1:1- see on
Dan. 10:21.
A great theme of
Revelation is that "the time is near"- these things were about to
happen. This is a major theme (1:1,3; 2:16;
3:10,11;
22:6,7,10,12,20). The relationship between the letters to the churches and the
rest of Revelation cannot be overlooked; what was to happen to them in judgment
was bound up with what was to come upon the land of
Palestine in AD70. Mt. 21:40 parallels the coming of the Lord with the
destruction of Jerusalem in AD70. This is exactly the sequence of events we
expect in the last days, according to Zech. 14. There are many links between
the trumpets, seals and the Olivet prophecy; and also many links with Josephus'
descriptions of what came upon Palestine in AD66-70- e.g. 9:5 "inwardly
tormented" Gk. ebasanizonto is used in
Josephus (Wars 5.1.5).
|
|
The Olivet Prophecy |
|
6:1,2 |
Mt. 24:14 |
|
6:14 |
Mt. 24:35 |
|
6:3,4 |
Mt. 24:6,7 |
|
6:16 |
Lk. 23:30 |
|
6:5,6 |
Mt. 24:7 |
|
6:17 |
Lk. 21:36 |
|
6:7,8 |
Mt. 24:7 |
|
7:1 |
Mt. 24:31 |
|
6:9 |
Mt. 24:12 |
|
7:3 |
Lk. 21:18,28 |
|
6:11 |
Mt. 24:14 |
|
7:14 |
Mt. 24:19,21 |
|
6:12 |
Mt. 24:7 |
|
8:3 |
Lk. 21:36 |
|
6:13 |
Mt. 24:32 |
|
8:5 |
Mt. 24:27 |
It is clear enough that the Olivet
Prophecy has application both to the "last days" of AD70 and also to
our last days. Revelation is the Lord's expansion upon His words on Olivet- and
therefore we should use this as a framework for interpreting the book. It
applies to both AD70 and also our last days. The following notes trace some
leading features of the AD70 interpretation. The most powerful proof is in
private reading of Josephus' Wars Of The
Jews- it reads like a running commentary on the seal and trumpet judgments
upon Israel.
1:2 The apostles bore witness to the Lord Jesus (e.g. Acts 26:22; 1 Cor. 15:15 s.w.), and He in turn bore witness to the [preaching of] the word of his grace (Acts 15:8). In their witness lay His witness. Revelation begins with John witnessing / testifying to the Word [made flesh, i.e. Jesus], and concludes with Jesus testifying (Rev. 1:2 cp. 22:20 s.w.).
Beholding the cross and the water and blood that flowed from
it, John struggled with the inadequacy of human language: “He that saw it bare
record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true” (Jn. 19:35).
Years later he described himself, in allusion to this, as he “who bare record
[in the past tense] of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ”
(Rev. 1:2). He had earlier commented that the Spirit, water and blood of the
cross bore witness (1 Jn. 5:8). John seems to be saying that the Lord’s final
death which he had witnessed was the word of God, the testimony of Jesus
Christ. And as he had been a faithful witness to this, so now he would be of
that further revelation he had now seen in the Apocalypse. Because he had
beheld the Lord’s witness on the cross, he witnessed. For he was in Christ,
part of Him, of His life and death. And so are each of us. Paul puts our thesis
in so many words, by saying that his preaching to the Galatians had been a placarding forth of Christ crucified before their eyes
(Gal. 3:1 Gk.). His witness to them had been a living out of the Lord in His
time of dying.
1:3- see on
Lk. 11:28.
The
passage in Rev. 1:3 "Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein"
has been misread as meaning that blessing is related to 'correctly
understanding' the Revelation. The Greek word translated "readeth"
doesn't HAVE to mean 'correctly understands'. The obvious sense is to link it
with those who HEAR the words... the message is being sent by a messenger, who
was to READ it out loud- as we know Paul's letters were thus read to a largely
illiterate brotherhood- and it was then HEARD by the ecclesias. Both reader and
hearer were blessed if they KEPT what the prophecy implied- which was and is an
awareness of God's claims upon His people, their separation from this world,
and an earnest readiness for Christ's return. The 'blessing' is elsewhere
applied not to those who intellectually understand something but to those who
are doing and living and saying the right things at the return of Jesus. The
same Greek word for 'Blessed' is used of those who are ready at the Lord's
return and doing the right things (Mt. 24:46; Lk. 12:37,38,43). Rev. 22:7 links
back to 1:3, the epilogue interpreting the prologue: "Blessed is he who
keeps the logos of the prophecy of this book" - the essence / logos /
underlying idea of it all, which is that God's persecuted people will
remain faithful to His word, will testify it to an unbelieving world, and will
live lives always prepared for their Lord's return. The blessing is in the
preparedness, not in the detailed understanding. If blessing depends upon
holding the continuous historic view of Revelation, then the majority of God's
servants aren't blessed- seeing that it couldn't possibly have been understood
throughout most of the time from the 1st century until now.
The
disciples expected the second coming within a generation of the Lord’s death
(Mt. 26:18; Lk. 21:32; Phil. 4:5; 2 Tim. 4:6; 1 Pet. 4:7; Rev. 1:3); and note
the use of words indicating imminence: ‘shortly’, ‘immediately’, ‘a little
while’. Could it not be that if Israel had accepted Jesus as Son of God, the
Kingdom could have come then? Even after His death, had they believed the
witness of the apostles and repented for what they had done, the Kingdom could
have come then. Of course God foreknew this would not happen; but the disciples
looked forward to it as a distinct reality and possibility. Revelation itself
seems to read as if when "Babylon" was judged and destroyed by the
day of the Lord, then the Kingdom would be established on earth. It seems that
it was possible that the Roman empire be destroyed by the Lord's return; but
instead the prophecy was delayed, and now "Babylon" must apply to
some latter day system, which had an earlier incarnation in the Roman empire
which could
have been its final fulfillment but wasn't.
1:5- see on
Jn. 7:38.
It
will be observed that Revelation frequently hints that it is a message
specifically addressed to those under persecution. Phrases like "Jesus
Christ the faithful witness" (Rev.1:5) should be read in the context of
encouraging the readers to continue their witness, even on pain of
death, just as Jesus did (see too Rev.13:8). For this reason, an understanding
of the book of Revelation is vital for those who will experience the latter day
tribulation, in whatever form we feel it will take.
1:6 Christ "hath made us kings and priests" (Rev.1:6) in prospect, although we will only exercise this power in the Kingdom. Frequently we read of the saints being 'made' things which we must still strive to attain (Rom.5:19; 6:18,22; 8:2; 1 Cor.12:13; Eph.1:6; 2:13). God made Christ a sin offering, that we might be made the righteousness of God (2 Cor.5:21), although our Lord still had to exercise freewill effort to be that offering, as we must too. "God... saved us (in prospect)... that... we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life" (Tit.3:5-7).
1:7- see on
Jn. 1:14; 19:37.
1:9 John
saw himself as their partner rather than the one above them (Rev. 1:9);
repeatedly he describes himself and all believers as fellow-slaves (Rev. 1:1;
2:20; 6:11; 7:4; 19:2,5; 22:3,6- quite some emphasis). See on 3 Jn. 14.
1:10 The radical, heretical nature of the book of Revelation needs to be appreciated against this background; it's almost a polemic against the Caesars, and to speak in this way against them was punishable by death. And Revelation speaks of the capital of the beast system (Rome) as being in the wilderness, rather than as the (perceived) centre of a chique, cosmopolitan metropolis. And of course, Rome is spoken of as a whore... the most abusive image possible! The whole vision was given "on the Lord's day" (Rev. 1:10)- and this appears to be an allusion to the way that there was "a day in the Roman calendar when all the Roman citizens had to go to the local temple and declare 'Caesar is Lord'". On that very day, when John was supposed to be worshipping Caesar as Lord, he was given a vision outlining how Caesar was not in fact 'Lord' at all.
1:11- see on Acts 2:46.
1:12 Our covenant relationship with God isn't just between
Him and us. It demands that we are in covenant with His people; we can't love
Him that begat without loving those others begotten by Him, as John puts it (1
Jn. 4:9). When John later heard the voice of Jesus and turned to see Him,
instead of seeing Jesus in person as he expected, he saw instead the seven
candlesticks, symbolic of the ecclesias / body of Christ (Rev. 1:12). Perhaps
this was the idea behind the way that "Jehoiada
made a covenant between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should
be the Lord's people: between the king also and the people" (2 Kings
11:17).
1:13
Although the Angel Gabriel has now been replaced at God's right hand by Jesus,
He still seems to represent Jesus, seeing the Angel in the midst of the
candlesticks (cp. the Angel between the cherubim) was "one like the Son of
man" (Rev. 1:13)- i. e. it was not the Son of man Himself. Similarly the
Comforter Angel (probably the same Angel) personally represents Jesus, so much so
that His presence with the disciples was to be the same as Christ's physical
presence among them (hence the emphasis on the use of the personal pronoun in
the Comforter passages). The vision of Rev. 1 has close links with that of Dan.
10. If the Rev. 1 vision is concerning the Angel, then so is that of Dan. 10.
The context of the Daniel vision is that he had been praying for the opposition
to the restoration to be overcome. He was therefore given this vision of the
mighty Angel who was going to answer his prayers; Daniel describes the vision
as being "of a certain man" (10:5); when the Angel comes to him to
tell him that despite the opposition He was going to answer his prayers, Daniel
describes him as "one like the appearance of a man" (10:18)- possibly
implying that it was the same Angel he had seen in vision, although in a less
awesome appearance.
1:14 To
a certain degree, the acceptance or rejection which will be shown to us in the
day of judgment can be visited on us in this life, in accordance with our
actions. Thus the Lord Jesus appears as the judge of the seven ecclesias in
Rev. 1:14, the description of him there being very similar to that in Dan. 7
and 10, where he is portrayed as the judge at the second coming. Asaph knew
that God now judges, and therefore asks God to arise and judge openly in
the earth according to those judgments (Ps. 82:1,8).
1:15- see
on Jude 14.
Ezekiel’s cherubim refer to God's people, as
well as the Angelic hosts and the hosts of Babylon; perhaps the message was
simply that God was awesomely involved- as awesome as the cherubim vision- with
His people on earth. The same Angelic system that brought the hosts of Babylon
upon Judah also went with Judah into captivity, and would return from there
with them- if they still wished to be part of that Angelic system. And yet most
of Judah opted out of it, and remained in Babylon, just as we can opt out and
remain in Babylon today. In this context it's interesting that the vision of
Jesus as the Son of Man in Rev. 1 has similarities with the cherubim vision of
Ez. 1 (feet like brass, Ez. 1:7 = Rev. 1:15; shining face, Ez. 1:13 = Rev.
1:16; voice like many waters, Ez. 1:24= Rev. 1:15). Perhaps this suggests that
Israel's failure to identify with the cherubim led to a refulfilment
of the prophecy in the person of the Lord Jesus, who was in person all that God
intended Israel to have been. Thus the prophecies of Israel as "the
servant of Yahweh", given in the context of the restoration, could have
been fulfilled in the people of Israel, but were reapplied and fulfilled in the
person of the Lord Jesus.
The opening vision of Rev. 1 presents the Lord in His
post-resurrection glory; but elements of that description occur throughout
Revelation in portraying the beasts. The point is, they are all false-Christ’s.
The Lord has a voice as the sound of many waters (Rev. 1:15), but the serpent,
on the surface, speaks with just the same voice (Rev. 12:15). The four
empire-beasts of Dan. 7, the kingdoms of this world, are a parody of the four
living creatures of the cherubim (Rev. 4:6). See on Acts 12:20.
1:16- see on Lk. 12:49.
1:18 Baptism commits us to a life of sharing His death and
resurrection. When John fell at the Lord’s feet “as dead”, the Lord responded by
saying: ‘I too was dead , but no more; I’m alive for evermore, and as I died
with you and for you, so I live with you and for you, and you do the same for
me’ (Rev. 1:17,18).
1:20 There
appear to be guardian Angels not only for individuals but also for groups of
believers- e. g. Israel, or an ecclesia. The stars of the ecclesias in Rev.
1:20 are defined as the Angels of the ecclesias. The seven lamps are the seven
spirits / Angels of God before His throne (Rev. 4:5)- yet they are clearly
representative of the 7 ecclesias on earth of which Revelation has earlier
spoken. There seems no reason to doubt that literal Angels are being referred
to, especially as elsewhere Angels are also likened to stars-e. g. Job 38:7;
and the king of Babylon "exalted (himself) above the stars" (Is.
14:13); i. e. the Angels. Hence their punishing of him, and his subsequent
recognition of the Angels' power. There seems no more symbolism attached to the
phrase "Angels" in Rev. 1, seeing it is in the context of the
candlestick parable being interpreted: "The seven stars are the Angels of
the seven churches" (Rev. 1:20). The apparent rebuke of the Angels is
because they are so closely associated with their charges. However, to some
degree the words of Jesus in the letters may also apply personally to the
Angels- e. g. "I will. . . remove thy candlestick" (2:5) may imply
God would take away the Angel's charge from his care unless the Angel
repented-i. e. changed his way of dealing with the ecclesia. The frequent calls
to "repent" in the letters can easily apply to the Angels changing
their mind or way of dealing with the ecclesia. Thus 2:16: "I will come to
you . . . and fight against them"; or "unto you (i. e. the Angel). .
. I say and unto the rest" (2:24). Similarly the command to "strengthen
the things (the faithful believers- strengthened spiritually by the Angel)
which remain" (3:2) cannot apply to a whole ecclesia which has many
apostate members.
2:1 There are so many links
between the opening letters to the ecclesias, and the rest of Revelation. The
wording is so similar- the themes of persecution, faithfulness, and the
promised blessing of the faithful. The letters aren't just 'tacked on' to the
prophecy. The dramas which the ecclesias were experiencing on earth are
explained by the rest of the book, in its first century,
relevant-to-its-hearers level of interpretation. Jerusalem was surrounded by
her enemies, the temple was about to be destroyed. They were being persecuted
by Jewish and Roman powers, and we see in the rest of the book how this looked
from Heaven's perspective- the way the Angels were orchestrating and yet also
resisting all this, how God perceived the Jewish and Roman authorities as
dragons, whores etc., and how the traumas of AD66-70 were in fact all in His
plan and part of a larger picture. It's like the book of Daniel. The book
isn't just a life of Daniel with a few prophecies thrown in. It's a life of
Daniel, in captivity, awaiting revival, longing for Messiah. And the prophecies
give us Heaven's perspective on it. However, Revelation has more relevance than to just the
first century hearers. Just as the events of AD66-70 are typical of the last
days, so Revelation likewise has its ultimate fulfilment [regardless of any
others it may have had over history] in the crisis of the last days, in the
final showdown between Babylon and Jerusalem, between the true Christ and the
anti-Christ. The book will speak to us in the final tribulation as no other
book can- because it's all about the last days.
If Timothy was the elder of the church at Ephesus, it would
appear that the Lord's rebuke of the 'angel' or elder of that church in Rev.
2:1 may well have been directed at Timothy (assuming an AD66 date for the book
of Revelation). This would imply that Timothy failed to follow Paul's charge to
him of 2 Tim. 4, and that his initial devotion waned in some ways.
2:2 There is a marked warning
throughout the letters that there will be a spirit of self-deception and
hypocrisy amongst the latter-day ecclesias. Jezebel "calleth herself a prophetess" (2:20), some
"say they are Jews and are not" (2:9), others "say
they are apostles, and are not" (2:2), Sardis had "a name that thou livest" but was dead (3:1). This must be seen in the
context of other NT warnings that deceivers would enter the ecclesia, appearing
to have the Apostolic gifts of the Spirit.
2:3,4- see
on Acts 20:34.
2:4 The letters suggest that there will be another element of the
believers whose struggle to maintain purity leads them into such bitterness
that they, too, will be displeasing to Christ. The spirit of
Judaism and legalism which plagued the ecclesias just prior to AD70 will be
seen in the last days too. Thus Ephesus could not bear "them which are
evil" and "tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and
hast found them liars... and for my name's sake hast laboured (i.e. for the
defence of doctrine)... nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because
thou hast left thy first love" (Rev. 2:2-4). The commendable works and
doctrinal zeal of Ephesus indicates that leaving their "first love"
does not refer to any cooling off of enthusiasm in those ways.
Rather there is a rebuke that they had lost the spirit of agape-love which
first characterized them. The balance between such un-loving legalism and the
'anything goes' attitude, will be rarely seen in the ecclesias during the
tribulation period - as it seems well nigh impossible for us to manifest that
balance now. It should be noted that the Lord was pleased with
their 'trying' the false apostles and open pronunciation that such people were
'liars', despite their repeated protestations that they held true
doctrine. These men stated their acceptance of the doctrines,
whilst simultaneously holding and teaching ideas which flatly contradicted it.
There will therefore be some in the last days who will 'try' the false
teachers, and perhaps openly pronounce their opinion of them.
The Lord Jesus had "somewhat against" six of the
seven ecclesias in the Lycus valley. He had
"somewhat against" one ecclesia because they allowed prostitution to
go on within the ecclesia. But exactly the same rubric is used in the letter to
Ephesus; Christ had "somewhat against" them because they had left
their first agape,
they no longer had a spirit of true love within the ecclesia as they once did-
even though they were full of zeal in other ways. The similarity of the rubric
is surely intended to teach us that lack of true love is just as obnoxious to
the Lord Jesus as those other sins which appear so much bigger in human eyes.
Indeed, sin is serious, in all its guises. See on 1 Cor. 11:18.
2:5- see on
3 Jn. 10; Rev. 1:20.
In
the same way as the earthly tabernacle was a pattern of the Heavenly system
(Heb. 9:24), so it would appear that each of us has an Angelic representative in
Heaven, appearing before the presence of God’s glory in what we are invited to
see as the court of Heaven. Angels can also represent a whole group – e.g., an
ecclesia (Rev. 1:20). So closely identified with their charges are these
Angels, that they themselves are rebuked (e.g. Rev. 2:5) – not that they
sinned, of course, but because they represented those ecclesias in the Heavenly
court.
The ecclesias, groups of believers, are lampstands
(Rev. 2:5 cp. Ps. 18:28). The purpose of the ecclesia is to provide an
environment for the individual to burn openly and usefully to others.
Rev. 2:5 does not tell the sound members of the ecclesias to disfellowship those who had not done "the first works". The "first works" of Ephesus were her "first love" (agape). Christ is using "works" here (as often in the New Testament) to refer to attitudes- Ephesus were doing all the right actions, but the “work" of a loving mind was missing. Note a selection of passages where "works" refers to abstract spiritual fruits like faith, rather than to physical actions: Jn. 6:29; 8:39; Prov. 12:22 LXX; Rom. 2:15; Col. 1:10,11; 2 Jn. 11,7; Rev. 2:6 cp. 15.
Notice the end-time language found throughout the
letters to the seven Ecclesias:
Ephesus: repent, and do the first works; or else I will come
unto thee quickly. (2:5)
Pergamos: Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will
fight against them with the sword of my mouth. (2:16)
Thyatira: Behold, I will cast her [Jezebel] into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into
great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. But that which ye have
already hold fast till I come. (2:22, 25)
Sardis: If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a
thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (3:3)
Philadelphia: Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will
keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to
try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly. (3:10-11)
Laodicea: Behold, I stand at the door, and knock. (3:20)
Rev.2& 3 is primarily speaking
of the state of the ecclesias before AD 70
. However is it not also a prophecy
of the end time condition of the ecclesia?
2:9
The Synagogue of Satan
Comments
1.
“Satan” often refers to the Jewish and Roman adversaries of the church in the
first century. There is no indication here that there was a super–human being
working through those Roman and Jewish systems. If it is argued that those
systems received power and direction from the Devil in the sense of a
super–human being to persecute the church, it must be remembered that Jesus
told the Roman governor: “You could have no power at all against me, except it
were given you from above”, i.e. from God (Jn. 19:11). Thus it is God, not the
Devil, who gives power to human governments to persecute His people, as He gave
them power to do so to His Son.
2.
Daniel 4:32: “The most high rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to
whomsoever he will”. Thus God was the power behind the Roman Satan, or system,
that was persecuting the Christians in the first century.
3.
The Devil that gave the ecclesia at Smyrna “tribulation ten days” was clearly
the Romans. It was only they who could cast them into prison. The casting into
prison (place of punishment), tribulation and afterwards being honoured
(physical reward), recalls the experiences of Joseph and Daniel who were
persecuted by the civil powers of Egypt and Babylon, as those at Smyrna were by
the civil powers of the Roman “Devil”. It has been shown that there were
several ten–year periods of special persecutions of Christians in the Smyrna
area: under Domitian, A.D. 81–91; under Trajan, 107–117 and under Diocletian,
303–313. The Septuagint in places uses the term diabolos,
false
accuser, to translate the Hebrew ‘Satan’. ‘Satan’ therefore carried the sense
of both an adversary and also a false accuser. “The synagogue of Satan” in
Smyrna may well refer to not only Jewish adversarial opposition to the
Christians, but also that they falsely accused them to the Roman authorities.
There could also be the suggestion that the Jewish synagogue in Smyrna was in
fact working with the ‘Satan’, the Roman empire, against the Christians.
