Transcript
Ben Fallon: “I want to take us back to a controversial, chaotic, and confusing time back in 2020 and 2021, the COVID Pandemic. Now, this is not primarily a question about that moment historically, but rather an opportunity, Paul, for you to help us understand how to interpret and apply the Book of Revelation to our everyday life. So here's the question from Zach.
In some of the Christian circles I was living in, back during the COVID Pandemic, I heard people say that the COVID Vaccine was a “Mark of The Beast.” Now, unrelated to what side you fall on in terms of lockdowns and the vaccine rollout, I'm having a hard time understanding how something written in the Book of Revelation specifically had to do with a 2020 pandemic and pharmaceuticals. Now, especially because a lot of the same people have made or are continuing to make correlations to a wide variety of wars and political affairs and current social events, what's the relationship between the Book of Revelation and all of these things?
Paul Tripp: Well, again, I think it's a really, really important question. It is because the Book of Revelation is probably the best-case study on our difficulty in handling properly God's Word. And out of Revelation, every generation, comes rather weird applications that actually do not come out of the Book at all. So, let me do a little course in understanding Revelation here. First, there are two places to begin with understanding what this book is about. The first is the first five words of the book, “The revelation of Jesus Christ.” What Revelation is about is Jesus. Let me say that again, “It's about Jesus!” Here we are told what this book is about and who its central character is. Revelation is not so much about end times as it is about the final and complete victory of King Jesus on behalf of all those for whom he shed his blood. And in that way, Revelation is very interesting and very encouraging. And this emphasis on Christ's victory is meant to produce in us hope, motivation, courage and perseverance. Let me say those words again: “Hope, motivation, courage and perseverance.”
The second place to understand Revelation is in verse 3, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” Revelation is not meant to be a confusing book that most Christians avoid. You hear almost no Christian say, “I've decided to spend my devotions this year in Revelation,” which is a tragedy. It is worth spending time in. There is blessing in studying this wonderful book. I want to direct you to a book about the Book of Revelation. It's the best book on Revelation I've ever read. It's by Nancy Guthrie. The book is called Blessed. In fact, we did an entire podcast with Nancy where she talks about this book, and she says this, “Revelation is actually less about when Jesus will return and more about what we are to do, what we are to be, what we are to endure, as we wait for Jesus to establish his kingdom.”
So, “No, Revelation never addresses specifics like the COVID vaccine or whatever current scary thing is happening.” The visions of Revelation are apocalyptic using imagery that is not to be understood literally. Remember, this book wasn't written so out of it we could develop specific maps and charts for what will happen and the exact moment when Jesus will return. That's an absolute misuse of Revelation. It is meant to fill you with hope and courage in your suffering as you rest in the reality that the final victor, Jesus, over all that is evil, will happen. Jesus will win, and you and I will celebrate that victory at the final feast of feasts, “The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.”
So think about this. Rather than Revelation being about these specific things that indicate the end is coming, Revelation is meant to teach you how to live in the spiritual war that's going to happen as Jesus establishes his final kingdom, and to give you hope and courage that Jesus will win, and you will be at the final feast. I love that about Revelation, that a Book is given to celebrate that victory, and to teach us how to live as we rest in Jesus, winning battles that we will never win. Remember, Paul says “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but…against principalities and powers,” Ephesians 6:12. Jesus is in the process, this is 1 Corinthians 15 of putting every enemy “under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death,” and when death is under his feet he will say, “Children enter my kingdom; all things are now ready,” Luke 14:17–that's what Revelation is about.
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