18. DAY OF THE LORD: A NATION IS JUDGED
Revelation 1:10: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…”
I. The Visions:
This phrase introduces the first of the four visions of the Book of Revelation. The other three begin at: 4:2; 17:3; 21:10. Each begins with “in the Spirit”.
Revelation 1:10: “The Lord’s Day” is a possessive phrase which may equally be interpreted as “The Day of the Lord”. The phrase “Day of the Lord” is found in more than 50 references in the Bible. Variations of the phrase are: “That Great Day”; “Day of Wrath/ Judgment/ Vengeance/ Anger/ Slaughter”. (See your Concordance.)
John here describes his experience while “in the Spirit”. Like one would tell what happened in a dream, he describes it as seeing himself experiencing the events of the “Day of the Lord” which had been foretold by the prophets, the Great Day of God’s Wrath, Judgment, Vengeance, Anger, and Slaughter.
This first of the four visions leads immediately into the other visions, so that the whole Book is about the vision-experience of the coming “Day of the Lord”. We will study the details of these visions more in future lessons.
II. Summary of the Four Visions: [To see the continuity of the Visions]
A. The First Vision is of:
Chapter 1:10-20: Christ at the center of the universe.
Chapters 2 and 3: His messages to the Churches.
B. The Second Vision is 4:2-17:2.
Chapters 4 and 5: The Throne of God and scene in Heaven that prepares for that Great Day of Wrath wherein the Sealed Book is opened.
4:1: “Things which must be hereafter.”
Chapter 6: The Seven-Sealed Book is opened leading up to The Day of Wrath:
6:8 – The Four Sore Judgments, War, Famine, Pestilence, Beasts.
6:9-10 – Judge, avenge.
6:16 – The Wrath of the Lamb
6:17: For the Great Day of His Wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
[The Sixth Seal is opened, but the seventh not until Chapter 8.]
Chapter 7: Those protected from the Wrath:
7:1-8: The sealing of the 12 tribes.
7: 9-17: The Blood-Washed Throng
Chapters 8-11:
8:1-11:15: The seventh seal is opened containing the seven trumpets and the wrath of the Lamb.
Chapter 10 describes the end of the Sealed Book;
Chapter 11: the Two Witnesses”.
11:15: The seventh trumpet, (11:15), introduces the coming of the Kingdom of Christ and leads up to the seven last plagues.
11:18: “Thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged…”
Chapter 12: The Woman, (the National Israel of the Old Testament.)
12:12: The devil comes down with great power.
Chapter 13: The “Beasts”. Ruling tyrants.
Chapter 14: The Blessed Redeemed of Israel; the Gospel warns of God’s Judgment:
14:7: “The hour of His judgment is come”, and:
14:8: Babylon will “drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication”;
14:10: “…drink of the wine of the wrath of God.”
14:19: The “vine of the earth” is cast into “the great winepress of the wrath of God”.
Chapter 15: In heaven the angels prepare the Seven Last Plagues:
15:1: “For in them is filled up the wrath of God.”
15:7: The victorious saints sing and the Temple is opened in Heaven.
15:7: “Vials full of the wrath of God.”
Chapter 16: The Vials of the Wrath of God are poured out, culminating in the destruction of Babylon:
16:14: “The battle of that Great Day of God Almighty.”
16:19: “to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath”.
C. The Third Vision:
Chapters 17-18: Detailed description of the wrath upon Babylon.
17:1: “The judgment of the Great Whore”
18:8: “Strong is the Lord God Who judgeth her.”
18:20: “God hath avenged you on her.”
18:24: “And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.”
Chapters 19-20: Rejoicing in heaven and introduction of the Bride; the triumphant Christ.
19:2: “ He hath judged the Great Whore… and hath avenged the blood of His servants at her hand.”
19:15: “The winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.”
20:12: “The books were opened… and the dead were judged.”
D. The Fourth Vision:
Chapters 21-22: The Holy City, the Bride, descends to earth and becomes the dwelling place of God with Redeemed Mankind.
21:7: “He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.”
21:8: “… shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone…”
In summary, the events of the Vision lead up to the Judgment Day of “that Great City” Babylon, code name for the fallen Jerusalem, then the marriage of the Lamb, the Victorious Christ, and the descent of the NEW JERUSALEM.
III. Israel: the pattern and example for god’s dealings with nations
A. Discuss: God’s Sovereignty, Not Fatalism but Choice, responsibility, and accountability.
B. When a nation falls: Discuss Leviticus 26: 14-37; 38-45 with Luke 1:67-80.
Discuss: Jeremiah 22:5-9.
Read: Ezekiel 14:12-23. The Four Sore Judgments: Famine, (vs.13); Wild Beasts, (vs. 15); Sword, i.e. War, (vs. 17); Pestilence, (vs. 19).
The Holy Remnant: Vss. 22-23.
Discuss: Isaiah 26: 20-21: “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For behold, the Lord cometh out of His place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity: the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.” [Reference Revelation 18:4.]
Discuss: Habakkuk 3:17-19: “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet upon mine high places. [To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.]”
C. The Four Sore Judgments come upon Jerusalem/Babylon:
Read: Revelation 6:4, War; Vss. 5-6 Merchandising; Vs. 8 Sword=War, hunger=famine, death=pestilence, wild beasts.
Read: Revelation 6:17: “For the great day of His wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?”
IV. OUR NATION HAS GRIEVOUSLY SINNED, HAS FAILED TO REPENT, AND IS NOW UNDER THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD.
A. WE CAN EXPECT THE “FOUR SORE JUDGMENTS” UPON OUR NATION.
B. GOD HAS A HOLY REMNANT THAT IS “SEALED” BY THE HOLY GHOST, Ephesians 1:13: “In whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise…”
Ephesians 4:30: “And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” In Christ we will have the blessings of God throughout the tribulations of the wicked nation.
Isaiah 3:10-11: “Say ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him.”
C. SOME CITE THE FACT THAT THE USA HAS SENT MORE MISSIONARIES THAN ANY OTHER NATION. To put this in perspective, statistics show that our nation spends more on chewing gum than for missions.
My experience (in the mid-fifties with the nail polish ad, (37 cents) and the cost of feeding a child (37 cents).
D. How shall we then live?
1. Aware of the Global Church: Food, Water, Shelter.
2. Aware of our nation’s situation: War, Energy, Economy.
3. Aware of our authority in Jesus Christ.
DON’T LIMIT GOD!