How the Christian church survives amidst adversity

Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

Introduction
I begin today's post with a quote from late great Bible teacher, theologian and author Dr. John Walvoord, who writing on the above verse notes: "The exile of John to the Isle of Patmos is in itself a moving story of devotion to Christ crowned with suffering. This small island, rocky and forbidding in its terrain, about ten miles long and six miles wide, is located in the Agean Sea southwest of Ephesus just beyond the Island of Samos." Walvoord later on then writes: "It was in these bleak circumstances, shut off from friends and human fellowship, that John was given the most extensive revelation of future things shown to any writer of the New Testament.  Though men could circumscribe his human activities, they could not bind the Spirit of God nor the testimony of Jesus Christ."1

As you read and study the Book of Revelation, John the Apostle is given access by the Holy Spirit of God into two sets of realms and times: namely this present age and realm of men and the future time and the invisible realm.  In the Book of Revelation, both realms and times blend into one another.  At times you will be wisked far off to the end of history to witness of the Second coming of Jesus Christ, as described in Revelation 1:3-8 and other passages.  However you will also be brought back to here and now to understand how this present age and realm of men is directly affected by the ages to come and the invisible realm.  Revelation is as much a book about you and I today as Christians fighting the good fight of faith, as well as it is about the destinies of the saved, the lost, of history, of Christ's coming Kingdom and Eternity.

In today's post I want us to consider what John has to say to us about ways in which the Christian church will continue to survive.  Despite the many reports we here of Christianity's decline in our nation and the Western world in general, the Book of Revelation reminds us that faithfulness to Jesus Christ, not popularity in the culture, is the true measure of success.  Three terms are mentioned in Revelation 1:9 that detail for us the survival guide for the Christian Church today: tribulation, kingdom and perseverance. 

Christianity survives because of persecution
You read it correctly - the Christian individual and church survives because of persecution.  We know John is writing to the church at large because of the fact that the letter was to be circulated among the seven churches in Asia Minor. (Revelation 1:10-11; 2:1-3:22)  The word translated "tribulation" in Revelation 1:9 is not speaking of the future seven year period that John will write more about in Revelation 6:1-19:6 and what Jesus earlier termed "The Tribulation" or "The Great Tribulation" in Matthew 24:9,21,29.  Rather the idea of "tribulation" in Revelation 1:9 has to do with the persecutions that he and his readers were enduring under the tyrannical reign of Emporer Domitian at the end of the first century.  

Whether we speak of trials and tribulations endured under an hellish regime or the trials of health or normal everyday circumstance, scripture bears witness that Christianity can only survive when such persecution is present. Jesus notes in John 16:33 "These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”  Both James 1:3-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 explain that trials actually serve to purify and galvanize the Christian faith against weaknesses and the world.  2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds the reader that the "momentary and light afflictions" of this world, comparatively speaking, are working forth in us a true desire to strive toward our ultimate goal of being with Jesus for eternity.  Acts 14:22 states - "strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”  As one friend of mine once told me: growth never occurs on the mountain, but always in the valley.  So contrary to human reasoning, the Bible clearly states with that the church survives because of persecution.  As we already saw in Acts 14:22, persecution drives the Christian church to survive on striving to enter the Kingdom.  Therefore the Christian church survives negatively because of persecution and positively because of the Kingdom.

