• Small rocky island in the Aegean Sea off the southwest coast of Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey).
• Site of John’s exile during the reign of Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81–96), where he received his visions and wrote the Book of Revelation.
• Desolate and barren in John’s day but an idyllic tourist destination and popular pilgrimage site today.
• Used as a penal colony by the Romans for criminals and political prisoners, including Christians. Prisoners were forced to labor in the mines and quarries of the island.
• Christianity on the island barely survived Muslim raids from the seventh to the ninth centuries A.D.
• The Monastery of Saint John the Theologian (founded in 1088) and the Cave of the Apocalypse (the grotto where John is said to have received his visions) are listed as World Heritage Sites.
Go to the Place Profiles Index.
John’s mention of “the Lord’s Day” likely refers to Sunday, suggesting that early Christians marked the first day of the week as especially important. That ancient practice invites the question of whether Sundays should be recognized as special today.
We know that the early church commemorated Sunday as the day Jesus rose from the dead. They met to worship, study, and celebrate the resurrection (1 Cor. 16:2). Their observance both paralleled and in some ways departed from Jewish Sabbath traditions, which commemorated God’s rest from creation on the last day of the week (see “Keeping the Sabbath” at Ex. 20:8–11 and “The Sabbath” at Heb. 4:1–13).
Some Jewish Christians kept the Sabbath as well as the custom of festival days. Many Gentiles in the church did not. Tension grew as some argued that God required adherence to Jewish customs for salvation. Significantly, when church leaders convened a council at Jerusalem to discuss the propriety of Gentile converts, they did not mandate Sabbath observance (Acts 15:20, 28, 29). Paul later told the Romans that individuals were free to decide whether or not to honor one day above another, but whatever their decision, no one should judge others for their convictions (see “Matters of Conscience” at Rom. 14:1–23; see also Gal. 4:10; Col. 2:16, 17).
The phrase “the Lord’s Day” occurs only here in all of Scripture. The people of Asia Minor—home of John’s intended readers—marked the first day of each month as the Emperor’s Day, and a day each week may also have gone by this name. Claiming the first day of the week as the Lord’s Day may have directly challenged emperor-worship, as John clearly does elsewhere in this book.
Go to the Insight Index.
The Church at the End of the First Century
First-century Christians met fierce opposition from political authorities determined to halt the spread of their message. Despite increasingly harsh treatment, these stalwart believers went a long way toward fulfilling the Lord’s mandate to take the gospel “to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Within three decades, they won converts throughout the Roman empire, including the capital city of Rome.
One factor behind these spectacular results was a focus on reaching urban communities (see “Paul’s Urban Strategy” at Acts 16:4). In Ephesus, Christian leaders penetrated specific groups of workers, who not only turned the city upside down with their new faith but proceeded to take the gospel inland so that “all who dwelt in Asia [Minor] heard the word of the Lord” (Acts 19:10; see also “The Ephesus Approach: How the Gospel Transformed a Community” at Acts 19:8–41).
In Revelation, John relays messages from the Lord to seven churches that had likely been established thanks to the Ephesians’ strategy (see “The Seven Churches of Revelation” at Rev. 3:1). The churches were located in provincial capitals in what is now the nation of Turkey. A clockwise route would have taken a courier to each of these cities. From there the message would spread to other regional churches.
At the time of John’s writing, Christians were likely facing intense persecution under Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81–96), who fostered a system of emperor-worship that demanded all citizens to refer to him as “Lord and God.” He used political, economic, and social measures to suppress anything perceived as resistance, including the rapidly spreading Christian movement. It was likely during this period that Christians first sought refuge in Rome’s catacombs, deep underground tunnels customarily used as burial chambers.
At the same time that Christians endured these external threats, they struggled with the internal perils of poverty, heresy, and dissension. Revelation refers to heretical teachers as teachers of Balaam (2:14), Jezebel (2:20), the Nicolaitans (2:6, 15), and the synagogue of Satan (2:9; 3:9). Although we do not know the exact nature of these heresies, emerging gnosticism may have been one of them (see “The Danger of Gnosticism” at 1 John 5:20). Syncretism and worldliness were also common problems (see “Syncretism: A Dangerous Mix” at Col. 2:1–23).
While John sent the Lord’s letters to seven groups of believers living at the end of the first century, the Book of Revelation serves as an open letter to Christians of all times and places, including believers of the modern age. Christ-followers in John’s day faced the “fiery trial” (1 Pet. 4:12) of false teachers and violent persecution in the name of emperor-worship. The Book of Revelation challenged them to hold to the truth and persevere through suffering. Likewise, we can find encouragement in the pages of Revelation for our own challenges—for example, standing up for biblical principles in opposition to mainstream relativism and culturally acceptable immorality, sharing our faith with others under the rule of governments that do not support freedom of religion, and persevering through personal hardships that overwhelm us with feelings of doubt and despair.
More: For more on the dramatic penetration of the gospel into the Roman world, see “The Movement Takes Hold” at Acts 1:1. Countless believers over the centuries have endured deep hardship yet found strength in Christ to persevere. To learn more about these remarkable men and women, explore the Life Studies index.
Go to the Focus Index.
The New Testament provides more information about the church at Ephesus than about any other first-century church. The biblical record of the Christians at Ephesus spans seven documents by three authors over roughly four decades. John’s letter assesses that forty-year-old congregation. He commends solid accomplishments but also warns them about a glaring weakness. Learn more in the following features:
Key People
• Priscilla and Aquila: see their profile at Romans 16:3–5.
• Apollos: see his profile at Acts 18:24–28.
• Paul: see his profile at Acts 13:9.
• Timothy: see his profile at 2 Timothy 1:1.
Key Places and Events
• See “The Ephesus Approach: How the Gospel Transformed a Community” at Acts 19:8–41.
• See the introduction to Ephesians.
• See “The New Testament Church” at Ephesians 1:1.
• See the city of Ephesus’s profile at Ephesians 1:1.
• See the introductions to 1 and 2 Timothy.
• See “The Seven Churches of Revelation” at Revelation 3:1.
Key Biblical Texts
• Beginnings: Acts 18:18–28.
• Foundations and growth: Acts 19:1–41.
• Leadership: Acts 20:13–38.
