Text: Rev 14:14-15:4
Our Sunday Worship Services are Livestreamed and recorded on YouTube. Text: Rev 14:6-13
OT Text :Exodus 20:1-6 (The first 3 commandments) Featured Verse: Rev 14:7 And he said with a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.” Main Idea: The war being waged between Satan and the church hinges on the question of who we will worship. The consequences of that choice are enormous. This is the fifth vision in a series of seven visions. It has some similarity to the fifth seal judgment and the fifth trumpet judgment. Analysis The first four visions of this series have shown the opposing sides in a cosmic war.* Now three angels from heaven narrate the drama. It makes me think of a boxing announcer calling out the introduction to a heavy weight fight. "In one corner we have the ferocious enemies of God. The reigning champions of human empire, the unholy trinity of dragon, beast and false prophet.** Who----ooooo is like the beast?" "And in the other corner, wearing the blood washed robes of the lamb, we have 144,000 followers of the lamb." "Ladies and gentleman, this has the look of a slaughter." From an earthly vantage point, the battle seems hopeless. But God's Spirit works through his church even when they are small and seemingly insignificant. Those who resist the beast - even at the cost of their own lives - "conquer." They will conquer the same way that Jesus conquered, but "not loving their lives unto death." (12:11) But what really comes to the forefront of this vision is the way in which the whole battle hinges on the question of worship. On one hand, the first angel reminds us that God alone is the creator and he alone is worthy of worship. (14:7) On the other hand, the second angel announces that coming judgment on the enemy city of man, and the third proclaims judgment on those who "worship the beast and his image." (14:9) As the armies close for battle, it becomes apparent how this will be fought. This spiritual battle will not be fought with swords and spears. Instead it is a war of worship. The dragon wins when he convinces people to worship the beast. he will use power, seduction, and any form of manipulation to accomplish this task. On the other hand, when the church resists this call - they are victorious. Even if resisting means that they face physical death in this world. John reassures them, "blessed are the dead who die in the Lord." (14:13) Conclusion and Application Christians reading this in the late first century would have been very familiar with a battle being waged on those lines. The Emperor Domitian had pushed the envelope on Emperor worship even further. In a display of beastly power, he trumpeted his own claims at divinity and presented this idolatrous worship as a test of political allegiance.*** As we saw in prior readings, there is evidence that the regional powers of Asia Minor encouraged this sort of thing in ways that mirrored the actions of the false prophet (the second beast from the land.) For some Christians, the question of whether to worship the emperor would be a question of life and death. These visions help them to see that conflict as being the heart of the cosmic battle. A small act of false worship could satisfy the emperor and avoid persecution, but even a small act of worship was complicity with the dragon. Even a small act of false worship was surrender in the front line of the battle. The consequences were catastrophic. For some Christians today, this remains a very real threat.**** But, for most Christians in the West, the trial of false worship remains less overt and more subtle. We are not called to worship literal idols, but there are battle lines that run throughout our soul. Money, sex and power are presented to us as absolute masters and we are often called to worship them in ways that deny our discipleship and compromise our witness. At first, the compromise may seem small, but small actions are linked to a larger cosmic conflict. Small compromises lead to bigger compromises, which flow down stream into the pool of apostasy. Where do you find the battle lines to be drawn in your own heart and life? Notes * Remember, that the dragon was said to "war" against the church (12:17) and the followers of the Lamb are an assembly in the visionary form of an army mustered for battle. ** Since the second beast has a type of religious role and directs worship back to the first beast (that rose from the sea), it seems that John takes to calling this second beast (that rose from the land) by the name of "false prophet." That term is found in Rev 16:13, 19:20 and 20:10 seemingly as a replacement for "second beast." Understandably, it would not be easy to keep using the titles "first beast" and "second beast." *** J. B. Caird wrote, "It would be within the realm of legal competence of the local authorities to bring a capital charge against anyone who did not join in the worship of the emperor; how systematically they did this would be another matter." (The Revelation of Saint John, p 177) **** As we pray for the church in China, or learn about the church in India during the adult SS time at CRPC, we see many examples in which Christians are being pressed with this choice. Text: Rev 14:1-5
