Hope lets live (Revelation 19)

The last words of a book are important. Nobody reads an exciting novel and leaves the last chapter unread. The last words in the Bible? Rev. 22:20: “Yes, I am coming quickly.”
(ref. Rev.22:7-21)

Hope
God chooses these last words “I am coming quickly”, because these are the only words of hope for this world! We cannot be without hope. The greatest loss, the most severe pain, financial worries, economical recession, war, terrorism…. We can overcome it all. Time heals a lot. But without hope… when there is no more hope, it is done with us.

As summary of Revelations here are four things of which God hopes that this last Bible book releases it in our lives.

1. Devotion
Revelation is a personal letter of Jesus Christ to His community. The book starts with seven small letters to local communities (in Turkye) and every letter ends with a message of hope: “To him who overcomes …” (ref. Rev.22:16)
The community is the city on the mountain, the light of the world, the salt of the earth and as the only the message of hope for this world! (ref. Rev.2-3, Rev.21:7)
It is necessary to be a triumphing and Jesus devoted community. And it all depends of your and my personal devotion. The vision of our church is ‘to be a biblical functional community of fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.’. (ref. Mt5:13-16, Rev.21:2, 10)

What kind of letter would the Lord Jesus write to our, to your church, when we would measure the spiritual situation of the community based on the state of my personal devotion?
I like to invite you to draw a line which represents your devotion to the Lord Jesus Christ. Put 10% at the left and at the right 100% devoted follower of Jesus Christ. Where would you put yourself on the trend line? Wehre would you like to be? What are you concrete going to do about it?

2. Worship
In the beginning of Revelation did you read how John after the seven mission letters took us to the hall with the throne in Heaven? “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” At the end of Revelation John is so overwhelmed by the majesty of God and jesus Christ that he falls down in worship.
(ref. Rev.4, Rev.22:4)

There is something odd in spiritual growth. Our body gets bigger when we grow. But when we grow spiritually, God becomes bigger and we get smaller. God seeks such worshippers. (ref. Jh.3:31, Jh.4:23)

3. The coming judgements
This is one of the largest themes of the book Revelations. For many people who suffer under pursuit Gods judgement is their only hope. It is in our human nature to think that for many things we will get away with it. However one day justice will come to pass. This certainty helps to submit all injustice in our own life to God. When Paul writes about the renewing of our mind, he also mentions not to repay evil for evil, not to avenge yourself, because it is written: “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord” A deep awareness of God’s judgement shall drive us to spread the gospel and save many.
(ref. Rm.12)

4. Love for the Word of God
Among evangelical Christians the lack of healthy bible knowledge is a worrisome problem. The prophet Hosea said: My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I will also reject you from being priest to Me. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I will also forget your sons, even I.” (Hs.4:6)
“Blessed is the one who reads and hears the words of the prophecy, and the ones keeping the things written in it, for the time is near.” “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this Book.” “Blessed are they who do his commandments, that their authority will be over the Tree of Life.” (ref. Rev.1:3, Rev.22:7, 14)
In this text ‘they” is the bride of the Lamb. And this bride is cleansed by the water of the Word of God. Most Psalms deal with deep emotions, worries, questions of life, and they start with: “Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sit in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is only in the law of the LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of water that brings forth its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf shall not wither, and all which he does shall be blessed.” A community which consists of such trees will stand as a tree! (ref. Ef.5:25-27, Ps.1:1-3)

Revelation, God’s hope for His community:
* God’s hope for renewed devotion
* God’s hope for deeper worship
* God’s hope for us taking His judgments more serious
* God’s hope for greater love for His Word.
Yes, I am coming quickly, Amen. Yes, come Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you. Amen.

This hope lets live!

(ref: translation of ED1403, lecture summaries EBG "Het Baken" 2003)