Kraybill considers that the phrase “synagogue of Satan” is “a way of
highlighting commercial or political relationships some Jews had with Rome”. He
also gives evidence that Jews in the provinces of the empire cooperated with
the Roman government in order to ensure that they continued benefiting from the
Roman legislation that exempted Jews from doing military service and paying
taxes to the imperial cult (1). In Domitian’s time, a tax was levied
to support the emperor and the imperial cult. Jews were exempted from this, and
Christians refused to pay it. The “synagogue of Satan” in Smyrna loudly “say
they are Jews” (Rev. 2:9), in order to avoid this tax and get benefits from the
Roman empire at the time; but probably denounced the Christians to the Roman
‘Satan’ because of their refusal to pay that tax. So “synagogue of Satan... who
say they are Jews but are not” was an appropriate description of them (2).
4.
Pergamos being “where Satan’s seat (throne) is”, shows that the Satan referred
to is not a personal super–human being. If it is, then his throne was literally
at Pergamos, for all to see. It has been shown that the Roman administration of
the area was based here, thus Jesus commends the ecclesia for holding to the
Truth, despite being in close proximity to the source of persecution. Thus
“Satan” again refers to the Roman authorities. It is also significant that a
huge throne dedicated to the Greek gods has been discovered there.
5.
“The depths of Satan as they speak”, refers to the false teaching of the
Judaizers, the Jewish Satan, who were pretending to offer deeper spiritual
understanding through their false doctrine. They spoke evil about deep
spiritual things which they did not understand (Jude 10), speaking words which
seemed superficially impressive spiritually (Jude 16). The Judaizers’
reasonings about keeping the law and worshipping angels, “intruding into those
things which he hath not seen” (Col. 2:18; i.e. “which they know not”, cp. Jude
10), had “a shew of (deep, spiritual) wisdom” (Col. 2:23). There are many other
such examples.
6.
It’s significant that Pergamon is the city described as having “Satan’s throne”
(Rev. 2:13). I.T. Beckwith claims that Pergamon was the first city in Asia to
have a temple devoted to emperor worship (3).
However
it must also be noted that Pergamon was a centre for snake worship associated
with the shrine of Asclepius (4). Revelation speaks of ‘Satan’, the
adversary, as being characterized by the serpent (Rev. 12:9; 20:2). “Satan’s
throne” may also be a reference to the altar of Zeus in Pergamon. or the
special throne–seat of Dionysus in the theatre there. “The city featured
various Pagan sites of worship, including a monumental altar to Zeus, and a
temple dedicated to Augustus and Rome, which served as the centre of the cult
of the Roman Emperor in Asia Minor. Pergamum was in fact the capital of the
Roman Province of Asia” (5).
Notes
(1) J. Nelson
Kraybill, The Imperial Cult
and Commerce in John’s Apocalypse (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic
Press, 1996) pp. 170, 186.
(2) This whole matter
is discussed in some detail in Mark Bredin, ‘The Synagogue of Satan Accusation
in Revelation 2:9’, Biblical
Theology Bulletin Vol. 28 No. 4 (Winter 1999) pp. 160–164.
(3) I.T. Beckwith, The Apocalypse of John (Grand
Rapids: Baker, 1967) p. 456.
(4) J.A.T. Robinson, Redating the New Testament
(London: S.C.M., 1976) p. 228.
(5) H.A. Kelly, Satan: A Biography
(Cambridge: C.U.P., 2006) p. 144.
2:9 These pseudo-seed of Abraham will be "the
synagogue of satan" (Rev. 2:9; 3:9).
"Synagogue" carrying a similar idea as 'ecclesia' (see James 2:2 A.V.
mg.) could suggest that these people emanate from whole fake ecclesias which
the 'satan' have planted amongst Christianity- or from ecclesias which have
become completely corrupted by the new wave of tolerance. The
faithful group who existed "even where satan's
seat is" (Rev. 2:13) may indicate the existence of an ecclesia at the very
headquarters of the Arab satan/beast. Our suggestion elsewhere that
some faithful natural Jews would be taken to such a place, e.g. a rebuilt
'Babylon', would make this possible.
2:10 The
Devil and Satan in the New Testament often refer to the political and social
power of the Jewish or Roman systems. Thus we read of the Devil throwing
believers into prison (Rev. 2:10), referring to the Roman authorities
imprisoning believers. In this same context we read of the church in Pergamos
being situated where Satan’s throne, was – i.e. the place of governorship for a
Roman colony in Pergamos, where there was also a group of believers. We cannot
say that Satan himself, if he exists, personally had a throne in Pergamos. The
Bible repeatedly stresses that human political authority, civil authorities
etc. are God given, deriving their power from Him (Rom. 13:1–7; 1 Pet.
2:13–17); never are they said to derive their authority from ‘Satan’. Yet they
can be called ‘Satan’ in that they are adversarial at times to His people.
The
horn of Dan. 7:21 "prevailed against" the saints.
"Prevailed" here can mean 'could prevail' implying that this persecution
could be avoided (cp. "Ye may have tribulation", Rev.2:10 R.V.mg.).
Likewise the Hebrew for "make war" can mean 'approached to make war'.
Thus it may be possible for the saints to avoid the persecution in some way,
e.g. by their "holy conversation" (2 Pet.3:8) shortening the days of
tribulation. The fact that the prophecies speak as if there will be persecution
may suggest that there will not be sufficient effort in this direction for all
the saints to be saved from this. See on Rev. 3:10.
“The
devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried" (Rev.
2:10) is alluding to Luke 21:12 concerning the latter-day
tribulation. "Some of you" may correspond to "some of you
shall they cause to be put to death" (Luke 21:16), seeing that Rev. 2:10
exhorts them to be "faithful unto death". The prison
tribulation would be for "ten days... and I will give unto thee a
crown". This points back to Daniel's 'trial' of ten days (Dan. 1:12),
and his later going into prison and emerging to receive a crown.
Daniel's 'devil' was Arab Babylon, and the 'devil' of Rev. 2:10 refers to a
like power in the last days. The idea of ten days of affliction suggests the 10
days of self-examination and affliction of souls before the day of Atonement-
as if the purpose of the holocaust is to evoke self-examination and repentance
in preparation for the High Priest's appearing on the Day of Atonement.
There
is the possibility that some may be preserved from the holocaust:
"Ye may have tribulation ten days" (Rev. 2:10, R.V. mg.).
This will be "because thou hast kept the word of my patience" (Rev.
3:10). Others will suffer, and even die, but are assured of salvation if
they respond to the trials properly. There may be a similar meaning behind Is.26:20:
"Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about
thee (i.e. pray intensely- 2 Kings 4:33): hide thyself as it were for a
little moment, until the indignation be overpast".
However, this primarily refers to the deliverance of Israel from Assyria in
Hezekiah's time; and the hiding in chambers in Jerusalem while surrounded by
the terrifying Assyrian army was hardly the quiet get out we might imagine this
verse offers. However, it seems from the Olivet prophecy that the household will
go through this time of trouble. The fact it is in some sense not required if
we are spiritual enough indicates that the household will be weak in the last
days- and therefore we will need it.
2:13-
see on 1 Cor. 15:10.
2:14
Twice it is emphasized that the false teachers will lead spiritual Israel into
the worship of idols, after the pattern of Balaam and Jezebel (Rev.
2:14,20). Both of these advocated the use of the idols of the
surrounding Arab nations for political purposes, whilst apparently supporting
the true worship of Yahweh at the same time. We have given several
reasons in previous studies for thinking that the Arab powers will impose the
worship of Islam upon natural Israel, and may use their oil stranglehold to
make the rest of the world persecute any pro-Jewish religions who will not
offer a nominal acceptance of Islam. A few statements from the Pope
in support of this would certainly ease the way; the on-going Roman Catholic
endeavour to down-play the difference between Islam and Christianity may well
enjoy dramatic success within the next few years.
2:16- see
on Rev. 1:20.
There are clear connections between the rod and the word of God. Ez.21:9,10 equates the sword with the rod of Christ: "A sword is sharpened... it is the rod of My Son" (AVmg.). The sword is a clear symbol of the word (Eph.6:17; Heb.4:12; Rev.19:21). Is.11:4 confirms this link between Christ's word and His rod: "He shall smite the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips shall He slay the wicked". Ps.2:9 shows the power of this word/rod: "Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel". Similarly "feed Thy people with thy rod" (Mic.7:14) must refer to Christ's instruction of Israel- when He will "feed you with knowledge and understanding" (Jer.3:15). Ps.110:2 describes the rod of Christ's strength being sent out of Zion to enable Him to rule the world; Is.2:3 describes the word of the Lord going out from Zion. However, in all these cases the rod does not just mean spoken words and mental understanding, but also refers to the physical punishments to be seen in the last days. Thus Micah pleads with Israel to see that God's Hand was behind their present distresses, which were effectively God's word spoken to them: "The Lord's voice crieth unto the city... hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it" (Mic.6:9). Christ warned Pergamos that unless they repented- i.e. obeyed His word- He would "come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth" (Rev.2:16). This fighting was not just verbal reasoning but by physical distress (cp. Rev.2:22,23).
There
is a significant amount of language used in the letters of Rev. 2 and 3 which
has unmistakable reference to the 'coming' of the Lord. It must at
least be conceded by all students that this must have some application to the
second coming, and/or A.D. 70. This means that the letters must
also be indicative of the state of the latter-day ecclesias. No
less than eight times in the letters do we read of Christ 'coming' to the
believers (Rev. 2:5,16,25; 3:3 (twice), 10,11,20). “I will
come unto thee quickly... I will give unto every one of you according to your
works" (2:5,23) is language found in Matt. 16:27 and Rev. 22:12,
unquestionably concerning the second coming: "I come quickly...to
give every man according as his work shall be" . Christ's
coming "unto thee quickly" (Rev. 2:5,16 cp. Isa. 11:4) has
particular aptness when this is understood as being addressed to believers
living on the brink of the second coming.
2:17- see
on Jn. 1:14; 1 Tim. 6:19.
Another
example of allusion to Jewish legend is in Rev. 2:17, where the Lord Jesus
speaks of giving His people “of the hidden manna” – referring to the myth that
Jeremiah had hidden a golden jar of manna in the Holy of Holies at the
destruction of the temple in 586 BC, which then ascended to Heaven and is to
return with Messiah. Jesus doesn’t correct that myth – He as it were runs with
it and uses it as a symbol to describe the reward He will bring. He adds no
footnote to the effect ‘Now do understand, this is myth, that jar never really
ascended to Heaven nor will it come floating back through the skies one day’.
Perhaps this is why the New Testament often quotes the Septuagint text, even
where it incorrectly renders the Hebrew original – because God is not so
paranoid as to feel bound to only deal in the language of strictly literal
truths. If first century people were familiar with the Septuagint, even if is a
poor translation of the Hebrew original in places – well OK, God was willing to
run with that in order to engage with people in their language.
He promised the faithful that their reward in the Kingdom would be like a stone with a name written in it which nobody else knew, except themselves and their Lord, who gave it (Rev. 2:17). It has been suggested that this refers to a custom of writing a name on a stone, breaking the stone in half at random, and each friend keeping one half. The half stone would only fit exactly with the other half stone, and when the friends met in the future, they would fit the stones together as proof of their earlier relationship. Relationships in the Kingdom of God will be in that sense private and unenterable. Bible characters often have epithets in God’s record of them- Judas who betrayed, Jeroboam who made Israel sin. We will be given such a name / summation of our relationship with the Lord in the Kingdom. Nobody else knows / understands / appreciates this name. This is a clear statement that other believers cannot enter into the personal relationship between a man and his God. Likewise, none of us can know the name which was written on the Lord Jesus (Rev. 19:12). None of us will ever quite be able to enter into the nature of the relationship between Father and Son. If we could, He would not be our Lord. Paul possibly expresses the same idea of an unenterable relationship in 1 Cor. 2:15: "He that is spiritual discerneth all things (about God), yet he himself is discerned of no man" (AVmg.). Our real spiritual being is a "hidden man" (1 Pet. 3:4).
Rev. 2:17 suggests that eating the hidden manna is to be
paralleled with being given the stone. The context implies this will be done at
the day of judgment. According to a number of commentators, a white stone was
laid down by the judge as a sign of acquittal and acceptance. The Lord would
therefore be implying that after our encounter at the judgment, there will be
an ongoing relationship in the Kingdom of God between us, a locking together of
stones which no-one else possesses. The white stone is also parallel to the
white, stone-looking manna of the wilderness years (Ex. 16:14,23; Num. 11:7).
The reward we will be given in the Kingdom will be our spiritual food, to be
eaten 'daily' throughout the Kingdom. Israel were to eat on the seventh day (a
type of the Kingdom) the manna which they had gathered and prepared on the
sixth day. The manna is a symbol of God's word as expressed in Christ (Jn. 6).
Biblically, a name refers to personality and character. The new name which no
one else knows thus refers to the reward "prepared" for us
individually, the new personality which we will be in the Kingdom, the room in
the Father's house prepared for each of us (Jn. 14:1). This latter idea alludes
to the way that there were chambers around the temple named after individuals
(e.g. Ezra 10:6). We will each
have our own chamber, in this figure. This new personality will be written on
the manna / stone, it will be the result of our own very personal distilling of
the essence of God's word. The concept of a name written on a stone sends the
mind back to the way in which the names of the tribes of Israel were written on
the stones of the breastplate, each reflecting a different aspect of the light
of God's glory (Ex. 28:17). We will do this through our personal understanding
of God's word. It is a comforting yet sobering thought that the Lord sees us as
'names'; not just as people. Biblically, the name speaks of the character. When
He says He will confess us before the Father (Mt. 10:32), He means He will
confess our name before God (Rev. 3:5); He knows us according to our names / characters.
He speaks of ecclesial members as "names" in Rev. 3:4; He calls His
own sheep by name, and they each know His voice, responding to His word individually. The call
to one sheep will only be recognized by that sheep; the others won't respond
(Jn. 10:3). He will take individual note of each sheep, treating them
accordingly, as the shepherd leads more gently those that are with young (Is.
40:11). It seems that even now, we each have our own individual name with the
Father and Son, encompassing their understanding of our essential character. It
may even be that in the record of Scripture, God inspired the writers to record
the names of individuals according to His judgment of them (or at least, how
the faithful viewed them at the time), rather than by the names they actually
went under. What mother would have named her child Nabal
(fool), or Ahira (brother of evil, Num. 1:15), or
'sickness' or 'wasting' (Mahlon and Chilion)? These names were either given to them by others
and the use adopted by God, or simply God in the record assigned them such
names.
We
will relate to each other in terms of our spiritual characteristics. We will
each have a name or character which is individual to us (Rev.2:17). We will
relate to each other not by names as pieces of language, but by reason of the
characteristics which they speak of. To relate to each other for ever as we do
now, in human terms, would be totally unfulfilling. There is an urgent need for
us to develop a spiritual aspect to our relationships now, especially between
husbands and wives, parents and children.
Compare the engraving on the stone "which no man knoweth" with the Urim and Thummim stones; the engraving upon them would not have been known to anyone except the High Priest, who perhaps saw them once per year in the Most Holy. Rev. 2:17 earlier speaks of the "hidden manna", hidden in the Most Holy. It would fit the context if the "white stone" refers to the Urim and Thummim. Alternatively, the reference may be to the "white stone" of the tables of the covenant. The new name written upon them would then connect with the covenant which God writes on the believer's heart as part of the new covenant: "I will put my law in their inward (cp. "hidden”) parts, and write it on their hearts" (Jer. 31:33; 2 Cor. 3:3). Whilst the terms of the covenant are the same for each believer, the personal promise of the Kingdom is something which no other person can enter into. So we should never be 'bored' with hearing about the basic Gospel, the promises which comprise that covenant.
2:18 The
cherubim visions of Ez. 1,9 and 10 are applied in the New Testament to the
glorified Christ (Rev. 2:18; 1 Pet. 4:17; 2 Pet. 2:4-9). This surely implies
that they were ultimately fulfilled in the Messiah; and perhaps we are to
understand that they could have had fulfilment in a
Messiah figure at the time of the restoration.
2:20 “I know thy works, and charity,
and service, and faith... patience... and thy works, and the last to be more
than the first. Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee,
because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel... to teach
and to seduce my servants" (Rev. 2:19,20). This group will
maintain the commendable attributes of love, faith and patience in the last
days, and yet the implication is that they will misapply them, with the result
that false teaching is tolerated, and the flock ravaged. The R.V.
mg. speaks of "Thy wife Jezebel", likening this element of the
ecclesia to weak-willed Ahab.
Rev.
2:20 speaks of "that woman Jezebel" being within the latter day
ecclesia, teaching brethren to commit fornication. Later in Revelation, this is
the language used concerning Babylon: a prostitute encouraging fornication.
This connection suggests that the false teachers within the latter day ecclesia
will be connected with political 'Babylon' and the beast. The similarities
between the "man of sin" within the ecclesia and the beast / little
horn teach the same thing.
As Balaam and Jezebel taught Israel
idolatry, so the false teachers in the latter day ecclesia will also teach
fornication (Rev. 2:14,20). Israel were on the very borders of entering
the land when they succumbed to Balaam's false teaching, and the new Israel of
the last days, on the brink of the Kingdom, will face and may fail a like
temptation. As Balaam well understood, the way to break the
strength of a fundamentalist religious movement is to morally corrupt
them. The spirit of sexual permissiveness which is in this
Sodom-like world of the last days, is evidently affecting the brotherhood.
A few false teachers refusing to oppose this, and suggesting that personal
relationships are not a spiritual indicator, would vastly speed up this
infiltration. Already many ecclesial elders, notably in the third world, have
recognized that fornication and other sexual malpractices are amongst the
greatest problems found among the flock. Those guilty will be given
"space to repent of... fornication", but they will not take up the
offer (Rev. 2:21). This "space" is interpreted by John
Thomas as the 1260-day period, which would appear reasonable. We
have earlier applied this to the holocaust period. The inference is
that the state of fornication exists within the ecclesias before the
holocaust begins, and that the tribulation of that period is designed to bring
about repentance.
2:21
Particular tribulation will come upon the most deeply apostate believers in
order to encourage their repentance: “I gave her space to repent of her
fornication; and she repented not... I will cast her into... great tribulation,
except they repent" (Rev. 2:21,22). Thus they will be given a
period to repent, the beginning of which will be at the time when the saints
first realize that the Lord is about to return (cp. the virgins starting to go
forth, Matt. 25:1).
2:22 If God says He will punish someone for their sins after they
have had space for repentance, then He will. In Rev. 2:21,22 Jezebel was given
space to repent but didn’t, therefore judgment was pronounced; but even then, if she repented, she wouldn’t be punished. This is simply the
eagerness of God for human repentance.
2:23 "I
am he which searcheth the reins and hearts (in
this life): and I will give unto every one of you according to your
works" at the day of judgment (Rev. 2:23 cp. 22:12). And He is now (Gk.)
ordained as judge of living and dead (Acts 10:42)- and we should preach Him as
such. He is now the judge of the dead in the sense that His very being
and victory is in itself the judgment of all men. Those who reject our message
right now are judging themselves.
2:24 the
rest- see on Rev. 1:20.
The
faithful element at Thyatira were told that they had
"none other burden" than to keep themselves separate from "the
depths of satan" taught by the false teachers among them (Rev. 2:24). The
absence of any command to immediately withdraw fellowship from these people in
the run up to AD70, but rather to concentrate upon one's own continuing to hold
true doctrine, fits in with our earlier interpretation of the parable of the tares. "The depths of satan" indicates
that the pressure on the faithful will be subtle; there will be a distinctly
academic and sophisticated edge to the wrong teachings that will circulate
within the ecclesia.
It seems that it is God's especial wish that a man conquer
some specific human weakness in his life. If he succeeds in this, God may make
concessions to his other areas of human weakness. It seems that the Thyatiran believers had none other burden put upon them
than to resist the teaching and practice of the "woman Jezebel"
amongst them (Rev. 2:24)- although it would seem there were other 'burdens'
which the Lord could
have put on them.
2:26 Rev. 2:26 has a specifically
last days relevance: "He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the
end, to him will I give power over the nations" – “the end" being
the second coming. Surely the Lord is referring back to his comment that in the
final tribulation period, he who endures to "the end" of the period
will be saved (Mt. 10:22)- as the one who comes to the end of the days in Dan.
12 is blessed. Enduring to the end therefore means keeping (guarding,
doctrinally) the works of Christ- holding on to the One Faith until the end.
This evidently won't be as simple as it sounds.
The world will be broken to shivers, "as the vessels of
a potter" (Rev. 2:26). But this is in fact quoting Jeremiah's words
concerning the breaking of the individual believer who is rejected at the last
day (Jer. 18:4-6; 19:11). The point of the Lord's quotation is surely that
those He rejects will share the world's condemnation.
2:27 Psalm 2 is clearly about the future Kingdom: "The uttermost parts of the earth" for Christ's possession, v.8; v.9= Rev.2:27 and Dan.2:35 concerning the Kingdom. Yet it is given a first century fulfilment in Acts 4:24-28.
As He will rule the world with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9) and brake the nations to powder at His return (Dan. 2:44), so will each of those in Him (Rev. 2:27). And notice how Ps. 2:1,2, a prophecy about opposition to Jesus personally, is appropriated to those who preach Him, because they are in Him (Acts 4:25,26). Dan. 2:44 describes how the kingdoms of this world will be broken and scattered as the chaff before the wind. Yet this is exactly the language of Jer. 13:24 concerning Israel's latter destruction. They will be "dashed" (Jer. 13:14) as the nations of the world will be (Ps. 2:9). The same verse says they will be destroyed by brother being dashed against brother- again, the picture of the world's final destruction (Zech. 14:13). Rev. 2:27 speaks of the unfaithful in the ecclesia likewise being dashed to pieces. The Lord's coming will be a stone that grinds them to powder (Mt. 21:44). The structure of the book of Revelation reflects this theme- the first series of visions are of judgments on God's people Israel, whilst the second part of the book is judgments upon the Gentile powers of Rome / Babylon [however we wish to interpret them]. Likewise the plagues upon Egypt recorded in Ex. 7-10 are frequently alluded to in later Scripture concerning the judgments upon the apostate people of God. Quite simply, God's rejected people suffer the judgments of this world.
