PERFECT JUSTICE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION

The Book of Revelation is the testimony of John on Jesus Christ and end-time events as revealed to him by God for conveyance to both believers and non-believers. It is a book avoided by many mostly due to its futuristic contents and unusual imagery that many find difficult to decipher. The fear is over-amplified by the devil whose main aim is to keep us ignorant of the truth therein. By avoiding it, we miss out on the love and patience of God embedded in the book. Humanity’s future in relation to God, should be a priority read and teach for every human being. (Revelation 1:1-3)

The communique sent to the seven churches in Asia: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodecia, captures the commendations and shortcomings of the different categories of believers in the body of Christ even today. These categories may not be synonymous with the different Christian denominations that exist today. It is for an individual believer to evaluate his life in the body of Christ and align himself with the recommendations thereof. (Revelation 1:9-20)

The letter to the congregation in Ephesus commends and rebukes those who start in the spirit and end in the flesh. The Holy Spirit being our first love in salvation, should never be quenched. It is a call back to a walk in the spirit, where the first works powered by the Holy Spirit were manifested. The establishment of the Church is in the book of Acts where it was Holy Spirit filled and led. It is by the Holy Spirit that gains were made in a predominantly pagan culture. The world today in neo-paganism is culturally similar to the apostles’ time in the book of Acts. It is by going back to the first love; the Holy Spirit, presenting ourselves as worthy vessels that his works become manifest just like in the book of Acts. (Revelation 2:1-7)

Believers similar to some in the church in Pergamos, have put their faith in personalities besides Jesus Christ. Many diviners are masquerading as God’s prophets in churches. Some followers have ignorantly and subconsciously put their faith in these spiritual figures than in Christ himself. By substituting the true gospel with mysticism, they keep their followers hooked and blind to the true gospel of Jesus. Without a true and strong foundation in the fundamentals of the gospel, believers are deprived of the essentials for a meaningful Christian life. They depend more on their spiritual heads whom they elevate almost to the level of the gospel. The extra doctrine limits their freedom in Christ. (Revelation 2:12-17)

Jezebel the queen of Israel entrenched Baal worship in the Kingdom during King Ahab’s reign. The subject of worship behind the various forms of Baal worship is Satan. Baalism in any form, therefore, is devil worship. Jezebel’s teachings in the church in Thyatira are symbolic of the devil worship creeping in amongst believers, subtly taught by leaders who belong to different well-known satanic orders. Publicly well-known antichrist doctrines have seduced billions who consider themselves Christians. A true believer led by the Holy Spirit should be able to discern and reject such. (Revelation 2:12-17)

As with some believers in Sardis, there’re those proclaiming salvation orally but not in deed. Though salvation is by grace through faith, our deeds should reflect the nature of Christ in us.  A believer cannot continue to live in sin in which one is dead. Though we’re spiritually made right in Christ, taming the flesh to reject sin is our obligation. The Holy Spirit will convict us of sin and put a desire to do good in our hearts, but the action to it will only come by our own will. It is by responding in deed to the convictions and desires put in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that we translate into believers in deed. (Revelation 3:1-6)

The Lukewarm church in Laodicea is a common situation among believers today who are torn between defending their faith in Christ and obliging to societal expectations which facilitate their lives. To avoid conflict and ensure a smooth ride, some believers have embraced cultural practices which are contrary to the Christian faith. We have believers and leaders embracing government policies that are a blatant violation of God’s laws. Hiding behind the veil of inclusivity that seeks not to offend, we have embraced religious pluralism, concentrating more on the commonalities than what makes the doctrine of Christ unique and true. The principle behind religious pluralism is that all religions are equally accepted and lead to God. By claiming Jesus is not the only way, it redefines Christianity as Syncretism. The end product is a Hybrid Christianity that seems more acceptable to many, having embraced the more acceptable religious and cultural beliefs around us while ignoring the truths within. (Revelation 3:14-22)

Jesus’ counsel to the church is a clear emphasis on what true Christianity should be. It is a demonstration of his love for believers whom he seeks to set on the right path before his second coming. Though the hour and day of his second coming is not known, he still reveals to John a sequence of events that precede this day. Although John’s revelation of the events in his vision includes imagery, it is consistent with what Jesus had already revealed to his disciples on the subject in his sermon on Mount Olives.

These events are revealed in Revelation chapter six in the sequential opening of the seals. As the first four seals are opened, John sees four riders on different colored horses who come with different significant global effects. The White, red, black, and pale horses trigger a chain of global events that are incremental in intensity. We see deception, global armed conflicts, and famines in the first three seals. In the fourth seal, The previous calamities in the first three seals are amplified to include pestilences synonymous to incremental intensity in labor pains. Beasts of the earth include disease-causing microscopic organisms such as viruses, bacteria, etc.

Revelations 6:7-8 NKJV

“When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “come and see” So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

Matthew 24:3-8 NKJV

“Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “tell us, when will be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the age?” And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumours of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For Nation will rise against Nation and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginnings of sorrows.”

As deception and the dire conditions increase in intensity, what follows is the great apostasy as detailed in Matthew 24:9-26. Many believers will be persecuted and some killed for their faith consistent with the declarations in the fifth seal in the book of revelation. The believers killed for their faith in Christ up until the rapture of the church are represented by the church in Smyrna

Revelations 2:10 NKJV

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you’ll have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”

Revelations 6:9 NKJV

“When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.”

The occurrences in the sixth seal in revelations are similar to those in Matthew 24:29-31 which accompany the day of the wrath in which rapture happens.

