While on an expedition to the South Pole, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, “It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!” They replied, “We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice, we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, ‘The boss may come today.'”

The word “maranatha” is a Syriac expression that means: “our Lord comes.” It was used as a greeting in the early church.” When believers gathered or parted, they didn’t say “hello” or “goodbye” but “Maranatha!” They did this to remind each other that “the boss might come today.” How important for us as Christians to be “packed and ready to go!”

This is what the apostle John has been trying to communicate to us throughout the apocalypse: Jesus, the boss, may come back any day and we must always be packed and ready to go. The Book of Revelation forces us to ask ourselves the question: is my soul ready for Christ’s return? What must we do to get ourselves ready for Christ’s return?

The Book of Revelation began with Jesus saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, who is and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (1:8), and now we see similar words repeated at the end of the book, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” Both statements refer to Jesus’ sovereignty over time and remind us that Jesus will come again. The Book of Revelation has revealed to us what God has done in the past and what God is doing in the present to get us ready for what he is going to do in the future. As verse 6 says, these words are trustworthy and true and the purpose of the whole book is to get us ready for Christ’s return.

So, the Apostle John decides to end his book with an epilogue—a concluding speech that is spoken directly to the audience. The epilogue contains three final exhortations to get us ready for Christ’s return. They are based on prior themes in the Book of Revelation, each of which includes an interjection concerning Christ’s coming. Let’s see what we need to do to get ourselves ready for Christ’s return.

1.) We get ready for Christ’s return by worshipping God alone! (7-9)

The first thing that we need to do to get ourselves ready for Christ’s return is to worship God alone. After Jesus interjects the words “Behold, I am coming soon” in verse 7, John tells us that when he had seen and heard all of these things that he fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had shown them to him. But the angels stopped him, reminded John that he was just a fellow servant, and commanded him to worship God alone.

Worshipping God alone is one of the major themes throughout the Book of Revelation. Each of the seven churches to whom this book was addressed was struggling with idolatry. The Roman government constantly pressured Christians to pay homage to the emperor, worship the gods of the pantheon, and conform to the pagan culture. They constantly faced the temptation to compromise their faith. They had to decide if they were going to cave to the pressure of idolatry or if they were going to worship God alone.

We face the same pressures and temptations of idolatry today. Idolatry is to worship or make something more important than God. American Christians typically struggle with the idols of money, sex, and popularity! The world tells us: “Financial security will fulfill you! It’s your body, do whatever you want with it! You will be happy if people like you!”

Just as John was tempted to commit idolatry by worshipping an angel, sometimes we are tempted to elevate the things that God has given us over God himself. Some people build their whole lives around their job rather than the one who gave them the job. That is idolatry. Some people put their family ahead of the one that gave them their family. I have heard many people say things like, “My spouse always comes first! My children are my first priority! I would do anything for my family!” That is idolatry!

If you want to be ready for Christ’s return, worship God alone. Make him your top priority! Put him in first place in your life! Build your life around him!

2.) We get ready for Christ’s return by repenting from our sin. (10-16)

The second thing that we need to do to get ready for Christ’s return is to repent from our sin. The angel commands John not to seal up the words of this prophecy—the Book of Revelation—because the time for Christ’s return is drawing near. Then in verse 11, we have this rather strange exhortation from the angel for the vile to continue to do what is vile and for the holy to continue to be holy. The angel uses this rhetorical device to shock the unsaved into thinking carefully about the choices they are making in light of the soon return of Christ. This statement is balanced with verse 14, where Jesus pronounces a blessing on those who wash their robes, which is a metaphor for turning away from sin in repentance.

Jesus says that those who repent from their sin are the ones who “have the right to eat from the tree of life and may go through the gates of the city”—both references to heaven. Jesus makes it perfectly clear that repentance is absolutely necessary for entrance into heaven. He contrasts this with a partial list unrepentant sins that will keep people out of heaven. All of these sins were common in the Roman Empire. “Dogs” refers to false teachers who lead people away from God’s truth. “Those who practice magic arts” refers to people who attempt to engage the spiritual world through some other means than Jesus Christ. “The sexually immoral” refers to people who engage in sexual behavior outside the sacred bonds of marriage. “Murderers” refers to people who unlawfully take the life of another human being. “The idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” refers to people who worship someone or something other than God and twist God’s truth.

All of these sins are common in our world today too. People who persist in their sin and refuse to repent will be left out of heaven. But people who confess their sins, agree with God that they are wrong, ask his forgiveness, and turn the other way will experience eternal life in heaven. The truth is that we are all sinners. We have all sinned against God and our fellow human beings in multiple ways, and it is absolutely essential that we repent to gain salvation for our souls.

Have you repented from your sins? Have you washed your robes in the blood of the Lamb? Are you ready for Christ’s return?

3.) We get ready for Christ’s return by staying focused on heaven. (17-21)

The third thing we need to do to get ready for Christ’s return is to stay focused on heaven. In verse 17 we see an invitation from the Holy Spirit and the bride (the redeemed people of God) to come and partake of the free gift of the water of life. The water of life, as we learned from Rev. 22:1, is a metaphor for the ultimate satisfaction that we experience in heaven.

Then John warns his readers not to add any words or take any words away from this prophecy, or God will take away their share from the tree of life in the holy city, which are both references to heaven. This prophecy keeps Christians focused on heaven—that place of perfect peace and prosperity, where there is no more sin, pain, or death.

Just like Christians in the ancient world, it is easy to take our eyes off heaven. It is easy for us to become distracted by the cares of this life. It is easy to get bogged down by the pains, difficulties, and frustrations of this present world. But we are reminded to continue to look toward heaven and think about the perfection of that place, and we will be ready for heaven.

A rural housewife, Fay Inchfawn, who lived a generation ago, wrote these lines on her need and expectancy of God’s presence which speak to us of the more sophisticated frustrations of our modern day:

Sometimes, when everything goes wrong;
When days are short and nights are long,
When wash day brings so dull a sky,
That not a single thing will dry.

And when the kitchen chimney smokes,
And when there’s none so “old” as folks;
When friends deplore my faded youth,
And when the baby cuts a tooth

While John, the baby last but one,
Clings round my skirts till day is done;
And fat, good-natured Jane is glum
And butcher’s man forgets to come.

Sometimes I say, on days like these
I get a sudden gleam of bliss.
Not on some sunny day of ease
He’ll come…but on a day like this.

Dear friends, make no mistake about it, Jesus is coming soon! Are you worshipping God alone? Have you repented from your sins? Are you staying focused on heaven?

The boss might return today? Are you packed? Are you ready for Christ’s return? Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!

Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe,
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man

Restore us, and regain the blissful
Seat, Sing Heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top
Of Oreb, or of Sinai, didst inspire
That Shepherd, who first taught the chosen

Seed, In the Beginning how the Heav’ns and Earth
Rose out of Chaos: Or if Zion Hill
Delight thee more, and Siloa’s Brook that flow’d
Fast by the Oracle of God; I thence

Invoke thy aid to my advent’rous Song,
That with no middle flight intends to soar
Above th’ Aonian Mount, while it pursues
Things unattempted yet in Prose or Rhyme.

This lyrical portrayal of the fall of mankind comes from John Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost. Many literary critics have called it the greatest piece of poetry ever written in the English language. By the time Milton published his masterpiece in 1658, he had experienced paradise lost in his own personal life—he lost his first and second wife, he lost two of his children in infancy—a baby boy named John and a little girl named Katherine, and he lost most of his health—he suffered from gout, was constantly ill, and become completely blind. But even in the midst of his suffering, God blessed him with a rare combination of biblical knowledge and poetic wit that would make his readers long for a return to the Garden of Eden.

Paradise Lost

Even if you have never read Milton’s poem, you probably know the story of paradise lost. It comes from the Book of Genesis: God planted Adam and Eve in the paradise of the Garden of Eden. They had beauty and bounty all around them, and God’s presence was always with them. They experienced ultimate peace and prosperity. They had a perfect life!

All they had to do to maintain this life was to obey God’s one command. He told them that they could eat from any tree in the garden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He warned them that if they ate the forbidden fruit, they would surely die, but they did it anyway. From that time on, humanity has been cursed with toil and pain, conflict and blame, and disease and death. Indeed, paradise was lost!

This is the cursed world that we continue to live in today. Our bodies are worn out from getting up and going to work and school every day. We feel the pain of injuries and illnesses and face the constant fear of cancer and heart disease. We see ourselves getting older every time we look in the mirror and are regularly reminded that death is coming.

We bear the burden of broken promises, unfulfilled expectations, and shattered dreams. We carry the cross torn families, tattered friendships, and tormented societies. Like our ancient ancestors before us, we try to cover up our sin and shift the blame to someone else rather than taking responsibility for our own actions. Every day we all experience the pain of paradise lost!

Do you ever find yourself longing for a better life? Do you ever wish for things to be the way they were supposed to be? Do you ever yearn for paradise regained?

