Planning (Revelation)

December 25, 2010 mondayswithmaria

Edward loves to say, “We make plans, and God laughs.”  To some extent this is true, but we still need to plan.  Do you take a trip without planning out your travel arrangements, lodging, and “things to do” at your destination?  Don’t you envision what your experience will be like on your trip?

On this Christmas Eve, planning is forefront in my mind.  We didn’t anticipate or plan to drive to VA and back in the last 2 weeks.  Because of that, we were out shopping today which certainly was not part of the plan.  We usually finish our shopping the first week in December.  Once the shopping was completed, we moved into planning for tomorrow which consisted of picking up last minute items for the big meal, cleaning, and wrapping.  But there is a bigger plan on my mind…God’s plan!

Like this year trip Edward and I are on, there are important planning measures to be taken in order to a part of God’s great plan.  I’ve described our current trip as “a trip of a lifetime, an adventure beyond my imagination”.  I have it wrong though.  The trip of my lifetime has been going on since I was 8, when I accepted Christ as my Savior, but I haven’t reached my final destination.  My travel arrangements have been made through Christ’s sacrifice for me, and Jesus is arranging the accommodations.  Jesus said, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:3)  So, the final element of the planning process for my trip to Heaven is looking into the things to do in Heaven.  This is where it is fun…I envision all kinds of wonderful things, but I suspect that Edward is right.  I plan and dream about Heaven only to find God laughing at my measly fantasy.  Even though my imagination is probably not big enough to dream up what Heaven is really like, God encourages our planning and dreaming.

There is much to be done, however, before the final leg of my journey (our journey…I hope you’ll be along) to Heaven.  This is where Revelation offers a glimpse.

In Revelation, John writes about the vision that Jesus gave to him about end times.  This vision gives us insight about what was happening at the time, as well as the events that will unfold before we join Jesus in Heaven for eternity.

In Revelation Chapters 2 and 3, Jesus starts by dictating scrolls for John to send to 7 churches.  Jesus outlines strengths and weaknesses for each as follows:

7 CHURCHES        

Church	Strength	Weakness
Ephesus	Toils, patient endurance	Forsaking first love (Christ)
Smyrna	Poverty, afflictions, tests of faith	Not all will be steadfast
Pergamum	Faithful witnesses, true	Sexual immorality, partaking of food sacrificed to idols
Thyatira	Good works, service, love	Tolerate Jezebel, sexual immorality
Sardis	Good deeds	Spiritual deadness in those works
Philadelphia	Kept God’s word	Little strength
Laodicea	Deeds – but they are lukewarm	Wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, naked

It’s likely that you see yourself in one of those groups.  Maybe you are like the church at Ephesus – once on fire for Christ, but no longer in love with your Lord.  Maybe you are like the people at Smyrna being tested through poverty or sickness and losing faith.  Maybe you are like the Philadelphians, faithfully and patiently enduring despite your lack of strength and power.

John sees the “Lamb”, Jesus, opening the 7 seals which reveal events of judgment:

The first seal reveals a white horse.  It is unclear who the rider of the white horse represents, but many believe it will be a political or military leader who wins many victories.  A red horse comes from the second seal.  This horse and rider represent war and death on earth.  The third horse is black and seems to represent poverty, economic disparity, and food rationing.  The fourth seal reveals a pale horse with Death and Hades riding.  The fifth seal reveals souls of those murdered for God and their plea for God’s avengement.  The opening of the sixth seal shows a great earthquake, the darkening of the sun, a full moon the color of blood, the stars falling to earth, and fig trees shedding fruit in the wind.  Living things on earth hid from Jesus’ wrath. (Revelation 6)

In the vision, John sees angels at each corner of the earth holding back the wind and sea to protect the 144,000.  John then sees, “…a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands…” (Revelation 7:9)  This description represents all saved people coming out of the great tribulation, not just the descendents from the tribes of Israel.  This group, along with angels, break into worship beyond all worship experiences you can remember.  Edward and I have been in worship before with thousands of other people singing a capella.  It’s a moving experience, but the moment that John is describing would blow it away.

