The Eternal Purpose of God'
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The Book of Revelation is unique in at least two ways. First of all it is presented as a direct revelation of God to Christ. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: (Revelation 1:1)
Although every book of the Scriptures is inspired of God and is to be received as the Word of God, none except Revelation is presented as a direct vision of God given to Christ. For this reason the Book of Revelation is to be regarded by every member of the Body of Christ as being absolutely binding upon all that will transpire in the universe.
The second element of uniqueness is the curse that has been issued concerning changing the text of the Book of Revelation.
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. (Revelation 22:18,19)
In the day in which we are living, every truth by which men guide their behaviour is being challenged. One is considered to be sophisticated if he views with disdain any attempt to maintain a standard of behaviour. Included in the disregard of moral law is the concept that man’s pleasures and desires are the most important aspect of the universe.
The visions of Revelation cut to the heart of such man-centeredness. God tells us what will take place—that which cannot be changed by any authority or power in the heavens, on the earth, or in the regions of spiritual darkness under the surface of the earth.
What Revelation states will happen will indeed take place. Not one word is to be changed. He who tampers with the text in any manner will suffer the severest of penalties.
These are events that "must shortly come to pass." They will take place in certainty, in fullness—precisely as written.
Before the heavens and the earth were created God saw in His mind the new heaven and earth, and the new Jerusalem. When God created the first heaven and earth, and all of earth’s inhabitants, including man, God knew every event that must transpire before it would be possible for Him to bring forth the actual heaven and earth that He had in mind, and a government that would bring righteousness, peace, and joy to the inhabitants. After all had been created in timeless vision, God rested. Our sole business in life is to enter that rest, into that finished work of the Lord God and His Christ.
Each human being is occupied with creating heaven and earth, and sometimes the government, according to his own desires, fashioning himself and his destiny as he sees fit. But God invites us to enter His rest, into the heaven and earth and the government He has chosen. Also, God knows what we are to become in personality and what our destiny, our role, is to be. All that God asks is that we cease from our own works and receive the heaven and earth, and the personality and role, He has chosen for us.
The Kingdom of God, and the nations over which the Kingdom is to rule, have all been completed in the mind of God. They will come into existence as He wills.
Each member of God’s elect has been called to serve God as a priest in the new world of righteousness. Whether or not we as an individual manage to lay hold on our own calling depends on the diligence with which we apply ourselves to doing God’s will. We can lose our inheritance! Many are called but only a few are chosen as kings and priests of God.
The last two chapters of the Book of Revelation do not show us much of the new age, considering the fact that this is the Divine portrayal of the eternity that faces each human being. We would like to know so much more! Nevertheless, all we need to understand at this time concerning redemption and the Kingdom of God is present in the Book of Revelation.
The vision of the new heaven and earth, and the new Jerusalem, is to be interpreted spiritually and also somewhat literally. The Book of Revelation is exceedingly rich in spiritual concepts.
Let us hold firmly to the glorious hope of a new world wherein dwells righteousness, for it shall certainly come into view. God will dwell on the earth and His servants will serve Him. The Lamb and His Wife will be the Light of the creation to the ages of ages.
Our present life is so brief! We have such a short time in which to demonstrate the faithfulness of our personality, our love for God, our responsibility toward God’s Christ, the Lord Jesus. We sing our song, utter the parable that is our personality. There is some laughter, many tears, and then the present life is finished. Now we have all eternity to consider how we behaved while under the dark pressures of earth.
Let us make the best possible use of every day, laying hold on the Lord with all the vigor we possess. A time of trouble is on the horizon. The Gentile holocaust is at hand. There will be many days of terror. The nations will be in turmoil, not being able to cope with what is taking place.
During this period of tribulation the Wife of the Lamb will undergo the separating and refining necessary for her union with Christ. Christ and Antichrist will work their works on the earth. God suddenly will confront Satan and demand an accounting of his behavior. Man will be seen as the insignificant dust that he is, for true power and authority exist in the spirit realm.
Only in Christ do we have any significance, any security, any hope.
We can, if we choose, press onward and upward until we stand in the fullness of glory in Christ. Or we can waste our life, as Satan intends we should, on the trinkets of the present lustful, violent world.
God has called us, especially we who are living in the end of the age, to places of authority and power in the Kingdom. These are days of fantastic opportunity and also terrible danger. Let us behave ourselves as sons of God so we may receive the fullness of the inheritance.
Let us pray without ceasing in order that we may escape the spiritual dangers that threaten us from every side with spiritual destruction.
Let us take up our cross and follow Jesus in stern obedience to God so we will be found worthy to stand in the Presence of Christ and not be ashamed before Him at His glorious appearing with the holy angels.
The last two chapters of the Book of Revelation are of supreme importance. They set forth the goal, the final result of the eternal purpose of God Almighty.
All else is scaffolding. All of our religious things and exercises are means to the ends presented here. No part of the vision can be changed in any manner whatever. It all will take place precisely as written.
Perhaps every concept of the Kingdom of God is included in these two chapters.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. (Revelation 21:1)
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