The Lord Jesus will rule, or shepherd (Gk.) His enemies with
a rod of iron (Rev. 2:27). He can somehow both shepherd and crush at the same
time. Our relationship with Him is a reflection of these two aspects of His
character. Perhaps the idea here is that His punishment of sinners is even then
an attempt to shepherd them to be His sheep.
3:1 Our
Lord's words "These things saith he (Jesus) that hath the seven spirits of
God, and the seven stars (both Angelic symbols), I know thy works" (Rev.
3:1) suggest that He is so closely united with the Angels that it is through
their presence everywhere and reporting back to him that He is able to know all
our ways. Rev. 3:5 follows on in the context of the Angels and Jesus uniting to
declare our verdict at the judgment: "I will confess his name before my
Father, and before His Angels".
3:2 – see
on Rev. 1:20.
The Olivet prophecy, like the Lord's
letters, gives a huge emphasis on the need to watch (e.g. Mk. 13:5,9,23,33,35,37). The watching is for the safety of the house
against the 'thieves' of false teachers; we are each the porter, with the
responsibility for the rest of the household on our shoulders (Mk. 13:34,35).
Throughout the Lord's letters there is this same pointed emphasis upon the need
to watch. "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which
remain, that are ready to die" spiritually (3:2 cp. 3:1), immediately
suggests the parable of the virgins, whom we have portrayed as struggling to
keep the flame of real faith from dying away. Seeing that the
majority of Sardis are pronounced as "dead" (3:1), this encouragement
to keep alive what was about to die can be read as a call to each of the
faithful in the last days to not only keep their own faith alive, but to make
every effort to keep alive those who appear fatally ill. This
command presumes that it will be evident to the faithful what constitutes
spiritual life and death. As our experience of the last days goes
on, the difference between wheat and tares becomes increasingly marked -
without having to anticipate the separation that will come at
harvest. "Be watchful" is in the context of strengthening
what remains (Rev. 3:2), providing further proof that the command to watch in
the last days fundamentally concerns watching over the state of the ecclesia
and one's own faith, rather than 'watching' the political state of the world.
It seems that for generations, we have thought that 'watching' meant reading
'Signs of the times' articles which were actually no more than a running
commentary on the state of the world. The Hebrew word translated
"watch" is also rendered "to take heed to oneself". Thus
David spoke of his soul watching (Ps. 130:5,6). Habbakuk
'watched' for what God's word really said (Hab. 2:1); God watches over things
in the sense of being sensitive to them (Jer. 31:28 Heb.). This Old Testament
background to the idea of watching carries through to the NT. It's because we don't
know the time that we are commanded to watch- not 'signs of the times', because
we don't know the time; but rather, to watch ourselves. Thus Acts 20:31 speaks
of watching in the sense of being aware of the possibility of personal and
collective apostacy. In 1 Cor. 16:31, watching means to stand fast in the One
Faith; in Eph. 6:18 and 1 Thess. 5:6,11 it refers to praying for each other
spiritually. In the last days, many brethren will turn away, Paul warned
Timothy, but by contrast "watch thou" (2 Tim. 4:5). If we
watch, both ourselves and others, the Lord's return will not be like a thief
for us (Rev. 3:3). Thus watching is a sign of our acceptance by the Lord (Lk.
12:37). Yet watching our doctrine and way of life, realizing the real
danger of mass latter day apostacy, is increasingly unpopular.
3:3- see on
Jud. 16:20.
“I
will come on thee as a thief" (Rev. 3:3) is an evident allusion to 1
Thess. 5:2 concerning the thief-like coming of Christ to the unworthy in the
latter-day ecclesia. "Thou shalt not know what hour I will
come upon thee" (Rev. 3:3) implies that they should have 'known the
hour'. This probably continues the allusions to 1 Thess. 5 - this
time to v. 1: "Of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no
need that I write unto you (faithful ones). For yourselves know
perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night".
1
Thess. 5:1,2 alludes to Matt. 24:43 (R.V.): "But this ye know" that
"the goodman of the house" would have
watched if he knew when the thief would come. The wise at
Thessalonica 'knowing' the times and seasons of the thief's coming therefore
implies that their 'knowledge' was in terms of appreciating what the spiritual
trials of the last days would be like. Rev. 3:3 brings all these
strands together in warning the apostate members of the latter-day
ecclesias: "If thou wilt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief,
and thou shalt not know (appreciate) what hour I will come". Not watching is equated by the Lord with not knowing the time (Rev.
3:3). The evident allusion to the disciples not watching (Mk. 14:37) suggests
that if we don't know the time, we will be like them- unprepared when we ought
to be on the tiptoe of expectancy. The connection with the disciples also hints
that when the Lord told them that they didn't know the time, he was in some
sense rebuking them rather than making a general statement about the
impossibility of ever knowing the time of his return.
3:4- see on
Rev. 2:17.
The "few" in Sardis who had not defiled their
clothes attended an apostate ecclesia; and yet they are not seen as
"defiled" by the Lord Jesus (Rev. 3:4). This is proof positive that
there is no such thing as guilt by association with erring members of an
ecclesia. Those faithful members were not rebuked for not disfellowshipping the
others. The Lord’s criticism of the ecclesias seems to be that they had allowed
false teaching to develop, rather than the fact they hadn’t separated from it.
Smyrna was an ecclesia which received no criticism at all from the Lord; they
weren't rebuked for not disfellowshipping the other local ecclesias who were
apostate (Rev. 2:8-11). The elders at Sardis, an ecclesia holding many false
teachers, were told to strengthen what remained (the Greek is usually used
regarding people)- they were to strengthen the faithful minority, but nothing
was said about withdrawing from them because they fellowshipped weak brethren.
3:5- see on
Rev. 2:17.
Confessed-
see on 1 Cor. 4:9.
We'll all
be like Moses was at the end, in essence; we'll share his finest hours. Our
names will not be blotted out of the book of life (Rev. 3:5), as Moses' wasn't
(Ex. 32:32).
3:9 Some
now in the ecclesia will be dashed to pieces by Him (Rev. 2:27). Mal. 4:3
speaks of them being ashes under the souls of our feet, as if the
faithful will play a part in the destruction of their faithless brethren. After
our judgment, we "will return and discern between the righteous and
the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that
serveth him not" (Mal. 3:18). Then in our own
understanding the Kingdom of God will be likened to wise and foolish virgins;
then we will see the tares clearly. Then the apostate brethren in Philadelphia
will worship before the feet of their faithful brethren (Rev. 3:9). It may be
in this sense that we will judge Angels / ecclesial elders (1 Cor. 6:3 cp. Rev.
2:1 etc.). Or it could be that the rejected will destroy each other. The
surrounding world with whom they will then be associated will destroy
themselves, brother against brother (Zech. 14:13); and they will have a part in
this destruction. If we bite and devour each other, we may be consumed by each
other (Gal. 5:15)- this is the same idea of brethren killing brethren.
3:10 The Lord told the
Philadelphians that He had set before them an open door, which elsewhere is a
figure for an opportunity to preach (Rev. 3:8 = Acts 14:27; 1 Cor. 16:9; 2 Cor.
2:12; Col. 4:3). He parallels such preaching with keeping His word and not
denying His Name. For those who do these two things, i.e. respond to the open
door preaching opportunities of the pre-tribulation period, “I will also keep
thee from the hour of temptation [tribulation] which is to come” (Rev. 3:10).
If we preach now, and the door is open as never before, then perhaps we will be
saved from the tribulation. For one of its aims, as in the first century, will
be to inspire us to witness as we ought to have been doing. See on Rev. 2:10.
“Because
thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from
temptation". It may be that this just applies to the faithful
natural Jews in the land, seeing that this "temptation" is designed
"to try them that dwell upon the earth" /land - of Israel (Rev.
3:10).
3:12
Pillar- see on Gal. 2:9.
It is not surprising that Jesus, as the Son of God and His supreme manifestation to men, should also carry God’s name. He could say “I am come in my Father’s name” (Jn. 5:43). Because of his obedience, Jesus ascended to heaven and God “gave him a name which is above every name” - the name of Yahweh, of God Himself (Phil. 2:9). So this is why we read Jesus saying in Rev. 3:12: “I will write upon him (the believer) the name of my God... and I will write upon him my new name”. At the judgment Jesus will give us God’s name; we then will fully carry the name of God. He calls this name, “My new name”. Remember, Jesus gave the book of Revelation some years after his ascension into heaven and after he had been given God’s name, as explained in Phil. 2:9. So he can call God’s name “My new name”; the name he had recently been given. We can now properly understand Is. 9:6, where concerning Jesus we are told, “His name (note that) shall be called, Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father...”. This is a prophecy that Jesus would carry all the name of God - that he would be the total manifestation or revelation of God to us. It was in this sense that he was called ‘Emmanuel’, meaning, ‘God is with us’, although He personally was not God. Thus the prophecy of Joel 2 that men would call on the name of Yahweh was fulfilled by people being baptised into the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:21 cf. 38). This also explains why the command to baptize into the name of the Father was fulfilled, as detailed in the Acts record, by baptism into the name of Jesus.
3:16 There is no third way. We may as well realize this. The Lord Jesus hates the fact that some think there is a third road; He would that we recognized, as He does, that there is really no 'lukewarm' position- only hot or cold. He seems to ask us to realize this: "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt" (Mt. 12:33).
“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I
would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither
cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth"
. We know that from God's perspective, we are
either cold or hot. We either serve Him or mammon. We are either on the road to
the Kingdom or to death. So surely the Lord is speaking from our viewpoint; He wished
that those believers would have the attitude that they were either cold or hot,
rather than thinking there was a middle course. In essence, their weakness is
ours; for time and again, we hide behind the philosophy of 'balance' in order
to justify a "neither cold nor hot" attitude. Our lack of serious
devotion, both individually and as a community, rests in this sophistry of
'balance'; lukewarmness has become respectable, both
in the brotherhood and in the world; total commitment is branded as fanaticism
and dogmatism.
3:17 The Laodiceans
reasoned, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of
nothing" (3:17). There are grounds for thinking that the wealth and
sufficiency which they felt was in spiritual terms; they were unaware
that spiritually they were poverty-stricken and naked, needing to develop the
riches of faith and clothing of righteousness. It seems to follow
that their feeling of being spiritually rich and needing nothing was fuelled by
being "increased with goods" - as if the material prosperity of the
very last days will lead some to interpret this as God's blessing upon them,
and a sure sign of their acceptability. Such presumption upon God's
mercy is not absent from our community today. “I am rich..." is alluding
to Hos. 12:8, where Israel's wealth was associated with a feeling that they
were therefore without sin: "Ephraim said, I am rich...in all my labours
they shall find none iniquity in me that were sin".
The
apostate brethren will fail to realize that "Thou art the wretched
one" (Rev. 3:17 R.V.), implying that they will accuse those faithful ones
who refuse their ideas of being spiritually weak. This sort of
spiritual and intellectual elitism can already be seen developing amongst us.
The description of them as wealthy but naked is taken straight out of Ez. 16:7
about natural Israel. The implication is that both natural and spiritual Israel
will be purged together in the tribulation.
The unfaithful now walk naked (Rev. 3:17); but they will do
so in the final condemnation of Rev. 16:15. They can walk naked now and
repent, clothe themselves so as to cover the nakedness of condemnation which
they now have; but not then.
3:18
Because of their refusal to repent, some will then have a final tribulation at
the end of the holocaust period. There is the suggestion that this
group may choose not to suffer the initial stages of the holocaust, in that
Rev. 3:18 implies that they are only counselled to buy the golden faith
that is produced by the fiery trial of the holocaust. Thus as with
offering the pinch of incense to Caesar, there will be opportunity to avoid the
holocaust by some apparently tokenistic obedience to the beast. By
doing this they will waste "the space" given "to repent of her
fornication", and will experience a final tribulation.
The
brotherhood will be able to avoid suffering and persecution by not standing up
for the one faith in its entirety, particularly concerning the Jewish aspect of
our Hope. Those who fall to this temptation will remain prosperous
materially (Rev. 3:17,18) and will mock their suffering and impoverished
brethren. These apostates will receive a final tribulation and
judgment at the end of the holocaust period.
They could cover their shame now (Rev. 3:18)- but they chose
not to. And yet, unknown to them, in God's eyes these people foam out their own
shame (Jude 13).
3:20-
see on Mt. 24:15.
The Lord stresses, with apparently needless repetition, that to the man who responds to His word, "I will sup with him and he with me" (Rev. 3:20). There is something very touching in the picture of a man living alone (unusual in the first century), presumably due to old age or persecution, with no wife (either dead or left him); and the Lord of all knocks at his door. He lets him in (i.e. responds to the word of Christ), and "I... sup with him, and he with me”. Two men, eating a man's meal, earnestly bent together over the table. It's a fine picture of the mutuality between the Lord and the believer. Even in failure and weak moments, that mutuality is still there.
The
Lord knocking on the door and 'coming' when the believer opens, hints at His
second coming once the ecclesia shows a suitable level of spiritual response
(Rev. 3:20). In the same letter to Laodicea, the ecclesia being
"rich and increased with goods" (3:17) recalls the days of Lot and
Noah, both typical of the second coming, and the unworthy walking naked is a
figure picked up in 16:15 concerning judgment day.
Our attitude and response in the
split second when we know 'He's back' will effectively be our judgment. When
the Lord speaks about knocking on the door of our hearts and our response (Rev.
3:20), He is picking up the language of the Song of Solomon 5:2-8, where the
bridegroom (cp. Jesus) knocks at the door of the bride. But notice the sequence
there:
While she sleeps at night, the
bridegroom comes and knocks [unworthy virgins sleeping instead of being awake;
the Lord Jesus comes]
She replies that she's not dressed
properly, makes excuses about her feet, she can't come and open [the unworthy
don't respond immediately]
He tries to open the door from the
outside, putting his hand through the latch-hole [by grace, after the pattern
of Lot being encouraged to leave Sodom when he hesitated, the Lord will be
patient even with sleepy virgins in His desire for their salvation]
Her heart is moved with desire for
him [the rejected still call Jesus 'Lord, Lord'; they love Him emotionally]
She starts dressing herself up, and
then is overtaken by desire and rushes to the door, her hands dripping all kinds
of perfume and make up over the lock as she opens it [cp. the virgins going to
buy oil, the unworthy trying to prepare themselves all too late, not trusting
that their Lord loves them as they are at the moment of His coming]
But he's gone , he withdraws
himself [all too late, the door is shut, He never knew them]
Her soul fails [the shock of
rejection]
She seeks him but doesn't find him,
calls but he doesn't answer [Prov. 1:28; the rejected call, but aren't
answered; they seek the Lord early, but don't find Him. Hos. 5:6 is
likewise relevant: "They shall go with their flocks and with their herds
to seek the LORD; but they shall not find him; he hath withdrawn
himself from them".]
She feels tired of her relationship
with him ("sick of love").
She is persecuted by the world
around her ["condemned with the world"]
The basic point is that if we don't
immediately respond to the Lord's knock, we show ourselves to not love Him
enough. If we don't open immediately, it's as if we didn't open at all. The
Lord wants us as we are, bleary eyed and without our make up,
but with a basic overriding love of Him, and faith in the depth of His love,
which will lead us to immediately go out to meet Him.
3:21- see
on Mk. 10:37.
The descriptions of the faithful in the Kingdom use language which is surely exaggerated to show how they are counted as righteous by grace; they overcame even as the Lord overcame (Rev. 3:21). They are described as clothed in white linen, just as was the Victorious Saviour straight after His death (Mt. 27:59). A comparison of our struggles with the Lord in Gethsemane, let alone the cross, reveal that we do not overcome as He did. We have not resisted unto blood in striving against our own sin. We will have the right to the tree of life (Rev. 22:14); yet our salvation is by pure grace alone.
Strong defines 'Israel' as
meaning 'he who will rule as God'. This would therefore be the basis of Rev.
3:21, which promises that he who overcomes (also translated
"prevail") will be a ruler with God, on His throne. It seems that the
Lord has his mind back in Gen. 32, and he saw all who would attain His Kingdom
as going through that same process of prevailing with God, overcoming, and
being made rulers with Him.
3:22
"Let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches" (Rev. 3:22
etc.)- the primary speaker of the letters to the churches was the Angel-the
Angel Gabriel? But they were actually from Christ, "The Lord the
Spirit" (2 Cor. 3:17 RV). The one special Angel in the midst of the
Cherubim in the Old Testament visions of Ezekiel 1 would then represent the Son
of Man ("The Lord the Spirit") in the midst of the lightstands (Rev. 1:13) and the lamb on the throne
surrounded by Angels in the four living creatures of Rev. 4 and 5. The Lord
Jesus didn’t personally pre-exist, but the idea of Him was perhaps represented
in Old Testament times by an Angel.
4:4 I am
of the view that the seals and vials of Revelation have such strong connection
with both the Olivet prophecy and the actual events in the land in AD66-70 that
it is impossible to discount the application of Revelation to this period. This
means that it would have been written some time before AD70. A major theme is
the need to resist the Caesar worship and maintain their separation from the
world around them. Indeed, the whole of Revelation can be read, in its’ AD70
application, as an account of the struggle between Christ and Caesar. Such
strong imagery is used in order to emphasise that there could be no third road.
It was one or the other. Thus Rev. 4,5 presents a picture of the throne of
Heaven, but it is replete with reference to the imperial ceremonial court.
Consider the points of contact and contrast:
- Greco-Roman kings were considered
to be divine, and their courtrooms were arranged in concentric circles centring
upon the Caesar / King- just as with the true throne room
- Their attendants were often
arranged in groups of 7s and 12s- after the supposed seven planetary spheres
and the 12 signs of the zodiac. Compare this with the 7s, 12s and 24s [2 x 12]
in Revelation (4:4,5,10; 5:6-10).
- These attendants sung hymns of
praise to the Caesar (cp. 4:8-11; 5:9-14)
- The Caesar dispersed justice to
the empire / kingdom, symbolised by a scroll (cp. 5:1-8).
- Language such as God, Son of God,
Lord’s day, saviour of the world was used in the imperial cult.
Suffice it to say that today just as
much as in the 1st century, there is a radical clash of cultures and belief
systems between us and this present world. The radical nature of the conflict
cannot be overstated.
4:5 - see on Rev. 1:20; Jer.
1:11,12.
The 24
elders of Rev. 4:5 represent rather than symbolize the believers, whose
guardians they are. These Angels represent the saints in the court of Heaven.
In this lies the practical meaning of all this; that we, our 'case', our
thoughts and deeds, are represented in none less than the court of Heaven; and
there they are judged, discussed, and responded to.
4:6 There
are evident similarities between Ezekiel's cherubim, and the four living
creatures of Rev. 4. They are both described as "full of eyes" (Ez.
1:18 = Rev. 4:6), with four very similar faces (lion, calf, man, eagle in Rev.
4:7 = lion, ox, man, eagle in Ez. 1:10); and both have wings (Rev. 4:8 = Ez.
1:8). Yet the living creatures of Revelation speak of being redeemed by the
blood of Christ and made king-priests in God's Kingdom (Rev. 5:8-10)- as if
they are the redeemed people of God. The four faces are likely to be connected
with the four standards of the tribes of Israel (Lion = Judah, Man = Reuben, Ox
= Ephraim, Eagle = Dan). Each of those tribes had two other tribes assigned to
them in the encampment procedures of Num. 2. There is extra-Biblical tradition
that the cherubim in Solomon's temple had the same four faces which Ezekiel saw
on the cherubim- lion, ox, man and eagle. Those to whom Ezekiel related his
vision would have immediately understood the point- that the earthly sanctuary
was a reflection of the Heavenly, and that above that was a huge Angelic system
operating, which also represented God's people- them. But that huge system was
to remove to Babylon, and then the final visions of Ezekiel show that glory
returning. Ezekiel, as the representative "son of man" as he's so
often styled, was caught up within that system and transported at ease between
Babylon and Jerusalem- and those who wanted to opt in with God and His Angels
could likewise be taken to Babylon and returned. Those who chose to remain in
Babylon were therefore resisting being part of an awesome system of God
manifestation and Angelic operation. We have that same choice in things great
and small today.
4:9- see on
Rev. 5:6.
4:10 Those who enter the Kingdom will genuinely, from the very depth of their being, feel that they shouldn't be there. They will cast their crowns before the enthroned Lord, as if to resign their reward as inappropriate for them (Rev. 4:10). Indeed, they shouldn't be in the Kingdom. The righteous are "scarcely saved" (1 Pet. 4:18). The righteous remnant who spoke often to one another about Yahweh will only be "spared" by God's grace (Mal. 3:17).
Because it is by God’s will that we are created, because He is from everlasting to everlasting, because God is creator, we cast our crowns of ‘reward’ before His throne in a sense of unworthiness (Rev. 4:10,11), just as David in Ps. 8 had the overawing sense of ‘Who am I…?’ when he reflected upon God’s creation.
4:11 Paul
wrote of the God "who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved
us, even when we were dead in sins, (who) has quickened us together with Christ
(by grace are you saved) ...that in the ages to come he might show the exceeding
riches of his grace in his kindness toward us" (Eph. 2:4-8). God created us for His
pleasure (Rev. 4:11)- and His pleasure is to pour out grace, to give us eternity
(Jn. 6:40).
