The Book of Revelation is not a difficult book to comprehend when we understand that there is a God-inspired outline laid-out in Revelation 1:19. Pressing forward, the Christian discerns that chapter one deals with those things ‘seen’ by the Apostle John (the truth of who Jesus is), chapters two and three with the way things ‘are’ (church history), and chapters four through twenty-two addressing the ways things will be ‘after’ the church era. Chapters six through nineteen specifically deal with the Tribulation period, a phase that comes to a screeching halt in the last three verses [of our opening Bible passage] above.
Don’t Blink or You’ll Miss it
Oh, it will not be Christ’s second coming that the church will fail to see, for that will be nearly impossible. As He rides in on His white horse, His eyes like flames of fire and His head adorned with many crowns, we shall be right behind Him! No, the thing we might miss is the final conflict that the last thriteen (13) chapters of Revelation (six through nineteen) have been building up to. Read the above Bible passage again.
In the first sentence: satan the beast, the kings of the earth and their armies have assembled, ready to wage war against Jesus. If this were a Spielberg movie, we would all be poised on the edge of our seats, chins on palms–elbows on knees, everyone shushing their neighbor. But what’s this? The very next scene satan is captured and done away with. That was it? No battle? All satan had was nothing? I tell you, if this were a Spielberg movie, we might all demand a refund.
But It’s Not a Movie…It’s Jesus
And the crowd (the church) will be euphoric when the beast is defeated. So we might ask why all the build up for a seemingly anticlimactic conclusion; why a ‘thirteen chapter’ lead-in for a one-sentence finale? Recall the audience–the Apostle John is writing (then and now) to a persecuted and (as time goes on) chaotic church. And while it is true the Christian church will not suffer the Tribulation period, we will undoubtedly face tribulation daily. Jesus said…
In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33a
Appraising the concise, one-sentence account of satan’s defeat; absorbing its implications, we might better understand that our solution; ‘the solution’ is found in Christ Jesus alone. Battle? There is no battle; satan was knocked-out before he put on his boxing gloves. Combat? What combat; notice that Christ’s army comes to the conflict unarmed! When we ride-in with Jesus, He alone has the sword…and it comes forth from His mouth! One swipe; one word and it is all over.
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. Hebrews 4:12, John 5:39
Jesus is the Word
Jesus is the way—the only way and we need to share this truth. We need to tell our families, our friends (and our enemies), our co-workers, and carry the message across the globe.
He Dwells -- The B'log in My Eye 