This paragraph of Scripture, in particular, verse 17, is an encapsulation of the entire Revelation. In actuality, it is a look back at everything that happens during the tribulation, yet a pivotal point going forward to those same events but in greater detail. If you’ve ever wanted to see the Revelation in a nutshell, here it is. Memorize it. Ponder it. Pass it along.
The world without Christ will rejoice at the final destruction of those who preach judgment and repentance. It seems as if Christ-haters will go so far as to throw parties and send gifts to each other as they celebrate their apparent victory. The preaching of God’s church will cut into the hearts of the lost like the sting of a wasp or the bite of a rattlesnake. They will be glad when God’s people are dead. If that’s the truth, can you handle it?
The Gigantic Angel and His Little Book sounds kind of like Jack and the Beanstalk, doesn’t it? Except, the Gigantic Angel & His Little Book is no fairy tale. The message of this end-time epic will not only have a global impact, but the power of this angel will rise so high above mankind that no one can deter his actions. Like the roar of a lion and peels of thunder, the mystery of God will come forth spilling forth in great crescendo. Ear plugs will do no good as John prophesies concerning many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.
In a way, the trumpets of the Great Tribulation sound eerily similar the plagues of the Exodus. As anti-Israeli forces moved against the people of God in Egypt, so God moved against them as a warning, even as an encouragement, to join Him and His people in His plan for the world. So it will be in the time of the Great Tribulation. Will anyone, including anti-Christian influencers, accept the invitation
Chapter 6 of the Revelation unfolds the beginning of global devastation as the end of the end approaches. Will this devastation originate with a single person, or is it possible that an overwhelming world-wide influence will take the lead? Either way, the promises of peace and tranquility will quickly fade as a new, global order of tyrants arise.
For two consecutive chapters, praise has stood at the heart of the Revelation. Believe it or not, praise defeats the power and sting of tribulation. To be sure, praise is our greatest weapon against the darkness of circumstantial depression and the weight of situational despair.
If heaven is not in a panic about what is happening on earth, neither should we be in a panic. Of course, we pray for our world. Of course, we seek and offer solutions, but we trust the Lord to use everything for His glory, including us. His timeline is far more important than our own.
Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith, said Paul to the church at Corinth. Yet, he did not say what that test might be. Fortunately, the Revelation given to John sets forth a dynamic test that provides evidence as to who is genuinely connected to the kingdom and who is not. For the church at Laodicea, Jesus seems to have been left standing on the outside looking in.
Helping a person make a genuine connection to Christ is one of the most satisfying actions a believer can take. Most certainly, any believer can. Committing to memory four short verses gives anyone the tools to win another person to kingdom life. You can get started right now. Don’t wait.
When is a person’s name written in the Book of Life? At the moment of conception. Can a person’s name be removed from the Book of Life? Most definitely, so says the book of the Revelation. Is your name in or out
