Haste that Day
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I’ve watched the end of a Super Bowl when the stadium crowd erupted with thunderous excitement for their victorious team. I’ve watched the end of the seventh game of the World Series when the same thing happened.
That’s the closest analogy my mind conjured a few days ago when I read the last chapters of Revelation, specifically chapters 17-22. For example, speaking of the nations serving the Anti-Christ, the text tells us:
“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14).
And then there’s this text in chapter 18, speaking of Babylon (what ‘Babylon’ represents is not important to my point. We simply know it’s a powerful, world-renowned city): “And the kings of the earth . . .will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning . . saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come . . . And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city . . . for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ (Revelation 18:9-19)
And then this text in chapter 21 (my personal favorite): “Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
No wonder those in heaven cry out – four times – with their own thunderous roar: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; 2 because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” (Chapter 19)
Christian – the battle you’re fighting today might be raging. Your casualties might be mounting. But the ‘game’ ain’t over yet (keeping the metaphor from the first paragraph). And truthfully, it is not a ‘game’ but a deadly war.
It is a war in which YOU will be victorious because of Christ. And YOU will be among that throng shouting out the four-fold hallelujahs as you watch those last chapters play out from your vantage point in glory. YOU, and all of us who name the name of Jesus as our Lord, Master, Savior, King, and Friend . . .
We win.
Richard Maffeo was born into a Jewish home in the early 1950s. In 1972 he discovered Jesus is the Jewish Messiah, and he dove into his awakened faith with a passion that continues to this present day. He has written three books, writes a blog, and teaches several bible studies each week at 55+ communities. You can find his blog at www.inhimonly.blogspot.com. You can find him on Facebook by searching for his name.
Richard and his wife Nancy are married more than 50 years. They have three grown children.