The Christian Church survives because of the Kingdom
John writes in Revelation 1:9 "I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom ...".  The Kingdom of God is God's reign and realm expressed over and among His people.  Wherever God's reign and realm are, there is His Kingdom.  The Kingdom of God in one respect is general, eternal and everywhere, since there is not one square inch of creation that is not touched by His Sovereign reign. (Psalm 102; 145:13; 147:5; Matthew 6:9-13)  There is a second way that the Kingdom is described, namely by Jesus Himself as being the Mediator of it, in bring His Father's invisible Heavenly purposes to bear here on this earth. (Matthew 4:17) The church is not the entirety of the kingdom, but rather functions as the foyer of the Kingdom, the "front porch" into which true believers experience the wider blessings of Kingdom life.  The Kingdom of God is also that which is coming, meaning that what is mainly invisible and heavenly will soon be visible and earthly. (Titus 2:13; Revelation 19:7-21)  God's unlimited power exercised by the Son over His church ensures the church's continuing survival. (Matthew 16:18; 28:18-20) Jesus reminds us in Matthew 6:33 "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added unto you." What things? Things you and I worry about or wonder whether or not God will come through and complete.  If you and I had an inkling of who we are and Whose we are in Christ, we would not worry near as much. (Philippians 4:6-9) We discover in Romans 14:17 "for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit."  This Kingdom element for Christian living is positive because of the Spirit's continual provision of power to live it. Consider these words from Colossians 3:2-3 "Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is,seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth." The church survives because of persecution - a negative, and it survives because of its kingdom relationship - a positive.  Just as a battery has positive and negative ends to produce electric current, God has ordained both the "positive" and "negatives" of persecution and the Kingdom to promote growth and life in His people.  But notice thirdly how the Christian church will continue to survive...

The Christian church survives because of endurance for the kingdom and under persecution
John writes in Revelation 1:9 I, John, your brother and fellow partaker in the tribulation and kingdom and perseverance which are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus."  I underlined that phrase "in Jesus" to remind the reader that no Christian persecution, positive kingdom blessing or effort to endure occurs outside of Jesus Christ.  As one sign I saw one time reads: "God's grace will never lead you where that same grace will not sustain you." When John wrote what he wrote, he identified himself as a "fellow partaker" in the tribulation and the kingdom and the perseverance. The Greek word translated by "perseverance" could just be as easily translated "endurance".  The wonderful Greek Scholar W.E Vine writes concerning the meaning of this word: "it denotes to abide under, to bear up courageously (under suffering)." 2  John was not addressing his readers in pleasure but pain.  Not amidst delights but underneath extreme duress. Despite the uncertainty around John, within John was nothing but certainty.  We read in Philippians 3:13-14 that we are to "forget what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead", pressing onward to God's upward call in Christ Jesus.  Jude wrote his short little book and expressed in Jude 3 the reason: "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints."  The Apostle Peter reminds us in 1 Peter 4:19 "Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right."

Conclusion
The Christian church as a whole and Christians in particular can expect to survive regardless of current circumstances because of three truths revealed in Revelation 1:9: Persecution, The Kingdom and Endurance. 


Endnotes:_________________
1. Dr. John Walvoord. The Revelation of Jesus Christ. Moody Press. Page 41

2. W.E. Vine. Expository Dictionary on New Testament Words. Fleming H. Revell Company. 1966. Page 29 in Volume 2.  

Summarizing Top Bible Prophecies

Revelation 19:10 "Then I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and your brethren who hold the testimony of Jesus; worship God. For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Over a period of time we have looked at key texts that unfold key themes and purposes of God's prophetic program in scripture.  We have termed such scriptures: "Top Bible Prophecies".  A Top Bible prophecy is characterized by its scope of coverage of time and the future, its depiction of God's glory, the number of other scriptures connected to it and the clarity we gain about the Christian identity.  Today I want to tie all of the top Bible prophecies together by attempting to offer a summary explanation of each with a concluding section on the five purposes of prophecy that we gain from these texts.  

Briefly Summarizing Top Bible Prophecies

1. Genesis 3:15 The Seed Promise
We began considering the first mention of the Gospel in the Bible, as well as the first example of predictive prophecy: Genesis 3:15.  The most important word in the text is the word "seed", a term that points ultimately to God's plan of salvation as seen in other texts such as God's words to Noah in Genesis 6:9.  The next top Bible Prophecy, Genesis 12:1-7, also includes this word "seed" and exhibits God's clarifying of His plan of salvation to being also His promise.