Jesus then opens the seventh seal showing 7 angels with trumpets.  Judgments follow:

Trumpet 1	Hail and fire with blood.  1/3 of earth is burned up
Trumpet 2	Great mountain burned and thrown into the sea. 1/3 of sea turns to blood and a third of sea creatures die
Trumpet 3	Star named “Wormwood” falls from sky into 1/3 of rivers and killing people with its bitter taste.
Trumpet 4	1/3 of stars, sun, and moon struck so they have less light. 1/3 less daylight.
Trumpet 5	Smoke from the bottomless pit covered the sun and air.  Locusts came from the smoke and permitted to torment non-believers for 5 months.
Trumpet 6	4 angels holding back the wind and the sea were released to kill a 1/3 of mankind.
Trumpet 7	When sounded, it will fulfill the mystery of God.

(Revelation 8 – 10:7)

At this point, two witnesses will prophesy for 1,260 days.  Anyone who harms them during this time will be killed.  They will have power to stop the rain, turn water to blood, and strike the earth with plagues.  At the end of their time, the beast will rise from the bottomless pit and kill them.  They will lie dead for 3 ½ days before they are raised up and taken to Heaven. (Revelation 11:1-12)

The 7^th angel blows his trumpet saying, ‘The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.’ (Revelation 11:15)  This may be what Christians traditionally call the “second coming”.

Michael and his angels engage in battle with Satan.  Satan is kicked out of heaven and spends his time on earth chasing after Christians. (Revelation 12:7-17)

As Satan stands on the sand of the sea, a beast rises out of the sea.  Satan gives this beast “power…and great authority”.  Many believe this “beast” will be the antichrist who exhibits political, military, and/or spiritual power.  The beast has a mortal wound which is healed giving him respect by many on earth.  People begin worshiping the beast, and the beast has authority to kill those who refuse. (Revelation 13:1-8)

A second beast rises from the earth.  This beast is actually a false prophet…a dragon (Satan-like) disguised as a lamb (Christ-like).  A lion in sheep’s clothing, so to speak.  This beast or false prophet demonstrates great signs, deceives people, and requires the mark of the beast to be able to buy or sell anything. (Revelation 13:11-18)

The final set of judgments is represented by seven bowls poured out over the earth by angels:

Bowl 1	Painful sores on those with the mark of the beast
Bowl 2	Seas are turned to blood and all living things in the sea die.
Bowl 3	Rivers and springs of water turned to blood.
Bowl 4	Sun allowed to scorch people.
Bowl 5	Beast’s kingdom plunged into darkness.  People in anguish.
Bowl 6	Euphrates dried up.
Bowl 7	Voice from the throne says, “It is done!”  Lightning, thunder, and great earthquake

(Revelation 16)

Finally, John sees Jesus on a white horse.  An angel binds Satan and throws him into the bottomless pit for 1,000.  Christ raises the martyrs and reigns on earth.  After the 1,000 years end, Satan is freed, deceives the nations, and gathers his people for battle. (Revelation 19:11-20:8)  “And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:9-10)

Then God sits upon the Great White Throne of judgment.  Unbelievers will be condemned for eternity and sent into the lake of fire.  The book of life holds the names of believers who will live eternally with God in the new Heaven in the new earth.  “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.” (Revelation 21:3)  The New Jerusalem will be like a bride.  “It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” (Revelation 21:11)  “The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.  They will see his face…” (Revelation 22:3b-4a)  Won’t it be awesome to engage in worship together with God visually present?  Isn’t it more pleasing to watch a loved one open our gift to them?  Won’t it be fantastic to see God’s pleasure in our gift of worship?

The final destination is going to be more magnificent, more fun, more beautiful, and more exciting than we can ever imagine.  Even so, feel free to indulge your fantasy and imagination about Heaven once in awhile.  When not doing that, enjoy the journey.  Meet new people, share the stories of your journey, be open to detours where God can use your special gifts, and pick someone up along the way.  Believers sometimes need a lift to the top of the hill, and unbelievers may need a lift, a map, and a tour guide.

Well, this posting ends my 6-month journey reading through the Bible.  I’ll be posting a note reflecting on the process, but what I can say now is that I’ve fallen in love with God’s Word.  My Bible is now a familiar and beloved book.  I hope to spend the rest of my life trying to wear it out!

God bless you, and Merry Christmas!

Maria

Entry Filed under: End times,Heaven/Hell,Judgment,Prophesy

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