Blessed are Those Who are…..Beheaded
Revelation 20:4 “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
Kenny and I began serving at Emmanuel Faith high school ministry as “core group leaders” in 2011. For the next 12 years we made dear friendships and had the privilege of knowing some incredible teens through Sunday mornings, mission trips and camps/retreats. So many faces, so many memories over the years.
Spring of 2015, the youth group staff tried something . . . instead of meeting at the church building each Wednesday night, we met one week of the month in small groups, divided by grade, in local area homes. The goal was to foster a stronger sense of community within each class—seniors, juniors, etc. A group of 16-17 year olds crowded onto our couch and living room floor one evening.
There was bible study, discussion, and ample time for the kids to share prayer requests and pray together. Typical high school prayer requests were made: a sick family member, an upcoming test, tryouts for sports teams. And then, one young man hesitantly raised his hand. I’ll never forget where he sat, nor the words that came out of his mouth that evening,
“It’s been on the news; four days ago some Egyptian Christians were killed, ISIS kidnapped them and beheaded them . . . for their faith in Jesus. Two of the men were my Dad’s cousins.”
I struggled to process the teenager’s words. Two of his family members had just been BEHEADED——FOR FOLLOWING JESUS.
So we did the only thing that made any sense at that moment. We prayed aloud to God Most High, who sits on His throne, but who was also present with 21 disciples, faithful men in orange jumpsuits, on a sandy desert ridge, killed ruthlessly that February Sunday. They had not renounced their faith, they had not denied their Lord. They had not worshipped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. God pulled back the curtain and showed the Apostle John a picture of hope. John’s big brother James had also been beheaded! (Acts 12) I bet John clasped his hand over his mouth and tears sprung in his eyes at the sight of his brother James, alongside 21 Egyptian Christians, as they “came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.”
Donielle Winter
EFCC Member
The Apostles’ Creed
The first time I remember hearing the Apostles’ Creed was in college during Chapel. Along with 2,500 other students, in unison, we read a collection of words that were unfamiliar, yet absolutely core to what I knew to be true. I soon came to learn that the Apostles’ Creed is one of the earliest Christian Statements of Faith, first written during the second century, and followed by minor iterations. It stands as one of the most recited and enduring affirmations of the hope that Christians have proclaimed throughout the centuries. As we call out the Creed, we join Christians around the world in this declaration of trust in the Triune God and our hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It is a cry of the heart, announcing the truth of Scripture.
I believe in God,
the Father almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth,
and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died and was buried;
he descended to the dead;
on the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty;
from there he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy Christian Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.
Amen.
As a form of worship, consider starting each day, for a week, slowly reading through the Creed. Listen to the words and picture the saints who have gone before, calling out, each in their own language, this same proclamation of hope. We believe!
Lynette Fuson
Care & Counseling Director
The Divine Warrior's Sword
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
When our two pups were younger, we hired a dog trainer whose name was Chris. He was a K-9 trainer and handler, an expert in his field. He got acquainted with the pups and us while he gained their trust. After the first visit, when he walked inhis very presence was one of authority and confidence, so the pups became submissive. It only took one word or hand gesture for them to obey his command. We were in awe. He meant business and they knew it. Their obedience was rewarded, consistent repetition was the key.
Jesus is depicted as a powerful warrior, not a lamb, and his title was the Word of God in Revelation 19:13. The armies of heaven follow on white horses and from his mouth comes a “sharp sword” which is the weapon used to execute judgment on the nations. It’s interesting that the victory of Jesus comes through the sword of his Word (v.15). John sees an army with Christ in fine white linen, which could include both angels and saints and they don’t have weapons. That’s because there isn’t going to be a fight.
Revelation 19:13-15 describes the triumphant second coming of Jesus, where he comes to judge the world and establish his kingdom, conquering all opposition and fulfilling prophetic promises of his ultimate authority and victory. God established life on earth with his words, “Let there be light.” Jesus, the Son returns to strike down His and our enemies with His divine command. “It’s over” – literally – when Christ says it’s over. Evil is done for good when he says so. His word of judgment is sharp like a sword and strong like “a rod of iron.” Jesus Christ is our Divine Warrior.
I wish I could say we now have perfectly trained and obedient pups, but it was hard for Chris to train their people to be consistent, strong, loving, but firm pup parents. Really all we had to do was follow his example and be consistent.