2. Genesis 12:1-7 God's Covenant with Abraham
From Genesis 3:15 to 12:1 is roughly 2,000 years period of time and 20 generations of humanity stretching from Adam to Noah and then from Noah's Son Shem to Abram.  God called Abram out of Ur of the Chaldees and began to reveal to him the Promise of salvation.  Not only would God bring forth a specific "seed" from Abram, but God also promised at least two other promises: a land for Abram's descendants and blessing upon every tribe and nation of the earth due to the Promise.  This three-fold cord of land, seed and blessing would weave its way throughout the rest of scripture and through the next two top Bible Prophecies: Deuteronomy 30 and 2 Samuel 7:8-16.

3. Deuteronomy 30 The Promised Land
470 years after God first spoke to Abraham in Ur of the Chaldees, we find Moses and the second generation of Israelites which he led encamped on the plains of Moab East of the Jordon.  God's word to Abraham of a land promise back in Genesis 12:7 would eventually become fulfilled partially whenever the Israelites would nearly conquer the land of Canaan under Joshua's leadership in the Book of Joshua.  Despite living in the land and at times having possession of the land in large portions, historically Israel never had full-possession of the promised land.  If we take Deuteronomy 30 seriously, we can only conclude that the prophecy spoken has a future fulfillment at Christ's return.  

4. 2 Samuel 7:8-16 A shepherd and The King
From the days of Moses in Deuteronomy 30 until David's day in 2 Samuel 7 we cover over 400 years of time.  The "land" portion of Abraham's covenant back in Genesis 12:7 was spelled out in Deuteronomy 30, which meant the need to spell out further the promise of a "seed".  God's Covenant with David in 2 Samuel 7:8-16 serves to amplify the "seed" promise, unfolding the truths of a royal bloodline extending from David to a second truth, the Ultimate descendant being none other than Jesus Christ.  A shepherd David was called to be King and would be used by virtue of his bloodline to be the means by which the Great Shepherd would arrive into this world.  That same Great Shepherd would give His life and raise from the dead and ascend into heaven.  That same Descendant of David, the Lord Jesus Christ, will return to take up His physical throne in Jerusalem to begin the physical part of His 1,000 year reign over His people and the earth.  

5. Psalm 110 
Psalm 110 is termed a "top Bible prophecy" by virtue of the fact it is the most quoted Old Testament scripture in the New Testament.  Psalm 110 explains how God's Covenant with David would lead Christ, and how God's Covenant with David was not just with David as it was with His own Son in eternity.  Often God will replay Eternal events and truths that He worked out within Himself by way of historic covenants.

6. Isaiah 53
As much as top Bible Prophecies cover the glories of the future surrounding Christ's second coming and conquering reign, some top Bible Prophecies also predict the sufferings of His first coming.   This prophecy tells of not only details leading up to Christs death, but it even details his death by crucifixion, a form of torture that would be invented over 300 years after Isaiah's writing and perfected by Jesus' day.

7. Jeremiah 31:31-33 The New Covenant
By reading Jeremiah's prediction of the New Covenant in concert with Hebrews 8:7-13, we come to discover the power God was going to provide for the faith-walk in a spiritual sense for believers in this age and for Israel physically in the age to come.  The New Covenant promises and prophecies serve to amplify the "blessing" portion of God's covenant with Abraham way back in Genesis 12:1-7.  For this blogger, it would appear that Genesis 12:1-7 is the theological and spiritual center of Old Testament revelation and all of the major themes leading up to the New Testament.  In a sense then, the New Covenant is a "re-echoing" of God's Covenant with Abraham that would be fulfilled and made available by Jesus Christ to all Jew and Gentiles who would by grace through faith believe on Him.  