OT Text: Romans 11:1-6 Featured Verse: Rev 14:1 Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. Main Idea: We see a counter-point to the dragon and the beasts. There are followers of Jesus who remain faithful even in the face of great opposition. Take heart, you are not alone! Analysis After multiple visions in which we see the dragon and the two beasts waging war on humanity and on the church, this fourth vision switches to a very different scene. Like a scene from a war movie in which the camera pans from one line of battle across to the opposing line of battle*, John now sees the "Army of the Lamb." Granted, the text does not explicitly use the word army, but our prior reference to the 144,000 depicted OT imagery that showed them "mustering" for war. (See the book of Numbers, especially chapter 1) There are other aspects of the passage which seem to continue the picture of an assembled spiritual army. First, we see their close connection to Jesus. Eventually, Jesus will show up as the "Rider on the White Horse" (Rev 19:11-21) who will defeat the beasts and throw them into the lake of fire. Now, the 144,000 are depicted as those who "follow the Lamb where ever he goes." (14:4). Second, we see that they are directly in contrast with the beast. They do not have the mark of the beast on their heads, instead they have the name of God (14:1.) While the beast is deceiving the nations, the 144,000 have no lie found in their mouths. (14:5.) Finally, the reference to defiling themselves with women has strong connections to OT warfare. When God called the men of Israel to participate in warfare, they were directed to consecrate ("set apart for a purpose") themselves and observe certain regulations while they were participating in war. One of those regulations was that they were directed to abstain from sexuality while they were consecrated for war. (Deut 23:9-10, 1 Sam 21:5, 2 Sam 11:8-11.) This may seem strange to modern people - especially those distanced from the practice of warfare - but there was great practical importance. On one hand, prostitution was a big problem associated with gathered armies in all ages. For instance, during the civil war, so many prostitutes followed the Union Army under General Joseph Hooker, that these women came to be called, "hookers." On the other hand, military victories can cause undisciplined soldiers to unleash their fury and frustration on the enemy civilians. Pillage and rape have often been the tragic corollaries of conquest in many wars. Viewed against this backdrop, the army of the Lamb distinguishes itself from their beastly opponents by their sexual self-control and restraint.** Conclusion and Application 1.) Because we are involved in a spiritual war, we are called to exercise self-control in regard to our sexuality. Sex, is not bad, but it is something which can cause us to harm our neighbors. Learning to control ourselves is part of our call to follow the Lamb. Inside the bounds of marriage, sex is a blessing from God, but living with respect for that boundary requires divine assistance from the Lord. This is no small thing, but a big part of our participation in the spiritual battle. 2.) The size of this army is also an encouragement. While the dragon rages and the beasts manipulate, there still stands an army of God which does not bow the knee to the enemy. We can take comfort from knowing that God is empowering his followers - who are also broken humans - to live with increased faithfulness. (See Romans 11:1-6 for the Biblical idea of the faithful remnant.) Notes * I had in mind one of the opening scenes from the Lord of the Rings in which the "Last Alliance of Men and Elves" faced off against Sauron's army. ** The reference to the men in the army of the Lamb as "virgins" has led some in church history to view celibacy as a higher calling than that of marriage. For example, in the Roman Catholic tradition, priests were not allowed to be married and monks and nuns who took a vow of celibacy were often viewed as the ideal. The Bible does not elsewhere elevate celibacy over marriage, so it is unwise to use this visionary picture as the ground for a new doctrine. Rather, it seems that the army of the lamb appears to be something of a "standing army", in that they are perpetually at war while the lamb reigns. In other words, the word "virgin" seems to be part of the symbolism, rather than a prescription for all faithful followers of Christ. On the other hand, the picture of this army can certainly be a source of validation for those Christians whose call to follow Jesus leads them to a life of singleness. Text: Rev 13:18
Parallel Passage: Matt 24:23-25 And then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be on guard; I have told you all things beforehand. Main Idea: The beast is a minion of Satan who leads people astray through deception. Analysis This single verse has generated a great deal of interest over the years, such that people who are not very familiar with the Bible still know that the number "666" is associated with evil powers. The number 666 is found three other places in the Bible, but in each of those places it refers to a fairly innocuous tabulation.