As believers, all we have to do is follow the example of Jesus and consistently study His word to experience a full life of forgiveness, mercy, peace and the joy He alone provides.
What feelings do you have when you read Revelation 19? What assurance brings you peace?
Deb Hill
EFCC Member
The Battleless War
Revelation 19:12-13
There was a time when a bunch of my high school friends and I pooled our money together to purchase a Pay-Per-View boxing match. We had a bunch of people over, ordered pizza, and were ready for a fun evening together. Several undercard fights were great, but the main card was unspectacular to say the least. The fight was over within a few seconds. One punch was all it took. That’s similar to the way the “great battle” in Revelation plays out.
If you look for the fight in Revelation, you’ll be hard-pressed to find it. When Jesus returns, we hear far more about him than we do about any sort of actual battle. There’s one unexpected detail about the way he’s described when he returns that is worth noting. You’d think the King of kings returning to defeat evil once and for all would come dressed in spotless white, ready for battle. But instead, he rides in already covered in blood.
That detail stops me every time I read it. Before a single sword is swung, before any enemy is defeated, the robe of Christ is already stained red. Which begs the question, whose blood is on his robe? He has not appeared on earth in the book of Revelation at this point. This is his only return; so, where did the blood come from, and whose blood is it?
I’d propose to you that his robe is covered in his own blood. The victory he brings isn’t won by military power or brute force. It’s a victory that’s already been secured through the sacrifice of the cross. His robe is dipped in blood because the battle was fought and won on Calvary. The Lamb who was slain is also the Warrior who triumphs. His blood isn’t a mark of defeat or of a bloody war he wages when he returns; it’s remnants of the victory of the cross.
Paul said it beautifully in Colossians 2 when he wrote,
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him. (Colossians 2:13-15)
When Jesus was nailed to the cross, he didn’t just die for sin; he disarmed spiritual powers. He exposed evil for what it is and stripped it of its claim over us. Sin’s record of debt was canceled. Death’s hold was broken. Satan’s threats were silenced. All of it, finished.
That means the “final war” in Revelation isn’t much of a war at all. It’s the public unveiling of what was already accomplished at Calvary. Jesus isn’t fighting to win the battle; he’s coming to enforce the victory he already won. So when life feels like a fight, and let’s be honest, sometimes it really does, remember this: you’re not fighting for victory, you’re fighting from it. The robe has already been dipped in blood. The cross has already conquered.
Whatever evil you’re up against today, guilt that haunts you, temptation that won’t quit, fear that paralyzes you, Christ’s blood speaks a better word. He’s already spoken the final word.
The battle might still rage, but the outcome isn’t in question. Jesus wins. And because you belong to him, so do you. Amen and amen!
Ryan Paulson
Lead Pastor
You’re Invited
“…Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”
Revelation 19:9
It was 1965 in the summer after my freshman year in college. That particular Saturday was going to be the wedding of a dear high school friend. I looked forward to not only the wedding but reconnecting with friends from high school. It was a beautiful day and I decided to head to the beach for a few hours before getting ready for the event. There was plenty of time to sunbathe at Moonlight Beach in Encinitas. I told my mom I would return before three and hopped in the car for some beach time! Those days were prior to cell phones, so it was quite normal to be unreachable. We didn’t even think twice about it. After enjoying my time at the beach, I returned early and proceeded to get ready for the wedding. Then the wall phone in the kitchen rang and I hurried to answer it. After answering, I heard the question, “Where were you?” from another friend. I had missed the wedding because I had the time confused. I had missed everything from the ceremony to the reception and there was no way to fix it. To this day I still feel awful about it.
In the Bible, God often used marriage as a picture of our relationship to Himself. In the New Testament this relationship is used to illustrate the relationship of the Church and Christ. Ephesians 5:25-27 “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, that He might sanctify her ..so that he might present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing that she might be holy without blemish.” The marriage supper of the lamb is the celebration with Jesus and those who trusted in His atoning death and resurrection. That is us! We are blessed because we have been invited to partake of the marriage supper with Him. If you are in the church, the body of Christ, the family of God, then you have been invited. You will be there; you won’t miss it. What assurance and joy we have as we anticipate being blessed and seated with the lamb of God!
Ponder: What does it mean to you to know you will be at the marriage supper of the lamb? What are the blessings in the invitation and how are you personally blessed by it?
