In Matthew 24 Jesus responds to his disciples question, “What signs will signal your return.” Jesus gives quite a list including in verse 7 wars, famines, and earthquakes. Check out this 2 1/2 minute video from NOAA logging in every earthquake in the 20th century – and see if you think earthquakes are increasing in number and intensity.
….As the Church did their first read through of the new letter, they were excited about the “letter directly from Jesus” part. They loved the “blessing when you read it” part, but there was one key piece they were all looking for – Was this the book that was going to answer all their questions about Jesus’ expected return! They didn’t have to read far:
Revelation 1:7, 8: “Look! He comes with the clouds of heaven. And everyone will see him— even those who pierced him. And all the nations of the world will mourn for him. Yes! Amen! ‘I am the Alpha and the Omega—the beginning and the end,’ says the Lord God. ‘I am the one who is, who always was, and who is still to come—the Almighty One.’”
As they read and read, and reread through their new letter, it didn’t take long for them to understand that there was more to Jesus’ “Second Coming” than just the “pre-signs” Jesus had mentioned that would happen BEFORE his return – they were now getting their first prophetic look at what was going to happen AFTER Jesus’ return!
Nobody in the Early Church let their “Revelation letter” collect dust. Nobody said, “It is just too hard to understand.” They were pouring over it every day, making sure they understood it. The message of the letter was intense (it still is): Jesus victoriously wins… satan miserably loses!
Ethan and the Early Church did not see the coming traumatic End Times in the book of Revelation as if they were somehow directed at them, the Church, the followers of Jesus. They read that once “the Scroll” is opened, God makes all-out, no-holds-barred, take-no-prisoners war on sin and satan. That’s the part the Church had not yet heard. For all they had known Jesus was going to be returning to a sin-soaked planet. They might be lifted off, but satan would forever be wrecking this planet, and it’s future inhabitants, their grandchildren.
Once they read through their final letter of Revelation they realized that the returning Jesus was going to deal a death blow to “the evil one”! Inside that scroll with seven seals was packaged God’s final judgment on sin and hell and death!
Jesus/John “unveiled” that satan and the antichrist use every single weapon at heir disposal to defeat God and HIS MESSIAH, and they completely, and ramatically, lose the war against the Creator of the universe (Revelation 6-20)!