8. Daniel 9:24-27 The Bible's greatest prophecy
The final "top Bible prophecy" of this series is the most far reaching in that it covers three main truths about God's Sovereignty, Christ's cross and Christ's second coming.  God's calendar for history is the nation of Israel as it pertains to the first and second comings of Christ. Through Daniel God predicted a 490 year prescribed period of time for the nation of Israel and really the world at large.  The first 49 of those years would cover the rebuilding of Jerusalem from the exile to the end of the Old Testament.  The second block of  434 years would stretch from the days of Malachi to the death of Christ.  Since the death, burial, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, God's calendar for Israel has been put on hold in order to give room for Gentiles to be called and drawn to saving faith. (Romans 11:1-24) Such an action by God has not revoked any of His plans to restore Israel, since their remains one final 7 year period for Israel to be fulfilled.  That final seven year period called by Jesus and others "The Tribulation", will be used by God to purify Israel, call sinners to salvation and to prepare the earth for wrath before His return.  Daniel closes as a closed book or a padlock of sorts, with the Book of Revelation functioning as the key.  It is in Revelation 6-19 we find the full unfolding of Daniel's 70th week or last seven year period of time.  Thankfully, the Lord Jesus Christ will have the final word.  

Five Purposes of Prophecy gained from these texts
1. To clarify God's present and future purposes
Genesis 3:15 begins with a general statement about "the seed of the woman", with Genesis 12:7 and the New Testament clarifying by prophecy that the "Seed" would initially be Israel and ultimately Jesus Christ.  Prophecy throughout the Bible progressively clarifies in sharper and sharper detail God's present and future purposes.

2. To correct sin.  Prophecy was confrontational in that it aimed to correct sin.  Daniel was praying and confessing the sins of his nation and God revealed in Daniel 9:24-27 about the prescribed time God was going to use to bring the nation of Israel to repentance at the appearing of her Messiah.  Prophecy performs this corrective function by warning of future wrath and giving insight into the human heart. 

3. To comfort the saints.  The New Covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:7-13 brings great comfort to the saints.  Prophecy demonstrates that the Christian life will succeed because of God's doing and grace. (Philippians 1:6) Prophecies such as the New Covenant ensure that all true believers in this present age and for Israel at Christ's appearing will endure and have power to live for Him.  

4. To Predict the future. Prophecy certainly addresses current situations but it also predicts of things to come.  All of the Top Bible Prophecies are marked by predictions of things near to the author as well as events that have yet to take place.  

5. To point to Jesus Christ.  Every single one of the top Bible Prophecies we looked at pointed in some fashion to Jesus Christ.  The first four purposes of Bible prophecies serve this final purpose: point to Jesus.  Revelation 19:10 reminds us that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy.  Jesus Himself reminded His disciples in Luke 24:44 that the Law, the Prophets and the Psalms point to Him.  This entire study has aimed to point the reader to the soon return of Jesus Christ.  May you be blessed dear reader and be made more hungry for the study of His word and the hastening of His Soon return.  

The Brilliant star of hope in adversity: God's Sovereignty

Job 12:13 “With Him are wisdom and might; To Him belong counsel and understanding."

For the past couple of days we have been exploring the themes of God's power, grace and true faith in the face of adversity from the lives of Job and Stephen.  In Job 12:13-25 there is a brilliant star of hope that shines in the darkened sky of the conversation between suffering Job and his so-called friends - namely God's Sovereignty.  Why is God's Sovereignty the brilliant star of hope in Job's life? Simply put - peace is gained in knowing that God is in control.  What does Job tells us about God's control in the middle of troubling circumstances? Two truths: that God is all-powerful (omnipotent) and all-wise (omni-sapient). (Job 12:13)  God is powerful enough to control all things and wise enough to regulate all secondary matters (events, human decisions, seasons) to their proper and best ends.  (Job 12:14-15)  Job then describes God's power and wisdom in terms of rendering justice on the evil and suffering caused by people. (Job 12:16)  As the all-powerful and all-wise God, we discover that all spiritual and human authority is delegated authority from Him. (Job 12:17-21; Romans 13) Furthermore, God's omni-potence (God's all-powerfulness) and omni-sapience (God being all-wise) enables Him to reveal previously hidden truths - a process we call revelation. (Job 12:22; 2 Peter 1:21)  Job then concludes his speech with the reminder of mankind's frailty apart from God's word and grace. (Job 12:23-25)  Unless God is at the center of your line of vision, life's difficulties and disappointments will overwhelm you.  

