A World at Peace: Revelation
Ever read a book that had a predictable ending? The story of the Bible comes to a natural conclusion based on the principles set forth in earlier Old and New Testament books.
First, we see that God is sovereign over nations. He allows them to exist and execute a limited form of justice due to the consciousness He placed in mankind. If a nation reaches a judgement level of wickedness, He may warn the nation with natural disasters, loss of military battles, economic depression, or sickness. If a nation continues along a wicked path, He will judge them in His own time. This is done regardless of Christians being involved in earthly governments.
Second, God has a vision of redeeming someone from every nation, tongue, tribe, and people. Jesus taught that the majority of a nation will not accept the Gospel because of the cost of giving up worldly power and pleasure. Due to Christianity being a minority that represents God, the nations of this world will hate Christians.
Third, Jesus warns in parables and Paul experiences in church planting that false believers will always be present with the true church. These false believers will influence the church to be similar to the world. They seek recognition, financial gain, power of people, and other worldly desires. They are the ones that use violence to suppress the faithful church.
Finally, the natural progression takes its course till the end. Christianity spreads from nation to nation, language to language. Wickedness continues in nations so they rise and fall over the centuries. Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. False teachers continually lead many astray seeking worldly power and pleasures. In the end, all nations turn in unison against God’s children. All nations reach judgement level, so God sends global war and natural disasters. He gives the ones willing time to repent. Just as He has always done. Trying to give mankind every last chance before the final day.
Peace comes first to the believers of Jesus. They are no longer at war with God. The nations only come to peace once Jesus returns with His followers.
Discussion Questions
Review: Revelation 6:9-11; 12:10-11; 13:9-10; 16:5-6; 17:6
1. How are Christians portrayed throughout the book of Revelation?
2. According to 6:10, who is persecuting the children of God?
3. According to 13:9, why does God’s people need patient endurance and faithfulness?
4. According to 12:10, how are Christians triumphant through persecution?
Review: Revelation 17:18; 18:24; 19:2
5. How are the kingdoms of earth described in their relationship to God and His people?
Review: Revelation 1:5-6;
6. According to 1:5-6 and 5:9-10, what kind of kingdom is God building from the redeemed people of the earth?
7.How are these two kingdoms different?
- In earthly power?
- In morality?
Review: Revelation 2:26-27; 5:10
8. According to 2:26-27 and 5:10, when is the kingdom of priests allows to rule the kingdoms of the earth?
9. Does any earthy nation described by John appear to be Christian or made up of a majority of Christians? Matthew 7:13-14;22:9
10. Why is this possible or not possible?
Summary
Now that we have studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we can put together a worldview that aids in how a Christian should live and share the Gospel to all nations.
1. God is sovereign over all nations.
2. God guides judgement on nations that are responsible for deaths of humans which are created in His image. This includes bringing nonbelievers to kill other nonbelievers. God used the nation of Israel to execute judgement in the promise land, and then used the surrounding nations to execute judgement on Israel.
3. God does not require or need His messengers to bring His judgement. Flood, plagues on Egypt, serpents, earthquakes, famine, non-believing nations, and many other ways are examples of how God can bring judgement.
4. Vengeance belongs to God in this life and the next. God hears the cry of those that are murdered. From the first murder of Able, to the last. God will settle all accounts.
5. God’s sovereign plan is to reach a remnant from every nation, tongue, tribe, and people.
6. God’s desire is to show His love through His messengers being sent in a similar manner as His Son, Jesus. Without sword and as sheep among wolves.
7. All nations are under the influence of Satan. God’s sovereignty restrains him. If not, all followers of God would be dead. God allows him to kill almost all of His children in the end times. This brings about the severe wrath of God on both humans and the fallen angels. Because of God’s great mercy, the murder of His children and numerous humans created in His image is the only thing would bring such severe wrath to end the world as we know it.
8. God’s message of peace through Jesus Christ is never accepted by the majority of a nation. It is not possible for a nation to bear the message of Christ. For by doing so it would have to die to self thereby ceasing to be a nation.
9. The gospel message can only be preached by the kingdom of God, which is separate from the kingdoms of this world.
10. As the remnant is persecuted, it moves to whoever will receive God’s message until all the earth has a remnant.
11. The church on earth is made up of both wheat and tares, sheep and wolves. The church of God is not a denomination or sect, not Protestant, Catholic, or Orthodox but of those who hold to the teachings of Jesus and live as Christ.
Exercises
1. If you wish for this study to continue, then what do you think happened after the Book of Acts when Christianity started to spread to the Roman world?
2. How will the tares and wolves try to influence the church?
3. What will be the natural outcome of those that follow the peaceful teachings of Jesus when mixed with wolves?
4. How does the Book of Revelation comfort the early believers?
References
The Bible Project. Chapters 1-11. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nvVVcYD-0w
The Bible Project. Chapters 12-22 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpnIrbq2bKo&t=3s
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Thoughts of War 