Eagle Brook Church

The book of Revelation is one of the most mysterious in the Bible, filled with bizarre imagery, strange creatures and intrigue. The two most common mistakes people make is they either become obsessed with Revelation and get freaked out about the end times, or they completely ignore it.

"Do you ever look around and think, “Is God really in control? Is there anyone guiding human history?” In today’s message we’ll see that there’s a throne in heaven. And that throne is occupied. Not by a politician, president, or person, but by Jesus Christ himself. And so no matter how stressful, chaotic or diffi cult your life gets, the rock solid truth that you can rely on when your feet hit the ground in the morning is: Jesus Christ is on the throne. He’s in control."

So far in the series we have seen what Jesus said to the seven churches, and that some of the compliments and complaints he had would be the same things he would likely say to us today. Then last week we got a glimpse of what worship will be like in heaven. So far John’s vision has been upbeat and encouraging, but today marks a turning point. Watch or listen to this message as we see the beginning of Christ’s judgment.

Ever wonder if there’s more to life than what you can see with your eyes? This week, in our continuing study of the Book of Revelation, John gets a vision of a war taking place in heaven. But this war isn’t just relegated to heaven. It affects our lives now. And so John writes because he wants every Christian to overcome. No matter what life or Satan throws your way, you can be one who overcomes.

Today we will be looking at seven angels, one at a time, pour out God’s wrath from a bowl. These seven bowls of wrath represent the end of God’s judgment, and the end of the world. Whether you believe what we’re reading in Revelation will happen literally or you think John’s vision is more symbolic, it can make some people wonder. Why does God have to do all this? Why does God seem so…harsh? Watch or listen as we learn that God isn’t doing this just to be mean, or pay people back, instead we’ll discover two reasons why God’s wrath is a good thing.

One minute you’re alive, the next you are not. One minute air flows through your lungs, the next you gasp your last breath. One minute you’re before a doctor, the next you are before God. In less than 10 seconds, your body will die, your soul will depart, and you will be standing before God to give an account of your life. The question is this: Are you prepared for that day?

What do you think of when you think of heaven? A bright light? Floating on clouds? Seeing friends and family that are already there? Maybe a better question is, are you excited to go there? Heaven is where God lives, and it’s the place where believers go when they die, but John in Revelation talks about a new heaven and a new earth. This is the place where God’s people will spend eternity after the final judgment. What will it be like and why should we look forward to heaven?

Final words often have fi rst importance. Revelation is full of imagery and drama surrounding heaven, hell, Satan, the anti-Christ, Armageddon, the rapture, and tribulation. But in the end there’s only one thing that matters.