Job was sustained by His relationship with the Lord.  As we turn to Acts 8, we discover the true backbone of the early church following Stephen's martyrdom.  Despite the increased persecution and heresies of men such as Simon Magus (the Magician), the people of God were sustained by the preaching and demonstration of God's word. (Acts 8:6)  Sadly Simon Magus' lack of God's centered focus and attempts to buy the gift of the Holy Spirit demonstrated his counterfeit faith.  However, as in Job's case, the darkened sky of the sufferings of God's people was pierced through by a God-based, Gospel centered, Spirit empowered message.  I remember a statement made by radio-preacher, pastor and author Dr. Chuck Swindoll on the matter of God's Sovereignty: "Knowing that God's is Sovereign may not answer all of my questions, but knowing He is Sovereign certainly calms all of my fears."  May you and I be as they were : God based, Gospel centered and Spirit-enabled.   

Jesus Christ, the sufficient refuge in adversity

Hebrews 4:14-16 "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." 

In Job 7-9 we see Job crying out what represents the cry of the Old Testament - namely the need for a Mediator.  In Job 7:17 we see Job asking the question: "what is man that you magnify him and are concerned about him?"  This question is very similar to the one raised by David in Psalm 8:4 "what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?"  For both of these Old Testament saints, the Answer could only be found in the Person to Whom all of God's promises and prophecies pointed - Jesus Christ.  Consider Hebrews 2:5 - "what is man that you take thought of him and the son of man that you care for him?"  The same question raised in Hebrews 2:5 was also stated in Psalm 8:4 and Job 7:17.  With the question stated,  the answer is found in Hebrews 2:9 "but we see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus…"  Job lived 1,000 years before David, and David lived 1,000 years before the writing of Hebrews, yet they all asked the same question.  To such a grand question, God answered the greatest and only answer - Jesus Christ.  

As we turn to Acts 7, we see Stephen concluding his sweeping coverage of redemptive history.  Triumphantly Stephen gives his life for the Faith.  How is Stephen's death a triumph? Plainly put - Stephen's martyrdom was God's Upper Story plan of moving His mission forward.  We know that the cloaks of those who were stoning Stephen were laid at the feet of Saul of Tarsus - who would be converted by grace through faith to become the mighty Apostle Paul.  Stephen's answer to his opponents about the purpose of God in history and redemption is identical the questions raised by Job, David and the writer of Hebrews - namely Jesus Christ.    

God empowered faith to overcome adversity

Job 1:8 The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.”

Who was Job? Genesis 36:33 gives us the name of Jobab, a descendant of Esau, as the most likely candidate.  Furthermore, taking into consideration Job's age of more than 140 years, we can place Job's writing within the setting of the days of Jacob.  With that setting and identity, we see something even  more significant: God's regard Job's extreme value in his sight.  God was viewing Job by who he was to be at the end of the trial and knew very well that Job would succeed.  God's grace is always waiting in the wings, His provision is always ready to go before the need arises.  It was not because of Job's status among men, but rather Job's grace-shaped, blameless and upright character that feared God and turned away from evil. (Job 1:1)    

Now who is the villain in the book of Job? Satan.  The Hebrew word for "satan" literally means "adversary", bespeaking of rebellious intent of this evil foe of God and believers.  Scripture tells us that Satan was originally Lucifer - an archangel, created perfect, and who rebelled against God in heaven. (Isaiah 14, Ezekiel 28)  Revelation 12:7 reveals that Satan led 1/3 of the angelic host astray, leading to a cosmic war and Satan's expulsion from Heaven.  By the time we arrive at Genesis 3, we see Satan enticing Adam and his wife to rebel against God, resulting in sin, death, decay and a curse on all of humanity and the entire universe. (Romans 5:12-20)  It is this arch-enemy of God who is accusing Job before God - the Hero of the Book of Job.  The Lord permits Satan to afflict Job and sustains Job's faith, validating His testimony and love of Job, as well as His Sovereignty.   