• Correspondence: the Book of Ephesians.
• Pastoral counsel: the books of 1 and 2 Timothy.
• Praise and warning: Revelation 2:1–7.
Studying the experiences of this early Christian community gives insight to our own modern gatherings. Would you describe your congregation as a living temple of God? In what areas is your church strong? In what areas is it weak? What changes must you make as you face present challenges? What warnings is God giving to your congregation? How do you pray for your church? How are you planning for the future?
Go to the Focus Index.
• A city of the province of Lydia in western Asia Minor, located on the road from Pergamos to Sardis.
• Situated on the southern bank of the Lycus River, a branch of the Hermus River.
• Although not a large city, it was a thriving manufacturing and commercial center during New Testament times. Archaeologists have uncovered evidence of many trade guilds and unions there. Membership in these guilds was necessary for financial and social success but often involved idol worship, feasts using food sacrificed to idols, and sexual immorality.
• Home of Lydia of Philippi (see Lydia’s profile as well as “The Trade in Purple” at Acts 16:14). Lydia is the first person known to have responded to the gospel in Europe.
• Modern-day name of Thyatira is Akhisar, which means “White Castle.”
• See Thyatira’s location on the maps at Patmos’s profile at Rev. 1:9 and at “The Seven Churches of Revelation” at Rev. 3:1.
Go to the Place Profiles Index.
This wife of King Ahab was named Jezebel (see her profile at 1 Kin. 19:1), and she was so vile (16:31; 21:25; 2 Kin. 9:7–10, 22) that her name has stood as a symbol of evil for thousands of years, even among some people today. Here in Revelation, another “Jezebel” encourages idol worship and immorality.
This woman was no follower of Christ. She led people astray, yet the Thyatiran Christians had tolerated her false ideas and promotion of sexual promiscuity. The Lord urged this community to repent lest they suffer the same destruction as the unrepentant Jezebel in their midst.
Go to the Insight Index.
The Seven Churches of Revelation
Each of the seven churches of Revelation, located in Asia Minor, received a message from Christ that revealed their strengths and weaknesses. We might find parallels to our own churches in these evaluations.
Church:
Ephesus (Rev. 2:1–7)
Description:
The Loveless Church
Praised for … :
• labor
• patience
• not putting up with evil people
• testing false apostles
• perseverance
• hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans
Warned about … :
leaving their first love
Church:
Smyrna (Rev. 2:8–11)
Description:
The Persecuted Church
Praised for … :
• tribulation
• poverty
Warned about … :
needing to be faithful under persecution
Church:
Pergamos (Rev. 2:12–17)
Description:
The Compromising Church
Praised for … :
• holding fast to Christ’s name
• not denying the faith, even when faced with martyrdom
Warned about … :
• allowing false teaching to spread immorality and idolatry
• holding to Nicolaitan doctrine
Church:
Thyatira (Rev. 2:18–29)
Description:
The Corrupt Church
Praised for … :
• love
• service
• faith
• patience
Warned about … :
• allowing Jezebel to seduce others to immorality and idolatry
• needing to hold fast and overcome
Church:
Sardis (Rev. 3:1–6)
Description:
The Dead Church
Praised for … :
• a few faithful people
Warned about … :
deadness of faith, despite their reputation for being alive
Church:
Philadelphia (Rev. 3:7–13)
Description:
The Faithful Church
Praised for … :
• a little strength
• keeping Christ’s word
• not denying Christ’s name
• perseverance
Warned about … :
needing to hold fast to what they had and persevering through coming tribulations
Church:
Laodicea (Rev. 3:14–22)
Description:
The Lukewarm Church
Warned about … :
• being lukewarm
• pretending to be spiritually rich when they were spiritually impoverished
• a need for repentance and overcoming
Go to the Insight Index.
The words attributed to the Laodiceans, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing” have an interesting historical background. Laodicea had become an extremely wealthy city under Roman rule. And when an earthquake destroyed the city in A.D. 61, the Laodiceans were tenaciously self-sufficient, refusing aid from Rome for rebuilding.
Go to the Insight Index.
The book of Revelation records two heavenly songs that celebrate God’s twin works of creation and redemption:
1. A creation hymn lauds God’s creation and sustaining of the universe for our benefit (Gen. 1:1–31). Twenty-four elders proclaim, “You are worthy, O Lord … for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created.”
2. A redemption hymn declares that God offered up the necessary sacrifice through Christ to rescue us from sin. Four creatures and twenty-four elders holding harps sing, “You are worthy … for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood.”
These two superlative gifts of God—creation and redemption—then cause every creature in heaven and on earth to burst forth in praise, singing, “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him” (Rev. 5:13).
These glorious scenes should move us to put our worship into action. God’s creative activity prompts us to work on behalf of the environment. His redemptive activity prompts us to take His message of saving grace to “the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8).
It is important to note that instead of choosing one of these crucial emphases over the other, we are to strike a balance between both. God’s calling is a dual calling; He commands us to steward His creation, wisely watching over its resources (Gen. 1:26–31) and to carry His words to the world, making disciples of all peoples (Matt. 28:18–20).
More: The overarching story of creation and redemption runs through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. See “The Big Picture Bible” at 2 Tim. 3:16, 17. John Milton drew upon this overarching story for his works Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained. See here for an article on the life of John Milton.
Go to the Focus Index.
John’s vision of “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” standing before God and worshiping together in song assures us that one day we will all experience full equality. Racism, sexism, elitism, every form of prejudice and discrimination will be no more. People will at last regard each other in their true light as equals.
Scripture begins with a creation that is “very good” (Gen. 1:31). Adam and Eve were entrusted with authority over God’s handiwork and with the responsibility to tend the garden in full partnership. But sin’s arrival ruined God’s original design. Revelation shows His original intention recovered:
• The Lamb arrives to lead God’s people into a renewed future (Rev. 5:1–7).
• The fullness of God’s Spirit pervades creation (5:6).
• Followers from every tribe and nation are appointed to leadership (5:9, 10).
• The saints are empowered to be “kings and priests to our God” as He rules the earth (5:10).
• Jubilant praise and worship unite every creature before God (5:11–14).
God’s original design will one day become clear for all to see. In the meantime, we are to live out as best we can the new realities of this coming kingdom so that others can welcome Christ into their lives and one day be numbered among the heavenly multitude.