Francie Overstreet
EFCC Member
Two Women’s Ways
Taylor Swift's latest album just dropped as I wrote this. I haven't heard it, and probably never will, but her voice and message have already reached billions. Women can profoundly influence culture. Revelation 19 contrasts the fates of two famous women. Proverbs 9 predicts that fate. In Proverbs, the women are Folly and Wisdom; in Revelation, they are Babylon and the Bride of Christ.
Proverbs 9:13-18
Folly is an unruly woman; she is simple and knows nothing. She sits at the door of her house, on a seat at the highest point of the city, calling out to those who pass by, who go straight on their way, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Stolen water is sweet; food eaten in secret is delicious!” But little do they know that the dead are there, that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.
Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house; she has set up its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city, “Let all who are simple come to my house!” To those who have no sense she says, “Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of insight.”
Revelation 19:1-3; 6-9
After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” And again they shouted: “Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.” Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: “Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.) Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”
Death for one woman’s way. Life eternal, through a beautiful connection to Christ, for the other. The whole scope of life and God’s salvation points toward and awaits the connection and redemption of God’s people at the wedding of the Lamb. Wedding imagery conveys great hope, significance, and security for all who wait and walk with Jesus.
John Riley
Junior High Pastor
Come Out of Her, My People
Revelation 18:4
A few years ago, I had the life-changing opportunity to visit Israel. When we were there, we had the chance to walk through the ruins of Qumran, the desert community by the Dead Sea, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. The people who lived there were separatists. These were people who had moved out of Jerusalem and built their own enclave in the wilderness, convinced that the city and temple were too corrupt. The remains of their city are filled with pools that were used for ceremonial washing, showing their desire to remain pure before God. Their solution to the corruption in Jerusalem was isolation. They wanted to escape the world, live apart, and wait for God to judge.
So when we read in Revelation 18:4, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins,” it’s natural to wonder if that’s the kind of life the angel has in mind. Should we start our own Christian commune somewhere and pull away from the world? Should we buy land, live off the grid, make our own butter, and wait for God to judge? I find there to be tension between that way of living and what Jesus prayed for his disciples. He said, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one… As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world” (vv. 15–18).
The call to “come out” isn’t about geography; it’s about allegiance. It’s not isolation, it’s distinction. The word church is translated from the Greek word ekklesia, which means the “called-out ones.” We are people who live right in the middle of the world but refuse to be owned by its values. That’s what makes the angel’s command in Revelation both hard and hopeful. It's hard because Babylon’s culture is seductive. At times, it feels as normal as the air we breathe. And yet it’s hopeful because we are given power through Scripture and God’s Spirit to resist.
The real danger isn’t that you’ll live in Babylon; the danger is that Babylon will live in you. And it happens subtly. Slowly. Quietly. Like fish who don’t realize they’re in water, we can swim in a culture of pride, consumerism, and indulgence until it feels normal. Revelation interrupts our drift and says, “Come out. Don’t take part in her sins. Don’t fall with her fall.” Instead, let God’s truth form you. Let worship replace idolatry, generosity replace greed, purity replace indulgence, and humility replace pride. The great truth is that we can live now as citizens of the city that never falls… the New Jerusalem!
So today, maybe you pray something like this: Jesus, keep me in the world but free from its grip. Let your truth shape me today, that I might live as your called-out one, even here in Babylon. Amen.
Pastor Ryan Paulson
The Real Avenger
“It is mine to avenge; I will repay in due time their foot will slip;
their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them.”
Deuteronomy 32:35 NIV
This future time we are studying in Revelation 17 & 18 is not like the sci-fi movie series, the Avengers. It will be very real and far beyond anything a writer of fantasy could imagine. Our God is love and has done everything possible to draw mankind to His forever family. He sacrificed Himself, He offers mercy and grace, He calls for repentance, offers full forgiveness, and He offers a way out until the very last moment. Then God answered this cry from the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne:
“...O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Revelation 6:10
The answer comes in chapter 18:20 and notice who the judgment is for:
“…for God has given judgment for you against her.”
The judgment is vengeance for the blood of His servants, for those who were followers of Jesus. He takes vengeance on those who were drunk with the blood of the saints, the martyrs of Jesus. (17:6)
In 18:21, John describes an angel throwing a boulder like a great millstone into the sea. (A millstone is a huge round stone, often weighing a ton, used to crush grain into flour.) This evil will be violently thrown down and be no more. When teaching about God’s love for children to workers, I always accompanied it with a warning. “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea,” Matthew 18:6.
