Greetings members and friends and welcome to another commentary and preview to this Sunday’s study of the Word. This Sunday’s study text is entitled “Praise God for His Eternal Reign” and it is based on Revelation 11:15-19.
Revelation is a book of eschatology or “final things”. It is given in part so that the people of God will know of the things that will come to pass just before and as this world as we currently know it ends.
Today’s study text occurs just over midway through the book and consist of only a few verses. But the verses describe the coming reign of God over humanity and His judgement of our actions. There were loud voices in heaven.
There are already persons in heaven and they are witnessing God’s work in the earth. And some of them declare with loud voices that man’s reign over his kingdoms is over. God has taking over and all kingdoms of humanity have been overtaken by God. He now reveals and establishes His eternal kingdom which is the culmination of His plan for mankind.
The 24 elders join in the praise and worship of what God has done according to His mighty power. They go on to point out that the nations were angry or enraged. Why were they this way? Because they opposed the reign of God and mounted opposition against God and His people. But they declare that the time has come for God to settle all accounts.
It is important to note that the dead will be judged. God power is beyond our comprehension. God has a way of preserving the essence of all people even through mental and physical deterioration of our natural bodies.
God is able to recall all that matters in each person and able to make a fair and just judgement on our fitness for life in His kingdom. They speak of a reward for God’s servants including His prophets, saints and those who fear His name. Those who fear His name are those who sought to live their lives according to what they knew about the will of God.
Even without His written law, the teaching and words of the prophets and the teaching of Jesus and the Apostles, there exist a natural divine law that can be known from general revelation of the world.
For those who had none of the advantages of those with God’s Word but feared and sought God anyway, they too will be rewarded and saved. The other group who are not mentioned among those who will be rewarded are described as those who destroy the earth. They destroy the earth through their unbelief.
They allow themselves to seek fleshly pleasure at the expense of seeking and fulfilling the will of God. This pursuit of the flesh leads to evil. Therefore, evil and all people and things associated with it will be destroyed.
The final verse of the study tells us that the glory of the real temple of God and the ark of covenant was seen in heaven. God gave the children of Israel the instructions to build an earthly copy of the divine things of heaven. They in no way come close to the glory and magnificence of the real thing.
Finally, accompanying this takeover of the kingdoms and the judgement of men was an intense display of natural phenomena of lighting, thunder, earthquakes, hail and noise to announce to the world that the day of the Lord has finally come.
For those who believe, this passage and study should provide some hope and assurance that God’s people day will come. It reassures us that the dead are not forgotten and that physical death is not the final say.
This hope and belief in God should motivate us to live our lives in reverent fear of God knowing that He knows how we are living our live, whom we believe, where we want to go and spend eternity with.
Well, again be sure to look over the study again and come prepared to offer your comments, questions and perspective on the meaning of the study. If you can’t attend your own Sunday School class this Sunday, you can join us live and online at 9:00 am at www.fbmbc.org and clicking the online services link.
You can also join us live by dialing 508 924-2890. If you have any comments or questions, be sure to place them in the comment section or you can share them on Sunday. So, let’s all have a great lesson and discussion this Sunday and remember to fear God and keep His commandments.
Pastor Jordan
