Chapter Twelve: All Things New! (Revelation 21–22)
The Testimony of the Elders ()
We have been waiting since for this third “woe” to arrive and now it is here. When the seventh angel blew the trumpet, three dramatic events occurred.
An announcement of victory (v. ). These “great voices” were probably the choirs of heaven. The great announcement is that the kingdom (John uses the singular because “the beast” now has the world under his control) of this world belongs to Jesus Christ. Of course, Christ does not claim His royal rights until He returns; but the victory has already been won. Satan offered Him the world’s kingdoms, but He refused the offer (). Instead, He died on the cross, arose, and returned victoriously to heaven; and there the Father gave Him His inheritance ().
However, we must not incorrectly assume that our Lord is not reigning today, because He is. According to , Jesus Christ is “King of righteousness” and “King of peace.” He is enthroned with the Father (), and He will reign until He defeats all His foes (). Today, He rules over a spiritual kingdom; but in that future day, He will reign over the nations of the world and rule with a rod of iron.
No matter how difficult the circumstances might be, or how defeated God’s people may think they are, Jesus Christ is still King of kings and Lord of lords, and He is in control. One day, we shall triumph!
An acclamation of praise (vv. ). The elders left their own thrones and prostrated themselves in worship before God’s throne. They gave thanks for three special blessings: that Christ reigns supremely (), that He judges righteously (), and that He rewards graciously ().
In , the elders praised the Creator; and in , they worshiped the Redeemer. Here the emphasis is on the Conqueror and the King. Keep in mind that in John’s day the church on earth looked as though it were defeated, for Rome was the conqueror and king. John was reminding the saints that they were “a kingdom of priests” reigning with the Saviour (). It may seem at times that the throne of heaven is empty, but it is not. Jesus Christ has both power and authority—in fact, all authority (, where the word power means “authority”). “Thou … hast begun to reign” is a good translation.
Christ not only reigns supremely, but He judges righteously (). The Lamb is also the Lion! In , we have a “table of contents” for the remainder of the Book of Revelation. These events did not take place the instant the angel blew his trumpet; he simply signaled the beginning of the process, and now these events would take place as planned.
“The nations were angry.” What do the nations have to be angry about? Certainly the Lord has been good and gracious to them. He has provided their needs (; ), assigned their territories, and graciously postponed His judgment to give men opportunity to be saved. Even more, He sent His Son to be the Saviour of the world. Today, God offers forgiveness to the nations! What more could He do for them?
Then, why are the nations angry? Because they want to have their own way. “Why do the heathen [the nations] rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against His anointed [Christ], saying, ‘Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us’ ” (). They want to worship and serve the creature instead of the Creator (). Like adolescent children, the nations want to cast off all restraint; and God will permit them to do so. The result will be another “Babylon” (Rev. 17–18), man’s last attempt to build his Utopia, a “heaven on earth.”
Note the change in attitude shown by the nations of the world. In , the nations ruthlessly take over Jerusalem. In , they rejoice at the death of the two witnesses. But now they are angry; their arrogance and joy did not last very long. This belligerent attitude finally will cause the nations to unite to fight God at the great battle of Armageddon.
“And Thy wrath is come.” The word translated “angry” in is the verb form of the word translated “wrath.” But man’s wrath can never equal the wrath of the Lamb (). Even Satan’s wrath, as cruel as it is, is no match for God’s wrath (). There was intense suffering in the first half of the Tribulation, but only the last half will reveal the wrath of God (; ; ; ). There are two Greek words for anger: thumos, which means “rage, passionate anger,” and orge, used here, which means “indignation, a settled attitude of wrath.” God’s anger is not an outburst of temper; it is holy indignation against sin. Both of these Greek words are used in Revelation to describe God’s anger: orge is used only four times; thumos, seven (, ; , ; , ; ). God’s anger is not dispassionate, for He hates sin and loves righteousness and justice; but neither is it temperamental and unpredictable.
“And the time of the dead, that they should be judged” takes us to the very end of God’s prophetic program. In one sense, every day is a “day of the Lord” because God is always judging righteously. God is long-suffering toward lost sinners and often postpones judgment, but there will be a final judgment of sinners and none will escape. This judgment is described in .
There will also be a judgment of God’s children, known as “the Judgment Seat of Christ” (; ; ). God will reward His faithful servants () and the sufferings they experienced on earth will be forgotten in the glory of His presence. Though God’s children will not be judged for their sins (that judgment took place on the cross), they will be judged for their works and rewarded generously by the Master.
The Judgment Seat of Christ will take place in heaven after Christ has called His people home. When He returns to earth to establish His kingdom, the saints will be ready to reign with Him, with every blemish of the church removed (; ). Today, we groan as we serve God, because we know only too well our handicaps and blemishes; but one day, we shall serve Him perfectly!
“Them that destroy the earth” refers to the rebellious earth-dwellers who will not submit to God. How ironic that these people live for the earth and its pleasures, yet at the same time are destroying the very earth that they worship! When man forgets that God is the Creator and he is the creature, he begins to exploit his God-given resources, and this brings destruction. Man is a steward of creation, not the owner.
As mentioned before, is a summary statement of events yet to come. It is heaven’s song of praise for the Lord’s faithfulness to accomplish His purposes in the world. Again, it appears strange to us that heavenly beings can sing about judgment. Perhaps if we had more of the throne’s perspective, we would be able to join their praises.
An assurance of God’s faithfulness (v. ). This chapter opened with a temple on earth, but now we see the temple in heaven. The focus of attention is on the ark of God, the symbol of God’s presence with His people.
In the Old Testament tabernacle and temple, the ark stood behind the veil, in the holy of holies. God’s glory rested on the ark, and God’s Law was within the ark, beautifully illustrating that the two must never be separated. He is the holy God and must deal righteously with sin. But He is also the faithful God who keeps His promises to His people. It was the ark of God that led Israel through the Jordan and into their inheritance (). This vision of the ark would greatly encourage God’s suffering people to whom John sent this book. “God will fulfill His promises!” John was saying to them. “He will reveal His glory! Trust Him!”
Once again, John saw and heard the portents of a storm (see ; ). Greater judgment is about to fall on the rebellious people of earth! But God’s people need not fear the storms for He is in control. The ark reminds them of His presence and the faithfulness of His promises. And on that ark was the mercy seat on which the blood was sprinkled each Day of Atonement (). Even in wrath, God remembers His mercy ().
The stage is now set for the dramatic appearance of “the beast,” Satan’s masterpiece, the false Christ who will control the world.
Revelation 12–13
Revelation 12–13 introduces us to the three key characters in the drama of the last half of the Tribulation: Satan the dragon, the false Christ, and the false prophet. These three are, in a sense, an evil trinity, opposing the true God and His people on earth. While these events will be of special significance to God’s people at that time, the message of these two chapters can encourage suffering saints during any age.
Satan is the great enemy of the church, and he fights against God and His people by accusing the saints in heaven and attacking them on earth. However, Christ has overcome the old serpent, and He gives victory to His people.
The adversary always works through human means, in this case, “the beast” (false Christ or Antichrist) and the false prophet. Satan is an imitator, a counterfeiter; and he seeks to control men by means of deception. “The beast” is the future world dictator who promises to solve the pressing problems of the nations; the false prophet is his “propaganda minister.” For a time, it appears that the satanic trio is succeeding; but then their world empire begins to collapse, the nations assemble for one final battle, Jesus Christ appears, and the battle is over.
Has this not been the pattern for the church’s conflict with evil over the centuries? Whether the ruler has been a Caesar, a Hitler, a Stalin, or an agnostic humanist, Satan has energized and motivated him. The ruler has promised the people all that they want and need, only to lead them into slavery. He has usually had an associate to promote his program to the people and to entice them, if not force them, to obey. Often their submission amounted almost to worship.
God has permitted His people to suffer under the despotism of these rulers, but He has also enabled His people to experience great victories, even in martyrdom. They have been true overcomers! Then He has brought deliverance, only to have the cycle repeat itself, with each succeeding dictatorship worse than the previous one. The climax will come with the appearance of the Antichrist in his time (2 Thes. 2).
John’s vision opens with two wonders in heaven (). The first is a woman giving birth to a son. Since this child is identified as Jesus Christ (compare with and ), this symbolic woman can be none other than the nation Israel. It was through Israel that Jesus Christ came into the world (; ). By further comparing the description in with , the identification seems certain.
In the Old Testament, Israel is often compared to a woman, and even a woman in travail (; ; ; ; ). The apostate world system is compared to a harlot (), and the church to a pure bride ().
The son is born and is then caught up to the throne of God (). We have symbolized here the birth of Christ and His victorious ascension, but nothing is said about either His life or His death. The colon in the middle of the verse represents thirty-three years of history!
The woman with child is the first wonder; the great red dragon is the second. makes it clear that this is Satan. The color red is associated with death () and Satan is a murderer (). The heads, horns, and crowns will appear again in and . The heads represent mountains (), and the horns represent kings (). We shall study the meaning of these symbols in more detail later.
The dragon was cast out of heaven (), and he took with him a third of the angels (, ). They are spoken of as “stars” in (see also ). This is evidently a reference to the fall of Satan (), when he and his hosts revolted against God. However, the casting out described in is yet future.
Just as soon as the child was born, Satan tried to destroy Him. This conflict between Satan and “the woman” began soon after man fell (). Throughout Old Testament history, Satan tried to prevent the birth of the Redeemer. There was always a “dragon” standing by, waiting to destroy Israel or the ancestors of the Messiah. Pharaoh is called a “dragon” (), and so is Nebuchadnezzar (). At one critical point, the royal line was limited to one little boy (). When Jesus Christ was born, Satan used King Herod to try to destroy Him (Matt. 2). Satan thought that he had succeeded when he used Judas to betray the Lord and hand Him over to be crucified. But the Cross was actually Satan’s defeat! “And they overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb” ().
Even today Satan has access to heaven, where he accuses God’s people; but he cannot dethrone the exalted Saviour. His strategy is to persecute God’s people and devour them if possible (). He has a special hatred for the Jewish people and has been the power behind anti-Semitism from the days of Pharaoh and Haman (see the Book of Esther) to Hitler and Stalin. Finally, in the middle of the Tribulation, there will come a wave of anti-Semitism such as the world has never seen (). But God will protect His people during those three-and-a-half years (1,260 days; see ; ).
Apart from the 144,000 (who are sealed and protected), a believing remnant of Jews will survive this very troublesome time. We are not told where God will protect them or who it is that will care for them. will take on special meaning for those believing Jews who live in the end days. Note especially the parenthesis in .
You and I are involved in a similar conflict today (see ). Satan is out to destroy the church, and our victory can come only through Jesus Christ.
The next scene in this cosmic drama is a war in heaven (). Scripture makes it clear that Satan has access to heaven even today (Job 1–2). Once he was the highest of God’s angels, but he rebelled against God and was cast down (). Interestingly, as God’s church faithfully serves Christ and wins the lost, Satan is also cast down and defeated (, ; ; note also ).
Of course, when Jesus Christ died on the cross, it meant Satan’s ultimate defeat (). Satan will one day be cast out of heaven (), and then finally cast into hell ().
