READ THE LAST CHAPTER---GOD WINS!!
Have you ever read a book and couldn’t wait to read how it ends? Have you secretly read the last chapter because you were anxious to see if there was a good ending? Well, I have. I know it takes away the mystery but for those that are super curious it does make sense.
The same is with the Bible. How many of us have read the Bible and been selective in what we read? How many of us have read the whole Bible? Does it seem like reading the last chapter of the Bible would be great because it will give you the conclusion of the book?
The last book of the Bible is Revelation. What does revelation mean? According to Meriam Webster’s Dictionary-- An act of revealing or communicating divine truth. Something that is revealed by God to humans.
Don’t be afraid to read the Book of Revelation. The majority of Pastors do not like to teach it because some say, “It will scare the congregation.” There are a lot of “scary” things in the Bible so why is the Book of Revelation one that is sometimes shunned? I think because there are those that only want to talk about prosperity or the “feel good” message.
Can we honestly think that God did not have a plan from creation to salvation to restoration of all things? God created Adam and Eve in the Garden. He gave them dominion over the earth. They lost their authority when they were deceived by Satan and ate of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.
God had a plan of salvation. He sent Jesus to die for our sins. He was resurrected and because of this we are born to Eternal Life. This was not to be the end. Do you not think that God intends for His creation to go back to the beginning? Should we not return to the Garden of Eden where God was said to walk and talk to Adam and Eve? The book of Revelation speaks about the culmination of all things and the plan for the restoration of all things.
19 For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. 20 For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. 22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:19-22 (NIV)
Why should we read the book of Revelation?
1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ
The revelation from Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, Revelation 1:1 (NIV) God gave John this revelation of Jesus to His followers so that they would know the things that would happen in the Last Days and beyond these days.
In Matthew Chapter 24:3-10, it says,3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”
4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains.
9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (NIV)
Jesus was giving the apostles the groundwork of what to look for as a sign of His coming.
2. It is specially written for us, the people in the end times
In this last Chapter, the Book of Revelation, we find hope. Hope that we are living from victory to victory. Yes, Jesus did die on the cross and the devil thought that he had won but little did he know that Jesus would resurrect from the dead. Jesus purchased our salvation at the cross and the resurrection was the event that insured our eternal life in and through Him now and forever! He showed us how to live and how to love and as He explained to the Apostles, yes, we will be going through hardships but the best is yet to come if you are a follower of Jesus.
7Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.
10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the
salvation and the power
and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who
accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. 11 They triumphed over him by
the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love
their lives so much as to shrink from death.
Revelation 12:7-11 (NIV)
3. We have been invited to the wedding banquet.
9 Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.” Revelation 19:9 (NIV)
4. There will be a new heaven and earth and God will dwell with His people!
Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. Revelation 21:1-7 (NIV)
5. Jesus is assuring us that He is coming back soon and we will live with Him forever!
12 “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.
14 “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.
16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you[a] this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.”
17 The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say, “Come!” Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life. Revelation 22:12-17 (NIV)
True Believers, which are those that have surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ, will abide with Him forever. Yes, there is evil in the world but one day at the sound of the last trumpet, Jesus shall return and take His bride away. I have read the last Chapter of the Bible and GOD WINS; WE WIN; HE HAS ALREADY WON!! So go ahead, read the last chapter, because the best is yet to come!!
“Look, I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.” Revelation 22:7 (NIV)
3 Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. Revelation 1:3 (NIV)
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