Revelation: The Terrible and the Good - Pt 1
Revelation: The Terrible and the Good - Pt 1
By Stephen Bennett
(Intro: Chapter 1-5) Nov 28 / 2021
‘After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven. And the first voice which I heard was like a trumpet speaking with me, saying, “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this.” “Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:1-2.
Welcome to part one of this extensive blog series on the last book in the Bible; Revelation. The supreme, dramatic display of supernatural end-time truth, glimpses of heaven, and the final outcomes for humanity and the earth. Imagine, all the apocalyptic and sci-fi movies you’ve ever watched rolled into one, but on steroids. For centuries, people have wrestled with the truths and meanings of this book. But now we are in the last days era of history, where Revelation will all become clearer to understand, grasp, and truly believe it, as we get closer to the promised second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now is time to dig deeper and trust completely in the truth of God’s word, as we move into 2022; for great changes are ahead.
The Author
(Reader: Please open your Bible to Revelation, to read all the references).
The Bible is called scripture; the 1400 or so pages are like a never ending ‘script,’ or ‘screenplay of dramatic movies,’ many yet, to still be properly made! In the Spirit, heaven premiered holy cinematic theatre for John, the last remaining of the original apostles. The red carpet was reserved just for him! Revelation is a ‘theatre of extreme drama’ saved for the end of the ages, and recorded by the disciple Jesus loved. The apostle John; the one who lay on the chest of Jesus (John 21:20). The one who knew the heart beat of God and was given to His Spirit.
History calls John’s era, the apostolic age of the Church, where the roots of New Testament faith grew with a pure love from the heart. It was a time of surrendering your will to Jesus as Lord, living by the example of Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. John had traveled the adventures of life, and was ready to be the conduit for God at the closing of the early Church era. John was an intimate of Christ, and the Lord could trust him to be an exact seer; God’s prophetic end-time writer.
John paid a high price, to author this great book expounding the end of time. He was a ‘companion in tribulation,’ (Rev 1:9). Cast into exile for the sake of the gospel, on the Island of Patmos in Greece. It was his killing place of hard prison labor; a friend of trials, suffering, and pain. It certainly wasn’t a five star Greek Isle Resort back then, although beautiful no doubt! John understood laying down your life to see the will of God accomplished, and wrote from a human place already emptied of self, in the ‘killing fields’ of Patmos. Only he could handle the job of penning Revelation. What film director today, would dare to produce it as written? What a movie! Revelation was faithfully scribed around 95AD.
The Introduction
John found himself caught up in the Spirit ‘on the Lord’s day.’ He heard God’s booming voice declaring like a trumpet that he was to write a book, Rev 1:10-11. It was to be very important. John tells us, “Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” Revelation 1:3.
Further to this, John greets the seven churches in Asia, where the book is to be sent, and from Jesus… ‘Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, and they also who pierced Him. And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him. Even so, Amen.’ Rev 1:4-7. John makes no bones about who Jesus is; the Ruler of earth and He is coming back.
John then experienced a continued clear vision of Jesus the Son of Man, and who He was; ‘the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.’ Rev 1:8,11. The Lord told John, “send it to the seven churches that are in Asia.” Rev 1:12. This grand piece of ‘script’ is written for churches; to understand where they are at, what they have to change, what to be aware of, and be able to hear what the Spirit says… and to bring wisdom and clarity to end-time events (Rev Chap 2-3). These writings to the seven Asian churches, also apply to the global Church down through history, especially now, today!
John then saw Jesus, ‘in the midst of seven lamp-stands… holding seven stars in His hand.’ The stars were the angels of the seven churches. It is a truth that Jesus and his angels are right in the midst of the Church, the Body of Christ every where, even now, regardless of the terrible world situation, and He now wants us to do things only His way. If we listen…
Finally the vision of what Jesus looked like, leaves the reader no doubt that Jesus Christ was far from any sweet, porcelain, limp religious image. The Saviour of the world was, ‘clothed with a garment down to His feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and His hair were like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters, He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.’ Rev 1:13-16. This leaves no doubt that the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, is a being of immense power and might, so much so John ‘fell at His feet as dead.’ So overwhelming it nearly killed him!
