Our study of Revelation is almost complete. Satan will soon face his final consequences for his many attempts to be greater than God and keep others from experiencing all that God offers. The great and final judgment occurs in chapter 20.
God Has A Plan
God has it all planned out. Satan will not win and He will be judged for eternity as well as others who are still alive and have refused to believe. If their name is not in the Lamb’s Book of Life, the Bible says that they will burn in the lake of fire for eternity. Those of us who do know Christ have SO much to be thankful for.
Do you know Christ now, as your personal Lord and Savior? Who introduced you to Christ? We are fortunate to know Him. Someone shared the gospel with us in order for us to know Him as our personal Savior.
Do You Share?
What about those who have not been told yet? Are you part of God’s plan in reaching people who have never been told? Do you contribute to the effort of reaching the world with the gospel of Christ? God has given us what is often called the “Great Commission”.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Matthew 28:19-20
This passage is a quote from Jesus who is calling and empowering every Christ-follower to make disciples of every nation. He calls us to not only share the gospel but to grow others who do accept Christ to the point where they can share the gospel too. Even if we can’t go to a foreign country, He calls us to make disciples where we are
Do you Invest?
I remember back when my husband and I met. We both were committed to become missionaries and work overseas in a third world country. God had other plans for us to stay here in the United States, but we contribute from what God gives us (financially) to support the work of our church and other missionaries. We haven’t given up on the vision God originally gave us; He just changed our role in it. It is important to understand that all we have has come from God and belongs to God.
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
for everything in heaven and earth is yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
you are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from you;
you are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give you thanks,
and praise your glorious name.14 “But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand.
1 Chronicles 29:11-14
And God tells us to contribute to what HE values from what HE gives us. We are stewards left responsible for the privilege of managing the Master’s property to do His work.
42 The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time?
48b From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.
Luke 12:42 & 48b
And we still share His love with others we come into contact with.
Do You Fight In The Spiritual Trenches?
We can pray for those who go and pray for those who are told, that they accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I have family and close friends who are giving their lives, sharing the gospel around the world and I support them in prayer.
Order of Events – The First Thousand Years
John sees an Angel come out of heaven holding a key to the Abyss and a great chain. This angel seizes the dragon, the serpent, the devil, (Satan), binds him and throws him in the Abyss. This angel locks and seals the abyss so that he can’t deceive nations for 1,000 years. Imagine being locked up for 1,000 years. After this period, he is released for a short time.
John then sees thrones with people seated on them, having the authority to judge. He also sees the souls of those beheaded for their testimony of Jesus and God’s Word. They did not worship the beast or receive the mark on their forehead or hands. They come back and reign with Christ during the 1,000 years while Satan is in the Abyss.
The Thousand Years Are Over
After 1,000 years being locked up, Satan is released. He goes to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—and gather them for battle – again, against God! There are so many nations and people, like the sand on a seashore.
Satan, Gog and Magog march across the breadth of the earth and surround the camp of God’s people, the city he loves (Jerusalem). Fire comes down from heaven though and devours them. The devil who deceives them, is also thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet were thrown. Their torment never ends!
The Great White Throne Judgment- Judging The Dead
John then sees a great white throne and the one who sat on it.
The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. The books open and the dead stand before the throne, both the great and the small! Then the Lambs Book of Life opens. Lives are judged – Every life!!
- The dead left on the earth
- Those dead inside the sea
- Death and Hades
Those who are judged are thrown into the lake of fire to experience the second death. Notice that these are NOT Christ-followers. They are those people who have chosen not to accept Christ’s free gift of salvation. The Lamb’s Book of Life did not contain their names.
Our Choices For Eternity
A lot of judgment and eternal consequences occur at the end. These are serious! People will never have another chance to change. This is eternity, something so serious that you cannot take it back or change your mind once your life ends. Think long and hard about what you do and who you listen to and believe while you are still alive. As people, we have views of how we handle this.
We can:
- Hear and believe when told
- Hear and believe later, we procrastinate
- Some refuse to believe and deny that God exists or that they are accountable to Him
The problem with procrastinating is that we don’t know when the Lord will return or when something might happen that will end our life and we never have another chance to go back and believe.
For those who refuse to believe and deny God’s existence or His authority; they are foolish and will spend eternity away from God while they suffer forever. Thing is, it doesn’t matter if they believe in Him. He still exists and He still has authority over them and will judge them, whether they know the judge or not. Even the demons believe and shudder (James 2:19). How foolish are we to say He doesn’t exist?
Know Where You Stand
Consider where you stand today and be sure you know where you will go when this life is done. There is great joy and liberty in knowing that we will spend eternity with the Lord. As well as spending eternity with the Lord and hopefully loved ones, while we are still on earth, we have more peace, joy, hope and many other incredible benefits to having a real relationship with the Lord. This life does not come without difficulties, but God is faithful! He will not leave you or forsake you!
Very well said and I am blessed as usual!
Thank you! I finished with chapter 22 and published today
Quite an accomplishment! Do you have any plans for what is next?
I do, mainly working on current events but also have additional idea on its way. Can’t say yet😉 Oh, also going to summarize thoughts on Revelation. We have so many rough things happening. Going to make points on recent events.
Sounds good! I am sure it will be interestingly special!
Your summation of Revelation is clear, compelling, and ultimately encouraging. Encouraging for those who believe. And I hope your work encourages those not yet believing to become faithful followers of Christ.
Thank you!