Did you know that for you who are in Christ by faith - The Son Himself, defends you.  Jesus Christ is the believer's advocate in Heaven. (1 John 2:1-2)  In Acts 7, Stephen, the first martyr of the Christian Church, was like a Job of sorts.  He had a testimony and he suffered, however He had Jesus standing to receive Him.  He withstood his accuser and prevailed by faith - just like Job.  According to the 16th century pastor and writer John Foxe in his famous work "Foxe's Book of Martyrs", Stephen's death would had occurred in 34 A.D, one year after our Lord had been crucified, risen and ascended.  

You and I dear believer are likewise given the same promises and faith.  Praise be to God, we have the indwelling Holy Spirit, a complete Bible, the blood of Jesus Christ and resurrection power that enables us to prevail against adversity. (1 John 5:4-5) 

How the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 clarifies the Christian faith

Jude 3 "Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you appealing that you contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints." 

Introducing the Baptist Faith and Message 2000
The focus of today's post is to overview the official Southern Baptist Convention doctrinal statement. Doctrinal statements provide much needed summaries of issues in order to better understand what a Christian believes about scripture, God, salvation, Jesus Christ, matters related to this life and the one to come. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 is such an example of the type of summary of which I speak. An excerpt from the preamble of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 defines how Southern Baptists understand the place of such statements:


"Baptist churches, associations, and general bodies have adopted confessions of faith as a witness to the world, and as instruments of doctrinal accountability. We are not embarrassed to state before the world that these are doctrines we hold precious and as essential to the Baptist tradition of faith and practice."

Today's post will aim to first of all list the major articles or doctrinal areas covered by the Baptist Faith and Message, with the second part aimed at understanding how the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 may be used to better understand the Christian faith.The reader is encouraged to view the entire text of the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 on www.sbc.net

1. Major Articles or Doctrinal Areas covered by the Baptist Faith and Message 2000

I. The Scriptures

II. God

III. Man

IV. Salvation

V. God's Purpose of Grace (Election)

VI. The Church

VII. Baptism and Lord's Supper

VIII. The Lord's Day

IX. The Kingdom

X. Evangelism and Missions

XI. Stewardship

XII. Cooperation

XIII. The Christian & the Social Order

XIV Peace and War

XV. Religious Liberty

XVI. Family


2. How the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 may be used to better understand the Christian faith

A. Christian Spiritual Foundations

I. The Scriptures

II. God

III. Man

IV. Salvation

V. God's Purpose of Grace (Election)


B. Christian Spiritual Formation

VI. The Church

VII. Baptism and Lord's Supper

VIII. The Lord's Day

IX. The Kingdom


C. Christian Responsibilities

X. Evangelism and Missions

XI. Stewardship

XII. Cooperation

XIII. The Christian & the Social Order

XIV Peace and War

XV. Religious Liberty

XVI. Family

P3 Understanding how Christ's 2nd coming finishes this present age

Revelation 1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Over the past few days we have been aiming to understand the second coming of Jesus Christ as explained in Revelation 1:3-8.  We have discovered the following truths about Christ's second coming thus far:

1. It is a fast approaching coming.    Revelation 1:3

2. It will be a fully glorious coming.  Revelation 1:4-7

It is a fast approaching coming in the sense that it will come immediately and that no man knows the day nor the hour of either His coming nor when the events surrounding His coming will get underway.  The glorious nature of Christ's second coming stems from the fact of His shared glory with the Father and Spirit as One God, His saving glory in rescuing His saints from coming Divine wrath and His Sovereign glory as the King who will set up His kingdom here on earth.  

In today's post we will consider one last thought from Revelation 1:3-8 on the second coming of Jesus Christ - namely that it will finish this present age.

