Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

We’ve spent 21 episodes on the Book of Revelation. Let’s review and ask, “What have we learned?” 

I suggest four lessons. 

The first lesson: Revelation tells us what to expect of the church and the world. 

When Jesus sent messages to the seven churches in Asia, five were rebuked for being spiritually dead, or for losing their first love, or for tolerating evil teachers. Only two were praised. 

I wonder what Jesus’ message would be for the churches you and I attend? I don’t have prophetic gifts to discern his rebuke or praise for us. But Revelation warns me: my church might get some important things wrong, and my comfortable middle class denomination might be in line for Christ’s criticism. 

Jesus warned the churches of persecution and martyrdom. Revelation develops these themes as God-hating rulers and false prophets and antichrists lead the world astray, attempt to abolish Christianity, and tempt the faithful to despair. 

What is Jesus’ message for today? I think Revelation says my brief life of peace and freedom in western civilization is an exception to the historical norm. The norm is that Christians everywhere should expect to be hated, rejected, persecuted, and martyred. 

My second takeaway from the Book of Revelation? Apart from God’s direct intervention, the world is broken beyond repair. Unfixable.  

History records many efforts to fix the unfixable. Communism fixes the economic system. Democracy fixes the politics. Strong-man dictatorships create security by suppressing freedoms and throwing dissenters into prison. Philosophers from Plato to Thomas More created recipes for utopia. But in Revelation, all the politics and economics and religions and utopian visions end in human violence and the judgment of God.

Should we despair? No! Jesus said of a woman, “She did what she could” (Mark 14:8). That is the motivation for Christian effort. We do what we can, as Christ did when he was a carpenter and itinerant preacher. He loved those he interacted with, and he suffered religious and political persecution. At the end, he left it all with God. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” 

My third take on the Book of Revelation is the huge disconnect between what is happening on earth and what is happening in heaven. On earth, churches are in a mess, angels deliver plagues and disasters, the devil installs his rulers and religions, and believers are martyred. 

Meanwhile, heaven is a concert of praise to God. There the lamb is planning a revolution to tear down the world systems and build a new system that works. 

And my last take away from the Book of Revelation? The story has a happy ending. We look forward to the great wedding feast of the lamb . . . to a world at peace . . . to a tree of life that gives healing to the nations

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we come to you in the joys and sorrows of life on earth, in the pain and promise of our life in church, in despair and hope of what tomorrow may bring. 

Christ is our example. With him we celebrate you, our father in heaven. With him we sometimes cry, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” 

Now, as the Book of Revelation ends, we hear the spirit and the bride say, “Come”. We hear your invitation, “Let the one who is thirsty drink freely of the water of life.” 

Yes, Lord, we drink. May your river quench our thirst and give us life, both now and forever. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Revelation chapters 20 and 21 gave us the terrible battle of Armageddon, the welcome demise of Satan, the astonishing resurrection of the dead, the spectacular final judgment of God, and a marvelous new heaven and earth.

What do you think? What’s left to say after this happy ending? Not much. Only to point out three things in John’s vision. 

First, he describes the capital city of the new earth. It’s the new Jerusalem, the city of God that relocates itself from heaven to earth. It has 12 gates, named after the 12 tribes of Israel, guarded by 12 angels. The city walls have 12 foundations, named after the 12 apostles. Old Testament Israel and New Testament apostles and angels from heaven together create a new civilization. And Main Street? Paved with gold! 

John is astounded to see the city has no temple. Of course not: God himself and the lamb are the temple. No need for an ornate building. No need for sun and moon. God is the light 24/7. There’s no darkness and no evil, only glory and honor and righteousness.

A river of pure water runs through the city, flowing from God’s throne, watering the tree of life that bears fruit 12 times a year. The leaves of the tree are for healing the nations.

What an amazing vision of utopia. In scripture, history began in a garden populated with two people. Now, history ends not in a garden but in a city with living water and a life-giving tree. A city at peace, where all nations come to worship. The long battle with sin and injustice is won. The curse is lifted. Earth is paradise. The long dark night of faith is rewarded with a vision of perfection. 

A second amazing characteristic of John’s vision: the veil between heaven and earth has disappeared. The city of heaven has been relocated to earth. The doorkeepers at the city gates are angels. God lives among humans in the new Jerusalem. At last, we experience heaven on earth.

