written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Don’t you want your name written there? I sure do. Come to Jesus and renew your relationship with him. And in then give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. It is not in vain.
Part l: The Thousand Years (20:1-6)
1. Read verses 20:1-3. How did an angel seize the devil and throw him into the Abyss? (2) Why was Satan bound in chains? (3) What does it symbolize? (12:9, Mk3:27, Heb2:14, Lk10:18) What is the purpose of rendering the devil powerless? What happens after the Millennium? What is God’s plan about his future release? (3, 17:8;13:1,7,13;16:13)
2. What happens in the first resurrection? (5-6) How are the believers given authority to reign with Christ a thousand years? (6b,1:6)
Part ll: Satan’s Doom (20:7-10)
3. What happens when the thousand years has ended? (7) How has the devil work against the Lord after his release from the Abyss? (7,13:2,7;16:14)
4. Describe the last battle with evil in verses 8-10. What is the sphere of his battle campaign? (8,9) What will finally happen to all the forces of evil? (10) How does the Lord destroy him and throw him into the lake of burning sulfur? (9,10) Think about how the Lord has destroyed all his enemies.
Part lll: The Great White Throne (11-15)
5. What happens at the final judgment when the books are opened? (11-15) How does the
Lord judge after having defeated the devil and his agents? (11) How will people be
judged? (11-14) Who stands before the judgment seat of Christ? (12,13, 2Cor5:10) How
are they judged? What are the books and the book of life, and what are recorded in
them?
6. Who was thrown into the lake of fire? (14) What is the last enemy to be destroyed?
(14,1Cor15:26) Why do we need Jesus?
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Revelation 19:12-21
The Rider On The White Horse
Revelation 19:12-21
Key verse 19:11 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-1-11
“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 makes war.”
We have just come back from our wonderful Easter conference at Timber Lee Wisconsin. There we studied Luke 24, concerning Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. While on the road, Jesus had a deep conversation with the disciples, helping them to understand about the messiah throughout the Old Testament. He pointed out how the Christ was to suffer die and then rise again from the Scriptures. The disciples’ hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke. And then, when they share an intimate moment of breaking bread together and sharing personal spiritual fellowship, the disciples hearts, and spiritual eyes are were open. They had met the Risen Jesus very personally. Their hearts were elated. They were set free from despair and fear and the power of death. They did a complete 180 and ran to tell the others the good news that Jesus has risen, just as he said, and he was alive forever more.
Currently we are in the midst of studying the biographies of various obscure people in Genesis. But since we just studied all about Jesus’ death and resurrection at the Easter conference, this is a good time to finish off where we had left off in Revelation, for in this last portion we find teachings on God’s judgment, his grace, resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God. We can discover what is in store for believers because Jesus suffered, died and rose again for us.
In this passage we will discover the rider on the white horse. He is Jesus. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the Word of God. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword. With it he strikes down all rebellious nations. He executes God's wrath on the nations of the world. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Through a study of this passage may we learn more about the rider. May we know his truth and his grace. And may we know that we, who are in Christ, are on the winning side of the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Let’s see….
Part l: The Rider On The White Horse (11-16)
And so, who is this rider? Let’s read verses 11-16. “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 makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord OF Lords.” There is no doubt as to the identity of this glorious King who sits on the white horse. He is Jesus Christ. He is coming with the fury of God to deal judgment on Satan and his cohorts who have stood against God and himself and have corrupted the hearts of people across the centuries. In this image we can learn many important things about Jesus.
First, he is faithful and true. This means that he is constant. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8) His love is the same, unconditional and unfailing. His truth is the same, eternal and steadfast. His promises are the same, faithful and fulfilled. Jesus works faithfully throughout our lifetime, and beyond, to fulfill each and every one of his promises to us. What are his greatest promises? Is it not to forgive us of all of our sins when we repent and place all of our hope and trust in him? Is it not to raise us up again from the dead so that we may spend eternity with him forever? Is it not to produce good fruit in our lives as we follow Jesus during our pilgrimage here on earth? Yes indeed.