More: Martin Luther King Jr. also envisioned a future of equality and love between all peoples—a dream that people continue to work toward today. See here for an article on the life of Martin Luther King Jr., whose modern prophetic voice inspired the world.
Go to the Focus Index.
For some people, Christ makes little or no difference to their worldview. But Revelation 4–10 gives us a glimpse of eternity, showing that the time we spend on earth is only a brief prelude to something much bigger—and how we respond to Jesus has everything to do with where we will spend it.
This section reveals the coming apocalypse and the joy that awaits in heaven (Rev. 4:1). The contrasts couldn’t be more striking. Those who embrace Christ as God’s provision for sin can anticipate a celebration that exceeds their highest expectations. Those who reject Christ have reason to tremble. Their refusal to accept His free gift of forgiveness ensures that they will experience God’s righteous wrath.
Only in Christ can we escape this wrath. God offers safety that begins now and lasts forever, but waiting to accept His offer only increases our risk of experiencing judgment and deprives us of enjoying a new life today. Our choice for or against Jesus has eternal consequences.
With Christ: Worship | Without Christ: Wrath |
Splendor and beauty (Rev. 4:2–8) Praise and adoration (4:8–11) Access to God (5:1–8) Outbursts of worship (5:9) Exalted status (5:10) Affirmation (5:11–14) Restoration (6:9–11) Protection (7:2–8) An end to suffering (7:9–17) Bitter becomes sweet (10:9) | No peace (Rev. 6:4) Killing unleashed (6:5) Death reigns (6:8) Earth collapses (6:12–17) Fires and earthquakes (8:5) Destruction surges (8:7–10) Rampant death (8:11) Pervasive darkness (8:12) Worldwide woes (8:13) Tormenting plagues (9:2–11) More death (9:18) |
Go to the Focus Index.
The angels that John saw standing at the four corners of earth are among the countless spirits that serve God and His people (Heb. 1:7, 14). Angels appear frequently in the Book of Revelation (for example, Rev. 1:20; 5:2, 11; 7:2, 11; 8:2, 6; 12:7; 14:6; 15:1; 18:21; 20:1; 22:8). They also play a part in many other New Testament events. Angels …
• Foretold to Zacharias the birth of John the Baptist (Luke 1:11–20).
• Told Mary that she would bear the Christ (1:26–38).
• Relieved Joseph’s doubts about Mary’s pregnancy (Matt. 1:20–25).
• Announced Jesus’ birth to shepherds near Bethlehem (Luke 2:8–15).
• Warned Joseph to flee due to Herod’s plan to kill Jesus (Matt. 2:13).
• Encouraged Joseph to return to Israel with his family (2:19, 20).
• Ministered to Jesus after His temptation in the wilderness (4:11).
• Appeared to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane to give Him strength (Luke 22:43).
• Told the women at the empty tomb that Jesus was alive (Matt. 28:2–6).
• Promised the crowd observing Jesus’ ascension that He would return in like manner (Acts 1:10, 11).
• Led Peter and John out of prison (5:17–20).
• Told Philip to go into the desert where he met the Ethiopian treasurer (8:26).
• Told the centurion Cornelius to send for Peter (10:3–8).
• Released Peter from prison (12:7).
• Struck down Herod for not giving glory to God (12:23).
• Stood by Paul during a storm at sea to assure him that he would stand before Caesar (27:23, 24).
More: Learn more about angels in “Angels and the Exile” at Zech. 3:1 and “Angels and Demons” at Matt. 8:29.
Go to the Insight Index.
Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all the nations (Greek: ethnē, “peoples”; see “To Every Nation” at Matt. 28:19). As John leads us into heaven’s throne room, we see the fulfillment of that mandate. Standing before Christ the Lamb is a throng of “all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues” so large it cannot be counted.
Two groups are present—representatives from God’s people, the Jews (Rev. 7:3–8), and Gentile believers (7:9, 10). Just as Jesus predicted, the gospel has spread from Jerusalem to “the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jews and Gentiles have joined together to receive God’s promised salvation. God dwells among His people. Jesus the Shepherd supplies all their needs (Rev. 7:14–17).
In response to this worldwide, multiethnic and multicultural salvation, every creature in heaven and on earth falls before God in worship and song (7:11, 12).
For now, we live in a world wracked by hatred and international conflict. Knowing that God intends to populate heaven with people of every ethnicity, nation, and language matters deeply for all who claim to follow Christ. If God’s heart reaches to the entire world, so should ours.
Go to the Focus Index.
A cascade of dramatic events pours from the Book of Revelation, and the torrent of images can be confusing for many readers. But it can help to see how John’s vision is presented in a tightly structured format that follows the three time frames Jesus told John to write about: “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this” (Rev. 1:19).
“The things which you have seen” (1:1–20)
“The things which are” (2:1—3:22)
• Letter to the church at Ephesus (2:1–7)
• Letter to the church at Smyrna (2:8–11)
• Letter to the church at Pergamos (2:12–17)
• Letter to the church at Thyatira (2:18–29)
• Letter to the church at Sardis (3:1–6)
• Letter to the church at Philadelphia (3:7–13)
• Letter to the church at Laodicea (3:14–22)
“The things which will take place after this” (4:1—22:21)
• Worship in heaven (4:1—5:14)
• The final judgment and the triumph of God (17:1—20:15)
• A new heaven and new earth (21:1—22:5)
• Conclusion (22:6–21)
Another pattern exists within the portion of the book devoted to the seven seals, seven trumpets, seven signs, and seven bowls (6:1—16:21). Six of the seven items play out, followed by a challenge to perseverance and faithfulness. Then the seventh item unfolds.
The seventh item of each group gives rise to the action that follows: the seventh seal contains seven trumpets, the seventh trumpet contains seven signs, the seventh sign contains seven bowls, and the seventh bowl contains the final judgment. This suggests that the apocalyptic events will steadily increase in their intensity, building toward the final defeat of evil and the triumph of Christ.
These events send Christians a clear message: God is in control, His will ultimately will be done, and His people should therefore stand firm, trust in His power, and wait for deliverance from whatever trials they suffer.
