Reading Revelation ... Chapters 19-20

June 2 – 8
Revelation 19:11-20:15
(week 10 of 12)

The Apocalypse of God’s Salvation Come to Earth

Dr. Robert Wall

Suggestions for Daily Readings

19:11-21.  The Savior enters riding a white horse, and destroys the beast

20:1-3.      The dragon is captured and imprisoned
20:4-6.      The saints rule with Christ for a thousand years
20:7-10     Satan (the dragon) is released, makes a last stand, and then destroyed
20:11-15   The dead are judged by God

 

Enter the Savior!

Last week we followed the play-by-play as God’s wrath was poured out upon the earth in judgment.  This week, we focus on God’s victory brought about by Jesus.  Jesus makes a grand entrance, riding a white horse, to finalize the victory of God.  Dr. Wall likens Jesus’ arrival to the fanfare-filled entrance of a relief pitcher into the ninth inning of a major league baseball game.  The “closer” who comes in to nail down the victory and save the game – that’s Jesus’ role in Revelation.  Up to now Jesus has been a witness of what’s been going on, but now he’s in the game, bringing it to its victorious conclusion.

Pay special attention to what happens to the evil actors we’ve been introduced to in Revelation.  In these 25 verses we discover the fate of the beast and the false prophet – thrown into a lake of fire.  But the great dragon, Satan, isn't disposed of so simply.  First he is chained in a sealed pit for a thousand years. (Dr. Wall interprets the thousand years to be describing one great Day of Judgment in God’s time.)  After the thousand years, in which those beheaded for their testimony to Jesus reign with Christ, the dragon is set free.  After amassing a large army, the dragon meets the same fiery fate as the other two members of the unholy trinity.  Then we see God's final judgment of the dead.

 

Questions for Application

In your experience, what does it mean to you that Jesus is your Savior?  How has Jesus saved you?  What has he saved you from?  What do you need him to save you from? 

Revelation portrays Jesus the Savior as a mystical military leader riding a white horse.  Dr. Wall likened Jesus to a baseball relief pitcher who comes in at the end to save the victory.  How would you describe Jesus’ saving work in the past, present, and future?

 

As always, here are some general questions to reflect upon or discuss:

The Scene

What does the scene look like?  What stands out to you visually?
Revelation contains a strange mix of vision elements – some readily understood and others quite mysterious.  What do you understand?  What remains mysterious?

The Characters

Who are the living characters who appear in this scene?  What does the text tell you about them?  How do they interact with one another…what is the dramatic action?  What remains mysterious about them?

The Message

What do the characters do or say or sing?  If you were to summarize this in a word or phrase, how would you put it?  What remains unclear or mysterious with regard to a message in the text?


A word to the wise with this week's Revelation reading in mind:
 "Stick with Jesus.  You'll be glad you did."