Our topic for this video will be the wonderful good news of Revelation, and the eternal science of our Creator’s plan of salvation.
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Let’s begin our study with a word of prayer.
Father, thank you for your gift of life in Jesus. Please help us to understand your Word and grant us your Holy Spirit, I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
In the previous videos we discussed how everything that has been revealed in the Scriptures concerns Jesus. Essentially, the Bible is simply relating His story.
The first three chapters of Genesis begin by introducing us to God’s painful experience.
It starts by relaying how God’s adversary cunningly deceives Eve, and through her, captures Adam. After leading him to transgress the Creator’s divine order, the tempter ushered in his reign of death and took this world ransom.
Consequently, the last three chapters of the book of Revelation, ends the story by telling us how God will eradicate the sin problem and destroy his adversary, along with his followers.
While everything in between speaks of God’s plan of redemption.
But, what is redemption?
One of Webster’s definitions says Redemption is the “Repurchase of captured goods or prisoners; the act of procuring the deliverance of persons or things from the possession and power of captors by the payment of an equivalent; [essentially, a] ransom; [a] release; as the redemption of prisoners taken in war…”
Out of all the definitions provided, I found this one to explain the gist of the matter.
In theology, redemption denotes our recovery from the corruption of sin and death through the faith, obedience, and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, our Redeemer.
In other words, without Christ, we will be without a doubt held captives by the power of sin and death. This is why God has extended His right hand and granted us eternal life and salvation through His Son.
I don’t know about you, but I’ll take the gift. It’s free! And why not?
In Romans 6:23, the apostle Paul puts it like this, “…the wages of sin is death!”
Would anyone in their right mind choose this? Of course not.
As we continue to read this verse, Paul defines the essence of redemption saying
“…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:23)
While I was studying this topic, I found this gorgeous explanation of this sin problem by Matthew Henry. Listen to this:
“The pleasure and profit of sin do not deserve to be called fruit. Sinners are but ploughing iniquity, sowing vanity, and reaping the same. Shame came into the world with sin, and is still the certain effect of it. The end of sin is death. Though the way may seem pleasant and inviting, yet it will be bitterness in the latter end. From this condemnation the believer is set at liberty, when made free from sin. If the fruit is unto holiness, if there is an active principle of true and growing grace, the end will be everlasting life; a very happy end! Though the way is up-hill, though it is narrow, thorny, and beset, yet everlasting life at the end of it is sure. The gift of God is eternal life. And this gift is through Jesus Christ our Lord. Christ purchased it, prepared it, prepares us for it, preserves us to it; he is the All in all in our salvation.”
This, ladies and gentleman, is the gist of his comment: Indulging in the pleasures of fleshly lusts will only result in bitterness. But the fruit of holiness is everlasting life.
After the war in heaven, the devil and his followers were cast out to the earth. Then this world was essentially placed under quarantine while God executes the plan of redemption and resolves the sin problem.
If you are interested in learning more about the fall of Satan, watch: “The Villain of the Drama of Revelation.”
Of this great conflict between good and evil Revelation 12:12 says:
“Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” (Revelation 12:12)
While fallen angels are performing their work of destruction here on earth, and we’re constricted to live under the curse of death and their attacks, our Creator has made us a promise that He will overthrow rebellion, and completely eradicate sin.
The plan of redemption shows us that God is love. You can clearly see the love that He has for us in His plan to rescue humanity from the curse of sin through the blood of Jesus. I want you to consider this. Think of the irreparable damage sin has caused on God’s perfect creation. Resolving the effect of this issue required God’s death, following our rehabilitation.
What blows my mind is that He didn’t have to go through with this. But He chose to leave His Father’s side, the worship of angels and His throne in heaven, to be manifested in human flesh to put the Father’s plan into action. All the suffering Jesus experienced, so we wouldn’t suffer eternal separation from God.
He didn’t even know if His sacrifice would be accepted when He gave up the ghost. So when He died, He gave it all. Can you imagine? This is heavy. I don’t understand this love, but for some reason He wants to restore me to Himself.
Do you see it though? Are you understanding the love of God?
And consider this.
Sin is so excruciatingly destructive that the Bible compares this curse to leprosy.
This disease was incurable. Those who suffered from the illness were considered ceremonially unclean. In the same way, the virus of sin is so degrading it shuts us out from the presence of God.
For this reason God has communicated instructions for us through His prophets and through Jesus, on how we are to create heavenly characters after the similitude of His Son.
And to secure the success of His plan in redeeming us, He solidifies His strategy by utilizing The Third Person of the Godhead. He will ensure sin is eradicated within us.
“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” (John 14:16-17)
So, how do we get started? It’s simple. We choose Him! Listen to this.
“Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the LORD, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph.” (Amos 5:14-15)
Whatever causes your ruin, avoid at all costs. Learn to hate evil and cleave to your Savior. Purify your mind, and reason with God. He wants what’s best for us. And Jesus has taken upon Himself the death penalty sin requires. We have nothing to lose, but literally, eternal life to gain.
“The life and death of Christ, the price of our redemption, are not only to us the promise and pledge of life, not only the means of opening again to us the treasures of wisdom: they are a broader, higher revelation of His character than even the holy ones of Eden knew.” (Ed 28.1)
Can you imagine? A higher revelation of the character of God than Adam and Eve knew can be ours!
Isn’t this good news? The plan of redemption, according to Revelation 14:6 is the “everlasting Gospel.” Which simply means, “good news.” In our next video, we’re going to discuss how the book of Revelation reveals God’s love for us.
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Thank you so much for watching, I’ll see you soon.