Sabbath: “I Make All Things New”
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study: Rev. 19:6-9, John 14:1-3, Rev. 19:11-16, Rev. 20:1-3, Jer. 4:23-26, Rev. 20:4-6; Rev. 21:2-8.
Memory Text: “Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new’. And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful’” (Revelation 21:5, NKJV).
The destruction of end-time Babylon is bad news for those who collaborated with this apostate religious system. For God’s people, however, it is good news (Rev. 19:1-7). Babylon was responsible for inducing the secular political powers to persecute and harm them (Rev. 18:24). The destruction of this great adversary means deliverance and salvation for God’s faithful people.
With the destruction of Babylon, the prayer of God’s people in the scene of the fifth seal, is ultimately answered. Their cry: “How long, O Lord?” (Rev. 6:10) represents the cry of God’s oppressed and suffering people from Abel to the time when God will finally vindicate them (Ps. 79:5; Hab. 1:2; Dan. 12:6-7). The book of Revelation assures God’s people that evil, oppression, and suffering will come to an end.
It is now time for Christ to usher in His everlasting kingdom. The remaining chapters of Revelation describe not just the destruction of end-time Babylon but also the destruction of Satan and all evil. We get glimpses, too, of the establishment of God’s everlasting kingdom.
Study this week’s lesson to prepare for Sabbath, March 30.
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The ultimate execution of the judgment viewed from our current earth-bound perspective raises a number of issues. And to be honest, I think we will have to live with some of the questions until we meet Jesus face-to-face.
I mentioned about a week ago that in an effort to understand the Biblical perspective of Judgement, that was going to reread CS Lewis's little book, "Reflections on the Psalms" I briefly reported on this earlier, but I think it is worth exploring his comments a little more as a setting for thinking about the judgment this week.
Briefly, Lewis contrasts the Jewish view of judgment with the modern view. The Christian views judgment as a criminal court with us as the accused, while the Jew views it as a civil court where he sees himself as the plaintiff. The Christian is hoping for pardon or acquittal while the jew is seeking damages. Lewis does not say that one view is better than the other, but rather, both give us a better understanding of how God works. It is useful to understand however the Jewish perspective as we read the Bible as they were the first intended readership.
Lewis cites a number of examples in the Psalms that express joy in judgment.
Lewis discusses the judgment view in the New Testament pointing out that while the parable of the sheep and goats portray the criminal court approach, it is also worth noting the parable of the unjust judge. A poor widow knows she has a case but has difficulty getting her case heard. The widow is typical of the many who seek civil justice but who simply cannot afford to be heard. The promise in the Psalms and in many other passages of the Bible is that God comes to the judgment, their case will be heard.
The psalmist continues:
This pattern is repeated many times in the Psalms where the oppressed will have their concerns addressed in the judgment by God.
It is informative to read the minor prophets and see the passages that remonstrate with the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah for their misbehavior. Apart from idolatry and turning away from God, the biggest issue they are judged for is the oppression and persecution of the poor and needy. Babylon, the Beast, and its image and all the other symbolic evil powers in Revelation face the same judgment; oppression and persecution of the vulnerable.
And if we go back to the parable of the sheep and the goats, which in Lewis's commentary is a representation of a criminal court, the accusation one again is about lack of compassion and care for the needy.
When God created us, he gave us free choice. The principle of evil has been to take that free choice away from us by persecution, oppression, and nowadays, social and media pressure. At the same time, the deception of evil is that God has not given us free choice and that free choice only comes when we turn our backs on God.
The final judgment is about righting that wrong and giving back the oppressed their God-given power of choice.
The book of psalms I believe has 150 chapters. Most people know the 23rd psalm by heart. When looking for solace and encouragement during times of distress and trouble, many turn to the book of Psalms to read.
GOOD NEWS.
From He who sat on the throne.
His words are true and faithful.
Our deliverance and salvation will surely come.
Our prayers and cries will finally be answered.
God will finally vindicate us.
There will be no more evil, oppression and suffering.
Satan, evil and end-time Babylon will be destroyed.
Christ will usher in His everlasting kingdom and make all things new.
Will we be there?
We have to decide now and return to Jesus.
Give your heart to Jesus now. Take your sins to him now. He loves you.
...and we shall live forever and ever in a land without bad news.
With the destruction of Babylon, Revelation reveals that in the end the church will be ready, Jesus will come, two suppers are set, Satan is cut off and shut out of his work of temptation, deception, and marshalling armies to fight God for 1,000 years, and his eventual nothingness, and the Bride as a City comes down from God and we are given glimpses of glory of God's home for His people. We are assured of all things to become new, every tear drop dried, and eternal joy the steadfast constant of existence. Material designed to encourage faithfulness and adoration of God.
As Paul could say, "Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Cor. 4:16-18)
Surely God will renew everything.if we obey and accept his commands verily we shall win over the the devil ,amen
No, Baluka Edson; the Gospel is much better than that. Christ has won the battle for us. We do not have to win over the Devil.