Views: 102
[Note: This MS is available in larger font on our Brief Articles 1 page.]
The Revelation was given to John to restore hope and strengthen resolve in the beleaguered and harassed saints at the close of the first century. The message of that grand book is that despite tribulation, suffering, prison and even death for the faith, they could still triumph over their unbelieving enemies if they would be faithful (Rev. 1:9; 2:9–13). The book also shows that despite the unrelenting attacks of evil forces from within the body (false apostles, Nicolaitans, Balaamites, Jezebels, etc.), the steadfast will triumph at last (Rev. 2–3). Even as those weary saints did, so the people of God must still endure sufferings from evil men within and without, and the way grows discouraging at times even to the strongest. How we need the reassurance that there will someday be an end—yea, a victorious end—to the conflict.
Genesis 3 tells of Satan’s temptation of Eve and Adam, resulting in the first sin. By this means, sin and its horrible evils entered God’s beautiful world. It has continued like a cancerous growth to this very hour. Evil has two awful facets: (1) The practice of sin as man lives in rebellion to the perfect will of God; and (2) The horrible fruit of sin, ever evil, beginning with death and running through the whole gamut of human suffering and woe, including disease, war, poverty, and every other source of pain and misery for innocent and guilty alike. Man continues to sow and seeds of sin, multiplying his own bitter harvest of evil and suffering in this world, and in the world to come, everlasting torment. To all the ungodly world it appears that truth and goodness are weak. With demonstrations all about us of the continuous fulfillment of Paul’s inspired axiom that “evil men and imposters shall wax worse and worse” (2Tim. 3:13), even the elect sometimes despair. However, the Bible has no clearer message from beginning to end, than that God and good will triumph at last.
The triumph will not be won by our own feeble means, nor by a carnal “battle of Armageddon.” It is already being won in bits and pieces. Every time a Christian is faithful when tempted, or a soul is delivered from the power of darkness by the power of the Gospel, it is being won. Every time a disciple returns good for evil, or a saint suffers because of faithfulness, good has triumphed. However, the great, decisive, and final victory will come with the appearance of Christ in judgment (1 Cor. 15:24; 2 The. 1:7–9). On that day, the last enemy (death), which is yet under Satan’s power, shall be destroyed, (1 Cor. 15:25–26; Heb. 2:14). All sin and the great instigator of it will be forever confined to the hell of fire (Mat. 25:41; Rev. 20:1–4, 10). The faithful will be at home with God and the Lamb forever (Rev. 22:1–5). Therefore, “…let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Gal. 6:9).
[Note: I wrote this article for, and it was published in The Edifier, weekly bulletin of Pearl Street Church of Christ, Denton, TX, June 28, 1984, of which I was editor.
Attribution: From thescripturecache.com; Dub McClish, owner and administrator.