What is this celestial conflict all about? The fact that Michael led God’s angels to victory is significant, because Michael is identified with the nation Israel (; ; note also ). The name Michael means “who is like God?” and this certainly parallels Satan’s egocentric attack on Jehovah—“I will be like the Most High” (). Apparently, the devil’s hatred of Israel will spur him to make one final assault against the throne of God, but he will be defeated by Michael and a heavenly host.
But perhaps there is another factor involved in this war. After the church is taken to heaven, believers will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ and have their works examined. On the basis of this judgment, rewards will be given (; ; ). It seems likely that Satan will be present at this event and will accuse the saints, pointing out all the “spots and wrinkles” in the church ().
The name devil means “accuser,” and Satan means “adversary.” Satan stands at the throne of God and fights the saints by accusing them (see Job 1–2; Zech. 3). But Jesus Christ, the “heavenly Advocate” (), represents the church before God’s holy throne. Because Jesus Christ died for us, we can overcome Satan’s accusations “by the blood of the Lamb.” Our salvation is secure, not because of our own works, but because of His finished work at Calvary.
How furious Satan will be when the church comes forth in glory “without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing.” When the accuser sees that his tactics have failed, he will become angry and threaten the very peace of heaven.
How does this future war apply to the church today? The same serpent who accuses the saints in heaven also deceives the nations on earth (); and one of his strategies is to lie about the church. He deceives the nations into thinking that the people of God are dangerous, deluded, even destructive. It is through Satan’s deception that the leaders of the nations band together against Christ and His people (Ps. 2; ). God’s people in every age must expect the world’s opposition, but the church can always defeat the enemy by being faithful to Jesus Christ.
Christ’s shed blood gives us our perfect standing before God (1 John 1:5–2:2). But our witness to God’s Word and our willingness to lay down our lives for Christ defeats Satan as well. Satan is not equal to God; he is not omnipotent, omnipresent, or omniscient. His power is limited and his tactics must fail when God’s people trust the power of the blood and of the Word. Nothing Satan does can rob us of “salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ” (), if we are yielded to Him. God’s great purposes will be fulfilled!
Believers in any age or situation can rejoice in this victory, no matter how difficult their experiences may be. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of the wicked one; and these have been defeated by our Saviour (; note also ).
Heaven will rejoice when Satan is cast out, but the earth-dwellers will not; for the last half of the Tribulation will mean intense suffering for the world. The “woe” in reminds us of the “three woes” referred to in . The first “woe” is described in , and the second in . The third “woe” is referred to in , but this passage only summarizes the events that will climax God’s plan for the earth. It may be that part of this third “woe” is casting out Satan and permitting his terrible wrath on earth.
This, then, is the third scene in the drama: Satan’s wrath on earth (). Knowing that his time is short, and having no more access to heaven, the adversary must vent all of his anger earthward. He begins with Israel (the woman), and creates a wave of anti-Semitism. Satan has always hated the Jews because they are God’s chosen people and the vehicle through which salvation came into the world. Satan would like to destroy the nation, particularly as the time draws near for the Messiah to return to earth to establish the promised kingdom. A Jewish remnant must be ready to receive Him and form the nucleus for the kingdom (Zech. 12:9–14:21; ).
God will prepare a special place where the Jewish remnant will be protected and cared for. It is interesting that the remnant’s escape from Satan is described in terms of a flying eagle, for this is a repeated image in the Old Testament with reference to Israel. God delivered Israel from Egypt “on eagles’ wings” (), and cared for the people in the wilderness as an eagle would her young (). Their return from Babylonian Captivity was like “mounting up with wings as eagles” ().
Note that the remnant will be sheltered for the last half of the Tribulation. We do not know where this sheltered place will be, nor do we need to know. But the lesson for all of us is clear: God cares for those whom He wants to use to accomplish His purposes on earth. True, some people will give their lives (), but others will be spared (see Acts 12 for an example of this principle).
The phrase “water as a flood” is not explained, but there is a parallel in Psalm 124. (Also note the phrase “escaped as a bird” in verse of this same Psalm.) This “flood” is probably an outpouring of hatred and anti-Semitic propaganda. Or it may symbolize armies that invade Israel and seek to defeat the remnant. If that is the meaning, then the earth opening up could well be an earthquake that God sends to destroy the invaders. When Satan discovers that the people he seeks to kill are protected, then he turns on those who were not carried to the hidden place of safety. He will declare war, and God will permit him to have victory for a time (); but ultimately, the old serpent will be defeated.
Some texts read, “And he [Satan] stood upon the sand of the sea.” The sea symbolizes the Gentile nations (). From one of them, Satan will bring forth his “Super Leader,” the man we call “Antichrist.” Up to this point, Antichrist has headed a ten-nation European league; but now he is about to embark on a new career as Satan’s world dictator.
You will remember that Antichrist began his career as a peacemaker () and even “settled” the Arab-Israeli problem by making a covenant with the Jews to protect them for seven years (). This protection would permit the nation to rebuild the temple and reinstitute religious rituals (; ). But in the middle of the seven-year period (the time we are studying now in Rev. 10–14) he will break that covenant, stop the ceremonies, and set up himself as god in the temple (; ).
The symbolic description of “the beast” enables us to learn something about his origin and character. God does not see him as a man, made in the divine image, but as a wild animal, under the control of Satan. He is a man (); but he is energized from hell, for he comes out of the pit (; ). Just as Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, so “the beast” will be Satan in a human body (see , ).
The seven heads represent seven mountains (); and since Rome was built on seven hills, this must be a veiled reference to that powerful city (see ). It would be a most meaningful allusion in John’s day!
The ten horns represent ten kingdoms (; ). It appears that “the beast” will head a “United States of Europe,” a revived Roman Empire, before taking over as world dictator. All nations will no doubt admire and thank him for the “peace” he has achieved, little realizing the sorrow and destruction he will bring to the world.
The three animals named in remind us of the four beasts Daniel saw in his dream (Dan. 7): a lion (Babylon), a bear (Media-Persia), a leopard (Greece), and a “terrible beast” (the Antichrist). John saw these animals, or kingdoms, in reverse order since he was looking back, while Daniel was looking ahead. The final world empire will be rooted in all the previous empires and unite in one their evil and power. Added to the ferocity of these beasts will be Satan’s own power, throne, and authority!
Once Satan presents his great “masterpiece,” the counterfeit Christ, to the world, what will happen next?
First, there will be wonder (). Certainly a terrified world will wonder at Antichrist’s power and his sudden rise to international fame and authority. But mankind will also wonder at the healing of his “wound.” What is this “wound”? John does not explain it, but perhaps what he later wrote () can help interpret the symbolism. This “wound” must be important, because John mentioned it three times (, , ), including the fact that it was sword-inflicted.
The seven heads represent seven mountains, but also seven kings or kingdoms (). Antichrist or “the beast” is one of these seven kings (), but he is also the eighth. Apparently, he reigns twice; but how can this be? The suggestion has been made that “the beast” will be a European leader who will form a ten-nation federation (), but be slain in the process. and state that “the beast” will ascend out of the abyss. Is it possible that Satan will (with God’s permission) resurrect a man from the dead? If Satan has power to give life to a dead idol (), could he not also give life to a dead body?
If “the beast” ruled as one of the seven kings, was slain, and then raised up again, he could rule as the eighth king. If, on the other hand, the image is seen representing kingdoms rather than individuals, we would have the reemergence of a “dead kingdom” on the world scene. However, it would be difficult to understand how a kingdom could be slain by a sword. It is best, I think, to apply this prophecy to individual persons.
Not only will there be wonder, but there will also be worship (). Worship is the one thing Satan has always wanted (), and he will receive it through “the beast.” The second “beast,” described in the last half of this chapter, will organize and promote the worship of Antichrist, making it the official religion of the world!
There will also be words (). Almost all dictators have risen to power by controlling people with their words. Some of us can recall when Adolf Hitler was rising to power, and know now how he mesmerized huge crowds with his speeches. Satan will make “the beast” a great orator, whose addresses will blaspheme God, His name, His tabernacle (heaven), and the saints in heaven. Since Satan will have recently been cast out of heaven, this blasphemy is to be expected.
Satan can do nothing without God’s permission (see Job 1–2; ), so “the beast’s” authority is delegated, not inherent. It will last for three-and-a-half years, the last half of the Tribulation.
In his night vision, Daniel saw “the beast” as the fourth and final empire (). There, as in John’s vision, is the same image of the ten horns with the added revelation that “the beast” must defeat three of the kings to gain control. Daniel also heard “the beast’s” blasphemous words ().
Finally, there will be war (). God will permit Antichrist to war against His people (“wear out the saints,” ) and even to defeat some of them. John prophesied that some of the saints will be captured and some will be martyred. But because of their faith, they will have patience, or endurance (see ; ), and will not deny the Lord in spite of persecution and death.
The world’s population will be divided: those who are saved, with their names in God’s book, will not submit to “the beast”; those who are lost—the earth-dwellers—will worship “the beast” and do his bidding. Note that applies this truth to “any man,” no matter in which age he may live. Certainly in John’s day, this was meaningful; for every Roman citizen had to acknowledge, “Caesar is Lord.” Likewise in every age of the church, true believers have had to take their stand for Christ, come what may.
Keep in mind that “the beast” is a counterfeit Christ. The world would not receive Christ, but it will receive Antichrist (). The world would not believe the truth, but they will believe the lie (). Jesus spoke (and still speaks) gracious words of salvation, and men turn a deaf ear; but they will listen to the blasphemous words of “the beast.” The world will not worship the Christ, but they will bow down to Antichrist.
In Revelation 17, we will learn that “the beast” rises to power by means of “the harlot,” a symbol of the apostate world church. This is not any one denomination or faith, but a world religious system that has rejected God’s Son and God’s truth. However, when “the beast” rises to universal power, he will no longer need “the harlot” and shall subsequently destroy her and establish his own satanic religion.
In ; ; and , the beast from the earth is called “the false prophet.” The dragon or Satan is the counterfeit Father (“I will be like the Most High”), “the beast” is the counterfeit Christ, and the false prophet is the counterfeit Holy Spirit. This completes the satanic trinity.
One of the ministries of the Holy Spirit is to glorify Christ and lead people to trust and worship Him (). The false prophet will point to Antichrist and his image and compel people to worship Satan through “the beast.”
The image of the horns () suggests that the false prophet has authority, but the absence of a crown indicates that his authority is not political. Our Lord warned that there would be false prophets (, ), and this one will be the greatest. He will have the “character” of a lamb but the voice of the dragon. What a deceiver he will be—and all the world will listen to him!
When our Lord ministered on earth, Jewish leaders often asked Him to perform some sign to prove that He was indeed their Messiah; and Jesus refused. But the false prophet will perform deceptive signs that will lead the world into devil-worship (see ). His greatest sign will be “the abomination of desolation” mentioned by Daniel (; ), Jesus (), and Paul ().
What is “the abomination of desolation”? It is the image of “the beast,” set up in the temple in Jerusalem. An idol is bad enough; but setting it up in the temple is the height of all blasphemy. Since Satan could not command worship in heaven, he will go to the next best place—the Jewish temple in the Holy City (see ).
The false prophet, energized by Satan, will perform his “lying wonders” and even duplicate some of the signs performed by the two witnesses (; see also ). Up to this time, the two witnesses have been ministering at the temple in Jerusalem, but “the beast” will slay them and take over the temple. When God raises the two witnesses from the dead and takes them to heaven, the false prophet will answer that challenge by giving life to the image of “the beast.” Not only will the image move, but it will speak!
