Jesus Saves

Revelation 17:6-11 I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. 7 Then the angel said to me: “Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. 8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. 9 This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. 10 They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. 11 The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.
 
THIS is overwhelming, isn’t it? John would have been overcome with this complex bloody vision of so many images. But let’s discover the hope in God’s astonishing revelation to his church.
   The prostitute, remember, represents evil nations in partnership with Satan. During his lifetime, John knew the cost to those who bore testimony of Jesus. Then he learns this brutal evil will increase in the years to come. Indeed, the martyrs’ blood has flowed in Jesus’ church. “Martyrdom is a regular, ongoing feature of church life in the 25 percent of global Christianity that we call the Underground Church. In just one part of the globe, over
10,000 Christians have been killed every year since 1950. Martyrdom have increased throughout the world from 35,000 in 1900 to an estimated 260,000 per year.” (from The Life Application Commentary Series) We have no idea, do we, of the astonishing cost for many to bear the testimony of Jesus.
   Then the angel explains the vision. The beast, which once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction represents Satan’s power at various levels. Unbelievers’ opposition will ebb and flow with Satan’s power. Our sure hope is God’s promise to destroy Satan.
   The seven hills on which the woman sits represent a literal and symbolic dominion of evil. Rome, built on seven hills, is the literal home to evil. The seven heads symbolically represent all nations. Five have fallen means that evil’s time is moving toward the end. The one who is can be Nero, the great symbol of evil to the Jews. After that will come others until an eighth ruler. This will be Satan, the ultimate Evil ruler.
   Then we see the sure hope: Satan is doomed to suffer in hell. Martyrs will live in Heaven. Amid the martyrs’ blood flows the Lord’s blood. He protects his own forever as our names are written on the book of life. By his grace and love we have been saved. Amen.
 
Prayer: You are King, Lord Jesus. Your blood is more powerful than all evil against you. Thank you for your eternal protection. Amen.