More: Understanding the Book of Revelation as apocalyptic literature also helps us appreciate its meaning. See “Apocalyptic Literature” at Rev. 10:1–10.
Go to the Insight Index.
Climate change. Habitat destruction. Overpopulation. Some both inside and outside the church think that God cares little about these issues, as if He made the earth’s resources to be exploited by human beings with little regard for long-term consequences. But God designed us to be more than consumers; He designed us to be caretakers (Gen. 1:26–29).
A biblical view of the environment begins by acknowledging God as the owner of everything we see. “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness,” the psalmist declares (Ps. 24:1). As maker and owner of the universe, God entrusts us with managing the world’s resources as a gift, which we are to use to serve each other (see “God and the Environment” at Ps. 104:14–23, 35). Our management role is part of living as people made in God’s image (Gen. 1:26–29). We will answer to Him both individually and collectively for how we handle this trust.
John describes rampant destruction and violence in the end times, but not all will be consumed. The command not to harm “the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree” (Rev. 9:4) echoes Gen. 1:29: “every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed.”
God shows the same concern for our planet when He sends a messenger to the four angels “to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea,” so that the messenger will cry out in a loud voice, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees” (Rev. 7:2, 3). Likewise, the new heaven and new earth include a “pure river of water of life, clear as crystal … the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations” (22:1, 2).
God’s creation deserves the sort of respect that its Creator demonstrates toward it. And in modern times, the environment needs our faithful management more than ever. There are countless ways we can do our part—regularly recycling, being mindful not to waste water or electricity, sharing rides in order to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions, participating in a community-supported agriculture project, or donating to environmental protection organizations, for example.
Often the thing that keeps us from doing more for the environment is not a major obstacle but a minor inconvenience. But these inconveniences will be well worth it not only for future generations but for ourselves when we find ourselves standing before the Lord to answer for our work on behalf of creation.
Go to the Focus Index.
Names for Satan in the New Testament
Two names are given to the “angel of the bottomless pit”: Abaddon (“Destruction”) and Apollyon (“Destroyer”). There is no mistaking this reference to Satan (“Adversary”), the archenemy of God. His other New Testament appellations also reveal his evil character:
• Beelzebub, ruler of the demons (Matt. 12:24)
• The enemy (13:39)
• Murderer (John 8:44)
• Liar (8:44)
• The ruler of this world (12:31; 14:30)
• The god of this age (2 Cor. 4:4)
• Belial (6:15, according to some interpretations)
• The prince of the power of the air (Eph. 2:2)
• The tempter (1 Thess. 3:5)
• A roaring lion (1 Pet. 5:8)
• The adversary (5:8)
• The dragon (Rev. 12:7)
• The accuser of our brethren (12:10)
• The serpent of old (20:2)
• The deceiver (20:10)
More: Satan leads a vast army of fallen angels in open rebellion against God. See “Demons” at Luke 11:14.
Go to the Insight Index.
An angel straddling land and sea (Rev. 10:1, 2). A voice from heaven (10:4). The number seven (10:4, 7). Prophecies about “peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” (10:11). These are features of a genre of writing known as apocalyptic literature. Although the Book of Revelation is more than just any apocalyptic work, in that it is part of Scripture, understanding the main features of the apocalyptic genre is crucial to deciphering its contents.
The Greek word for apocalypse means “revelation,” “unveiling,” or “disclosure.” Apocalyptic literature reveals mysteries about heaven and earth, mankind and God, angels and demons, the life of the world today, and the world to come. This type of writing first arose among Jews and Christians during the approximate period of 200 B.C. to A.D. 200.
Characteristics
Apocalyptic literature employs literary devices, styles, and motifs that set it apart from other genres of literature. Some examples:
• Visions that reveal secrets from heaven about the present and the future. Apocalyptic visions are often caused by a trauma or major event that creates a crisis in the writer’s life (for example, Rev. 1:9, 10). One vision often leads to others.
• Ethical conclusions drawn from the writer’s visionary experiences. For example, John’s seven letters to seven churches in Revelation 2–3 are composed in response to a vision and a divine commission (1:19). The letters call the churches to specific ethical and moral decisions.
• Anonymous or attributed authorship. Revelation is an exception among apocalyptic works in naming its actual author (1:1, 9). Many non-canonical apocalyptic books attribute their origins to famous prophets of old, including Ezra, Enoch, Jeremiah, and Moses, likely as an attempt to give the work a sense of credibility.
• Powerful symbolism. Apocalyptic books stretch our imagination with dramatic images full of extreme actions and outcomes; numerology and colors are especially important. Often the books’ contemporary readers are intended to grasp the meanings of symbols and connect them to events of the time.
• Stark contrasts between good and evil. Apocalyptic writing is dualistic, splitting everything into clear categories of good and evil, right and wrong. All the people and creatures of Revelation, for example, are either on the side of God, who is holy, righteous, and just, or on the side of Satan, who is surrounded by abominations, idolatry, and evil.
• A concern with end times. Apocalyptic authors look to future events, offering hope to those who long for justice and deliverance from evil, but also issuing warnings to those who rebel against God.
Messages
Apocalyptic authors used their writing to communicate critical messages to their readers. The following themes occur in all apocalyptic writings:
• An imminent end. Apocalyptic writers put the demise of the world in the near future. A sense of immediacy lends urgency to their message.
• A cosmic perspective. The coming destruction extends to the entire universe, emphasizing cataclysmic judgments.
• History is unbending. Apocalyptic literature describes a history fixed by God before creation, with human beings living out a predetermined drama. Many writings divide history into the present world, ruled by Satan and his legions, and the world to come, when evil will be eliminated and God will rule supreme.
• Angels and demons. Spirits take active roles in human events. Satan and his demons—fallen angels—are to blame for much evil. Angels still loyal to God protect and serve His faithful followers.
• A new heaven and a new earth. The end times return to the beginning of creation. Out of heaven comes a new heaven and a new earth. The old is destroyed, replaced by a new creation where God reigns without opposition.
• A messiah. In most apocalyptic writings, a mediator between God and human beings accomplishes the world’s final salvation. Revelation shows that Christ is our Messiah, and the “King of kings and Lord of lords” (19:16).