4:16- see on 1 Jn. 4:17.
5:1 Note parallels with Ezekiel- the 4 living creatures, a
throne scene, a scroll- with judgments against
5:3-5
Weeping because no man could open- note the similarities with Israel's
inability to find a champion against Goliath. Goliath,
representing the seed of the serpent, a personification of sin (i.e. the
Biblical devil), needed a man to fight him (17:8,9). The men of
5:5 The
concept of conditional prophecy opens up a significant window into the tension
facing the Lord Jesus as He approached the cross- indeed, throughout His
ministry. So much depended upon Him. If He had failed, so much would simply not
have come true as God intended. Rev. 5:5 stresses how the Lamb alone, through
His sacrificial death [hence the figure of a lamb] was able to open the seals,
and thus enable history as God intended to unfold. Indeed, the sealed scroll
can also be understood as the book of life, whose opening was only made
possible by the Lord’s death. This had as it’s basis the language of Dan. 12:4,
where Daniel sealed the book. Rudolf Rijkeboer
comments: “Daniel’s prophecy of the seventy year-weeks takes us to the time of
the Messiah, but not really beyond. How things would continue would depend on
the Saviour, if He was victorious. That he would be victorious was… by no means
a foregone conclusion. It depended totally on the Saviour’s
own free will… while the scroll remains sealed… that particular future is not
going to happen at all!”. In this sense we understand that through the cross,
the pleasure or ‘intention’ of God would be furthered by Messiah’s ‘hand’
through His crucifixion (Is. 53:10).
5:6- see on
Jer. 1:11,12.
The marks of His sufferings will be in Him
eternally, and thereby we will be eternally reminded of the things we now only
dimly appreciate (Rev. 5:6; Zech. 13:6). See on Mk. 9:47.
Rev. 4:9 alludes to the Isaiah 6 vision, and applies it to
the future judgment. Yet silhouetted within the vision of the judgment throne
is a slain lamb (Rev. 5:6), as if before the judgment, all will be aware of the
Lord’s sacrifice. The accepted will utter praise immediately after realising
the wonderful verdict pronounced for them- in terms of praising the Lord Jesus
for his sacrifice, and recognising their eternal debt to the blood of His cross
(Rev. 5:9). The cross and the judgment and reward are connected. This is why
the Sephardim called the Day of Atonement, with all its typology of the cross,
“the day of judgment". To come before the cross is to have a foretaste of
judgment; there and then was the judgment of this world.
5:6
The Chronology And Structure Of
Revelation
I suggest that the key to the
interpretation of Revelation is in understanding how its structure is linked to
its interpretation. This doesn't mean that interpretations which ignore the
structure are wrong; the book is open to multiple fulfilments, as most Bible
prophecies are. The New Testament often quotes the Old Testament out of
context- phrases and verses are taken up and given an interpretation which
can't be extended to the surrounding context of the Old Testament passage. And
so it's surely legitimate to likewise interpret Bible prophecy in a similar
piecemeal manner. However, this doesn't preclude a hermeneutic [scheme of
interpretation] which takes an entire book and seeks to make sense of it from
start to finish.
Throughout latter day Bible
prophecy, there is mention of a 1260 day / 42 month / three and a half year
period of final tribulation. The Jews had a three and a half year reading
cycle, similar in principle to the annual Bible Companion, whereby there
were specific readings from the Pentateuch and prophets, with a Psalm read
every Sabbath. This system was based around the feasts. The book of Revelation
is likewise based around the feasts. It should be noted that the Gospel of
John, which appears so similar in style to Revelation, was likewise based
around the Jewish feasts; and a case can be made that it was intended to be
read over a three and a half year cycle along with the Jewish lectionary
readings (1). Hence John's account of events seeks to place them all within the
period of the various feasts; and his material can be seen as a kind of
exposition of the Old Testament 'readings for the day' according to the Jewish
triennial reading cycle.
There are many connections between
the various sections of Revelation and the Jewish feasts. Here's a summary:
|
Revelation |
Feast |
Allusions |
|
5 |
Passover |
Rev.
5:6,9 = Ex. 12:13 |
|
7 |
Tabernacles |
Rev.
7:9,15,16 RV = Ex. 23:16; 34:22; Zech. 14:16-20 |
|
8,9 |
Day
Of Atonement |
Lev.
16:31; more detailed links in Harry Whittaker, Revelation: A Biblical
Approach pp. 104,105. |
|
11 |
Dedication
& Purim |
The
Torah readings for these feasts were Num. 7 and Zech. 2- 4 about the
dedication of the temple; Rev. 11:10 = Esther 9:19,22. The period from
Tabernacles to Purim is exactly 5 months- as mentioned in Rev. 9:5 |
|
12 |
Pentecost
& Passover |
The
Jews traditionally ask: "On this Sabbath, shall I reap?" |
|
14 |
Tabernacles |
|
|
15
+ 16 |
Atonement
& Passover |
Lev.
16; Ps. 118 the Hallel Psalm |
|
19 |
Passover |
Ps.
113,114 Passover Psalms |
|
21,22 |
Tabernacles |
|
Laying out the material
chronologically, we have:
Chapter 5: Passover
6 months
Chapter 7: Tabernacles
Chapters 8& 9: Atonement and Tabernacles
1 year
Chapter 11: Dedication 5 months (Rev 9:5)
Chapter 11: Purim
Chapter 12: Passover and Pentecost
Chapter 14: Tabernacles
1 year
Chapter 15: Atonement
Chapter 16 & 19: Passover
Chapter 21 & 22: Tabernacles
1 year
The conclusion would therefore be
that we have in the book of Revelation a literal account of the three and a
half years tribulation, with the Jewish feasts being the key marker points. And
it would appear there will be an especial period of five months tribulation as
described between chapters 9 and 11.
Not all prophecy has to be
predictive. The Lord Jesus spoke of His future sufferings and commented that
once those things happened, the disciples would be able to make sense of them at
that time because of His previously spoken words about them (Jn. 8:28;
13:19; 14:29; Acts 11:16). And so it may be futile to try to work out precisely
how things will be before they actually happen; but as we pass through the
final three and a half years, those who understand will be amazingly encouraged
as they see everything falling into place. It will be the most amazing,
detailed and practically encouraging fulfilling of prophecy that anyone has
ever lived through. And given the whole nature of the tribulation, it will be
encouragement that the faithful will sorely need.
Notes
(1)
Aileen Guilding, The Fourth Gospel And Jewish
Worship (Oxford: O.U.P., 1960).
5:8 Rev.
5:8 shows each of the Angels (again notice how all of them are involved) having
golden vials in which are our prayers, and that with them in hand they bow down
to Jesus. So it would appear that our prayers go first to them, then to Jesus,
and then to God Himself, who then gives His answer to the Angel before His
throne to go forth and execute. See on Is. 6:7.
Revelation describes Angels rushing in response to human
prayers, vials of judgment being poured out on earth as a result of the incense
of prayer accumulating... this is the power of prayer. If prayer is like
incense, we must give Dt. 33:10 RVmg. its full weight- that incense would come
up "in your nostrils". This is how intimately we are invited to see
our prayers being received by God; this is the power of prayer. The golden
vials full of prayers of Rev. 5:8 become the vials of judgments which are
poured out on the land in Rev. 8:5- so close is the connection between the
events that mould history, and the incense of prayer.
5:9 Rev. 5:9 presents us with the
picture of men and women redeemed from every kindred [tribe / clan],
tongue [glossa- language], people [a
group of people not necessarily of the same ethnicity] and nation [ethnos-
ethnic group, lit. ‘those of the same customs’]. This means that not only
redeemed ‘Yugoslavs’ will stand before the throne in the end; but Macedonians,
Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Montenegrans,
Bosnians...every ethnic group, with every custom, will have representatives who
will have believed the Truth and been saved. This idea is confirmed by
considering how 70 bullocks had to be sacrificed at the feast of ingathering
(Num. 29), prophetic as it was of the final ingathering of the redeemed. But 70
is the number of all Gentile nations found in Gen. 10. And it is written: “When
he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the
number of the children of Israel” (Dt. 32:8). A total of 70 went down with
Jacob into Egypt; and thus 70 seems an appropriate number to connect with the
entire Gentile world. And representatives of all of them will be finally
ingathered. It seems highly doubtful to me that over the past 2,000 years, the
Truth has been taken to every ethnos, tribe, clan, custom and language,
especially in Africa and Asia. So it follows that only once we have done
it in our generation will this come true. The brethren in those parts
especially have work to do yet, it seems to me. And we should all support them
as best we can. I have a real belief that given the current rate of progress in
preaching, the current generation could witness literally world-wide
representation by those who understand true Christian doctrine- if we all
do our bit. It is very difficult for me to reproduce in writing the kind of
picture I have in my mind. But it is a thrilling and all consuming,
all-demanding vision.
Is. 42:9,10 says that we sing the “new song” now, because we sing / meditate of the “new things” which will be in the Kingdom. In that day, we will “sing a new song” (Rev. 5:9; 14:3). And yet this is undoubtedly picking up on the way in which we can now sing the ‘new song’, every morning (Ps. 33:3; 40:3; 96:1; 98:1; 144:9; 149:1).
A true appreciation of the Lord's work on the cross, a real
ability to say that the Son of God loved me
and gave Himself for me,
will reflect itself in our attitude to materialism. The Lord gave His blood in
order to purchase our body and our spirit for himself (1 Cor. 6:19,20; Rev. 5:9
RV). Therefore
we must surrender our body and spirit, all that we have, to Him. We are not our
own. To hold anything
back is to deny the cross; to deny the Lord what He paid so terribly to
possess: our lives, our hearts, our bodies.
5:9,10 The
very close association of the Angels with their charges is shown by the Angels
identifying themselves with their charges by saying that Christ had
"redeemed us" out of every nation, and given them the hope of being
king-priests in the future Kingdom (Rev. 5:9,10). Unto the Angels the world to
come has not been put in subjection, nor do they belong to specific nations,
but because they identify so closely with us they can speak in this way. Rev.
5:9 RVmg. speaks of the Angels praising God that He had purchased men unto
Himself “and madest them to be [AV “made us”] … a
kingdom… and they [AV “we”] shall reign on the earth” (Rev. 5:9,10). If the RV
is correct, we have a picture here of our Angels thanking God in advance for
the salvation which He has prepared for us their charges. It would seem from
this that our 'guardian' Angel changes according to what we are trying to
achieve for God. Similarly the great Angel of the Exodus appears to have been
Moses' personal guardian because Moses and the Angel were working for the same
ends.
5:10- see
on Rev. 6:9.
“Kings
and priests" is a poor translation; we will be both kings and priests,
after the order of Melchizedek, rather than some of us being kings and others
priests. If we can gain a clear picture of God's intended roles for the priests
under the Law, we will have further insight into our future work as
king-priests. Through what He achieved for us on the cross, we have been
made now
king-priests, with the future hope of reigning on earth (Rev. 1:6; 5:10).
5:13
Ps.69:34 speaks of how everything in the sea, heavens and on earth
should praise God. This cannot refer to believers in all those places. Rev.5:13
uses similar language to describe how every creature in the sea, under the
earth and on the earth and in Heaven, all praised God for Christ's ascension
into Heaven. The dead do not praise God. The impression is given that the whole
natural creation did in some way render praise to God.
6 The typology of the invasions recorded in Judges as well as
those of Babylon and Assyria teaches that the latter day Arab incursions during
the period of prolonged downtreading will have
consciously aimed to destroy the agriculture and even the physical structure of
the land of Israel. Dt. 28 and Lev. 26, which have a specific application
to the latter-day curses upon Israel, emphasize this curse of famine and its
related problems of disease and death. This is exactly the language of the
seal, trumpet and vial judgments of Rev. 6,9 and 16, largely falling upon the
earth/land of Israel. Our
Lord's prophecy of famines at the time of the end had its primary fulfilment in
the land of Israel around A.D. 70 - and its secondary reference is
fundamentally to the land of Israel too (Lk. 21:11), although this does not
rule out this prophecy's partial reference to famines in the surrounding world
also.
It should be noted that the record
of the curses in Lev. 26 splits them up into six sections, each introduced by a
phrase like, "If ye will not for this hearken unto me... then..."
more curses would come (Lev. 26:14,18,21,23,27,36). It is tempting
to associate this with the series of six judgments to be poured upon Israel and
the Arabs as outlined in the six seals (Rev. 6) and six vials (Rev. 16),
leading up to the seventh period, of Israel's repentance and Christ's
Kingdom. There are many other points of contact between the curses
and the language of the seals and vials. The implication of this is
that there are at least six periods of God's appeal to Israel to repent through
their trials, which they will refuse to accept. "If ye will
not for all this hearken unto me" (Lev. 26:18) may suggest that
God's word will be spoken to Israel along with the trials. This
again indicates that the Elijah ministry will operate within Israel during
their period of Arab downtreading.
"If ye will not be reformed by me" (Lev. 26:23) uses a Hebrew
word elsewhere translated 'to teach', defined by Strong as 'to chastise by
words'. This provides further confirmation of the idea.
The
Seals And The Olivet Prophecy
The
vital key to interpreting the seals is found in the clear links between them
and the Olivet prophecy. The connections are so copious that it must surely be
admitted that consideration of them is important in coming to an understanding
of the seals. Consider the following summary of the links:
|
Revelation |
Olivet Prophecy |
|
|
|
6:1,2 |
Mt.
24:14 |
:14 |
Mt.
24:35 |
|
:3,4 |
:6,7 |
:16 |
Lk.
23:30 |
|
:5,6 |
:7 |
:17 |
Lk.
21:36 |
|
:7,8 |
:7 |
7:1 |
Mt.
24:31 |
|
:9 |
:12 |
:3 |
Lk.
21:18,28 |
|
:11 |
:14 |
:14 |
Mt.
24:19,21 |
|
:12 |
:7 |
8:3 |
Lk.
21:36 |
|
:13 |
:32 |
:5 |
Mt.
24:27 |
John
was told that the events of the seals "must take place"- dei genesthai. The
Olivet prophecy uses the same phrase (Mt. 24:6; Lk. 21:9). We have seen that
the Olivet prophecy describes the events of both AD70 and our present last
days, with special reference to the tribulation of God's people, both natural
and spiritual. The connections between the Olivet prophecy and the seals would
therefore indicate that the seals, and therefore much of Revelation, has
reference to these same two time periods. Fairly conclusive evidence for a
pre-AD70 date for Revelation has now been published. In any case, the
connections with the Olivet prophecy cannot be shrugged off as incidental. The
seals, then, can be applied to our latter day tribulation. There seems no
reason to insist that they should be interpreted chronologically; they can
quite comfortably be seen as describing different aspects of the same period.
This is how series of judgments described in the prophets often have their
fulfillment (notably in Isaiah), rather than being a chronological prophecy of
events. Zech.12:3-11 is a passage which contains seven occurrences of the
phrase "In that day...". The passage does not have to be interpreted
chronologically; this is a list of events which will occur around the same
time, "in that day". They are snapshots of the same scene from
different angles. The seals and the repeated references to a 3.5 year
tribulation period can be understood likewise; they do not necessarily refer to
chronologically different events, but are giving different aspects of
information about the same basic scene. The lack of strict chronological
sequence in prophecy is a major feature of the Old Testament; thus a
consideration of the phrase “in that day..." in Isaiah reveals that the
context 'jumps around' all over the place, from the first coming of Christ to
the Babylonian invasion to the Kingdom. There is no reason to think that
Revelation is any different.
The
sixth seal concludes with the great day of the Lamb coming, with the fig tree casting
her immature figs (cp. the fig tree parable), and great changes in Heaven and
earth. This must have some reference to the second coming. If it does not, then
where is the principle of interpreting Scripture by Scripture? This sixth seal
appears to be an extension of the fifth seal, where persecuted believers plead
for vengeance to be shown against their persecutors. They are assured of their
salvation (by being given white robes), and rest "for a little season,
until their fellowservants also and their brethren,
that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled" (6:11). Once
these brethren were killed, the Lord would take vengeance- by His second
coming. It follows that this violent persecution of brethren is going on before
the second coming. Perhaps the "little season" refers to the three
and a half year period? The persecuted souls under the altar would then
describe the early sufferers in the persecution. It should be noted that once a
set number of believers have been slain, then the Lord will come (Rev. 6:11 Gk.
and modern versions). This must mean that there will be violent slaying of
believers going on right up until the Lord’s return (so the Greek for “killed”
implies); which suggests that we have yet to see violent persecution before the
second coming.
A
further indication that the fifth seal concerns the last days is in the obvious
connection between the altar scene and the parable of the widow crying for
vengeance on her persecuting adversary; she would be avenged "when the Son
of man cometh" (Lk. 18:8). Thus the intense prayers of the persecuted
saints of the last days are what prompt the second coming; at least, this is
how God wishes us to see it. If our prayers were that fervent now, perhaps the
tribulation could be avoided. Revelation 7 then describes how the 144,000 are
sealed to ultimately survive the persecution, and due to the accumulated
intense prayer of the persecuted believers, the seventh seal of judgment is
poured out on the world (8:3,4), resulting finally in the establishment of the
Kingdom.
6:1 The
description of the rider on the white horse going out to conquer (Rev. 6:1,2)
is intended to be linked with the description of the Lord Jesus in Rev. 19:11.
Yet the rider of Rev. 6:1,2 is the ecclesia, going forth to powerfully convert
the world in the run up to AD 70 (and also in the last days). Yet in doing so,
they were effectively Christ to the world; His triumphant victories over men
and women were theirs, and theirs were His. The witness of the Lord and of His
disciple were one and the same
6:2 Horse
riders- see on Zech. 6:5.
6:2,3 The rider on the white horse
"bent on conquest"- the victorious Roman march towards Jerusalem in
Spring 67. The rider takes peace from the earth (cp. Mt. 24:6,7)- the
disruption of the pax Romana.
"Caesar has obtained for us a profound peace. There are neither wars nor
battles" (Epictetus, Discoruses 3:13:9). The
riders on the black and pale horses = famine and death resulting from the
Jewish war.
6:9- see on Lk. 18:7.
The believer’s death is a pouring out of blood on the altar
(Phil. 2:17 Gk; Rev. 6:9), which is language highly appropriate to the Lord’s
death. It follows from this that the death of one in Christ is the pinnacle of
their spiritual maturity, as the Lord’s death was the pinnacle of His. It is a
spiritual victory, more than the temporal domination of the flesh which it can
appear.
John saw under the altar “the souls of them that had been slain for the word of God” (Rev. 6:9). Seeing that there is no conscious survival of death, could this not refer to the guardian Angels of the former martyrs, crying out for the blood of their charges to be avenged? They are so closely identified with them that they can ask for “our blood” to be avenged. It’s apparent enough that this is not the people themselves speaking- for they are dead. Surely then it refers to their Angels, who identify so strongly with them? Perhaps in the same way, Rev. 5:10 has guardian Angels thanking Jesus for making “us” king-priests to reign on earth. And when the believers are finally glorified, there is an ecstatic voice in Heaven, exalting that the Lamb’s wife has made herself ready (Rev. 19:6). Surely this must refer to the Angels rejoicing that their charges have finally made it to salvation? We, for whom they laboured perhaps for centuries, preparing our genetic pool [note how the Angels “prepared” Edom unto destruction long before it happened, Ez. 35:6), and the myriad of circumstances we would meet which were designed to bring us towards the Kingdom. No wonder they will be so ecstatic. Or in another figure, the blood of the dead believers cries out from under the altar, demanding vengeance on this world: on the Catholic, Protestant, Babylonian, Roman, Nazi, Soviet systems that slew them for their faith (Rev. 6:9). To God, their blood is a voice, just as real as the voice of Abel, which cried out (in a figure) for judgment against Cain (Gen. 4:10). After their death, those who had already died are spoken of as being given “white robes” and being told to rest a bit longer (Rev. 6:11). Yet the white robe is given at baptism; a man may cast off Christ, but the prodigal is given again the robe if he returns (Lk. 15:22 s.w.); we are given white robes in this life through our acceptance of the blood of Christ and living in response to that redemption (Rev. 7:13,14; 22:14 Gk.). God giving believers white robes after their death can surely only be understood as His remembrance of how in their lives they had put on those robes. But His view of time is different, and He sees them as doing it again and again, as He considers how they had died for His cause and how thereby He will surely raise them. This is just as we would relive in our own minds the baptism of one of our children who has died. We know of course that there is no immortal soul, and that we personally feel nothing in death. But there is an immortal spirit, in that who we essentially are, our personality, lives on in the memory of a loving Father.
The
martyrs crying for vengeance cp. Lk. 18:6-8.
6:9,10 souls-
See on Dan. 5:23; Rom. 14:8,9.
6:10 Rev.
6:10; 13:15; 14:9 describe the persecuted Christian remnant of the last days in
the language of Daniel. The conclusion is that they (we?) will find strength to
endure through the understanding of prophecy. Daniel's spirit of "
How long...?" is so exactly reflective of the attitude of all God's
children down the years that it is hard to deny that Daniel is being framed as
the representative of all the saints. Indeed, these very words are quoted in
Rev. 6:10 concerning the attitude of the slain saints of the last days.
Ez. 32:30, Rev. 6:10 and some other passages give the
impression that the dead are somehow alive. And yet we know from an impregnable
array of Bible passages that the dead are unconscious. These 'difficult
passages' are surely giving us a window on God's timeless perspective. Apart
from the death state, there are other examples of where future things are
spoken of as having already happened (e.g. Ez. 39:29). God's future actions are
simply spoken of as having already happened (e.g. Ez. 32:18). Living believers
are called "martyrs" even before they are killed, because God
foresees that they will be killed (Rev. 11:7).
6:11- see
on Mk. 13:13.
After their
death, those who had already died are spoken of as being given “white robes”
and being told to rest a bit longer (Rev. 6:11). Yet the white robe is given at
baptism; a man may cast off Christ, but the prodigal is given again the robe if
he returns (Lk. 15:22 s.w.); we are given white robes in this life through our
acceptance of the blood of Christ and living in response to that redemption
(Rev. 7:13,14; 22:14 Gk.). God giving believers white robes after their death
can surely only be understood as His remembrance of how in their lives they had
put on those robes. But His view of time is different, and He sees them as
doing it again and again, as He considers how they had died for His cause and
how thereby He will surely raise them. This is just as we would relive in our
own minds the baptism of a child who has died. We know of course that there is
no immortal soul, and that we personally feel nothing in death. But there is an
immortal spirit, in that who we essentially are, our personality, lives on in
the memory of a loving Father.
6:14 every mountain removed = Roman
legions flattening the approach roads: "[Vespasian] sent both footmen and
horsemen to level the road, which was mountainous and rocky" (Wars 3.7.3).
Having outlined the mountainous setting of Jotapata,
Josephus says that Vespasian decided "to raise a bank against that part of
the wall which was practicable" (Wars 3.7.8).
6:15,16 hiding in caves, wishing the
rocks to fall on them - the Jews hid underground in the 67-70 war. "On the
following days [the Romans] searched the hiding places, and fell upon those
that were underground and in the caverns" (Wars 3.7.36). The Lord had told
the women who watched His death that they would ask the mountains and hills to
fall upon them to cover them (Lk. 23:29,30 cp. Mt. 24:1,2,19,34).
6:16 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Who He was then, as He walked around Palestine 2000 years ago, the lamb for sinners slain, is who He will essentially be at His second coming and judgment. It’s not quite so that He was once a meek lamb but will roar back as an angry aggressive lion of Judah. Revelation brings out the paradox of “the wrath of the lamb”- not the roaring lion. Even in condemning men, His basic passion for humanity, His pain for the lost, comes out. Thus He will call those whom He rejects “Friend”, just as He addressed even Judas, a man not fit to breathe the same air as He did. And in any case, it was in His role as the lion of Judah that He opened the seals through His death, not at His return. In His mortality He was the one who served rather than the one who sat at meat; and when He returns He will again come forth and serve us, His Divine nature notwithstanding. He so earnestly desired that even the wicked children of Jerusalem who did Him to death should be gathered together into His Kingdom. As He was, so He will be, and so He is even now.
6:17 God's character is not just partly severe, partly gracious. His grace and His judgment of sin are wonderfully interconnected within His character. Thus destruction comes from Shaddai, the fruitful, blessing one (Is. 13:6); and the meek, harmless Lamb has great wrath (Rev. 6:16,17).
7:1 When we come to Revelation, especially bearing in mind its’
constant allusions to the Old Testament, the ‘earth’ can generally be
understood as the land of Israel. All the weight of Biblical evidence is in
this direction. There are undeniable similarities between the events of the
seals and vials, and what happened in the land in AD66-70. The whole idea of
pouring out judgment upon the ‘earth’ refers to the OT images of such judgments
being poured out upon the land. Consider too how Rev. 7:1: “And after these
things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the
four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth…”. If the earth
has corners, it can’t really be the globe, rather, an area such as the land.
It’s been observed that the tribe of Dan is excluded from
the list of the redeemed tribes in Rev. 7. Dan didn’t take possession of their inheritance;
they despised it. And so they excluded themselves, rather than being excluded
for e.g. bad behaviour. The other tribes all had their moments of terrible
failures; but these didn’t exclude them. The only one excluded was the one who
didn’t want to be there.
There seems
to be an association between the "four
winds", the four "living creatures" and the four
"beasts" mentioned at various points in Scripture. It is suggested
that these all refer, even if indirectly, to a literal four cherubic Angels.
Rev. 7:1 is the clearest evidence: "I saw four Angels standing on the four
corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth". The stress is
on "the four winds". Dan. 7:2,3 connects the winds and the beasts:
"Behold, the four winds of Heaven strove upon the great sea. And four
great beasts came up from the sea". The "four winds" may refer
to Angels- God makes His Angels spirits or winds.
7:4 It is worth noting that two thirds of the Jews within the land are to be “cut off" in the holocaust, meaning that a third survive it (Zech. 13:8,9). Having spoken of this period in Rev. 6, Rev. 7:4 speaks of 144,000 Jews as surviving it. A third of the Jews in Israel is about 1.4 million people; it may be that only a tenth of those will ultimately be found worthy. The 144,000 are sealed so that they avoid God's judgments, which would fit the idea of the righteous remnant miraculously surviving in an Arab occupied Jerusalem.
7:9 Think of the misunderstood
Jesus, welcomed by the crowds with palm fronds in hope of an immediate
Messianic Kingdom. Surely John intends us to think back to that when we read in
Rev. 7:9 that the Lord will be welcomed by another large crowd, from every
nation, carrying palm fronds and calling out praise to Him for dying on the
cross and redeeming them. Here are those who truly understand Him. The Lord had
in mind this contrast between the crowd and those who would truly understand
Him when He said that “Now is the son of man glorified” in the things of the
cross (Jn. 12:23) in contrast to the crowds who were shouting “Glory in the
highest!” at the prospect of Him there and then inaugurating the Messianic
Kingdom (Lk. 19:38). See on Jn. 5:23.
7:13- see
on Rev. 6:9.
7:14 The 144,000 are redeemed from all the tribes of Jewry in the last days, and they wash their robes [through baptism] in the blood of Jesus as a result of “the great tribulation” (Rev. 7:14 RV) which they pass through. This great multitude are Jews yet out of every nation and language (Rev. 7:9)- for as Ron Abel shows in Wrested Scriptures, the great multitude and the 144,000 are to be read as identical. The witness to them will thus be world-wide. This “great tribulation” is one of many links discernible between Revelation and the Olivet prophecy. The Lord had prophesied that the “great tribulation” such as never was for Israel will occur in the very last days before the return (Mt. 24:21). It is only for the sake of “the elect” that the days of the great tribulation are shortened. This elect are surely the 144,000 of Rev. 7- Jewish brethren in Christ, converted during the very last days. It is this “elect” which is to be gathered from “the four winds” (Mt. 24:31) by the Angels. This suggests that they are not just Jews in the land who are converted, but those throughout the world-wide Diaspora. For the time of Jacob’s trouble, worse than anything they have ever experienced (including the holocaust) must affect all Jewry world-wide. And this includes the USA and other apparently pro-Jewish or tolerant nations.
7:15 There is maybe the suggestion in Rev. 7:15 that after the judgment process, the Lord will come down off His throne and mix with us, after the pattern of Joseph reassuring his brethren.
7:17 – see on Lk. 13:15.
Those who enter the Kingdom will genuinely, from the very depth of their being, feel that they shouldn't be there. When we read that the Lord will “wipe away” tears from our eyes (Rev. 7:17), this is the same word used in Acts 3:19 to describe how our sins will be “blotted out” when the Lord returns. The conclusion seems to be, therefore, that the Lord Himself will comfort us with the reality that our sins and being unworthy of the Kingdom is all truly forgiven. The judgment will have achieved its end for us- a true realization of our sinfulness.
8-11
The trumpets
of Rev. 8-11 are clearly based upon the plagues of Ex. 7-12. Yet those plagues
were each one designed to induce repentance in Egypt; there were various
possible futures and outcomes related to each of them. If, e.g., after plague
eight, Pharaoh had truly repented- then the other plagues wouldn't have
happened. And perhaps it will be the same with the trumpets of the last days.
See on Rev. 16:12.
8:1 The
run up to the final tribulation will provoke a “praying always, that ye may be
accounted worthy... to stand before the Son of man" (Lk. 21:36). Perhaps
this intense latter day praying of the faithful is what Rev. 8:1 refers to, in
speaking of "silence in heaven" when the seventh seal was opened- for
this is one of Revelation's continual allusions to the temple service: "In
the Temple, when the incense was offered, the people retired from the court and
prostrated themselves in silent prayer".
8:3 Rev.
8:3 describes one Angel being given much incense- i. e. prayers- presumably by
the individual guardian Angels. He then offers this up on the altar (Christ) to
God, and the response from God comes in the form of the Angels sounding their
trumpets. It is interesting to note that actually these Angels had already been
prepared for what they were going to do (Rev. 8:2) when they had been earlier
before the throne of God. God knows our prayers before we say them . He knew
what the prayers of the people at that time would be, and had earlier prepared
the Angels to answer them, and this was unleashed by their cumulative prayer.
But without that prayer- that human part of the equation- the prepared answer
would not have been put into action. The prayers were offered up by one Angel-
this either means there is one Angel with overall responsibility for offering
up prayers to Christ (the altar), or that there is one Angel who collects
together the prayers from one period of time or about one particular subject
and then offers them up to Christ. The fact "much incense" is
mentioned presumably means that there was much prayer made at this time, and
this was added to the "prayers of all saints" (v. 3) which had
already been made about this.
The sky, the trillions of kilometers
between Heaven and earth, are in fact no ultimate distance. That’s the simplest
message of those visions. In Revelation we see the incense of human prayers
arising into Heaven, resulting in Angels coming to earth, pouring out bowls,
blowing trumpets, and major events happening on earth (Rev. 5:8; 8:3). Prayer
is noticed; it brings forth quite out of proportion responses.
8:3-5 Rev. 8:3-5 as well as Rev. 11:6 certainly allude to Elijah as a pattern for our latter day witnessing. Much incense of latter day prayer is added to the existing incense, resulting in fire being brought down on earth after the pattern of Elijah (Rev. 8:3-5 RV). The especially intense prayers of the latter day remnant are added to the cumulative prayers of former generations, and result in the second coming and the beginning of the final judgments.
8:5- see on Rev. 5:8.
8:7 One reason why there are such
similarities between the seven vials and the seven trumpets could be that the
vials refer largely to the judgments to come upon the world, and the trumpets
to the latter day tribulation of the saints. See on Rev. 11:3.
Seven
Vials Seven trumpets
16:2
8:7
16:3
8:8
16:4
8:10
16:8
8:12
16:10
9:1
16:12
9:13
16:17-21
11:15
8:8 In Rev. 8:8
we have an Angel casting a mountain into the sea. This must surely connect with
the Lord's encouragement that we can cast mountains into the sea by our faith
(Mk. 11:23). Therefore... it surely follows that our prayers have a direct
effect upon the Angels. They throw mountains around because of our faithful prayer...
Inevitably we see a connection with Ps. 46:2, which comforts us not to fear
when mountains are cast into sea. Surely the point is that we shouldn’t be
scared when we perceive the awesomeness of the power of prayer and its
influence upon Angels. It’s all too easy to ask for things without perceiving
how it would really be if that prayer were answered. We need to have specific
and focused faith in what we ask for, realizing that legions of Angels are
potentially able to operationalize what we ask for. See on Is. 6:7.
Jer.
51:25 calls Babylon a "destroying mountain" which is to be judged by
fire to become "a burnt mountain". The use of identical language in
Rev. 8:8 must make that passage have some reference to the fall of latter-day
Babylon. "Destroying mountain" is the language of Dan. 2:44
concerning the little stone destroying the image and growing into a mountain,
symbolizing God's Kingdom. Jer. 51:20-23 stresses no less than nine times how
'Babylon' is to be "broken in pieces", which is another connection
with Dan. 2:44 concerning the breaking in pieces of the nations who are
confederate with 'Babylon', the head of gold.
8:12-
see on Rev. 18:8.
9:1 If the
physical movement of Angels from Heaven to earth to perform certain tasks can be
taken literally, Rev. 9:1,11 and certain other passages taken on a more
literal slant: "I saw a star (symbolic of an Angel) fall from Heaven unto
the earth: and to Him was given the key of the bottomless pit. . . the Angel of
the bottomless pit" (Rev. 9:1,11). It seems that great stress is placed in
Scripture on the Angels physically moving through space, both on the earth and
between Heaven and earth, in order to fulfil their tasks, rather than being
static in Heaven or earth and bringing things about by just willing them to
happen. See on Gen. 18:10.
9:5 There
are many links between the trumpets, seals and the Olivet prophecy; and also
many links with Josephus' descriptions of what came upon Palestine in AD66-70-
e.g. 9:5 "inwardly tormented" Gk. ebasanizonto
is used in Josephus (Wars 5.1.5).
Job is being shown to
represent "those men which have not the seal of God in their
foreheads" (Rev.9:4). The idea of sealing is associated with being
justified by faith rather than by the Law in Rom.4:11. If "the earth"
in Rev. 9 is read as "the land" and the chapter given a Jewish
interpretation, the allusions to Job as representative of unsealed Jewry still
depending on the Law become even more relevant. Note the clear connections between
Rev. 9 and Job:
Rev.9
|
Job
|
|
:5 "To them it was given that
they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented"
|
Satan could not kill Job,
but was given power to torment him. |
|
:6 "Men (shall) seek death,
and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death
shall flee from them" . |
Job said he was one of them
"which long for death, but it cometh not; and dig for it
more than for hid treasures" (3:21,22) |
|
The marauding Saracen bands |
The Sabean
bands |
|
:11 "A king over them, which
is the Angel.." |
The satan/Angel of Job? |
|
:11 "A king... Abaddon... Apollyon" ('Destroyer'). |
"The king of terrors"
attacking Job's tents (18:14) |
|
:11 "The bottomless pit"
|
"Hell is naked before Him,
and destruction (cp.'Abaddon') hath no
covering" (26:6). |
9:6 Those who in
that day will "seek death" (Rev. 9:6) are those whose materialistic
behaviour in this life was effectively a seeking of death (Prov. 21:6). They
were and are living out the condemnation experience right now. See on 1 Cor.
10:13.
9:10-
see on Mt. 24:37; Mk. 13:20.
9:10
A
Possible Chronology Of The Tribulation
There
is a repeated mention of a three and a half year period of tribulation for
natural and spiritual Israel in the last days. This is described as a period of
1260 literal days. A period of 2300 days is also mentioned (Dan. 8:14). Periods
of 1290 and 1335 days are mentioned in Dan. 12:11,12. Additionally, the events
of the flood are clearly typical of the latter day judgments. Noah entered the
ark for 7 days, and the duration of the flood was 5 months, connecting with the
five months final tribulation spoken of in Rev. 9:5,10. Significantly, John the
Baptist (type of the Elijah prophet) was
five months older than Jesus (Lk. 1:24)- hinting that something significant
will be happening in the Elijah ministry during this same period? The total
period which the flood affected the earth was 339 days- from the rain coming
down to the earth being dry, i.e. having totally recovered from the effects of
God's judgments. Putting all these things together leads us to an uncanny
result: nearly all these time periods will start or finish on a Mosaic feast
day. It is not without relevance that the period of the last days is described
often as "the day of the Lord"- but "the day of the Lord"
is a phrase very commonly used to describe the Jewish feast days. Good cases
can be constructed for thinking that the Lord will return on Jewish feast days;
but the whole period of the last days may well be based around significant
events which occur on each of the feast days. If this proves nothing else, it
shows that it is quite legitimate to view the time periods as literal days. We
have shown that in the last days, knowledge of the prophetic word will be greatly
increased. We have also shown that in the very last days, the faithful will
know for absolute certain when the Lord will come. It seems to me that they
will understand from the prophecies a chronology similar in outline terms at
least to the kind of thing I offer below. I'm quite aware that what I offer is
hopelessly flawed, but I offer it as an example of the sort of thing that may
be revealed to the faithful remnant in the very last days.
(i) The total period of downtreading of the "host" of Israel is given as
2300 days in Dan. 8:13. Yet the far more common period is 1260 days, 42 months,
time times and a half (three and a half years) etc. It seems that the 2300 is
the period from the beginning of the holocaust until the time when the
abomination is ended. Perhaps the days of the elect's tribulation are shortened
from 2300 to 1260 (Mt. 24:22).
(ii) This point seems to be the
start of the abomination that will be in place for 1290 days. 1290 days back
from a Passover brings us to half way through Elul, the end (significantly) of
the Jewish year, the time when the Jews under Nehemiah were being sorely
persecuted by the Arabs (cp. Neh. 6:15).
(iii) Noah entering the ark may be
the basis of Is. 26:20: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers,
and shut thy doors (cp. the ark) about thee: hide thyself as it were for
a little moment, until the indignation be over past". Not only is this
verse in a latter day context; "the indignation" frequently describes
the Babylonian and Assyrian invasions of Israel, typical as they are of those
of the last days (Is. 10:5,25; 13:5; Lam. 2:6; Ez. 22:31; Dan. 8:13; Zech.
1:12). As the faithful remnant were kept safe within Jerusalem at the time of
Sennacherib's invasion, so in the last days it seems that the faithful will
somehow be taken away. Is. 57:1 in the same Sennacherib context speaks of how
the righteous are gathered (Heb.) from the evil that is to come, so that they
can lay in peace upon their beds (surely an idiom) in the midst of the
tribulation of invasion. According to our suggested chronology, this will
happen towards the end of the three and a half year tribulation. This would fit
the type of Israel in Egypt: suffering some of the plagues, and then
miraculously separated from them.
Tabernacles is very much associated
with the idea of "ingathering" and the gathering together of God's
people. It may be that some of the faithful are ingathered at this time.
(iv) The end of the 1260 days of
tribulation at Purim. Jerusalem no longer trodden down (Rev. 11:2).
(v) The abomination ends after 1290
days. Passover was associated in Jewish thought with the latter rains. James
5:7 speaks of being patient "unto the coming of the Lord", i.e. until
the early and latter rains have come. It may be that this is one of those
passages which will open up in the very last days; it may be teaching that the
Lord's coming will be after that last Passover at the end of the 1290 days,
when the abomination ends. Only 45 days later, according to our chronology,
Daniel will stand in his lot. And yet James has to warn that last generation
not to grumble and be bitter against each other (AV "grudge") within
the ecclesia in these final few days. All the significant events happening but still
no second coming may lead some to give up their hope of the Lord's return, at
least in their heart, and become bitter with each other. Such is the strength
of our tendency towards friction within the ecclesia: even in the very very last few days before the Lord comes, this sort of
thing will not only be likely to be going on, but will even be increasing.
The parable of the servant beating the fellow-servant on the eve of the Lord's return
(and many other such indications) fit in with this all too well.
(vi) Daniel stands in his (priestly)
lot- he inherits the priestly "lot" in Israel which was his, but
which he never received in his mortal life. The exact timing of Pentecost
depends on the state of the harvest- it wasn't therefore exactly 50 days after
Passover. There are two feasts of Pentecost or harvest in our chronology- one
just before the tribulation begins in earnest and one at the very end. There
may be a connection here with the two latter day harvests described in Rev.
14:14-20. It may be that those who don't need to go through the tribulation are
taken away, or 'harvested' and somehow the intervening time gap is collapsed
for them, so that finally all the faithful are judged and immortalized
together, at the same moment. Should this happen, it would be a sure sign that
the understanding of the remnant was absolutely on the right track. Once the
effects of the latter day judgments will have finally cleared up, the Passover
will be kept which will signal the beginning of the Kingdom and the
celebration of the complete victory of God over His enemies.
9:11 Often,
Angels are described in terms of the men, empires or armies they control- the
frequent descriptions of human armies in language which refers to Angels too
provides proof of this (e. g. Is. 66:15; Ez. 26:7,10; Joel 2:5; Nahum
2:3,4,13). Rev. 9:11 is another example: "They (the Arabs?) had a king
over them, which IS the Angel of the bottomless pit". This Angel is both a
Heavenly Angel and the earthly leader over which the Angel has charge. Rev.
9:16 says that "the number of the army of the horsemen were two
hundred thousand thousand"- cp. "thousand
thousands" of Angels in Dan. 7:10. Rev. 9:17 continues: "horses. . .
and them that sat on them". Horses and riders in Rev. 6 and Zechariah have
clear Angelic connections (Chapter 11); "the heads of the horses were as
the heads of lions"- lions and Angels are linked in Rev. 9:17; 10:1,3.
There are also several word plays upon and indirect allusions to Caesar worship in Revelation. Rev. 9:11 is an example- the condemned King of the bottomless pit is called "Apollyon", which G.B. Caird takes to be an allusion to Domitian, "who liked to be regarded as Apollo incarnate".
9:13- see on Jn. 16:23.
9:13-15-
see on Job 4:18
Rev.
9:13-15 horns- Horns are connected with Angels in Zech. 1:18; Hab. 3:4, and by
the four horns on the altar suggesting reference to the Angel cherubim.
Rev.
9:13-15: "I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar (i. e.
from the mighty Angel that dwelt there?). . . saying to the sixth Angel. . .
loose the four Angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates. And the
four Angels were loosed, which were prepared for an hour, and a day. . .
". There seems no reason to doubt that these, along with most other
mentions of 'Angels' in Revelation, can be taken as literal Angels. The
fact that they were "loosed" implies a possible restraint from
action- as if the action they desired to take was held back by another
("the sixth") Angel "preparing" or 'adjusting' (Greek) them
for a certain period.
9:13,14 God
Himself has a close interest in and control of the work of His Angels; thus in
Rev. 9:13,14 we read of the sixth Angel sounding, wanting to bring about
certain things on the earth. The response to this was "a voice from the
four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth Angel
which had the trumpet, Loose the four Angels which are bound in the great river
Euphrates". This voice was probably either from Christ (the altar), as the
head of the Angels, or God Himself; or maybe a mighty Angel representing God or
Christ. It instructed the Angel how to bring about His intention by bringing
other Angels into operation which this sixth Angel presumably had in its
control- hence they were to be "loosed" by Him.
9:14 Rev.
9:14 commands: “Loose the four angels which are bound at the great river
Euphrates” (R.V.). They then eagerly go forward to prepare the way for the
second coming. The implication is surely that those Angels were geographically
bound / limited in the scope of their work by the Euphrates River- and yet in
their eagerness to progress the timetable of events leading to the last day,
they yearned to go beyond that limitation. The reference to “the Angel of the
waters” likewise suggests that an Angel was operative in one geographical area.
It could be that as the future elohim we likewise will have areas of
geographical influence in the age to come- the “cities” over which we are given
dominion.
The
latter day invasion from the Euphrates (i.e. geographical Babylon) will result
in men being killed by fire, smoke and brimstone (Rev. 9:14,18)- nuclear
language?
9:14- see
on Ps. 78:49; Lk. 1:10,11.
9:16 Rev. 9:14-18 describes how 200,000,000 horsemen came from just beyond the Euphrates (i.e. Babylon/Assyria), using "fire and smoke and brimstone" to punish God's apostate people. "By these three was the third part of men killed" , suggesting that this invading army has three aspects to its work. The huge number of horsemen must allude to the "great company" of horsemen of Ez. 38:4, which is rooted in the Assyrian invasion. The 200,000,000 horsemen of Rev. 9:16 may correspond to the fact that secular history records the strength of the Assyrian army which came against Jerusalem as being 200,000 men. See on Rev. 16:16.
9:20
We should not think that the majority
of Israel will repent: only a tiny minority will (Is. 6:13). The plagues on the
earth / land prophesied in Revelation suggest that despite so much horrendous
tribulation, " the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues
yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship
devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone and of wood; which
neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: neither repented they of their murders...
sorceries... fornication... thefts" (Rev. 9:20,21). There are at least 10
references here back to the sins of Israel in Old Testament times. The suggestion
therefore is that as Israel failed to heed God's pleading with them in the
past, both through prophets and judgments, neither will they (generally) in
Jacob's final time of trouble. There is, however, the definite Biblical
teaching that a remnant will repent.
10:1 It is
quite possible that the Angel of Rev. 10:1 who descends from Heaven in a cloud
with a face like the sun, holding the books of judgement is referring to
Christ's second coming in person. Christ is called "The messenger (Heb.
'malak', the Angel) of the covenant" (Mal. 3:1).
10:9- see
on Rev. 11:3.
11:1 Rev.
11:1 speaks of a command to measure the temple- and immediately our minds are
sent back to the temple being measured in such detail in Ez. 40:10, 21,22 etc.
Is this to be read as a sign that we are about to receive another conditional
prophecy? Assuming that Revelation was given just prior to the fall of
Jerusalem in AD70, we could read the ensuing prophecy in Rev. 11 as saying that
although Jerusalem and the outer court would fall to the Romans, the zealots in
the inner sanctuary would be preserved, and a command to repentance would be
issued by two prophets. Now of course, this didn't happen; but perhaps it
could've done, potentially? Consider the possibility- both here and in so many
other Bible passages.
A case can even be made that the compilation of Luke’s
Gospel record of the Olivet prophecy, as well as sections of Revelation, were
released throughout the period of Titus’ encirclement of Jerusalem in the lead
up to AD70. The encouragement to flee Jerusalem whilst it was still possible
(Lk. 21:20,21) would have been urgent commands to be fulfilled immediately upon
receipt. And then Rev. 11:1 could imply that by the time of the prophecy’s
release, the Roman attack on the outer court of the temple had already begun. A
lot of work remains to be done in working out how this mass of Scripture could
have been received by the faithful within Jerusalem in AD67-70, and read as
directly relevant to them, requiring immediate response.
11:2 The holy city [Jerusalem] to be
trampled for 42 months = Lk. 21:24 "Jerusalem will be trampled on by the
Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled". The "times
of the Gentiles" are therefore the 42 months. "From Spring of 67 to
August of 70, the time of formal imperial engagement against Jerusalem is a
period of 42 months". John "measures" the inner temple, altar
and worshippers - for protection (Ez. 22:26; Zech. 2:1-5). Thus the external
temple perishes but the spiritual reality- the true worshippers, the new
Israel- are preserved. This is what happened in AD70.
11:2 The holy city - This is one of a series of allusions in this section to the crucifixion, for this same phrase is used about Jerusalem in the context of the crucifixion (Mt. 27:53). The prophecies of persecution in Revelation are shot through with references to the crucifixion; to encourage the people of God that in those persecutions they are in fact sharing in the sufferings of Christ, and will surely likewise share in His resurrection and eternal life. This theme will have especial reference to those who endure the final tribulation- for they are the generation who perhaps will never taste death and will move directly from sharing His crucifixion sufferings to sharing His resurrection glory and eternal life. Rev. 4:4,10; 5:6,8,14 associate the 24 elders falling down in worship with what happened when Christ died and / or ascended to Heaven; but here, that is said to happen during the time of tribulation (:16). The dead bodies lying in the streets of Jerusalem (:8) recalls Mt. 27:52. The description of Jerusalem as Sodom And Egypt [both OT descriptions of Jerusalem in apostacy] seems almost angry; exactly because the reference is to Jerusalem being the city which killed Jesus (Mt. 23:37). The dead bodies being on display (:9) is apparently what happened in Mt. 27:52- the graves in Jerusalem opened in the earthquake at the death of Christ with the corpses as it were on display, and the bodies arose out of them at His resurrection. Not suffering bodies to be put in graves (:9) is language associated with crucifixion victims, whose bodies were usually cast out from Golgotha into Gehenna. The suffering believers are thereby likened to crucifixion victims. Death for three days (:9) is the same period Jesus lay dead. A case can even be made that He was dead three and a half days rather than 72 hours. "Great fear fell upon" (:11) the persecutors of the saints just as it did upon those who witnessed the resurrection of the crucified Christ (Mt. 27:54; 28:4). Ascension to Heaven in a cloud (:12) evidently recalls that of the Lord Jesus; the earthquake of :13 recalls that of Mt. 27:54. The temple being opened in :19 clearly refers to the veil being rent at the crucifixion (Mt. 27:51). These connections aren't neatly chronological; the point is that the lives of the suffering believers were connected with the sufferings of Christ in various ways and times. Their suffering was riddled with connection and allusion to the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus, just as our lives are, as like Paul we seek to fill up what is lacking in us of the crucifixion sufferings of Jesus. The connection between the sufferings of the last days and the crucifixion sufferings of the Lord are made apparent especially in Mk. 13. "It is done" (16:17) sounds very much like "It is finished". The Olivet prophecy as recorded in Mark 13 has many allusions to the sufferings of our Lord, thereby suggesting that our sufferings during the coming tribulation will make us fellowship the cross as never before. The whole idea of darkness, earthquake, open graves, rocks shaking etc, which we read of in the Olivet and other last day prophecies is evidently the langauge of the crucifxion. The description of suffering before " the end" comes (Mk. 13:7,13; Mt. 24:14) invites connection with Christ's death also being described as " the end" , coming as it did after a period of suffering (Mt. 26:58; Lk. 22:37; Jn. 13:1). This connection is strengthened by the way in which each record of the Olivet prophecy leads straight on into the sufferings of the Lord Jesus. Mt. 24:13 commenends those who endure to the end- of the great tribulation. The same word occurs in Heb. 12:2,3 about Christ enduring the cross- we fellowship the cross during the last day tribulation. The word in Mt. 24:29 for “the tribulation” is used in Col. 1:24 about the afflictions of Christ.
" They shall deliver you up to the councils... |
As Christ to the Sannhedrin |
beaten... |
Christ buffeted |
rulers and kings for a testimony... |
Chief priests, Herod, Pilate |
brother shall betray the brother... |
Judas; Peter's denial? |
turn back to take up his garment... |
John Mark's linen garment |
false Christs... |
Barabbas |
the sun shall be darkened... |
As at the crucifixion |
watch and pray... |
" Watch with me" ; Gethsemane |
at even... |
Last Supper |
at midnight... |
Gethsemane |
at the cock crowing... |
Peter's denials |
in the morning... |
Trial and crucifixion |
find you sleeping" |
Disciples in Gethsemane |
11:3
The
Two Witnesses
The
context of this vision is set by 10:9, where John eats the little book. This
must refer back to Jeremiah's enthusiastic 'eating' of the book of the Law when
it was found (2 Chron.34:18). He later reflected upon this: "Thy words
were found, and I did eat them" (Jer. 15:16) by enthusiastically studying
and preaching them. The words John ate were the "seven thunders"
which he was told not to record in words (Rev. 10:4), presumably because the
final tribulation they described was not to be understood by any generation
except the very last one. The taste of the word to John was like honey-
indicating the joy and exaltation of spirit which comes from receiving an understanding
of the word; yet in reality it was bitter (Rev. 11:10), due to his having to
"Prophecy (preach) again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues,
and kings" (v.11). The reluctance of John, representing us in the last
days, to get involved in this world-wide witnessing is hinted at by "Thou must
prophecy...". Such language recalls Jeremiah and
the prophets (often initially unwilling also) spreading their message to
nations and kings, and also the spirit of first century apostolic preaching. Both
these groups did so amidst great persecution; as we will too? John's eating of
the book also looks back to Ez.2:8, where Ezekiel had to do this at the
beginning of his preaching ministry to an apostate Israel in captivity. This
may hint that our latter day preaching to all nations will especially focus
upon the Jews among them, and those persecuted Jews within the land itself.
The
vision of the two witnesses carries straight on, describing in more detail what
10:8-11 has summarized. The downtreading of the Holy
City (literal Jerusalem) will be for 42 months. During that time, the witnesses
prophecy for a parallel period of 1,260 days- both periods equivalent to three
and a half years (Rev. 11:2,3). The two witnesses may either represent the Jews
and the Christians, or two individual leaders of the saints who each
concentrate respectively on preaching to Jews or Gentiles. "Fire
proceedeth out of their mouth... they have power to shut Heaven... and have
power over waters to turn them to blood, and to smite the earth with all
plagues" (11:6). These descriptions have clear reference back to Elijah
and Moses- both of whom spoke the word of God during time of great persecution
of God's true witnesses.
We
have seen that other Scriptures describe a three and a half year period of
persecution by the beast. This is matched in Rev. 11 by the three and a half
year witnessing in sackcloth, with the power to bring plagues on their enemies.
This would equate the witnesses with Moses and the faithful Israelites in Egypt
undergoing persecution, at a time when Egypt (cp. the latter day world) was
very prosperous (treasure cities etc.). The sackcloth suggests fasting and
prayer- for their deliverance through the Lord's return. It has been suggested
elsewhere that the second coming is dependent on the intensity of our prayers.
To allow the Lord's return to happen, it seems we need this tribulation to
vitalize our community's prayer life. In
the last days, God’s faithful people will be given a mouth and wisdom which
their persecutors will be unable to gainsay nor resist (Lk. 21:15). This
evidently alludes to how Moses before Pharaoh was given such a ‘mouth’ (Ex.
4:15). Moses at that time was a type of the faithful remnant of their last
days, in their witness against the world during the tribulation. Hence Rev. 11
describes their witness in terms of Moses doing miracles before Pharaoh.
"When
they shall have finished their (three and a half year) testimony, the beast...
shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them"
(11:7)- a final, furious bout of persecution which brings about the destruction
of the beast. It is because of this latter day orgy of killing the saints that
the woman riding the beast was "drunken with the blood of the saints (the
latter day true Christian community?), and (also) with the blood of the martyrs
(witnesses- the two particular ones of Rev.11?) of Jesus" (17:6). The
witnesses 'testifying' suggests association with their prototype John, who was
persecuted for his obedience to and preaching of "the word of God and of
the testimony of Jesus Christ" (Rev.1:2,9) in the last days before the
Lord's 'coming' in AD70. John was encouraged in his tribulation by being given
such a deep understanding of prophecy; and his latter day counterparts may be
blessed likewise. The "souls under the altar" which we have
previously considered were "slain for the word of God,
and for the testimony which they held" (6:9), which cements the link
between them and the apostle John's descriptions of his sufferings.
The
dragon/ beast made war with the seed of the woman "which keep the
commandments (word) of God, and have the testimony (i.e. preaching) of
Jesus" (12:17); it was because of " the word of their testimony (i.e.
preaching) (that) they loved not their lives unto the death" (12:11),
indicating that Rev.12 also has reference to this last day persecution.
Interestingly, the Angel says that he is a fellowservant
and brother of them "that have the testimony (preaching) of Jesus"
(19:10), i.e. the witnesses- as if the Angels who are with the witnesses in the
tribulation are so near us that they almost feel our sufferings.
It
would seem that the murder of these two witnesses takes place in Jerusalem,
which is spiritual Sodom (Is.1:10; 3:1,9; Jer.23:14; Lam.4:6; Ez.16:46-56; Amos
4:11) and Egypt (Ez.23:19-22). This point is clinched by its description as
"where also our Lord was crucified". "They of
the people (of Israel?) and kindreds and
tongues and nations (those preached to in 10:11) shall see their dead bodies three
days (literal ones?) and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be
put in graves" (11:9). This seems a designed contrast to Stephen, the
first martyr for preaching the Christian Gospel, whose body was also stared
upon, but who was allowed to be buried. There are a number of similarities in
Rev.11 with the events in Sodom. "The God of the earth" of v.4
clearly connects with "Shall not the judge of all the earth do
right?" in Gen.18:25. The two Angels (cp. the two Angel-supported
witnesses) were warned not to abide in the street (cp. Rev.11:8) for fear of
violence being done to them; the city is spiritually called Sodom (11:8). These
references to Sodom and Egypt, both types of the last days, confirm that Rev.11
also has a latter day application.
The
persecution period in which the dead bodies lie in the street lasts three and a
half days; this may indicate a final persecution at the end of the three and a
half years. This is followed by the resurrection of the witnesses, after a
brief period of rejoicing by the world that these people whose Spirit gifts had
plagued them were now no more (by all means compare this with the rejoicing of
the world in the three days in which Christ lay dead). The witnesses then hear
a great voice, and ascend to Heaven in a cloud in the sight of their enemies
(11:12). This surely connects with the transporting of the saints through the
clouds to meet the Lord, as detailed in 1 Thess.4:15-17. There are also links
with Rev.1:7- a shout (cp. 1 Thess.4:16), a cloud, being seen by enemies. We
know that Rev.1:7 is concerning the second coming. It is tempting to interpret
the great earthquake and repentance of a remnant in 11:13 as referring also to
the Lord's coming, accompanied as it will be by a literal earthquake which
affects Jerusalem (Zech.14:1-4), heralding the repentance of the Jewish remnant
as described in Rom.11. The seventh Angel then sounds, declaring that the
Kingdom has come (n.b. "are become- now- the Kingdoms of our Lord").
There
seem a number of points of contact in Rev.11 with our Lord's sufferings. The
great fear that fell upon them who saw the resurrected witnesses recalls the
fear of those who saw the risen Lord (Mt. 28:4,5,8).
Had it not been for Nicodemus' bold request, the Lord's body would have been
thrown into Gehenna. Compare this with the bodies being unburied in 11:9, as if
to imply they had been crucified. Thus in our sufferings we will really feel
crucified with Christ, and therefore have great peace from knowing that if we
suffer with Him, we will also reign with Him.
The
plaguing of our persecutors as Moses and Aaron plagued Egypt further
strengthens the impression that Israel's experience in Egypt is the prototype
for the coming tribulation. The world's brief rejoicing at the apparent death
of the witnesses corresponds to Egypt's glee that Israel had left and were
trapped at the Red Sea. The rejoicing over the slaughtered saints by the
nations of the beast in 11:10 is echoed later by the holy apostles and prophets
rejoicing over the destruction of Babylon (18:20)- as if the sufferings of the
saints are later brought upon their persecutors. This may be the reason why
there are such similarities between the seven vials and the seven trumpets, if
the vials refer largely to the judgments to come upon the world, and the
trumpets to the latter day tribulation of the saints. See on Rev. 8:7.
11:3 Rev.
11:3 give power- the Angels often give evidence to men that they are at work;
thus the Angel of Rev. 11:3 says "I will give power unto My two witnesses".
The witnesses here are witnesses to the work of the Angel, not to the Truth.
This overcomes the problem of the "witnesses" mentioned by
traditional expositors not holding the full truth. God- the Angels- do not
leave themselves without witness to the pagan world , but send them rain and
seasons (Acts 14:17). Job and other Scriptures stress how rain and seasons
especially are the work of the Angels.
The two witnesses of Rev. 11:3 make their witness [and will
make it during the latter day tribulation?] “clothed in sackcloth”- a symbol of
repentance and recognition of sin (Gen. 37:34; Jer
4:8; Jonah 3:5; Mk. 2:20). Their own personal repentance and acceptance of
God’s gracious forgiveness was the basis of their appeal to others. And is it
going too far to understand that if these “two witnesses” do indeed represent
the latter day witness of true Christianity, it will be made on the basis of a
genuine repentance by us, brought about by the experiences of the holocaust to
come?
11:4 Zech.
4 contained a vision of Joshua and Zerubbabel,
likened to two olive trees which emptied their oil into the seven branched
candlestick, representing the ecclesia of Judah. They represented the kingly
and priestly offices. The whole ‘lightstand’ depended
upon these two anointed ones, these providers of oil, and the fact they both in
various ways failed to deliver true faith and spirituality meant that the
victory over the world which the vision also prophesied could not come about;
the final fulfilment had to come through the Lord
Jesus, who was the ultimate Priest (cp. Joshua-Jesus) and Prince of Judah (cp. Zerubbabel). This prophecy could have been fulfilled at the
restoration; but when we read in Rev. 11:4 that “These are the two olive trees
and the two candlesticks”, is the Lord not saying that now He has redefined and
rescheduled the fulfilment of that vision in a latter
day context?
11:5 The two witnesses of Rev.
11:5,6 have power to shut heaven and bring fire upon their enemies - clearly
alluding to Elijah. His bringing down fire was against people of
his own Jewish race who were persecuting him (2 Kings 1:9-12), suggesting that
the Elijah ministry will be bitterly opposed by many Jews, after the pattern of
Jeremiah's persecution during the Babylonian invasion.
11:7-
see on Rev. 6:10.
11:8 Rev.11:8 speaks of the dead bodies of these latter
day witnesses lying dead in the streets of spiritual Sodom- indicating that
some will die during this great appeal (cp. Lk. 21:6)? The dead bodies of the latter day
witnesses are left in the street of the city "where also our Lord
was crucified" (Rev.11:8)- see on Mk. 13:13.
The city called Sodom and Egypt =
Jerusalem, in line with OT imagery. Note too how Israel's judgments in Rev. 8
are based on the plagues that came upon Egypt.
11:11 There is a general, outline theme throughout
Revelation that the righteous are gathered after they go through the
judgments, implying we will experience them, although it would be possible,
were we more spiritual, that we could be spared them (Rev. 7:9-17; 11:11,12;
14:13-16; 19:1-10). Thus although the types of Israel in Egypt, the faithful in
Hezekiah's Jerusalem, Noah shut in the ark etc. suggest that the faithful will
be spared the judgments, the fact is they will need the experience
of the judgments to make them more spiritual, and therefore ultimately these
types may not come true: they will only speak of what was possible. Evidently
the latter day ecclesia will not be as strong as God would wish it to be.
11:12- see on 1 Thess. 4:17.
11:15 Satan's Kingdom has members, those
he is king over [see on Lk. 11:18]. His Kingdom is the people of this world,
those dominated by the fleshly mind. When the Kingdoms of this world become
those of God at the second coming (Rev. 11:15), this is more than a physical
handover of political authority. "The earth is the Lord's, and the
fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein" (Ps. 24:1). The
political power in the world is ultimately God's even now (Rom. 13:1-4). The
idea of a handover of the Kingdoms of this world to God must therefore refer to
the end of Satan's power; no longer will the world be structured around the
desires of the flesh, but around the principles of God. Satan's Kingdom is not
a political Kingdom, but an influence, a way of thinking, life lived according
to certain principles, permeating every part of a man's thinking and behaviour.
The Kingdom of God is the antithesis of Satan's Kingdom. The fact Satan's
Kingdom exists now and is the antithesis of the true Kingdom is proof enough
that in some sense the Kingdom of God exists in some non-political sense now,
although of course this will be politically manifested at the Lord's return.
God's Kingdom exists in the same sense as Satan's; as an influence, a way of
thinking, life lived according to certain principles, permeating every part of
a man's thinking and behaviour. This is why the Lord's parables describing the
Kingdom of God refer not to the political Kingdom, but to His ways and
principles as they should operate in our lives today. The Kingdom of God in
this non-political sense was taken from the Jews and given to us, so that we
might bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom (Mt. 21:43). The political Kingdom
had already been taken from Israel (Ez. 21:27).
11:17 This said, let me outline the thesis: God can do anything, He is omnipotent. But He chooses to limit His omnipotence in order to allow man total freewill. Therefore effectively, how far God will fulfil His purpose depends upon how far we are obedient to Him. Thus Israel limited the Holy One of Israel (Ps. 78:41). Only at the return of the Lord Jesus will God 'take to Himself His great power' (Rev. 11:17)- which language of itself suggests that God has chosen to limit His omnipotence for the moment. Of course, God can act quite independently of us; He has the sovereign right and ability to act as He likes, and achieve His objectives how He likes. But it seems that God chooses to limit His ability to do this. We have complete freewill, and God works with us individually in proportion as we work with Him. We have genuine choice, not only as to whether to serve God, but how and on what level and to what extent we serve Him, within the salvation we experience in Christ.
11:18 The nations will be angry, and the wrath of God also
will rise (Rev. 11:18). When their iniquity has reached a certain level, then
judgment will fall (cp. Sodom and the Amorites, Gen. 15:16).
11:19 That
the throne of God is represented by the ark of the covenant is shown by
comparing Rev. 11:19 and 4:1-5:
|
Rev. 11:19 |
Rev. 4:1-5 |
|
"The temple of God was opened in Heaven" |
"A door was opened in Heaven" |
|
"There was seen in the temple the ark of His testament" |
"A throne was set in Heaven, and one sat on the throne. . . there was a rainbow round about the throne". |
|
"There were lightnings, and voices and thunderings" |
"Out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices" |
The throne
in Rev. 4 was surrounded by cherubim, as was the "throne" of the ark
of the covenant.
12:5 She
was who the people of Israel were intended to be, and thus she becomes our
representative Peter Watkins in his excellent book Exploring The Apocalypse sees the woman of
Revelation 12 as a symbol of the church expressed in terms of Mary- for it was
her who gave birth to “the man child” Jesus, who is to subdue the nations with
a rod of iron (Rev. 12:5 = 2:27; 19:15). The stars around her head would, if we
let Scripture interpret Scripture, refer to Israel (Gen. 37). There are many
links between Revelation and John’s Gospel, and thus it may be significant that
in Jn. 19:25-27 Jesus calls Mary “Woman” and then in Revelation, He uses the
same title for the “woman” who bears the man child. Yet the point of Revelation
12 is surely to show us from Heaven’s point of view the huge disruption in the
universe caused by the birth of Jesus that night in Bethlehem. A baby’s birth,
brought about by the quiet faith and indefatigable ambition of a teenage girl,
shattered the whole cosmos. This is really what happens when we perform acts of
faith based on slowly developed spiritual understanding. We do things which
have cosmic consequences. See on Lk. 1:28.
12:7 The
war in Heaven here can be interpreted as a change over
in power between one group of Angels and another when the Mosaic system was
finally ended in AD70- full documentation in “Angels” sections 12-7 and 12-8-
see http://www.aletheiacollege.net/angels/angels12_7.htm
and http://www.aletheiacollege.net/angels/angels12_8.htm
Michael and the Great Dragon
Comments
1.
Angels cannot sin and that there can be no rebellion in heaven. Thus this
passage – which is the only one of its kind – must be interpreted in a way that
does not involve angels sinning or there being sinful angels making people sin
on earth, seeing that sin comes from within us, not from outside of us (Mk.
7:20–23).
2.
The serpent is cast out of heaven, implying it was originally there. But the
literal serpent in Eden was created by God out of the dust of the earth (Gen.
1:24–25). There is no implication that the Devil came down from heaven and got
inside the serpent. The language of “cast down” and “cast out” does not require
literal downwards movement – Babylon is “thrown down” in Rev. 18:21. The O.T.
basis of “cast out” is in the nations / beasts being cast out from God’s
presence in the land of Israel. In Rev. 12 we have another woman in the
wilderness, who enters the Kingdom [cp. The land] once the beast is cast out.
In Dan. 7:9 the thrones of the beast / kingdoms are “cast down” before God’s
Kingdom is established on earth, just as the beast is cast down before the establishment
of the Kingdom in Rev. 12. The idea of being cast out of Heaven was and is
common in Semitic languages and even wider culture for a loss of power – thus
Cicero comments about Mark Anthony: “You have hurled your colleagues down from
heaven”.
3.
Note carefully that there is no reference here to angels sinning or rebelling
against God, only to a war in heaven.
4.
After the drama of vv. 7–9, v. 10 says that there was “a loud voice saying in
heaven, now is
come salvation and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His
Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before
our God day and night”. If vv. 7–9 occurred at the beginning of the world,
before the time of Adam and Eve, how could it be said that after Satan’s fall
there came salvation and the kingdom of God? After Adam’s sin, mankind began
his sad history of slavery to sin and failure – a state hardly to be described
as “salvation” and the kingdom of God. There is rejoicing that the Devil – the
accuser – has been cast down to earth. Why should there be rejoicing if his
coming to earth was the start of sin and disaster for man? If a fall from
heaven to earth is understood figuratively rather than literally, as
representing a fall from authority (as Is. 14:12; Jer. 51:53; Lam. 2:1; Mt.
11:23), much more sense can be made of all this. If all this happened before
the time of Adam, or at
least
before the fall of man, how could the Devil have been accusing “our brethren”,
seeing they did not then exist?
5.
There is nothing indicating that all this happened in the Garden of Eden. A
vital point is made in Revelation 1:1 and 4:1 – that the Revelation is a
prophecy of “things which must shortly come to pass”. It is not therefore a
description of what happened in Eden, but a prophecy of things to happen at
some time after the first century, when the Revelation was given by Jesus. Any
who are truly humble to the Word will see that this argument alone precludes
all attempts to refer Revelation 12 to the Garden of Eden. The question has
also to be answered as to why the identity of the Devil and information about
what happened in Eden should be reserved until the end of the Bible before
being revealed.
6.
“The great dragon was... that old serpent” (Rev. 12:9). The dragon had “seven
heads and ten horns” (v. 3), therefore it was not literally the serpent. It
being called “that old serpent” shows that it had the characteristics of that
serpent in Eden, in the sense of being a deceiver, as the serpent was. Thus the
Devil is not literally the serpent. If it is, then the dragon is the snake. But
the dragon is a political power, manifesting sin 9satan). Pharaoh is likened to
a great dragon (Ez. 32:2) but we can’t reason that therefore he was a literal
dragon. Similarly, “the sting of death is sin” (1 Cor. 15:56), but that does
not mean that death is a literal snake. It has the characteristics of the
snake, through its association with sin.
7.
The Devil was cast down onto the earth and was extremely aggressive “because he
knoweth that he hath but a short time” (v. 12). If the Devil was cast down in
Eden, he has had the opportunity to torment man throughout his long history –
which is hardly having only “a short time” in which to wreak havoc.
8.
How could the Devil have deceived “the whole world” (v. 9) before he was thrown
out of heaven seeing that there was no one in the world before Adam?
9.
Verse 4 says that the dragon drew a third of the stars of heaven to the earth
with his tail. If this is read literally – and Revelation 12 has to be read
literally to support the Popular Interpretation – the sheer size of the dragon
is immense – a third of the whole universe (or solar system at least) could be
contained just on his tail. There is no way the planet earth would be big enough
to contain such huge creature sprawling over it. Most of the stars of the solar
system are bigger than our earth – how then could a third of them land on
earth? And remember that all this happened, or will happen, after the first
century A.D., when this prophecy was given.
10.
In view of this and many other things in Revelation 12 (and the whole prophecy)
which are just incapable of any literal fulfilment, it is not surprising that
we are told first of all (Rev. 1:1) that this is a message that has been
“signified” – i.e. put into sign language, or symbol. As if to emphasize this
in the context of Revelation 12, Revelation 12:1 describes the subsequent
action as “a great sign” (A.V. margin).
11.
In reading of what the Devil does when he is on the earth, there is no
description of him causing people to sin; indeed, vs. 12–16 show that the Devil
was unsuccessful in his attempts to cause trouble on earth once he arrived
there. This contradicts the popular interpretation.
12.
One of the key questions in understanding whether this passage supports the
idea of a literal war in heaven, is whether the “heaven” spoken of here is
literal or figurative. We explained earlier that “heaven” can figuratively
refer to a place of authority (see “Suggested Explanation” No. 7 of Eph.
6:11–13). Revelation being such a symbolic book, we would expect this to be the
case here.
13.
In their eagerness to show that Rev. 12:7–9 refers to fallen angels at the
beginning of the world, apologists for a personal Satan have rather overlooked
the context of the passage. A woman in Heaven, in the agony of childbirth and
resting her feet on the moon, is faced by a dragon, whose tail throws down a
third of the stars of Heaven to earth (Rev. 12:4). She gives birth, and the
child “was caught up unto God, and to his throne” (Rev. 12:5). Clearly enough
the “heaven” where all this occurs isn’t the “heaven” where God lives and where
His throne is. Next we read of a power struggle “in heaven”, and the dragon and
his angels are “cast out” (Rev. 12:9). The dragon throws one third of the stars
of Heaven to earth – are these Angels? If so, how come the dragon and not God
casts them to earth? That’s quite the opposite of the scenario painted in Paradise Lost. How can a
literalistic reading of this passage cope with the two episodes of Angels being cast down to
earth? At the very least, care in thought and exposition is clearly lacking in
the orthodox reading of this passage. The woman, who is never recorded as
leaving “Heaven”, then flees “into the wilderness” (Rev. 12:6). Once the dragon
is cast to the earth, then he starts persecuting the woman by hissing huge
volumes of water at her (Rev. 12:13). The earth opens and swallows this water
(Rev. 12:16) – even though the woman is never recorded as losing her “in
heaven” status. All this is reason enough to not interpret “heaven” and “earth”
in this passage in any literal manner. The appearance of the woman and dragon
“in heaven” is described as a semeion,
a “sign”, something that needs to be interpreted, rather than a literal fact
(Rev. 12:1,3).
14.
When we read that the Devil–dragon “deceives” people, this is defined more
specifically in Rev. 19:20 as referring to deceiving people in the very last
days by false miracles worked in conjunction with the “false prophet”. Thus the
deceit is not to be understood as a general inciting of humanity to sin in
their hearts – the deceit is specified as occurring only in the last days,
immediately prior to the Kingdom of God being established.
15.
The Greek word ballo
translated “cast out” doesn’t necessarily mean to throw down – Greek has words for
this specific idea and it’s significant that they’re not used here. Here are a
few examples of the usage of ballo,
showing that it really means to expel or re-place:
–
A wind “arose” (Acts 27:14); a crowd “threw” dust up into the air (Acts 22:23); a sword is “put
up” into a
sheath (Jn. 18:11) imply the word can mean to throw up as well as to throw down.
–
Men “cast” stones (Jn. 8:7,59), “strike” another man on the face (Mk. 14:65),
“put” fingers in the ear (Mk. 7:33), people “lay” upon a bed (Mt. 8:6,14; 9:2;
Mk. 7:30) – horizontal movement.
–
We “put” bits into the mouths of horses (James 3:3) – no vertical movement
there. Thomas “thrust” his hand into the Lord’s side (Jn. 20:27).
–
Believers were “cast” into prison (Acts 16:24,37; Rev. 2:10) – the idea of
vertical movement isn’t there. Likewise love “casts out” fear (1 Jn. 4:18).
–
The dragon casts water out of his mouth (Rev. 12:15,16), horizontally along the
ground. Here the word clearly doesn’t mean to throw down from a height – and the same word is
used in that context for the Devil being “cast out”, i.e. ejected, from Heaven.
–
Men “cast” dust on their own heads (Rev. 18:19).
16.
The language of ‘war’ is surely metaphor rather than literal description. What
begins as a literal battle ends as a legal one, as the metaphor changes to the
law court, with accusers, judge and Satan’s case rejected. If the legal language
isn’t to be taken literally, why should the ‘war’ language be so literal?
The
Chronological Problem
The
woman of v. 1 is “clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon
her head a crown of twelve stars”. These heavenly bodies, as well as the woman,
apparently suspended in heaven, cannot be literal. She could not literally be
clothed with the sun, or have stars as big as the earth on her literal head.
Another
sign appears in heaven in v. 3 – a red dragon. This is commonly taken as a
literal heaven, but why should it be, seeing that the same heaven is referred
to in v. 1 and that is clearly figurative? Verse 4 shows the dragon casting a
third of the stars of heaven to earth. We have seen that because of the size of
the stars and earth, this cannot therefore refer to literal stars or heaven.
The Kingdom of God is to be established on earth (Dan. 2:44; Mt. 5:5), which
will not be possible if the earth is destroyed (which it would be) by huge
stars falling onto it.
The
woman in “heaven” then delivered her child, who was “caught up unto God and to
his throne” (v. 5). God’s throne is in heaven. If the woman was already in
heaven, why would her child have to be “caught up” to heaven? She must have
been a symbol of something on earth, although in a figurative “heaven”. She
then flees “into the wilderness” (v. 6). If she was in literal heaven, this
means there is a wilderness in heaven. It is far more fitting for her to be in
a figurative heavenly place, and then flee to a literal or figurative
wilderness on the earth.
We
then come to v. 7 – “there was war in heaven”. All other references to “heaven”
in Revelation 12 having been figurative, it seems only consistent that this was
war in a figurative heaven. This must be the case, as there can be no rebellion
or sin in literal heaven (Mt. 6:10; Ps. 5:4–5; Hab. 1:13). The common view
claims that wicked angels are locked up in hell; but here they are in heaven.
They are not therefore literal angels.
I sometimes
ask those who believe in the orthodox idea of the Devil the following question:
‘Can you give me a brief Biblical history of the Devil, according to your
interpretation of Bible passages? The response is highly contradictory.
According to ‘orthodox’ reasoning, the answer has to be something like this:
a)
The Devil was an angel in heaven who was thrown out into the garden
of Eden. He was thrown to earth in Gen. 1.
b)
He is supposed to have come to earth and married in Gen 6.
c)
At the time of Job he is said to have had access to both heaven and earth.
d)
By the time of Is. 14 he is thrown out of heaven onto earth.
e)
In Zech. 3 he is in heaven again.
f)
He is on earth in Mt. 4.
g)
He is “cast out” at the time of Jesus’ death, according to the popular view of
“the prince of this world” being “cast out” at that time.
h)
There is a prophecy of the Devil being ‘cast out’ in Rev. 12.
i)
The Devil is “chained” in Rev. 20, but he and his angels were chained in
Genesis, according to the common view of Jude 6. If he was bound with ‘eternal
chains’ then, how is he chained up again in Rev. 20?
From
this it should be obvious that the popular view that the Devil was cast out of
heaven for sinning cannot be true, seeing that he is described as still being
in heaven after each occurrence of being ‘cast out’. It is vital to understand
both heaven and the Devil in a figurative sense.
“That
old serpent”
“That
old serpent” (Rev. 12:9) is often misread to mean that the original serpent in
the Garden of Eden is now a dragon in the sky. But care in thought and Biblical
exposition is lacking in such a view. The orthodox understanding is that Satan
sinned in Heaven, and was thrown down to earth, where he tempted Eve in the
form of a serpent. But Rev. 12:9 is a prophecy of the future, just prior to the
return of Christ to earth, saying that then
there will be a conflict “in heaven” – which we understand to be figurative
language. The orthodox interpretation does violence to the obvious chronology,
and is evidently an opportunistic grabbing hold of Biblical phrases with no
attention at all to their context, and stringing them together to justify popular
Christianity’s adoption of Jewish and pagan myths about the Devil. In passing,
note how Gen. 3:15 prophesies that God will
put hostility between the serpent and the woman. This is not what
we would expect to hear if this were indeed speaking of a pre-existent Christ
and Satan. According to the orthodox understanding, the enmity between them
occurred in Heaven before
Satan supposedly came down to earth. Notice, too, that according to the
Biblical record in Gen. 3:15 it is God who created this hostility, whereas the
common view implies it was Satan’s hatred of God which was the original enmity.
We read that the dragon / serpent’s “place” was not “found” in Heaven as a
result of the final struggle (Rev. 12:8). The same term is to be found in Rev.
20:11, where we read that the ‘Heaven and earth’ had no place found for them in
Heaven as a result of Christ’s final sitting in judgment. Clearly, ‘Heaven and
earth’ are figurative – used here, as so often in the Bible, to refer to a
system of things. Notice how the Devil / dragon / serpent are thus paralleled
with the ‘Heaven and earth’. This worldly system of things in the last days,
the dragon / serpent power, will be no more after the final judgment seat of
Christ. We see all this prefigured in how the rejected Esau came before his
father Isaac, typical of the rejection of the wicked at the final judgment, and
“found no place”, despite his tears and gnashing of teeth (Heb. 12:17). The
rejected people at
the final judgment will “not be able” to enter God’s Kingdom then (Lk. 13:24) –
and the same Greek word is used in Rev. 12:8 to describe how the serpent /
Devil system of people will not “prevail”. Clearly the reference of Rev. 12 is
to the very last day, when Christ returns to earth in judgment. The serpent
‘not prevailing’ and ‘finding no place’ with God in ‘Heaven’ refers [in the
light of the same terms used in other Bible passages] to what happens at the
final judgment, at Christ’s second coming, and it is therefore not descriptive of some
past events in Eden. It’s also noteworthy that the serpent / Devil is ‘cast
down’ from Heaven to make “woe” for “the inhabitants of the earth and of the
sea” (Rev. 12:12). This hardly sounds like the orthodox Satan of Paradise Lost being thrown
down to earth to make trouble for just Adam and Eve. The people who inhabit
“the sea” rather than the earth surely indicates that we are to understand all
this literally. And it is “the serpent” who is thrown down from Heaven to the
earth / sea. Orthodox thinking holds that Satan was cast down and became a
serpent here on earth rather than being a serpent “in Heaven” as Rev. 12
requires. In any case, the woman in Rev. 12 is persecuted by the serpent rather
than being charmed and tempted by him; and she escapes from him by fleeing into
“the wilderness”, which makes the serpent mad with her (Rev. 12:13–17). None of
this Biblical testimony fits the orthodox interpretation of the passage – it
directly contradicts it.
The
“old serpent” may be a reference to the characteristics of the serpent whom we
meet in Genesis. The serpent–Eve incident played itself out in history, and
still does, in that the children of the woman [God’s people] are tempted and
now threatened by the powers of sin and sinful organizations. Thus Paul could
say that in the same way as the serpent tempted Eve, so Jewish false teachers
in the early church were tempting the true bride of Christ (2 Cor. 11:3). So it
was again in the persecution of true Christians by the Roman empire, which Rev.
12 initially refers to; so it was throughout history; and so it will be in the
time of the final tribulation before the second coming of Christ. My specific
suggestions as to the fulfilment of Rev. 12 in the latter day tribulation can
be found in The Last Days
Chapter 12–7.
The
Greek archaios,
translated “old” in Rev. 12:9 and Rev. 20:2, can easily be misread as meaning
simply ‘the archaic / very old’ serpent. But archaois
is a form of the Greek root arche
– the dragon power of Rev. 12 is the arch–serpent, the archetypical serpent. It
doesn’t necessarily mean that the serpent is very old. For the serpent who
tempted Eve suffered from the curse which came upon all other “beasts of the
field” (Gen. 3:1), and died. We see serpents today eating dust and crawling on
their bellies, living and dying like any other creature. The arche serpent doesn’t
therefore mean ‘the extremely old serpent, the animal who tempted Eve, is still
actually alive’. We meet the word arche
elsewhere in the context of meaning ‘archetype’ rather than ‘having been in
existence from the beginning of Biblical history’: “The principles (Gk. arche) of Christ” (Heb.
6:1); “the first (Gk. arche)
principles of the oracles of God” (Heb. 5:12); and quite commonly arche is simply translated
as “magistrates”, “rulers”, “principalities” – the ordering, arch–principles and
foundations of society (Lk. 12:11; 20:20; Rom. 8:38; 1 Cor. 15:24; Eph. 1:21;
3:10; 6:12; Col. 1:16; 2:10,15; Tit. 3:1). In line with this understanding, I
think we could fairly paraphrase Rev. 12:9 as: “The great dragon, the classic,
typical serpent, the thinking and behaviour of Eden’s snake played out all over
again in classic role, the Gentile / Roman Devil and the Jewish Satan, an evil
system adversarial to God’s true people”.
Austin
Farrar coined the term “a rebirth of images” (1) to describe what’s
going on in Revelation. Old Testament images are taken up and given a new
focus; and this is what’s happened with the image of the serpent. It’s not a
reference to the same
serpent as was in Eden – but a rebirth of that image. G.B. Caird has commented
on the very common error of interpretation made with Rev. 12: “Later Christian
tradition, by the fallacy of misplaced concreteness, treated this as a
precosmic event... quite failing to recognize that John’s imagery had an
earthly referent” (2). What Caird is saying, in dense theological language,
is that Christian folk have over literally interpreted the reference to the
serpent, assuming that Rev. 12 is talking about something happening before
creation, when in fact it is referring to things happening on earth in John’s own
generation.
The
Deception of the Devil (Rev. 12:9)
The
dragon power is associated with “the false prophet” and the doing of fake
miracles (Rev. 13:14; 19:20) – this is the basis upon which the dragon / Satan
/ adversary of God’s people “deceives” the world (Rev. 12:9). There are
multiple connections between the Lord’s Olivet prophecy and the prophecy of the
book of Revelation. Almost every commentary on Revelation brings these out, and
I have listed many of them in The
Last Days Chapter 12. The Lord Jesus repeatedly warned His
followers not to be “deceived” – using the same Greek word as in Rev. 12:9
about the dragon / Devil ‘deceiving’ unbelievers. But He warns time and again
that the source of this deception will be from “men... false prophets... false Christs...
false prophets” doing false miracles (Mt. 24:4,5,11,24). Jesus says nothing
about some fallen–Angel ‘Satan’ being behind these men. He simply warns His
followers to beware of human
deceivers – and Rev. 12 fills out the picture by specifically painting these men as part of a massive human system called Satan,
the adversary, who would have all the characteristics of the serpent in Eden,
just as the adversaries of God’s people always have had. This system of
opposition, in the first century context, was both Jewish and Roman – hence the
dragon is called both “the Devil and Satan” in Rev. 12:9 – diabolos being the Greek
term for the Hebrew Satan.
