E-pistle for January 11, 2013
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E-pistle
FreeWay Foundation January 11, 2013
Marriage and victory celebration
(Revelation 19:1-21)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the contents of this chapter
1. John heard the multitudes in heaven praising God, vv. 1-8.
2. John was told to write about the marriage supper on the Lamb, vv. 9-10.
3. John saw the glorified Christ riding on a white horse, vv. 11-16.
4. John saw the beast and his armies totally destroyed, vv. 17-21.
II. Observations: on the ones doing the celebrating (the same as in chapter 4)
1. A great multitude in heaven, v. 1.
2. The twenty-four elders, v. 4.
3. The four living creatures, v. 4.
4. God's servants and those who fear Him (including angels), v. 5.
III. Meditation: on what the celebrants are saying (or singing)
1. Pre-eminence: "Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong
to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments . . . " vv. 1-2.
2. Praise: "Amen! Alleluia!" (So may it be! Praise God!), v. 4.
3. Power: "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!" v. 6.
4. Promise: "Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the
Lamb has come," v. 7.
(Note: the rest of chapter 19 describes the Lamb as the conquering King-Bridegroom,
victorious over Satan's forces, arriving to claim His bride, the church.)
IV. Revelation: on the bride (Christ's church)
1. She meets her Bridegroom with gladness and rejoicing, v. 7.
2. She submits to Him and gives glory to her Bridegroom, v. 7.
3. She has made herself ready for that great wedding day, v. 7.
4. She is clothed in fine linen, clean and bright . . . the righteous acts of the saints,
v. 8 (See Matthew 22:11-14)
V. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Anticipate the return of Christ with joy and gladness.
2. Continually and submissively give glory and honor to my Lord and Savior.
3. Be morally clean and spiritually prepared every day for Christ's arrival . . .
"We know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as He is pure," I John 3:2-3.
4. Perform good works ("righteous acts") so that men may see my good deeds and glorify
my Father in heaven, Matthew 5:16.
The great white throne judgment
(Revelation 20:1-2)
Dr. Curt Scarborough
I. Concentration: on the events of God's judgment
1. One of God's angels will bind Satan for 1,000 years, vv. 1-2.
2. Satan will be cast into the bottomless pit, so he no longer may deceive the nations
during this period of time, v. 3.
3. Martyrs (witnesses) of the Christian faith will live and reign with Christ for this
millennium, v. 4.
4. After 1,000 years, Satan will be released from all restraints; he will gather an army
to fight against the saints, but he will be defeated by Christ's army and cast into hell
to be tormented forever, vv. 7-10.
II. Meditation: on birth, death, and resurrection
1. The first birth is physical, John 3:5.
2. The second birth is spiritual, John 3:3-7.
3. The first death is physical . . . separation of the spirit from the body.
4. The second death is spiritual . . . eternal separation of the soul from God, Revelation 2:11,
Revelation 20:6, 14; 21:8.
5. The first resurrection could be understood as the salvation experience, which is pictured
as dying to sin and being resurrected to new life in Christ, v. 6; Galatians 2:20; Romans 6:4.
6. The second resurrection, therefore, could refer to that day when God's people will be
resurrected from their graves . . . raptured to be with the Lord, I Thessalonians 4:16-17.
III. Revelation: on the Judgment Day
1. God is the Judge, and all persons will stand before Him vv. 11-12.
2. Evidence at this trial is kept in God's record books (vv. 12, 15):
1) Books (plural) = a record of each person's actions, Matthew 12:36,
2) Lamb's Book of Life = a record (listing) of all those persons who have
received Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.
3. Unbelievers (sinful persons who have rejected Christ) will be judged and punished for their
sins . . . "the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23.
4. Believers (sinful persons who have received Christ and been forgiven) will not be sentenced
to hell, because their names have been recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life, v. 15; Philippians 4:3;
Revelation 21:27.
IV. Applications: as a Christian, I need to . . .
1. Be spiritually perceptive, realizing that Satan is active today on planet Earth, deceiving many
persons . . . possibly even the elect, Matthew 24:24.
2. Be absolutely certain that I have been born again, so that I will not have to experience the
"second death."
3. Be aware that God is recording every detail of my life. (See Revelation 7:17; 21:4; Romans 14:10;
II Corinthians 5:10.)
4. Be joyfully confident that I shall be a part of God's ultimate triumph over Satan and his evil forces.
" Do, or do not. There is no 'try'."
--YODA ('The Empire Strikes Back')
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