Revelation 20
This is the most confusing chapter in Revelation and the one there is the most argument about. I have read many different Bible translations, searched through numerous commentaries and prayed, seeking God’s insight into this chapter. None of the commentaries know what it means, instead they argue why each interpretation commonly taught in churches is wrong. God’s answer? That Revelation is the reassurance to humankind that, no matter how black life gets and how bleak things are, He has an eternal plan and it will come about at the right time. Yet I cannot help but wonder what comfort or insight people throughout the ages were meant to gain from these words?
In this chapter we encounter the “millennium” concept. The binding of satan and a thousand year rule by Jesus that will culminate in the final judgement. There are three main interpretations for the millennium. The amillennial view is that the time from Jesus’ ascension to heaven was the start of the millennium and that all who belonged to Jesus and died from that time onward are with Jesus in heaven. When He returns to earth all will be resurrected and final judgement will occur and Jesus will continue His reign over His now perfect kingdom for eternity. The Premillennial view is that Jesus will return, there will be a thousand year reign, then final judgement, and a new earth and heavens. That one puzzles me. Why would that need to happen? The post millennial view is that the world will eventually be Christianised leading to a period of peace and prosperity. At the end of the millennium Jesus will return. My question about that view is why do the earlier chapters of revelation talk about the beast and the mark of the beast and the forces against Jesus?
A wonderful of man of God that I knew used to say he was a ‘pan’ millennialist. He believed it would all pan out! The message God continually gives me about Revelation is that the minutiae of interpretation is not important, what is important is that we all understand we will all face judgement at some time. That no matter how evil the world seems to be, or how much environmental devastation humankind wreaks on the world, no matter how bleak it appears, God has an eternal plan. There will be moments of peace and moments of tribulation. At all times Jesus reigns as our King and He will come at the right time to welcome those who belong to Him into the new Earth and Heaven.
Through all the happenings of this chapter one thing is clear. Jesus is in control and He dictates what He allows satan to do. All power is in God’s hands.
 

Revelation 19:11-21
The end is here and now Jesus returns. In these verses He is depicted as a mighty commander on a white horse. In Jewish tradition the Rabbi’s taught the Messiah would be a warrior King coming to overthrow the Romans. They drew this belief from Isaiah 63:1-6. The Messiah would have His robe dipped in blood. They were doing what many do now with the book of Revelation. They were interpreting the prophesies from a human perspective and with human thoughts. Many of the prophesies of the Bible have been given in symbolic language because they covered events beyond the scope of human understanding. Here in Revelation much of what is seen is beyond our understanding. I don’t believe we are meant to understand it. For me, the overwhelming message of Revelation is that we are to glimpse God’s incomprehensible majesty and glory. This is something He has sought to teach the people of the earth throughout the Bible (for example Exodus 14:4). What John writes here is images to give a glimpse of what will happen when Jesus returns. When He does return, then we will fully comprehend God’s majesty and glory.
Jesus comes, not to overthrow an unpopular occupier but to overthrow satan and all evil. Jesus is the Faithful and True one. He is the Word of God. He is the judge who treads the winepress of the wrath of God. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is subject to no one. His eyes blaze in judgement and he wears the many crowns of the one who is ruler over all.
Before satan and his forces can wage war against Jesus he will throw the beast and the false prophet into the lake of fire. Satan’s attempts to corrupt the people of earth will be halted and he will be cast into hell. All who followed the beast will be killed by the sword that emanates from the mouth of Jesus. Justice has come. What the people have cried out for since Adam and Eve left the garden, justice, has finally come.
As the people of God, the Eklessia, the Bride, join Jesus at the wedding banquet, an angel calls the birds of prey to the great supper of God. They will feed on the bodies of those who followed the beast. Our culture teaches us that everyone will go to heaven and it will be benevolent and all you have to do is to be mostly good(ish). But this is false teaching. Only those who come to Jesus will find themselves in heaven. Because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” and the only one who can cleanse us from our sin and make us righteous is Jesus (Romans 3:23-24 NIV). This is not a popular fact in our current world when everyone seeks to accommodate other faiths. But the Bible is clear, you can only come to God through Jesus (John 14:6). All those who have not come to Jesus will find themselves the bodies in the desolate imagery of the birds feasting on the bodies of those who have not believed. This is eternity apart from God.
The victory of Jesus Christ over those who oppose Him is total. God’s judgement on those who refuse to accept Him is inescapable.
 

