A Biblical Vision, Part II: Mastering the New Testament Witness to Christ

Ses s i on 7: The Reve l at i on of John: The Consummat i on of Al l Th i ngs i n Chr i s t 229

1. We are called to be ready, for the time of the end will come with suddenness and swiftness, Matt. 24.42-44 – Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. [43] But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. [44] Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

2. The bowl judgments show a devastation and swiftness much like the judgment at the time of Noah and the cities of the plain.

a. The judgment of Noah, Luke 17.26-27 – Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man. [27] They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all. b. The judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah, Luke 17.28-30 – Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot – they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building, [29] but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all – [30] so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.

3. The sudden judgment and utter destruction of Babylon is followed by a chorus of five hallelujahs which praise the Coming One for his righteous judgment

a. Hallelujah number one, the judgment of Babylon , Rev. 19.1-2 – After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, [2] for his judgments are true and just; for