I thank God that Jesus is faithful and true. There are very few people in our lives who are faithful and true. There are spouses, our kids, our family, church family and a handful of friends. But even these beautiful relationships fall short of our faithful and true Savior and friend Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can be with us 24/7 and forever. He is with us each and every day of our journey while on this earth. We will be with him in heaven for all eternity.
Second, “With justice he judges and makes war.” His first coming brought forgiveness of sins to us. His second coming will bring judgment. Jesus came first as a Lamb to be sacrificed for sin. But Our God is not just our forgiving friend. He is not just some benevolent grandfather. He is also a righteous judge and he will come to make war on all that is opposition to God. He will return as a Conqueror and King to execute his righteous judgment.
Third, “His eyes are like blazing fire,” Jesus’ eyes are blazing fire. It is not because he was up all night playing video games and watching TV with his friends until 3 in the morning. It is because his vision can penetrate all darkness and burn away all that is impure and unholy to clearly reveal what lies underneath the surface. Sometimes we cover ourselves with our own self righteousness in order to appear holy. But we must know that nothing can be hidden before the eyes of Jesus. All will be laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13) And so the best thing to do is be honest with God right from the beginning.
Fourth, “on his head are many crowns.” Jesus has many crowns on his head. It is because one crown does not do him justice. He is not an ordinary king or ruler. He is the King of kings and the Lord or lords…of all kings and lords that have ever lived. He is the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah, the One before whom every knee bows to and every tongue confesses. How great and awesome is our King Jesus! Let us submit to his reign in our lives.
Fifth, “He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.” Does this confuse anyone? How can the John write this when we know that his name is Jesus. In verse 16 we read, “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord OF Lords.” It seems all you have to do is look at Jesus’ robe and the writing on his thigh to discover his name. But we need to know that the Jews did not even venture to know the name of God. They call him Yahweh or Adonai (rendered: The Lord, the Lord Almighty), but this is just an attempt to represent God. When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush, he told him the name that he Moses should tell Pharaoh. What was that name? “I am who I am.” I once had a poster with over 300 names of Jesus. Why get so touchy about a name? In the Bible when a person knows your name, he knows all about you, your character and personality. He knows the parents and God’s hope and possibly even a prophecy about that person’s life and future. The fact that we can not know the name of the rider on the white horse, reflects the fact that we can not know Jesus fully. No matter how long you have followed Jesus, there is still a mystery about him. He is like a cut diamond, glorious and brilliant and ever changing in beauty each time you look at him from different angles. That is what Jesus is like to us this world. But in the Kingdom of heaven Jesus will be fully known, as we are fully known by God. (1 Cor 13:12) We shall see Jesus fully face to face.
Sixth, “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,” This is every house wives cleaning nightmare, for blood is so hard to get out of clothing. Why did he have blood on his robes? Look at verse 19:15b, “…He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” This blood is a testament of God’s justice. The imagery behind this verse is troubling to think of. The wine press of God’s wrath is a harvest that all people should fear being part of. Revealtion 14:17-20 reads, “Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, ‘Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe’. 19The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.” A winepress was a large vat or trough where grapes were collected and then smashed. The juice flowed out of the spout that emptied into a large holding container. The winepress is used in the Bible as a symbol of God’s wrath and judgment against sin. The blood of billions of people poured out of that wine press for it created a stream of blood 5 feet tall and it spread out for 180 miles. This shows us the urgency of proclaiming the gospel of salvation. According to the book of revelation, billions of people are going to perish in their sins. We should care about this and respond accordingly by sharing the life giving Gospel of Jesus with the world. Again true Christians need not fear this harvest but rather become vigilant.