Revelations 6:12-17 NKJV

^“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood. And the stars of heaven fell to the earth, as a fig tree drops its late figs when it is shaken by a mighty wind. Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place. And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains,and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”

Matthew 24:29-31 NKJV

“Immediately after the tribulation of those daysthe sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven,and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together Hiselect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.”

In rapture, the promise to faithful believers similar to those in the church of Philadelphia is kept, saving them from the next round of increased tribulations set upon the world. This is the first harvest.

Revelations 3:10-11 NKJV

“Because you have kept my command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown”.

In Revelations 7:9-17, the raptured believers are before the throne of God clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands worshipping and giving their praise to God and to the Lamb.

Revelations 7:14-15 NKJV

“….these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will dwell among them.”

After the departure of the faithful believers in rapture, there’s the sealing of a symbolic one hundred and forty-four thousand of all the children of Israel. While there are some who may argue that this is a definite numerical number of Israelites sealed, it is a numeric symbolism of a specific category of people drawn from the whole world. Which is this category of people that God extends his grace to after rapture? His extension of grace has to be consistent with the criteria and key message to the churches which is faithfulness and repentance. With faithful believers already raptured, grace is extended to those with sins not leading to death. It should not be lost to us that his main aim is not just to punish mankind but to drive us into repentance and faithfulness to him.

1 John 5:16-17 NKJV

“If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.”

This marks the beginning of the next round of hardships and calamities determined for the world in the seven trumpets. Vegetation, the Sea, rivers, and the solar system are all struck and badly affected resulting to the widespread death of living beings. In the fifth trumpet, Locusts which symbolize demons from the bottomless pit are unleashed to torment men without the seal of God on their foreheads. Thereafter, the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates are released to kill a third of mankind. Even after undergoing all these ordeals, many of the survivors still do not repent.

Revelations 9:20-21 NKJV

“But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk. And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

Even after experiencing all of God’s might in an effort to drive change in them, mankind still continues in their wicked ways. God further sends his two witnesses who prophesy for one thousand two hundred and sixty days hoping to ignite repentance from mankind. Instead of repenting, Mankind celebrates the death of the two witnesses in the hands of the beast from the bottomless pit. (Revelations 11:1-14).

In Revelations 14:1-5, we see the redemption of one hundred and forty-four thousand. This is the second harvest. Again, this is numeric symbolism of a category of people redeemed from the earth. The criteria of redemption is still the same; repentance and faithfulness. To be found without fault and qualifying for redemption, these are the ones in this period who repent and obtain forgiveness from the Lord.

Revelations 14:1-5 NKJV

“Then I looked, and behold, a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and forty-four thousand, having His Father’s name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of loud thunder. And I heard the sound of harpists playing their harps. They sang as it were a new song before the throne, before the four living creatures, and the elders; and no one could learn that song except the hundred and forty-four thousand who were redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These were redeemed from among men, being firstfruits to God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no deceit, for they are without fault before the throne of God.”

At this place in time, there is forced worship of the antichrist through one false religion as depicted in imagery in revelations chapter thirteen. God’s will for mankind is that he obtains redemption. He raises a church symbolized and led by the angel in revelations 14: 6 through which the everlasting gospel is preached to all people on earth. This is to counter the one false religion imposing the mark of the beast on all those who dwell on the earth.

Revelations 14:6-7 NKJV

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— ⁷ saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”

Revelations 14:9-13 NKJV

“Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”Here is the patience of the saints; hereare those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

In Revelations 14:14-16, the ones who accept, believe the true gospel, and do not receive the mark of the beast are redeemed from the earth. This is the third harvest.

Revelations 14:14-16 NKJV

“Then I looked, and behold, a white cloud, and on the cloud sat One like the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, “Thrust in Your sickle and reap, for the time has come for You to reap, for the harvest of the earth is ripe.” So He who sat on the cloud thrust in His sickle on the earth, and the earth was reaped.”

The fourth harvest is symbolized by the reaping of the clusters of the vine in Revelations 14:17-20. These are the ones without the mark of the beast but still fall short of the first sickle harvest Referred to in Revelations 14:14-16. They are taken for purification in the symbolic winepress.

Revelation 14:19-20 NKJV

“So the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses’ bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”

Revelations 15:2 NKJV

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.”

Escalation of God’s wrath on the world continues in the seven bowl judgements in Revelations chapter sixteen. Despite the severity of the wrath, many still do not repent and actually proceed to blaspheme God. The end of the Bowl judgements is epitomised in the utter destruction of the international alliance which propagates the antichrist agenda. The beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire while Satan is bound into the bottomless pit for a thousand years.

The ones who were killed for not obliging to the beast or his image are resurrected in what is referred to as the first resurrection. This is the fifth harvest. These and the previous four harvests reign together with Christ on earth for a thousand years the duration in which Satan is bound.

Revelation 20:4-6 NKJV

“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. But the rest of the dead did not live again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

After one thousand years of imprisonment, Satan is released and goes on to deceive nations which culminate in his being thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and the false prophet are. The Great white throne judgment happens in which the ones not involved in the five harvests are judged according to their works. Those found in the book of life are the sixth harvest with the rest being cast into the lake of fire.

Revelations 20:11-15 NKJV

 ^“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The book of Revelation is a demonstration of God’s patience, love, and perfect justice for mankind. There cannot be love without justice. He is long-suffering with an intention of bringing souls back to himself. His call for humanity is simple; Repentance and faithfulness without which consequences have been predetermined. The forewarning itself is a show of love and patience for Mankind. The only logical thing for mankind to do is to embrace the Love. Amen