If the YouTube video above is not available, here are two other ways to view:
WNS2022-02
220809AM
JESUS RESTORES THE EARTH. Then, in chapter 20 Earth is restored back to Eden-like splendor. God makes the air all clean, the soil all rich and full of life, the waters pure and refreshing. Sin is restrained, righteousness rules, and Paradise returns. After a brief final rebellion led by Satan as soon as he’s unchained, God sets up the Great White Throne and raises all who ever lived. Jesus sits as Judge, pronouncing just punishment for all sin, consigns unforgiven sinners to endless reminders of their sin, and ends all rebellion forever. That’s what the early saints needed to know. God would fix the broken Earth. They were helpless, but God was All Powerful and would right all wrongs, they didn’t have to. What a relief.
I just finished a week at the summer Bible Conference at Word of Life Pines. It was SUCH a blessing. Here is my three-part summary of the last 7 chapters of Revelation.
An Expositional Survey of the last 7 chapters of Revelation
1–SATAN DEFEATED (16-19)
2–EARTH RESTORED (20)
3–HEAVEN OPENED (21-22)
Here is the run-up to chapter 20 in Revelation–
1—JESUS IS WITH US—JUST LIKE HE PROMISED, JESUS IS NOW ABLE TO BE THERE TO HELP ANYONE, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME & ALWAYS. First, in Revelation 1 Jesus knew John’s address, showed up on Sunday morning, and when John collapsed, laid His hand on him and helped him. That was what the slaves, the poor, the soldiers, the fearful, the persecuted, and all those struggling with life in the 1st century needed to hear.
2—JESUS IS WATCHING—EACH DAY TO SEE WHAT WE ARE DOING FOR HIM. Then, in Revelation 2-3 Jesus walks unseen through the lives of the believers in those seven Asian churches. He watches, listens, reminds, and pours out even greater grace and blessing upon all obedience (Philadelphia)—or as needed intervenes with painful consequences to any un-forsaken sins (the other six churches). That was what the early believers needed so that they could focus their lives on through hard and painful years.
3—JESUS IS COMING. Then, in Revelation 4-5 we see Jesus getting His church safely home, into the calm splendor of the Control Room of the Universe. That’s what the early saints needed to know—there is absolute peace, serenity, security, and overflowing joy coming around the Throne.
4—JESUS SHOWS SATAN IS DEFEATED. Then, in Revelation 6-16 the wrath of God hits Earth’s ecology, climate, oceans, air, land, weather patterns, and food supply. In Revelation 17 all of humanity’s religious heroes, mythologies, science fiction, and global religious institutions are decimated. Jesus is the only way to Heaven. In Revelation 18 God’s wrath targets and destroys everything humanity has desired more than the True God. In Revelation 19 we see the saints following the King of all kings to Earth. Jesus speaks and the armies collapse into lifeless corpses, the Devil is chained and imprisoned and the sheep and goats are sorted out. That is what the early saints needed to know. God wins, Satan is defeated. Just trust, obey and follow Him.