Jesus reassured him, as He needed his author alive, well and present! He said, “Do not be afraid, I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades (Hell) and of Death.” Rev 1:17-18. It left no doubt there was nothing to fear, and the Lord is in complete control of everything. Jesus finished with His author directive. “Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.” Rev 1:19. This book has touched the whole world for 2000 years.
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txgOfHtmc-A for the song Latter Rain by Stephen Bennett, blog author).
Caught Up
John was caught up in the Spirit, through an open door suspended in heaven, then blasted into the throne room, which became a living theatre of dreams. The Lord God in all His glory, was the Supreme Usher. Unfortunately there was no popcorn, and once seated, John witnessed things no man had ever seen. He became totally immersed in the 3D ‘movie’ going on all around him, without the tinted glasses! Little did he know, this humble ex-fisherman was to record The Terrible and the Good.
Revelation is also a graphic view of our future days, and has spoken to millions through the centuries; giving hope, a future understanding of what to expect, and how to navigate the terrible and good times before Jesus Christ returns to gather us all for an eternity with Him (Isaiah 57:15).
The experience beyond the door would prove to be overwhelming to John. The Greek word for door is thyra. The same word when Jesus said, “I am the door.” John 10:9a. Christ is the door to all things, and John’s eyes were fully opened to receive an immense and overwhelming revelatory task. He would also have encouragement from angels, elders and the Lord Himself, to just write down what he saw. John didn’t question any of it.
John had entered into heaven to behold wonders! Many times, the Lord spoke to men in dreams and visions, often bringing them into another level of reality. For what time John had left on earth, he would be changed forever. He penned the prophecy that became Holy Scripture; a living script unveiled before him, scene to scene, word for word, directing the holy narrative. John stood in the portals of the roots of creation itself, everything was massive, and his extended encounter was beyond anything a human had experienced. Most of it, he didn’t fully understand.
The Crazy Good
John saw Jesus looking like rich jewels, and an emerald rainbow hovered around the throne (Rev 4:3); such amazing colour. White-robed elders sat on 24 thrones, with crowns of gold on their heads (Rev 4:4). Loud noises of peeling thunder and lightning and voices came from the throne of God, where seven spirits were burning as fire, in what sound’s like medieval sci-fi (Rev 4:5). The throne scene was all framed by a sea of crystal glass, and creatures with six wings and eyes in the front and back of their heads. One had a face like a man, with eyes rolling all around, and they were all singing (Rev 4:6-8). Music was everywhere; this was art-alive!
Then the 24 celestial elders of the council of God, threw down their solid gold head crowns onto a floor, probably denting them, and praised God, the Creator of everything who lives forever (Rev 4:10-11). The Lord had a sealed scroll in His right hand to read, and a huge angel said, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” It was Jesus; the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Root of David. Then suddenly Jesus stood in the midst of the elders, morphed with the seven spirits into a Lamb covered in blood, ‘having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God.’ The atmosphere was radical and intense, so different to the Jesus he knew on earth (Isaiah 53:2). Then memories of the marred face of the bloodied Christ on the cross (Isaiah 52:14), cascaded back into his mind; John ‘wept much’ (Rev 5:1-7).
Misty eyed with tears, John saw the wizened old men playing harps, with such sweet and powerful melodies, crashing into earth-moving arrangements and crescendos. The harpists even played the tones of the believer’s prayers from earth, hovering as the mist of incense in huge giant bowls! The prayers it seems, were perceived in melodic form in heaven, along with the perfume of praise. Thousands of years of so many songs enigmatically captured in a few bars (Rev 5:8). The original Harp and Bowl music! Now that’s how you write a song; listen…!
Their own new song began to build, then someone tapped John’s shoulder and he spun around; behind him an elder smiled. John slowly took in the breathtaking sight of a one of a kind event; many angels, strange creatures and elders singing. It was so loud and so big and so magnificent (Rev 5: 9-11). One hundred million heavenly beings, plus thousands upon thousands, so immense, John couldn’t even count them. Heaven is BIG and wild! God’s music has always been overwhelmingly huge (Rev 5:11-12). The music John witnessed was… extraordinary.
