Revelation Sermon Series–Week 15 Preview

The first take of Jesus’ Second Coming, the Parousia, was given back in 14:14-20. In that chapter, John saw how Jesus was coming for the harvest. Now in the second half of chapter 19, everything that we have learned so far in Revelation comes together. Now we see the full picture that when Jesus returns is when He defeats the beast (the antichrist) and the false prophet (the tool of the antichrist) that was described in chapter 17. The beast and false prophet have gathered their armies together at Armageddon and are prepared for battle (also the same scene as pictured in chapter 16). But as we learned in chapter 16, the battle never happens. The devil isn’t even able to fire off a shot. Jesus, who is called The Word of God (Rev. 19:13), simply seizes the beast and the false prophet and casts them into “the lake of fire that burns with sulfur” (Rev. 19:20), and all those who followed them, had the mark of the beast, are defeated.

This picture of judgment is not a pretty picture. The punishment for rejecting Jesus as Lord and Savior is horrific; a true glimpse of hell. While it might seem like there is no good news in this chapter, the good news is that it is here that we catch a glimpse of what Jesus suffered to save us. He faced this judgment, the wrath of God, that we deserved when He went to the cross and stood in our place.

This Week’s Verses: Isaiah 35:4-7a, Psalm 28, Rev. 19:11-21, Matthew 24:29-31