Revelation forms a part of God’s revealed Word, putting it in a class of its own among apocalyptic works. Like other inspired Scriptures, it is reliable and authoritative, possessing an integrity and trustworthiness not found in uninspired writings. But studying other works in the genre of apocalyptic literature helps us identify Revelation’s themes and better understand God’s message.
Go to the Insight Index.
Businesses, governments, nonprofit organizations, and churches all engage in the pursuit and defense of power. As John envisions God’s triumph over evil, however, it is clear that God holds ultimate authority. The dramatic scenes of Revelation are part of an overarching New Testament lesson on power:
• Humility unleashes a tremendous power to be used for God’s purposes (see “The Power of Humility” at Matt. 3:11).
• Forgiveness is a liberating power Jesus delegates to His followers (see “The Power of Forgiveness” at Matt. 9:4–8).
• Like fire, power can be used to accomplish good or evil (see “Three Dangers of Power” at Luke 3:14).
• All power comes from God, who holds us accountable for its use (see “Seeing Behind Power” at John 19:10, 11).
• Jesus gives His followers unique capabilities to do His work (see “You Shall Receive Power” at Acts 1:8).
• God’s power has nothing to do with outward appearances or worldly applause (see “The Illusion of Power” at Acts 8:18, 19).
• Christ’s message is potent enough to transform lives (see “New Creatures with New Character” at Gal. 5:22, 23).
• The gospel seems foolish to many people but is far more forceful than even most powerful people in our culture can imagine (see “Foolishness to the Perishing” at 1 Cor. 1:18).
• We sometimes surrender control of our lives to our own ambitions and possessions (see “Managing Commitments” at 1 Cor. 6:12).
• Weakness can make a person strong (see “Strength Through Weakness” at 2 Cor. 12:7–10).
Go to the Focus Index.
Revelation casts its female characters in two extremes of moral character—they are either extraordinarily good or outrageously bad. Such dichotomies are typical of apocalyptic literature (see “Apocalyptic Literature” at Rev. 10:1–10). The marked dualism and unusual actions of these women suggest that we should view them in a symbolic light rather than a literal one.
Jezebel
Christ rebukes the church at Thyatira for allowing “that woman Jezebel” (2:20) to encourage immorality and teach people to worship false gods. In the Old Testament, Queen Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab. Together they were probably Israel’s most wicked rulers (see “That Woman Jezebel” at Rev. 2:20–23). Christ says that He will judge not only Jezebel but also her children, meaning those who follow her ways.
The Woman Giving Birth
Attacked by an evil dragon, this woman takes refuge in God (12:1–6). Because she bears a male child, some conclude that this woman represents Mary the mother of Jesus; others see her as Israel, the collective “mother” that brought forth the Messiah. The dragon’s attempts to destroy her and “the rest of her offspring” (12:17) may refer to Satan’s struggles to destroy Israel and disrupt the Messianic line.
Babylon, the Great Harlot
The harlot is found in a number of passages in Revelation (14:8; 17:1–6, 15–18; 18:1–24). Old Testament prophets, such as Hosea and Ezekiel, often pointed to adulterers and prostitutes as symbols of people who practiced idolatry. Like an adulteress unfaithful to her husband, God’s people betray Him by worshiping other gods (see “Harlots Enter the Kingdom” at Matt. 21:31, 32). Revelation 17 identifies the harlot as Babylon, which first-century readers likely understood as a code name for Rome (see “Babylon: A Symbol of Evil” at Rev. 14:8). Unlike the New Jerusalem that descends from heaven with glory and blessing (ch. 21), Babylon is shattered and judged for persecuting God’s people and corrupting earth’s peoples (ch. 18).
The Wife (Bride) of the Lamb
As the marriage feast of the Lamb approaches, a bride has made herself ready. The description of this woman clothing herself in righteous acts (19:8) suggests that she represents the church.
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The predominance of pain, suffering, and evil in our world causes some to wonder whether a good and powerful God exists—and if He does, why He does not immediately halt evil’s ravaging effects? John’s vision of a beast rising out of the sea and wreaking havoc sends an important message: evil only happens with God’s permission, and He limits whatever evil does occur. Note that the beast “was given authority to continue for forty-two months” (Rev. 13:5), a predefined, restricted length of time.
God restrains evil so that we do not experience its full onslaught. Several Old Testament incidents reveal His restraining work:
• Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:22–24). After the first humans sinned, God drove them from the garden and barred their reentry to protect them from eating of the tree of life and being separated from Him forever.
• The Flood (6:5–8). When God saw that evil had corrupted the entire world, He sent the Flood. Restricting sin made a fresh start for the earth possible.
• The Tower of Babel (11:1–9). Evil again threatened to consume creation, but God intervened by confusing the people’s language, thus limiting human collusion in sin. God spared humanity from itself.
• Job (Job 1:6—2:10). Satan intended to prove to God that Job’s faithfulness was dependent on divine blessings. God granted Satan limited permission to inflict suffering, then blessed Job again after he persevered.
John gave early Christians an accurate view of good and evil in a time of intense persecution, when many needed to be reassured that God had not totally given the world over to evil forces. As we encounter disaster on a global, community, or personal level, we too can take comfort in the knowledge that no matter how bad things get, God will never forsake us.
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Old Testament prophets often prophesied about the fall of ancient Babylon, capital of an empire that destroyed Jerusalem and led God’s people away in chains. Much later, among early Christians, Babylon may have been a code name for Rome, a city built on seven hills (Rev. 17:9; see also the map at the introduction to Romans) and center of an imperial power that severely persecuted Christians under the Emperor Domitian (A.D. 81–96). In the Book of Revelation, Babylon assumes an even larger symbolic meaning, standing for an entire world system in rebellion against God.
Ancient Babylon had oppressed and captured Judah (see “The Babylonians” at 2 Chr. 36:6 and “The Three Campaigns of the Babylonians” at Jer. 52:4–7). John’s figurative Babylon torments Christ’s followers and holds them captive. History is a war between two cities: “Babylon,” capital of idolatry and oppression, and “Jerusalem,” center of Christ’s peace and justice.
John’s vision builds to an epic clash between these two centers of power. In chapter 14, judgment finally falls on Babylon when the bowls, plagues, and intoxicating wine of God’s wrath are poured out on her. Even as evil tries to reassert itself, the outcome is certain. Christ will prevail.
