Chapter 19 concludes John’s interlude or historical survey with the scene shifting back to heaven. John reaffirms that God’s judgment is just and is a vindication for the faithfulness of the martyrs. John gets caught up in the emotion of the moment and begins to worship the messenger. The admonition to stop because God alone is to be worshipped had direct application to the first hearers of John’s vision. Emperor worship was expected by the people within the rule of Rome.
John also affirms the Christian witness for God in times of persecution is the most powerful witness for God in the world. John wants us to know that the faithfulness of God’s people is crucial to the defeat of the forces of evil. Ultimately the Lamb, the Christ is the One who has the final victory over evil.
The final scene is a highly symbolic vision of the destruction of evil. In apocalyptic literature the defeat of evil is typically depicted in gory scenes as John describes here. The point here is not the literal but the symbolic. This is not so much the how this is to happen as it is an affirmation that it will happen soon. The vivid descriptions serve to emphasize the destruction of evil is not just physical defeat of evil but the ultimate removal of evil to an eternal separation from God.
What does today’s reading
reveal to you about God?
What does it reveal to you about yourself?
Think about what God wants you to do
or remember about this passage.
Does God want you to change
anything in your life?
17-Oct-11 Rev. 20
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