𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗠-𝗨𝗣

• What first comes to your mind when the topic of end times comes up?

• Are you fond of stories with unexpected endings? Why or why not?

• Whenever there are challenging times ahead, how do you ensure that you are prepared?

𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗗

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵, “𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘫𝘢𝘩! 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴.” 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟵:𝟭–𝟮

(Read also 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟵:𝟯–𝟭𝟬.)

Whenever the topic of the end times or the book of Revelation comes up, people often become hesitant and anxious. Most are afraid that those days will be filled with war, destruction, and doom. This is perhaps why many avoid reading the book of Revelation altogether. But when we examine this epistle of John, we’ll find that the highlight of this book is not the impending chaos, but Christ’s ultimate return and victory, and the hope of the fulfillment of God’s plan for those who call on Him. Revelation was meant to encourage believers and give them hope.

Today, as we read Revelation 19 specifically, we see how God’s judgment is true and just, so for those who believe there is no need to fear. What’s more is that He is preparing us—His Church—as a bride for His begotten Son and our victorious Savior—Jesus Christ. How must we live today in light of our future glorious union with Christ?

𝟭. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗼𝗱.

𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘐 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘶𝘥 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯, 𝘤𝘳𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘶𝘵, “𝘏𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘭𝘶𝘫𝘢𝘩! 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵; 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘶𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴.” 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟵:𝟭–𝟮

(Read also 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟵:𝟯–𝟳.)

The writer of Revelation, John, in a vision heard the Hallelujah, which is a call to people to praise Yahweh. As the great multitude in heaven cried out in worship, they recounted the greatness of God and His mighty deeds. In the end, it is not the war with evil that is the climax of history, but the rule and reign of God in righteousness and justice. We do not have to live in fear, but we can respond in repentance, hope, worship, and obedience in light of the glory and majesty of God. Even in your current circumstance, how can worship, obedience, and hope mark your life?

𝟮. 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀.

“𝘓𝘦𝘵 𝘶𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘶𝘭𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘺, 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘢𝘮𝘣 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺; 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯, 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘦”—𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝟭𝟵:𝟳–𝟴

Another reason we don’t have to fear is because greater than the impending war is a glorious wedding between the Lamb and His bride. Jesus is the Lamb our Savior, who has given His life for His bride—the Church. As with any wedding preparation, the bride is to ready herself and to clothe herself with fine, bright, and pure clothing. This clothing is the righteous deeds of the saints. In anticipation of Jesus’ return, we are to adorn ourselves, as His bride, with good works not for our salvation but to be ready to be united with Christ for eternity. This is the hope of those who have put their faith in Christ and hold to His testimony. As part of a spiritual community, how have you been participating in clothing the Church with righteous deeds?

𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗟𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

• In light of the last days and the coming of Christ, how may your life be marked with the hope we have in Him, instead of living in fear and uncertainty? How may our topic today help you with this?

• Today, think of at least three reasons God is worthy of your worship and obedience. How may you incorporate this practice of reflection and worship into your daily life?

• What do you believe is God calling you to do to prepare for Jesus’ return? How may your life and posture be an example for others to trust God and hope for the future He has prepared for His people?

𝗣𝗥𝗔𝗬𝗘𝗥

• Thank God for a hope-filled future for those whose faith is in Christ. Pray that despite the troubling news in the world, you’ll be reminded of and live in this hope.

• Ask God to remind you every day that there is always a reason to worship and trust Him. Pray for the conviction and resolve to obey Him and pursue His plans for your life.

• Pray that you and your church community will be salt and light to a world living in fear and apathy. May you be a beacon of the hope found in Christ.