Do something to children, your judgment is coming and beyond imagining.
God’s wrath is not only about the rejection of His holiness but also because of what has been done to His dear servants. He loves His sons and daughters and will surely avenge what was done to them. There will be no more second chances for the perpetrators. They will not escape this judgment.
The persecution of believers is growing in our world. It is mild here but in several other countries Christ followers are murdered, imprisoned, tortured, and more. It has been going on since the resurrection. Please consider reading Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, which is John Foxe’s account of the martyrdom of Christians from the first century to the 16th century. The list is growing but it will come to an end and God will avenge.
“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”
Revelation 19:1-2
Francie Overstreet
EFCC Member
No More!
“Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”
— Revelation 18:8 NIV
I had a friend growing up who had a spare room where he built an entire Lego city. It was incredible—he spent hours carefully putting every piece in the right place. One night we decided to sleep in there since we had been building so late. What he didn’t know was that I sometimes sleepwalked. Needless to say, his Lego city didn’t survive the night. In one fell swoop, it was destroyed.
Revelation 17–18 paints a similar but far more sobering picture of Babylon—an image of worldly power, wealth, and corruption standing in opposition to God. Babylon represents humanity’s attempt to build life apart from Him. Like the Lego city, it looks impressive—wealth and riches, people doing whatever they please, businesses thriving. But in one decisive moment, God brings it all down. And unlike my sleepwalking destruction, this collapse is far worse and final.
God’s judgment is not partial—it is total: “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” (Rev. 18:2). The mighty city and all it represented is no more. And it is not temporary—it is eternal. Babylon is never rebuilt. Her smoke rises forever (Rev. 19:3). John emphasizes this by repeating the phrase “no more” throughout chapter 18: no more music, no more trade, no more weddings, no more life as usual. What the world thought was unshakable collapses in an instant.
The warning is clear: when we put our hope in anything other than God—especially in things opposed to Him—it is doomed to fall because it is not built to last. Yet this passage also comforts us: evil will not endure forever. Injustice, exploitation, and arrogance will not have the final word. God sees. God judges. God wins.
For believers, judgment is not the end—salvation is.
Pastor Jeremy Johnson
Weep No More
Who can forget 2020 and the effect of Covid on the world’s economy. “The Coronavirus outbreak caused a global economic collapse. Most countries implemented full or partial lockdown measures to slow the spread of the virus. The lockdown slowed global economic activity substantially, many companies reduced operations or closed down, and people lost their jobs.” (National Library of Medicine). A byproduct of our reduced travels was the shift to more online shopping. Amazon became a best friend, but also became a worst enemy as people found it too easy to become shopaholics.
In Revelation 17, the focus shifts to the economic and commercial aspect of the corrupt world system, describing the fall of a vast global economic power centered in Babylon. It warns against systems that attempt to control faith and create a religion in man's image or those that promote a global system of greed and materialism. Verses 11-13 describe the scene: And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, slaves, that is, human souls.
Why so much detail ? In the end times, the world’s rebellion against God will rise to a fever pitch. The Antichrist’s system will be characterized by rampant materialism, love of money or greed, outrageous idolatry, and violence against Christians. God wants us to see that greed, materialism, idolatry, and rebellion against Him are linked and all lead to destruction. As Pastor Josh stated yesterday in his Daily Fill, “This scene (in Revelation) is not just ancient history or future prophecy; it’s a mirror for every age . . . even for today.” He did a great job of outlining these chapters and explaining what John was shown. Do you see our present day in the descriptions?.
Verses 15-16 say, The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, “Alas, alas, for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels, and with pearls! Notice the merchants are standing far away, not wanting to be involved!
Then in verse 17, For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste. God wasted no time in destroying Babylon’s idolatry and rebellion after giving the people so many chances to turn away from the evils of the Antichrist.
Later we see In Revelation 18:2, an angel descends to the earth proclaiming the triumphant news of Jesus’ victory over Babylon the Great.
Father, please help us keep our eyes on you and eternal things, not the temporary material things of this world. May we be watchful always of things that lure us away from you.
Deb Hill
EFCC Member