* But here, the number 666 casts a shadow far larger than its single reference would indicate. In fact, for many people, it is probably one of the first things that they associate with the book of Revelation. In fairness, John himself draws attention to this number. He underscores the need for wisdom in dealing with this. Then he directs us to "calculate" the number of the beast. We are told it is the "number of a man." So, What does "666 mean", and who does this number refer to? As you might imagine there are numerous suggestions about how to "calculate" this number. The ancient practice of gematria usually lies at the heart of most calculations. To understand gematria, you need to recognize that in the ancient world most numerical systems used letters as numbers. Those familiar with Roman Numerals would understand this. In that system, "X", "I" and "V" (among others) have numerical values, such that XLIII would mean "43." Much later, the western world adopted the Arabic numeral system to the relief of mathematicians everywhere. While Roman Numerals (and other systems) were pretty hard to use, they did have the intriguing possibility of associating numerical values with words or names. You could add up the value of the letters and achieve a numerical value for a name. With this system in mind, it is often suggested that the number 666 is meant to refer to the total value of all of the letters with numerical value in a particular person's name. I will give (what I believe to be) the best guess at which particular name it could be below. But first a word of caution. Gematria is a fairly imprecise science when you try to move from a numerical value back to a particular name. In theory every name only has one value, but when you go the other direction, a huge number of names can have the same value. And, unfortunately, there is not an easy or obvious calculation for this particular number. As a result, history has offered a really large number of suggestions for who this might be referring to. In many cases, the proposals involve a fair amount of fudging. That is counting some letters and not others, or moving back and forth between various languages. (Again, I explain the leading suggestion below.) By contrast, there is something that we can say about the symbolic value of the number. In the book of Revelation most numbers have clear symbolic value. Twelves, fours, and especially sevens appear frequently and have symbolic importance. Though it is not as common, the number six also has symbolic importance. In the Genesis account, mankind was created on the six day. For that reason, and because six falls short of the full "glory" or seven, it can be recognized that the number six has the symbolic significance of representing the incomplete striving of sinful humanity. If we would expect the number of divine perfection to be something like "7-7-7", then it follows that "6-6-6" represents the fullness of sinful humanity. In that symbolic sense, the number of the beast identifies him as the "supreme representative of unregenerate humanity, separated from God and unable to divine likeness - but always trying."** Additional Analysis In the flood of suggestions for who the number of the beast should refer to, there is one number that rises above the rest. "Nero Caesar" can be made to tabulate the total value of "666" - if it is transliterated into Hebrew and some alterations are made to the name.*** There is a compelling reason to tie this to Nero, given the first century context. Nero was the first Emperor to institute an official (though localized) persecution of Christians. During the 60's he persecuted Christians in Rome after a great fire burned down a large section of the city. The early church believed that both the Apostles Peter and Paul were killed during this persecution, perhaps the "fiery trial" that Peter warned of in his letter.**** While the actual Nero became mentally unhinged and died shortly later, he was a particularly beastly guy. There was a persistent rumor that one day Nero would return to resume his reign of terror. With that in mind, there are some other places where the figure of Nero seems to clothe the beastly figure of Revelation.***** While, Nero was dead and buried, the "spirit of Nero" was alive and well in Emperor Domitian, who would institute the first empire-wide persecution during the 90's. If this was the challenge that John's churches were facing, then it would be understandable that John would both think of Domitian as "Nero Part II" - and also that he would not want to put this explicitly in writing. While all of this is intriguing... I offer it with a word of caution, because it is not as clear as we might like, and because it can easily distract us from the central concerns of the prophecy. Conclusion and Application If we get too lost in the rabbit hole of trying to number the beast, then we can miss the point. In the vision of the two beasts, the power of Satan is working behind the political and religious powers. The central concern is about who you will worship. When we read about beasts 1 & 2, we probably imagine ridiculous images in our mind, and wonder how anyone could be deceived. But for those that are experiencing this beastly power first-hand, it is a far more difficult thing. When the power of the beasts looms large, it would seem like no one on earth can challenge them. The reflexive human response is "who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?" John wants us to calculate carefully. Though the combined power of the state and the seduction of compromised religion may seem powerful, the beast is merely human. In every age, every manifestation of beastly power will not be able to escape the judgment of God. As God shakes the heavens and the earth, seemingly overwhelming human powers will crumble and fall. At the end of the day, beastly power is