The Fall of Babylon in Revelation
• Babylon is brought down for making “all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev. 14:8).
• Babylon is shattered by God, who remembers the city’s sinful habits and gives it “the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (16:19).
• Babylon is given the title “Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and of the Abominations of the Earth” (17:5).
• Babylon falls and becomes “a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird” (18:2).
• Babylon is mourned as it wallows in terrifying torment, with onlookers crying out, “Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come” (18:10).
• Babylon “shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore” (18:21).
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The hailstones that fall from heaven are described as weighing “the weight of a talent.” A talent was a measure used as a monetary unit (compare Matt. 25:15). The table below shows the monetary systems used by New Testament peoples.
Jewish Weights
Unit: Talent
Equivalents: 3,000 shekels; 6,000 bekas
Translations: talent
Unit: Shekel
Equivalents: 4 days’ wages; 2 bekas; 20 gerahs
Translations: shekel
Unit: Beka
Equivalents: 1/2 shekel; 10 gerahs
Translations: bekah
Unit: Gerah
Equivalents: 1/20 shekel
Translations: gerah
Persian Coins
Unit: Daric
Equivalents: 2 days’ wages; 1/2 Jewish silver shekel
Translations: drachma
Greek Coins
Unit: Tetradrachma (Stater)
Equivalents: 4 drachmas
Translations: piece of money
Unit: Didrachma
Equivalents: 2 drachmas
Translations: tribute
Unit: Drachma
Equivalents: 1 day’s wage
Translations: piece of silver
Unit: Lepton
Equivalents: 1/2 of a Roman kodrantes
Translations: mite
Roman Coins
Unit: Aureus
Equivalents: 25 denarii
Unit: Denarius
Equivalents: 1 day’s wage
Translations: denarius
Unit: Assarius
Equivalents: 1/16 of a denarius
Translations: copper coin
Unit: Kodrantes
Equivalents: 1/4 of an assarius
Translations: penny, quadrans
More: Learn more about money’s origins and use among ancient peoples in “A History of Money” at 1 Chr. 29:8.
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Too much wealth endangers the moral and spiritual health of individuals, cities, and nations. Luxury can lead us into spiritual carelessness, greed, and ruin. Jesus frankly warned the world about the “deceitfulness of riches” (Matt. 13:22). Paul wrote that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (1 Tim. 6:10).
John envisions a Babylon entrapped by her wealth. The literal ancient city had achieved wealth, power, and dominance through unrelenting warfare, oppression, and corruption, making it notorious throughout the known world for plundering others for selfish gain. Here in Revelation, Babylon likely symbolizes not only Rome but an entire world system at war with God (see “Babylon: A Symbol of Evil” at Rev. 14:8).
Babylon’s people pay a heavy price for their self-indulgent lifestyle and the injustice they inflict to maintain it. Their cruelty and deception do not go unanswered:
• The city becomes a dwelling place for demons (18:2).
• Insulated from pain, she suffers from denial (18:4–8).
• Her economic systems and trading partnerships are dissolved (18:11–18, 22, 23).
• Her possessions disappear and she is left desolate (18:19).
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Occult beliefs and practices—fortune-telling, witchcraft, astrology, and more—charm a never-ending supply of new devotees. John reveals the occult’s true nature when he says that Babylon’s sorcery has deceived the nations.
Although occult practices were common among ancient cultures, God’s people were explicitly prohibited from engaging in any kind of occult practice. That directive extends to Christians today. Among the practices called “an abomination to the LORD” (Deut. 18:12) are the following:
• child sacrifice (making a child “pass through the fire,” 2 Kin. 17:17, for example),
• witchcraft,
• soothsaying (divination possibly similar to astrology or reading tea leaves),
• interpreting omens,
• sorcery,
• conjuring spells,
• consulting mediums,
• spiritism, and
• calling upon the dead.
The New Testament shows the gospel exposing the sorcerers Simon (Acts 8:9–25) and Elymas (13:6–8). The Book of Acts also mentions “itinerant Jewish exorcists” (19:13) who attempted to drive out evil spirits by using Jesus’ name, even though for them it was an empty gesture.
The New Testament word translated sorcery comes from the same Greek word from which we derive the English word pharmacy. The denunciations of Revelation 9:21, 18:23, 21:8, and 22:15 also apply to those who use drugs to bring on trances in an attempt to gain supernatural insight or power.
More: Scripture strongly warns us against even casually dabbling in magic and the occult. See “The Seduction of Spirits” at Deut. 18:9–14.
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A Voice in the Wilderness
George Frideric Handel (1685–1759) grew up in a home where it was difficult for children to make themselves heard. His father was a distinguished barber-surgeon who planned for his son to study the law. When he discovered his son’s early propensity for music, he instantly forbade him to meddle with any musical instrument. Nevertheless, Handel had a small clavichord smuggled into the family’s attic, where he snuck away to practice while his family slept. A duke who later heard the eight-year-old play convinced his father to relent, and soon the boy was studying with a cathedral organist. The music that resulted from Handel’s lifetime of composing has endured for centuries, most notably his Messiah, a masterful celebration of the biblical story of redemption.
Born in Halle, a center of education in eastern Germany, Handel dutifully applied himself to legal studies after his father’s death, also earning a one-year appointment as the organist in a former cathedral that currently housed an evangelical reformed church. He continued to yearn for a full-time career in music, however, and in 1703 Handel left his hometown for the city of Hamburg to play violin and harpsichord in the city’s orchestra. He also began composing operas. His compositions received critical acclaim, and he made enough money to travel to Italy without the restrictions of a sponsor. Handel’s fame took him to London in 1710, and in 1714, a patron he had earlier abandoned now arrived to rule as George I of England. After an awkward reunion, Handel regained the king’s favor by composing Water Music for a royal gala.
As the years passed, operas were quickly losing their popularity, and Handel’s works were being played in empty halls. By 1737, the composer was bankrupt. That same year, he suffered what may have been a stroke, disabling four fingers on his right hand and making it impossible for him to play any instruments. But whatever the cause of his ailment, Handel recovered. Perhaps taking his recent infirmity as his cue, he then shifted his composition from lavishly theatrical operas to simpler orchestral and vocal pieces that were more accessible to the middle class. Many Christians thought these compositions, often based on Scripture, were the devil’s work, and they tore down his advertisements, unimpressed with Handel’s claim that he was a devout Christian who found solace and inspiration in setting Scripture to music.
