The Soon Return of Christ and Revelation 6-22

Revelation 6-22 describes in broad strokes events that will happen at the end near the time when Jesus returns to restore the earth as a place where God's rule is fully honored and obeyed. These chapters can be divided in three major sections:

1. the Seal Judgments of the Tribulation Period - Rev 6:1-19:10
2. Jesus' Second Coming and Millennial Reign - Rev 19:10-20:15
3. the New Heaven and New Earth - Revelation 21:1-22:5

A more detailed outline is available here as a PDF.

In Revelation 11:15, the seventh trumpet judgment, which along with the first six trumpets form part of the seventh seal judgment, announces how the overall story of the Bible comes to an end: "Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, 'The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.'" Notice the word kingdom in reference to the world is singular rather than plural. That's because all nations will someday unite to form a global coalition against the Lord in response to the judgments He pours out on them. Until then, the drive for global peace and economic stability currently underway will pre-position the nations for their eventual worldwide confederation.

The united front of all nations will be no match for the exalted Lord Jesus when He returns. The last part of Revelation 11:15 makes this clear: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." In anticipation of this moment, the twenty-four elders in the throne room of God "fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying: 'We give thanks to you Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign."

In Revelations 11:18, the elders continue: "The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, for destroying the destroyers of the earth." In other words, as soon as the rage of the nations boils over, in that very instant, the Lord sets in motion the final judgment of the dead and the rewarding of His people. He brings to completion His plan to restore the earth as a place directly under His rule. The rest of the Book of Revelation identifies major events played out in accord with God's plan.

Here are some applications from today's study of this text:

1. Become familiar with the beginning, middle, and ending of God's story* and be certain of how you fit it. In other words, be sure of your own heart-deep faith in the Lord.
2. Make a special effort to study Bible prophecy and begin discerning the times. Someone has said, "Bible prophecy has been given so that, at some point in time, some generation will be able to read the Bible and read the times and legitimately put the two together." We are that generation.
3. Imitate the elders of Revelation 11:16-17 and their praise and thanksgiving for the victorious Lord Jesus.

*Click here for the 17-point Framework of God's Overall Story