In my life, I have felt God’s presence in fleeting moments that pass too quickly, leaving me wishing for more. Perhaps in the new city, I will experience God’s presence continuously. 

A third characteristic of John’s vision? The absence of conflict. Long ago the psalmist said, 
  I see violence and strife in the city,
  Malice and abuse are within it (Ps 65:9-10). 

But in the new city, peace reigns. The wars of the world have ended. The long day of worship has begun.

Let’s pray. 

Our father, Abraham dreamed of a city whose architect and builder was you. We too are disillusioned with the noise and violence and corruption of the cities we live in. Keep us safe in this city of man. Bring us quickly to your city of light.

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Revelation chapter 19 brought world history to a satisfying conclusion. Christ’s white army overcame the antichrist’s dark army. The beast and the false prophet were thrown into hell. Peace at last. 

But chapter 20 says, “Wait! That’s not the end of the story. There’s more. The peace only lasts a thousand years.” 

What? Only a millennium of peace? Wasn’t Christ supposed to reign forever?  

Here’s the story from Revelation 20. 

First, Satan, that old serpent from the garden of Eden, is thrown into the Abyss. 

Then the saints martyred by the beast are resurrected to reign with Christ on earth for a thousand years. 

And then, at the end of that millennium, we have a second coming of Satan, who escapes from the Abyss and convinces the nations that Christ’s reign is a disaster. Who needs Christ and all his religious servants to impose their morality on earth? 

Satan organizes a worldwide revolt to depose Christ and to take back the earth for those he thinks deserve it–people who are strong and independent and think for themselves. Like him. 

Sounds like a repeat of the garden of Eden. The serpent counseled Adam and Eve to revolt at the world’s beginning. Now he convinces the nations to revolt at the world’s end.

This time, Satan’s gift is . . . Armageddon, that great battle where every nation marches against God’s city, Jerusalem. But this time, this time God has had enough of human free will. He acts with power, sending fire from heaven to consume the evil armies. That unholy trinity–the beast, the false prophet, and the devil–are finally and forever defeated. 

Then, God resurrects everyone who has died from the beginning of the world. He judges every person, rewarding some and sending others to join the unholy trinity they have served. 

God continues by remaking heaven and earth. The holy city, the new Jerusalem, comes down from heaven. God says he will live there among his resurrected people forever, healing their pains and sorrows, wiping away their tears. Only joy belongs in the new order. 

God says, “It is finished,” echoing Christ’s words on the cross. He says, “I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End.” The long story that began in the garden of Eden ends here in a new Eden, a new Jerusalem, a new heaven and earth. 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we live in the middle of your great story. Born too late to see the garden of Eden. Born too early to experience the wars and chaos at the end of time. Unless they happen soon.

Look upon us with your favor. Help us to journey in faith, as our world experiences again the rise and fall of empires. 

Help us not to place our hope in king or empire, not to believe that the right policies or the right morality will convert the kingdom of earth into the kingdom of God. 

In our time, help us wait patiently for the new story where your kingdom triumphs over all the others. 

Help us to be your faithful servants in everything our life and times brings us. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

Revelation chapter 18 predicted the destruction of Babylon, saying, “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” So, what’s next?

Chapter 19 continues the story. At long last, after the lamb’s servants on earth have endured persecution and martyrdom, heaven is ready to act. 

The main event? The wedding feast of the lamb. We see the church pictured as a bride dressed in bright white linen, the one who will soon marry the lamb of heaven. Having long endured the violence of the beast and the machinations of the prostitute Babylon, it is time for the church to exchange sorrow for joy, persecution for victory. 

Before the wedding supper is prepared however, heaven has to vaporize the beast. To accomplish this, Christ appears on a white horse wearing a robe dipped in blood. Now that’s a disturbing fashion statement. His army follows him into war, also dressed in white and riding white horses.

As the army marches from heaven, an angel summons the birds, “Come one and all to God’s supper. You will feast on the corpses of kings and generals and horses and riders and people great and small.” 

On earth, the beast and the kings muster a massive army of darkness against  the  army of light. When the white army wins, the beast and his false prophet are turfed into the lake of fire. 

And the birds on the battlefield feast. 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we love the lamb, we love the picture of Christ riding to war with an army of white. We love the vengeance and destruction he wreaks on the evil empires, and the punishment he imposes on their leaders. 

