Unveiling the End Times in Our Time

The Triumph of the Lamb in Revelation

Adrian Rogers, Steve Rogers

• Publisher: B&H Books
• Year: 2013
• Print ISBN: 9781433680182
• eBook ISBN: 9781433680199
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Biblical Studies

"The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!" —Revelation 1: 3 (HCSB) Respected Bible teacher and beloved pastor Adrian Rogers takes readers on a breathtaking journey through the "blessing book" of Revelation with Unveiling the End Times in Our Time. Indeed, Revelation offers every Christian believer a dramatic and hope-filled overview of what the end of days will be like. Although some think Revelation is confusing, or even scary, with its talk of dragons and beasts, the text contains a proper understanding of where his- tory is headed. Rogers makes clear how the signs of the times already reveal God's plan for bringing his people to full redemption, empowering us to live boldly while expecting the return of King Jesus as the triumphant Lamb.

Chapter 1

The Future Is Here

Revelation is a book of prophecy.

Only God can prophesy, and I am glad. I really don’t want to know my day-to-day future in intimate detail. That would take all of the romance and adventure out of my life.

Part of the thrill of living is surprise and discovery. Who knows—or, for that matter, wants to know—what each day will bring before it happens? At best it would bring long periods of boredom.

Not only would boredom fill part of our lives, but stark terror would fill the other. The thrill would be gone, and dread would take its place. Would you want to go on a vacation with the certain knowledge in your heart that in six weeks on a Tuesday afternoon at 3:46 p.m. your grandchild would be killed crossing the street on his way home from school? What dread the knowledge of that accident would bring to your mind in the ensuing time.

“Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and no one is like Me. I declare the end from the beginning, and from long ago what is not yet done, saying: My plan will take place, and I will do all My will” (Isa. 46:9–10).

Have you ever wondered why the psychics who peddle their gifts on cable television never win the lottery? And even the weatherman can only make an educated guess concerning the weather. I heard of a weatherman who moved away from his former location to another city because the weather didn’t agree with him in the old place. A prophet of God is right 100 percent of the time.

This is not to say that we live an aimless life because we don’t know tomorrow’s details. Not at all. God’s plan for us is not a road map but a relationship. He knows the future, and we know Him, and that’s enough. Our lack of knowledge of day-by-day detail keeps us closer.

Foolish people spend time and money poring over horoscopes and consulting so-called psychics trying to see the dark unknown. How much better to walk through life holding the hand of One who knows the way and cares for us!

Having said that, in a sense I do want to know the future. I want to know that God has an ultimate plan for the universe and all that is in it. I want assurance that from heaven’s viewpoint all is planned, under control, and on schedule. The book of Revelation tells me that the future is in God’s hands, and the best is yet to come. Of that we can be certain!

While we have this assurance through the book of Revelation, someone hates this book. His name is Satan. In fact, Satan especially hates two books in the Bible—Genesis and Revelation, the first and last books of God’s Word.

Why does Satan hate these two books? In the book of Genesis, Satan’s doom is prophesied. In the book of Revelation, Satan’s doom is realized. There is no devil in the first two chapters of God’s Word or in the last two chapters of God’s Word. For every child of God, these books tie the gospel message together.

In Genesis we see the creation of the heavens and the earth. In Revelation we see the creation of the new heavens and new earth. In Genesis we see the first Adam reigning on earth. In Revelation we see Jesus, the last Adam, reigning in glory. In Genesis we see an earthly bride brought to the first Adam. In Revelation we see a heavenly bride brought to the Lord Jesus Christ, the last Adam.

In Genesis we see the beginning of death and the curse. In Revelation the Savior brings us to a state where there is no more death and no more curse. In the book of Genesis, man is driven from God’s face in sin. In the book of Revelation, we see God’s face in glory. In Genesis, Satan appears for the first time. In Revelation he appears on earth for the last time. The book of Revelation is the golden clasp that seals God’s Word in holy, divine perfection.