This imagery would have been especially comforting to the early Christians. They were persecuted beyond belief, by the Roman Empire and Gentile idol worshippers. Hebrews 11:35b-38 reveals some of the persecutions that people of faith have received from the world over the centuries. They read, “…Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.” The first century Christians were receiving similar persecutions in their generations. They were receiving very unjust treatment. Some might have prayed, “Lord, I gave my whole life to you. How could you let this happen?”
But in John’s vision we see that victorious conquering Lord Jesus Christ come into this world to bring about his perfect justice. It is kind of hard to understand why a vision of a righteous judge would bring about such comfort and joy to believers. We may not understand because we really have not been persecuted for our faith by the people of the world that much. Maybe we have been ignored. Maybe we have been rejected and hated and excluded from time to time. But we have not had our homes confiscated, been falsely accused and thrown to the lions! Some Christians do experience this type of injustice in other countries. They known the joy of beholding the King of kings and Lord of Lords coming in a robe dipped in blood.
We do undergo injustices sometimes in America. At school one of Mark’s classmates blurted our, “God is a crazy old man!”. Mark stood up for God publically saying, “No he is not!” and the other boy blurted out, “And you’re crazy too!” Last week Jenn was going to take the ACT test. She prayed with two other FCA members in the open, in front of others. There was a person who was really uncomfortable witnessing this. There are times when I think I am raising up more people who hate me than disciples of Jesus. Jesus tells us that if we are his disciples the world will hate us. (Jn 15:18) We should not be hated for our mistakes and foolishness, but persecution should be because we love and follow Jesus.
We are also unjustly treated by the devil himself. The devil will not stop. He is like a roaring lion ready to pounce on you. He will accuse you night and day. He will work on your weaknesses to wear you down. If you try to do good, he will take all you do and say and twist it around and throw it back at you in an attempt to bring you down. Sometimes we are tempted to say, “why me?” I hear this from time to time, “Why God? I have been a good person.” And last week, “If this suffering is the way God is trying to get my attention then it is not working.” Some students may wonder why they failed or why their relationships have broken up or why they are so lonely. They blame God. But I think they should blame the devil for his unjust treatment on their souls and come to Jesus, their conquering Savior who will bring about perfect justice in their lives when they humble themselves and submit to the Lordship of Jesus, Our King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus is the King of Kings who will come to tread out the winepress of God’s wrath, yes…but that is not his initial desire. Jesus did not come to into this world to enslave people, by shedding their blood. He came to set us free and fulfill his perfect justice by suffering and shedding his blood. The sins we have perpetrated towards God and others are very unjust and should be dealt with by God. But because Jesus came into this world, suffered and died as the Pascal Lamb, the price has been paid in full. God’s justice is satisfied. We can be totally forgiven. This is the mark of merciful king Jesus. He is the only one worthy, of our all our love and worship. He is worthy because he did not exercise his power to subject us, but he used his power to free us from the grip of Satan who enslaved us for generations. How precious is Jesus! Jesus’ precious blood dripped down from the cross in order to rescue you and me from sin. Who would do this for us, when we have turned our heads away from him every time a temptation or a pleasure or a temptation to seek personal comfort rose up in our hearts? But Jesus did. And for this he is worthy of our love and devotion.
Seventh, “and his name is the Word of God.” Jesus is the word of God incarnate. John says of Jesus in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God.” We use words to communicate with people. We share our hearts, our hopes our dreams, our likes and yes even our dislikes with words. We text our friends with words. God, the Father, is communicating with us through his Son, Jesus. What is his trying to communicate to us in this vision? Jesus is our conquering King, and Lord who his binging about his perfect justice and salvation. We just need to come to him by faith, stand in his side and taste his glorious salvation.
The fact that his name is the “Word of God” means that Jesus did not rule us with human rules and regulations. He ruled us with the living and active word of God. Jesus came to replace the lies in our hearts with the word of God, with the truth. He came to give us a new life based on the eternal word of God which alone can give us newness of life and clear direction. His word is above all things in heaven and on earth. We should cherish it always, rely on it always, uphold it always, and share it with others always.