But we say, “When O God, when will you bring this about?” For our experience has not yet changed: we are still the hidden church finding her uncertain way through the labyrinths of earth’s twisted kingdoms, its evil moralities and false religions. 

Bring us soon to the time when you will destroy all evil, when your white army will overwhelm dark powers, when we will joyfully say our wedding vows to the lamb, when we will eat the feast he prepares. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In Revelation chapter 17, the apocalyptic season of visions ended with a cliffhanger: the beast was preparing to destroy the prostitute Babylon and launch a war against the lamb and his people. 

Chapter 18 opens a season of visions. But it doesn’t start where the old season left off. It begins with a massive spoiler, telling us how the story ends. Instead of continuing the story with the bloody details of wars and machination, it prophesies the downfall and destruction of Babylon, the evil empire. 

Let’s ask three questions. 
   Who is Babylon?
What did she do wrong?
And what is her future? 

First, who is Babylon? 

In the Old Testament, Babylon was a world power with an unbeatable military and unimaginable wealth. It was a hub of world trade and luxury, and home to the world’s tallest building—a temple dedicated to the god Marduk. 

Fast-forward to the gospel era. Rome is the new Babylon. A military power, wealthy, steeped in luxury, arrogant, and decadent. 

What can we describe as Babylon today? Just look for the tallest buildings in the world, temples where the modern gods of luxury and trade are worshiped. Like the World Trade Center in New York, China’s Shanghai Tower, and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. Or look at our super malls, temples of consumerism. Or look at expensive gated neighborhoods surrounded by oceans of favelas. Today, Babylon is everywhere. 

Next question. What has Babylon done wrong? I think verse 7 reveals John’s answer. He says,
    In her heart she boasts,
        “I sit enthroned as queen . . .” (Rev. 18:7)

Babylon is the nation that manages its own affairs and plans its own destiny without reference to God. Babylon is the nation that masters its world, that builds its own kingdom instead of God’s kingdom. 

Last question: What is Babylon’s future? John does not offer hope that China will at last make Communism work. Nor does he predict success for the “Make America Great Again” campaign. 

Instead, he predicts that soon, in Babylon, lights flick off, music and dancing stops, trade ceases, and military power ends. The frenetic activity of the great city will turn to Sabbath rest. Not a rest that Babylon chooses, but a rest of quiet desolation and destruction imposed by the judgment of God. 

Let’s pray. 

O Lord, we live in a fantasy land. Where nations define themselves by war and violence and luxury. Where wealth is king and trade is queen, where the high priests of consumerism promise happiness and success. 

Save us, good Lord, from Babylon. For we know the end of her story. When you finish writing this chapter of history, when music is silenced and trade has ceased and  kingdoms are bankrupt, bring us safely into your everlasting kingdom.

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In recent episodes we’ve looked at 16 chapters of the Book of Revelation. In a tangled and violent history, the world suffered through seven seals, seven trumpet blasts, and seven bowls of wrath.  

A trinity of seven disasters, three cycles of seven, what could be more fitting at the end of time? But the story doesn’t end there. Revelation 17 opens with still another beast appearing on the world stage.  

This new beast shows up in a desert. Riding this beast is a woman called “The Great Prostitute”, who arrives drunk with the blood of Christian martyrs. On her forehead is written, “Babylon the Great, Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations” (Rev 17:5). This woman won’t feature in many Mothers’ Day sermons!

The angel says to John, “Let me explain the mystery of the woman and the beast.” 

He tells John the woman is “the great city that rules over the kings of the earth” (v. 17). She is named for Babylon, the ancient city of Babel, where men built a tower to reach heaven, where God confused their languages and terminated their construction project, dispersing them throughout the world. The kingdom of Babylon reappears in the Old Testament, when it conquered Israel, destroyed God’s temple, and took God’s people into exile. 

Today, modern Babylons repeat the evils of old, building rockets to conquer space, cruise missiles to conquer enemies, and taking captives to consumerism, militarism, religion, and sex. 

But back to John’s vision. The beast that Babylon rides “once was, now is not, and will be again” (v. 8). The beast will come from the Abyss to rule the earth.

Where does Jesus fit in all this? He was alive on earth for 33 years, then he was executed, and he came back to life. The Book of Revelation promises he will descend on the clouds to rule earth. 