Not content to control people through religious deceit, the false prophet will institute strong economic measures as well. Everybody (except believers; ) will receive a special mark in order to buy or sell; but the only way to get that mark is to submit to “the beast” and worship him. Surely this is a strong allusion to the Caesar worship in the Roman Empire, but this same policy has been used by political leaders throughout history.
This special mark is the name or number of “the beast”—the mystical 666. In the ancient world, the letters of the alphabet were used for numbers, both in Greek and Hebrew; and Bible students have been attempting for years to unravel the mystery of this name and number. If you work at it hard enough, almost any name will fit!
Since man was created on the sixth day, six is the number of man. Creation was made for man and likewise has the number six stamped on it: twenty-four hours to a day (×), twelve months to a year (×). Seven is the number of perfection and fullness, but six is the “human number,” just short of perfection.
Despite all man’s imaginative calculations, we must confess that no one knows the meaning of this number and name. No doubt believers on earth at that time will understand it clearly. The “satanic trinity” cannot claim the number seven; it must settle for 666.
This much is sure: in recent years, we have seen a worldwide increase in the use of numbers for identification. In the United States, a person’s Social Security number is indispensable. In fact, numbers are more important to computers than names! Perhaps this is an advance warning of what will happen on earth when “the beast” is in control.
We have reached the middle of the Tribulation in our study, but we are not yet ready for the return of the Lord. Before John revealed how the great drama will climax, he paused to overview great events to come; and that will be our next topic.
An antichristian system pervades our world, and true believers must not be a part of it (). We must shun false worship (), that we may be found faithful to the Lord in these last days! (2 Tim. 3)
Revelation 14–16
One of the themes that links Revelation 14–16 together is expressed by the word voice, which is used eleven times. In the events recorded, God speaks to His people or to the lost world, or His creatures speak out in praise of the Lord or in warning to the world. As the world moves into the last half of the Tribulation, heaven is not silent.
This special group of Jewish men was sealed by God before the seventh seal was opened (Rev. 7), and now they are seen on Mount Zion with the Lord Jesus Christ. Contrast this picture to the one described in Revelation 13: the followers of “the beast” whose mark is on their foreheads (). God always has His faithful people, no matter how wicked the world may become.
The 144,000 are standing with Christ on Mount Zion, but which Mount Zion: the heavenly one () or the earthly one? I personally believe that this is the heavenly Mount Zion, and that the scene anticipates Christ’s coronation and the establishment of His kingdom when He returns to earth (). Christ today is enthroned in the heavenly Zion (), and we are enthroned with Him (). The scene in Revelation 14 is the assurance to God’s people that He cares for His own and finally will take them to glory.
Not only are the 144,000 standing, but they are also singing (). Because of the special experiences they had during the Tribulation, they have a new song to sing that others cannot share (see ; ; ; ; ; ). They are accompanied by heavenly harps and other heavenly voices. It is encouraging to know that one day our sorrows will be transformed into songs!
John also pointed out their separation (). The 144,000 did not belong to the earth because they had been redeemed out of the earth. They were not earth-dwellers, but citizens of heaven. Believers today do not belong to this very special group but, like them, we have been redeemed and are not part of this world system (see ; ).
The phrase “defiled with women” does not imply that sex within marriage is evil, because it is not (). It merely indicates that these 144,000 Jewish men were unmarried. In the Bible, fornication and adultery are pictures of idolatry (; ). While most of the world bowed down to the image of “the beast,” the 144,000 were faithful to the true God. While others lied to get what they needed, the 144,000 were without guile and blemish.
The term firstfruits means “the very finest.” But it also carries the idea of an expected harvest. On the Feast of Firstfruits, the priest waved the sheaf before the Lord as a sign that the entire harvest belonged to Him (). The 144,000 may be the firstfruits of the harvest yet to come; they may be the nucleus of the coming kingdom. However, it would seem difficult for a heavenly company such as this to establish an earthly kingdom.
At least six different angels are involved in this scene, each with a particular message to proclaim.
“Judgment is come!” (vv. ) During the present age, the angels are not privileged to preach the Gospel. That responsibility has been given to God’s people. While the nations will fear “the beast” and give honor to him, this heavenly messenger will summon them to fear and honor God alone. It is a reminder that God is the Creator and He alone deserves worship. This is not the Gospel message as we know it (); rather, it is a return to the message of , what theologians call “natural theology.”
All creation bears witness to God’s existence as well as to His power and wisdom. Nonetheless, “the beast” will convince men that he is in charge of the world, and that their destinies are in his hands. The message of the angel calls men back to basics: God is Creator—worship and serve Him. The fear of the Lord, not the fear of “the beast,” is the source of wisdom ().
“Babylon is fallen!” (v. ) This proclamation anticipates the events of Revelation 18 (see also ). We will consider it in detail then. “Babylon” is God’s name for the world system of “the beast,” the entire economic and political organization by which he rules. “The harlot” (Rev. 17) is the religious system that “the beast” uses to help build his organization. When Antichrist establishes his own religion (), he will destroy the “harlot”; but it is God who will destroy Babylon.
“Escape God’s wrath!” (vv. ) The third message is directed especially to those who are deciding about following “the beast.” It is a warning that “the easy way” is really the hard way, that to “go along with the world” means to go away from God. The Greek text reads, “If any man continues to worship the beast,” suggesting that there is still opportunity for repentance and salvation.
“Drinking the cup” is sometimes used as an image of judgment (; ; note also ). God’s final judgments on mankind will be “vials of wrath” poured out from heaven (Rev. 16). God will not mix mercy with this judgment (; ), but will pour out His undiluted indignation on a rebellious world.
Images like “fire and brimstone” () and “smoke” () upset some people. They ask, “How can a God of love actually permit His creatures to suffer eternal torment?” But we must keep in mind that God’s love is a holy love, not one based on sentimentality, and therefore He must justly deal with sin. We may not like the word torment, but it is here just the same (; see also ; ; ).
We must also keep in mind that God has repeatedly warned sinners and given them opportunity to repent. The first angel in this series invited sinners to turn to God, and the second one warned that the whole “Babylonian” system would be destroyed. If people persist in their sins even after God sends judgments and warnings, then they have only themselves to blame.
John intended for his readers to see the contrast between and : no rest for the wicked, but eternal rest for the saints (see ). Better to reign with Christ forever than with Antichrist for a few short years! Better to endure persecution patiently now than to escape it and suffer throughout eternity!
“The harvest is ripe!” (vv. ) The Person pictured here on the white cloud is undoubtedly our Lord Jesus Christ (see ; ). We have had the image of the cup, and now we have the image of the harvest, both of the grain () and of the grape (). Again, this anticipates the final judgment of the world.
While winning lost souls to Christ is sometimes pictured as a harvest (), this image is also used of God’s judgment (, ; ). God permits the seeds of iniquity to grow until they are ripe, and then He judges ().
The grape harvest is often a picture of judgment (see , which anticipates the Day of the Lord). In actuality, Scripture portrays three different “vines.” Israel was God’s vine, planted in the land to bear fruit for God’s glory; but the nation failed God and had to be cut down (; ; see also ). Today, Christ is the Vine and believers are branches in Him (John 15). But the world system is also a vine, “the vine of the earth” in contrast to Christ, the heavenly Vine; and it is ripening for judgment. The wicked system—Babylon—that intoxicates people and controls them, will one day be cut down and destroyed in “the winepress of the wrath of God.”
Some see in this image an anticipation of the “battle of Armageddon,” when the armies of the world will gather against Jerusalem (; ). Certainly, John is using hyperbole when he describes a river of blood four feet deep and 200 miles long (see also ). Today, God is speaking to the world in grace, and men will not listen. One day hence, He must speak in wrath. The bitter cup will be drunk, the harvest of sin reaped, and the vine of the earth cut down and cast into the winepress.
At this point, John saw the seven angels holding the seven vials of God’s wrath, poised for action. The wicked world is about to “drink of the wine of the wrath of God” (); but before the angels pour out their judgments, there is an “interlude” of blessing. Before sending the “third woe” (), God once again reassures His faithful people.
John saw the believers from the Tribulation who had overcome “the beast” and his system. These are the people who “loved not their lives unto the death” (). Since they did not cooperate with the satanic system and receive the mark of “the beast,” they were unable to buy or sell (). They were totally dependent on the Lord for their daily bread. Some of them were put into prison and some were slain (); but all of them practiced faith and patience.
This entire scene is reminiscent of Israel following the Exodus. The nation had been delivered from Egypt by the blood of the lamb, and the Egyptian army had been destroyed at the Red Sea. In thankfulness to God, the Israelites stood by the sea and sang “the song of Moses.”
The Tribulation saints whom John saw and heard were standing by the “sea of glass” in heaven (), just as the Israelites stood by the Red Sea. They were singing “the song of Moses” and also “the song of the Lamb.” “The song of Moses” is recorded in Exodus 15, and its refrain is: “The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation” (). The 144,000 sang a song that nobody else could sing; but this is a song all saints can sing.
When Israel returned from Babylonian Captivity and reestablished their government and restored temple worship, they used this same refrain at the dedication services (Ps. 118; see especially v. ).
In the future, when God shall call His people back to their land, Isaiah prophesied that they will sing this song again (Isa. 11:15–12:6). “The song of Moses” is indeed an important song in the hymnal of the Jewish nation.
This scene would give great assurance and endurance to suffering saints in any age of the church. It is possible to be victorious over the world system! One does not have to yield to the “mark of the beast.” Through the blood of the Lamb, we have deliverance. Our Lord’s work on the cross is a “spiritual exodus” accomplished by His blood. (note , where the word “decease” is exodus in the Greek.)
In their song, the Tribulation saints praise God’s works as well as His ways. The earth-dwellers certainly would not praise God for His works, and they would never understand His ways. God’s works are great and marvelous, and His ways are just and true. There is no complaint here about the way God permitted these people to suffer! It would save us a great deal of sorrow if we would acknowledge God’s sovereignty in this same way today! “The Lord is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works” ().
The phrase “king of saints” can also be read “king of ages.” God is the eternal King, but He is also in charge of history. Nothing happens by accident. The singers seek to glorify God and honor Him, the very praise the first angel proclaimed in . Antecedents of this song may be found in ; ; ; ; ; and .
is another anticipation of the kingdom, foretelling the time when all nations shall worship the Lamb and obey Him. This verse also announces that God’s judgments are about to be manifested.
The Voice of Fulfillment (Rev. 15:5–16:21)
The “great voice” out of the temple commands the seven angels to pour out the contents of their vials (), after which he announces “It is done!” () The “mystery of God” is finished! () The martyrs in glory had asked, “How long?” () and now their cry would be answered.
The seven angels emerge from the heavenly temple (see ), because their work is holy as are the judgments they bring. The angels’ clothing reminds us of the priestly garments, for their service is a divine ministry. When the Old Testament tabernacle and temple were dedicated, these earthly buildings were filled with God’s glory (; ); but now the heavenly temple is filled with smoke (see ; ). This smoke likewise is evidence of God’s glory and power.
Each of the angels has a specific “target” for the contents of his vial. The earth-dwellers have already suffered from the seal and trumpet judgments, but this final series of judgments will climax God’s plan, leading to Babylon’s fall and Jesus Christ’s return to earth.