Eighth, “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” Who are the armies of heaven? They are the saints of God. Verse 19:8 reads, “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” They could be born again believers who were made holy by the blood of Jesus and who were raised again to eternal life. They follow their Lord in glorious power and splendor. Their robes were not dipped in blood. Only Jesus’ were. It is because only Jesus is the judge of the living and dead. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.
He alone had robes dipped in blood because there was no one who could help him. Isaiah 63:1-5 reads, “ 1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.’” Only one who is without sin can judge. As for people, all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. No one was qualified. But let us face the facts. Jesus does a lot of things alone because no one wants to help or is qualified to help. Let’s decide to help Jesus and become qualified to help Jesus.
Ninth, “Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’” Jesus is has a sharp double edged sword. It is a very effective spiritual weapon. Hebrews 4:12 reads, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Some people may think that such an image is too authoritarian. But I personally don’t mind being ruled by Jesus in this way. I welcome it actually. To those who are saved and who know the grace of God, Jesus’ iron scepter feels more like a shepherd’s rod. It is like children who live in a household with a strict dad, but they know that their dad is full of love and they feel safe and secure under his care.
The fact that Jesus rules with an iron scepter is also why not everyone is going to be happy going to heaven,. If they do not like living under the Lordship of Jesus now, then they will baulk at Jesus Lordship in heaven. Some think that life in heaven is a fully paid, all expense paid trip to Club med in the Caribbean where God pays for everything, but doesn’t bother them much. But this is not so. Jesus is the king of Kings and Lord of lords. He has an iron scepter. If you don’t enjoy his lordship in your present condition of heart, you will not enjoy heaven. Our hearts need to be changed by repenting of our sins and asking Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior.
Part ll: Jesus The Bringer Of Complete Justice (17-21)
Jesus will bring about complete justice. Look at Verses 17-21, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” The birds are probably vultures. They gather where there are dead bodies. This image is one of complete victory over the enemies of God.
Jesus is more powerful that the devil and his cohorts. Look at verses 19-21. “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. This is a very difficult scene. It is a vision of the final demise of the devil and his people whose end will be in the lake of burning sulfur. Sometimes we think that the devil and evil are more powerful than God and his “good”. But this is not so. Jesus is the all power, sovereign Lord. He is more powerful than the devil himself. Nothing can stand in the way of Jesus. In the Lord’s Prayer there is line, “Deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus can and will deliver us from the evil one. We must trust Jesus to work out his good and perfect will in our lives. We must trust Jesus that he will bring all believers to glory.
Jesus is the rider on the white horse. He is truly the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is my King and my Lord. Would you confess him your King and Lord today and always? It is not a small question. It is a real question that touches our hearts. There are those who confess him by mouth, but their lives are a far cry from him being the King of their lives. Let us renounce and repent of any hypocrisy we find in our hearts and ask his mercy, for he is faithful and true and will cleanse us from all our sins and count us among the blessed. Amen. And we must stand as witnesses to the King whose robe is dipped in blood, and whose name is faithful and true. We must witness that the Lamb is still is willing to pay the price for the sins of everyone who turns from sin and embraces the cross of Jesus and calls for forgiveness and new life. We must witness to all people that the Lamb will triumph. And in the mean while, let us give praise and worship to him, for he is worthy.
Part l: The Rider On The White Horse (11-16)
1. Read vs. 11-16. At last, Jesus returns riding on a white horse to fight his enemies. Why
is he called Faithful and True? How does the appearance of his eyes, head and dress
highlights his character and his truthful judgment? (12,13,15)
2. Why are his clothes dipped in blood? Who are the armies of heaven following him riding
on white horses? (14, 8) How will he rule in the kingdom of God? (16)
Part ll: Jesus The Bringer Of Complete Justice (17-21)
3. Read vs. 17-21. How does an angel invite all the birds to the great supper of God? (17) What is the purpose of birds in this imagery?
