Some people have a hard time accepting reality. Some things simply sound “too good to be true.” That could be said of Jesus’ promises to those who accept Him: absolute forgiveness and eternal life in the presence of God.
On the other hand, some people cannot accept the clear teaching of Scripture regarding the wrath of God that abides on all who do not obey the Son by accepting Him as Savior and Lord (John 3:36). They like the sound of a god who would not harm a fly but cannot accept the living God who will pour out His righteous indignation on a world that has rejected Him. They are even more appalled by the idea of Jesus, the Lamb who was slain, administering the wrath of God. Yet that is exactly what Revelation teaches (6:16).
It has been said that Revelation is too hard to understand. But Henry Morris, the founder of the Institute for Creation Research, once said: “Revelation is not hard to understand. It is hard to believe; but if you will believe it, you will understand it.”
It is critical that we understand up front that this final book in the canon of God’s Word is not merely the fanciful and imaginative vision of John the Apostle. The very first verse in the book establishes that it is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ.” The same verse goes on to explain the purpose behind Jesus unveiling all that John would be tasked to record: “…which God gave Him to show to His bond-servants, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-servant John” (NASB). Driving the point home even further, verse 2 tells us that John “testified to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw.”
Other prophets of God affirm the divine inspiration to their prophecies by frequently weaving in the phrase, “Thus saith the Lord.” But John established up front that Revelation is the testimony of none other than Jesus Christ.
Revelation is unique in one other respect. No other book offers a promise of blessing for merely reading what is written. But verse 3 says, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of the prophecy, and heed the things which are written in it; for the time is near” (NASB). Not clear enough? Jesus repeats the same promise in 22:7: “And behold, I am coming quickly. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book.”
Reading and hearing can be easily done. But how do you heed a book of prophecy—especially one as expansive as Revelation? How can I heed the sweeping prophecies yet to be fulfilled and often related to God’s wrath that abides on the unbelieving world? By doing what Henry Morris advocated and believing this great book of prophecy.
In other words—taking Jesus at His Word.
I’ve been chatting with a fellow online about what Jesus has already done. He is Roman Catholic and says he loves going to mass and giving his money. I’m at my wit’s end with his thick headedness. He says he doesn’t and probably won’t read the Bible. He said he know nobody who does. I reminded him that I do, so he does know someone who reads it.
Only God can get through to him, I know.
Like the rest of the Bible, Revelation takes faith. If a person has faith in Jesus, the Revelation will make sense if read with eyes that see Jesus. His power is a faith stretcher, but continue reading and it will encourage as it says in 1:3, you will be blessed!
It’s quite simple, when you believe in Christ Jesus as your Lord and Savior, when the Holy Spirit dwells within you your eyes, your heart, your mind is opened up to the word, your understanding of it opens up, His sheep hears His voice. As these events are unfolding right in front of our eyes we see it. He brings our attention to it through the nudging of the Holy Spirit. There’s no accident why it’s called the Book of Revelation, He is revealing it to us in real-time along to the rest of His word which binds it all together.
Over the years I am amazed at the accuracy of God’s word. Prophesies have been fulfilled by Jesus, just as he foretold they would be. It’s good to study Daniel before Revelation because Daniel is a preview of Revelation which the Lord allowed the prophet Daniel to see. The theological theme of Daniel is summarized in Daniel 4:17; 5:21. The Most high God is sovereign over the kingdom of men.
In Revelation 6:16 the wrath is attributed to the Lamb, but is related to God’s wrath. You know God is a merciful God, and loves his people, but he is also a God of wrath, and judgment for sin. Hopefully many will realize the time is short for them to be saved and accept Jesus as Savior before that wrath comes to earth. So many all over the world are coming to this realization. Revelation 6:17 For the day of wrath has come, and who can stand?”
AWESOME
Revelation is the unveiling or disclosure of Jesus, and about Jesus Christ, and tells us the future. That may be unpleasant to some people, but to believers it tells us how to prepare, and how our faith matters, what we do in this life, and if we are written in the Book of Life. All believers know the impact of this book of the Bible, and that we will some day be the Lord. Blessed means much more than happy, it describes the favorable circumstance granted by God to a believer, and shows God’s command, instruction, history, and predictions of things that will definitely happen. Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the First, and the Last, the Beginning and the End. His sovereignty rules over all human history.
Since as a child I have been enamored with prophecy all my life. The more I read Revelation & prophetic books,the more I understand. Today’s world shows us events that prophecy describes if you have the eyes to see, & the ears to hear.
Keep your eyes on Israel!
Israel at war with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Syria and Iran by proxy. Psalm 83
Iran attacking Israel and Israeli retaliation.
Ezekiel 38 & 39
Russia at war with Ukraine & at odds with the entire West, while aligned with Iran, Turkey, Syria, China ect.
My, my, it is certainly getting more interesting.. While the U.S. is floundering in internal strife and economic chaos the middle east & the world is getting more tense and combative.
As it was in the days of Noah so it will be at the time of the coming of the Son of Man. Matthew 24:37
In the days of Noah the world was rife with violence & corruption. Genesis 6
The U.S. is not the center of Bible prophecy – we err when we think that. As the previous comment above noted, keep your eyes on Israel. Nearly the entire Revelation is concerning the nation of Israel and God’s judgement on the world for rejecting Him AND persecuting His chosen people. Zechariah 12-14
Maranatha, come quickly Lord Yeshua!
I grew up Lutheran and there were people in my life that loved the Lord and wanted to do his will. I believe I will spend eternity with them. The issue now is I see the end of the age coming, and many Catholics, Lutherans, other… Do not study prophecy. I worry they will be fooled by Satan. Sometimes the only thing you can do is pray for people. I believe in God and I believe in prayer. If you can’t reach someone, God can! Pray especially for those you love!