Paradise Regained (Revelation 22:1-5)

Thankfully, the Bible ends in the same place it begins: paradise. Genesis tells us about the original paradise that was lost; Revelation tells us about the new paradise that will be regained. In Revelation 22:1-5, the apostle John shows us his final vision of heaven, which is pictured as a completely restored Garden of Eden. These five verses give us a glimpse of paradise regained. Let’s take a final tour of heaven!

The River of Life (1-2a)

The first thing John sees on his tour of paradise regained is “the river of the water of life” which no doubt bubbles up from the “spring of the water of life” (Rev. 1:6) and is flowing from the throne of God. In the original Eden a river flowed through and watered the garden; now a life giving river nourishes heaven. Ezekiel (47:1-12) prophesied about a river flowing from the temple of the restored earthly Jerusalem down to the Dead Sea and bringing abundant life to the most barren place in the world. This crystal clear river flowing from God’s throne is a symbolic image of eternal and abundant life that Jesus gives in heaven. This image represents abundance, satisfaction, and fulfillment. All physical and spiritual thirst is quenched in paradise regained!

The Tree of Life (2b)

As John watched the river flow down the middle of the main thorofare of the city, he noticed the tree of life growing on both sides of the river. There is some debate over whether it is a single tree or multiple trees that is in view here. Even though the word “tree” is singular, the Ezekiel 47 background alludes to a grove of trees lining both banks of the river. Ezekiel alludes to the Garden of Eden imagery from Gen. 2:15-17, where the trees remain perpetually green and provide an endless supply of food. Thus, the single tree of life in the original Garden of Eden has now become multiple trees of life in heaven, symbolizing an abundance of food for eternity.

Normally, fruit only appears in its proper season, but in heaven there will be no seasons—abundant fruit will be available at all times. Just as the river symbolizes the quenching of physical and spiritual thirst, the trees of life symbolize the satisfying of all physical and spiritual hunger. Heaven is a place of abundance, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

Now the Bible doesn’t tell us which fruits will be produced, but I have to imagine that apples and pumpkins will be among them. Can you imagine how wonderful it will be to eat apple and pumpkin pie every day and never gain a pound?

Not only do the trees of life provide an abundance of food, but their leaves also provide healing for the nations. This symbolizes the physical and spiritual healing that has already taken place in heaven. There is no sickness, disease, conflicts, or broken relationships in heaven.

Reverse the Curse (3a)

The Garden of Eden had been the place where the curse first entered; but the curse is reversed in the new heaven and earth. There will be no more sin; no more toil; no more pain!

When most of you hear the phrase “reverse the curse” you think about the dreaded “curse of the Bambino”, which the Boston Red Sox suffered for 86 years. In heaven, the Red Sox will win the World Series every year! All of the suffering and affliction that has been caused by the curse will be gone forever. What a blessing that will be?

Relationship with God Restored (4-5)

Another benefit of paradise regained is that our relationship with God will be completely restored. In the original Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with God. His physical presence was with them all the time. Now we see the throne of God and the Lamb established in the new garden. The fullness of God’s presence will be with us again and we will be able to fulfill the original intention of our creation: to worship, serve, and enjoy him forever.

We will be able to see God’s face in paradise regained because we will have a right relationship with him. God’s mark on our foreheads is a metaphor for God’s ownership, status, and protection. We are marked as his people and enjoy all of his benefits. No more night pictures the complete end of all of the darkness that was caused by sin and evil. There is no need for a lamp or the sun in heaven because God’s glory radiates from his presence.

We all experience the pain of living in paradise lost, but through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; God offers us the hope of living in paradise regained. Prosperity preacher Joel Osteen tells you that you can have your “best life now”, but the Bible tells us that our best life is yet to come.

Just as the Bible ends in the same place it begins, I want to end this sermon in the same place I began, with the blind poet John Milton. I already read you a piece from Paradise Lost, but now I would conclude with a few verses from his less famous poem Paradise Regained:

Wandring the Wilderness, whatever place,
Habit, or state, or motion, still expressing
The Son of God, with Godlike force indu’d
Against th’ Attempter of thy Fathers Throne,

And Thief of Paradise; him long of old
Thou didst rebel, and down from Heav’n cast
With all his Army, now thou hast aveng’d
Supplanted Adam, and by vanquishing

Temptation, hast regain’d lost Paradise,
And frustrated the conquest fraudulent:
He never more henceforth will dare set foot
In Paradise to tempt; his snares are broke:

For though that seat of earthly bliss be fail’d,
A fairer Paradise is founded now
For Adam and his chosen Sons, whom thou
A Saviour art come down to re-install.

A cab driver reaches the pearly gates. St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book and tells him to pick up a gold staff and a silk robe and proceed into Heaven. Next in line is a preacher. St. Peter looks him up in his Big Book, furrows his brow and says, “OK, we’ll let you in, but take that cloth robe and wooden staff.”

The preacher is shocked and replies, “But I am a man of the cloth. You gave that cab driver a gold staff and a silk robe. Surely I rate higher than a cabbie!” St. Peter responds matter-of-factly, “This is Heaven and up here, we are interested in results. When you preached, people slept. When the cabbie drove, people prayed.”

Have you ever wondered about heaven? Will St. Peter really stand at the pearly gates and pass out staffs and robes? Are there really pearly gates in heaven?

Have you wondered what heaven is really going to be like? Have you thought about what it is going to look like, sound like, and feel like? Have you ever wondered who you will see in heaven? Someone once said, “When we get to heaven, we will be surprised by who we see and who we don’t see.” There are so many things about heaven that we just don’t know, but then again, there are some things we do know!

The end of the Book of Revelation answers some of our questions about heaven. In Revelation 21:1-8, the Apostle John told us about his vision of heaven as the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God. He told us that heaven is a place where God makes all things new. He told us that there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain in heaven. What a wonderful description of heaven that was!

In today’s passage, John continues to tell us about heaven. This time, he zooms in further and presents a close up image of heaven. In verse 9 he tells us that one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues invites him to come and see the bride, the wife of the Lamb. Then the angel carried him away to a very high mountain and acted as his personal tour guide of heaven, the New Jerusalem, God’s holy and celestial city.

Today, let’s follow John and the angel and take a tour of heaven! Let us take a closer look and see the structure, the materials, and the inhabitants of the celestial city.

The Structure of the Celestial City (11-17)

The first thing we learn about the structure of heaven is that it is supported by the presence and glory of God. In verse 11, John tells us that the celestial city shone with the presence glory of God and compared its brilliance to a precious jewel, sparkling like jasper. The Temple in Israel was the temporary place were God’s glory dwelt, but in the new creation, God’s presence and glory are not limited to a physical structure, with the people outside the structure, but the people will be both the city and the temple where God’s glory resides. Unlike the present earth, God’s presence and glory will be seen all the time.

The second thing we learn about the structure of heaven is that it has a high wall and twelve gates. In the ancient world, walls were built around cities to provide protection from foreign armies. Here, the wall around the celestial city symbolizes strength, safety, and security in heaven. There are no physical or spiritual threats in heaven; there is nothing to fear, it is a place of perfect peace.

Like Ezekiel’s vision of the New Jerusalem (Ezekiel 48), John tells us that the celestial city has twelve gates, three facing east north, south, and west. The gates displayed the names of the twelve tribes of Israel and the foundations of the gates bore the names of the twelve apostles. The gates represent plentiful entry points into heaven. The twelve tribes and the twelve apostles together represent the covenant community, total number of God’s people from the Old Testament and New Testament eras. This builds on the 144,000 in Revelation 7:1-8, a symbolic number representing the complete people of God.

Just as a sign bearing a family name on someone’s front door tells us who lives there, so the names of the of the twelve tribes and twelve apostles tells us who lives in heaven: the complete redeemed people of God.

The third and final thing we learn about the structure of the celestial city is that it is a cube; it is equal on all sides. This symbolically represents the perfection of God’s celestial city: nothing is out of order or balance. Verse 16 tells us that it is 12,000 stadia on each side, which is about 1,500 miles. The city’s length and width are equal to about half of the United States. These staggering numbers are obviously symbolic, representing a city large enough to hold all of the saints down through the ages, the saints from “every tribe, language, people, and nation.”

So, what does the structure of the celestial city tell us about heaven? Heaven is an absolutely perfect place and it is big enough for all of God’s redeemed people to live in safety and security. Heaven is so wonderful that it is difficult to imagine, but try anyway. Can you imagine living in a place where there are no physical or spiritual threats—no more wars or terrorist attacks, no more health problems or financial concerns, no more guilt from the past or fear of the future?

Can you imagine living in a place where nothing is out of order or balance? Do you ever get tired of fixing things and cleaning up messes? In heaven, nothing will be broken and there will be no more messes. Perfect peace at last! Think about it!

