They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."
-- Revelation 17:14, 21:4, ESV
War and peace. Sounds like a catchy title for a book, doesn't it? Admirers of Tolstoy would agree. Though uniquely Russian, many consider it to be the world's quintessential novel. In the words of one critic, "A story that encapsulates the human experience." We live through war -- military wars, political wars, economic wars, family wars, even church wars -- and we long for peace.
The truth is, there will be no real, lasting peace on earth until the Prince of Peace, the Lord Jesus Christ, appears at His second coming. Jesus came the first time for war, the war against sin and the war for our salvation, and it is still ongoing. Christ will come the second time for peace, and establish it forever, for those who know and trust Him.
"The Lamb" is the most precious of prophetic symbols in Revelation, elsewhere in John's writings, and in other portions of Scripture. "The Lamb" is a type of Christ in the Old Covenant sacrifices. "The Lamb" takes away the sins of the world in the New Testament writings. "The Lamb" appears 28 times in the grand finale, Revelation, which depicts the final war.
Let me liken the Lamb to a bear. Imagine a bad bunch of bumpkin boys trap a baby bear in the woods. Another cub comes to its rescue. But the cruel young men surround both cubs, pelting them with rocks first, then arrows, then up close with their knives. There is no sense for such cruelty. When will they ever learn? When mama bear shows up!
Revelation reveals after tormenting the Jews, after persecuting the church, God's enemies "make war on the Lamb." It will be the most hateful, arrogant, awful maneuver in the history of warfare. And, it will usher in the end of all wars.
Mama bear will show up. "The Lamb will conquer them." Jesus, "Lord of lords and King of kings," will return to earth for the second time. All the enemies of God from all time will be imprisoned, defeated, and suffer the awful wrath of God.
The only escape, and the only lasting peace, will be for those who are "with Him." This includes every Old Testament saint and every New Testament Christian, all saved by grace through faith in the written word of God, the Bible, and the living Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are identified as those "called and chosen and faithful."
Here is a burst of blessed assurance for the believer. If you are called of God, and have called on the name of the Lord for salvation, if you have been chosen by God and have chosen to be a fully devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you have been given faith and are faithful to the gospel and the word of God, then Christ is coming to give you the perfect gift of peace.
We, God's people, will weep when the war is over. But "He will wipe away every tear." We will be aghast at the "death" of at least some of God's enemies, because they were our friends, and we will mourn until "there be no mourning." Many of us will reflect upon the pain of discrimination and persecution forced on us because of our faith, until we realize there is "no more pain." "The former things," all those wars, "have passed away."
John Calvin said, "True peace will be found nowhere but in Christ." This is true spiritually and personally the first time Christ comes into your life. And it will be true, ultimately and eternally, at the second coming of Christ.
Chuck DeVane is the pastor of Lake Hamilton Baptist Church. Call him at 501-525-8339 or email [email protected].