Grievous sores (v. ). This vial judgment reminds us of the sixth plague in Egypt (; note also , ). Only those who have submitted to “the beast” and who have rejected the warning of the first angel will experience this judgment ().
suggests that these sores do not disappear; for by the time of the fifth vial, people are still in pain from the first judgment. Yet their pain will not cause them to repent (see ). William R. Newell used to say, “If men are not won by grace, they will never be won.”
It is an awesome thought to consider almost the entire population of the world suffering from a painful malady that nothing can cure. Constant pain affects a person’s disposition so that he finds it difficult to get along with other people. Human relations during that period will certainly be at their worst.
Waters turned to blood (vv. ). The second and third vials parallel the first plague in Egypt (). The second vial will center on the sea, and the third will turn the inland waters (rivers and fountains) into blood. When the second trumpet judgment occurred, a third part of the sea became blood; but with this judgment, the entire system of seas and oceans will be polluted. The third trumpet made a third part of the inland waters bitter as wormwood; but the third vial will turn all of those bitter waters into blood.
Heaven gives justification for this terrible judgment: the earth-dwellers have shed the blood of God’s people, so it is only right that they should drink blood. In God’s government, the punishment fits the crime. Pharaoh tried to drown the Jewish boy babies, but it was his own army that eventually drowned in the Red Sea. Haman planned to hang Mordecai on the gallows and to exterminate the Jews; but he himself was hanged on the gallows, and his family was exterminated (; ). King Saul refused to obey God and slay the Amalekites, so he was slain by an Amalekite ().
Great heat from the sun (vv. ). All earthly life depends on the light of the sun. In previous judgments, a part of the sun had been dimmed (), but now the heat of the sun is increased. Anyone who has been on the desert knows how merciless the sun’s heat can be. Remembering too that the water system is now useless, you can imagine how people will suffer from thirst. Alas, even this judgment will not bring men to their knees! (see )
Darkness (vv. ). This is not worldwide darkness; only “the beast,” his throne, and his kingdom are affected. This reminds us of the fifth trumpet () and the ninth plague (). Where is the throne of “the beast”? His image is in the temple in Jerusalem, so that may be the center of his operation. Or perhaps he is ruling from Rome, in cooperation with the apostate church headquartered there.
When God sent the ninth plague to Egypt, the entire land was dark, except for Goshen where the Israelites lived. The judgment of the fifth vial is just the opposite: there is light for the world, but darkness reigns at the headquarters of “the beast”! Certainly this will be a great blow to his “image” throughout the earth.
The Euphrates dried up (vv. ). This famous river was mentioned earlier in Revelation, when the sixth trumpet sounded () and the angels were loosed who were bound therein. At that time, an army of demonic horsemen was also released. Now, an army from the nations of the world gathers for the great battle at Armageddon. The drying up of the river will make it possible for the army of the “kings of the East” to come to Palestine and invade the Holy Land.
We often speak of “the battle of Armageddon,” but nowhere does the Bible use that phrase. On September 2, 1945, when General Douglas MacArthur supervised signing the peace treaty with Japan, he said: “We have had our last chance. If we will not devise something greater and more equitable [than war], Armageddon will be at our door.”
The name Armageddon comes from two Hebrew words, har Megiddo, the hill of Megiddo. The word Megiddo means “place of troops” or “place of slaughter.” It is also called the Plain of Esdraelon and the Valley of Jezreel. The area is about fourteen miles wide and twenty miles long, and forms what Napoleon called “the most natural battlefield of the whole earth.” Standing on Mount Carmel and overlooking that great plain, you can well understand why it would be used for gathering the armies of the nations.
It was on this plain that Barak defeated the armies of Canaan (). Gideon met the Midianites there (Judg. 7) and it was there that King Saul lost his life (1 Sam. 31). Titus and the Roman army used this natural corridor, as did the Crusaders in the Middle Ages. British General Allenby used it when he defeated the Turkish armies in 1917.
From a human viewpoint, it appears that the armies of the nations are gathering on their own; but John makes it clear that the military movement is according to God’s plan. The satanic trinity, through demonic powers, will influence the nations and cause the rulers to assemble their armies. They will even work miracles that will impress the rulers and cause them to cooperate. But all this will merely fulfill the will of God and accomplish His purposes (see ). The Gentile nations will look on Armageddon as a battle, but to God, it will be only a “supper” for the fowls of the air ().
Zechariah 12 and 14 describe this event from Israel’s point of view. Since “the beast” has set up his image in the temple at Jerusalem, and since many of the Jews will not bow down to him, it is natural that the Holy City should be the object of attack. However, not only the Jews are involved; for God has a purpose for the Gentile nations as well. parallels the Zechariah references, and makes clear that God will punish the Gentiles for the way they have treated the Jews (see also Isa. 24; ).
The outcome of the “battle” is recorded in Revelation 19: the Lord returns and defeats His enemies. Obviously, the assembling and marching armies create no problem for Almighty God. When the nations rage and defy Him, “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure” ().
“It is done!” (vv. ) The devil is “the prince of the power of the air,” so perhaps this seventh vial has a special effect on his dominion (). But the immediate result is a devastating earthquake that affects the cities of the nations. Satan’s entire system is now about to be judged by God: his religious system (the harlot, Rev. 17), his political and economic system (Babylon, Rev. 18), and his military system (the armies, Rev. 19).
The “great city” () is probably Jerusalem (see ). The Prophet Zechariah prophesied an earthquake that would change the topography of Jerusalem (). But the key idea here is that Babylon would fall (see Jer. 50–51). “The beast’s” great economic system, which subjugated the people of the world, would be completely destroyed by God.
Added to the earthquake will be a hailstorm with hailstones of tremendous weight. (A talent of silver weighs about 125 pounds!) This judgment is reminiscent of the seventh plague in Egypt (). Just as Pharaoh and the Egyptian leaders did not repent, so the earth-dwellers will not repent; in fact, they will blaspheme God! No wonder the hail comes, for blasphemers are supposed to be stoned to death ().
Reviewing these three chapters, we see the encouragement they give to suffering Christians. The sealed 144,000 will arrive on Mount Zion and praise God (). The martyrs will also be in glory, praising God (). John’s message is clear: it is possible to be victorious over “the beast” and be an overcomer!
Movements of armies, confederations of nations, and worldwide opposition to God cannot hinder the Lord from fulfilling His Word and achieving His purposes. Men think they are free to do as they please, but in reality, they are accomplishing the plans and purposes of God!
Every generation of Christians has been able to identify with the events in Revelation 14–16. There has always been a “beast” to oppress God’s people and a false prophet to try to lead them astray. We have always been on the verge of an “Armageddon” as the nations wage war.
But in the last days, these events will accelerate and the Bible’s prophecies will be ultimately fulfilled. I believe the church will not be on the scene at that time, but both Jewish and Gentile believers will be living who will have to endure Antichrist’s rule.
The admonition in applies to us all: “Behold, I [Jesus] come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Jesus Christ may return at any time, and it behooves us to keep our lives clean, to watch, and to be faithful.
Revelation 17–18
Beginning in Revelation 17, John describes the Lamb’s step-by-step victory over “the beast” and his kingdom. In Revelation 17, the religious system is judged; in Revelation 18, the political and economic system fall victim. Finally, the Lord Himself returns to earth; judges Satan, “the beast,” and the false prophet (); and then establishes His kingdom.
One reason John used symbolism was so that his message would encourage believers in any period of church history. The true church is a pure virgin (; see also ), but the false religious system is a “harlot” who has abandoned the truth and prostituted herself for personal gain. In every age, there has been a “harlot” who has persecuted God’s people; and this will culminate in the last days in a worldwide apostate religious system.
Likewise, every age has featured a “Babylon,” a political and economic system that has sought to control people’s minds and destinies. Just as the contrast to the “harlot” is the pure bride, so the contrast to “Babylon” is the City of God, the New Jerusalem, the eternal home prepared for the Lamb’s wife (). Each generation of believers must keep itself pure from the pollution of both the “harlot” and “Babylon.”
In these two chapters, John prophesies two divine judgments.
The Desolation of the Harlot (Rev. 17)
The scene begins with an invitation (). One of the angels asks John to come and see what God will do with “the beast’s” worldwide religious system. Four times in this chapter, the woman is called a “harlot” (, , ); and her sin is called “fornication” (, ). Her evil influence has extended to the whole world, reaching even into high places (“the kings of the earth”).
Following the invitation, John was carried away “in the Spirit” into the wilderness. There he saw “the harlot” and wrote down the description of what he saw (). Genesis 2 speaks of a pure bride in a lovely Garden; but by the Bible’s end, civilization has degenerated to an impure harlot in a wilderness! That is what sin does to the world.
The description is very full. The woman is dressed in expensive garments, decorated with gold and precious stones. She is holding a golden cup in her hand and is drunk with the blood of the saints. On her forehead (see ; ) she wears a special name.
Her posture is important. She is seated upon “many waters” (), and upon a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. No wonder John was “greatly astonished” (NIV) when he beheld the woman and “the beast.”
But what did it all mean? Thankfully, the angel gave John (and all believers) the explanation of these symbols ().
Let’s begin with the woman. makes clear that she is identified with a city that existed in John’s day (“reigns” is present tense). This city is prosperous and powerful, but also idolatrous (“blasphemy”) and dangerous. For one thing, it pollutes the nations with its filth and abomination (pictured by the golden wine cup); for another, it persecutes those who belong to the Lord (). Power, wealth, pollution, persecution: these words summarize the “great harlot’s” involvement on a worldwide scale.
The woman’s name also involves “mystery” (). In the New Testament, a “mystery” is a hidden truth that only the spiritually initiated can understand. To grasp one of God’s mysteries requires spiritual intelligence and discernment. In this case, the mystery has to do with Babylon.
The city of Babylon was founded by Nimrod (). The name Bab-el means “the gate of God.” Ironically, the famous tower of Babel () was an idolatrous attempt by man to defy God. When the Lord sent judgment on the builders by making mankind’s one language into many, the word bab-el came to mean “confusion.” Later in history, Babylon became a great empire before finally falling to Media-Persia. But from the beginning of Nimrod’s city in Genesis 10, an insidious anti-God “Babylonian influence” has been felt throughout history.
The woman is “the great harlot,” but she is also “the mother of harlots.” The Babylonian system has, in one way or another, given birth to all false religions. She has also seduced men into opposing God and persecuting His servants.
The seven mountains () probably symbolize the city of Rome, built on seven hills. Certainly in John’s day, the Roman Empire was living in luxury, spreading false religion, polluting the nations with its idolatry and sin, and persecuting the church.
John’s readers would not be surprised when he used an evil harlot to symbolize a wicked city or political system. God even called Jerusalem a harlot (). Isaiah said that Tyre was a harlot (), and Nahum used this same designation for Nineveh (). (Read Jer. 50–51 for further historical parallels to John’s prophetic message.)
As noted earlier, scarlet is the color of Satan () and of sin (). Scarlet was a popular color in Rome, and both scarlet and purple were associated with rank and riches.
But the woman must not be separated from “the beast” that carries her. “The beast” has seven heads and ten horns. The seven heads symbolize seven mountains () and also seven kings or kingdoms (), in keeping with Old Testament imagery (; ). I have already suggested that the seven mountains can be interpreted geographically as the seven hills of Rome, but they may also be interpreted historically as seven kingdoms.