The beast in John’s vision is anti-Jesus, an anti-Christ who appears on earth, then appears to die, then appears again as if resurrected from the Abyss, coming again to conquer the world, not to save it. 

The angel tells John the seven heads on this beast represent seven hills the woman sits on. They also represent seven kings–five past, one present, and one future (v. 10). The beast itself is king number 8.  

But eight kings aren’t enough for this story. The beast’s 10 horns represent ten more kings who hate the prostitute, Babylon, who rides them. They help the beast wage war against her, and against the lamb and his followers.

Confusing? Mystery and intrigue and ambiguity are everywhere in this story. Why does the beast war against Babylon? Can’t they be friends in a common hatred of Christ? Stay tuned for the next episode!

Let’s pray. 

O father, John’s vision paints history as a confusing parade of beasts and kings and kingdoms and an evil queen.

Thank you that John also paints a picture of heaven where the lamb reigns in peace. A lamb with power over the kingdoms of this world, and over the beasts who rule them, and over Babylon who rides the beast, and over the rulers who war with each other and you.

Look on us from heaven. We are your servants who live in the kingdom of beasts, but we serve the kingdom of heaven. Protect us and give us wisdom to walk through these confusing times. 

O Lord, do your work quickly, we pray. Prepare the world for judgment and salvation.  

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In the Book of Revelation, chapter 14, the son of man came on the clouds, and an angel harvested the earth with God’s judgment, creating a river of blood. 

In Revelation 15, John looks away from the bloody earth, to a scene in heaven, where seven angels have prepared seven plagues. More bad news for earth. But there’s also a trace of good news. These are the last seven plagues. Then God’s wrath will be complete. Perhaps peace will come?

Meanwhile, standing in heaven, are Christians who were victorious over the beast and its image and the number 666. I think the victory they won was to be tortured and executed for refusing to worship the beast. This earned them a warm welcome in heaven. 

These victors play harps and sing a song of praise:
  Great and marvelous are your deeds, 
      Lord God Almighty.
  Just and true are your ways.
      All nations will worship you (Rev 15:3-4). 

After this worship set, seven angels come out of the temple in heaven. The temple fills with smoke and glory, like Moses’ tabernacle in the Old Testament. Then the angels take their seven bowls overflowing with God’s wrath, and pour them onto the earth.

  Bowl 1 causes festering sores on those with the mark of the beast. 
   Bowl 2 turns the sea to blood, killing every sea creature.
   Bowl 3 turns rivers and springs into blood. 

   Bowl 4 makes the sun scorch the earth with fire. The result of this? No one repents. Instead they curse God as a troublemaker. 
   Bowl 5 plunges the beast’s kingdom into darkness. More people curse God. 
   Bowl 6 dries up the Euphrates River, creating a highway for all nations to march to the battle of Armageddon. 

   Bowl 7 unleashes a mighty earthquake, sinks islands, flattens mountains, and pounds earth with  hundred-pound hailstones. 

And still the beast encourages everyone to curse God.
And still the nations march toward Armageddon. 

Let’s pray. 

O father, our world is like John’s vision. The wars that plagued the 20th century did not bring peace or wisdom. Instead, we have a war-mongering dictator in Moscow and a belligerent communist in Beijing, and a society with more guns than people in America. 

Yet we receive Revelation’s vision. 
– A vision that confirms that the evils on earth are real and life-threatening.
– A vision that looks beyond earthly dysfunction, to heaven where you rule.
– A vision that places a lamb on your throne, and he will soon take charge of the earth.

Grant us wisdom and patience to recognize the work of the beasts on earth, and to serve and die in the hidden kingdom of Christ. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In the Book of Revelation, chapter 13, a dragon and two beasts start a new religion, requiring everyone to worship the beast’s image and get tattooed with its name or number. Don’t want a tattoo? Too bad. Objectors will be executed.

In chapter 14, John looks away from this beastly vision, to Mount Zion, where the lamb stands with 144,000 people tattooed with God’s name, not that of the beast. 

Then we see three flying angels. The first says, “Worship God, because he’s ready to judge everyone.” 

The next angel says, “Babylon the Great, which infected the whole world with madness, has fallen.” 

The third angel declares, “God is angry with anyone who worships the beast or is tattooed with his mark. He’ll throw them into a pit of burning sulfur.” 