4. How have the beast and the false prophet made war against the saints? (20b, 13:7,11:7) How have they gathered to fight the Lord? (19,16:14,16) What is their final destiny? (20,21) Think about the progression of their destruction. Whose side shall we be on?
Revelation 19:12-21
Key verse 19:11 Shp Kevin Jesmer NIU UBF 5-1-11
“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 makes war.”
We have just come back from our wonderful Easter conference at Timber Lee Wisconsin. There we studied Luke 24, concerning Jesus’ appearance to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. While on the road, Jesus had a deep conversation with the disciples, helping them to understand about the messiah throughout the Old Testament. He pointed out how the Christ was to suffer die and then rise again from the Scriptures. The disciples’ hearts were burning within them as Jesus spoke. And then, when they share an intimate moment of breaking bread together and sharing personal spiritual fellowship, the disciples hearts, and spiritual eyes are were open. They had met the Risen Jesus very personally. Their hearts were elated. They were set free from despair and fear and the power of death. They did a complete 180 and ran to tell the others the good news that Jesus has risen, just as he said, and he was alive forever more.
Currently we are in the midst of studying the biographies of various obscure people in Genesis. But since we just studied all about Jesus’ death and resurrection at the Easter conference, this is a good time to finish off where we had left off in Revelation, for in this last portion we find teachings on God’s judgment, his grace, resurrection and eternal life in the kingdom of God. We can discover what is in store for believers because Jesus suffered, died and rose again for us.
In this passage we will discover the rider on the white horse. He is Jesus. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood and his name is the Word of God. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword. With it he strikes down all rebellious nations. He executes God's wrath on the nations of the world. He is King of kings and Lord of lords. Through a study of this passage may we learn more about the rider. May we know his truth and his grace. And may we know that we, who are in Christ, are on the winning side of the King of Kings and Lord of lords. Let’s see….
Part l: The Rider On The White Horse (11-16)
And so, who is this rider? Let’s read verses 11-16. “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 makes war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’ He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord OF Lords.” There is no doubt as to the identity of this glorious King who sits on the white horse. He is Jesus Christ. He is coming with the fury of God to deal judgment on Satan and his cohorts who have stood against God and himself and have corrupted the hearts of people across the centuries. In this image we can learn many important things about Jesus.
First, he is faithful and true. This means that he is constant. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever. (Heb 13:8) His love is the same, unconditional and unfailing. His truth is the same, eternal and steadfast. His promises are the same, faithful and fulfilled. Jesus works faithfully throughout our lifetime, and beyond, to fulfill each and every one of his promises to us. What are his greatest promises? Is it not to forgive us of all of our sins when we repent and place all of our hope and trust in him? Is it not to raise us up again from the dead so that we may spend eternity with him forever? Is it not to produce good fruit in our lives as we follow Jesus during our pilgrimage here on earth? Yes indeed.
I thank God that Jesus is faithful and true. There are very few people in our lives who are faithful and true. There are spouses, our kids, our family, church family and a handful of friends. But even these beautiful relationships fall short of our faithful and true Savior and friend Jesus Christ. Only Jesus can be with us 24/7 and forever. He is with us each and every day of our journey while on this earth. We will be with him in heaven for all eternity.
Second, “With justice he judges and makes war.” His first coming brought forgiveness of sins to us. His second coming will bring judgment. Jesus came first as a Lamb to be sacrificed for sin. But Our God is not just our forgiving friend. He is not just some benevolent grandfather. He is also a righteous judge and he will come to make war on all that is opposition to God. He will return as a Conqueror and King to execute his righteous judgment.
