“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,
and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
– Revelation 11:18
For God’s people, the images and prophecies of Revelation should not be something to fear. Rather, we should be looking forward to the day when God’s final judgment will begin to unfold on the earth. The seventh trumpet will usher in God’s wrath upon all those opposed to the coming of God’s Kingdom in Jesus Christ. That wrath will be awful to witness and worse to experience. Those who aren’t in Christ are absolutely right to be afraid of it, for it will be terrible and there will be no escape for them.
However, it will also usher in God’s reward of those who have embraced Jesus as Lord throughout all of history. Our bodies will rise in glory and our souls will be reunited with them. Christ’s judgment of His flock will be beautiful and joyous to experience. Unending rewards will be given to everyone who loves and follows Jesus. It doesn’t matter how famous or anonymous they were in the eyes of the world. How famous or anonymous you are in the eyes of the world. All God’s children are known and loved by Him. All Christ’s followers are precious to Him. All will be praised for their faithfulness and rewarded for their service to King Jesus.
And then…. all creation will be renewed. The destruction, disaster, and devastation that we’re so used to will no longer exist. The earth will once again be the way God made it to be. Perfect. Free of disease, chaos, drought, famine, contamination, pollution, cruelty, and pain. The earth will no longer be cursed for our sins but will be the temple of God’s presence as Jesus and the Father live on the earth, lighting up the new Jerusalem for all believers to enjoy forever. In Christ, the future is not something to fear but to celebrate. #FollowJesus