Every book in the bible is a personal letter from God specifically written to us for a greater purpose. The book of Revelation though a difficult book to understand is an integral part of God’s plan to reveal his greater plan to us. The focus of this article is to study the book of Revelation and understand what we can learn from the scripture as is without applying any opinion or forming speculation.
- Heaven is a kingdom not a democracy. Most of us currently live in the age of democracy. We have rights to vote, select the government and voice our opinion about good and bad things happen around us. We hardly have any experience of living under the kingship. Our thought process is more aligned towards democracy and fighting for our rights.
In Revelation the word “One who sits on the throne” repeats eight times. It depicts the father God, who sits on throne and was surrounded by twenty-four elders and four living creatures (Rev 4). The worship, songs and everything that was done in heaven is to glorify God. The name given to Jesus is king of kings and lord of lords. – Rev 19:16. He is a king who laid down his life for the people whom he loved so much. He can neither be voted in nor voted out.
- Worship in heaven happens in orderly manner with awe and all due reverence to God. The four living creatures before the Father God kept glorifying God all the time by saying “‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, ’who was, and is, and is to come.” – Rev 4:8. The twenty-four elders fell before God every time the four creatures give glory to God (Rev 4:9).
The worship that was done in heaven was out of awe and adoration for the God. It was done with at most humbleness and with full surrender. Based on the five worship songs recorded in Revelation chapters 4 & 5, worship in heaven is all about giving everything to God not to get anything from him.
The heaven’s worship team includes the angels, who encircled the elders and the four living creature and the all the living creatures in earth, under the earth and the sea (Rev 5:13). Everyone together gave glory to God the father and Jesus Christ (Lamb).
- Jesus is not only a Redeemer he is also a Judge. We know Jesus died for us on the cross so that our sins can be forgiven. This is our God’s plan to redeem us from the sins. The book of Revelation tells us something more about Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. It not only enabled the redemption plan but also made Him the judge over all people on earth because he paid the price for them. You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God, persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. – Rev 5:9. The opening of seven seals of the scroll by Jesus led to seven trumpets followed by seven plagues. Each one of these events led to judgement on earth.
- God’s redemptive plan was at work even during tribulation. God’s love for mankind has not gone away during the time of tribulation. There are several places in Revelation opportunities were repeatedly given to people directly by God to come back to him.
- Between the sixth and the seventh trumpet God sent two witness to prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days ( 3.5 years). Till the given time is over nobody allowed to harm the witness (Rev 11:5). After they complete 3.5 years of witnessing their testimony the beast will kill them. (Rev 11:7). God again confirms their witness and testimony by raising them from the death after 3.5 days.
- After the seventh trumpet an angel was sent to preach the message of repentance and to give warning about the upcoming judgement to all the tribe, nations, language and people (Rev 14:6). He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” – Rev 14:7
- God’s protection for his people continues during the period of tribulation. Before the 7th seal was opened the angel of the Lord with God’s seal calls the four angels standing in four corners of the earth and gave instruction not to harm the earth till all the servants of God are marked with the seal. Do not harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees until we seal (mark) the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads. – Rev 7:3.
- Revelation gives the glimpse of God’s temple in heaven with the ark of the covenant (Rev 11:19) safely placed inside it. Though the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70 by Romans and the Ark of the Covenant was not mentioned after Josiah’s time (2 Chron 35:3), temple and the ark of the covenant is safe in heaven. In other words, though the ark of the covenant in earth is lost the original copy of the covenant between man and God was never lost.
It’s important to notice, when the New Jerusalem was formed, temple and ark of the covenant were not part of it as Lord God and Lamb are its temple (Rev 22:22).
- All through the tribulation people criticized God. All though God’s judgement came strong on the earth, people criticized (Rev 16:8), blasphemed (Rev 16:10) and abused God (Rev 16:20). They did not repent.
- Jesus leads the final battle as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus leads the final battle with heavenly warriors against the army of the beast. Revelation proclaims Jesus in multi facet role as Redeemer, Judge, King of kings and Lord of Lords. During this war the first and the second beast was captured and thrown alive into the lake of burning sulfur (Rev 19:20). Rest of the beast army was killed by sword coming out of the mouth of Jesus (Rev 19:21).
The book of Revelation is a beautiful book. It gives glimpse about many heavenly things and shows God’s intention to reveal His plan to mankind to the extent the mankind needs to understand. The finite details which are missing in the book are not for personal interpretation and human's limited logical conclusion but for God alone to reveal in his own set time.
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