17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, “Come, gather for the great supper of God, 18 to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. 20 And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. 21 And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2025), Re 19:17–21.
The rise of social media and an increased consumption of digital media has proliferated the phenomenon known as doom-scrolling, where individuals continuously consume distressing news, leading to deep eschatological anxiety. In our current era, this shows up through viral proclamations, prophecies, frantic date-setting, and fear-driven actions that attempt to paralyze a believer. The current media culture has long established that people must be driven into their certain boxes in order to drive engagement because there is no profit in one feeling safe and secure in their current life. Thus, the widespread panic that sets in is not a psychological issue but a profound failure to rest in the doctrine of divine Providence. Throughout the history of the Church we hold fast to an understanding that God completely upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things. For all things come to pass according to the foreknowledge and decree of God, He orders them to fall out through secondary causes, which includes even the chaotic digital disorder of our time. Ultimately, a fear of the end of the world reflects a temporary forgetfulness of God’s sovereign rule over all of human history.
Unrest through the transmission of media is amplified by the velocity of misinformation, which allows false prophetic timelines to spread across the globe in seconds. When societal instability peaks, people often succumb to the illusion of divine withdrawal, misreading geopolitical or cultural chaos as a sign of God’s absence, or a desire to make God complicit in the attempt to hurt and divide people. This creates a vacuum of trust that makes the seduction of conspiracy highly appealing, tempting individuals to replace genuine faith in the Creator with an obsessive desire to decode hidden human plans, or fall deep down the hole of trying to pin the truth on something that is fantastical and irrelevant. When we cling to our media, we begin abandoning the sound mind promised by the Holy Spirit, which is characterized by power, love, and self-discipline. We allow the anxiety to rise and often become completely overwhelming, but the solution is not a total disengagement from culture, but a radical reorientation of the heart toward the absolute supremacy of Jesus Christ.
Found within the Revelation, we see that the apparent chaos of the final crisis is an illusion because the gathering of evil is entirely governed by God. While the diverse interpretations of the millennial maze can cause confusion, there is a unified divine sovereignty over the timeline of history. God’s providence extends even to the wicked and ungodly, blinding and hardening them for His own righteous purposes. The world looks at these events and sees anarchy, competing equal forces, and a fragile future controlled by human systems with an uncertain outcome. Which is why there is such an appeal to play in the sandbox of false rhetoric and conspiracy, because they both thrive when people interpret their circumstances as uncertain. Conversely, the Church must hold to a perspective that recognizes God’s active governance, knowing that He ordains for good, ensuring that all events fall within His eternal decree so that history unfolds exclusively for His glory. The massive buildup of global opposition is never a true threat to the throne, but rather a stage carefully set by the Almighty. Rather, there isn’t really a gathering storm at all, it is nothing more than an illusion based on a false narrative that anything other than God is in control.
The climax of this historical drama in Revelation demonstrates that there is no prolonged or exhausting battle, for the victory of Christ is immediate, and over before it even begins. The sharp sword proceeding from His mouth represents the Word of God, proving that Christ conquers by absolute divine authority rather than by human effort or political maneuvering, or even a campaign of propaganda. This is a Church that confesses Christ as the one Word of God we must trust and obey, and the Word effectively saves the elect and judges the world. As the Great Commander riding the white horse, Jesus exhibits righteousness, covenantal reliability as the Faithful and True, and perfect knowledge through His eyes of fire. His robe dipped in blood reminds the church that the definitive victory was already secured at the cross, confirming His title as King of kings with absolute dominion. Consequently, the central question for the anxious believer remains: why live in constant fear if the final victory has already been secured?
Living under the victorious providence of God provides the ultimate comfort for the church, because God provides sustaining care for His children. Upon reflection on this passage, Babylon is not just an external geopolitical enemy, but shows up as an internal reality of sin that requires daily repentance and a worship that resembles a broken hallelujah. This shows up when we allow the doom scroll or media to keep us in fear of what the future might hold, or to even look upon our fellow humanity with hatred or disdain. However, when the church leans into a restored confidence in Christ, we find it expressed through sovereign stewardship and a covenant life anchored in the Word and Sacraments rather than speculation about what might happen. Believers are called to an active living within God’s sovereignty, pursuing justice and faithful cultural engagement with energy and purpose. One then lives with a sense of urgency but without becoming alarmist, flatly rejecting fear-mongering and digital conspiracies. The church must bathe itself deeply in the Word of Christ, we can engage the world with unshakeable confidence in God’s rule, standing firm in the final declaration that the outcome is completely settled because the Lord God reigns both now and forevermore.
Elpis and Shalom 