According to , five of these kings (or kingdoms) had passed off the scene, one was present in John’s day, and one was yet to come. If so, then the five past kingdoms would be Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, and Greece. The present kingdom would be Rome, and the future kingdom would be that of “the beast.” In order to understand , we must consider .
“The beast” not only has seven heads, but also ten horns, which represent ten kings. But these are very special kings: they enable “the beast” to rise to power and are even willing to yield their authority to him. Recall that at the opening of the first seal (), Antichrist began his “peaceful” conquest of the nations. He organized a “United States of Europe,” brought peace to the Middle East, and appeared to be the great leader the troubled world was seeking.
But in the midst of the seven-year period, this ruler broke his covenant with Israel () and began to persecute the people of God as well as the nation Israel. Energized by Satan and assisted by the false prophet, “the beast” became the world’s dictator and its god. In this way, “the beast” was both “one of the seven [kings, kingdoms]” but also “the eighth.” His kingdom was nothing but revival of the Roman Empire (“one of the seven”), but it was a new kingdom (“the eighth”).
But how does all this relate to Babylon? The “Babylonian system” of false religion has been a part of history since Nimrod founded his empire. Scholars have discovered it is amazingly like the true Christian faith! Alas, it is Satan’s counterfeit of God’s truth. Babylonians practiced the worship of mother and child, and even believed in the death and resurrection of the son.
Readers in John’s day would identify “the harlot” with the Roman Empire. Readers in the Middle Ages might identify it as the Roman ecclesiastical system. Today, some believers see “the harlot” and the Babylonian system in an apostate “world church” that minimizes doctrinal truth, rejects the authority of the Word, and tries to unite professed believers on some other basis than faith in Jesus Christ.
However, in the days when John’s prophecy will be fulfilled, an amazing thing will happen: “the harlot” will be made desolate by the very system that carried her! It is important to note that “the beast” carries “the harlot.” Satan (and Antichrist) will use the apostate religious system to accomplish his own ends (i.e., attain world power); but then he will do away with “the harlot” and establish his own religious system. And all of this will be the fulfillment of God’s Word ().
Since “the beast” sets up his image in the temple about the middle of the Tribulation, we can assume that “the harlot” and “the beast” work together during those first three-and-a-half years. This is corroborated by the fact that the ten kings assist him in desolating “the harlot” (). These are the same ten kings associated with “the beast” when he sets up the “United States of Europe” during the first half of the Tribulation.
Throughout history, political systems have “used” religious bodies to further their political causes. At the same time, church history reveals that religious groups have used politics to achieve their purposes. The marriage of church and state is not a happy one, and has often spawned children that have created serious problems. When dictators are friendly with religion, it is usually a sign that they want to make use of religion’s influence and then destroy it. The church of Jesus Christ has been most influential in the world when it has maintained a separated position.
Compare the description of “the harlot’s” desolation with that of the death of Jezebel ().
Finally, note that those who trust the Lord are not influenced by “the harlot” or defeated by the kings (). Once again, John points out that the true believers are the “overcomers.”
Satan’s counterfeit religion is subtle, requiring spiritual discernment to recognize. It was Paul’s great concern that the local churches he founded not be seduced away from their sincere devotion to Christ (). In every age, there is the tremendous pressure to conform to “popular religion” and to abandon the fundamentals of the faith. In these last days, we all need to heed the admonitions in 1 Timothy 4 and 2 Timothy 3 and remain true to our Lord.
The Destruction of Babylon (Rev. 18)
Babylon was not only an ancient city and a powerful empire, but also the symbol of mankind’s rebellion against God. In Revelation 18, Babylon represents the world system of “the beast,” particularly in its economic and political aspects. At the same time, John calls Babylon a “city” at least eight times (; ; , , ). Old Testament prophecy seems to make clear that the city itself will not be rebuilt (; , ). Some equate Babylon with Rome, particularly since “the harlot” and “the beast” cooperate during the first half of the Tribulation. Perhaps Peter was using Babylon as a “code name” for Rome when he wrote his first letter (). Certainly, John’s readers would think of the Roman Empire as they read these words about Babylon.
John heard four voices give four important announcements.
The voice of condemnation (vv. ). This announcement was anticipated in (some commentators would also include , but I have interpreted the “great city” in that context as Jerusalem). There is a definite reference here to Jeremiah 51–52, where the prophet saw the fall of historical Babylon. But here John saw the destruction of spiritual Babylon, the world system organized by “the beast.” It was no ordinary angel that made this announcement, for he had great power and a glory that radiated throughout the whole earth. Despite Satan’s devices and the opposition of evil men, “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord” ().
The phrase “is fallen, is fallen” not only adds dramatic effect to the announcement, but suggests a dual judgment: ecclesiastical Babylon, “the harlot,” in Revelation 17, and political Babylon here in Revelation 18. This thought is amplified in when God announces that Babylon will receive “double” for her many sins.
The church, the bride of the Lamb, is the habitation of God (); Babylon, on the other hand, is the habitation of Satan (). This parallels the judgment on ancient Babylon (; ). Furthermore, John called the city “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (). In Christ’s Parable of the Sower, He also used the birds as a picture of Satan ().
This judgment has come because the Babylonian “system” has polluted the whole world. As in the judgment of “the harlot,” the sin is that of “fornication” or idolatry. The system intoxicated the people of the world with all the riches and pleasures it had to offer. It catered to those who were “lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” ().
Christians in every age have had to heed the warning of . How easy it is to become fascinated by the things the world has to offer. Like a person taking a sip of wine, we can soon find ourselves drinking deeply and then wanting more. The world system that opposes Christ has always been with us, and we must beware of its subtle influence.
The world system satisfies the desires of the earth-dwellers who follow “the beast” and reject the Lamb. But worldly things never permanently satisfy or last. The love of pleasures and possessions is but an insidious form of idolatry, demonic in its origin and destructive in its outcome.
The voice of separation (vv. ). This admonition parallels and , . In all ages, God’s true people have had to separate themselves from that which is worldly and anti-God. When God called Abraham, He ordered him to get out of his country (). God separated the Jewish nation from Egypt and warned the Israelites not to go back. The church today is commanded to separate itself from that which is ungodly (; 2 Cor. 6:14–7:1).
John offered two reasons for God’s people separating themselves from the diabolical system. The first is that they might avoid pollution, becoming “partakers of her sins” (). “Neither be partaker of other men’s sins” (). The word means “joint fellowship or partnership.” There is a good partnership in the Lord (), but there is also an evil partnership that we must avoid (). True unity of the Spirit exists among believers, but we must not compromise by joining forces with that which is opposed to Christ.
The second reason is that God’s people might be spared the terrible plagues He will send on Babylon. God had patiently endured the growing sins of the evil system, but now the time had come for His wrath to be poured out. He would treat Babylon just as she treated His people.
What specific sins would God judge? We have already noted Babylon’s evil influence on the nations of the world, seducing them with idolatry. Another sin that will be judged is pride: “She hath glorified herself!” () She saw herself as a queen who could never be dethroned, and this false confidence and pride could never be accepted by the Lord (see Isa. 47 for the parallel, especially vv. ).
A third sin is Babylon’s worship of pleasures and luxury. To “live deliciously” () is to live proudly in luxury while others go without. It means to make possessions and pleasures the most important things in life, and to ignore the needs of others. John summarized this attitude as “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” ().
God’s people must not delay in separating themselves from this evil system, because God’s judgment will come suddenly and Babylon will be destroyed in a single day. Sometimes God’s judgments work silently “as a moth” (), but at other times they are “as a lion” () and spring suddenly, and there is no escape. In one day, the entire economic empire will collapse! But those who have their citizenship in heaven will rejoice at the judgment of God.
The voice of lamentation (vv. ). This long paragraph describes the mourning of the merchants as they see Babylon go up in smoke and all their wealth destroyed. The image here is that of a prosperous ancient city that is visited by many ships. The wealth of the city provides for many nations and employs many people. It is worth noting that not only do the merchants lament the fall of Babylon (), but also the kings of the earth (). Business and government are so intertwined that what affects one affects the other.
Certainly, the city of Rome was the center for world trade and government in John’s day, and it was known for its extravagance and luxury. Politically and economically, the people in the Empire were dependent on Rome. Today, with the complex connections that exist between governments and businesses, and with the interrelated computer systems, it would not take long for “Babylon” to collapse and the world’s economic system to be destroyed.
The word translated “wail” () means “a loud lamentation” as opposed to silent weeping. In fact, the same word is translated “weep” in . Note that the merchants are not feeling sorry for the city, but for themselves: they have lost valuable customers! God had brought an end to their life of luxury and wealth. Even their employees weep ().
John gave an inventory of some of the commodities that brought wealth to these kings, merchants, and shipmasters. Gold, silver, and precious stones led the list. Then he described costly garments (see also ) and items made of different materials. “Thyine wood” () was valued highly by the Romans who used it for decorative cabinets and other luxury furnishings.
Imported spices were greatly sought in that day, both for foods and for personal use as perfumes. The city of Rome had to depend on imported foods, just as many nations do today. In fact, our great cities would starve were it not for trucks and trains that daily bring in fresh produce and meats.
Last on the list, and most disturbing, is “slaves and the souls of men” (). It has been estimated that one third of Rome’s population was enslaved; and it was not unusual for 10,000 human beings to be auctioned off in one day in the great slave markets of the Empire. There were probably over 60 million slaves throughout the Empire, people who were treated like pieces of furniture, bought and sold, used and abused.
Is John suggesting that there will, in the end times, be a return to slavery? Perhaps not in the ancient sense, but certainly we can see an increasing loss of freedom in our world today. Persons are “bought and sold” (and even traded!) by athletic teams; and our great corporations more and more seek to control the lives of their officers and workers. As people become more enslaved to luxury, with more bills to pay, they find themselves unable to break loose from the “system.”
It would take little imagination to conceive of a universal enslavement under the rule of “the beast.” We have already seen that he required his mark on everyone who would buy or sell (), and he also demanded that all people worship his image. He will promise “freedom,” but put men and women in bondage (). He will take advantage of the people’s appetites () and use their appetites to enslave them.
John may also have had in mind Ezekiel 27, the lament over the fall of Tyre. As you read that chapter, you will find a number of parallels.
The voice of celebration (vv. ). In contrast to the lament of the kings and merchants is the rejoicing of heaven’s inhabitants that Babylon has fallen. How important it is that God’s people look at events from God’s point of view. In fact, we are commanded to rejoice at the overthrow of Babylon, because in this judgment God will vindicate His servants who were martyred (see ).
Note the repeated refrain, “No more!” Jeremiah used a similar approach when he warned Judah of the nation’s coming judgment at the hands of the Babylonians (). Now that same judgment comes to Babylon herself! This description of Babylon’s losses indicates to us that both the luxuries and the necessities will be removed. Both music and manufacturing, work and weddings, will come to a violent end.
should be compared with and . Satan has used religion and business to persecute and slay the people of God. During the first half of the Tribulation, as “the beast” rises to power, ecclesiastical and political-economic Babylon will work together in opposing the Lord and His people. It will seem that God does not care; but at the right time, the Lord will vindicate His people and destroy both “the harlot” and the great city. God is patient with His enemies; but when He does begin to work, He acts suddenly and thoroughly.