The Materials of the Celestial City (18-21)

Well, now that we have seen a close-up view of the structure of the celestial city, let us focus our eyes on the materials of the celestial city. Verse 18 tells us that the wall of the city is made from jasper, one of the most precious gems in the ancient world. And the whole city is constructed with pure gold, including the city’s main street. The foundations of the city is decorated with beautiful gemstones. This list of twelve gems is similar to what was adorned on the breastplate of the high priest, thus emphasizing the priestly nature of the church. And finally, we learn that each of the city’s twelve gates are made from single pearls. Pearls were considered the most luxurious of all the jewels.

One morning when I was teaching a senior high Sunday school class in Massachusetts, we had a discussion about heaven. A young man asked me, “Are there really pearly gates in heaven?” With a puff of pastoral pontification, I responded, “No, the image of pearly gates comes from our jokes, not from the Bible.”

But then, I noticed that one girl had a confused and disappointed look on her face, and she said, “My mother told me that heaven’s gates were made out of pearls.” To complicate things further, the girl was the pastor’s daughter, which made her mother the pastor’s wife. I said, “I’m sure your mother meant well; anybody can make a mistake.” I was young and inexperienced and I had yet to learn that a pastor’s wife is never wrong.

As our discussion turned another direction, I hardly noticed her thumbing through her Bible. About ten minutes later, I heard her say, “A-huh! I knew it! The Bible does say that heaven’s gates are made out of pearls.” We all turned to Revelation 21:21 and there it was! I had read the Book of Revelation dozens of times, but it had never sunk in that heaven’s gates were made out of pearls. I stood corrected by a teenage girl and I apologized to the class.

Even though I stood corrected that day, I do not believe that we will ever walk through pearly gates or on streets of gold. These are all symbolic images which represent the glory and grandeur of the celestial city. Human language was inadequate for describing the majesty and splendor of God in heaven, so it was common to us precious metals and jewels to highlight his glory.

Heaven will be a place of indescribable and awe-inspiring beauty. All of the ugly, corrupt, and disturbing images of this world will be gone. Heaven will be more beautiful than the most beautiful thing you have ever seen. Don’t you want to spend eternity in a place like that?

The Inhabitants of the Celestial City (22-27)

The tour of the celestial city concludes with a description of heaven’s inhabitants. John tells us that he did not see any temple there because God the Father and Jesus the Lamb are its temple. Likewise, there is neither sun nor moon because God’s glory provides the light. So, who is the first inhabitant of heaven? God himself! God’s full presence is in heaven.

The other inhabitants include the nations and kings and people who have repented from their sins and have put on the righteousness of Jesus Christ. This is clarified in verse 27, when it says, “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.” Neither sin nor unrepentant sinners can enter the celestial city, but only those people whose names have been recorded in the Lamb’s book of life by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

The bad news is that every one of us have said and done things that are impure, shameful, and deceitful. Therefore, we are all disqualified from heaven. But Jesus died on the cross and rose on the third day to offer us forgiveness from our sins and the hope of eternal life in this celestial city. Have you committed your life to Jesus Christ? Is your name in the Lamb’s book of life?

Throughout today’s sermon, I have referred to the New Jerusalem and heaven as “The Celestial City.” This term does not come from the Bible. Rather, it comes from John Bunyan’s 17th century classic The Pilgrim’s Progress. The story follows the protagonist, Christian, as he leaves the City of Destruction (which represents this present world) and journeys to the Celestial City (which represents heaven).

“Celestial” simply means otherworldly—a good term to describe heaven. It is so otherworldly that human mind cannot fully comprehend it and human language cannot fully explain it. But we know that it is a place of ultimate safety and security, peace and perfection, and majesty and magnificence!

So, now that we have taken a taken a tour of heaven and have seen a preview of things to come, let us give our souls to the Lord Jesus Christ and begin our journey to the Celestial City!

Have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle? Puzzles come in many shapes and sizes and have varying degrees of difficulty. Young children begin with those large wooden cut-out puzzles with only about ten pieces, but as they grow up they can progress to the novice 100 piece puzzle, the moderate 500 piece puzzle, and eventually tackle the challenging 1000 piece puzzle. But how many of you have ever tried the most difficult of all puzzles—the dreaded double-sided jigsaw puzzle? These puzzles have different pictures on opposite sides of the puzzle pieces. Revelation 20:1-6 is like a double-sided jigsaw puzzle. It is complicated, challenging, and confusing at times. Many able people have attempted to interpret this passage, but no one has solved this puzzle without problems. It presents us with a picture of the millennium—the 1000 year reign of Christ, and it is the most debated part of the Book of Revelation.

Throughout the ages, biblical scholars have tried to put this puzzle together three different ways. These views are represented by the terms: Premillennialism, Amillennialism, and Postmillennialism. Premillennialists believe that when Christ returns to earth, he will literally establish his kingdom on earth, and physically rule for a thousand years, and everyone will experience peace and righteousness. This view was predominant in the early church and is held by most Baptist, Pentecostal, and non-denominational churches today.

Amillennialists believe that there is no actual reign of Christ on earth, but the 1000 years is a symbol for Christ’s reign from the time of his resurrection until his triumphant return. This would mean that we are living in the millennium right now. This was the leading view throughout the middle ages and is held by most Presbyterian, Congregational, Anglican, Lutheran, and Roman Catholic churches today.

Postmillennialists believe that the kingdom of God is being extended through, preaching, evangelism, and missionary activities. The whole world is to be evangelized and will result in a long period of peace and prosperity called the millennium, and afterwards Christ will return. The kingdom of God is viewed as a present reality rather than a future event. This view was popular during the American Great Awakenings, but almost no one holds this view today.

So, which one of these views is correct? Well, like a two-sided jigsaw puzzle, the final picture of the millennium depends on which way you turn up the pieces at the beginning. And in this case, it depends on whether the 1000 year reign of Christ is meant to be understood literally or figuratively? A literal interpretation leads to a premillennial view; a figurative interpretation leads to an amillennial view.

Personally, I believe that a figurative interpretation of this passage makes better sense biblically and historically. Therefore, I hold to the amillennial view, and that is the view that I am going to present to you today. I know that a number of you have been taught and believe the premillennial view, and that is fine, I would just ask that you keep an open mind about it. Well, now that we have turned the pieces over, let’s see if we can put some of this millennial puzzle together!

The Binding of Satan (1-3)

The passage begins with John seeing another angel coming down out of heaven. He is holding the key to the abyss in one hand and a large chain in the other hand. Both of these items are symbols of God’s power and authority. Just as a police officer would carry a pair of handcuffs to bind a criminal and a key to lock him up in a prison cell, so the angel is given authority to bind Satan and lock him up in the abyss which is a spiritual holding cell or a prison for demonic spirits.

“The key of the abyss” is probably the same as “the key of death and of Hades,” which Christ holds in Ch. 1 because he has overcome death through his resurrection (1:18). There the “keys” figuratively connote Christ’s sovereignty over the realm of the dead. The same “keys” are referred to in Ch. 3 to show that Christ has authority not only to raise the dead at the end of the age but also to impart spiritual life in the present age. Likewise, “the key of the shaft of the abyss” in Ch. 9 represents God’s ultimate authority over demonic powers dwelling in the realm of death (9:1-2).

What does this binding of Satan actually mean? Some people interpret the binding and sealing as a complete incapacitation where Satan cannot do anything, but that is not what the passage says. It does not say that he is restrained from all evil, but he is restrained from deceiving the nations any longer. The devil is not able to deceive the nations about the truth of God during the millennium the way that he formerly did.

Throughout the millennial period Satan’s sinister operations are still being carried out through his evil henchmen, the beast and the false prophet, the other two demonic spirits who make up the antichristian trinity, and all of the other demons who are loose on the earth. Satan is like a mob boss who has been physically incarcerated, but even behind bars he still directs the actions of his agents and wields incredible influence on the outside.

Let’s think about this historically for a minute. Specifically, let’s think about the difference between the Old Testament and New Testament. How many nations knew about the one true God and the coming Messiah in the Old Testament? Only one, Israel! Before Jesus’ resurrection, Satan had the ability to directly deceive individuals and whole nations away from the true God, but Christ’s resurrection restrained Satan from directly deceiving the nations.

And what do we see in the New Testament? Christ’s resurrection has broken Satan’s hold over the world. The gospel is going out to the nations! Therefore, seeing the millennium as the period between Christ’s resurrection and return makes the most sense.

Let me see if I can summarize this for you! When Jesus rose from the dead he began his millennial reign in heaven and the church age on earth. He restrained Satan’s ability to deceive the nations as he did in the Old Testament. Now throughout the church age the gospel is spread throughout the world. This will continue until the end times when God releases Satan and allows him to deceive the nations again for a short period of time. After this, he will be thrown into the lake of fire and will be tormented forever.

There are two implications of this that I would like to highlight for you. First, while Satan’s deceptive power is limited, we have an incredible opportunity to share the gospel with the nations, starting with the people in our personal circles of influence. Second, we must always be ready for Satan’s release from prison. Even though we don’t know exactly when, the day is coming when he will personally try to deceive the world again.