human power and it will sink beneath God's mighty hand. At the appointed time - either in history, or at the end of all things - all human institutions will be exposed as merely human before the awesome power of the creator. Looks can be deceiving. Calculate carefully, and offer your worship to God alone. Notes * Ezra 2:12-14 lists the number of descendants in a genealogy as 666, and the other two references (1 King 10:14 and 2 Chron 9:13) refer to the amount of gold coins paid in tribute to King Solomon. Neither appear to have any diabolical significance in the context. ** Greg Beale, Revelation a Shorter Commentary, p287. *** The fact that the tabulation must be done in Hebrew, while Revelation is written in Greek is a significant objection to this name, however. And even in Hebrew, the most natural spelling doesn't automatically work. On the plus side, a common variation of the spelling for "Nero Caesar" would yield the total "616" which is a number found in some ancient variant scrolls of the Book of Revelation. That is, it appears some scribes made a error when copying this book, and in a couple of cases, that error was to write the number as 616. Maybe it means nothing, and maybe it means they were thinking of this other variant for Nero Caesar. **** I Peter 4:13. ***** This idea is called "Nero Redivivus" by historians. The Wikipedia page is short and helpful. Other places in Revelation that seem to refer to this are pictures of the first beast as having a mortal wound that was healed (13:4,12,14.) Text: Rev 13:11-17
OT Text: Daniel 3 Featured Verse: Rev 13:12 It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. Main Idea: The second beast uses a different method to seduce the church into false worship. Analysis OK, at first this may seem a little redundant. You may be thinking, another beast? Is this a zoo? While the two beasts are similar, the significance of this second beast lies in where they are different. The first beast rises from the sea, while the second rises from the earth. For first century Christians living in Asia Minor, they experienced the Imperial power from Rome as something that came to them from "over the sea."* By contrast, there were dangerous forces which were more homegrown. While the first beast exercises dominion and authority**, that is political power, the second beast uses its power to compel false worship. The power of the second beast is not from its military might, but from its seductive attraction. That is found in several forms. First, he performs counterfeit miracles which "deceive" people. (13:14a) Then, he creates an "image" to encourage false worship. (13:14b) Finally, he creates a "mark" which is necessary for economic activity. (16-17) The purpose of this is all to direct worship to the first beast. So serious is this endeavor that those who refuse to do so risk being killed. (13:15) First century Christians, didn't have to stretch their imagination too far to find examples. In many ways, their experiences seem to make the most sense of the text. The imperial power that came from "over the sea" would claim absolute authority and place demands on the church that they could not obey. But some of the problem came from "home grown" sources. Historians have noted that the practice of emperor worship was more restrained in the West, where the original Romans were hesitant to declare an emperor divine during his lifetime. By contrast, the Eastern part of the empire was where the more egregious practices began. G. B. Caird wrote that the provincial council of Asia Minor were the ones who initiated the practice of worshipping a living emperor, going back as far as Augustus.*** History would show us that during the the reign of Domitian in the 90's, the cult of imperial worship would instigate the first wave of empire wide persecution and lead to a dramatic confrontation between the church and the state. John's vision fortified the church for conflict and revealed the true battle which lay behind Domitian's mad grasp for absolute power. Conclusion and Application What do we make of all this? These visions show us that multiple powers are at work in the world. There is the military power of the government. But there is also the power of false religion and man-made philosophy. The first comes at us with power and fear. The second comes with seduction. In John's visions, these powers are entangled together. In our experience, one aspect or another can be more present. Sometimes, the dragon uses the military force of the first beast to try to suppress the church. Other times he comes at the church with the seduction of signs, wonders, and false religion. Other times it is the allure of wealth and prosperity that come through compromise. In some parts of the world today, Christians have to endure oppressive military power. In other parts, the economy dictates the terms. Money talks. Which do you think is more likely to influence the church in America? Notes * G. B. Caird (The Revelation of St. John) described it this way: "The first beast represents the Roman imperial power which, for the province of Asia, annually came up out of the sea, with the arrival of the proconsul at Ephesus. The second beast represents an indigenous authority." He then shows how this pattern is found in other writings and quotes the NT scholar Ramsay who wrote, "Whatever comes from the sea is foreign, and whatever comes from the land is a native product." ** He "makes war on the saints to conquer them." (13:7) *** Ibid. "It was historically true that the [provincial council of Asia] had made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first monster; for it would never have occurred to [Caesar] Augustus to claim divinity, if the Asian provinces, accustomed as they were to the worship of their previous oriental rulers, had not taken the initiative in elevating him to a place among the immortals, city vying with city for the right to erect a temple to Rome and Augustus." Text: Rev 13:1-10
