A guaranteed classic.
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and [a]communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John, who testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw. Blessed is the one who reads, and those who hear the words of the prophecy and [b]keep the things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Rev1:1-3 NASB
The Book of Revelation is a guaranteed classic. It is an expression of God’s care for His people. Peter told us that Biblical prophecies are like a lamp shining in a dark place (2Pet1:19). They are intended to provide guidance for our life today and hope for our future. The primary purpose of Biblical prophecies is to assure us that no matter what the future brings, God is in control. It can bring you into a closer walk with Jesus – the promise for the readers is a blessing. The book is called “The Revelation of Jesus Christ, not the Revelation of last-day events!
Jesus is the beginning of the book, it ends with him and it uplifts Him as the centre of all hope. From this book, we can be assured that Jesus Christ is with us throughout this world’s tragic history and its alarming final events. It gives us confidence to live for him today and to prepare for the future.
The book’s prologue ends by pointing to the true focus of the whole book: the return of Jesus in power and glory. The same words pronounced at the beginning of the book are repeated at the end – the promise of His return and history’s endpoint. V:7 points to the literal, visible and personal coming of Christ in majesty and glory where “every eye will see Him.” Jesus had said in Matthew his return would be like lightning from the east – filling the sky around this planet with one blaze of glory. (Matt 24:27 & 30) An event that Paul said would destroy the unsaved with the brightness of his coming. (2Thess 2:8) On the basis of this, all the artists paintings of the second coming , to me, are a weak portrayal of what it will really be like.
The promise is affirmed by the words, “Even so Come.” V:7 c.f. 22:20 I trust the integrity of the promise maker and believe that in His own time God will fulfill his word. This is not a time to become weary or lose hold of faith when we are so near. We soon shall see the King in His beauty.
Christ and Paul had some things to say about the End, but only one book is entirely devoted to the last day things and the events leading up to it, and that book is fittingly the very last of Scripture — the book of Revelation.
Tomorrow we will discuss the “keys” for the code.
Morning Ross God bless us and our families
Ross,
2Thes 2:8 talks about the man of lawlessness not that all the unsaved will be destroyed with the brightness of his coming. Point of clarification please?
V9 – 10 goes on to talk about the lawless one’s last days deception for those who are to perish…of this man of lawlessness by the activity of satan with all power and pretended signs and wonders and all wicked deception because they refused to love the truth. Revelation 6:15-16 talks about the fear of the unsaved as they witness the second coming. Revelation 19:15 talks about the unsaved being smitten at the second coming. However, 1 Thessalonians 1:7-8 says this, “and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,”
Yes, that is not in dispute. However, I disagree that 2Thes 2:8 refers to all those who are unsaved. None the less, we press on. Thanks.
the context would indicate to me a wider application – those who have followed the man of lawlessness are destroyed with him. Jesus said in Matthew 24:27 & 30 his coming will be like lighteniing from the east… in power and great glory!