The Reigning of the Saints (4-6)

In verse 4 the focus shifts from what has taken place in the Abyss to what has happened in heaven as a result of the binding of Satan. John sees thrones in heaven and seated on them were the souls of faithful Christians who had suffered and died. The Christians who suffered on earth are vindicated by coming to life and sitting on thrones in heaven, which are symbols of authority and rule. He sees only their souls because they have not yet received their glorified bodies, which they will receive when Christ’s kingdom is consummated at the end of the millennium.

These saints who are ruling with Christ in heaven are described as those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. This is a metaphor for Christians who have remained faithful to Jesus Christ despite persecution and suffering on earth. They are described further as the ones who had not worshipped the beast and has not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. This is a metaphor for remaining faithful to Jesus despite temptation and pressure to adopt the values of the Satan-influenced world. This is called the first resurrection, and it protects believers from the second death, which is a reference to judgment and hell. On the other hand, “The rest of the dead” refers to unbelievers who have died during the church age. They will experience their resurrection when Jesus returns to earth. He will bring them back to life to face final judgment and punishment in hell.

So, when faithful Christians die, they experience an immediate spiritual resurrection and will reign with Christ in heaven. At the end of the millennium, these faithful saints will transition from their present state of reigning to their consummated state of serving Christ and reigning with him forever.

When unbelievers die during the church age, they are held in an intermediate state. At the end of the millennium, they will be physically resurrected and brought to judgment. Then they will experience the second death by being cast into the lake of burning sulfur. These two end results ought to make us think seriously our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Well, as I mentioned earlier, Revelation 20:1-6 is complicated, challenging, and can be confusing, but I hope that as a result of our time today, you can see at least one side of the millennial puzzle a little clearer!

One of the greatest gags in American history took place on October 30, 1938, when the CBS radio network aired an adaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds. Actor and future filmmaker, Orson Welles, directed and narrated the episode. The first 40 minutes of the broadcast were presented as a series of simulated news bulletins, which suggested that an actual alien invasion by Martians was currently in progress.

Some listeners heard only a portion of the broadcast and, in the atmosphere of tension and anxiety prior to World War II, took it to be an actual news broadcast. Newspapers reported that panic ensued, with people across the Northeastern United States and Canada fleeing their homes. Some people called CBS, newspapers, or the police in confusion over the realism of the news bulletins.

Future Tonight Show host Jack Paar had announcing duties that night for Cleveland CBS affiliate WGAR. As panicked listeners called the studio, Paar attempted to calm them on the phone and on air by saying, “The world is not coming to an end. Trust me. When have I ever lied to you?” Listeners started charging Paar with “covering up the truth.” In the aftermath of the reported panic, CBS responded to public outcry by pointing to reminders throughout the broadcast that it was a performance. CBS is believed to have had to promise never again to use “we interrupt this program” for dramatic effect.

Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear that radio broadcast, especially at that time in history? Today we may think about it as a funny prank, but back then it evoked mass panic and tremendous fear. Had you been there, you may have thought it was the end of the world as you know it, and you wouldn’t have felt fine! And when you finally found out the truth, you probably would have been ripped mad!

Well, today’s passage is the Bible’s version of the “War of the Worlds”, but I promise you that it is no gag. It is more serious than cancer and a heart attack together! It is more serious than death itself! Whereas Revelation 19:1-10 pictured Christ’s return from the believers perspective—as a beautiful wedding celebration, Revelation 19:11-21 pictures Christ’s return from the unbeliever’s perspective—as the great war of the worlds. It depicts Jesus returning to earth with the armies of heaven to bring judgment to Satan’s demonic minions and death to those who have not confessed faith in Christ. The first part of the passage shows the character of the conquering king and the second part shows us the actions of the conquering king. Let’s take a closer look at this future war of the worlds!

The Character of the Conquering King (11-16)

The scene opens with John seeing a vision of heaven standing open and rider on a white horse standing before him. This rider is never explicitly named in the passage, but the titles and descriptions leave no doubt about his identity—it is the Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 11-16 contain highlights of the character of the conquering king.

First, Jesus is pictured as riding on a white horse. In the ancient world, “white” horses were considered the best, and kings and generals always led their army into battle seated on a white horse. Also, throughout the book of Revelation, the color white has symbolized purity. Unlike the enemy who is filled with evil and corruption, Jesus is a pure king who is about to lead a holy war from heaven. He lived a sinless life and died a holy death, and there is no impurity in him—this gives him the right to judge.

Jesus bears the titles “faithful and “true.” He is the very embodiment of truth and there is no hint of deceit or falsehood in him. He always keeps his word and does what he says. Unlike Satan, who is a master of deceit and the father of lies, Jesus is completely faithful and true, therefore, he has the authority to judge. Verse 11 also tells us that he is a man of perfect justice. He always does the right thing. Justice is never fudged, cheated, or miscarried with him. And again, this character attribute gives him the right to judge and make war.

Verse 12 describes his eyes are like blazing fire. This metaphor symbolizes Christ’s omniscience—he knows everything about everybody. Since he has the ability to see into people’s souls, he has all of the information he needs to judge properly. He wears many crowns upon his head, which are symbols of his sovereignty. As the king of the universe, his rule and reign extends everywhere. He has complete control over everything. Also, he has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. Because Christ is infinite, unknowable aspects of his character will always remain. Humans, even in their glorified state, will only know what he chooses to reveal. His secret name points to his inexhaustibility.

In verse 13 we find out that he is dressed in a robe that is dipped in blood. We have to ask the question, “Whose blood is his robe dipped in?” Although many people immediately conclude that it must be Christ’s own blood, the context actually points to the blood of his enemies. Jesus is pictured here as a warrior Messiah who restores justice—he avenges the blood of his saints by drawing the blood of his enemies. He also bears the title “the Word of God.” Jesus is the physical embodiment of God’s word, which means that he is the active agent in fulfilling God’s will in the universe.

In verse 14, we learn that the armies of heaven follow Christ, and they too are riding on white horses. The army is made up of pure angels and saints who have been purified by death. We also learn the weapons of Jesus’ warfare. The sword coming out of his mouth, the iron scepter in his hand, and the winepress of the fury of God’s wrath symbolizes Jesus’ power to judge and conquer his enemies.

This whole sectioned is summed up and encompassed by the title that is found on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords! He is the ultimate ruler over all of the kings and leaders of the world. He is completely sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth. When he returns, no one can stand up to him and no one stands a chance against him.

Wow! This is one of the most striking images of Jesus Christ in the whole Bible. Jesus is not pictured as some willy-nilly, namby-pamby, happy-go-lucky, hippie-dippy warm and fuzzy pacifist, which is so popular in our culture today. When Jesus returns from heaven, he is not going to go for a walk in the garden to smell the roses—he is not coming back as a big buddy to pat people on the back and tell them what a good job they did—he is not coming to form a picket line and protest the injustice in the world.

He is coming as the conquering King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is coming to execute justice on the earth. He is coming to pour out his wrath on everyone who has not put their trust in his name! Make no mistake about it! He is the great warrior Messiah who is coming to make war on the world—the real war of the worlds!

The Actions of the Conquering King (17-21)

Now that we have seen the character of the conquering king, let us take note of the actions of the conquering king! This section starts out with a gruesome image of an angel calling out to the birds of the air and inviting them to join in the great supper of God, but this is a different supper from the wedding feast of the Lamb. This is an invitation to the scavenger birds of the earth (vultures, buzzards, ravens, crows, etc.) to gather for the feast of carcasses of kings, generals, mighty men, and horses and their riders, and all people who will be slaughtered in the great end-time war of the worlds.

Once the birds have been warned, Satan’s two demonic agents, the beast and the false prophet, gather their armies from the earth to make war against Jesus and the armies of heaven. As the armies face off, the beast and the false prophet are immediately captured and thrown into the fiery lake of burning sulfur, which is a reference to hell, the place of eternal punishment and damnation.

Then, in one of the most anti-climactic verses in the Bible, before the battle even begins, the sword comes out of Jesus’ mouth and wipes out the entire earthly army. Like a nuclear bomb exploding over a city, the battle is over before it even began. The army of heaven doesn’t have to do anything; they just stand there and watch their commander-in-chief destroy all of their enemies, and just as it was predicted, the birds gorge themselves on a feast of fleshly corpses.

Revelation 19 tells the tale of two suppers. At Christ’s second coming, everyone alive will participate in one banquet or another. Those who belong to Christ will enjoy the wedding supper of the Lamb; those who belong to the beast will be on the menu for the great supper of God. This chapter raises the question for all of us: which banquet will you attend?

Today we are challenged to recognize the character of the conquering king by the titles and descriptions of the rider on the white horse. We are also challenged to reckon with the actions of the conquering king whereby he executes judgment on all who do not belong to him.