Third, “His eyes are like blazing fire,” Jesus’ eyes are blazing fire. It is not because he was up all night playing video games and watching TV with his friends until 3 in the morning. It is because his vision can penetrate all darkness and burn away all that is impure and unholy to clearly reveal what lies underneath the surface. Sometimes we cover ourselves with our own self righteousness in order to appear holy. But we must know that nothing can be hidden before the eyes of Jesus. All will be laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. (Heb 4:13) And so the best thing to do is be honest with God right from the beginning.
Fourth, “on his head are many crowns.” Jesus has many crowns on his head. It is because one crown does not do him justice. He is not an ordinary king or ruler. He is the King of kings and the Lord or lords…of all kings and lords that have ever lived. He is the Son of God, the Savior, the Messiah, the One before whom every knee bows to and every tongue confesses. How great and awesome is our King Jesus! Let us submit to his reign in our lives.
Fifth, “He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.” Does this confuse anyone? How can the John write this when we know that his name is Jesus. In verse 16 we read, “On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: King Of Kings And Lord OF Lords.” It seems all you have to do is look at Jesus’ robe and the writing on his thigh to discover his name. But we need to know that the Jews did not even venture to know the name of God. They call him Yahweh or Adonai (rendered: The Lord, the Lord Almighty), but this is just an attempt to represent God. When God spoke to Moses in the burning bush, he told him the name that he Moses should tell Pharaoh. What was that name? “I am who I am.” I once had a poster with over 300 names of Jesus. Why get so touchy about a name? In the Bible when a person knows your name, he knows all about you, your character and personality. He knows the parents and God’s hope and possibly even a prophecy about that person’s life and future. The fact that we can not know the name of the rider on the white horse, reflects the fact that we can not know Jesus fully. No matter how long you have followed Jesus, there is still a mystery about him. He is like a cut diamond, glorious and brilliant and ever changing in beauty each time you look at him from different angles. That is what Jesus is like to us this world. But in the Kingdom of heaven Jesus will be fully known, as we are fully known by God. (1 Cor 13:12) We shall see Jesus fully face to face.
Sixth, “He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood,” This is every house wives cleaning nightmare, for blood is so hard to get out of clothing. Why did he have blood on his robes? Look at verse 19:15b, “…He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.” This blood is a testament of God’s justice. The imagery behind this verse is troubling to think of. The wine press of God’s wrath is a harvest that all people should fear being part of. Revealtion 14:17-20 reads, “Another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 18Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to him who had the sharp sickle, ‘Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth's vine, because its grapes are ripe’. 19The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God's wrath. 20They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press, rising as high as the horses' bridles for a distance of 1,600 stadia.” A winepress was a large vat or trough where grapes were collected and then smashed. The juice flowed out of the spout that emptied into a large holding container. The winepress is used in the Bible as a symbol of God’s wrath and judgment against sin. The blood of billions of people poured out of that wine press for it created a stream of blood 5 feet tall and it spread out for 180 miles. This shows us the urgency of proclaiming the gospel of salvation. According to the book of revelation, billions of people are going to perish in their sins. We should care about this and respond accordingly by sharing the life giving Gospel of Jesus with the world. Again true Christians need not fear this harvest but rather become vigilant.
This imagery would have been especially comforting to the early Christians. They were persecuted beyond belief, by the Roman Empire and Gentile idol worshippers. Hebrews 11:35b-38 reveals some of the persecutions that people of faith have received from the world over the centuries. They read, “…Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. 37 They were stoned[f]; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— 38 the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.” The first century Christians were receiving similar persecutions in their generations. They were receiving very unjust treatment. Some might have prayed, “Lord, I gave my whole life to you. How could you let this happen?”
But in John’s vision we see that victorious conquering Lord Jesus Christ come into this world to bring about his perfect justice. It is kind of hard to understand why a vision of a righteous judge would bring about such comfort and joy to believers. We may not understand because we really have not been persecuted for our faith by the people of the world that much. Maybe we have been ignored. Maybe we have been rejected and hated and excluded from time to time. But we have not had our homes confiscated, been falsely accused and thrown to the lions! Some Christians do experience this type of injustice in other countries. They known the joy of beholding the King of kings and Lord of Lords coming in a robe dipped in blood.