OT Text: Daniel 7:1-8 Featured Verse: Rev 13:2 And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. Main Idea: Satan works through totalitarian political powers to deceive the nations and oppress the church. [This is the second vision of the sequence and introduces the second enemy of the church. Together with the beast that rises from the sea - introduced in the next vision - they form an "unholy trinity" in opposition to the gospel.] Analysis The first beast rises from the sea and has a "throne and great authority" given to it by the dragon. The message is that the dragon uses other agents to accomplish his purposes. The role that this first beast plays is political. In fact, the extent of his power extends to "every tribe and people and language and nation." (13:8) So what is this all about? The first frame of reference is to compare this to the biblical context. The OT prophet Daniel wrote of world empires that were represented by beastly figures. (Dan 7:1-8) The language that John uses is clearly drawn from Daniel. We also recognize that the beast is a counterfeit messiah. Jesus had warned of "false Christs" (Matt 24:5) and this seems to be just that sort of thing. The beast (like the true Lamb) has the appearance of being slain with a mortal wound (13:3), he is followed and worshipped like the true Christ. He also has a counterfeit world-wide kingdom and claims universal power that only belongs to Jesus. The reign of the beast from the sea is for 42 months - throughout the age of the church.*** The second frame of reference is to compare this to the historical context. While the beast represents the corruption of political power which is found throughout the church age, the actual form of the beast will look different at different times. When we look at this beast through the eyes of the first century churches, the beast looks a lot like the Roman Empire. Only one character fit the bill of someone who had world-wide dominion (13:7-8) - the Emperor of Rome. As the first century was winding down, the practice of worshipping the Roman Emperors as gods began to increase in practice. This would explain the "blasphemous names on the heads." (13:1) In fact, the temptation to demand total allegiance from its citizens motivated the Empire to demand emperor worship from its citizens. This is a demand that faithful Christians could not submit to. Though it could cost them their lives, Christians in these churches in Asia Minor would need to refuse the idolatry of Emperor Worship and the demands of the totalitarian state. Through this vision, John was revealing the true nature of this conflict. When these Christians refused to participate in emperor worship, they were not just resisting the power of an earthly despot. They were participating in a heavenly battle, and refusing to compromise with the beastly agent of the devil. NT scholar Richard Bauckham* wrote, "The images of chapters 12-13 place the coming confrontation between Christians and the power of Rome in the perspective of the cosmic war of evil against God and his faithful people." Conclusion and Application Because the reign of the beast is throughout the age of the church, we recognize different forms of the beast in different ages. Though the beast seems to wear the "clothing" of first century Roman Emperor Domitian in this image, Domitian would pass away and other beastly figures would emerge. In general, Christians are called to submit to the political authorities (Rom 13), unless it conflicts with their calling as disciples. Sometimes faithful (non-violent) disobedience is required.** Whenever a totalitarian leader uses political power to demand absolute allegiance he is acting beastly. Whether it was the Third Reich or Communist USSR, or modern powers, the totalitarian state recognizes no limits on its power and makes demands that Christians cannot comply with. Though this power may be used to kill those that refuse, noncompliance in the processes of beastly worship is done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Those believers who refuse to submit, who refuse to "love their lives unto death" will "conquer by the blood of the lamb." (12:11) So it is for our brothers and sisters around the world. While we, in the West, may not face those same consequences right now, the pressure is real for us too. Our seemingly small choices, in the face of what can feel like overwhelming political power, are actually part of a "cosmic war." Notes *Richard Bauckham, The Theology of the Book of Revelation ** You may notice this reference to Wang Yi's new book, Faithful Disobedience. Pastor Wang Yi has been imprisoned in China for refusing to submit to government regulations regarding worship. This is a very applicable connection to vision of the beast from the sea. *** As we have discussed previously, assuming that "7 years" represents the entirety of redemptive history, then it is divided in half by the cross of Christ into two periods of time called the former days and the last days. In that way of reckoning, 3.5 years, or 42 months or 1,260 days or "time, times and half a time" are all ways of describing the entirety of the church age - that is, the "second half of redemptive history." Text: Rev 12:13-17