As I said earlier, Orson Wells’ War of the Worlds in 1938 was a hilarious hoax! The war of the worlds when Jesus’ returns couldn’t be more serious! Is your soul ready for the return of Christ? Which army are you in—the beast’s or the Lamb’s?

Before I begin today’s sermon, I have a confession to make. I have to tell you something about myself that I have never told you before. Most of you would probably never guess this about me, but have to tell you anyway. So here it goes: I Love Weddings! I love everything about weddings. And I suppose this is a good thing, because as a pastor, I perform a lot of them.

Before the ceremony, I love to laugh at the groomsmen as they stand around and try to figure out how to pin a boutonniere to their tuxedo, until a woman comes along and does it for them. I love seeing the couple’s family members gather together, even the strange ones that they never thought would show up, but had to invite because they are family. I love to see the nervous look on the groom’s face, when just seconds before it is time to walk onto the platform, and I ask him, “Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

During the ceremony, I love hearing the familiar notes of Pachabel’s Canon playing on the piano as the bridesmaids glide to their places, flowers in hand. I love to see the cute little ring bearer and flower girl doing their best to fulfill their responsibilities and walk in a straight line at the same time. I love watching the groom’s face light up as the bride walks down the aisle in a radiant gown and a hair-do that took four hours to make. I love to hear the bride and groom declare their love and make their vows to one another. I love to watch those big teardrops run down the mother’s cheeks as they say to themselves, “I’m losing my baby.” I love to see the smiles on the father’s faces as they say to themselves, “I don’t have to pay for them anymore.”

After the ceremony, I love attending the reception. I love the hors ‘devours, the cocktails, and the mingling with guests, and I especially love when the Master of Ceremonies says “The bridal party has finally finished their photographs and dinner will begin in a few minutes.” I love watching the newlyweds so elegantly cut their cake and then smash it in each other’s faces like a great demolition derby of butter cream icing. I love the listening to the toasts, watching the dancing, and taking in the whole celebration.

Like I said, “I love weddings!” How about you? Can you remember the last wedding you attended? What did you love about that wedding?

It is interesting to think about the fact that every culture in the world has some sort of wedding custom or tradition, and it has been this way for thousands of years. In biblical times, wedding celebrations typically lasted a week. We remember that even our Lord Jesus attended a wedding in the village of Cana, where he performed his first miracle—changing water into wine. Although wedding customs differ in different places, they all have at least three things in common: a commitment, a ceremony, and a celebration.

Since weddings are some the greatest celebrations on earth, it is no surprise that Jesus’ return to earth is depicted as a wedding celebration. After Revelation 18 gave us a glimpse of the funeral for civilization—that is the future collapse of the world political/economic/religious system, Revelation 19:1-10 shows us the great wedding for the Lamb.

A Wedding Songs (1-8)

The wedding of the Lamb begins with a series of praise songs sung by different choirs. They all sing and shout the Hebrew word “Hallelujah” which means “Praise the Lord!” Surprisingly, “Hallelujah” only appears in the Bible here in Revelation 19. These songs praise God for various aspects of his character and work.

The First Choir- The Saints in Heaven (1-3)

The scene opens with the apostle John hearing the roar of a great multitude in heaven—no doubt this is the saints who remained faithful to Jesus Christ on earth but have died. Back in Revelation 6, the saints in heaven prayed for God to avenge their blood by bringing judgment to the earth, and now they sing praise to God for answering their prayer and destroying the great prostitute who corrupted the earth and persecuted them.

They praise God for his salvation, glory, power, truth, and justice, all essential aspects of God’s character. God showed his salvation by delivering his people from the sinful world. He displayed his incomparable power and glory by overthrowing the evil world system. He proved his justice and truth by judging those who rejected the testimony of God’s truth.

In verse 3, the saints in heaven even echo a second “Hallelujah” as they rejoice over the finality of God’s judgment on the world. The phrase “The smoke from her goes up forever and ever” is a metaphor for the eternality of God’s judgment.

The Second Choir- The Angel’s in Heaven (4)

The second choir at the Lamb’s wedding also sings a song of praise to God. The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures of verse 4 are all high ranking angels. They fall before God’s throne as a gesture of humility and respect and join the chorus by singing, “Amen, Hallelujah.” By saying “Amen”, they are agreeing with everything that the saints in heaven just sang. And then they add their own hallelujah to further endorse the praise that is already being attributed to the Lord.

The Third Choir- Jesus in Heaven (5)

In verse 5 another voice joins the great choir that is singing praise to God. This voice is unnamed but it is identified as coming from the throne in heaven. Throughout Revelation, when we hear a voice coming from the throne, it has always been the voice of Jesus. Therefore, it is most likely Jesus himself who joins the chorus of singing praise to his Father here.

His praise also bears a command for “all you his servants to praise God, you who fear him, both great and small.” This is a reference to all Christians in general—therefore, all Christians are to sing praise to God.

The Fourth Choir- Everyone in Heaven (6-8)

Like the grand-finale of a fireworks display or the crescendo of a musical masterpiece, in verse 6 all the voices in heaven come together for the final “Hallelujah” of the Lamb’s wedding song. It was so loud and triumphant that it sounded like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder. They begin by praising God for his omnipotence and sovereignty. He has shown his great power and control by bringing down the evil world system and he is about to show it again by ushering in his kingdom.

And then there is the great doxological declaration for everyone to rejoice and be glad and give God the glory because it is now time for the long awaited wedding of the Lamb. Just as the guests at an earthly wedding erupt in applause when the Master of Ceremonies announces the arrival of the wedding party, everyone in heaven explodes with joy and gladness at the news of the arrival of the bridegroom, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who died to take away the sins of the world.

The church, which includes everyone who has truly trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, is the bride. The church has been preparing herself for this day by living holy lives, doing righteous acts, and being faithful to Christ, despite temptation and persecution. This is a picture of that wonderful day that Jesus returns and is rejoined with his people and he takes them to live with him in heaven forever.

Those of you who are truly Christians are part of the church, and the church is the bride of Christ. What are you doing to prepare yourself for the wedding of the Lamb? Are you living a holy life? What kind of righteous acts are you doing? Are you resisting temptation and enduring persecution? Are you living a life of faithfulness to Jesus Christ?

The Wedding Invitation (9-10)

This whole wedding scene closes with an angel commanding John to write down this beatitude: “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” This line presents a different perspective on the wedding metaphor of verses 7-8. There the bride, the corporate church, was viewed as about to wed the Lamb, but now the individual Christians are pictured as guests at the wedding banquet. Both pictures highlight the intimate communion of Christ with believers, but he first focuses on the corporate church and the second on individual members of the church.

This beatitude speaks to each one of us directly today. We have to remember, this feast and celebration is by invitation only. There are no wedding crashers in heaven.

The reality is that we are all blessed because we have all been invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. If you didn’t know it before, consider yourself invited now! The only question is: Will you respond? Will you commit to Jesus Christ today and reserve your place at the wedding supper of the Lamb?

As I confessed at the beginning of this sermon—I love weddings! I have been blessed to attend some pretty good ones in my day, and I bet you have too. But none of them will compare to the wedding of the Lamb that will take place when Jesus returns. I hope to see you all there!

On September 6, 1997, the whole world mourned as the body of Princess Diana of Wales was laid to rest. Six days earlier, she was tragically killed in an automobile accident in Paris. Her funeral was attended by 2000 people and it was viewed on television by 2 billion people around the world. Westminster Abbey was soaring, muffled bells were tolling, celebrities were weeping, dignitaries were eulogizing, Elton John was singing, and two young princes were wondering—wondering what they were going to do without a mother!

Diana was the most photographed woman in history. Nobody could believe that the princess, so beautiful and beloved, was gone. At one moment, she was young and full of life, but in a blink of an eye, disaster fell and she was dead. England’s Rose would never be seen again. Indeed, Princess Diana was a candle in the wind—her candle burned out long before her legend ever did.

Revelation 18 tells the story of the sudden doom of another royal female figure. Like Diana, her death is unexpected and catastrophic. Although this queen has never been photographed, all the rulers of the world will weep when she passes.

Who is this queen? Unlike Diana, this queen is full of every sort of evil. This queen has gotten the nations drunk on the maddening wine of her adulteries. She has seduced the people of earth and has led them away from the one true God. Her name is Babylon the Great, the wicked prostitute of the world that we met in Revelation 17. She is the evil satanic influence that was embodied in the ancient cities of Babylon, Rome, and all civilizations on earth.

This queen is still alive and well in our world today. She continues to carry out Satan’s diabolical and deceptive plans, but her death has already been announced; her obituary has already been written; her funeral has already been planned; and the funeral songs have already been selected. Revelation 18 depicts God’s judgment of the evil world system that will take place at the end of history. It is described as a funeral service. Let’s take a look at it!

