Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“And I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name were standing by the glassy sea, holding harps from God. And they were singing the song of Moses, the slave of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying: “Great and marvelous are your works, Lord God All-Powerful; righteous and true are your ways, King of the ages! Who would never fear, Lord, and glorify your name? For only you are holy, because all the nations will come and worship before you, because your righteous deeds have been revealed.”” (Revelation 12:13-17)

Chapter fifteen is the arrival of the seven angels holding the last of the seven plagues of God’s wrath. There is a great celebration because the end is literally in sight and they gave great glory to God.

Chapter sixteen are the seven bowls poured out. These are great and mighty events and happenings, obvious an undeniable evidence of the power of God. They are among the last opportunities humanity has to recognise God’s supremacy and submit to Jesus as Lord. To repent of sin and turn to Him. Sadly, many of the people on Earth chose to curse God for bringing these things upon them and they refuse to repent of their deeds.

In chapter seventeen, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls comes to John to show him Babylon – not the city, but the spiritual entity. It appears as a woman (able to conceive things) riding on a beast (whose horns represent ten nations of Earth). The angel explains who ‘she’ is and what the beast means. These kingdoms are kingdoms that will line up against Jesus, against God, but will NOT prevail. The nations will turn against Babylon and completely lay her bare and desolate. It will be the end of Babylon.

Chapter eighteen brings another angel coming down from heaven and crying out in a loud voice the lament of the fall of Babylon. There is also a voice from heaven crying out to the people warning them to come out from Babylon to avoid partaking in her sins and thereby receive her plagues. The kings who participated with her will mourn. The merchants who participated with her will mourn. The sea captains and sailors who built trade will her will mourn. Then a mighty angel throws a great millstone into the sea and declares that the violence and completeness of the fall of Babylon will be just like that.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, John

Key Verse(s): Revelation 15:6-8; 16:10-11; 17:3-8; 18:21-24