Christ's 2nd coming will finish out this present age

Revelation 1:8 reads - “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."  As you study the Bible, five historic eras or "ages" can be discerned, in which Christ is either mentioned or central:

1. The Beginning Age or Creation in Genesis 1 through 2. After God created the heavens, earth, life and people, His work went from that of creation to that of maintaining the created order or providence.  We know the Son was with the Father and Spirit as One God creating all things. (Genesis 1:2; John 1:1; 1 Corinthians 8:6)

2. The Former Age or Old Testament Age.  Passages such as Ephesians 1:10, 3:9-10 and Hebrews 8:1-13 speaks of the Old Testament age prior to the cross and the sending of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2.  Israel was the chief focus of God's redemptive purposes.  Jesus Christ appeared through the Old Testament in symbols and disguised as different people. (Luke 24:44; 1 Corinthians 10:1-4; Hebrews 1:1-2)

3. The Present Age or church age or what is also called the New Covenant age. Once Christ provided the foundation for the church age by His accomplished work and once the Spirit came at Pentecost to inaugurate the church age, the New Testament describes this age by the simple term "Present Age" in fifteen places.

Jesus Christ is the One who is spiritual reigning in heaven right now over His church. (Acts 2:34-35; Ephesians 1:20-23)

4. The Millennium or 1,000 year reign.  Scripture's presentation of history has this present age ending with Christ's return and His 1,000 year reign following as described in Isaiah 11; Zechariah 12-14; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28 and Revelation 20.  

5. The Age to come.  The fifth and final age in scripture is what is termed "the age to come".  The power and glorious truth of that final age is so potent that in this present age, believers are getting a foretaste of it.  Both this present age and the age to come overlap in the 1,000 year reign of Christ, wherein He brings this age to an end and uses His Kingly powers to prepare for what will be the New Heavens and New Earth. (Revelation 19:6; 21:1-22:21) 

Now in all five of those ages, especially this current age, the five titles revealed to John about Jesus Christ describe for us how He alone has the power and purpose to finish this present age at His second coming to usher in His 1,000 year Millennial reign.

1. Jesus says: I am Alpha and Omega.  The first and the last letters of the Greek Alphabet are used here to represent every letter in between.  I heard an English teacher one time write all the  letters of the alphabet on a chalkboard and tells the students that those twenty six letters represent every book ever written and that every book that is English falls within the bounds of those letters. As the Alpha and Omega or Beginning and the End, Jesus Christ is stating He is Fully Divine, and that all things began because of Him and will end due to Him.  In Old Testament prophecies such as Isaiah 41:4, 43:10, 44:6 and 48:10 we see Jehovah God describe Himself as the "first and the last" and "apart from Him there being no other".  Hence by being a sharer with God the Father, Jehovah, in the Eternal Divine nature, Jesus Christ can legitimately classify Himself as Eternal.

2. Next we read that Jesus is "LORD".  This Divine title was revealed to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14 and describes Christ as being the Personal God.

3. By being Eternal and Personal, Jesus is thirdly described by John as being "God", referring to His Divinity.

4. As we read onward, the fourth title ascribed to this Jesus who will finish out all history with His coming is that He is "The One Who is, and Who was and Who is to come." Just as we read in Revelation 1:4 about God the Father, the Son shares the same nature as the Father. This trait of Christ speaks to Him being All-knowing as it pertains to His divine nature.

5. Then fifthly we see the title "Almighty" being attributed to the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation seven times and to the Father twice.   This title shows Jesus Christ being All-powerful and strong enough to finish out this present age at His coming.   

Concluding what we have learned about Christ's second coming from Revelation 1:3-8

In our posts of the past few days, we have learned from the Apostle John the following about Christ's second coming:

1. Fast Approaching 1:3

2. Fully Glorious        1:4-7

3. Finish out this Present age 1:8

May these studies raise our hearts and minds to new levels of appreciation, love, commitment and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ.