Text: Rev 11:1-14 OT Text: Ezekiel 40:1-6, 43:1-10 Featured Verse: Rev 11:4-5 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. 5 And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. Main Idea: God shows his protection of the witness of the church through the measuring of the temple. [We are continuing with the interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet.] Analysis Ok. I think that this might be the chapter that finally puts some people over the edge. A person sets out to read through the book. There are lots of strange images, but also lots of things we can intuitively grasp. (Letters to churches, worship in heaven, etc.) This section however, seems to be impossible to decipher at first glance. Personally, I am pretty familiar with Revelation, but when rereading this passage I found myself thinking - what is going on here? Let's start by stepping back from the details to look at what we know. First, the temple is measured. Then two witnesses give bold testimony. At first they seem to be unbreakable. Then the beast (who will be introduced more fully in chapter 13) conquers them and they lie in the streets before being resurrected. Then the city is shaken. The first question to ask is: What is the temple? The answer to this will determine the direction we take for the rest of the section. If the temple is meant to be understood physically and literally, then either this section has to refer to the destruction of the temple in 70 AD, or it has to look forward to a time when the temple is rebuilt, because there is not temple now.* However, if the reference to the temple is meant to be symbolic, then it can refer to the entire church age, because the church is the temple. Here are several arguments which favor reading this as a symbolic temple - representing the people of God. 1.) The book is already highly symbolic, and in many places John explicitly interprets things in symbolic ways. (lampstands = churches.) 2.) The OT background for the measuring of the temple is Ezekiel 40-43. In those chapters, the reference is not to the first temple (which had been destroyed in 586 BC), nor to the 2nd temple (which was rebuilt after the return from exile and continued until 70 AD.) Rather it is clearly to a (symbolic) temple which will be rebuilt by God at the end of history. Therefore, it would seem to be best to regard this temple in a similar manner. 3.) Jesus, himself, spoke of his body being the true temple, not the physical building. Now, as the Body of Christ, Christians are the temple because God dwells in them. The rest of the NT speaks of the Church as being (symbolically) the temple of God. (1 Peter 2:4, Eph 2:20-22, 1 Cor 3:16-17, 2 Cor 6:16.) 4.) All other references in the book of Revelation to the temple are describing the ideal heavenly temple, not a physical building on earth. (7:15, 11:19, 14:15-17, 15:5-8, 16:1, 16:17) 5.) Finally, the book is addressed to seven churches in Asia Minor. Given the NT de-emphasis on the physical temple and the practical matter that they lived very far from Jerusalem and would be largely unaffected by the events there, it seems hard to understand how the destruction of the temple in 70 AD would relate to them. 6.) The presence of lampstands in verse 4 is a reference to Zechariah 4. John has already interpreted the lampstands as being churches. So, interpreting the temple as a reference to the church makes sense also. If the temple (and the lampstands) are symbolic, then it makes sense to continue with a symbolic reading of the passage as much as possible. Rather than try to elaborate and defend each point (which would make this a book and not a blog entry) I will simply offer a consistently symbolic interpretation in the space below. Conclusion and Application Reading this passage symbolically renders a meaningful interpretation which is harmonious with other parts of the book of Revelation and with other NT theology. In this way of reading it: The measuring of the temple represents God's protection over his people. She is known intimately by God and prepared for his presence in it. (A presence which will be fully realized in chapters 21-22.) The two witnesses are modeled after the two great OT prophets and demonstrate some of their notable traits. (11:6) For example, Moses turned water into blood (Ex 7:17-25) and Elijah stopped the rain with a prayer (1 Kings 17-18.) They represent the faithful witness of the entire church, that is the new temple of God. It also seems best to understand the lengths of time in this passage as being symbolic. Because seven represents wholeness or completeness in the book of Revelation, seven years would represent the complete scope of redemptive history. The Bible thinks of time hinging on the death and resurrection of Jesus. The time before Jesus is "the former days" and the time after Jesus is the "latter days" or "last days".** Splitting seven years in half would bring 3.5 years, 42 months, or (roughly) 1,260 days.*** These lengths of time are used to represent the age of the church, or the time between the resurrection and the return of Jesus. What we see in this vision is a partial protection. Because the saints are sealed (chapter 7) their souls are safe in God. They also experience a partial physical protection. Their souls are secure in God, but their bodies are safe until they have completed their testimony. (11:7) The measuring of the inner court of the temple while the outer court is trampled seems to be a pictorial representation of this reality. However, at the end of the church age the beast will achieve an apparent victory. The two witnesses will be killed. But this apparent victory will last a comparatively short time (only 3.5 days compared to 3.5 years of protection.) Many scholars think that this points to a great persecution of the church before the return of Christ, a truth that seems to be presented elsewhere in the Bible. However, God will get the final victory. The church (two witnesses) will be raised up and exalted, while the earthly city will be shaken. In short, God will guard our souls, even in the face of death. Death cannot defeat us. And while God does not promise to protect his people from all physical harm, he can completely protect us while we continue our mission of faithful witness. As one missionary once said, "we are immortal until we have completed the work that God has given to us." Notes *The Preterist View of Revelation holds that the book is mostly about the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The Futurist View (generally what people are most familiar with in regard to Revelation) looks to nearly all of the events in chapters 6-22 as happening in the future. **The NT writers believed that they were living in the last days (Acts 2:17 and Heb 1:1-2.) Paul seems to refer to the writings of the OT as things written in the "former days." (Rom 15:4) *** The expression "time, times, and half a time" is also used in both Revelation 12:14 and Daniel (7:25 & 12:7) to describe a similar period of time. Text: Rev 10:1-11
OT Scripture: Ezekiel 2:9-3:9 Feature Verse: Rev 10:11 "And I was told, 'You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings." Main Idea: John is commissioned to give another set of prophecies. Similar to the OT prophet Ezekiel, he is given (in a vision) a scroll to eat which he will pass along in a series of seven visions. We have seen that the seven seals and the seven trumpets had many parallels. In this section we see another similarity. In between the sixth and seventh seals there was an interlude that showed the sealing of God's people for protection in the midst of the various plagues. In a similar manner, chapters 10-11 appear to form an interlude between the sixth and seventh trumpet. In the second chapter of the interlude (chap 11), the church's witness is shown to be protected through the measuring of the temple (more on that tomorrow.) Analysis In the first part of the interlude we are also introduced to a new series of events. John sees a mighty angel coming down from heaven with a scroll in his hand (10.1). He hears seven thunders sound (10:3) but he is told not to write down the prophecy of the seven thunders. Instead, he is given a scroll to eat, which will enable him to bring a new series of prophecies (10:11). So, what is this all about? It may seem weird for a prophet to eat a scroll, but that is how the prophecy of Ezekiel was introduced in the OT (Ez 2-3.) This is a picture of internalizing God's word. John takes it in, then shares it with his churches. Of course, all of this is part of the vision, I don't think we are meant to understand this as literally eating a scroll. Because the the seven thunders are not written down, it seems that the scroll contains prophecies that are in place of the seven thunders. It appears that the expected pattern has been interrupted. If we look back at the seven seals and the seven trumpets, then take a peak forward at the upcoming seven bowls of wrath (chaps 15-16), a pattern emerges. - Seven Seals effect 1/4 of the people. - Seven Trumpets effect 1/3 of the earth. - [Seven Thunders not recorded, but we would expect them to impact 1/2] - Seven Bowls effect all of the world or 1/1. In place of the seven thunders, we are given a different set of pictures. It seems that the scroll that John eats - instead of recording the seven thunders - leads to a series of visions. These visions, which come after the seventh trumpet, show the conflict between Satan and the church and the final victory of Christ over the forces of evil. (More on that in chaps 12-14.) Summary and Application 1.) Like many other parts of the Bible reading and internalizing God's word is often described as feeding on the word. Jesus himself said that we cannot live on bread alone, but that we need to eat the word of God for spiritual health (Matt 4:4.) Our interaction with God's word needs to be more than just glancing over the words. We need to internalize the message, take it into ourselves and let it change us. 2.) The world-wide scope of the gospel is again affirmed. Ezekiel ate a scroll and had a message for the people of Israel (Ez 2-3.) But, John's message will be more expansive, it is for "many peoples and nations and languages and kings." (10:11) 3.) We don't know why the seven thunders were "sealed up" and replaced by this new scroll and the seven visions which will unfold very shortly. But, many scholars see those seven visions (chaps 12-14) as being the real heart of the book. In these sections, the witness of the church will withstand the onslaught of Satan. Perhaps this is the solution to the closing words of yesterday's text. After the seven seals and six trumpets the people still "did not repent." (9:20-21). In the next series of visions, we will see the faithful witness of the church in the face of persecution. Perhaps it was decided that what we most need to see is not another series of judgments (if indeed the seven thunders were similar judgments effecting 1/2 of the world.) Rather, we need to see God sustain his people for faithful witness even as the world around them brings crushing pressure and the devil himself wars against them. That is what we will see in the coming chapters. May it bring hope in the midst of conflict. "Text: Rev 9:13-21
OT Scripture: Joel 2:12-17 Featured Verse: Rev 9:20-21 The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. Main Idea: Like the sixth seal in a prior chapter, this sixth judgment seems to point toward a climactic battle at the end of time. We are reminded that God has a final purpose Analysis Many commentators recognize that this section of the book is particularly difficult to understand. (Fortunately, later visions will be a little clearer, so hang on.) For now, we want to recognize some of the patterns that we can see and set some parameters around what is known... and what is uncertain. The sounding of the sixth trumpet causes four angels to be released. Like the demonic powers seen in the vision of the fifth trumpet they seem to be forces of evil that bring destruction on the earth. In verse 16, they are compared to an army that numbers "twice ten thousand times ten thousand" (200,000,000.) That is a large army. Scholars say that is greater than the entire population of the Roman Empire at the time. The army is portrayed in grotesque ways similar to the demonic locust hoard of the fifth trumpet vision. Unlike the demonic locust hoard (which did not kill), this army of mutant horses kills one third of mankind with "fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths." (v.18) Is this referring to demonic powers that look like an army, or to an army that is an agent for demonic powers? I am not sure. Here are some things we can be more confident seeing in the passage. There are several important patterns that can be observed. The sixth trumpet has important similarities to other events in the book of Revelation. The sixth judgment in each of the three series of seven seems to relate to a climactic battle that occurs at the end of history. Other descriptions of a final battle in the book of Revelation are found below: - Sixth Seal (6:12-17) - "then the kings of the earth and...the generals... hid themselves in the caves... for the great day of [God's] wrath has come." - Sixth Trumpet (9:13-19) - "the number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand."** - Sixth Bowl of Wrath (16:12-16) - "the kings of the whole world assembled... at a place...called Armageddon." - Rider in White (19:19) "Kings of the earth gathered to make war." - Satan Defeated with God and Magog (20:7-10) - "nations at the four corners of the earth... gather... for battle." So, what do we make of this? There are a few possibilities. The approach that we have taken so far is to recognize a pattern of recapitulation in the book, such that a single event is described repeatedly. While that seems to take us a long way toward understanding what is happening in the book of Revelation, there is more that we can add to it. Because the series of seven judgments increase in magnitude* there is also a sense that the whole scene of judgment is escalating. While it seems that many of these accounts, listed above, seem to point toward a single final battle, it is a known feature of biblical prophecy to describe contemporary judgments with the language of the ultimate last battle. For example, the fall of Jerusalem (in both 486 BC and 70 AD) is described in language that sounds like the end of the world. In other words, it should not surprise us that bad things happen in history. When they occur, they give us a foretaste of the final conflict. History has periods of peace interspersed with intense conflict. The Persecution of Domitian, the Fall of Rome, the Black Death, the Civil War, World Wars I & II... all felt like world ending cataclysmic events to those who participated. In a sense they carried with them the echoes of final judgment. Because the sixth trumpet is said to affect "one third" of mankind, it may be a window into this phenomenon. Conclusion and Application Well, perhaps that seems a little complicated or a little abstract. Our final landing point is to see the impact of these judgments on people. God has a purpose in bringing judgments into history. They serve to bring justice and reveal his glory. But they are also opportunities for repentance. When any particular bad thing happens it is a reminder that we are naturally separated from God and need to be reconciled to our creator. Every war or disaster is an opportunity for people to review their spiritual situation and turn back to God. Hard things can serve as wake up calls for repentance. Unfortunately, John shows us that the majority of people do not respond in this way. Although they had experienced a judgment that was meant to stir them to repentance they did not turn from their rebellious sin. (9:20-21) Humans experience suffering for many reasons. Sometimes it is our fault. Often it is not. Sometimes we even suffer because we are pursuing righteousness. But regardless of the reason, suffering is always an opportunity for deeper repentance and more dependent faith. When we hear of "wars and rumors of wars" and when our land is marked by "famines or earthquakes" or disease (See Matthew 24:6-8), let us place our trust in our heavenly Father, who through Christ has sealed us for redemption, and let us draw near with more heart-felt repentance. Note * The seven seals affect 1/4 of mankind. Then the seven trumpets affect 1/3 of mankind. (The fraction is becoming greater as the denominator gets smaller.) The seven thunders (10:4) are "sealed up" so we don't get to hear what this judgment would be, but following the pattern we would expect it to affect 1/2 of mankind. Finally, the seven bowls of wrath complete the cycle of judgment. They affect the entirety of mankind - essentially 1/1. ** The "second woe" is not said to end until after the interlude of chapters 10 and 11. In these visions, a different perspective on warfare is introduced. The temple of God is sealed and two witnesses give faithful testimony until they are martyred. This will be discussed in more detail later, but I reference here because it seems to be part of the sixth trumpet (the second woe) and includes continued themes of warfare that is witnessed throughout the earth. Text: Rev 9:1-12
OT Text: Joel 2:1-11 Featured Verse: Rev 9:4 They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Main Idea: Even the demonic powers from the "bottomless pit" are constrained by the purposes of God. Their malevolent actions cannot harm God's people who are sealed by his Spirit. We saw yesterday that the seven trumpets have a great deal of similarity to the 10 plagues of the Exodus where God brings judgment on Egypt and deliverance for his people. The first woe continues this trend with the plague of locust. However, the OT minor prophet Joel also has an expanded section on a locust plague which also shapes this passage. It is particularly helpful to read Joel 2:1-11 to see the OT background for this sort of prophetic imagery. Analysis With the fifth trumpet we enter into one of the most provocative images that we have seen yet in the book of Revelation. John describes a judgment that uses OT imagery from the Exodus plagues (Ex 10) and the prophet Joel (Joel 1-2.) The locust plague in the Exodus was directed at the Egyptians, the locust plague in Joel was directed at Israel, and the locust plague in this vision is expanded to shake the whole world. How should we understand the references to the locust? What are they, actually? It is important to note that John indicates that he was having a hard time relating this vision to actual things that people were familiar with. He repeatedly uses the phrase "they were like" then gives a more common description. The challenge for us is to try to put all of these things together into one coherent vision. Are these meant to be understood as actual locust? Or do we think of them as being related to ancient warfare?* Or modern warfare?** There is actually another option which seems to match well with the language of the passage. It seems likely that John is describing demonic powers by comparing them to things that people are familiar with. Since the origin of these creatures is from "the shaft of the bottomless pit" (9:1), and since the king who is over them is an "angel of the bottomless pit" called Apollyon, it makes the most sense to regard these creatures as malevolent spiritual beings - that is demons. In conclusion, we may simply point out that because demons are not something that people see in the physical realm, it would make perfect sense that John would struggle to describe them and would necessarily compare them to things we have seen before. (Locusts like battle horses, with hair like women's hair, teeth like lion's teeth who came with a noise like many chariots.) Conclusion and Application The Bible tells us that there are spiritual powers that seek to harm humans. We know little about the world of demons, but the Bible tells us what most people in most cultures have believed about the world - that there are dark spiritual powers that mean us harm. However, the Bible offers to followers of Christ complete protection from demonic powers. In this vision we are specifically told that these locust could not harm the people who had been sealed in the vision from chapter seven. (See 7:1-4 and 9:4) In a similar manner, the Bible tells us that Jesus has won a complete victory over the spiritual powers of evil (Col 2:15) and that if we resist the devil, he will flee (1 Peter 5:8, James 4:7) Modern, Western cultures are prone to dismiss spiritual powers as superstitious or uneducated. It is not so in the rest of the world. In a recent adult Sunday School class a missionary from Africa reminded us that nearly all Africans believe in a spiritual world and Christianity on that continent brings powerful explanatory power to this part of their observed experience. Most importantly, Christianity teaches us that we need not fear demonic powers because Christ has power of a higher magnitude. In the visionary sequence of the seven trumpets we are reminded that the demons are limited in power and only allowed to operate within God's predetermined limits. The authority of the Lamb of God to open the scrolls binds and directs all of the actions within. That does not reduce the evil found in these forces, or their intent to harm humans. But it reminds followers of Christ that his victory on the cross places us beyond the power of the devil. Sealed by the Holy Spirit, our souls are safe in Christ. We suffer in this life, and we may even follow Jesus into losing our lives in our earthly pilgrimage. But nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8) To be sealed is to be spiritually safe, knowing that our eternal destiny is secure. Notes: * The prophet Joel also describes a locust plague, but does so in a way that makes the locust plague seem like a marching army. Scholars are unsure if he is describing a locust plague that acts like an invading army, or an invading army that acts like a locust plague. Sometimes, it is not easy to tell which way the figurative language is meant to go. ** As you may imagine, passages like this are ripe for imaginative connection to modern circumstances. Interpreters who see the visions of Revelation as primarily representing the future are prone to connect these visionary images to modern warfare, such as tanks or helicopters. While it is certainly possible that God could bring a fulfillment of this in that manner, it seems to take us far afield from the concerns of the early church. Revelation Text: Rev 8:6-13
"The Seven Trumpets as History Retold" The text for today will be covered in the sermon during the morning worship service which is Livestreamed on YouTube and recorded on our channel. Note A: "The opening of the seals and the sounding of the trumpets point us to the same great reality but from different perspectives. The seals view the unfolding of the redemptive purposes of God from the point of view of God’s people those who are sealed [under the altar, crying “how long”.] the trumpets view this same reality from the point of view of the unsealed, those who are NOT the people of God. The opening of the seals brings consolation to the people of God. The sounding of the trumpets brings great woes upon those who are not the people of God. The seals are comforting; the trumpets are warnings.” - Derek Thomas, Let's Study Revelation Note B: Comparison of the Seven Trumpets to the 10 Plagues of Exodus
The Fifth Trumpet describes a horde of demons that look like super scary locust. The eighth plague in Exodus was a plague of locust. The Sixth Trumpet describes a vast multitude of "mounted troops" who are pursuing humanity and seeking their annihilation. This catches echoes of Pharoah's army which pursued the Israelites to the edge of the Red Sea, seeking their destruction. Finally, Revelation is a clear parallel to a scene from Exodus after the Red Sea Deliverance. Rev 15:2-3 And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire—and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands. And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb… Exodus 14:30, 15:1 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore...Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the Lord, saying, "I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea." Text: Rev 8:1-5
OT Text: Zeph 1:7-18 Featured Verse: Rev 8:4 and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Main Idea: The profound silence of heaven prepares the scene for the final verdict of the judge. The silence is broken only by the prayers of the saints which always come into the presence of God. Analysis We have now returned to the seventh seal. Given all of the chaos that has happened before, we may expect more mayhem when the seal is opened. But instead, we are ushered back into the throne room of heaven where we hear the most startling thing of all - absolute silence. For a half hour.* That is a long period of time. We sometimes have a "moment of silence", which may occasionally stretch to a minute. Also, we usually pause for silent prayer during the worship service at City Reformed. In my experience, people get antsy after 30 seconds. If I am conducting the service I will wait for 45 seconds, but I have to look at my watch because it feels uncomfortable to wait that long. Can you imagine the impact of this in the vision. 30 minutes of waiting for something to happen. So what is going on here? First, silence is the prelude to the judgment of God. Just as the courtroom is silenced before the arrival of a judge, the silence in heaven prepares the way for the final verdict of God. If you read the background Scripture from Zephaniah, you will see that the long description of the "Day of the Lord" and the judgment of God begins with the command, "Be silent before the Lord God." (Zeph 1:7) Second, the end of this passage uses the language of judgment that is found at the end of each series of seven.** This shows that what is being portrayed here is one perspective on the final judgment of God. Third, this is an extension of the the sixth seal. While seals 1-5 seem to cover the entirety of church history, the sixth and seventh seal cover the final judgment. They are two sides of the same coin. The two features that go together in final judgment throughout the book of Revelation are (a.) the destruction of God's enemies - 6th seal, and (b.) the courtroom scene of God as judge - 7th seal. These features are particularly strong at the end of the book in chapters 19-20. Two other features interrupt this scene of final judgment in the throne room of heaven. The seven trumpets are introduced. They will offer a recapitulation of the scope of the seven seals, but will be more intense. As we will see tomorrow, the impact of the judgments will be increased from one fourth to one third. Also, the presence of incense is highlighted in the throne room. In particular, the incense is connected to the prayers of the saints, which "rise before God" (8:4) in the throne room of heaven. Conclusion and Application Maybe it seems weird to think of your prayers being stored in a golden bowl and lifted by the hand of an angel into the presence of God. Again, we recognize that these symbols are meant to convey spiritual truths. When we let the vision ruminate in our minds, the picture becomes really encouraging. John shows us that our prayers are stored before God. They may not be immediately answered - God's timing is not our timing - but God hears us and God will act. In this case, the prayers of the saints in 6:10 - "how long oh Lord?" - are finally answered. But we can also take encouragement from the vivid picture of prayers being lifted before God like incense rising in wafts of smoke.*** When we pray we don't literally see or hear God. Sometimes, in our weakness we wonder... is God even listening? This vivid picture shows us through visionary means the confidence we can have in prayer. When the throne room is silenced and all of creation hangs on the final word from God... it is the prayers of God's children which "break the silence." Yes, God is the sovereign king of heaven, and yes God is working all things according to his purposes. But he delights to receive the prayers of his children and he determines to use their prayers as part of the chain of events which complete the redemption of the world. I will close with a quick story that some at church have heard before. My father was an attorney and worked hard to establish his practice, often logging fairly long hours in his office. As part of his work he needed dedicated times to focus on cases. But he made it a point to tell his secretaries and his receptionists that he always wanted to be interrupted by his children. I didn't realize this at first, but when a new receptionist was added while I was away at school they might not recognize my voice or know me by name. But once I was properly identified, the doors were open, his meetings were interrupted, and I was taken off of hold (on the phone.) While his work was important, it was clear that for my father, family was more important and he delighted to be interrupted. (This is something that I really appreciated about my father.) But John's vision shows us a picture of a far greater heavenly office, where God is enthroned and the cases of all humanity are tried. However, the ruler of the universe is our Heavenly Father. He delights in being "interrupted" by his children. In the words of the old song, "what a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer." So, find some quiet time today. Sit in silence, then let your prayers interrupt our heavenly Father. Bring to him your joys, your concerns, your frustrations. He is eager to hear and he promises to act in the appropriate time. Notes *Half hour of silence. Some suggest that this time period is symbolic, and while it may be, it is far from obvious what the symbolism should mean. ** The Seventh Judgment as Final (Similarities) Rev 8:1,5 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal… then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. Rev 11:15,19 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet… Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. *** The offering of incense would become a deadly test of faithfulness for first century Christians as Emperor Domitian required his citizens to burn incense in worship of himself. It is believed that the tribulation many Christians in these seven churches might one day face could hinge on their willingness to worship a counterfeit god in this way. Refusing this idolatry could be costly - even deadly. Even as they suffered, their resistance would have been fortified by knowing that their prayers were rising to the real God in the throne room of heaven. Text: Rev 7:9-17
Parallel Text: Phil 3:8-11 Featured Verse: Rev 7:14b "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the lamb." Main Idea: Just as John "layered" images of the royal lion and the slain lamb (5:5-6), he also pictures the followers of Jesus as a marching army and an international multitude of martyrs. The church will "conquer" the same way Jesus conquered - through steadfast endurance and costly sacrifice. Analysis The connection between this vision and the prior vision (144,000 sealed) opens up one of the more interesting features of the book of Revelation. In chapter 5, John "layered" images of Jesus to show his true identity. In the vision, he heard "the Lion of the Tribe of Judah", then he turned and saw "a lamb standing as though slain." What he heard and what he saw are the same person, but portrayed very differently. Both things are true of Jesus. He is the conquering lion. The conclusion of this book will show him returning in power and majesty to defeat his enemies and to establish his church. But his first arrival was characterized by humility and sacrifice. It was through his atoning death that he "ransomed people for God, from every tribe and language and people and nation, and made them a kingdom and priests to our God and they shall reign on the earth." (5:9-10) When we take the two visions of chapter seven together, we see a similar picture of the church. On one hand, John hears of the tribes of Israel marching in their battle formation.* They are 144,000 strong, ancient Israel in its ideal form, and sealed by God for protection in their spiritual conflict. But when he actually sees the people of God, they look very different. "After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,... 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation.'" (7:9-14) Notice four important connections: - First, they are the international people whom Jesus ransomed as the slain lamb. (v.5:9-10) - Second, they are the same victorious army previously depicted as being the sealed tribes of Israel. - Third, they have "come out of the tribulation**." Like Jesus - the lamb slain - they are steadfast in the face of persecution, even when facing death. Also like Jesus, they are victorious over death and join him in the heavenly throne room. - Fourth, they receive the same comfort that will one day be extended to the entire church in the New Jerusalem. (21:1-7) Conclusion and Application The Christian life doesn't always feel very glamorous. Living faithfully for Jesus in a fallen world sometimes involves moments of brave defiance. But it also has lots of moments of drudgery. Sometimes we see the power of the Holy Spirit working in us and through us. And sometimes we feel like we are dying daily. Slow, small daily deaths. Often, living for Jesus means carrying a cross and joining him in a cruciform life. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul said that he shared in the sufferings of Jesus. (Phil 3:11) But looks can be deceiving. The exact moment in which the church looks most like a slain lamb is the moment when they are most victorious. The moment in which they cling to Christ and forsake the world is the moment when they conquer. The moment in which they are marked by the trials of the lamb of God, they are also sharing in his victory as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. * In his book, Climax of Prophecy, Richard Bauckham showed that the numbering of the twelve tribes is related to the OT practice of taking a census as the army prepared for battle. (See Numbers 1:21, a numbering of "all who were able to go to war.") With this OT practice in the background we see that God's people are here portrayed as a conquering army, moving in perfect assembly. It is, in a sense, like a military parade - showing the power of the conquerors. Here we see God's people with the image of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah. We know from the parallel vision that their victory will not be one of military conquest, but from steadfast obedience in the face of opposition. They will conquer in the footsteps of the lamb who was slain. ** What or when is the "tribulation? References to "the tribulation" often make people think of a great period of testing just before Jesus returns. It seems likely that there will be an intensification of persecution in the future, but the dominant use of the term "tribulation" in the Bible refers to the present difficulties that are faced by the church. For example, John understood his own experience in exile as being something that made him "partner in the tribulation" which is characteristic of all who are in Christ. (Rev 1:9) Jesus also warned his disciples that the common experience of those who follow him is that they would have "tribulation" in the world. (John 16:33) When we read the description of the great multitude as those who have "come out of the tribulation" we understand that to be a reference to all Christians who have suffered throughout the age of the church. Which is all Christians, because we all suffer. We may not all become martyrs, but it is characteristic of every follower of Jesus that they would pick up their cross. In his book, Let's Study Revelation, Derek Thomas writes, "What John seems to depict here is the story of the church, emerging throughout history from one tribulation after another. It has always been so, and it very will be until Jesus Christ brings it to a close by his coming." Text: Rev 7:1-8
Parallel Text: Eph 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Featured Verse: Rev 7:4 And I heard the number of the sealed, 144,000 from every tribe of the sons of Israel. Main Idea: God seals his people with the Holy Spirit to preserve their faith in the midst of trials. Analysis It is not immediately clear how this passage relates to the others around it. Remembering that prophecy does not follow a linear trajectory of sequential events helps us to follow the actual flow of the argument. We finished the sixth seal yesterday, which ended with the question: The great day of the wrath of God (and of the Lamb) has come, who can stand? The vision of God's people being sealed on their foreheads (7:3) is meant to show protection for God's people in the midst of the judgment of God. This vision is therefore not something that happens sequentially after the six seals. Instead it is an answer to the question about who can stand in God's judgment. We begin by seeing four angels holding back the four winds. It may be the four winds are meant to be connected with the four horsemen of 6:1-8. The picture is one of protection. The background imagery is taken from Ezekiel 9:4-6 in which the OT prophet sees God sealing his faithful followers for protection prior to the invasion of Babylon and the fall of Jerusalem. In that vision, those that resist idolatry are sealed for protection. We know from the rest of Revelation that the followers of Jesus are not protected from all physical harm. Instead, they are called to follow Jesus in the way of the cross. They are celebrated as "those who do not love their lives unto death." (Rev 12:11) The naming of the 12 tribes reminds us of the OT origins of the Church. Like most numbers in Revelation it makes the most sense to think of the number 144,000 as being the combination of several symbols. Later in the book, the 12 tribes and the 12 apostles together are portrayed as being foundational in the renewed city of God. (21:12-14) Rather than refer to a literal number of people, it seems best to regard this as a symbolic way of representing the people of God in their completeness. (12 OT tribes x 12 NT apostles x a "complete" 1000 = 144,000.) As we will see tomorrow, the surrounding context of this passage further supports this interpretation. Conclusion and Application In this vision, John sees spiritual protection for the church in the face of various trials. We saw a picture of suffering during the church age as the four horsemen brought death and destruction to the world. We also saw a picture of the final judgment and heard the question, who can stand? The answer is that God seals his people so that they can endure suffering in this age and so that they can stand in the day of judgment. Other parts of the NT speak of God's people as being sealed with the Holy Spirit. (Eph 1:13-14, 2 Cor 1:22) Baptism is a picture of this sealing. It shows that we belong to God and that his Spirit is active in everyone who calls on the name of Jesus. As we face difficulties now, and recognize the reality of coming face to face with God after death we take comfort in God's gracious salvation. All who are in Christ are spiritually protected by God himself. When the judgments of God shake the world people respond in different ways. Humans that choose to cling to their independence are hardened by suffering. They may even blame God for their circumstances and entrench themselves in their rebellion. But God's grace empowers his people to respond differently. Those same trials which harden the unrepentant can be used by God to refine the faith of his followers. (James 1:1-2, 1 Pet 1:7) Sorry for the delay, I accidentally set this to post at 5:00 PM, instead of 5:00 AM.
Text: Rev 6:12-17 OT Text: Isaiah 2:12-19 Featured Verse: Rev 6:12-13 When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. Main Idea: There will be a day of judgment, when God will bring perfect justice to rebellious human systems. Analysis We have reached a point at which our interpretation of this passage will create a massive shift in how we read the rest of the book. When someone first reads this section, including words like, "the sun became black...and the stars fell from the sky" it sounds like the end of the world. I think that is exactly what John is portraying here*, but that creates a host of problems. If we think that the sixth seal pronounces the end of the world, then how do we understand all of the other visions that happen in chapters 6-19?** Do things happen after the end of the world? These chapters are structured around a series of judgments that come in groups of seven (seven seals, seven trumpets, seven visions, seven bowls). We will discuss this more in coming weeks, but for now it is helpful to see that the questions we wrestle with here naturally relate to the other parts. Our fist inclination is to assume that the series of judgments in chapters 6-19 are events which happen in linear consecutive order. (This creates problems because it is hard to see how the sixth seal could be the end, and then we still have other judgments to come.) If Revelation were written like a history book this would be a normal way for us to read it. But Revelation is a book of prophecy, and does not necessarily present events in linear order. It is not uncommon for prophetic images to come out of sequence or to repeat key events from different vantage points. (I am thinking particularly of the book of Isaiah.) In fact, growing consensus has emerged that it is better to think of the sets of seven judgments listed above as being parallel descriptions of the same type of events and not separate events in a series. I argued previously that the first four seals (four horsemen) were meant to be understood as events which were initiated by the resurrection and ascension of Jesus and characterized all of the church age. That is, God is shaking the heavens now, as he builds his eternal kingdom (seals 1-4). But, the fifth seal shows a period of waiting, as the saints under the altar ask how long until God brings perfect justice. The answer is - until the suffering of Christians is complete. That will only happen at the end of history. The sixth seal then begins to show the final judgment of God on earth, thus completing the timeline. If the sixth seal is showing the end of the world, then the whole sequence of seals, from one through seven, is depicting the entirety of the church age. This argument has picked up a great deal of steam in the Evangelical and Reformed world in recent years. It is clearly articulated in Greg Beale's massive Revelation Commentary and further advanced in other popular commentaries like Tim Chester's "Revelation for You." Here is how the argument goes: The seven seals, seven trumpets and seven bowls have similar language. They all end with a very similar description of what appears to be the end of the world.*** They also have very similar features in the first four seals. While they are not meant to be exactly the same there is clear repetition. What changes is the increased magnitude of the judgments. For example, the six seals impact 1/4 of the earth, the seven trumpets impact 1/3 of the earth, and the seven bowls of wrath impact all (1/1) of the earth. There is a clear amplification as the series is repeated, but all are essentially showing a similar thing. That is, they are depicting the work of God through history (shaking and building his church), culminating with the final judgment and the end of the world. Conclusion We've already done more than is reasonable for a single blog post, and that is after I downloaded some information into the nerdy footnotes down below. I'm spending time on this because this interpretive decision is crucial to how we understand the rest of the book. More application will follow in coming days. Today I want to end with an illustration. The use of recapitulation to tell a similar story from different vantage points may strike us as odd, but even modern culture uses this more than we realize. When an important news event happens, the TV channels will air the event again and again. This happened after the attack on the world trade center on 9-11-01. There were two planes involved in the event, but the video was shown repeatedly. A person who was not familiar with the way TV works might think that there were more than two planes hitting two towers. They might think that there were dozens of planes. But, a careful look at the buildings involved would make it clear that this was a one series of events, shown repeatedly from different angels and perspectives. Sometimes the video would be longer or sometimes shorter, but always it was dealing with the same fundamental series of events. For those of us who lived through it, it was a life changing event and one that would have resounding consequences for years to come. While Revelation takes a much longer view of history, it is dealing with something that is without doubt the most consequential series of events in the history of the universe, following the death and resurrection of Jesus. So, it is not a surprise that the work of God throughout the church age as it leads up to the end of the world is worth looking at from various angles. Notes * First "nerdy footnote": The reference to the stars falling from the sky is actually harder to interpret than what we may think at first. That language is used in the Bible to describe the destruction of earthly kingdoms that have already occurred in history. (See Matt 24:29, Is. 34:4.) There is a pattern in the Bible in which all judgments of God in history are linked to the final judgment at the end of history. As a result, it is can be difficult to know if a particular prophetic passage is pointing to God's judgment in the midst of history (like the destruction of Jerusalem in 586 BC and 70 AD), or the final judgment at the end of the world. In this particular case, however, the repetition of similar phrases in Revelation seems to show that this is the end of the world. The language of "the sky rolled up like a scroll" and "every mountain removed" (6:14) really seems to leave little room for any human history to happen after this. **Second "nerdy footnote": In chapter 20 we see the clearest description of the final judgment followed by the re-creation of the earth as God comes to live among his people for all eternity. People who disagree about how to best understand chapters 6-19 can still come to agreement as the closing chapters bring the story to a close. ***Third "nerdy footnote": Compare the following sections which are either the 6th or 7th in a series of judgments. In either case the final judgment is either after this (as in the seventh seal), or part of this event in the series. Either way this appears in all cases to be the end of the world. The similarity of language is a strong argument that all of these series of judgments are essentially ending by looking at the same thing from a different angle. - Rev 8:1,5 When the Lamb opened the seventh seal… then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. - Rev 11:15,19 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet… Then God's temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. - Rev 16:17 The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake. Text: Rev 6:1-11
OT Text: Zech 6:1-8 Featured Verse: Rev 6:10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” Main Idea: The four horsemen show God's sovereign guidance over human history. In particular, the forces of oppression, war, famine and plague - while in themselves evil - are still constrained by God's power and used for God's purposes. Analysis Today we meet four of the most iconic figures in the book of Revelation. The four horsemen are sent to the four corners of the earth to shake the nations and bring preliminary judgment on the earth. Perhaps as much as any figures in the book, they have captivated the imagination of people and have filled pop-culture with endless references, including 4 great running backs on the Notre Dame football team in the 1920's, a modern horror movie "Knock at the Cabin", and songs by punk rockers The Clash, and metal band Metallica. For our purposes, the horseman provide one of the first really significant interpretative challenges... Who are the horsemen? The horsemen represent evil powers that are used by God to bring a first measure of judgment on the earth. They represent oppression, war, famine and plague/death. This is confusing because they respond to the authority of Jesus opening the scroll so some people think that they must be godly figures. But the final horseman is associated with death and hades, which are later in Revelation called enemies of God which are thrown into the lake of fire. (20:14) We understand that God can use all things for his purposes and so we can affirm that these four forces are negative things God uses them to shake the nations and establish a measure of punishment on rebellious humanity. In the OT God used wicked Baylon to chastise his people, though he later brought judgment on the Babylonians for their wicked actions. (See Hab 1-2) When do they ride? Because of the apocalyptic nature of this event, it is tempting to see the breaking of the first four seals and the release of the four horseman as something that still remains in the future. But a careful look at the context of the book shows otherwise. First, the breaking of the seals on the scroll is conditioned on the death and resurrection of Christ. ("Worthy are you... to open its seals for you were slain and by your blood you ransomed people for God." 5:9) So, the context of the book shows that the seals begin to be opened after the risen Lord Jesus is seated in power in heaven. In fact, the presence of oppression, war, famine and plague are said by Jesus to be characteristic of the entire period of the church - which lasts until his return at the final judgment. (See Matt 24:6-8) Also, notice that the scope of these judgments are limited to one fourth. They are partial judgments of God which happen throughout the church age. The fifth seal shows us that while these horsemen are riding, the martyrs of God are asking for the final judgment and a complete salvation. They ask, "how long before you will judge?" (6:10.) The answer is "until the number of their fellow [martyrs] is complete." (6:11.) We will see tomorrow, that the sixth seal looks forward to a period of time at the end of church history when God will finally bring a complete judgment. But that does not happen until God has completed his work of redemption. In summary, the work of the four horsemen covers the entirety of church history from the resurrection of Jesus until his return. I recognize that this may represent a significant departure from how some people have approached the book in the past. We will continue to unpack this approach throughout the coming chapters. For now, try to hang with us and consider how this approach illuminates the message of Revelation and allows it to be applied to people from every age of the church. Application Why is this good news? In the introduction John offered "grace and peace" to his churches. It may seem hard to connect the vision of the four horsemen (and indeed with many of the judgments that follow) with "grace and peace." Understanding the OT background of this imagery can help us to see why the work of the horseman could be beneficial. The OT prophet Zechariah shared two images of spiritual horseman riding across the earth as bookends of an eight-vision cycle given to the post-exilic community. In the first of the two visions, the horseman reports that the earth is "at rest." That may seem like a positive, but for the post-exile Jewish community it was not good news because they were in a position of weakness experiencing oppression from the surrounding people. No one wants their situation to be at rest if a 600-pound gorilla is sitting on top of them. If you are underneath a resting gorilla, disruption is a good thing. Toward that end it is a relief to the people of God to learn from a second vision of four chariots that the shaking of the heavens will extend to the far corners of the earth. This OT prophecy matches exactly the situation described in the fifth seal. The spirits of those believers who had suffered on earth, at the hands of the enemies of God, are crying out for justice. They will not be satisfied until God shakes things up. They long for the return of Christ and the final judgment to remove oppression and suffering. Until then, they cry "how long?" We see the work of the horseman bring preliminary and limited judgments (one fourth), so we know that God is active even now - shaking the kingdoms of this world, bringing down dictators and provoking complacent people into repentance. But only the completion of God's redemptive purposes for the "full number" of his people will allow the curtain to close on history and the final judgment to come. Until then, we know that even the seemingly chaotic forces which shake our present world (oppression, war, famine, plague) are constrained and limited by God. We also know that God has a purpose in the midst of human suffering. We know that the shaking of the earth is used to bring the eternal and unshakeable kingdom of God. (Heb 12:26-29) Finally, we look forward to a day in which justice is perfectly established by God. Until then, we know that God is working out his plan of redemption even as his people share in the suffering of Christ. |
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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