Now let’s begin our study of Revelation with four simple truths I want to lay on your heart.

The Central Person of Revelation

I find Jesus wherever I look in the Bible. He is the heart of the entire Bible. He is the Rose of Sharon. He is the Lily Fair. If you read the Bible and you don’t see Jesus, you need to reread it. Indeed, Jesus is the hero of the Bible and especially in the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:1–2 tells us that the central person of the book is Jesus, and the testimony of this book is Jesus: “The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, who testified to God’s Word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw.”

When the world begins to wind down, we will not be looking for something to happen; we will be looking for Someone to come. And His name is Jesus. Sometimes people call this book “Revelations.” It is not Revelations. It is Revelation, singular. It is the revelation of One—the spotless, glorified Lamb, Jesus Christ.

The English word revelation translates the Greek word apokalupsis. It is the word from which we get our English word apocalypse. It literally means “an unveiling.” Have you ever seen the unveiling of a work of art? It is an important occasion where dignitaries are present; someone pulls a drawstring, and the artwork is publicly seen for the first time as the artist intended. That is exactly what this word means.

On October 28, 1886, The New York Times reported the unveiling and dedication by President Grover Cleveland of the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, in New York Harbor. The statue’s designer, Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi, who was perched in the statue’s torch, pulled a rope removing a large French flag from the front of the statue, unveiling Lady Liberty’s face to the crowd.

Can you imagine the heartbeat of God the Father when His Son is unveiled in all His glory to the world? “Here is the unveiling, not of a statue, but of My dear Son who is the King of kings and Lord of lords!”

The second coming of Jesus will be so different from His first coming when His glory was veiled. He came the first time to a crucifixion; He is coming again to a coronation. He came the first time in shame; He is coming again in splendor. He came the first time to a tree; He is coming again to a throne. He came the first time and stood before Pilate; He is coming again, and Pilate will stand before Him to be judged. He came the first time as a servant; He is coming again as a sovereign.

Today Jesus is abused, misused, neglected, and scorned. He does not have His rightful place in society. After the tragedy of September 11, 2001, President George W. Bush called for a day of prayer at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. As millions watched on television, they sang Martin Luther’s hymn (which may be my favorite hymn), “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” What you may not remember is that they left out the following verse:

Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing;

Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing:

Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;

Lord Sabaoth, His Name, from age to age the same,

And He must win the battle.

During this ceremony Billy Graham preached about the cross of Jesus Christ, and yet National Public Radio omitted part of his message. When asked about this, NPR responded, “We were changing the tape.” You be the judge. When Jesus returns, not one word will be omitted. We will behold His unveiled glory not as He was but as He is—the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The Clear Purpose of Revelation

Revelation 1:1–2 says, “The revelation of Jesus Christ that God gave Him to show His slaves what must quickly take place. He sent it and signified it through His angel to His slave John, who testified to God’s word and to the testimony about Jesus Christ, in all he saw.”

Only God knows the future, and the clear purpose of Revelation was for His Son Jesus to show His servants the future. This word slave in verse 1 is the Greek word doulos, which means “bondslave”—those who willingly become the slaves of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are the ones who have understood what Paul talked about in 1 Corinthians 6:19–20: “Don’t you know that your body is a sanctuary of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.”

Are you a slave of Jesus Christ? Have you bowed your knee to Him? Have you crowned Him Lord of your life? If so, the Holy Spirit who resides within you will give you a rightful understanding of this book. If you are not a child of God, then you do not have the Holy Spirit to give you understanding of this book. The Bible is a closed book to those who have never bowed their knee to Jesus Christ.

The great historian, H. G. Wells, wrote a book entitled The Fate of Man in which he said, “Who, except cranks and lunatics, reads the Book of Revelation?” I must disagree. God has given us divine insight into the future and a message in the book of Revelation that He is in control. Ephesians 1:11 says that God “works out everything in agreement with the decision of His will.” God is not wringing His hands in heaven and wondering what He is going to do. The holy Trinity never meets in emergency session. God is in control, and His will most certainly will come to pass.

