Crucial Takeaways from the Book of Revelation :: By Dr. Donald Whitchard
Revelation 20:1-15, 21:1-7, 22:17; Matthew 25:41-46; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15; Philippians 2:9-11; 2 Corinthians 5:10
Summary: I want to bring my series of messages on Revelation to a conclusion by pointing out some key points to consider apart from its prophetic significance. These points can be used as tools for witnessing as well as giving warning.
There is no shortage of material covering the book of Revelation. Countless commentaries and sermons have been written on the book. Its message of prophetic warning and promised redemption has been proclaimed in pulpits, on the streets, in villages, and in countries whose cultures are wrapped in anonymity and mystery. Faithful men of God have taken the Gospel and the promise of Christ’s return to hungry hearts and desperate souls over the course of the centuries, bearing good fruit and reaping harvests in places that had been inhabited by the vile figures of pagan idolatry and the dark arts.
The Spirit-breathed Word of God (John 17:17; Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:19-21) has not lost its ability to reach the hardest of hearts, and in doing so, change the course of nations and individual objectives.
The late Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer (1912-1984) wrote a book entitled He is There, and He Is Not Silent, explaining that God is at work in the world, drawing people to Himself (John 6:44), using committed brethren to carry on the work of the Gospel and that the Word of God is never silent when it comes to dealing with issues and concerns that people find themselves dealing with every day.
We need to take the time to stop and hear what God has to say in His Word and the work of Christ’s true church to be assured that He has all things under His control (Colossians 1:16-18). The modern church has dropped the ball in presenting this message to a world growing more anxious by the day with seemingly nowhere to turn for answers. We get caught up in the worries and weariness just as much as the world, which is something Jesus warned us about in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:25-34).
We have at our disposal treasures of knowledge and inspiration from the pens and minds of Bible teachers such as David Jeremiah, Billy Crone, L.A. Marzulli, John MacArthur, W.A. Criswell, John Walvoord, Charles Swindoll, Donald G. Barnhouse, R.C. Sproul and others, yet for the most part, their material tends to be unused and unread.
Christian, in these final days before His return, we need to get off our “blessed assurances” and examine our walk with Him to see if we are the real thing or playing some kind of game where we look holy on the outside but are no better than the garden variety pagan next door (Matthew 7:21-23).
Jesus is coming back at a time in which He will not be expected. You can say, “Well, that applies to the unconverted world.” No, it applies to all of us. This is why it is so important to give a reason to the world why we follow Jesus in the first place.
All of what I have written falls in line with what will be my last series of sermons covering Revelation. I want to wrap up the teachings I have presented so far by pointing out that Revelation is not strictly prophecy. It is a call to both the unsaved and the redeemed to get right with God because there will be a day when all the preparations that we were planning to make will come to naught. Revelation is a warning to everyone, believer or not, that God means what he says and is not going to tolerate what is happening much longer.
Aside from the descriptions of the brutal and horrifying time that will come upon the world for its defiance against the LORD and of the certainty that Jesus is returning to make all things new, Revelation has other points worth noting. I pray that you will take them to heart and that you will use them as the LORD leads.
1) Revelation is the final look at what happens when a nation and a world reject God and witness the consequences of such a foolish and dangerous decision.
2) Revelation is a record of the futile attempts by humanity to justify unbelief.
3) Revelation is a record of the rotten harvest of defiance and what happens when the world gets its wish of forsaking God for the drivel of human “wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:18-25).
4) Revelation shows the results of man-centered thinking and actions. It comes to nothing.
5) Revelation is the FINAL call from a Holy and Loving God to humanity (Ezekiel 18:23,31-32; Matthew 11:28-30) to come to Him for salvation before Jesus returns to judge the world (Matthew 25; Revelation 20).
6) Revelation carries the theme of repentance and renewal as much as it does prophecy and warnings to flee from the wrath to come.
7) Revelation shows how God allows evil to take its course, but in the end, it will be judged once and for all. This current world is not all there is, and God, in His mercy, will not let it continue in such a manner (2 Peter 3:1-13).
8) Revelation shows that God will not take excuses or alibis as a way of clearing the guilty. If anyone does not come to Him through the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6), the unrepentant, along with the devil and his angels, will be cast into the Lake of fire forever. God’s justice will prevail.
9) Revelation is the end of all evil and suffering, all wickedness and malice, all sickness and disease, all poverty and sorrow, and the beginning of eternity in the presence of the Lord Jesus for all time with our brethren who have come to Him for salvation across the spectrum of history (Revelation 21:1-7).
10) Revelation’s final verses call on you to come to Christ now and receive true peace and life that the world can never give. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. Amen.
As an evangelist, my calling is to do everything possible in the power of the Spirit to warn the world of the coming judgments and to flee into the loving arms of Jesus Christ for salvation before it is too late. If you have not surrendered your life to Jesus Christ, do it now (Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:2). What is written in Revelation is coming to pass before our eyes. Do not be left behind to endure what is to happen to this world. Get into God’s Word and be assured that His promises are true and certain. May He return today.
www.youtube.com/@realitycityreview/streams
The post Crucial Takeaways from the Book of Revelation :: By Dr. Donald Whitchard appeared first on Rapture Ready.
