REVELATION 19:6-9: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” NKJV

OBSERVATION: Does anyone have any Good News? It seems that the news cycle is filled with nothing but bad news. And not only is the news bad, but then it is followed up with additional hours of rehashing and analyzing this bad news. A steady diet of this will make anyone cynical and depressed.

Usher in and election cycle. Each election cycle is filled with promises of good news and prosperity. No matter who the candidate, no matter what party, the promises are the same. The pathway to these promises may be diametrically opposed, but the candidate assures us that they alone hold the promise to a golden and bright future. Once the election is over we are faced with the harsh reality that the news remains the same – bad news.

Have I just given up? Have I too become cynical? I tend to consider myself an optimistic realist. I am optimistic because my hope is not in a political party, a candidate, or a policy. My hope is in Christ alone. I am a realist in that I have read the end of the story. Mankind never achieves the utopia they so desire on their own. There is only one way that one can achieve the utopia that all men and women desire. It is through faith in Jesus Christ.

I love the 19th chapter of Revelation. It both declares our eternal hope, and the blessings of ultimate destiny!

• “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

It is easy to become discouraged in the world we live in. However, we must remember the Lord, our Lord, reigns! He reigns over the concerns and issues of my individual life. He also reigns over the affairs of men. It may not look like it as we stand in the midst of the forest. However, if we could see human history the way God sees it, we would see everything moving toward the ultimate culmination of victory in Jesus Christ!

There is a great victory part awaiting His saints. It is called the marriage supper of the Lamb. It is the celebration of the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, and His bride, the Church. It is a victory party. It is both the culmination of our hope and our destiny. The power of sin and death will have been forever broken. And, the promise of Jesus Christ’s eternal reign will be realized as He alone brings peace to this broken world.

As we await this blessed hope, how should we live? Should we make white robes and climb up the mountain to await His return? Absolutely not! We have a job to do while we wait for this blessed day. This job is to proclaim the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ to the world! It is to bring the promise of forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life to those who are lost in the brokenness of guilt, sin, and shame. It is to tell them of the wonderful banquet that is prepared for all those who have placed their faith in the Lord God Omnipotent!

And as we proclaim this good news, we are also to be peacemakers. We are not to stand idly by and watch the world go to hell in a hand basket, because we know that we are going to heaven. Rather, we are to be engaged in both praying for and exemplifying His Kingdom, on earth, as it is in heaven. We are to continue to work for His Kingdom principles in everything we do, both in our personal lives, and in our governments. We are to be a light of God’s goodness and the coming Kingdom in this present age.

In every truth of Scripture there is a divine tension. We are both sinners and saints, seated in heavenly places and firmly planted on thIs earth. And, we are called to live like we can establish His Kingdom on this earth, when we know that it will only truly be established upon His return. This is one of the hardest divine tensions to keep, but it must be kept as we await His return. Jesus said,

• “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭24:44-46‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

Lord, help me be this servant!

• “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

In Jesus Name!