A Walk Through Revelation: Prayer Room 2014

A Walk through Revelation

(First...I want thank Rebecca Coyne for her remarkable last minute help on this room.  You are awesome dear!!!!)

The Book of Revelation is perhaps the one book in the Bible that is debated and speculated about the most.  Many Christians avoid studying it because it is so controversial and confusing.  Others wonder what some dragons and lamps have to do with living the Christian life here on Earth.  Some just skip to the last two chapters to read the account of what Heaven will be like and don’t worry about the other twenty chapters of the book.

This prayer walk through the Book of Revelation is simply a retelling of the Biblical events told strictly as it is recorded in the Bible.  It is valuable to look at during Easter because it paints a picture of what we are able to hope for because of Jesus’ death and resurrection. 

This walk will benefit you most if you forget all preconceived notions about the type of eschatology (end time theology/philosophy) you subscribe to or any interpretation of potential symbolism throughout the book.  Often times Christians “miss the forest for the trees”, so to speak, when studying this book because they get so wrapped up in big words, like preterism versus millennialism, who the “anti-Christ” is or when, how or if we will be raptured.  Many get so wrapped up in their different points of view that they miss what Jesus was actually trying to say.  During this walk, take Jesus’ revelation to John at face value and allow the Lord to speak a fresh word into you.

So let’s begin…

And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest.  The hair on his head was white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.  In his right hand he held seven stars, and coming out of his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.  I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.  Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later.

 –Revelation 1:13-19

The Book of Revelation was written by who most assume to be the apostle John.  While he was exiled on the island of Patmos, Jesus appeared to him, as described in the scripture above and told him to record what He was about to reveal.  It is important, then, to realize that even though John is the author of Revelation, he only was transcribing the things that Jesus wanted revealed to us.

Meditation:

Spend some time thinking about how you would recognize Jesus if He were to appear to you.  Do you know how the Bible describes His appearance enough to recognize Him according to how He looks?  What would He need to say for you to recognize Him?  Is there something else that would help you recognize Him, such as His demeanor or attitude?

I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.  On the Lord’s Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, which said: “Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea.  The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.” –Revelation 1:9-11, 20

Meditation:

1.     John was serving the Lord and was imprisoned to Patmos because of God’s word and Jesus’ testimony.  Is there any situation where you are serving God, but feel as though you are being punished for it?  Are you experiencing persecution, rejection or hard times because you have chosen to serve Jesus boldly instead of choosing the easier way?  Pray that God encourages you to continue to serve Him even when times get hard.

2.     Look at the cards with a summary of the messages Jesus sent to each church.  Which church struggles with similar situations and issues that you do?  How can you apply Jesus’ advice to the churches be applied to your life?

     Churches

Ephesus
“I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.  You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary.
Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first.  Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Smyrna
I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know about the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.  Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.

Pergamum
I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives.
Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Thyatira
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. I will strike her children dead.
Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you,  except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

Sardis
I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.  Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God.  Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.
Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.  The one who is victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life, but will acknowledge that name before my Father and his angels.

Philadelphia
I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.  I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.  Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.
I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.

Laodicea
I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.  I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.  Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”  At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.  And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.  Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.  From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God.  Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.  The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.  Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’

who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

“You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power,                 for you created all things, and by your will they were created                                      and have their being.” –Revelation 4:1-11

Meditation:

The throne room created here is nowhere near as spectacular as the throne room described here, but gives you some idea of what it may look like.  Walk into the throne room, take a seat, and consider the majesty of our Lord.

Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals.  And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?”  But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it.  I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside.  Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.  He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.  And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people.  And they sang a new song, 

saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, 

because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God 

   persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.

You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,

and they will reign on the earth.”

 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders.  In a loud voice they were saying:

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, 

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength 

and honor and glory and praise!”

Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:

“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb

 be praise and honor and glory and power,

forever and ever!”

The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshiped.

-Revelation 5:1-14

Jesus, here, is portrayed both as a lion and a lamb, both mighty and meek.  Jesus is the only one found worthy to begin the events of the end times by breaking the seven seals on the scroll.

Meditation:

Take one of the scrolls and the letter opener.  Use the letter opener, representing Jesus, and break the first seal.  Read the scripture that describes what happens when the first seal is broken.  Continue doing this for each seal.