Don’t get the idea that some people have—that the devil knows the future. The devil does not know the future. If the devil knew the future, he would know that he will never be exalted above the stars of God. Put it down big, plain, and straight—Satan is a knucklehead! He is brilliantly stupid and hideously beautiful. One of these days he is going to hell. He is not in hell yet, but he is destined for hell. And when he gets there, he will not reign in hell.

Where do people get the idea that Satan knows everything? I believe it comes from what I call “round robin” theology. Many are teaching doctrines that are not from the Word of God. We need to get our theology from the Word of God, not from the hearsay of others.

Every morning about 11:30, the telephone operator in a small Nevada town would receive a call. The man on the other end would ask, “What time is it?” The telephone operator would give him the time. This happened day after day until one day she got up enough nerve to ask the man, “Why do you call every morning at this time and ask what time it is?”

“Well,” he said, “I’m the foreman at the local sawmill, and I blow the whistle at 12:00 noon for lunch break. I want to make certain I blow the whistle at the exact time, so I call you.” She laughed out loud and said, “Sir, I set my clock when you blow the whistle.” Friend, we need to trust in the Word from above, the Word from Almighty God.

Why do we have the book of Revelation? To show us things to come. The things that are spoken of in the book of Revelation have not already been fulfilled in the first century, as some theologians teach. And Revelation is not an outline of history, beginning in the first century and continuing to the present day. The book is also not a spiritual allegory, comparing the battle of evil and good.

Revelation deals with the consummation of the age to come. When you’re certain of your future, you can concentrate on your present.

The Comforting Promise of Revelation

There is a blessing in the book of Revelation: “The one who reads this is blessed, and those who hear the words of this prophecy and keep what is written in it are blessed, because the time is near!” (Rev. 1:3).

Read it. Revelation is a blessing book if you will read it and keep it. It brings a special blessing. Do you want to be blessed? Then read the book of Revelation.

Hear it. It is one thing to read the book of Revelation; it is another thing to hear it. Jesus said, “If anyone has an ear, he should listen” (Rev. 13:9). Did you know that you can read this book and still not “hear” it? Do you remember your parents or teachers ever saying to you, “Do you hear me?” They were not asking if you heard them with your eardrums; they wanted to know if you understood what they were saying. Did it sink in?

Keep it. Many people are curious about the future. But God wants more than just a curious mind when you read the book of Revelation. There are commands in this book for you to obey. For instance, one command is for you to bring souls to Jesus. Revelatio...

Table of contents

• Unveiling the End Times in Our Time
• Preface
• Preface to the Revised Edition
• 1. The Future Is Here
• 2. Making Numbers Count
• 3. The Triumph of the Lamb
• 4. He Holds the Keys
• 5. The Golden Key to the Book of Revelation
• 6. How to Keep Your Spiritual Fire Burning
• 7. The Midnight Cry and the Rapture of the Church
• 8. Worthy Is the Lamb
• 9. The Wrath of the Lamb and the Coming Tribulation
• 10. What a Mighty God We Serve!
• 11. When Demons Dominate
• 12. World Gone Wild
• 13. Jesus Christ, the One and Only
• 14. When Prophets Will Be Persecuted
• 15. Why I Love Israel
• 16. Biography of the Beast
• 17. The Mark of the Beast
• 18. The Decisions of the Living and the Destiny of the Dead
• 19. How to Gain and Celebrate Victory
• 20. Beauty and the Beast
• 21. Good-bye to Babylon
• 22. The Marriage of the Lamb
• 23. Our Coming King
• 24. The Signposts on the Road to Armageddon
• 25. The Final Judgment of the Unsaved Dead
• 26. The Golden Age
• 27. A Guided Tour through Heaven
• 28. The Lamb Has Overcome
• Notes