This is one of the darkest chapters in the Bible (imo). If the fall of man (Genesis 3) and the crucifixion (John 15) were the epitome of sadness for God the Father, then this surely must be just as difficult.
Judgment on the earth, Israel and Christians begins in earnest. During the last 3 1/2 years of the tribulation, it's a death sentence if you identify with Christ. Yet untold numbers will!
The most amazing statement occurs in Revelation 12:10.
“Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night.”
Revelation 12:10 NLT
Salvation, power, the Kingdom of God and the authority of Christ have finally come together! History is coming to a close and all the promises are being fulfilled in completeness.
Revelation 12-15 are a parentheses in the seven year timeline. The 7th trumpet is sounded in chapter 11, but we don't see the events it produces until chapter 16.
In Chapter 12 we're introduced to 7 "personages" - see the notes.
The world has never seen two men quite like this. They preach the gospel, call down judgment, reign down plagues on all of mankind by their own command. After three and a half years they are killed by the Antichrist and their bodies lie in the streets of Jerusalem for three and half days. But that's not where the story ends.
The Great Tribulation will be a time like no other. Revelation 9 reveals the 5th and 6th trumpet judgments - and the world will never be the same.
Revelation 7 is a parentheses ... a vision into the future when all the martyrs from the Great Tribulation will sing a new song and give praise to God.
God's response? He will wipe away all their tears. Can you think of anything more personal than wiping someone's tears. Our Father doesn't "staff this out" to an angel, nor ask that we wipe our own tears. The Father in an act of love wipes away their tears. WOW!
In Revelation 4, John was in Heaven seeing Jesus as the Lamb of God who took away the sins of the world. All Heaven sang a new song - Worth is the Lamb!!!!
What an amazing vision.
After the amazing view of Heaven in chapter 4, John sees a scroll in the hand of God the Father. Only one person could open the scroll.
Announced as the Lion, John sees the Lamb of God who bled and died to take away the sins of the world.
Sunday Service Times:
9:15 - Bible School for All Ages
10:15 - Worship