We must not think that this voice of celebration calls us to be glad because sinners are judged. The fact of divine judgment ought always to break our hearts, knowing that lost sinners are condemned to eternal punishment. The joy in this section centers on God’s righteous judgment, the fact that justice has been done. It is easy for comfortable Bible students to discuss these things in their homes. If you and I were with John on Patmos, or with the suffering saints to whom he wrote, we might have a different perspective. We must never cultivate personal revenge (), but we must rejoice at the righteous judgments of God.
At this point in our study, the political and economic system of “the beast” has at last been destroyed. All that remains is for Jesus Christ to come from heaven and personally meet and defeat “the beast” and his armies. This He will do, and then establish His righteous kingdom on earth.
But the important question is: “Are we citizens of ‘Babylon’ or citizens of heaven?”
Can you rejoice because your name is written in heaven? If not, then the time has come for you to trust Jesus Christ and “get out of Babylon” and into the family of God.
Revelation 19–20
How will it all end?” has been mankind’s major question for centuries. Historians have studied the past, hoping to find a clue to understanding the future. Philosophers have tried to penetrate the meaning of things, but they have yet to find the key. No wonder perplexed people have turned in desperation to astrology and spiritism!
The prophetic Word of God shines like a “light … in a dark place” (), and on that we can depend. Here in Revelation 19–20, John has recorded five key events that will take place before God “wraps up” human history and ushers in His new heavens and earth.
When Babylon fell on the earth, the command was given in heaven, “Rejoice over her!” () and what we read in this section is heaven’s response to that command. The word alleluia is the Greek form of the Hebrew word hallelujah, which means “praise the Lord.” This is heaven’s “Hallelujah Chorus” and it will be sung for three reasons.
God has judged His enemies (vv. ). Since the “great whore [harlot]” of Revelation 17 was destroyed by “the beast” and his fellow rulers () in the middle of the Tribulation, the “great whore” referred to here must be Babylon the Great. Comparing with and , the connection is obvious. Both the apostate religious system and the satanic economic-political system led the world astray and polluted mankind. Both were guilty of persecuting God’s people and martyring many of them.
The song emphasizes God’s attributes, which is the proper way to honor Him. We do not rejoice at the sinfulness of Babylon, or even the greatness of Babylon’s fall. We rejoice that God is “true and righteous” (; ; ) and that He is glorified by His holy judgments. As we discovered in , God’s throne and altar are related to His judgments. should be compared with , and with .
God is reigning (vv. ). The literal translation is, “The Lord God omnipotent has begun to reign.” This does not suggest that heaven’s throne has been empty or inactive, because that is not the case. The Book of Revelation is the “book of the throne,” and the omnipotent God has indeed been accomplishing His purposes on earth. This burst of praise is an echo of —“The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice!”
God has been reigning on the throne of heaven, but He is now about to conquer the thrones of earth as well as the kingdom of Satan and “the beast.” In His sovereignty, He has permitted evil men and evil angels to do their worst; but now the time has come for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. Domitian was emperor of Rome when John was on Patmos, and one of his assumed titles was “Lord and God.” How significant it must have been, then, to John’s readers that he used the word alleluia four times in the first six verses of this chapter—truly, only Jehovah is worthy of worship and praise.
The bride is ready (vv. ). The bride, of course, is the church (; ); and Jesus Christ, the Lamb, is the Bridegroom (). At a wedding, it is customary to focus attention on the bride; but in this case, it is the Bridegroom who receives the honor! “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him.”
“What did the bride wear?” is the usual question asked after a wedding. The Lamb’s bride is dressed “in the righteous acts of the saints” (literal translation). When the bride arrived in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ, she was not at all beautiful (in fact, she was covered with spots, wrinkles, and blemishes according to Paul in ); but now she is radiant in her glory. She has “made herself ready” for the public ceremony.
Jewish weddings in that day were quite unlike weddings in the Western world. First, there was an engagement, usually made by the parents when the prospective bride and groom were quite young. This engagement was binding and could be broken only by a form of divorce. Any unfaithfulness during the engagement was considered adultery.
When the public ceremony was to be enacted, the groom would go to the bride’s house and claim her for himself. He would take her to his home for the wedding supper, and all the guests would join the happy couple. This feast could last as long as a week.
Today, the church is “engaged” to Jesus Christ; and we love Him even though we have not seen Him (). One day, He will return and take His bride to heaven (; ). At the Judgment Seat of Christ, her works will be judged and all her spots and blemishes removed. This being completed, the church will be ready to return to earth with her Bridegroom at the close of the Tribulation to reign with Him in glory (see ; ). Some students believe that the entire Kingdom Age will be the “marriage supper.”
contains the fourth of the seven “beatitudes” found in the book (see ). Certainly the bride is not invited to her own wedding! This invitation goes out to the guests, believers from the Old Testament era and the Tribulation. During the eternal state, no distinctions will be made among the people of God; but in the Kingdom Age, differences will still exist as the church reigns with Christ and as Israel enjoys the promised messianic blessings.
John was so overwhelmed by all of this that he fell down to worship the angel who was guiding him, an act that he later repeats! () Of course, worshiping angels is wrong () and John knew this. We must take into account the tremendous emotional content of John’s experience. Like John himself, this angel was only a servant of God (); and we do not worship servants (see ).
Christ Will Return (Rev. 19:11–20:3)
First, John described the Conqueror () and then His conquests (Rev. 19:17–20:3). The rider on the white horse () is the false Christ, but this Rider is the true Christ. He is not coming in the air to take His people home (), but to the earth with His people, to conquer His enemies and establish His kingdom.
Note the emphasis on Jesus’ names (, ). He is “Faithful and True” (see ), in contrast to “the beast” who was unfaithful (he broke the covenant with Israel) and false (he ruled by means of deception and idolatry). Suffering saints need to be reminded that God is faithful and will not desert them, because His promises are true.
Perhaps the “secret name” (see ) is the same as the “new name” (). Not knowing what this name is, we cannot comment on it; but it is exciting to know that, even in heaven, we shall learn new things about our Lord Jesus!
“The Word of God” is one of the familiar names of our Lord in Scripture (). Just as we reveal our minds and hearts to others by our words, so the Father reveals Himself to us through His Son, the incarnate Word (). A word is made up of letters, and Jesus Christ is “Alpha and Omega” (; ). He is the “divine alphabet” of God’s revelation to us.
The Word of God is “living and powerful” (); what’s more, it fulfills His purposes on earth (; note also ; ; ). Jehovah Himself says, “I am watching to see that My Word is fulfilled” (, NIV). Just as the Word was the Father’s Agent in Creation (), so the Word is His Agent for judgment and consummation.
Christ’s most important name is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (). This is His victorious name (), and it brings to mind references such as and . Paul used this same title for our Lord Jesus Christ in . The title speaks of Christ’s sovereignty, for all kings and lords must submit to Him. No matter who was on the throne of the Roman Empire, Jesus Christ was his King and Lord!
The greatness of Christ is seen not only in His names, but also in John’s description of the conquering King (). The eyes “as a flame of fire” symbolize His searching judgment that sees all (). The many crowns (diadems) indicate His magnificent rule and sovereignty. The vesture dipped in blood speaks of judgment and probably relates to and , the conquest of His enemies. It is not our Lord’s blood that marks His vesture, but that of His foes.
The sharp sword is a symbol of God’s Word (; see also ; ; ). This is in keeping with the fact that Christ will consume the enemy “with the spirit of His mouth” (; note also ). We have met with the “rod of iron” before (; ), a symbol of His justice as He rules over the earth. The image of the winepress must be associated with the judgment at Armageddon (; see also ).
Jesus is not alone in His conquest, for the armies of heaven ride with Him. Who are they? Certainly the angels are a part of this army (; ); but so are the saints (; ). Jude describes the same scene (). The word saints means “holy ones” and could refer to believers or angels.
It will be unnecessary for the army to fight, for Christ Himself will defeat the enemy through three great victories.
He will defeat the armies of the kings of the earth (vv. , ). These warriors have assembled to fight “against the Lord and against His anointed” (), but their weapons prove futile. The battle turns out to be a slaughter—a “supper” for the scavenger birds! The first half of Revelation 19 describes the marriage supper of the Lamb; the last half describes the “supper of the great God” (see ; ).
The word flesh occurs six times in this paragraph. While John’s immediate reference is to the human body, eaten by the vultures, there is certainly a deeper meaning here: man fails because he is flesh and relies on flesh. The Bible has nothing good to say about fallen human nature. Recall the Lord’s words before the Flood: “My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh” (). (See also ; ; ; .) “All flesh is as grass” () and must be judged.
This is the account of the well-known “battle of Armageddon,” which was anticipated earlier (; ). All that our Lord has to do is speak the Word, and “the sword of His mouth” will devour His enemies.
He will defeat “the beast” and false prophet (v. ). Since Satan’s “henchmen” are the leaders of the revolt, it is only right that they be captured and confined. They are cast into the lake of fire (see , ), the final and permanent place of punishment for all who refuse to submit to Jesus Christ. “The beast” and false prophet are the first persons to be cast into hell. Satan will follow 1,000 years later (), to be joined by those whose names are not recorded in the Book of Life ().
Today, when an unbeliever dies, his spirit goes to a place called hades, which means “the unseen world”—that is, the realm of the dead. When believers die, they go immediately into the presence of the Lord (; ). Hades will one day be emptied of its dead (), who will then be cast into hell to join Satan, the beast, and the false prophet.
Satan will be defeated (vv. ). The “bottomless pit” spoken of in is not the same as hell; it is the “abyss” that we have met before in our studies (, ; ; ). Satan is not cast into hell immediately, because God still has one more task for him to perform. Rather, Satan is confined in the bottomless pit for 1,000 years. First, Satan was cast out of heaven (), and now he is cast out of earth!
Some Bible students feel that the “chaining” of Satan took place when Jesus died on the cross and arose from the dead to ascend to heaven. While it is true that Jesus won His decisive victory over Satan at the cross, the sentence against the devil has not yet been effected. He is a defeated foe, but he is still free to attack God’s people and oppose God’s work (). I think it was Dr. James M. Gray who suggested that, if Satan is bound today, it must be with a terribly long chain! Paul was sure that Satan was loose (), and John agreed with him (; ).
Having taken care of His enemies, the Lord is now free to establish His righteous kingdom on the earth.
The phrase “thousand years” occurs six times in . This period in history is known as “the Millennium,” from two Latin words, mille (“thousand”) and annum (“year”)—the 1,000-year kingdom of Christ on earth. At last, Christ and His church will reign over the nations of the earth, and Israel will enjoy the blessings promised by the prophets (see ; ; ; ; ; ).
Is this a literal kingdom on earth, or should these verses be “spiritualized” and applied to the church today? Some interpreters say that the term “a thousand years” is simply a number meaning “ultimate perfection” (10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000). They assert that it is a symbol of Christ’s victory and the church’s wonderful blessings now that Satan has been defeated and bound. This view is known as amillennialism, which means “no millennium”—that is, no literal kingdom.
The problem with this view is that it does not explain why John introduced the period with a resurrection of the dead. He was certainly not writing about a “spiritual” resurrection, because he even told how these people died! And in , John wrote of another literal resurrection. If we are now in the 1,000-year kingdom of victory, when did this resurrection take place? It seems reasonable to assume that John wrote about a literal physical resurrection of the dead, and a literal kingdom on earth.
