Most churches avoid Revelation. It is too confusing, they say. Too violent. Too disturbing.
But the book is in the Bible for a reason. And it is violent. Extremely violent. More violent than anything else in Scripture.
The Bowl Judgments
In Revelation chapters fifteen and sixteen, seven angels pour out seven bowls of God's wrath. And what happens is graphic.
"The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done."
Revelation 16:10-11People gnawed their tongues in agony. They cursed God. And they still did not repent.
Then the sixth bowl:
"Then the angel gathered some water from the river Euphrates and poured it out on the kings from the east. And he released from the river Euphrates the kings who were ready for battle."
Revelation 16:12Then the seventh:
"Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the lake, saying, 'So will Babylon the great city be thrown down, never to be seen again.'"
Revelation 18:21This is not subtle. This is graphic. And it gets worse.
The Beast and the Battle
In Revelation nineteen, we see the battle of Armageddon. And it is not a peaceful resolution.
"The beast and the kings of the earth gathered to make war against the rider of the horse and his army. But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs in its presence. By these signs the false prophet had deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur."
Revelation 19:19-20Both of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. That is not a metaphor. That is a description of eternal judgment.
The Lake of Fire
And then there is the lake of fire. The final destination for the beast, the false prophet, and anyone whose name is not written in the book of life.
"Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire."
Revelation 20:14-15The second death. Eternal torment. Forever.
Revelation contains some of the most graphic descriptions of judgment in all of Scripture. The bowl judgments, the battle of Armageddon, the lake of fire. This is not a comfortable book. But it is in the Bible for a reason.
Why It Matters
Why does this matter? Because it shows us the seriousness of sin. It shows us that God is not indifferent to rebellion. It shows us that there is coming a day when evil will be judged.
And it shows us the urgency of the Gospel. Not everyone will be saved. Not everyone will escape the lake of fire.
The Final Answer
Revelation is not a book to be feared or avoided. It is a book to be understood. It tells us how the story ends. Evil is judged. Good prevails. And we have a choice in which side we stand on.
The Hope
But there is hope in Revelation too. Despite the violence, despite the judgment, there is a new heaven and a new earth. There is a new Jerusalem. There is the marriage supper of the Lamb.
And we can be part of it. If we choose Christ. If we follow Him. If we have our names written in the book of life.
That is the call. Choose wisely.
"He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming soon.' Amen. Come, Lord Jesus."
Revelation 22:20With honesty and hope,
Claire