The study of the Book of Revelation brings all believers back to review the story of Peter, the Rock of the twelve disciples.  Peter was the one that Jesus said He would build his church on, and I also say unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it, Matthew 1618.  All believers will have Peter’s same choices to make throughout life, and in the last days.

 

The disciple Peter was the out spoken one, impulsive and self-confident.  When Jesus told His disciples that He would be condemned and crucified Peter rebuked Him saying that this shall never happen to you, 16:23, Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."  Peter had yet not seen the divine plan that had been set in place from the beginning of time. 

 

That night after their last supper Jesus made the comment that all of them would desert Him and Peter claimed that he would never deny Him!  34, Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, Peter—this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny three times that you even know me."  As the story goes, Peter did in fact deny that he even knew the man!  And the rooster crowed.  Now this is the same person that Peter had previously identified as the Son of the Living God, and now he has denied knowing Him.  You can only imagine how he must have felt.  But later after Jesus had arisen from the grave He was eating with the disciples and asks Peter three times if he truly loves Him, John 21:15-17. 

 

Now later on after the disciples were commissioned to spread the Good News to all the ends of the earth, there is an account of Peter and John getting arrested and thrown in jail for preaching about this Jesus guy that was supposed to be dead and forgotten!  They were brought before Annas and Caiaphas, dignitaries of the Sanhedrin, at the temple, probably to about the same place where Peter had shamefully denied Jesus not too long before.  But now Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and had a much bolder response.  Acts 4, 18-20, Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! 20 As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”   They boldly stated that they will not be denied the right to preach the Good News!

 

Although the Book of Revelation is first and foremost a preview of the coming end times, it is a Book of encouragement and hope for the believers.  We are told that all of the disasters will not harm us, BUT, we will all be tested.  It states that even the elect could be deceived.  So is our faith to the point where we will boldly stand and defend the Word of God or will we deny and compromise?  Will we cave in to popular public opinion or will we stand on what it says in the Bible?  We will all have a “Peter” moment where we will have to choose and it isn’t only in those last days when Satan will be turned loose to torment us, it is also throughout our lives, each and every day.  And if we do stumble and fall from time to time and feel that we are beyond God’s amazing Grace, we can quickly refer to Revelation 22:17, Whoever thirsts can come and drink freely from the waters of life!