Revelation: The Hope - The End
- Nancy Counts
- Jul 11
- 6 min read
So many major life changes since I last wrote! In the concluding paragraph of my last blog months ago, I said:
So whenever life threatens to overwhelm, rest in the assurance of Jesus’ triumphal entry.
Life for the last few months has indeed been overwhelming. Devastating, gut wrenching floods. Ongoing turmoil in the middle east. So much uncertainty about the future. People take sides, and others declare the end of the world must be at hand.
But not everything lately has been terrible. Babies have been born. LSU baseball earned an 8th National Championship. And I blinked, and my baby became a bride-to-be!
Life happens so quickly. So many blinks and all the good, the bad, and the ugly fill the pages of our day to day journey.
So to finish up my blogs covering Revelation, the story ends like it begins with hope at the center.
No coincidence occurs when John uses the imagery of a wedding to help us cling to the message of Jesus even during the darkest of times. Weddings are happy occasions. Weddings are festive. Weddings are full of promise and possibility. Weddings mark the beginning of a new life for the two individuals who commit themselves to one another. Weddings represent hope.
The joy surrounding a wedding is an ancient tradition and still important in most cultures today. Weddings matter for the future. They exemplify a strong statement of hope that life will continue and new generations will grow no matter the darkness that life dishes out.
Revelation. 19:7. “Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself. ”
Don’t miss that. The bride has prepared herself.
Abe and Caroline have been engaged for eight weeks. In just eight weeks, the number of lists made, emails sent, and appointments scheduled approaches insanity. But venues and photographers book a year in advance and dresses take months to arrive. How we prepare matters for how the wedding day goes.
Think about the weddings you have attended or maybe think about your own wedding. The wedding day should be a special day! First, the miracle that two humans survived birth into adulthood. Next, two people found each other and a connection ensued that made them want to commit a lifetime to one another. However, I’ve been to weddings where the pageantry overshadowed the couple. The vows pledged rang hollow - only a stepping stone to the ultimate afterparty. Yes, I have mentally wondered how long these couples might stay together? I’ve also been to weddings where the commitment the couple placed on Christ to be at the forefront of their relationship took center stage, and the fluff of the day only added to the intimacy of their vows. The cynical side of my heart holds more hope for these couples who seem to have a larger grasp on the meaning of a vow.
A marriage vow is a covenant between two people pledging their love, commitment, and service to one another and to God. If you look at the covenants God makes in the Bible, He takes these seriously. I could do an entire blog series on covenants so I won’t digress here, but the marriage vow is sacred to God. I hope young people are appropriately counseled prior to taking their vows so they understand that this commitment is not simply to one another. A wedding union transforms two individuals into something new. Individual identity is not lost, but the bond of the vow forges a team better equipped to take on the challenges of this world, helping the bad and the ugly pages of life’s book be more bearable. When faced with uncertainty in a darkening world, those united in a marriage bond do not have to face the chaos alone. And as the bride of Christ, we do not face the Great White Throne Judgment alone.
At the Great White Throne Judgment, the dead, great and small, all stand as equals before God and wait for him to pass sentence over each and every life.
Rev 20: 12 states that “books are opened.” The reader is left to assume that these books contain all the deeds done by each and every human who ever lived. It's a little scary to think about someone up in heaven with a pen and a book recording each and every thing I have ever done, thought, or said. Yikes!
But then verse 12 continues with “another book is opened” - singular book - “which is the book of life.”
Here’s the thing about being a bride of Christ. I don’t come under judgement. As soon as I professed my belief in His death, burial, and resurrection as payment for my sins, my deeds book disappeared, and my name was placed in the book of life. I don’t have to fear the Great White Throne Judgment because my name is written in the book of life!
I am absolutely overwhelmed by the humbling knowledge that I’m not in the book of deeds! The day I gave my heart to Jesus the scribe recording all my mess put down his pen but only after placing my name in the Book of Life. I am a bride of Christ. This is the vow He made to me when He willingly went to the cross.
If you have ever wondered where the concept of hell originated, look at Revelation 20:10
“The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet are, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. ”
Nope. Not me. Don’t have to worry about that. My name is written in the book of life!!!
Judgement brings death.
Revelation 20:14 “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”
Nope. Not me. Don’t have to worry about that. My name is written in the book of life!!!
I am a bride of Christ. I have the honor and privilege of living in the new Jerusalem. The old heaven and earth pass away, and Eden is restored. The world will exist as things should have always been. No floods, no hurricanes, no fires, no wars, no suffering, no division. And Jesus dwells among humanity.
“Then the one seated on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new.” He also said, “Write, because these words are faithful and true.” Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life. ” Revelation 21:5-6
Take some time to read the description in Revelation 21 describing the New Jerusalem. The splendor is more than anything currently present in heaven or earth. Even in the midst of overwhelming world events, personal events, or simple life blinks, know and understand how the story ends.
“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. ” Revelation 21:4
What a day to look forward to!!! The end of days should not be feared. Jesus, himself, explains to us…
“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to attest these things to you for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”
Revelation 22:16
The One who existed with God at creation. The One whom the prophets foretold. The One who died so my deeds could be erased from the books and my name transcribed into the book of life. The Son of David. The bright and Morningstar. He wants ALL of us as His bride.
“Both the Spirit and the bride say, “Come! ” Let anyone who hears, say, “Come! ” Let the one who is thirsty come. Let the one who desires take the water of life freely. ”
Revelation 22:17
So how do we prepare? We believe and then we tell others about our faith. How else will they hear about this Jesus who reigns for eternity and desires us as His bride?
I’ll let John end this blog series, but I also implore you. Be confident your name exists in the Book of Life. And tell others of His wonderful grace.
“He who testifies about these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with everyone. Amen. ”
Revelation 22:20-21
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