When all the seals are open, take a moment to consider that it is Jesus who is to set all of this destruction into motion.  How do you feel about that?  If Jesus is willing to have these things happen on the earth, what does it say about what His main priorities are?  Does this surprise you?

First Seal
I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, “Come!”  I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Second Seal
When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!”  Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make people kill each other. To him was given a large sword.

Third Seal
When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand.  Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “Two pounds of wheat for a day’s wages, and six pounds of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

Fourth Seal
When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!”  I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Fifth Seal
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained.  They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”  Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters, were killed just as they had been.

Sixth Seal
I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind.  The heavens receded like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.

After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth to prevent any wind from blowing on the land or on the sea or on any tree. Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God.  He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea.  Then I heard the number of those who were sealed:  144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.

“These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore:

‘Never again will they hunger;                              
never again will they thirst.
The sun will not beat down on them,’                      
nor any scorching heat.
For the Lamb at the center of the throne                
will be their shepherd;                                                
‘he will lead them to springs of living water.’
‘And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.’”

Seventh Seal
When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.  The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.  Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.  The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.  Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.

-Revelation 8:2-6

Meditation:

Read each card for the seven trumpets that were sounded.  There is much speculation about what world events may correspond with each of the seven trumpets.  What dangers are there in spending too much time trying to figure out the symbolism of each event?  When Jesus came to Earth, the Pharisees and other religious leaders of the time, who spent their days studying and debating scripture, missed all the signs from scripture prophecy pointing to Jesus being the Messiah.  How can pride cause us to miss God?

First Trumpet
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the earth. A third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.

Second Trumpet
The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

Third Trumpet
The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water—the name of the star is Wormwood.  A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.

Fourth Trumpet
The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.

Fifth Trumpet
The fifth angel sounded his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth. The star was given the key to the shaft of the Abyss.  When he opened the Abyss, smoke rose from it like the smoke from a gigantic furnace. The sun and sky were darkened by the smoke from the Abyss.  And out of the smoke locusts came down on the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth.

They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their foreheads.  They were not allowed to kill them but only to torture them for five months. And the agony they suffered was like that of the sting of a scorpion when it strikes.

During those days people will seek death but will not find it; they will long to die, but death will elude them.

The locusts looked like horses prepared for battle. On their heads they wore something like crowns of gold, and their faces resembled human faces.  Their hair was like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth.  They had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the sound of their wings was like the thundering of many horses and chariots rushing into battle. They had tails with stingers, like scorpions, and in their tails they had power to torment people for five months.  They had as king over them the angel of the Abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon and in Greek is Apollyon (that is, Destroyer).

Sixth Trumpet
The sixth angel sounded his trumpet, and I heard a voice coming from the four horns of the golden altar that is before God.  It said, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”  And the four angels who had been kept ready for this very hour and day and month and year were released to kill a third of mankind.  The number of the mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand.

The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur.  A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths.  The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.

The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent; they did not stop worshiping demons and idols—idols that cannot see or hear or walk.  Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts.

Seventh Trumpet
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:

“The kingdom of the world has become                  
the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah,        
and he will reign for ever and ever.”

And the twenty-four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying:

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty,          
the One who is and who was,                            
because you have taken your great power            
and have begun to reign.
The nations were angry,                                                
and your wrath has come.                                            
The time has come for judging the dead,                    
and for rewarding your servants the prophets            
and your people who revere your name,                  
both great and small—                                                  
and for destroying those who destroy the earth.”

Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and within his temple was seen the ark of his covenant. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.

A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.  She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth.  Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on its heads.  Its tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that it might devour her child the moment he was born.  She gave birth to a son, a male child, who “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.”  And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne.  The woman fled into the wilderness to a place prepared for her by God, where she might be taken care of for 1,260 days.

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.  But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven.  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.  Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say:

“Now have come the salvation and the power  

and the kingdom of our God,

and the authority of his Messiah.

For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,

who accuses them before our God day and night,

has been hurled down.

They triumphed over him  

by the blood of the Lamb

and by the word of their testimony;

they did not love their lives so much 

as to shrink from death.

Therefore rejoice, you heavens

and you who dwell in them!