Babylon’s Obituary (1-3)

The whole scene opens with John seeing another mighty and magnificent angel coming down from heaven the announcing the death civilization. Just as the prophet Isaiah announced the fall of historical Babylon (Isaiah 21:9), this angel announces the fall of spiritual Babylon, the evil world system of that influences civilization. Verses 2-3 serve as Babylon’s obituary—like a death notice that you would read in the newspaper. She has died and is condemned by God.

This obituary identifies her cause of death. First, verse 2 tells us that she has become a home for demons and a haunt for evil spirits and unclean birds. Second, she got the nations drunk on the maddening wine of her adulteries, she committed adultery with the kings of the earth, and she used her excessive luxuries to make the merchants rich. This means that she seduced the nations into spiritual idolatry. The wine represents all the allurements that civilization has to offer human beings: wealth, illicit sexual gratification, and the three P’s: power, prestige, and popularity. The queen is condemned for her ungodly pursuits in the world.

Don’t we see the prostitute’s pollution throughout our world today? Unmeasured materialism, striving for security, the promotion of pornography—all of these things seduce people away from God. When the romance novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” is the top selling book in America, you know something is extremely wrong with the world. When our country spends a half a billion dollars on a presidential campaign, you know our world is messed up.

Christians in every age have had to heed the warning in I John 2:15-17. How easy it is to become fascinated by the things the world has to offer. The world system that opposes Christ is all around us, and we must be aware of its subtle influences. The love of possessions and pleasures is an insidious form of idolatry, demonic in its origin and destructive in its nature. These worldly things never permanently satisfy or last. Don’t be deceived by the prostitute’s promises! Look at the obituary! Babylon will be judged!

Babylon’s Eulogy (4-8)

Now that we have read Babylon’s obituary, let’s listen to her eulogy! The word “eulogy” means “good words”, but every once in a while someone dies and there aren’t any good words to speak; there are only words of warning not to follow in the footsteps of the deceased. Such is the case here with God’s eulogy for Babylon.

The eulogy begins with John hearing another voice from heaven calling God’s people to separate themselves from the ungodly world system. God does not want his people to share in the sins or receive the judgment of secular civilization. God has seen all of her crimes and sins—how couldn’t he, they are piled up to heaven. He will give Babylon a taste of her own medicine by paying her back for what she has done. Just as the unbelieving world tortured and gave grief to the church, God will pour out his wrath and judgment on the unbelieving world with plagues of death, mourning, famine, and fire.

This eulogy is a warning for all of us to separate ourselves from the evil secular world. God wants us to avoid the sinful pitfalls of the world. He wants his church to escape the punishments that await the unbelieving world on judgment day. That is why we must continually ask ourselves if we have compromised with the world. We have to ask ourselves: Do my attitudes, actions, desires, values, and positions line up with God’s character or the secular world? May we learn from Babylon’s eulogy and avoid the pitfalls of her path!

The Song of Lamentation (9-19)

Now that we have read Babylon’s obituary and have heard her eulogy, let’s listen to her first funeral song—it is a song of lamentation. The song is sung in three parts by here different groups: monarchs (9), merchants (11), and mariners (17). These groups comprise the movers and shakers of civilization; those who profited most from the evil influences of the world. They each cry, “Woe! Woe, O great city, in one hour your doom has come” as they mourn the loss of the driving force behind their power and wealth.

Can you imagine the despair over a world political, economic, and transportation collapse? When God brings Babylon to ruin, those who have put their faith in political power and economic success will be sorely disappointed. Those of you who are political and business leaders must especially beware of the seductions of Babylon, but this should cause all of us to ask ourselves the question “Where do I place my trust: in the temporal things of this world or the eternal foundation of Jesus Christ? Are you more concerned about acquiring trinkets on earth or storing up treasures in heaven?

The Song of Celebration (20-24)

The final funeral song for Babylon is a song of celebration. The song doesn’t celebrate her life, but it celebrates her death. At first it may seem strange to celebrate someone’s death, but if the person was wicked and oppressive, this is an appropriate response.

Remember when Dorothy’s house fell on the Wicked Witch of the East, the munchkins rejoiced by singing “Ding dong, the witch is dead. Which old witch? The wicked witch!” Likewise, the world celebrated when Adolf Hitler and Osama Bin Laden died.

And now, all of heaven, including the saints, apostles, and prophets rejoice because the wicked prostitute has been judged by God. The angel throwing a boulder into the sea symbolizes the conclusion of the judgments. The evil city of Babylon will sink into oblivion just as surely as the “unsinkable Titanic” sank to the bottom of the ocean. Although the ruins of the Titanic were found, Babylon will be thrown down with such violence that she will never be found again.

The song goes on to describe the particular aspects of civilization that will never be seen again. All of the joys of everyday life will vanish from the earth: no more music or craftsmanship, no more sights and sounds of domestic life, no more weddings. This is all a part of God’s judgment on Babylon for leading people astray and persecuting his church.

What a glorious day that will be? Christians can rejoice now because a day is coming when God will judge the evil political/economic/religious influences of civilization. Persecution against God’s people will come to an end and the martyr’s blood will be avenged. Justice will prevail once and for all!

Now that we have seen this final funeral for civilization—that is, now that we have read the obituary and heard the eulogy and the two funeral songs, let me conclude with a question. When God judges civilization, which funeral song will you sing? The song of earthly lamentation or the song of heavenly celebration?

I saw her standing on her front lawn just twirling her baton
Me and her went for a ride sir and ten innocent people died

From the town of Lincoln Nebraska with a sawed-off .410 on my lap
Through to the badlands of Wyoming I killed everything in my path

I can’t say that I’m sorry for the things that we done
At least for a little while sir me and her we had us some fun

The jury brought in a guilty verdict and the judge he sentenced me to death
Midnight in a prison storeroom with leather straps across my chest

Sheriff when the man pulls that switch sir and snaps my poor neck back
You make sure my pretty baby is sitting right there on my lap

They declared me unfit to live, said “into that great void my soul be hurled”
They wanted to know why I did what I did, Well sir I guess there’s just a meanness in this world

This poem titled “Nebraska” tells the story of Charles Starkweather, who along with his fourteen year old girlfriend, Caril Ann Fugate, murdered 11 people during an eight-day killing spree in 1958. Starkweather was executed 17 months later, while Fugate served 17 years in prison.

As I have been listening to news reports and have been thinking about James Holmes and the massacre in the Aurora, Colorado movie theater, this poem came to mind, especially that last line. Like Charles Starkweather, everybody wants to know why Holmes did what he did. Have you found yourself wondering why? Some people have suggested that he must have had problems in his family background or that he wasn’t socialized correctly. Others have postulated that he didn’t know how to deal with failure or that he suffered from some form of mental illness.

I am not sure if we will ever fully understand Holmes’s motive, but I would like to propose another theory. The theory is this: “there’s just a meanness in this world.” Charles Starkweather, Charles Manson, Jeffery Damer, Oklahoma City, Columbine, September 11th, Fort Hood, and now James Holmes are all examples of the pervasive meanness and evil that exists in the human soul. Most of you have been taught the humanistic and narcissistic philosophy that human beings are basically good, but that is not what the Bible says. As a matter of fact, the Bible says the exact opposite.

The Bible tells us that all human beings are sinners and that the whole earth is influenced by Satan. Romans 3:23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Isaiah 64:6 says, “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Revelation 17 will show us how the whole world is under satanic influence.

The Great Prostitute (1-6, 15, 18)

Revelation 17 begins with one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls proclaiming to John, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters.” Who is this great prostitute and what are the many waters that she is sitting on? In verse 18, the angel tells us that this woman is the great city that rules over the earth. Verse 15 tells us that the many waters are the “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages” of the earth.

What is this great city that rules the people of the earth? Verse 5 tells us that her name and title is Babylon the Great, which was a Jewish code word for Rome in the first century. Just as the Babylonian Empire was the great world power that subjugated and persecuted God’s people in the Old Testament, the Roman Empire had dominated and was oppressing God’s people in the New Testament.

Babylon and Rome were the embodiment of the evil political/economic/religious system that led the people of the earth away from the one true God. Verse 2 tells us that the kings of the earth committed adultery with her. This is a metaphor for world leaders adopting her evil political/economic/religious agendas. Likewise, when it says that the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries, it means that most of the common people of the world also bought into her ungodly philosophies, perspectives, and worldviews.

After this, the angel carried John away to a desert, where he saw the prostitute sitting on a scarlet beast. The blasphemous names, the seven heads, and the ten horns identify this beast as the red dragon from Revelation 12. There, we learned that the dragon is Satan himself. The prostitute is pictured as being carried by the beast, showing that the two are closely entwined. Satan is pictured as a great pimp who uses his prostitute to do his dirty work.

The prostitute is decked out in purple and scarlet clothing, adorned with precious metals and fine jewels, and drinks from a golden cup filled with abominable things. These images symbolize luxury and moral corruption. The people of the earth were infatuated by her wealth and intoxicated by her immorality. Like a husband who leaves his wife for some sleazy bimbo, the people of the earth are pictured as running after her promises of wealth, power, and pleasure.