Revelation 19:1-10
Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord
The promised intimate relationship between God and His people has come.
There is widespread rejoicing in heaven and we will rejoice when that time comes.
Note that, despite the previous chapters speaking of the destruction of evil in the world, the focus here is on God, on the promised time of living forever with God in heaven. All rejoice because it is time to be with God, not because of the destruction of evil.
Now for the best beatitude. “Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” (v9 NIV).
That is truly the best blessing. The holiness necessary to be the bride is the gift of God. We make ourselves ready to receive that gift by being ‘yoked’ to Jesus. This is the reality of the Christian life. God gives and we make ourselves ready to receive.
Jesus requires us to be yoked to Him so that we can be led by Him into the life He has to give us. That is the life of surrender to Him and of peace. It is not an easy life. There are many times when we will be challenged in our faith by others. There will be the temptation to not speak out and acknowledge faith in Jesus when other criticise Him. There will be the temptation to sin because everyone else is doing it. There will be the temptation to choose not to forgive that person who has caused hurt. There will be the temptation to not spend time in prayer and reading the Bible. There are myriad temptations in life and Jesus understands that. He provides the yoke to help us follow Him. And at the end of all things there will just be God and His gift of Holiness

Revelation 18:1-24
This chapter announces the final fall of Babylon. The life of hedonistic pleasures, of concern for self and having what you want no matter what the cost, is over. Rampant materialism and greed will end. The great indifference to the suffering of the poor, the desire to make more money than is needed and the lust for power, as well as the desire for any pleasure you can take, no matter the cost in suffering to others, is over. Those who worship Babylon have thought they could buy their future and security and now they will discover that will not happen. We live in a time when the buying and selling of goods and services to supply our needs and earn us enough money to meet our needs has been replaced by a greedy desire to make money for its sake, money to buy all those unnecessary things marketing tells us we need (but don’t). The gap between the rich and the poor is widening. The poor are exploited, denied medical care in some supposedly Christian countries, often enslaved, paid minimal wages inadequate to live on. Many believe it cannot get any worse, but it can. Throughout history we have moved through times like this and may move through many more before God’s Judgement Day. Meanwhile Babylon continues. World leaders are happy for the power she buys them. Merchants are happy for the indescribable wealth she gives them. Those who own the companies that deliver her goods and services are happy because of the wealth she bestows on them. Many fall for her seductive charms. But God calls His people to depend on Him, not Money and the pleasures Babylon encourages us to pursue.
Throughout the Old and New Testaments prophets were given prophesies by God and recorded them. There was however a hint in their writings that they had worked out when that prophesy would be fulfilled. People who heard their prophesies believed the time for the fulfilment was soon. But in Genesis 3, God gave His plan for our future. This was back at the beginning of the Bible and we do not see its fulfilment until the end of the Bible. The prophets did not understand the enormity of the prophesies they were given. And those who heard the prophesies did not understand the enormity of God’s promises. Look at how long people waited for the Messiah.
Many believe we are in the shadow of impending judgement but I don’t think we are. There is much greed and moral degradation in this world, but it is no worse than what has happened throughout history. There is great immorality in our dealing with other people, in our attitude to sex, in our attitude towards honesty. It seems that most people do not believe in the true God. But there is no more immorality than there has ever been and there are no more non-believers than there have ever been. We see things happening - stock market collapses, rampant greed, slavery, immoral behaviour, natural disasters – and we think it cannot get worse. But it can and it will. Just as the prophets and those of that era who heard them thought the prophesies would soon be fulfilled, we also think the Judgement of Revelation is imminent in our lifetimes. But every generation since Jesus first coming to earth have thought this and many more will think this. God will come in His perfect time and Judgement will occur. Those who are Babylon will be punished. It will come in God’s time and His time is perfect.