What is the purpose of the millennial kingdom? For one thing, it will be the fulfillment of God’s promises to Israel and to Christ (Ps. 2; ). Our Lord reaffirmed them to His own Apostles (). This kingdom will be a worldwide display of Christ’s glory, when all nature will be set free from the bondage of sin (). It will be the answer to the prayers of the saints, “Thy kingdom come!” It will also be God’s final demonstration of the sinfulness of sin and the wickedness of the human heart apart from God’s grace, but more on this later.
The Tribulation martyrs will be raised from the dead and given glorious thrones and rewards. The church will share in this reign, as symbolized by the twenty-four elders (; see also ; , ; ; ). Some Bible students believe that the Old Testament saints will also be a part of this “first resurrection” ().
The phrase “general resurrection” is not found in the Bible. On the contrary, the Bible teaches two resurrections: the first is of the saved and leads to blessing; the second is of all the lost and leads to judgment (note especially ; ). These two resurrections will be separated by 1,000 years.
describes the special blessings of those who share in the first resurrection. They did not earn these blessings; they are part of the believer’s inheritance in Jesus Christ. This is the sixth of the seven “beatitudes” in Revelation; the final one is in . These resurrected believers will share Christ’s glorious life, reigning as kings and priests with Him, and never experience the “second death,” the lake of fire (hell, ).
During the Millennium, the inhabitants of the earth will include not only glorified saints, but also citizens of the nations who bow in submission to Jesus Christ (see ; also ). Because of the earth’s perfect conditions, people will live long lives (, especially v. ). They will marry and have children who will outwardly conform to our Lord’s righteous rule. But not all of them will be truly born again as the Millennium progresses; and this explains why Satan will be able to gather a great army of rebels at the close of the Kingdom Age ().
For many centuries, man has dreamed of a “golden age,” a “utopia” in which the human race will be free from war, sickness, and even death. Men have tried to achieve this goal on their own and have failed. It is only when Jesus Christ reigns on David’s throne that the kingdom will come and the earth be delivered from the oppression of Satan and sin.
At the close of the Millennium, Satan will be released from the pit and permitted to lead one last revolt against the Lord. Why? As final proof that the heart of man is desperately wicked and can be changed only by God’s grace. Imagine the tragedy of this revolt: people who have been living in a perfect environment, under the perfect government of God’s Son, will finally admit the truth and rebel against the King! Their obedience will be seen as mere feigned submission, and not true faith in Christ at all.
The naming of “Gog and Magog” () does not equate this battle with the one described in Ezekiel 38–39; for that army invades from the north, while this one comes from the four corners of the earth. These two events are related, however, inasmuch as in both battles, Israel is the focal point. In this case, Jerusalem will be the target (“beloved city,” ; ). God will deal with this revolt very quickly and efficiently, and Satan will be cast into hell. Note that “the beast” and false prophet will still be suffering in the lake of fire after 1,000 years! (see )
In one sense, the millennial kingdom will “sum up” all that God has said about the heart of man during the various periods of history. It will be a reign of law, and yet law will not change man’s sinful heart. Man will still revolt against God. The Millennium will be a period of peace and perfect environment, a time when disobedience will be judged swiftly and with justice; and yet in the end the subjects of the King will follow Satan and rebel against the Lord. A perfect environment cannot produce a perfect heart.
God is now about to “wrap up” human history. One great event remains.
There shall be a second resurrection, and the unsaved will be raised and will stand before God’s judgment. Do not confuse this judgment at the White Throne with the Judgment Seat of Christ, where believers will have their works judged and rewarded. At this judgment, there will be only unbelievers; and there will be no rewards. John described here an awesome scene. Heaven and earth will flee away and no place will be left for sinners to hide! All must face the Judge!
The Judge is Jesus Christ, for the Father has committed all judgment to Him (; ; ). These lost sinners rejected Christ in life; now they must be judged by Him and face eternal death.
From where do these “dead” come? Death will give up the bodies, and hades (the realm of the spirits of the dead) will give up the spirits. There will even be a resurrection of bodies from the sea. No sinner will escape.
Jesus Christ will judge these unsaved people on the basis of what is written “in the books.” What books? For one thing, God’s Word will be there. “The Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (). Every sinner will be held accountable for the truth he or she has heard in this life.
There will also be a book containing the works of the sinners being judged, though this does not suggest that a person can do good works sufficient to enter heaven (; ). Why, then, will Jesus Christ consider the works, good and bad, of the people before the White Throne? To determine the degree of punishment they will endure in hell. All of these people will be cast into hell. Their personal rejection of Jesus Christ has already determined their destiny. But Jesus Christ is a righteous Judge, and He will assign each sinner the place that he deserves.
There are degrees of punishment in hell (). Each lost sinner will receive just what is due him, and none will be able to argue with the Lord or question His decision. God knows what sinners are doing, and His books will reveal the truth.
“The Book of Life” will be there, containing the names of God’s redeemed people (; ; note also ; ). No unsaved person will have his or her name in the Lamb’s Book of Life; only true believers are recorded there ().
When the judgment is finished, all of the lost will be cast into hell, the lake of fire, the second death. Many people reject the biblical doctrine of hell as being “unchristian,” and yet Jesus clearly taught its reality (; , ; ; Mark 9:46). A sentimental kind of humanistic religion will not face the reality of judgment, but teaches a God who loves everyone into heaven and sends no one to hell.
Hell is a witness to the righteous character of God. He must judge sin. Hell is also a witness to man’s responsibility, the fact that he is not a robot or a helpless victim, but a creature able to make choices. God does not “send people to hell”; they send themselves by rejecting the Saviour (; ). Hell is also a witness to the awfulness of sin. If we once saw sin as God sees it, we would understand why a place such as hell exists.
In light of Calvary, no lost sinner can condemn God for casting him into hell. God has provided a way of escape, patiently waiting for sinners to repent. He will not lower His standards or alter His requirements. He has ordained that faith in His Son is the only way of salvation.
The White Throne Judgment will be nothing like our modern court cases. At the White Throne, there will be a Judge but no jury, a prosecution but no defense, a sentence but no appeal. No one will be able to defend himself or accuse God of unrighteousness. What an awesome scene it will be!
Before God can usher in His new heavens and earth, He must finally deal with sin; and this He will do at the Great White Throne.
You can escape this terrible judgment by trusting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. By so doing, you never will be a part of the second resurrection or experience the terrors of the second death, the lake of fire.
“He that heareth My Word,” said Jesus, “and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment], but is passed from death unto life” ().
Have you trusted Him and passed from death unto life?
Revelation 21–22
Human history begins in a Garden and ends in a City that is like a garden paradise. In the Apostle John’s day, Rome was the admired city; yet God compared it to a harlot. “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God” (). The eternal city of God is compared to a beautiful bride (), because it is the eternal home for God’s beloved people.
God’s statements recorded in aptly summarize these final two chapters: “Behold, I make all things new … It is done!” What began in Genesis is brought to completion in Revelation, as the following summary shows:
Genesis
Revelation
John gives us a threefold description of the citizens of the city.
They are God’s people (vv. ). The first heaven and earth were prepared for the first man and woman and their descendants. God had readied everything for them when He placed them in the Garden. Unfortunately, our first parents sinned, ushering death and decay into God’s beautiful world. Creation is in bondage and travail (), and even the heavens “are not clean in His sight” ().
God has promised His people a new heaven and earth (; ). The old creation must make way for the new creation if God is to be glorified. Jesus called this event “the regeneration” of the earth (), and Peter explained it as a cleansing and renewing by fire (). Bible students are not agreed as to whether the old elements will be renewed or whether the old will be destroyed and a whole new creation ushered in. The fact that the Greek word translated new means “new in character” (, ) may lend credence to the former explanation.
“No more sea” does not mean “no more water.” It simply indicates that the new earth will have a different arrangement as far as water is concerned. Three fourths of our globe consists of water, but this won’t be the case in the eternal state. In John’s day, the sea meant danger, storms, and separation (John himself was on an island at the time!); so perhaps John was giving us more than a geography lesson.
Even despite Scripture’s description, it is difficult to imagine what the eternal city will be like. John characterizes it as a holy city (see ), a prepared city (see ), and a beautiful city, as beautiful as a bride on her wedding day. He amplifies these characteristics in Revelation 21–22.
But the most important thing about the city is that God dwells there with His people. The Bible gives an interesting record of the dwelling places of God. First, God walked with man in the Garden of Eden. Then He dwelt with Israel in the tabernacle and later the temple. When Israel sinned, God had to depart from those dwellings. Later, Jesus Christ came to earth and “tabernacled” among us (). Today, God does not live in man-made temples (), but in the bodies of His people () and in the church ().
In both the tabernacle and the temple, the veil stood between men and God. That veil was torn in two when Jesus died, thus opening a “new and living way” for God’s people (). Even though God dwells in believers today by His Spirit, we still have not begun to understand God or fellowship with Him as we would like; but one day, we shall dwell in God’s presence and enjoy Him forever.
The eternal city is so wonderful that the best way John found to describe it was by contrast—“no more.” The believers who first read this inspired book must have rejoiced to know that, in heaven, there would be no more pain, tears, sorrow, or death; for many of their number had been tortured and slain. In every age, the hope of heaven has encouraged God’s people in times of suffering.
The citizens of heaven are a satisfied people (v. ). People who live in modern cities do not think much about water, but this was a major concern in John’s day. No doubt John himself, working in the Roman mines, had known the meaning of thirst. Tortured saints throughout the ages would certainly identify with this wonderful promise from the Lord. Free and abundant living water for all!
These heavenly citizens are an overcoming people (vv. ). “He that overcometh” is a key phrase in this book (, , , ; , , ; note also ). As John pointed out in his first epistle, all true believers are overcomers (), so this promise is not just for the “spiritually elite.” Because we are the children of God, we shall inherit all things.
After the great Chicago fire of 1871, evangelist Dwight L. Moody went back to survey the ruins of his house. A friend came by and said to Moody, “I hear you lost everything.”
“Well,” said Moody, “you understood wrong. I have a good deal more left than I lost.”
“What do you mean?” the inquisitive friend asked. “I didn’t know you were that rich.”
Moody then opened his Bible and read to him —“He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God.”
In contrast to the overcomers, describes the people who were overcome by sin and would not trust the Lord. What is their destiny? The lake of fire! The world considers Christians as “losers,” but it is the unbelievers who are the losers!
The fearful are the cowardly, the people who did not have the courage to stand up for Christ (see ). The word abominable means “polluted,” and refers to those who indulged in sin and were thus polluted in mind, spirit, and body (). The other characteristics mentioned in need no special explanation, except to note that all of them would be true of “the beast’s” followers (note , ; , ; ).
The Character of the City (Rev. 21:9–22:5)
The eternal city is not only the home of the bride; it is the bride! A city is not buildings; it is people. The city John saw was holy and heavenly; in fact, it descended to earth from heaven, where it was prepared. John’s description staggers the imagination, even accepting the fact that a great deal of symbolism is involved. Heaven is a real place of glory and beauty, the perfect home for the Lamb’s bride.
We have already noted that “the glory of God” has appeared in different places throughout history. God’s glory dwelt in the tabernacle and then in the temple. Today, His glory dwells in believers and in His church. For all eternity, the glory of God will be seen in His holy city. It is the only light the city will need.