We do undergo injustices sometimes in America. At school one of Mark’s classmates blurted our, “God is a crazy old man!”. Mark stood up for God publically saying, “No he is not!” and the other boy blurted out, “And you’re crazy too!” Last week Jenn was going to take the ACT test. She prayed with two other FCA members in the open, in front of others. There was a person who was really uncomfortable witnessing this. There are times when I think I am raising up more people who hate me than disciples of Jesus. Jesus tells us that if we are his disciples the world will hate us. (Jn 15:18) We should not be hated for our mistakes and foolishness, but persecution should be because we love and follow Jesus.
We are also unjustly treated by the devil himself. The devil will not stop. He is like a roaring lion ready to pounce on you. He will accuse you night and day. He will work on your weaknesses to wear you down. If you try to do good, he will take all you do and say and twist it around and throw it back at you in an attempt to bring you down. Sometimes we are tempted to say, “why me?” I hear this from time to time, “Why God? I have been a good person.” And last week, “If this suffering is the way God is trying to get my attention then it is not working.” Some students may wonder why they failed or why their relationships have broken up or why they are so lonely. They blame God. But I think they should blame the devil for his unjust treatment on their souls and come to Jesus, their conquering Savior who will bring about perfect justice in their lives when they humble themselves and submit to the Lordship of Jesus, Our King of kings and Lord of Lords.
Jesus is the King of Kings who will come to tread out the winepress of God’s wrath, yes…but that is not his initial desire. Jesus did not come to into this world to enslave people, by shedding their blood. He came to set us free and fulfill his perfect justice by suffering and shedding his blood. The sins we have perpetrated towards God and others are very unjust and should be dealt with by God. But because Jesus came into this world, suffered and died as the Pascal Lamb, the price has been paid in full. God’s justice is satisfied. We can be totally forgiven. This is the mark of merciful king Jesus. He is the only one worthy, of our all our love and worship. He is worthy because he did not exercise his power to subject us, but he used his power to free us from the grip of Satan who enslaved us for generations. How precious is Jesus! Jesus’ precious blood dripped down from the cross in order to rescue you and me from sin. Who would do this for us, when we have turned our heads away from him every time a temptation or a pleasure or a temptation to seek personal comfort rose up in our hearts? But Jesus did. And for this he is worthy of our love and devotion.
Seventh, “and his name is the Word of God.” Jesus is the word of God incarnate. John says of Jesus in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the word was God.” We use words to communicate with people. We share our hearts, our hopes our dreams, our likes and yes even our dislikes with words. We text our friends with words. God, the Father, is communicating with us through his Son, Jesus. What is his trying to communicate to us in this vision? Jesus is our conquering King, and Lord who his binging about his perfect justice and salvation. We just need to come to him by faith, stand in his side and taste his glorious salvation.
The fact that his name is the “Word of God” means that Jesus did not rule us with human rules and regulations. He ruled us with the living and active word of God. Jesus came to replace the lies in our hearts with the word of God, with the truth. He came to give us a new life based on the eternal word of God which alone can give us newness of life and clear direction. His word is above all things in heaven and on earth. We should cherish it always, rely on it always, uphold it always, and share it with others always.
Eighth, “The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.” Who are the armies of heaven? They are the saints of God. Verse 19:8 reads, “Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)” They could be born again believers who were made holy by the blood of Jesus and who were raised again to eternal life. They follow their Lord in glorious power and splendor. Their robes were not dipped in blood. Only Jesus’ were. It is because only Jesus is the judge of the living and dead. Vengeance is mine saith the Lord.