OT Text: I Peter 5:8-11 Featured Verse: Rev 12:17 Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. Main Idea: Spiritual warfare means that we battle the devil by resisting his purposes in the midst of our lives here on earth. [This is the conclusion of the first vision, which shows the battle that Satan (the "dragon") wages against the church.] Analysis Earlier in this vision we saw that Satan was unsuccessful in his battle against the women and her child. I take that to refer to his inability to prevent the mission of Jesus. The end result of Christ's gospel victory was that Satan also lost the war in heaven. Cast down to earth, he now rages against the woman's offspring.* The church is forced (again) into the wilderness, but the protection of God continues.** This theme resonates with the message of many parts of the NT that God's people will find themselves as heavenly citizens in earthly exile. (Heb 11, I Peter 1-2) Though they are not in a position of visible strength and security, God continues to care for his church (both "the woman" and her "offspring.)*** Conclusion and Application What we see in this passage is that the spiritual war that began in heaven will continue on earth. The seven churches of Revelation are meant to see themselves in this vision. Though they are small, and though they are facing increasing oppression, God cares for them. If they remain steadfast, they will conquer in Christ. But John's visions show the costliness of faith. For some, conquering will mean that they do not "love their lives unto death." (12:11) The transition in this section is important. When we think of "spiritual warfare", we may be tempted to think of it as something that happens out there. But, the cosmic battle between Satan against the church is playing out down here. The seemingly everyday things that conspire to lead us away from Jesus are part of that battle. In the next vision we will see how Satan works through earthly agents (the two "beasts") to continue this war. One beast will coerce with political power. The other beast will seduce with prosperity and alluring idols. What John reveals here is the way in which Satan stands behind the visible earthly powers that we deal with day in and day out. By taking the lid off of this conflict he reminds us how much is at stake. But, even more importantly, he shows us that the power of Satan is limited now, and that one day it will be fully defeated. Notes * We can again be thankful that John identifies the meaning of his symbols. In verse 17, he tells us that the offspring of the woman are "those who hold the testimony of Jesus." ** We are told that the woman was nourished in the wilderness for "time, times and half a time." This is another reference to the 3.5 years which demark the church age. Since the woman represents the people of God, she is both the mother of his child and also identified with the ongoing believing community. *** We see God's care for the church in multiple ways. They are given wings to fly, the river from the serpent is swallowed up, and they are "nourished" in the wilderness. Text: Rev 12:1-6 OT Text: Psalm 2 Featured Verse: Main Idea: [As was noted in a prior post, it seems that the third series of judgments would have been the seven thunders (10:4), but they were "sealed up" and not made known. In their place, John received an edible scroll which leads to these seven visions. This is the first of the seven, each beginning with the phrase "and I saw" or "I looked" or "a sign appeared."] Analysis In place of a series of seven judgments, we now have a series of seven visions. These visions show the conflict between the church and the powers of darkness. These chapters epitomize the theme of "revelation."* Through these visions, John is revealing the true conflict which lies behind the struggles that the church faces. Fortunately, the visions are a little easier to understand because John clearly identifies the symbolism. In verse 9, John calls the dragon, "that ancient serpent who is called the devil and Satan." The male child is said to be destined "to rule the nations with a rod of iron." (12:5) This is a messianic psalm which points to Jesus. The woman has a crown of twelve stars. In a sense she represents Mary, but the inclusion of the 12-star-crown shows that she is representative of faithful Israel as a whole, which comes to include believing Gentiles. For this reason, her flight to the wilderness to escape the dragon (12:6) is a picture of the church in exile during the last days. Again, we see the reference to 3.5 years (1,260 days) which is symbolic of the church age. The dragon could not stop the birth of this child, nor prevent his saving mission. But, the believing community will continue to face the anger of this ancient serpent from their place of exile in the wilderness. Conclusion and Application Like the prior series of judgments, the seven visions cover the period of the church age. In this first vision, they go back to the beginning. Back to the nativity of Christ, and the spiritual conflict which quickly ensued. We will see in coming weeks that the dragon directs his agents against the church. John is revealing that there is a spiritual battle going on behind our struggle to remain faithful. We will continue with the dragon vision in the next two posts. Two things to explore: 1.) You may have already noticed, the picture that we have been using for the online blog comes from this vision. It is from an ancient church building and it depicts the confrontation of the dragon and the woman. 