Verse 6 caps of the description of the great prostitute by telling us that she is drunk with the blood of the saints—that is, she is directly responsible for the persecution and death of Christians. Babylon shed the blood of God’s people in the Old Testament. Rome shed the blood of God’s people in the New Testament. And the evil political/economic/religious powers throughout history continue to shed the blood of God’s people.

When the army of Julian the Apostate was on the march to Persia some of the soldiers got hold of a Christian believer to torment and torture him in brutal sport. After they wearied of it, they looked into his eyes and said to their helpless victim, with infinite scorn in their voices, “Where now is your carpenter God?

The prisoner looked up through pain, blood, and agony to say, “Where now is my carpenter God? He is building your coffin.”

The Beast (7-14)

In verses 7-13, the angel goes on to describe the beast. He has seven heads, ten horns, and once was, and now is not, and will come out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The “he once was” refers to Satan’s direct physical presence on the earth throughout the Old Testament times. The “and now is not” refers to the time between Jesus’ resurrection and return when Satan is locked up in the Abyss and has to do his diabolical work through his demonic agents, including the great prostitute. The “will come out of the Abyss” refers to the future when Satan is released from the Abyss and is cast into the lake of burning sulfur at the final judgment.

The seven heads are doubly symbolic. On one hand, they represent the seven geographic hills of Rome. On the other hand, they represent Roman emperors, who have advanced Satan’s agenda against God and his people. The ten horns represent world leaders who give their allegiance to Satan and who make war against Jesus and his followers. But these leaders will be defeated because Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Beast Brutalizes the Prostitute (16-17)

Do you see what happens to the prostitute in the end? The beast uses and then abuses the prostitute! Just as Satan used and then destroyed the Babylonian Empire in the Old Testament, he would eventually destroy the Roman Empire as well. This is descriptive of what Satan has done and will continue to do throughout history—he uses his diabolical political/economic/religious systems to seduce the nations and persecute the church, and then he destroys them.
So, why did James Holmes open fire in the movie theater last week? Because there is just a meanness in this world! Human beings are sinners, and as we have just seen, the whole world is under satanic influence. This is why there has been so much bloodshed throughout history and is why we see so much pain and suffering in our world today.

All of this shows us our great need for a Savior. As sinners, we are all capable of doing horrendous things and we are susceptible to the evil influences around us. This is why Jesus died on the cross and rose from the dead. He did it to free us from the curse of sin. He did it to offer us forgiveness and freedom from this evil world! He did it to triumph over the devil!

For those of you who put their faith in Jesus Christ, your future is secure! When you pass away from this life, you will experience ultimate peace and joy in a place where there is no more massacre or murder, and once and for all, you will escape the meanness in this world!

I have some good news and some bad news for you this morning! Which would you like to hear first? Well, let me tell you the bad news: today I will be preaching another sermon about God’s judgment on the world. But the good news is that today we will finish the third and final series of seven plague judgments found in the Book of Revelation.

We have already seen the series of seven seal judgments and seven trumpet judgments and now, in chapter 16, we see the final series of seven bowl judgments. Some people believe that these series are separate and distinct from one another. Furthermore, they believe that they follow in chronological order, with the bowl judgments coming at the end of history. I personally disagree with this view.

I believe that the seven bowl judgments are not a new series but rather a recapitulation of the seven seal and trumpet judgments—that is, they are just different descriptions of the same judgments. Whereas the seals and trumpets were incomplete snapshots, the bowls are more complete pictures, providing greater detail to the judgments that take place throughout history, culminating with the final judgment at the end of history. The first five bowls in verses 1-11, like the first six trumpets, cover God’s judgments on the unbelieving world between the time of Christ’s resurrection and his return. The last two bowls in verses 12-21, like the seventh trumpet, describe the final judgment. Let’s take a closer look at these plague judgments!

God’s Preliminary Judgments throughout History (1-11)

The apostle John is still looking at the seven angels coming out of the temple in heaven carrying seven bowls, when all of the sudden he hears God’s voice from inside the temple commanding the angels to pour out the bowls of God’s wrath on the earth. The pouring out of each bowl by the angels is obviously a metaphorical representation of the execution of God’s judgment from heaven.

The bowl judgments continue the Exodus motif that we saw in the in the chapter 15 and in the trumpet judgments. Just as God reigned down plagues of judgment upon the Egyptians before the exodus, he reigns down plagues of judgment upon the world. Each of the literal plagues from Egypt is symbolically replicated here.

The first bowl is reminiscent of the sixth plague on the Egyptians, where ugly and painful sores break out upon those who bear the mark of the beast. Just as the “pouring of the bowl” is figurative for divine judgment and the “mark of the beast” is figurative for idol worship, so also the bowl’s effect of producing “painful and ugly sores” should be understood metaphorically. The sores represent some sort of physical suffering.

The second bowl is reminiscent of the first plague on Egypt where the waters of the Nile River turned to blood. Here the sea turning to blood and killing all of the sea life is symbolic of God punishing the world with famine and economic disaster. The maritime commerce was the lifeblood of the ancient world, and the sea turning to blood is a picture of the demise of the ungodly world’s economic life-support system.

The third bowl pictures another attack on the world’s economic system. The fresh water sources turning to blood is another metaphor for food shortage and famine, which implies great economic suffering.

This plague judgment is accompanied by an interpretive elaboration where the angel declares two grounds for God’s judgment. The first reason is that God is holy and just. Because he is absolutely morally perfect, he has the right to judge those who are not. The second reason is that the unbelieving world has persecuted his people. God is merely executing justice by giving these unbelievers what they deserve—they drink the blood of death because they have shed the blood of God’s saints and prophets.

Throughout this series on the Book of Revelation I have spoken often about the necessity of God’s judgment and wrath. If God is to maintain his attributes of holiness, righteousness, and justice, he has to hold people accountable for their actions. And the just judgment for unrepentant sin is God’s wrath. As I have said before, this truth ought to cause all of us to reflect on the condition of our souls. It ought to make us think about whether or not we have truly repented from our sins and have made a faith commitment to Jesus Christ. This is the only way to be saved from God’s judgment and wrath!

The fourth bowl is poured out upon the sun, and the sun was given power to scorch people. This plague also contains economic overtones, where the scorching sun is probably a metaphor for drought conditions that cause hardship and suffering.

The fifth bowl is emptied onto the “throne of the beast.” The throne represents the realm of Satan’s rule and reign. The sun was literally darkened over Egypt because of Pharaoh’s disobedience to God’s command and oppression of God’s people, but here the darkness is to be understood figuratively as spiritual darkness or separation from God. Those who effuse to repent or glorify God must endure the spiritual darkness that stems from the absence of God in their lives.

Each of these first five bowl judgments take place throughout the church age, from the time of Christ’s resurrection until his return. God has been pouring out his wrath upon unbelievers in the forms of physical pain, economic disaster, and spiritual darkness for the past 2000 years and it will continue until Jesus comes back.

This chapter helps us to make sense of so many disasters and hardships that have taken place throughout history, and it helps us understand what is going on in our world today—from the bubonic plagues of the past to modern disease epidemics like HIV, cancer, and whooping cough are evidence of God’s judgment. Natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, floods, wildfires, and droughts that affect the world’s food sources are evidences of God’s judgment. Economic collapses such as the Great Depression in America in the 1930’s to the crisis in Greece today are evidence of God’s judgment upon the evil world.

Remember in the Exodus story—Pharaoh hardened his heart and refused to believe that the plagues came from the God of the Hebrews. Likewise, many people today believe that these crises and catastrophes are accidents or coincidences—they refuse to accept that they come from God. But just as Pharaoh finally learned who was in ultimate control of the world when the waters of the Red Sea wiped out his entire army, the whole world will see that God is sovereign when these preliminary judgments come to an end and God’s final judgment begins when Jesus returns.

God’s Final Judgment at the End of History (12-21)

With the pouring of the sixth bowl, God gathers together the ungodly forces in order to punish them. This is a picture of the famous battle of Armageddon that will take place during the final judgment when Jesus returns. Just as God dried up the Euphrates River to allow King Cyrus and his princes from the east to conquer Babylon in ancient times, he is now seen as preparing to conquer Satan and his demonic cohorts. The pouring out of the bowl sets in motion actions by the false trinity—the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet—to deceive the people of the earth and gather them for battle on the great day of God Almighty.

Some people think that the final battle between good and evil will be fought in a place called Armageddon (the plain of Megiddo in modern Israel), but they fail to see figurative language used here. It is not a physical battle, but a spiritual battle where God judges and punishes the false trinity, their demonic agents, and the people who worship the beast.

Likewise, the seventh bowl also depicts the final destruction of the corrupt world system, which follows on the heels of the great spiritual battle of Armageddon. When God’s voice speaks from the temple throne, saying, “It is done!” it signifies that God’s wrath is consummated. This is reminiscent of Jesus’ final words from the cross, “It is finished” which represented a completion of redemption.

The lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, the earthquake, the city splitting, the islands and mountains falling away, and the huge hailstones falling from the sky are all graphic metaphors for God’s final judgment upon the world system.

This section of the Book of Revelation is meant to remind us that the final judgment is coming. The metaphors are meant to evoke terror and fear and make us stop in our tracks. Jesus himself interjects in verse 15 with a reminder that he comes like a thief. We need to be spiritually awake and ready for his return at all times.

When Jesus returns, he will bring final judgment upon the unbelieving world! Are you ready for Christ’s return? Have you been spiritually awakened by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Allow me to conclude by sharing a song that was composed by John Newton, the author of “Amazing Grace.” It poetically summarizes all of Revelation 16.

The gathering clouds, with aspect dark, A rising storm presage;
O! to be hid within the ark, And sheltered from its rage!

See the commissioned angel frown! That vial in his hand,
Filled with fierce wrath, is pouring down Upon our guilty land!

Ye saints, unite in wrestling prayer; If yet there may be hope;
Who knows but Mercy yet may spare, And bid the angel stop!

Already is the plague begun, And fired with hostile rage;
Brethren, by blood and interest one, With brethren now engage.

Peace spreads her wings, prepared for flight, And war, with flaming sword,
And hasty strides draws nigh, to fight The battles of the Lord.

The first alarm, alas, how few, While distant, seem to hear!
But they will hear, and tremble too, When God shall send it near.

So thunder, o’er the distant hills, Gives but a murm’ring sound,
But as the tempest spreads, it fills, And makes the welkin sound.

May we, at least, with one consent, Fall low before the throne
With tears the nation’s sins lament, The churches, and our own.

The humble souls who mourn and pray, The Lord approves and knows;
His mark secures them in the day When vengeance strikes his foes.

Some of you may not realize this, but one of the greatest battles in the American history was fought between October 12th and October 20th in the year of our Lord 2004. The nine day conflict raged back and forth between two battlefields: one in New York City and the other in Boston, Massachusetts. Who were the two opponents in this epic clash? On one side, the notorious favorites, who for decades used their deep pockets to subjugate and persecute those around them. They were dressed in blue. On the other side, the underdogs, who had been living in the land of exile for the past 86 years. They were dressed in red.

As the battle began, the villains in blue easily took the first three fights. But in the ninth inning of the fourth game they were about to deal the final death blow by bringing in one of their most famed and fierce warriors, a man called “The Sandman.” But after stealing a base and getting a hit that sent the skirmish into extra innings, General David Ortiz lifted his red stockings and led his soldiers to victory with a cannon blast over the right-field wall.

That single shot turned the tide of the battle, and the Boston Red Sox won the next three games against their archenemies, the New York Yankees, and they become the first major league team in history to come back from a 0-3 deficit in the playoffs. After a bloody sock, sweat, and tears in this battle, the Red Sox went on to sweep the St. Louis Cardinals in four straight games and become World Series Champions for the first time since 1918, capping off the greatest season in Major League Baseball history.

When the Red Sox won the World Series, everyone in the city of Boston erupted with victory cheers! People celebrated by jumping and dancing in the streets! And they sang a victory tune mash-up of Queen’s “We are the Champions” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” Bumph! Bumph! Bumph!

Throughout the history of the world, victories have always been celebrated by singing victory tunes. Whether it is a sports victory, military victory, or political victory, people celebrate with emotional outbursts of vocal melody. As Willey Nelson says, “When the gun smoke settles, we’ll sing a victory tune, and we’ll all meet back at the local saloon; we’ll raise up our glasses against evil forces, singing ‘Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses!’”

When was the last time you sang a victory tune? When you got a raise at work? When you got married? When you shot a buck? When you passed the seventh grade? I’m sure that you have all experienced some victory in your life that has caused you to sing a victory tune! This happened in the Bible too!

The Exodus Celebration (Exodus 15)

One of the clearest examples of a victory tune in the Bible is “The Song of Moses” which is recorded way back in Exodus 15. Do you remember the story of the Exodus? The Israelites had been living in the land of exile in Egypt, where they suffered subjugation and persecution for 400 years. Then God raised up his servant Moses to say, “Pharaoh, Pharaoh, O baby, let my people go.” But Pharaoh would not listen, and God sent 10 plagues upon the land. Finally, Pharaoh relented and let the Israelites return east to the Promised Land, but afterward he reneged, and commanded his army to pursue them. As the Israelites approached the banks of the Red Sea, they saw the dust of the ensuing Egyptian chariots, and the Israelites began to fear for their lives.

Then God told Moses to raise his staff and stretch out his hand over the sea. God miraculously parted the waters in two and allowed the Israelites to pass through on dry ground. When the Egyptians pursued them into the sea bed, the waters came crashing down and annihilated them; not one of them survived. When the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the peopled feared the Lord and put their trust in him. (Ex. 14:31) Moses and the Israelites were so overjoyed and they celebrated by singing a victory tune. The tune is now called “The Song of Moses” and it praises the Lord for all of his wonderful attributes: his strength, salvation, majesty, power, greatness, holiness, awesomeness, glory, miracles, and sovereignty. (Ex. 15) It is always appropriate to praise God for who he is and what he has done for all of us! It is good to sing victory tunes in celebration of Jesus winning the war over Satan when he was crucified and resurrected from the dead.

The Heavenly Celebration (Revelation 15:1-8)

The victory tune sung by Moses and the Israelites after the exodus is only a precursor to the victory tune that God’s people will sing at the second exodus that will take place when Jesus returns. This second exodus is depicted in Revelation 15. The apostle John looked up again and saw another marvelous sign: seven angels carrying seven last plagues. Just as God used plagues to pour out his wrath on Egypt, so he rains down plagues on the earth to judge unbelievers for their evil and to humble them to repentance before the final judgment. This series of bowl judgments is the last depicted in the Book of Revelation.

Then in verse 2, John sees the church, God’s true and faithful people standing beside the sea of glass in heaven. They stand victorious because they overcame by the way of the cross, that is, refusing to compromise with the ungodly agendas of the beast, who is a member of Satan’s sinister anti-Christian trinity. These believers did not succumb to the beast’s pressures and persecutions, but they remained faithful to Jesus Christ to the point of death. They each held harps and sang the song of Moses and of the Lamb.

Just as Israel praised God by the sea after he delivered them from Pharaoh, so the church praises God for defeating the beast on their behalf. Like God’s people of old, so God’s new covenant people praise him by singing the “Song of Moses.” But since this deliverance is even greater than the first deliverance, their song is also sung to the Lamb, Jesus Christ, who delivered them from sin and death. They take some of the same words from the song of Moses in Exodus 15 and use them in this new song. They sing about God’s “great and marvelous deeds” and praise him for his attributes of power, justice, truth, sovereignty, eternity, glory, and righteousness.

But before the saints sing this victory tune in heaven, the final series of judgments must take place on earth. In keeping with the exodus theme, John also saw a temple in heaven that was opened. This temple was like tabernacle that the Israelites used to worship God in the days after the exodus. The “testimony” refers to the Ten Commandments that were kept inside the Ark of the Covenant in the tabernacle. This image is used here to symbolize God’s Word going out from his dwelling place.

Seven angels come forth carrying seven plagues. That they are dressed in clean white linens with golden sashes around their chests implies their purity and glory. One of the four living creatures, who is a high ranking angel, gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with God’s wrath. No one was allowed to enter the temple until the seven plagues were completed.

Just like in the exodus story, the Israelites could not enter the tabernacle and worship God until he completed the series of plagues on Egypt, so God will not call his people to his heavenly dwelling until his judgments are completed on earth.

For the past 2000 years God has been pouring out the plagues of his wrath in the forms of natural disasters, political failures, economic collapses, and military conflicts. Even today, the genocides in Darfur and Syria, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the collapse of Greece’s economy, even our own economic recession, and the wildfires in Colorado are evidence of God’s preliminary judgments upon the world. These are all miniature glimpses of the final judgment that will take place when Jesus returns.

But the good news is that those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ and have overcome the power of the beast and have not compromised with the world, they will stand beside the sea of glass and sing a victory tune in heaven. They will praise God for his wonderful attributes and give him thanks for his great and marvelous deeds.

As I mentioned earlier, I bet that every one of you has experienced some victory in your life that has caused you to sing a victory tune. But I certainly hope that it will not be your last! I hope that you all will experience the greatest victory of all—life in heaven forever and ever!

Therefore, on the basis of this text, I urge you to commit your life to Jesus Christ if you haven’t already! I urge you to keep your faith in spite of the trials, hardships, and doubts you may experience in this life! I urge you to continue living a life of holiness, despite the temptations you face! Live a life worthy of the calling that you have received! I urge you to continue to fight against the wiles of the devil and remain faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ, even to the point of death!

If you do this, Jesus will one day call you home and you will join the heavenly chorus and sing a victory tune!