A Call to Endure…

 

Some fictional stories jump from scene to scene with events that overlap in time and are confusing to the reader or viewer. I’m not sure this was happening in John’s visions of the end, but it seems like it. He just announced the victory of Jesus, then tells of the activity of Satan. What came when? I’m not going to speculate. I just know that these things will happen, such as:

The whole world will worship “the beast” which was given great power by “the dragon” who seems to be Satan. This beast “opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God. . . . was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them” and had authority over all who worshiped it.

If anyone is to be taken captive, to captivity he goes; if anyone is to be slain with the sword, with the sword must he be slain. Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints. (Revelation 13:10)

Another beast shows up, like the first, and performs great signs even to making an image of the first beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived, even giving breath to it and allowing it to mark those who would not bow to it so they could not buy or sell.

Then John saw Jesus with the 144,000 who had His name written on their foreheads and he heard a new song. Another angel arrived proclaiming the gospel to all the people and the judgment to come. A second followed announcing the fall of Babylon, and a third saying those who worship the beast and its image will be tormented forever. 

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:12–13)

One like Jesus came to reap the earth, and throw those under His wrath into God’s winepress and blood flowed from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle. Then John saw seven angels with seven plagues, which are the last, for with them the wrath of God is finished. And a “sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name who were singing. . . .  Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!” (Revelation 15:2–3)

Seven angels with seven plagues appeared and were told: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, followed by horrid images of the results, and then each of the seven doing the same and destroying everyone and all things. Still people cursed the name of God and did not repent or give Him glory. Demonic spirits  assemble leaders for battle and the seventh angel poured out his bowl as a voice said, “It is done!” 

Everything fell, cities, mountains, islands, hailstones — yet people still cursed God. Angels showed John the judgment of a sinful “prostitute” who was “drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.” The angel told him what would happen to her and the beast and all that these evil entities represented. Eventually:

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:6–14)

PRAY: As I read this, Jesus, the details do not matter. You will conquer all evil for You are Lord of all. If I watch these events as a suffering martyr — no matter.  I am called and chosen, a redeemed and transformed sinner yet faithful because of all that You have done in my life. Holy God, I worship You!