John says, “This calls for patient endurance by God’s people on earth” and a voice from heaven says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”  

What’s this? The beasts have been busy executing Christians. And now we’re told even more Christians will die? And those who die are blessed? Is this good news or bad news? 

When the Old Testament prophet Daniel got news like this, his face turned pale and he was deeply troubled. In his vision, four beasts rose out of the sea. The fourth beast blasphemed God and oppressed God’s people for three-and-a-half years. Then the son of man came in the clouds of heaven to destroy the beast and set up God’s kingdom on earth (Dan 7:1-28).

John’s vision also has the son of man coming on the clouds to deal with a world where sin has ripened into a harvest. An angel does the harvesting, throwing the produce into the winepress of God’s judgment. There the grapes are trampled and blood flows, rising as high as a horse bridle for 300 kilometers. 

A mighty harvest that! God’s judgment creates a river of blood. 

Let’s pray. 

O father, give us patient endurance to live through the evils of our time. 

John prophesied that Babylon the Great would fill the world with madness. In our time,  many nations pose as Babylon and drive the world to insanity. Trade wars and pornography, weapons production and cyber warfare, gambling and guns and bombs and drones. Pollution beyond control. 

O Lord, we have crowned beasts as kings of the earth, and we display their names and number wherever we go. Drivers license, social insurance, health care numbers, money stamped with political images, bank accounts that report to government and tax authorities.

Is patient endurance the best you can recommend for us, Lord? Don’t you want us to try to change the politics of the world? To avert the rise of worse and greater beasts? Should we try to domesticate the politicians and encourage them to enact Christian legislation? 

O God, we live in troubled times, immersed in divisive politics and watched by intrusive technology. May we wait patiently and wisely while you prepare to ride the clouds of heaven and vanquish evildoers.

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray With Me”.

In the Book of Revelation, chapter 12, Michael and his angels threw the dragon and his demons to earth. Chapter 13 continues the story. 

The dragon stands on a seashore, while a beast emerges from the sea. The beast has 10 horns, 7 heads, feet like a bear, and a mouth like a lion. One head looks like it was fatally wounded, but had healed. 

This impresses the whole world, and everyone worships the magical beast and the dragon who gave him authority. The beast spends the next six years blaspheming God, railing against the residents of heaven, and unleashing war against Christians. 

John quotes Jeremiah to describe these six awful years: 
    If anyone is destined for captivity,
      into captivity they will go.
    If anyone is destined to be killed by the sword, 
       then the sword will kill them (Rev 13:10 quoting Jer 15:2). 

Not a comforting thought for those Christians. What happened to the salvation and power and kingdom of God that were promised in Revelation 12? With classic understatement John comments, “This calls for patient endurance by God’s people” (Rev 13:11).  

The vision continues. Another beast shows up: Beast #2. It comes out of the earth and starts a new religion by creating an image of Beast #1. The image comes alive and speaks. If you refuse to worship the image, you are scheduled for execution. 

Notice some Old Testament themes in this story. In the beginning, God’s spirit hovered over the waters of chaos, and created humans in his image from the dirt of the earth. 

In a feeble parody of creation, the dragon stands by the sea, calling up beasts like itself from sea and earth. The beasts set up an image to be worshiped, reminding us of King Nebuchadnezzar who commissioned an image of himself for people to worship. When Daniel’s friends refused, the king threw them into a fiery furnace. 

In Revelation, the beasts not only demand worship, they mark everyone’s forehead or right hand. Without that mark, no one can buy or sell. 

John comments, again with understatement, “This calls for wisdom” (Rev 13:18). He continues, “Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of humans. That number is 666.”  

A mysterious saying indeed. 666 is the code for the beast that rules and for the humans it rules over? Maybe John is warning that humans who worship something other than God are turning themselves into beasts.  

Let’s pray. 

Our father, save us from whatever it is that 666 represents. Save us from the beasts that require worship, from humanity’s tendency to become like beasts, and from the beastly instincts of our own nature. 

John’s vision tells us that our world will get worse before it gets better. As the old hymn says, “Is this vile world a friend to grace?” 

O Lord, grant us wisdom not to consume ourselves with counting sixes and charting the rise of beasts. Grant us wisdom to understand the true nature of earthly power, whether wielded by Biden or Trump or Putin or Jinping or Trudeau. Teach us to be loyal to you alone, to wait for your salvation. 

Amen. 

I’m Daniel, on the channel “Pray with Me”.  

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube