Book of Revelation - Weekly Sunday Sermon

 Hello! This Sunday morning I was still in the GRII Bogor Retreat, so I went to the Sunday Service there, which did not align with the topics in the service in GRII Pusat (which was about the Book of Revelation) so today's post will be solely from me.

Subtopic  1 - Theme

Revelations is a book written by the Apostle John, who was the youngest apostle by the time of Jesus' ministry, and by the time he wrote the book of Revelation (circa 95 AD), he was the last surviving apostle left, as all the other twelve (Matthias replaced Judas, and Paul) had already died. He wrote this to all Christians everywhere. Revelations is the last book of the Bible.

Subtopic 2 - John's Vision 

On the island of Patmos, where John was exiled to after the people tried to execute him (but he did not die), John had a vision, a revelation from Jesus, where he was revealed many things. The first thing he was told was to write short letters to seven churches. He saw Jesus, or someone who looked like him in the vision,  with a sword out of his mouth and his voice was like the rushing waters, and his face was like the sun.

Subtopic 2 - The Seven Churches

John wrote seven short letters on a scroll to the churches in Asia Minor (modern day Turkiye). The churches were Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum,Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. He wrote this as commanded in the vision. All of the seven churches had some problems, and he addressed them.

Subtopic 3 - The Throne in Heaven

John saw a throne in heaven with rainbows around it, a figure on it, and twenty four elders on twenty four other thrones, and seven spirits of God. In the center around the throne was four creatures, that worship the figure sitting on the throne and praise him. And this figure is God.

Subtopic 4 - The Seal

There was a Lamb (Jesus) near the throne and the creatures were around him. The elders and creatures worshipped the lamb and sang a new song and told the Lamb that It could open the seven seals, seven seals which were near the throne. The Lamb opened the first Seal, and one of the creatures saw a white horse and a bowman with a crown on it - he was a conqueror. The second seal was opened by the Lamb and the second creature saw another horse, which was fiery red and its rider was too a conqueror with a  sword, a violent conqueror. The third seal  was opened by the Lamb and  a black horse with a rider holding a pair of scales. The fourth seal was opened and the creature saw a pale horse whose rider was named Death, and Hades was riding behind him. The evil horses and horsemen were given power over a quarter over the world to be violent. The fifth seal was opened and the altar the souls had been slain because of the Word of God cried out to the Lord, the Lamb, to judge them and everybody and to destroy the wicked. The sixth seal was opened and a great earthquake took place, the moon turned red, and the stars fell to the earth, and all the kings and servants and people hid, for the day of wrath will come on the last seal, and nobody can withstand it.

Subtopic 5 - The 144,000

Now there were four angels at each corner of the earth, holding back winds, so the earth may be protected until the seventh seal comes. There were 144,000 "sealed" people, who were servants of God in the vision, 12,000 from each tribe of Israel. 

Subtopic 6 - The Great Multitude in White Robes

Then John was revealed many people in white robes and with palm branches, and praised the Lamb Jesus and proclaimed that their salvation belongs to It (the Lamb). The angels, elders and creatures praised God. The multitude of people in white robes would serve before God and his Temple, they will not suffer in any kind, the Lamb will be their shepherd, and they will rejoice.  

Subtopic 7 - The Seventh Seal

Now, the Lamb opened the seven seal and there was silence for about 1800 seconds. Now, seven angels stood before God, and they were armed with seven trumpets. Another angel had a golden censer (a golden spear-like rod), and he was tiven incense and  took the censer, filled it with fire, and hurled it on the earth. Now, there was thunder, earthquakes, and destruction on the earth. They sounded their trumpets and destruction came to the earth. All the  evildoers were destroyed, but those who were  sealed, those who love God, were saved. 

Subtopic 8 - The Woman and the Dragon

Now, there was a woman and a dragon, as seen in the vision. The woman had a newborn child (Jesus), who would rule all nations with an iron scepter. The dragon (Satan) tried to devour the child, but Michael and his angels attacked the dragon and it was ejected. The dragon tried to keep on going but the woman flew away. The dragon left to wage war with those who follow God's commands.

Subtopic 9 - The Beast out of the Sea

The dragon then came out of the sea, and it had ten horns and seven heads with crowns and a blasphemous name. People worshipped the dragon because the dragon gave the beast its power. The beast blasphemed God and attacked the Word of the Lamb. A second beast came to tempt others. The Lamb was on Mount Zion now, with the people who were sealed that came with Him. These people were blameless and did not defile themselves like those who worshipped the dragon. Now, angels flew and worshipped God. Then a white cloud came, which was ridden by the Son of Man, and an angel came and swung a sickle, gathering all the grapes of the world and destroying them. 

Subtopic 10 - The Seven Angels of Plagues

Now there was seven angels in heaven with seven plagues,  and they sang the song of Moses. In heaven there was the tabernacle and the seven angels exit the tabernacle and were given by the four creatures bowls. The seven plagues filled the bowls, and the temple was filled with smoke.  Now the angels poured the seven bowls of God's wrath. Those who worshipped the beast were inflicted with sores on the skin. The second angel poured the second bowl, and the sea turned to blood. All the fish and creatures below the waves were killed. The third angel poured his bowl on the rivers and sources of freshwater, and the was turned to blood. The fourth angel poured his bowl and it inflicted with heat those who cursed God and his Name. The fifth angel poured his bowl on the throne of Satan, the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. The sixth angel poured his bowl to the Euphrates River and its water was dried. The seventh angel poured his bowl into the air, and out of the temple a voice came, saying "It is done!", and a huge earthquake, and all those who cursed God was destroyed because of their sin.

Subtopic 11 - Babylon the Prostitute

Then one of the angels who had the  bowls came to John and he showed him the people who cursed God and sinned, and Babylon (Satan) the prostitute. The Angel then showed John a woman who blasphemed God and with seven heads and tne horns. She was rich, and adulterous. The angel told him that she and all the people of sin would be destroyed completely.

Subtopic 12 - The Fall of Babylon

Now, Babylon, which is, Satan, fell into punishment and torment. An angel made a song over Babylon's destruction, as she had sinned, she haunted impure spirits and made them drunk and made them sin - she caused adultery and greed. And another voice from heaven warned us not to follow her ways so we may not go the same way as she and her followers, the sinners, as she was destroyed. Babylon, Satan, was fully destroyed. And more praise to God came, for those who were wicked were punished.

Subtopic 13 - The Heavenly Warrior

Now a heavenly warrior on a white horse, who was faithful, and his army of heaven destroyed the beast and all the evil people, and they waged war. The beast were captured and all its followers were destroyed. They were thrown into Hell, a fiery lake of burning sulfur. 

Subtopic 14 - A Thousand Years

Now the angel came down from heaven and seized Satan and all the wicked men and threw them into the Abyss and they were locked in for a thousand years. They would be set free for a short time after. And then there were thrones on which there were judges and those who gave their lives for God. They were blessed and given authority. They judged Satan and he would be thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, and the beast and false prophet too would be thrown, and they were given torment for every day for every year forever. Then, they judged the dead, the people. All those who were evil and wicked and cursed the name of God too were thrown into the lake of fire. 

Subtopic 15 - A New Heaven and a New Earth

Then God created a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and earth had been corrupted. In the New Heaven and New Earth, which the good people will inhabit, those who feared the Lord, would be perfect and the people who followed him would be happy and rejoice, they will not have pain or die. The evil, however, were punished into the fiery lake. 

Subtopic 16 - Eden Restored

Now the angel showed the river of the water of life, and on each side of the river stood the Tree of Life, which had fruit. The Throne of God and the Lamb will be in the the city, and those who are good will serve him there.

Subtopic 17 - John and the Angel

An angel said that all these are ture. The Lord, who had inspired the prophets, sent angels to John to show the thing that will come soon. Jesus will return soon, and John wrote all that he was shown, all that he was revealed to.

Subtopic 18 - Epilogue

Then Jesus proclaimed to John that he will come soon, and his rewards and punishment will come with him. And the final word of Revelation, the last book of the Bible, was "Amen".

And that is all!