The sheer energy confronting John left him in awe, but it wasn’t over. There was so much more; it just got bigger! Millions of creatures in heaven, earth and sea, joined the singing by some extraordinary Spirit link-up. Not only people, but whales, dolphins, fish, sharks, elephants, hippos, lions, tigers, soprano giraffes, crocodiles, rabbits, foxes, alley cats, dogs in the pound, ants, spiders, centipedes and butterflies, all joining in the song. There were snakes, worms, eagles, sparrows, mynah birds, kiwi birds, budgies, kookaburras, and hummingbirds; anything wearing feathers. Every creature in heaven, the earth, our galaxy and the universe, were singing; you think you’ve got trouble arranging your few singers in a band!
All the animal singing noises from all the creatures, were actual comprehensible words (Dr Doolittle was right!). Yes, real words in perfect harmony with a mighty move of the Spirit; not a bung note. Heavenly inspired music shifted the atmosphere in the entirety of creation to worship God! I’m speechless! ‘And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and such as are under the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and honor and glory and power be to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever!”’ Revelation 5:13.
Imprinted in the heart of everything living, is this song and its truth about Jesus Christ the Lamb of God; Creator and Saviour of the World He made. The song, and the overwhelming sound, took over God’s grand planetary atelier, covering the whole world and the universe. The final bar of the song from the chief elders and the four strange creatures was a resounding “Amen!” The executive had the last word, in a sudden dynamic end to this gigantic Celebration of God Concert of the Universe (Rev 5:14)!
The living, tangible, presence, of massive worship, deluged the entire continually expanding universe; a unique moment in all of creation, live streamed everywhere, and apparently not one unbeliever to be found. Everything and everybody knew about God, as will happen in these last days on earth before Jesus returns. ‘All the ends of the world shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before You.’ Psalm 22:27.
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0VQkk5S5rc for the song Communion by Stephen Bennett, blog author).
The overwhelming truth filled everything living, to unify and worship the one true God. It was a song from heaven that did it! How good is that! You must read all of this for yourself; it’s not just metaphors and symbols. Jesus told John to write, ‘what you have seen, things which are, and the things which will take place after this’ (Rev 1:9); it’s all amazing and real!
John’s first five introductory chapters witnessed the wildly creative, and the mostly crazy good; but lurking in the theatre of future dreams, was the confronting truth and devastation of the scene changes of the terrible… (to be continued…).
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHLKJsyXCIE for the song Dancing in the Streets by Stephen Bennett, blog author).
‘He (Jesus) who testifies to these things says,“Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.”’ Rev 22:20.
By Stephen Bennett 21/11/2021
Author - Prophet Musician - As I have Called You
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NOTE: Go now and read, Revelation - The Terrible and the Good Pt 2, of this Revelation blog series. endtimewriters.com
PRAYER OF FAITH: The Call to give your life to Jesus Christ.
No matter where you are in your Christian walk, Jesus is with you; in your triumphs and trials, to the end! If you have never known God; know this;
“Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world (ages)” Amen’ Matthew 28:20. ’But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And the gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come’ Matthew 24:13-14.
Pray this prayer from your heart and your spirit will come alive to God, for with him there is hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).
“My Father in heaven, I give you my life, I repent of all my sin, recreate me brand new. I give you my heart. Fill me Lord Jesus Christ with Your Holy Spirit. I believe You died for me on the cross, and by Your shed blood, you washed away my sins once and for all. Raise me from my deadness of my life to live a new life, just like you Jesus, when you were raised from the dead; I believe you did that. Make my spirit reborn, and let me come alive too filled with Your Holy Spirit.”
“I believe I belong to you Lord. Help me to know you well, teach me Your ways, that I become all that I am meant to be. Help me to love and find love. I thank you Lord that you will always be with me.”
If you have genuinely prayed this prayer to Jesus Christ, in your seeking of God, or you’re coming back to Him, DM instagram or FB or email. Talk to other Christians you may know, and find a Church where you can grow.
Best - ETW
(Now click this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZIWbxrLNQA for the song Love Your Love by Stephen Bennett, blog author).
(Click-link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHZiIah2glY for the song 23 by Stephen Bennett, blog author. (From Psalm 23 to minister peace and hope to you).
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