2.) I attached a YouTube video from Michael Card's album about the book of Revelation. This particular song narrates the drama of these visions. There are no hokey graphics, just music and lyrics based on this passage. Notes * Many commentators highlight the significance of these seven visions in the book as a whole. Derek Thomas and Greg Beale call them the "key to the entire book." Text: Rev 11:14-19
OT Text: Joshua 6:1-21 Featured Verse: Rev 11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” Main Idea: We see (another) picture of God bringing redemptive history to a close and establishing his eternal kingdom as the kingdom of this world crumbles at the seventh trumpet blast. [The interlude of chapters 10-11 has come to a close. Verse 14 tells us that the final woe and the seventh trumpet will bring this second series of judgments to an end. Also, this fits the pattern of the four series of seven judgments (seals, trumpets, thunders/visions, bowls) in that each of the final visions gives us a look at the throne room of heaven as God brings final judgment onto the earth.] Analysis The dominant OT background for the first six trumpets was the Exodus account. The blowing of the trumpets is expressed in terms of the plagues that God used to deliver Israel from the bondage in Egypt. This will be further confirmed in chapter 15 when we hear the redeemed people singing the song of Moses. But the interlude of chapters 10-11 introduced another line of concern which will come together in this final trumpet blast. In yesterday's passage we saw the people of God giving faithful witness in the midst of a hostile world. And when God brought final vindication parts of the city walls crumbled. There is reason to believe that those two themes (the exodus and a crumbling enemy city) have come together in this final trumpet blast. The OT story of the exodus did not end in the desert, but followed Israel into the promised land. (Yes, there is also an interlude in that story - 40 years of wandering.) The entrance to the promised land required the defeat of an enemy city which stood on the border of the promised land. Moses did not live to make this journey, but his successor, a young leader named Joshua, led the people of God around the city in a procession of faithful dependence on God. Seven days of marching and a trumpet blown each day. On the seventh day, the final trumpet was blown and the fortified city of their enemy crumbled and the barrier to the promised land was removed. In a similar way, the seventh trumpet blast brings down the kingdom of this world and opens the pathway to the promised land. Like the Joshua account, the seventh trumpet blast brings the judgment and destruction of the enemies of God. In the book of Joshua, it was the hostile inhabitants of Jericho. In this vision from Revelation, it is the entirety of the world that will be brought into judgment (11:18). Conclusion and Application The biblical theme of universal judgment can be a hard doctrine. Partly, it is hard because we fail to see the seriousness of sin or the holiness of God. Partly, it is hard because we know that sin marks our own hearts and lives also. Celebrating the final judgment (as is frequently done in the book of Revelation) can feel like we are basking in hypocritical self-righteousness. But we need to remember the context. Persecution is real and the removal of persecutors is necessary for complete salvation. Verse 18 tells us that those who are destroyed are "the destroyers of the earth." The exodus story reminds us that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God but are saved (passed over) because of the blood of the Lamb of God. It also reminds us that the removal of opposition is necessary for complete salvation. There are two ways in which enemies of God can be removed. The first is conversion. Hence the urgency of the church to be faithful witnesses (11:4). Granted, Revelation doesn't show a lot of conversion stories, but the people of God are described as a "great multitude that no one could number from every nation" (7:9). As the story unfolds throughout the ages, many of God's former enemies are repenting and entering the kingdom by faith in the Lamb Slain. And yet, Revelation tempers our hope with a measure of reality. In spite of God's visible power, many people will refuse to repent (9:20). Those who continue in their opposition to God (which often leads to oppression for those who follow God) the day of judgment will be a day of wrath (11:18). For those who do not repent, their opposition to God will be removed in the final judgment. This is a stern and sober truth that should motivate our prayers and our witness. |
AuthorMatt Koerber (unless otherwise noted). Because this devotional links so closely with the sermon series, the preacher for a given week will also write the daily devotionals. Archives
April 2023
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