REVELATION LESSON 25

REVELATION

LESSON 25

ARE WE LIVING IN THE END TIMES?

Revelation 13:7-10   ⁷ And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

⁹ If any man have an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

The scriptures leave no doubt that this is an actual political government that extends over the whole globe. The tribulation saints will face the most intense persecution the world has ever known. Their future will be bleak, but in the long term their future will be bright.

The antichrist will receive power from Satan to conquer everyone who turns to God. He will go out in a rage to destroy all believers. Many will be slaughtered so a one world satanic religion can be established. No place on earth will be safe for the Christians.

The antichrist will extend his domain to include every tribe, every tongue, and every nation on the Earth. Everyone must submit to him or be killed. It will be a one world government and religion.

Revelation 13:8   ⁸ And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

It is difficult to imagine a world filled with Satan worshipers, but that is the way the word reads. The only ones who will not worship the antichrist will be those whose names have been written in the Lambs book of life. Satan can rage but God is still in control. There are some who cannot be separated from the love of Jesus.

People of the bible are opposed to the merging of religions. All who dwell on the earth means one world religion. Satan wants to exclude Jesus so people refuse to accept Satan as Lord and savior, knowing that they will spend eternity in the lake of fire if they do.

The book of life belongs to the Lamb that was slain. He knows who will worship the antichrist and those who will not. He has already entered the name of those who will not fall into his book of life. He planned to die for them before the world was created.

Jeremiah 1:5   ⁵ Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

God was saying to Jeremiah that before he created him in his mother’s womb he knew him. The same with us today. That is how he knows who will fall and those who won’t.

What a difference between Christ Jesus and the antichrist. One willing to die for the godly, the other willing to kill the godly.

Revelation 13:9-10   ⁹ If any man have an ear, let him hear.

¹⁰ He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.

As observed in the letters to the seven churches, invitations are given to the individual. “he who has an ear let him hear” if anyone is going into captivity he will go, if anyone is to be killed with the sword, by the sword he will be killed. This calls for patience, endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.

The invitation here is not addressed to the churches as in Revelation 2:3 since the Church has already been raptured, but to individuals. The saints can rest in the fact that God honors sincere faith in coming to him.

Though this may not prevent them from being martyred, it assures them nevertheless eternal blessing in the presence of God. On the other hand, those who are wicked and who deserve punishment will receive it in eternity.

The saints recognize that God is not settling all accounts in this world should have patience and endurance, trusting God who is handling their personal life. No one has to go through the tribulation period. God loves everyone. He is warning everyone, anyone who commits his or her life to Jesus before its too late will leave in the rapture.

At the end of each of the seven letters to the seven churches, John said, anyone that can hear what the spirit says to the churches in this verse is an indication that the churches are not on earth during the tribulation period. The absence of the churches indicates a pre-trib rapture.

If a tribulation saint kills someone, even in self-defense, he will be killed in a similar manner. If an unbeliever kills a tribulation saint, he will be killed in a similar manner. Sin will have its own reward. This is the way it was in the old testament days. It is commonly called an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.

In the new testament Galatian 6:7 say it like this. Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. If to sow wheat, you get wheat if you sow con you get corn. During the tribulation period if you kill you will be killed.

For the believer this will require patience and faith, it will be the only way to stand up under the terrible persecution of the tribulation period. Believe in God, trust in God and Jesus, look to the time when you will live again, leave revenge to the almighty.

In the old testament when a person killed someone they were put to death. That worked well in Israel for several hundred years. To teach the people to value human life. Things have changed in this century, murderers usually serve less than seven years. This teaches society to disrespect human life. God has his eyes upon this earth. He will see justice done.

Until our next lesson

Stay in the word,

Brother Andy