He alone had robes dipped in blood because there was no one who could help him. Isaiah 63:1-5 reads, “ 1 Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.” 2 Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress? 3 ‘I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing. 4 For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come. 5 I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.’” Only one who is without sin can judge. As for people, all have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. No one was qualified. But let us face the facts. Jesus does a lot of things alone because no one wants to help or is qualified to help. Let’s decide to help Jesus and become qualified to help Jesus.
Ninth, “Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron scepter.’” Jesus is has a sharp double edged sword. It is a very effective spiritual weapon. Hebrews 4:12 reads, “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Some people may think that such an image is too authoritarian. But I personally don’t mind being ruled by Jesus in this way. I welcome it actually. To those who are saved and who know the grace of God, Jesus’ iron scepter feels more like a shepherd’s rod. It is like children who live in a household with a strict dad, but they know that their dad is full of love and they feel safe and secure under his care.
The fact that Jesus rules with an iron scepter is also why not everyone is going to be happy going to heaven,. If they do not like living under the Lordship of Jesus now, then they will baulk at Jesus Lordship in heaven. Some think that life in heaven is a fully paid, all expense paid trip to Club med in the Caribbean where God pays for everything, but doesn’t bother them much. But this is not so. Jesus is the king of Kings and Lord of lords. He has an iron scepter. If you don’t enjoy his lordship in your present condition of heart, you will not enjoy heaven. Our hearts need to be changed by repenting of our sins and asking Jesus into your heart as Lord and Savior.
Part ll: Jesus The Bringer Of Complete Justice (17-21)
Jesus will bring about complete justice. Look at Verses 17-21, “And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great.” The birds are probably vultures. They gather where there are dead bodies. This image is one of complete victory over the enemies of God.
Jesus is more powerful that the devil and his cohorts. Look at verses 19-21. “Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20 But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21 The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. This is a very difficult scene. It is a vision of the final demise of the devil and his people whose end will be in the lake of burning sulfur. Sometimes we think that the devil and evil are more powerful than God and his “good”. But this is not so. Jesus is the all power, sovereign Lord. He is more powerful than the devil himself. Nothing can stand in the way of Jesus. In the Lord’s Prayer there is line, “Deliver us from the evil one.” Jesus can and will deliver us from the evil one. We must trust Jesus to work out his good and perfect will in our lives. We must trust Jesus that he will bring all believers to glory.
Jesus is the rider on the white horse. He is truly the King of kings and the Lord of lords. He is my King and my Lord. Would you confess him your King and Lord today and always? It is not a small question. It is a real question that touches our hearts. There are those who confess him by mouth, but their lives are a far cry from him being the King of their lives. Let us renounce and repent of any hypocrisy we find in our hearts and ask his mercy, for he is faithful and true and will cleanse us from all our sins and count us among the blessed. Amen. And we must stand as witnesses to the King whose robe is dipped in blood, and whose name is faithful and true. We must witness that the Lamb is still is willing to pay the price for the sins of everyone who turns from sin and embraces the cross of Jesus and calls for forgiveness and new life. We must witness to all people that the Lamb will triumph. And in the mean while, let us give praise and worship to him, for he is worthy.
Part l: The Rider On The White Horse (11-16)
1. Read vs. 11-16. At last, Jesus returns riding on a white horse to fight his enemies. Why
is he called Faithful and True? How does the appearance of his eyes, head and dress
highlights his character and his truthful judgment? (12,13,15)
2. Why are his clothes dipped in blood? Who are the armies of heaven following him riding
on white horses? (14, 8) How will he rule in the kingdom of God? (16)
Part ll: Jesus The Bringer Of Complete Justice (17-21)
3. Read vs. 17-21. How does an angel invite all the birds to the great supper of God? (17) What is the purpose of birds in this imagery?
4. How have the beast and the false prophet made war against the saints? (20b, 13:7,11:7) How have they gathered to fight the Lord? (19,16:14,16) What is their final destiny? (20,21) Think about the progression of their destruction. Whose side shall we be on?
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