But woe to the earth and the sea,

because the devil has gone down to you!

He is filled with fury,

because he knows that his time is short.”

When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.  The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.  Then from his mouth the serpent spewed water like a river, to overtake the woman and sweep her away with the torrent.  But the earth helped the woman by opening its mouth and swallowing the river that the dragon had spewed out of his mouth.  Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus.

–Revelation 12:1-17

Meditation:

Spiritual warfare is a very real threat to followers of Jesus.  Satan, our accuser, tried to devour Jesus.  When not successful and ultimately thrown out of heaven, he decided to wage his war on Jesus’ followers on Earth.  In the spiritual realm, angels fight to protect us and demons fight to destroy us.  Even though we don’t see this battle, it is real, perhaps even more real than the things we see and touch.

Spiritual warfare can drain those of us who are following Christ.  We are being pelted with lies and tempted with sin in an effort by Satan to steer us away from the Father.  But the good news is that we have victory over those demons that wish to destroy us because of Jesus overcoming death by dying on the cross and rising again three days later.

Take a moment to pray about situations in your life where you may be experiencing spiritual warfare.  How does God want you to handle it?  Do you need to confess sin?  Do you need to ask others to pray for you?  Do you need to study scripture so you can counter Satan’s lies with God’s truth?  How can you triumph over spiritual warfare with the blood of the lamb and the word of your testimony (your story about your relationship with God)?

The dragon stood on the shore of the sea. And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on its horns, and on each head a blasphemous name.  The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority.  One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was filled with wonder and followed the beast.  People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?”

All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.

This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.

Then I saw a second beast, coming out of the earth.  It exercised all the authority of the first beast on its behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed.  And it performed great signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to the earth in full view of the people.  It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived.  The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed.  It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.

This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.

–condensed version of Revelation 13

Meditation:

“This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of God’s people.”  Jesus wants us to know that throughout all the devastation that is coming to the earth that He still wants us to have endurance and faithfulness.  What are you doing in your life to build patient endurance and faithfulness?

Then I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. They follow the Lamb wherever He goes.  They were purchased from among mankind and offered as first fruits to God and the Lamb.

[An angel] said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come....”  A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great...”  A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury...They will be tormented with burning sulfur...There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”  This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

I looked…and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man with a crown of gold on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand.  Then another angel said, “Take your sickle and reap, because the time to reap has come, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.”  So he swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was harvested.

Another angel came out of the temple with a sharp sickle.  Still another angel, who had charge of the fire, came from the altar and called to him, “Take your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes from the earth’s vine, because its grapes are ripe.”  The angel swung his sickle on the earth, gathered its grapes and threw them into the great winepress of God’s wrath.  They were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed out of the press. –condensed version of Revelation 14

Meditation:

The 144,000, who have the Father’s name on their foreheads and who follow the Lamb around wherever He goes, are spared the harvesting of the Earth.  What would your life look like if you “followed the Lamb around wherever He goes”?  Do you follow Him where He goes or do you ask Him to follow you where you go?  Where is He going that you need to follow?

After this I looked, and I saw in heaven the temple—that is, the tabernacle of the covenant law—and it was opened. Out of the temple came the seven angels with the seven plagues. They were dressed in clean, shining linen and wore golden sashes around their chests. Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God, who lives for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.

Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels, “Go, pour out the seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth.” –Revelation 15:5-16:1

Meditation:

Read the descriptions of what happens when the angels pour out each bowl.  As each bowl is poured out on the earth, God is once and for all destroying the planet we live on.  What would it be like to live through each of these events?  In these situations, how would fearing the Lord look different for someone who was saved versus someone who wasn’t?  Thank the Lord for your salvation, especially if He chooses to have you live through these end times.

First Bowl
The first angel went and poured out his bowl on the land, and ugly, festering sores broke out on the people who had the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.

Second Bowl
The second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it turned into blood like that of a dead person, and every living thing in the sea died.

Third Bowl
The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water, and they became blood. Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:
“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,   you who are and who were;  for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets, and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”
And I heard the altar respond:
“Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”

Fourth Bowl
The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and the sun was allowed to scorch people with fire.  They were seared by the intense heat and they cursed the name of God, who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him.

Fifth Bowl
The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done.