Handel had fallen into a deep depression when his friend Charles Jennens handed him a compilation of Scripture intended for a musical production about the biblical story of redemption. It began with Old Testament prophecies of a coming Messiah and continued through Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection, concluding with the Second Coming and the Last Judgment. Jennens hoped that such a production would reach people who preferred the theater to church.
Handel composed the two-hundred-and-sixty-page score of Messiah in twenty-four days. Upon completing the famous “Hallelujah” chorus, he reportedly cried out, “I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself.”
Handel was fifty-seven years old when Messiah was first performed. The performance took place in Dublin, Ireland, as part of a series of concerts conducted to raise money for local hospitals and debtors’ prison relief. Yet despite Messiah’s success in Ireland, raising considerable sums for charity and receiving rave reviews, Handel’s masterpiece met with a cool reception in London. Even Jennens complained that Handel “has made a fine entertainment of it, though not near so good as he might and ought to have done.”
Only in the last years of his life did Handel see his Messiah gain widespread popularity, but it has since become one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music. Handel’s legacy is a testament to both his musical genius and his spiritual insight. The Book of Revelation reveals much of the latter part of God’s plan for humanity, but the Bible’s grand story of redemption has been unfolding over millennia. Thanks to Handel’s determination to give voice to his music even when others would have silenced him, Messiah has helped countless listeners experience the joy of God’s perfect design.
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The fact that John’s vision ends in a marriage between Christ the Lamb and His bride the church should offer hope for modern families. Families face inevitable pain simply because all families are made up of sinners, but this was not God’s original intention. He instituted the family by joining Adam and Eve as “one flesh” (Gen. 2:24), a perfect relationship. But their sin and rebellion brought turmoil into their relationship and into all subsequent families. Adam and Eve experienced horrifying grief firsthand when their son Cain murdered his brother Abel (4:1–16). But amid the worst of this fallen world, God wants families to experience His best. Scripture teaches us how we can begin to enjoy His restoration:
• It encourages parents to raise children in an environment of truth and integrity (Deut. 6:2–9).
• It shows how a family devastated by death and the prospect of poverty was lifted out of hardship (the Book of Ruth).
• It tells the story of a family destroyed by evil but restored twofold by a faithful God (Job 1:13–21; 2:9; 42:10–17).
• It affirms the beauty of sexual love within marriage and celebrates passion, fidelity, and integrity (the Song of Solomon).
• It encourages restoration of broken relationships, just as God diligently rebuilds His bond with His people (Hos. 1:2—2:23).
• It offers a template for marriage that features mutual submission, loyalty, love, and discipline that does not alienate—a pattern similar to Christ’s relationship to His bride the church (Eph. 5:21—6:4).
God’s original design for the family cannot be destroyed. For now, we endure the pain of imperfect human relationships or even a fragmented family. But God’s healing and love will one day win out, and He will “wipe away every tear” from our eyes, for “there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying” (Rev. 21:4).
More: For more Scriptural insights into the family, see “Family Expectations” at Gen. 42:36 and “Help for Families” at Heb. 12:3–13.
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On some days we may look around at the world and wonder whatever happened to ethics and justice. But the Bible shows that justice will soon reign.
God never overlooks injustice, and Scripture promises that He will deal with evil absolutely and finally. John’s vision looks ahead to this ultimate triumph:
• God will bind evil and cast it into a bottomless pit (Rev. 20:2, 3).
• He will seal the source of evil (20:3).
• He will administer judgment and restore Christians killed unjustly (20:4).
• He will at long last deal with Satan after allowing him a final attempt to deceive (20:7–9); the devil’s punishment includes eternal torment (20:10, 14).
• The dead will stand before God and be judged (20:11–15).
As we live out God’s righteousness in our communities, families, and workplaces, we can be sure that no human being—no matter how impartial and objective—or biased and corrupt—is the final judge. Justice will be administered by One we can thoroughly trust: God, through Christ.
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The word Bible comes from the Greek word biblos (“book”). The Bible is one complete book unified in theme and message. It is also a collection of sixty-six books, a library of God’s Word to humanity. As the Bible’s first and last books, Genesis and Revelation help define the collection, showing us the beginning and end of history. In Revelation 21:1, John reveals a new heaven and new earth that take us back to the beginnings of the world.
Genesis | Revelation |
God creates the world. | God creates a new heaven and new earth. |
The devil introduces sin into the world. | The devil is defeated and sin is destroyed. |
Humanity falls into sin. | God restores people to sinlessness. |
The world is subjected to the Curse. | The Curse is removed. |
People are separated from God. | People live with God forever. |
People shed tears. | God wipes away every tear. |
People are barred from the tree of life. | People eat freely from the tree of life. |
Death enters the world. | Death is destroyed and people live forever. |
People’s language is confused and they are scattered. | The world’s peoples come together to sing the Lord’s praises. |
More: The Bible is a magnificent three-part story. See “The Big Picture Bible” at 2 Tim. 3:16, 17.
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As John draws Revelation to a close, he gives us a glimpse of a New Jerusalem descending from heaven. It is Jerusalem as it was intended to be—finally fulfilling its calling as a light to the nations, a place of justice and peace, and the dwelling place of God.
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A New Creation
Born in a Roman province in North Africa to a devout Christian mother and a pagan father, Augustine (354–430) dabbled in several philosophies before finally embracing his mother’s faith. Augustine’s licentious lifestyle and pagan views were a source of deep anguish for his mother Monica, who dreamed that her son would become a Christian and prayed ceaselessly for his conversion. When her seventeen-year-old son moved to Carthage to study rhetoric, Monica followed, against his wishes. When Augustine was offered a professorship in Rome, Monica begged him not to go. Augustine told her to go home and rest comfortably in the knowledge that he would stay in Carthage. When she left, Augustine left—for Rome.
After a year in Rome, Augustine took another professorship in Milan, where he came into contact with Ambrose (see here for an article on his life), from whose sermons Augustine received a much more compelling explanation of good and evil than he had ever encountered before. But though he was now intellectually convinced of the truth of Christianity, he was unable to summon the willpower to let go of his sins.
Tormented by his spiritual condition, Augustine flung himself down beneath a fig tree and wept bitterly. He was torn between two opposing desires—on the one hand, he longed to be reconciled to God—but on the other hand, he did not want to be reconciled to Him yet.
Suddenly, he heard what sounded like a child’s voice singing again and again, “Take it and read. Take it and read.” Augustine seized upon a book of Paul’s epistles, opened it, and read the first passage he happened to see: “Not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom. 13:13, 14). “I had no wish to read more and no need to do so,” Augustine later wrote in his autobiographical Confessions. “For in an instant, as I came to the end of the sentence, it was as though the light of confidence flooded into my heart and all the darkness of doubt was dispelled.”
Augustine went on to become a priest, a bishop, and one of the greatest architects of Christian thought. He wrote a vast number of books and left his stamp on virtually every aspect of Christian doctrine. He is largely responsible for defining the theology of original sin, and his emphasis on salvation through grace alone was seminal in the thought of Protestant Reformers such as Martin Luther (see here for an article on his life).
Following the sack of Rome in A.D. 410, many blamed the empire’s downfall on the spread of Christianity, which had turned Roman hearts away from Roman gods. Augustine responded by arguing that Rome had been punished for its sins against God, and the presence of the Christianity had saved the city from utter destruction.
In his twenty-two-volume work The City of God, Augustine expands on this idea of two opposing forces when he outlines his vision of two societies—that of the faithful (the “City of God”), which he describes as a heavenly city ruled by love, in which earthly pleasures are forsaken in favor of eternal spiritual truths—and that of the unbelieving (the “City of Man”), which he describes as an earthly city ruled by pride and self-indulgence. “Mankind is divided into two sorts,” he writes, “such as live according to man, and such as live according to God. These we call two cities.… The Heavenly City outshines Rome. There, instead of victory, is truth; instead of high rank, holiness; instead of peace, felicity; instead of life, eternity.”
Augustine spent his youth looking for ways to get away from God. But in the end, God became his hiding place. “You made us for Yourself,” Augustine writes, “and our hearts are restless until they rest in You” (Confessions). At the age of seventy-six, after spending his final days in prayer and repentance, Augustine was welcomed into the heavenly presence of the God who gives grace to every restless heart.
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As John’s vision draws to a close, we see creation restored to God’s original design. Work plays an essential role throughout history, and Scripture depicts three distinct “eras” of work—work as it was in the Garden of Eden, work as it is in a fallen world, and work as it will be when Christ returns.
Creation of Work: Work according to God’s original design.
Main Point | Key Texts |
God reveals Himself as the primary Worker and Creator. | |
God creates us in His likeness and image as coworkers. |
Distortion of Work: Work under the Curse and influenced by the principalities and powers that oppose God.
Main Point | Key Texts |
Sin introduces toil, sweat, and pain into work and family. | |
Workplace complications intensify. | |
Workplace exploitation appears. | |
Work is meant not only for our own benefit but for others, including the poor and oppressed. | |
God continues to equip people for work through His Word and Spirit. | |
People lack fulfillment because they make work an end in itself. | |
Work can still be a gift that fits God’s design. | |
Work is a gift of God that He will bless. | |
Jesus reestablished and illustrated God’s original design for work. | |
We experience agony as we seek release from sin and await creation’s renewal. | |
God’s people demonstrate their citizenship in heaven through good work here and now. |
Restoration of Work: Work as it will be when Christ returns.
Main Point | Key Texts |
God restores His original design; His people work without the burden of sin. |
More: To learn more about the importance of work in God’s plan, see the articles under “Work” in the Themes to Study index.
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As John gazes on the new heaven and earth that God will someday create, he sees a tree of life that bears twelve kinds of fruits, a different fruit each month.
A tree that productive will give little rest to the workers who cultivate it and harvest its fruit. But those who tend the tree will surely be happy because God promises that “there shall be no more curse” (Rev. 22:3). Work will be entirely without the toil and drudgery we now experience (21:4).
This view of a new creation with enjoyable work and mouthwatering results closely resembles a future society described in Isaiah 65:17–23. That scene includes attractive images such as …
• joy and rejoicing (Is. 65:18),
• an end to weeping and crying (65:19),
• building and living in our own houses (65:21),
• owning, planting, and enjoying the fruit of our vineyards (65:21, 22),
• enjoying the work of our hands (65:22), and
• an end to laboring in vain or bringing children into a world of trouble (65:23).
These pictures from Revelation and Isaiah remind us of God’s original design for His handiwork, a creation that was “very good” (Gen. 1:31). God made people His coworkers in managing the world’s resources for everyone’s benefit (see “People at Work” at Ps. 8:6), and He will one day restore that ideal. As Paul promised, God will free the world from its sufferings, futility, and bondage to corruption, and remake it in line with its original design (Rom. 8:18–25). This is truly a hope to cherish.
More: Despite the troubles of work, the Bible calls it a gift from God. See “The Toil of Work” at Gen. 3:17–19.
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Many people think religion offers nothing but judgment. But Jesus came not to condemn but to save. His purpose was to offer life to a dying humanity, inviting us to experience forgiveness, healing, and hope. “Come!” He says to those who are thirsty: “Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17; John 7:37, 38).
Centuries prior to Jesus’ coming, a prophet foretold this invitation (Is. 55:1, 3):
Ho! Everyone who thirsts,
Come to the waters;
And you who have no money,
Come, buy and eat.
Yes, come, buy wine and milk
Without money and without price
……………………………
Incline your ear, and come to Me.
Hear, and your soul shall live.
The same Jesus who issues this invitation wields the power to withdraw it from those who refuse His call and continue their habits of rebellion and sin (Rev. 22:14, 15, 18, 19). Just as He has authority to welcome us into eternal life, He also has the authority not to welcome us. Yet He graciously chooses to offer life to sinful people.
Whatever confusion you might feel about religion, don’t miss God’s gracious offer: Jesus wants to forgive your sins and welcome you into new life. If you haven’t already accepted His invitation, do it now. Choose this moment to begin the journey that leads to eternal life.
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