The city’s description follows the pattern of cities with which John’s readers were familiar: foundations, walls, and gates. The foundations speak of permanence, in contrast to the tents in which “pilgrims and strangers” lived (). The walls and gates speak of protection. God’s people will never have to fear any enemies. Angels at the gates will act as sentries!
In this city, saints of the Old Covenant and the New Covenant will be united. The twelve gates are identified with the twelve tribes of Israel, and the twelve foundations with the 12 Apostles (see ). Including the tribe of Levi, there were actually thirteen tribes; and, including Paul, there were thirteen Apostles. When John listed the tribes in Revelation 7, both Dan and Ephraim were omitted, perhaps indicating that we should not press these matters too literally. John is simply assuring us that all of God’s believing people will be included in the city ().
John had measured the earthly Jerusalem (Rev. 11), but now he is invited to measure the heavenly city. Foursquare means “equal on all sides,” so the city might be a cube or a pyramid. More importantly, the fact that it is equal on all sides indicates the perfection of God’s eternal city: nothing is out of order or balance.
The measurements are staggering! If we take a cubit as eighteen inches, then the city walls are 216 feet high! If a furlong is taken as 600 feet (measures differed in ancient days), the city would be about 1,500 miles square! There will be plenty of room for everyone!
The city’s construction cannot but fascinate us. The walls are jasper, which is a clear crystal; but the city itself will be made of pure gold, as clear as crystal. The light of God’s glory will shine throughout the city, resembling a huge holy of holies.
Building foundations are usually underground, but these foundations will not only be visible but beautifully garnished with precious stones. Each separate foundation will have its own jewel, and the blending of the colors will be magnificent as God’s light shines through.
No one can be dogmatic about the colors of these gems, and it really does not matter. Jasper, as we have seen, is a clear crystal. Sapphire is a blue stone, and chalcedony is probably greenish-blue. The emerald, of course, is green; and the sardonyx is like our onyx, a white stone streaked with brown, though some scholars describe it as red and white.
Sardius is a red stone (sometimes described as “blood red”), and chrysolite a yellow quartz like our modern topaz. Beryl is green and topaz a yellow-green. We are not sure about the chrysoprasus; some think it is a golden-tinted stone, others, an apple-green color. The jacinth is probably blue, though some claim it was yellow; and the amethyst is a rich purple, or blue-red.
Our God is a God of beauty, and He will lavish His beauty on the city He is preparing for His people. Perhaps Peter had the holy city in mind when he wrote about the “manifold grace of God” (), for the word translated “manifold” means “many colored, variegated.”
In ancient times, the pearl was considered a “royal gem,” produced by a mollusk covering an irritating grain of sand within its shell. But the pearl gates of the heavenly city will never be closed () because there will be no danger of anything entering that would disturb or defile her citizens.
John noted that some items were missing from the city, but their absence only magnified its glory. There will be no temple, since the entire city will be indwelt by God’s presence. Indeed, “secular” and “sacred” will be indistinguishable in heaven. The sun and moon will be absent since the Lord is the light of the city, and there will never be any night (see ).
The mention of nations in and suggests that there will be peoples (plural) on the new earth. Since in the eternal state there will be only glorified beings, we must not think that the earth will be populated with various nations such as exist today. Instead, these verses reflect the ancient practice of kings and nations bringing their wealth and glory to the city of the greatest king. In the heavenly city, everyone will honor the “King of kings” (see ; ; Isa. 60).
In , we move inside the city to discover that it is like a beautiful garden, reminiscent of the Garden of Eden. There were four rivers in Eden (), but there is only one river in the heavenly city. Ezekiel saw a purifying river flowing from the temple, certainly a millennial scene (Ezek. 47); but this river will flow directly from God’s throne, the very source of all purity. Man was prohibited from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and prevented from eating of the tree of life (; ). But in the eternal home, man will have access to the tree of life. The river and the tree symbolize abundant life in the glorious city.
“No more curse” takes us back to where the curse began. Interestingly, even the Old Testament closes with the statement, “Lest I come and smite the earth with a curse” (). But the New Testament announces, “And there shall be no more curse!” Satan will be consigned to hell; all of creation will be made new; and the curse of sin will be gone forever.
What will we do in heaven for all eternity? Certainly, we shall praise the Lord, but we shall also serve Him. “His servants shall serve Him” () is a great encouragement to us, for in heaven our service will be perfect. As we seek to serve the Lord here on earth, we are constantly handicapped by sin and weakness; but all hindrances will be gone when we get to glory. Perfect service in a perfect environment!
What will this service be? We are not told, nor do we need to know now. It is sufficient that we know what God wants us to do today. Our faithfulness in life prepares us for higher service in heaven. In fact, some students think that we shall have access to the vast universe and perhaps be sent on special missions to other places. But it is useless to speculate, because God has not seen fit to fill in the details.
Not only shall we be servants in heaven, but we shall also be kings. We shall reign forever and ever! This speaks of sharing Christ’s authority in glory. As believers, we are seated with Christ in the heavenlies today (); but in the eternal state, we shall reign as kings over the new heavens and earth. What an honor! What grace!
Certainly, many interesting questions could be asked about our future abode in heaven, but most must go unanswered until we reach our glorious home. In fact, John closed his book by reminding us that we have responsibilities today because we are going to heaven.
Heaven is more than a destination; it is a motivation. Knowing that we shall dwell in the heavenly city ought to make a difference in our lives here and now. The vision of the heavenly city motivated the patriarchs as they walked with God and served Him (, ). Knowing that He was returning to the Father in heaven also encouraged Jesus Christ as He faced the cross (). The assurance of heaven must not lull us into complacency or carelessness, but spur us to fulfill our spiritual duties.
We must keep God’s Word (vv. , ). Because what John wrote is the Word of God, his words are faithful and true (see ). The same God who spoke through the prophets also spoke through the Apostle John. As the “capstone” of God’s revelation, John’s book cannot be divorced from the rest of the Bible. If we deny that John wrote the truth, then we must also deny the prophets.
What does it mean to “keep the sayings of the prophecy of this book”? () Basically, it means to guard, to watch over, to preserve intact. We must not add to the Word of God or take anything from it (see ; ). And this responsibility is especially great in light of Christ’s return. The word shortly in means “quickly come to pass.” The church has expected Christ to return since the days of the Apostles, and He has not yet come; but when John’s prophecies begin to be fulfilled, they will happen very quickly. There will be no delay.
The warnings in do not suggest that people who tamper with the Bible will be brought back to earth to suffer the Tribulation’s plagues, or that they will lose their salvation. Nobody fully understands the Bible or can explain everything in it; and those of us who teach the Word sometimes have to change our interpretations as we grow in knowledge. God sees the heart, and He can separate ignorance from impudence and immaturity from rebellion.
It was customary in ancient days for writers to put this kind of warning at the close of their books, because the people who copied them for public distribution might be tempted to tamper with the material. However, John’s warning was not addressed to a writer, but to the hearer, the believer in the congregation where this book was read aloud. By analogy, however, it would apply to anyone reading and studying the book today. We may not be able to explain the penalties given, but we do know this: it is a dangerous thing to tamper with the Word of God. The one who guards the Word and obeys it will be blessed; the one who alters it will be disciplined in some way.
For a second time, John was overwhelmed by what he saw and heard; and he fell down to worship the angel who was speaking to him (see ). The angel gave John three words of counsel: do not worship angels; worship God; and do not seal up the Revelation. The Prophet Daniel was commanded to seal his book (), because the time was not yet ready. John’s book was an “apocalypse,” an unveiling (); and, therefore, it must not be sealed.
Once again, the Holy Spirit is reminding us of the living unity of God’s Word. We have seen in our study how John, led by the Spirit, reached back into the Old Testament and used many of the images found there, including Daniel’s prophecy. Scripture is its own best interpreter.
Does suggest that God does not want men to repent and change their ways? No, because that would be contrary to the message of Revelation and of the Gospel itself. The angel’s words must be understood in light of the repeated statement, “Behold, I come quickly” (, ), as well as his statement, “For the time is at hand” (). Jesus Christ’s coming will occur so quickly that men will not have time to change their characters.
, therefore, is a solemn warning that decision determines character, and character determines destiny. Suffering believers might ask, “Is it worth it to live a godly life?” John’s reply is, “Yes! Jesus is returning, and He will reward you!” Next comes John’s second admonition.
We have the responsibility of serving the Lord (vv. ). “My reward is with Me” implies that God is mindful of our sufferings and our service, and nothing will ever be done in vain if it is done for Him. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, believers will be judged according to their works; and rewards will be given to those who have been faithful.
Throughout church history, there have been those who have (to use Dwight L. Moody’s words) become “so heavenly minded that they were no earthly good.” They quit their jobs, sold their property, and sat and waited for Jesus to return. All of them have been embarrassed, of course, because it is unbiblical to set dates for His coming. It is also unbiblical to become careless and lazy just because we believe Jesus is coming soon. Paul faced this problem with some of the believers in Thessalonica (2 Thes. 3).
No wonder John added, “Blessed are they that do His commandments” (). If we really believe that Jesus is coming soon, we will watch and be faithful ().
is a great encouragement to anyone who seeks to serve the Lord. Whatever God starts, He will finish; for He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, the first and the last (see ; ).
We must keep our lives clean (vv. ). The contrast here is between those who do God’s commandments and enter the city, and those who reject His Word and are excluded from the city (see , ). It is not likely that those who “do His commandments” are a special or an elite group of saints. The phrase is similar to “them that overcome” and characterizes all the people of God. Obedience to God’s Word is a mark of true salvation.
Our Lord’s titles in are most interesting. The “root” is buried in the ground where no one can see it, but the “star” is in the heavens where everyone can see it. In “the Root and Offspring of David” we have Jesus’ Jewish, national name, but in “the Bright and Morning Star” we have His universal name. One speaks of humility, the other of majesty and glory.
As “the Root … of David,” Jesus Christ brought David into existence. As “the Offspring of David,” Jesus came into this world, born a Jew from David’s line. Both the deity and the humanity of Jesus are evident here. For a parallel, see .
The “morning star” announces dawn’s soon arrival. Jesus Christ will come for His church as “the Morning Star.” But when He returns to judge, it will be as “the Sun of righteousness” in burning fury (). Because God’s people look for their Lord’s return, they keep their lives clean and dedicated to Him (1 John 2:28–3:3).
We must keep expecting Jesus Christ to return (vv. , ). Three times in this closing chapter John wrote, “I [Christ] come quickly” (, , ). But He has “delayed” His return for nearly 2,000 years! Yes, He has; and Peter tells us why: God wants to give this sinful world opportunity to repent and be saved (). In the meantime, the Spirit of God, through the church (the bride), calls for Jesus to come; for the bride wants to meet her Bridegroom and enter into her home. “Even so, come, Lord Jesus” ().
But believers ought also to invite lost sinners to trust Christ and drink the water of life. Indeed, when the church lives in expectancy of Christ’s return, such an attitude provokes ministry and evangelism as well as purity of heart. We want to tell others of the grace of God. A true understanding of Bible prophecy should both motivate us to obey God’s Word and to share God’s invitation with a lost world.
If our study of Revelation has been truly led by the Spirit, then we will join John in the Bible’s last prayer:
“Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
Are you ready?