VINDICATED, PART I (16 OF 18)
Scripture: Revelation 19:11-21, Revelation 20:1-15
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Vindicated, Part I (16 of 18)
Series: Revelation
Patrick Edwards
Revelation 19:11-20:15
Introduction
Consider the visions of great battles that we hold in our imaginations with what we've just read here in Revelation 19 and 20. In any great fictional epic we have two sides, good and evil, and the good is always the underdog, overmatched. Whether it's Middle Earth against the forces of Mordor, William Wallace and the Scottish against the English, the American Colonies against the British Empire, or even a small rag-tag Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire, not only are the good guys unlikely to prevail but even in the battle itself there reaches the point where all hope seems lost and defeat seems sure only for the heroes to somehow, miraculously, win the day. We're used to death and loss on both sides, the clashing of swords, shields, guns, cannons, and blasters. Huge explosions, and when the dust settles the victor emerges; good has triumphed over evil.
And you know there are some similarities here. There is good versus evil and there is one side who is enormously outmatched. But it is evil who has no chance and there really is no battle at all. Instead, John is shown in the only way he can understand a picture of the final triumph of good over evil. Accordingly, John uses the only language he can in the Spirit to picture this reality for us. For one it's important to keep in mind that the vision of Revelation 19 and 20 began all the way back in May in Revelation 12. Thus, John's vision of the judgment of evil and its aftermath transcends our understanding of space and time. And I bring this up because, like this entire book, it's vital we understand the purpose of this revelation and what is not the purpose or interest of our passage. Craig Koester probably puts it best when he writes, ''As John's vision moves effortlessly across the expanses of space, we can clearly sense that he is speaking about the defeat of God's adversaries, but not in a ...
Series: Revelation
Patrick Edwards
Revelation 19:11-20:15
Introduction
Consider the visions of great battles that we hold in our imaginations with what we've just read here in Revelation 19 and 20. In any great fictional epic we have two sides, good and evil, and the good is always the underdog, overmatched. Whether it's Middle Earth against the forces of Mordor, William Wallace and the Scottish against the English, the American Colonies against the British Empire, or even a small rag-tag Rebel Alliance against the Galactic Empire, not only are the good guys unlikely to prevail but even in the battle itself there reaches the point where all hope seems lost and defeat seems sure only for the heroes to somehow, miraculously, win the day. We're used to death and loss on both sides, the clashing of swords, shields, guns, cannons, and blasters. Huge explosions, and when the dust settles the victor emerges; good has triumphed over evil.
And you know there are some similarities here. There is good versus evil and there is one side who is enormously outmatched. But it is evil who has no chance and there really is no battle at all. Instead, John is shown in the only way he can understand a picture of the final triumph of good over evil. Accordingly, John uses the only language he can in the Spirit to picture this reality for us. For one it's important to keep in mind that the vision of Revelation 19 and 20 began all the way back in May in Revelation 12. Thus, John's vision of the judgment of evil and its aftermath transcends our understanding of space and time. And I bring this up because, like this entire book, it's vital we understand the purpose of this revelation and what is not the purpose or interest of our passage. Craig Koester probably puts it best when he writes, ''As John's vision moves effortlessly across the expanses of space, we can clearly sense that he is speaking about the defeat of God's adversaries, but not in a ...
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