Sixth Bowl
The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East.  Then I saw three impure spirits that looked like frogs; they came out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet.  They are demonic spirits that perform signs, and they go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them for the battle on the great day of God Almighty.

“Look, I come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.

Seventh Bowl
The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and out of the temple came a loud voice from the throne, saying, “It is done!”  Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since mankind has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake.  The great city split into three parts, and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath.  Every island fled away and the mountains could not be found.  From the sky huge hailstones, each weighing about a hundred pounds, fell on people. And they cursed God on account of the plague of hail, because the plague was so terrible.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery, and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.”

Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.  The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of God’s holy people, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus.

When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her.  Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,

you mighty city of Babylon!

In one hour your doom has come!’

 “The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore.  They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’

–Revelation 17-19

Meditation:

All earthly things will one day pass away.  Just as the merchants who poured their treasure into their adulterous relationship with the prostitute were financially devastated, the earthly things we pour our treasure into will one day be destroyed.  What do you consume yourself with?  Your job?  Sports?  Your children?  Your possessions?  Control and power?  Your reputation?  Imagine that thing being destroyed.  What would happen to your life?  Would you lose relationships?  Would you lose the respect of others?  Would you know what to do with your time and energy?  How tied to the prostitute are you?

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 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. Coming out of his mouth is 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.

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, so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”

Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh. –Revelation 19:11-21

Meditation:

Jesus as the Son rides into this scene on a horse with a sword, ready to do battle for His Father.  At the same time, Jesus as the Bridegroom is protecting His bride, the Church, who is dressed in the white linen wedding gown of His people’s righteous acts.  From the very beginning of time, Jesus has been caring for us, His bride the Church.  In the beginning of Creation, Jesus was the one who spoke us into being.  When He came to earth, He died a criminal’s death so that when He rose again three days later, we could have life to the fullest for eternity with Him.  Since then, He has been continually praying for us and interceding for us before the Father and in the end, He will wage war with the beast and throw Him in the lake of fire forever.  Think for a few minutes on these great things Jesus is doing for us, His bride.

And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain.  He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.  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.

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 about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.  (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.  Blessed and holy are those who share 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.

When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 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.

–Revelation 20:1-10

Meditation:

It becomes obvious when reading through this account of the final battle between Satan and God that God is in control the entire time.  He lets Satan fight, but God controls when he is let loose and when Satan is taken prisoner. 

Many people get discouraged by the spread of evil across the earth.  They feel like Satan is overcoming the world and that the world is becoming a darker and darker place.  With the knowledge that God is in control of when Satan is allowed to fight and when he is to be bound up, does that alter your feelings about the depravity of the world?  Is it easier to trust God in the face of evil?  If we keep our eyes focused on eternity, how much does the depravity of the earth need to scare you?

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.  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.  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 they had done.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.  Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. –Revelation 20:11-15

Meditation:

This is the final judgment day.  So many people talk about judgment day or the day when they stand face to face with the Lord.  If you have surrendered your life to Jesus Christ and have a relationship with Him, you have no need to fear judgment day.  This is the beauty of the Gospel.  Those who have not put their trust in the Lord will be judged according to what they have put their trust in…themselves and their actions.  We whop follow Christ can admit to not being worthy of spending eternity with Jesus, but still be given that great gift and be in His presence forever.

Where do you put your trust…in yourself or in Christ?  This is a life long struggle for every believer and learning to put your trust in Christ is a great mark of growing spiritual maturity.  Look at the things where you only trust yourself.  What is keeping you from giving them over to the Father?  What does that say about the condition of your heart and the weaknesses in your relationship with God?

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘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.”

He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.” And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there.

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 down the middle of the great street of the city. 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. 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. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 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.

-Condensed version of Revelation 21-22:5

Meditation:

It’s the wedding day!  The Bridegroom, Christ, and the Bride, His Church, can finally live together in the same beautiful city together forever.  There is no more evil, suffering or even darkness.  This is our great hope, the hope that Jesus’ death and resurrection made possible for us!  May we live in the house of the Lord forever and ever.  AMEN!

Enjoy a piece of wedding cake and CELEBRATE!

Epilogue

“Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.  I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

“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.  Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life.

I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll.  And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll.

He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.