Introduction: Our series skips over Revelation 18. That chapter tells
us that there is a lot of sadness on behalf of people who make money
profiting from evil. With the fall of Babylon, they are out of
business. This week the tone changes. We start with Revelation 19 and
the happiness of those who are now victorious through the power of
Jesus. They have suffered greatly under evil, but evil is fast
disappearing. Let’s jump into our study and learn more about our
joyful future!
- Rejoice!
- Read Revelation 19:1-3. We find more boring music, right?
(No. We find more “roar[ing]” praise.) - Why are God’s people praising Him? (God has executed
judgment. God has shown His power. God has avenged
the blood of His followers. He has “smoked” His (and
our)enemies.) - Read Revelation 19:6-8. More roaring, thundering praise.
What is the reason for this praise? (It is our wedding day
with Jesus! This is the time when we will forever be with
Him.) - What qualifies us to enter in? (Jesus’ robe of
righteousness. “Fine linen, bright and clean, was
given her to wear.”) - How do we obtain that robe? (It is “given” to
us.) - Wait a minute! In the NIV there is a parenthetical:
“Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the
saints.” That sounds like the robe of righteousness
represents our acts! It represents our work. How can
the robe be given to us on the one had, and on the
other hand be earned by our “righteous acts?” - Review Matthew 22:1-14 and read Matthew 22:8-11.
(Jesus told this parable to illustrate the future
that we are studying in Revelation. The parable makes
clear what is going on. The servants gathered people
(both good and bad) who had no idea they were going
to a wedding. They were dressed for something else.
What they did was accept the invitation to the
wedding and accept the robe given to them at the
wedding by the king. Their “acts” were to accept the
invitation and the robe.) - Read Genesis 7:6-7. How did Noah’s sons and their
wives escape God’s great judgment? (They walked
through the door of the ark. They accepted the
invitation.) - For those of you who are muttering “It is not that
easy,” consider what happened before the flood.
Consider what we have been studying before Revelation
19. Is this an overnight decision? (The thief on the
cross ( Luke 23:40-43)shows that it can be an instant
decision. But, the more likely thing is that you
spend years accepting or rejecting the commands of
God. I think most people live a pattern of accepting
Jesus or rejecting Him. The pattern is reflected in
the way we live. Salvation is not earned, but we
generally live a life consistent with accepting
Jesus.) - Warrior Jesus
- Read Revelation 19:11-15. Do you love this picture? I
do! What does this tell us about our Warrior Jesus? (He
executes judgment on the bad guys. This time when He
comes, things are much different.) - What did we previously discuss about Jesus’ “mouth
sword?” (Just as Jesus spoke the world into
existence, so He speaks His enemies into defeat.) - What gives Jesus the authority to act like
this? (His robe is dipped in blood. He lived
and died a perfect life. He gave every human
being the opportunity to take advantage of His
tremendous sacrifice, His tremendous gift.
Humans spurn that gift at their peril.) - Read Revelation 19:17-18. When I was growing up we had an
expression: “That is for the birds.” It meant it was not
very good. Do we see a “great supper of God” that is “for
the birds?” - Why do you think John includes this information about
the birds? (Notice that “all people,” those who have
great success in life, and those who have not, are
all reduced to bird food if they reject salvation.) - Read Revelation 19:19-21. Explain the different ending of
the beast and the false prophet from the rest of those who
have rejected Jesus? (This suggests that at least at this
point the wicked are eaten, they are not thrown into
hell.) - Read Revelation 20:1-3. What happens to Satan? (He is
bound for a thousand years in the “Abyss.”) - The Millennium
- Read Revelation 20:4 and Matthew 19:28. Who is this group
that comes to life at the beginning of the thousand years,
has the “authority to judge,” and reigns with Jesus for
the thousand years? (Verse four seems limited to those who
have been “beheaded.”) - Read Revelation 20:5-6. What does this add about the first
group who are part of the “first resurrection?” (This
expands the picture to tell us that the “second death” has
no power over them. This sounds like the first
resurrection people are all of those who are saved.) - Since I think the “second death” reference is the key
to understanding this, read Revelation 20:14 and
Revelation 21:8. What do these texts tell you about
the second death? (These texts tell us that all of
the wicked are subject to a “second death” that is
permanent. The righteous, on the other hand, only die
once (if at all). Because of this, the group in
heaven during the millennium are all of the
righteous.) - We already read that the righteous were “given authority
to judge” ( Revelation 20:4). Let’s skip down a few verses
and read more about this. Read Revelation 20:11-15. How is
the fate of the wicked decided? (The dead are judged
“according to what they had done.” Remember, the
righteous are in heaven, and apparently involved in
confirming this judgment.) - How is the fate of the righteous decided? (If your
name is written in the book of life, you are saved.
This suggests that the wicked are judged by their
deeds, but the righteous are judged only by whether
their names are in the book of life. This is grace.
This is the robe of Jesus’ righteousness given to
us.) - The Final Battle
- Read Revelation 20:7-8. Who are these people? How can we
have a second battle?(The Revelation 19 battle is with the
wicked who are alive when Jesus comes to take the
righteous with Him to heaven. The righteous are then taken
to heaven and live with Jesus for a thousand years.
Revelation 20:5 tells us that the second resurrection is
after the thousand years are over. The wicked come to life
again, and Satan rallies them to a final battle against
Jesus and the saints.) - Read Revelation 20:9-10. What is the outcome of this
battle? (We win!) - What does this text say about an eternally burning
hell? (It tells us that all of the wicked who are
raised in the second resurrection are “devoured” by
the fire. This is as opposed to Satan who is
“tormented day and night for ever and ever.”) - Earth Made New
- Read Revelation 21:1-4. Where do the righteous live? (In
an earth made new!) - What arrives from heaven to the earth made new? (The
New Jerusalem!) - Why would God make His headquarters here? (This is
the scene of the defeat of evil and the victory of
righteousness. God is making a memorial of us and
our earth.) - Read Revelation 21:10-13 and Revelation 21:15-17. We have
studied this in past lessons. What does the New Jerusalem
look like in terms of things we know now? (It is a huge
cube! It does not look like the pictures of the New
Jerusalem that I see painted. They look like some sort of
royal city. Instead, the New Jerusalem looks like a giant
condominium building. It gives new meaning to John 14:2:
“in My Father’s house are many rooms.”) - How big is this condominium building? (It is 1,200
miles (2,200 kilometers) tall, wide and deep.
Wherever you live, apply that to towns you know. In
the United States, this condominium would stretch
from Washington, D.C. to almost Denver, Colorado! It
would reach into what is now outer space! My
calculations are that your condo (apartment, room)
will be huge. Not square feet, but square acres.) - Friend, I want to be there! I want my address to be “New
Jerusalem, New Earth.” If you want that too, right now
repent of your sins, accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior,
and accept His robe of righteousness. When you get there,
look me up! - Next week we start a new series entitled “Family Seasons.”
