“… For this reason I say to you, do not be anxious for your life as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body than clothing?

Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow. neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet our heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?

And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span?

And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these.

But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you. O men of little faith?

Do not be anxious then, saying ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?’

For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.

Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Jesus said that.

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

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“The Things Which You Have Seen” (1) Revelation contains a prologue (1:1-3) before the usual salutation (1:4-8). The Revelation was received by Christ from the Father and communicated by an angel to John. This is the only bibical book that specifically promises a blessing to those who read it (1:3), but it also promises a curse to those who add to or detract from it (22:18, 19). The salutation and closing benediction show that it was originally written as an epistle to seven Asian churches.

A rich theological portrait of the triune God (1:4-8) is followed by an overwhelming theophany (visible manifestation of God) in 1:9-20. The omnipotent and omniscient Christ who will subjugate all things under His authority is the central figure in this book.

“The Things Which Are” (2 and 3); the messages to the seven churches (2,3) refer back to an aspect of John’s vision of Christ and contain a command, a commendation and/or condemnation, a correction, and a challenge.

“The Things Which Will Take Place After This” (4-22) John is translated into heaven where he is given a vision of the divine majesty. In it, the Father (“One sat on the throne”) and the Son (The Lion/Lamb) are worshipped by the twenty-four elders, the four living creatures, and the angelic host because of who they are and what they have done (creation and redemption; 4 and 5).

Three cycles of seven judgments in chapters 6-16 consist of seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls. There is a prophetic insert between the sixth and seventh seal and trumpet judgments and an extended insert between the trumpet and bowl judgments. Because of the similarity of the seventh judgment in each series, it is possible that the three sets of judgments take place concurrently or with some overlap, so that they all terminate with the return of Christ. An alternate approach views them as three consecutive series of judgments, so that the seventh seal is the seven trumpets and seventh trumpet is the seven bowls.

The seven seals (6:1-8:5) include war, the famine and death that are associated with war, and persecution. The prophetic insert between the sixth and seventh seals (7) describes the protective sealing of 144,000 “children of Israel.” 12,000 from every tribe. It also looks ahead to the multitudes from every part of the earth who come “out of the great tribulation.” The catastrophic events in most of the trumpet judgments are called “woes” (8:2-11:19). The prophetic interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpets (101-11:14) adds more details about the nature of the tribulation period and mentions a fourth set of seven judgments (the “seven thunders”) which would have extended it if they had not been withdrawn. Two unnamed witnesses minister during three-and-a-half years of the tribulation (forty-two months or 1,260 days). At the end of their ministry they are overcome by the beast, but their resurrection and ascension confound their enemies.

Chapters 12-14 contain a number of miscellaneous prophecies that are inserted between the trumpet and bowl judgments to give further background on the time of tribulation. In chapter 12 a woman gives birth to a male child, who is caught up to God. The woman flees into the wilderness and is pursued by a dragon, who is cast down to earth. Chapter 13 gives a graphic description of the beast and his false propohet, both empowered by the dragon. The first beast is given political, economic and religious authority; and because of his power and the lying miracles performed by the second beast, he is worshipped as the ruler of the earth. Chapter 14 contains a series of visions including the 144,000 at the end of the tribulation, the fate of those who follow the beast, and the outpouring of the wrath of God.

The seven bowl judgments of chapter 16 are prefaced by a heavenly vision of the power, holiness, and glory of God in chapter 15.

Chapters 17 and 18 anticipate the final downfall of Babylon, the great harlot, sitting upon a scarlet-colored beast.

The marriage banquet of the Lamb is ready and the King of Kings, Lord of Lords leads the armies of heaven into battle against the beast and his false prophet. They are cast into a lake of fire (19).

In chapter 20 the dragon – Satan – is bound for a thousand years. He is cast into a bottomless pit. During this one thousand-year period, Christ reigns over the earth with His resurrected saints, but by the end of this millennium, many have been born who refuse to submit their hearts to Christ. At the end of the thousand years, Satan is released and a final battle ensues. This is followed by the judgment of the great white throne.

A new universe is created, this time unspoiled by sin, death, pain or sorrow. The new Jerusalem, described in 21:9-22:5, is shaped like a gigantic cube, 1,500 miles in length, width, and height (the most holy place in the Old Testament tabernacle and the temple was also a perfect cube). Its multicolored stones will reflect the glory of God, and it will continually be filled with light. But the greatest thing of all is that believers will be in the presence of God and “they shall see His face.”

Revelation concludes with an epilogue (22:6-21), which reassures the readers that Christ is coming quickly (22:7, 12, 20) and invites all who wish to “take the water of life freely” (22:17) to come to the Alpha and Omega, the Bright and Morning Star.

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Keys to Revelation

Key Word: The Revelation of the Coming of Christ – The purposes for which Revelation was written depend to some extent on how the book as a whole is interpreted. Because of its complex imagery and symbolism, Revelation is the most difficult bibical book to interpret, and there are four major alternatives: (1) The symbolic or idealist view maintains that Revelation is not a predictive prophecy, but a symbolic portrait of the cosmic conflict of spiritual principles. (2) The preterist view (the Latin word Praeter means “past”) maintains that it is a symbolic description of the Roman persecution of the church, emperor worship, and the divine judgment of Rome. (3) The historicist view approaches Revelation as an allegorical panorama of the history of the (Western) church from the first century to the Second Advent. (4) The futurist view acknowledges the obvious influence that the first-century conflict between Roman power and the church had upon the themes of this book. It also accepts the bulk of Revelation (4-22) as an inspired look into the time immediately preceding the Second Advent (the “Tribulation”, usually seen as seven years; (6-18), and extending from the return of Christ to the creation of the new cosmos (19-22).

Advocates of all four interpretive approaches to Revelation agree that it was written to assure the recipients of the ultimate triumph of Christ over all who rise up against Him and His saints. The readers were facing dark times of persecution, and even worse times would follow. Therefore they needed to be encouraged to persevere by standing firm in Christ in view of God’s plan for the righteous and the wicked. This plan is especially clear in the stirring words of the epilogue (22:6-21). The book was also written to challenge complacent Christians to stop compromising with the world. According to futurists, Revelation serves the additional purpose of providing a perspective on end-time events that would have meaning and relevance to the spiritual lives of all succeeding generations of Christians.

Key Verses – Revelation 1:19 and 19:11-15

“Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this” (1:19)

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him upon white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God (19:11-15)

Key Chapters – Revelation 19-22

When the end of history is fully understood, its impact radically affects the present. In Revelation 19-22 the plans of God for the last days and for all of eternity are recorded in explicit terms. Careful study of an obedience to them will bring the blessings that are promised (1:3). Uppermost in the mind and deep in the heart should be guarded the words of Jesus, “Behold, I am coming quickly.”

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