They are practically interchangeable – but both terms occur here, I suggest, in
order to show that the opposition to Christianity was coming from both Jewish
and Gentile sources. Time and again the New Testament writers warn the
Christians of both Jews and Gentiles, men
[not demons, spirits, fallen Angels, Satan etc. – but men] who “seek to deceive
you” (1 Jn. 2:26; 3:7; James 1:16). “Be not deceived” is a watchword of Paul (1
Cor. 6:9; 15:33; Gal. 6:7). It is the world
which is deceived by wicked men (1 Tim. 3:13; Tit. 3:3; 1 Pet. 2:25) – just as
Rev. 12:9 says that the dragon / Satan system will deceived “the whole world”.
That system was thus composed of wicked men.
In all these passages, the very same Greek word occurs which is translated
“deceive” in Rev. 12:9. Again we have to ask – why did Jesus, Paul, Peter,
James and John not spell out to their converts that it was really Satan who was tempting
them and likely to deceive them? Why do they repeatedly stress that it is men and the human heart
(Heb. 3:10; 1 Jn. 1:8) who are the deceivers? Why do we have to wait until the
very last book of the Bible to be told that actually, it’s Satan who’s doing
this? How can belief in a personal Satan be so crucial to many churches, when
the earliest Christian converts [made before Revelation was given] had been
taught nothing about any Angel falling from Heaven and being responsible for
temptation? Was there one Gospel for them, but another for the 21st century
church?
The
Serpent in God’s Presence (Rev. 12:10)
The
‘accusation’ of God’s people “before God” by the serpent / Devil doesn’t mean
he has to be literally in Heaven (Rev. 12:10). The same term is found in Jn.
5:45 where the Lord Jesus states that the long–dead Moses ‘accuses’ the Jews to
God. Our own thoughts accuse us to God (Rom. 2:15). What all this surely means
is that things done on earth, good and bad, even thoughts and feelings, are
somehow represented before the throne of God, perhaps by representative Angels
there, and God [to continue the figure] ‘judges’ those reported accusations.
But this doesn’t require our literal presence in Heaven to do this. The first
century mind, especially those from a Jewish background, would likely have
picked all this up with no problem; it is the European insistence on literalism
in semantics which has lead to so many of the problems in interpretation which
these verses have given rise to. We have to somehow shed our slowness and
hesitancy to accept that figures [e.g. of a judgment court replete with literal
books, throne, accusers, witnesses] are just that – figures.
Suggested
Explanations
1.
To try and expound this chapter fully is out of the scope of our present notes.
A full explanation of these verses requires an understanding of the entire book
of Revelation in order to get them in context.
2.
The conflict in figurative heaven – i.e. a place of authority – was therefore
between two power groups, each with their followers, or angels. Remember that
we have often identified the Devil and Satan with the Roman or Jewish systems.
3.
That the Devil–dragon represents some kind of political power is indicated by
it having “crowns upon his heads” (v. 3). Revelation 17:9,10
also comments on this dragon: “Here is the mind that hath wisdom” – i.e. don’t
try and understand this animal as a literal being – “The seven heads are seven
mountains... these are seven kings”. One of the kings continuing “a short
space” perhaps connects with the Devil–dragon having “but a short time” in
Revelation 12:12.
Revelation
12: Deconstructing Pagan Myths
Various
scholars have shown that this passage is full of allusion to contemporary pagan
myths (3). This is in keeping with what we have seen elsewhere in
the Scriptures – pagan myths are alluded to in order to deconstruct them.
Surely the point of all the allusions here in Revelation 12 is to say: ‘Take
your attention away from all these myths of what supposedly is going on out in
the cosmos. Get real. Here on earth, you are going to be persecuted by Rome [or
some other adversary]. Prepare for it in your hearts. The real enemy isn’t a
dragon in the sky. It’s Rome’. Other scholars have demonstrated that Revelation
12 and 13 contain many allusions to contemporary Jewish writings – e.g. Rev.
12:9; 13:14 speak of the beast / Satan “leading astray those that dwell on the
earth”, quoting from the Apocalypse
of Abraham and Enoch
54.6 about the armies of Azazel / Satan who “lead astray those that dwell on
the earth”. The point is that pagan Rome and the Jewish ‘Satan’ were those who
were leading astray, and who would be punished in the cataclysm of AD70; and in
a last days context, it is the latter day Satan / beast who will lead astray
many and be destroyed by the second coming of Christ.
For
15 years Dr. David Pitt-Francis applied an exceptional mind to trying to get to
grips with the book of Revelation (4). His conclusion, written up in
chapter 9 of his book, was that not only does Revelation 12 not teach the
existence of a personal Satan, but it actually is a parody of the whole belief
in a sinful Satan figure existing in Heaven. He follows the approach that
Revelation 12 alludes heavily to pagan myths of a Satan figure existing in
Heaven, and that the whole idea of the chapter is to show that, given the
victory of the Lord Jesus over all evil, those pagan ideas are just no longer
tenable in any form. The idea of a Satan figure in Heaven has been ‘cast down’
for the serious believer in Christ: “Satan was imagined to have dominated at
least a third of heaven in pre-Christian times. Babylonian, Zend and Teutonic
thought assumed ‘Satan’ or his equivalent to be in possession of about a third
of heaven. Jewish apostate thought (as in Enoch) also imagined a third of
heaven to be in the possession of rebellious angels. The vision of a dragon
occupying a third of heaven, and specifically defined as the ‘Devil and Satan’
is provided at this stage, not to indicate some literal fact, but to summarise
the preconceptions about the Devil which had existed in pagan thought before
the coming of Christ, and that had even crept into Judaism... It was primarily
the task of Christianity to show the world that evil could have no place in
heaven, that it did not occupy a place in heaven except in the imagination of
mankind, and that it could be vanquished by the grace of Christ, and the Word
of His testimony... The casting forth of Satan from heaven is a powerful symbol
of what would happen to the human concept of evil as a result of the teaching
of Christ. The woman and the dragon cannot coexist in heaven... Could there
have been such a literal ‘Devil’ or even a ‘literal’ dragon, who perverted a
third of the angels in heaven and cast them to the ground, as Jewish
apocalyptic writers had actually believed? If we adopt this literalistic
stance, we not only fall into the error of those books against which the
Revelation was written but miss the main message of the chapter, that since the
advent of Christianity to disprove the concept of imagined evil in heaven, no
‘Devil’ has ever had any place there”. He goes on to suggest that ‘Satan’ in
post–Christian religions [e.g. Islam] has always been envisaged as a being
living under the earth, in a supposed “hell”, rather than in Heaven. Whether or
not we feel happy with this kind of ‘spiritualized’ interpretation of
Revelation, the allusions of Revelation 12 to material in the book of Enoch
about Heavenly rebellions, Enoch being caught up to God etc., cannot be
gainsaid. And I suggest that such allusions are indeed, as David Pitt-Francis
suggests, in order to deconstruct these wrong ideas.
Revelation 12: Judgment on Rome
It may be
helpful to take this line of thought further. Revelation is a description of
events on earth from the perspective of what happens in Heaven – encouraging
the early Christians that God and His Son and His Angels are in fact intensely
aware of the crises going on, and actually the whole scenario is playing itself
out in the court of Heaven. All powers and individuals and organizations on
earth have in Heaven their Angelic representatives, and the situations are
tried by God before His throne – with the result that it is those on the side
of Christ who are vindicated. The language with which John’s Apocalypse
achieves this is shot through with allusion to earthly realities, often
deconstructing the claims of pagans. Rome was the great reality of the first
century world; it was appropriate for the Jewish mind of the time to understand
the “serpent” / adversary figure as referring to Rome. According to the Jewish
Encyclopaedia, “the Serpent is spoken of as Harasha’,
“the Wicked One,” in Gen. R. xx., Bek. 8a
(compare Targ. Yer. Gen. iii. 13); and Rome as the wicked kingdom, Malkut ha–resha’ah (Gen.
R. lxxvi.)” (5).
Roman
coins depicted the goddess Roma, THEAN ROMEN, as queen of the gods and mother
of the world’s saviour. John speaks of she who claims to be the queen of the
earth (Rev. 18:7) – and portrays her instead as nothing but a prostitute, who
is soon to be destroyed. The fact Revelation alludes to the goddess Roma in
this way doesn’t mean that ‘she’ actually existed in Heaven in reality. And the
way John in Rev. 12 likewise alludes to myths about dragons and beasts doesn’t
mean they exist either. The material in Rev. 12 has some twists in it which
debunk the legends – thus it is not emperor of Rome who slays the dragon, it is
the victory of Christ on the cross, through His blood, which is the real means
of victory against all opposition on earth. The telling paradox is that the
escape for the persecuted child is through death,
through blood, rather than through some dashing heroic victory in battle. When
Jeremiah compared Babylon to a dragon gulping down Jerusalem whole, we don’t
for a moment think that Babylon was a literal dragon (Jer. 51:34); likewise
when Ezekiel calls Pharaoh a dragon lying in a stream (Ez. 29:3). The message
was that the real dragon / chaos monster was earthly powers – and God would
break them. And so it is with Revelation’s message, although more attention is
given to the idea of those earthly powers having Angelic representatives in the
court of Heaven.
The
language of judgment is really common throughout the Bible. In fact we could
say that legal language is disproportionately common in the Bible. The idea of
a Divine, heavenly court is common. God is the judge who upholds the weak,
those who are condemned by human judgment (1 Sam. 24:15; Ps. 9:4; 43:1; 140:12;
Lam. 3:58; Mic. 7:9); He is even portrayed as the one appealing for justice
(Ps. 74:22). If God is the only and ultimate judge, then His judgment is all that
ultimately matters, and in this sense human ‘sentences’ or judgment from the court
of human opinion are reversed by Him (Prov. 22:22,23). Yet the pain of being
judged by those around us is highly significant to us mortals; and time and
again, Scripture is reminding us that we should not pay deep attention to this,
because God’s judgment is what ultimately matters; and the Divine court is
sitting in session right now, at the very same time as those around us are
judging us with their meaningless human judgments. This, then, is the ultimate
answer to the pain of being slandered and defamed, being misunderstood and
misrepresented, or feeling that persecution by worldly powers is not noticed by
God.
The
traditional reading of Revelation 12 makes out that there was a rebellion in
Heaven, the Devil came down to earth, and then trouble started down here. But
the whole idea of Revelation’s visions of ‘heaven’ is that we are being given
snapshots of the ‘throne room’ of Heaven, the Divine court... which is a
reflection of what is actually going on here on earth, and what will
subsequently follow from this in the future. I wish to stress this point,
because I think it’s fundamental to understanding Revelation. Those visions
aren’t historical descriptions of what happened before creation, before human
history. They are insights into how God right then in the first century viewed
what was going on there in the Middle East on planet earth, showing us how He
judged the situations and Governments and individuals involved, and what would
follow from this. Thus when we read that no place was found for the opposing
forces in Heaven (Rev. 12:8), we are to imagine the representative of those
forces, the barrister as it were, being thrown out of court. They would simply
disappear from the Heavenly court room, thrown out of court as it were, perhaps
reflected by the Angel representing them leaving the court. What makes
interpreting Revelation so confusing is that there are so many layers of
allusion going on in the text at one and the same time. Thus Rev. 12 alludes to
the surrounding myths, and yet also on multiple further layers to Old Testament
themes. The vision of Rev. 12 clearly has in mind Pharaoh pursuing the escaping
Israelites as a dragon pursues (Ex. 14:8), Israel like the early church carried
on eagles’ wings to some safety (Ex. 19:4), Pharaoh trying to destroy Israel by
drowning them in the water of the Nile, God providing for His people in the
desert. Again, these allusions are to a real historical situation that happened
here on earth – and not to some Biblically unrecorded drama somewhere out in
the cosmos.
Notes
(1) Austin Farrar, A Rebirth
of Images (Boston: Beacon Press, 1963).
(2) G.B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of the Bible
(London: Duckworth, 1988) p. 55.
(3) Neil Forsyth, Satan and the Combat Myth
(Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989) chapter 13. For example, the
Greeks believed that the dragon Python attempts to kill the new born son of
Zeus but is stopped the escape of the child’s mother, Leto, to the island of
Delos; Apollo then comes and slays the dragon. For the Egyptians, Set the red
dragon hunts Isis but is then killed by her son Horus. In other myths, the
dragon of darkness tries to kill the sun god but is killed by him. There are
other examples of the sun god myth being alluded to in Revelation. Take the
description of Jesus as having eyes as a flaming fire and feet of pure bronze
(Rev. 2:18). This is said to the Thyatira ecclesia – and the god of Thyatira
was Apollo, the sun god, known locally as Tyrimnos, who appeared in this very
form on the city’s coins. The point of the allusion was that actually, there is
no sun god – for the Christians in Thyatira, that
means Jesus.
(4) David
Pitt-Francis, The Most Amazing Message Ever Written
(Irchester, UK: Mark Saunders Books, 1983).
(5) Jewish Encyclopaedia,
article on Ahriman [available online at www.jewishencyclopedia.com].
12:10 There are copious links between
Rev.12 and Mt.24.This chapter therefore has reference to the last days as well
as AD70, bearing in mind the reference of the Olivet prophecy to these two
periods. What proves this beyond doubt is that as soon as the dragon is cast
out we are told "Now is come salvation... the Kingdom of our God...
for the accuser of our brethren is cast down" (12:10). Neither salvation
nor the Kingdom of God can fully come without the second coming. If Scripture
interprets Scripture, then the dragon being cast out must refer to the events
of the second coming. There is rejoicing because the believers were no longer
being accused (Greek 'seized upon' or accused in a law court), implying that
this will be going on until the dragon/beast is cast out by Michael, the Angel
who acts for God's people in the last days (Dan.12:1). The dragon accusing them
before God sounds like Job's satan- as if the supreme intensity of suffering
brought upon a materialistic, self-justifying Job to make him fit for God's
full fellowship points forward to our tribulation to come. As Job was brought
to say that he had heard of God by the hearing of the ear (theoretically), but
now, through his sufferings, "mine eye seeth thee" (Job 42:5), so the
latter day tribulation will develop us.
12:11 Rev. 12:11 may imply that our testimony to others is proportionate to our victory against the devil. Preaching is therefore an expression of basic righteousness. We learn, I suggest, the fact that many things we do which seem to advance God’s purpose, e.g. preaching and prayer, are primarily for our benefit, rather than being absolutely essential for the fulfilment of God’s will. Consider, in a preaching context, how the faithful overcome by the blood of the lamb- by what is done for them- and also by the word of their preaching, as if the act of preaching and witnessing against a hostile persecuting system was what helped maintain their faith (Rev. 12:11). Preaching is a spiritual exercise for the benefit of the preacher. Through their work of witnessing, the persecuted believers overcome their tribulation (Rev. 12:11).
The persecuted believers overcome
the persecution by "the word of their testimony; and they loved not their
lives unto the death" (12:11). Only by preaching and being fully prepared
to give our lives for doing so during this period will we truly overcome and
survive. In passing, the emphasis on the preaching that will take place by the
persecuted saints at this time means that those being persecuted cannot just
refer to natural Israel. Because the true believers have the attitude of loving
not their lives unto death, their guardian Angels are told "Therefore
rejoice, ye Heavens, and ye (Angels) that dwell in them". But by the same
token, "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the sea! For the devil
(dragon- v.7) is come down... when the dragon (devil) saw that he was cast unto
the earth, he persecuted the woman" (12:12,13). This equates the believers
with those dwelling on the earth ('land'- of Israel?) and sea (of nations
world-wide). Perhaps these two groups in earth and sea have a link with the two
witnesses of Rev.11, i.e. persecuted Jews and Gentiles respectively. Other
similarities are:
|
Rev. 11 |
Rev. 12 |
|
"They finished their
testimony" (cp.6:9) |
"The word of their
testimony" |
|
Then "the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall
make war against them... |
"The dragon went to
make war with the remnant of her seed" |
|
and kill them"
|
"They loved not their lives
unto the death" |
|
The final furious persecution at
the end of the tribulation
(v.7)
|
"The devil is come down unto you,
having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time". |
12:11 The dragon/ beast made war with the seed of the woman "which keep the commandments (word) of God, and have the testimony (i.e. preaching) of Jesus" (Rev. 12:17); it was because of "the word of their testimony (i.e. preaching) (that) they loved not their lives unto the death" (Rev. 12:11), and then Rev. 12 goes on to describe how this final witness amidst tribulation is resolved by the coming of Jesus and the establishment of the Kingdom. See on Mt. 24:14.
12:12 "Therefore
he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away
many" (Dan. 11:44) is a commentary on Sennacherib's rage (2 Kings
19:27,28). Rabshakeh boasted immediately after
the receipt of the "rumour" that Assyria would 'utterly destroy'
Israel still (2 Kings 19:11). This is matched by "to destroy,
and utterly to make away" in Dan. 11:44. The fury of Assyria
against Jerusalem because of their recognition that they only had limited time
to destroy it before having to turn their attention against the Arab rebels is
the basis of the Arab beast of the last days going forth against God's people
with "great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time"
(Rev. 12:12,17). In the same way as "the king of Babylon heard the
report" of the Medes' invasion and was troubled (Jer. 50:43), so the
latter-day "king of the north", while personally present conducting
the campaign against Jerusalem, will be troubled by " tidings" of this
massive Muslim mutiny against him, and will therefore go ahead in a furious
rage to try to exterminate every Jew left in Jerusalem (Dan.
11:44,45). Jer. 51:31,32 stresses how the report of the attack on
Babylon will spread like wildfire. This relates to the beast
launching a final burst of persecution against God's people, "having great
wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time" (Rev.
12:12). "The earth helped the woman" (Rev. 12:16) might
refer to the Arabs indirectly 'helping' Israel by turning against Babylon. See on Rev. 17:16.
12:13
There are references to Israel in Egypt; the woman flees away from the dragon
(cp. Egypt) into a wilderness, but is pursued by the dragon (12:13), who tries
to use water as a means of destroying her (12:15; cp. the Red Sea), but
miraculously this is rendered powerless. The woman is carried on eagle's wings,
as
12:13-17 Pharaoh
and his people being plagued is based on the pattern of Gen. 12:17, where this
very thing occurred due to his holding Sarah in captivity. The
Egyptian beast being so furiously determined to destroy Israel at the Red Sea
(Ex. 14:5; 15:9) is the basis for the dragon being "wroth with the woman,
and went to make war (as Pharaoh 'went') with the remnant of her seed" ,
chasing her into the wilderness and trying to destroy her with water (cp. the
Red Sea); but " the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the
flood" (Rev. 12:13-17), as at the Red Sea (Ex. 15:12). This passage
in Revelation has reference to the latter day persecution.
12:14
The description of a conflict between a serpent and a woman and her seed in
12:14-16 must refer back to Gen.3:15- from which we can conclude that there
will be a short term victory for the devil/ dragon over the seed of the woman
in the last days. Rev.12 indicates that the dragon is unsuccessful in totally
destroying the woman, and therefore turns in a brief period of fury "to
make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and
have the testimony of Jesus" (12:17). Here we have the same idea as in
11:7; three and a half years of witnessing amidst persecution, followed by a
brief, intense period of horror, as Christ's three and a half year ministry was
terminated by three and a half days of especial suffering. Notice that the
dragon goes into the wilderness to persecute the woman's seed; 17:3,8 describes
a beast from the wilderness, full of the blood of the saints. Thus the beast of
Rev.17 is also to be read in a latter day context.
13:1 The beast of 17:4 was “full of
blasphemous names”. Not only the heads of the Beast (13:1), but its whole body
is covered with them, indicating that the entire empire sanctioned the
emperors’ arrogation of divine titles; such titles could be found throughout
the Roman world, inscribed on public buildings and monuments.
13:1-7
The
beast and the “little horn of Daniel 7
The
little horn represents the beast; the persecution of the saints by the horn is
therefore also by the beast:
|
The Little Horn |
The Beast |
|
"Diverse"
(Dan.7:24)
from others |
"Diverse"
(Dan.7:23) from others
|
|
"A
mouth speaking great things" (Rev.3:5) |
"A
mouth speaking great things" (Dan.7:8)
|
|
"He
shall speak great words against
the Most High" (Dan.7:25) |
"He
opened his mouth in blasphemy against God" (Rev.13:6) |
|
"The
same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them (Dan.7:21). |
"Make
war with the saints, and to overcome them" (Rev.13:7) |
Thus
Dan. 7:11 speaks as if the beast and the little horn are interchangeable:
" I beheld then because of the voice of the great words which the horn
spake: I beheld even till the beast was slain" . Rev.13:5 says that the beast
makes war with the saints (AVmg.) for 3.5 years- as does the little horn in
Dan. 7. The beast was "like a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a
bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion" (Rev. 13:2). Again we see the
elements of the various beasts of Dan. 7 and therefore the metals of the image
of Dan. 2 all incorporated in this beast. It has "seven heads and ten
horns" (Rev. 13:1)- which is the total number of heads and horns of the
four beasts of Dan. 7. In harmony with this, Hos. 13:7 describes Israel’s
latter day invader as a lion, bear, leopard and wild beast. All elements of the
beasts are brought together in the final latter day invasion.
13:2 The names of the Roman emperors were to be greatly revered. The cult of emperor worship grew very strongly in the 1st century. Yet Rev. 13:2 describes the names of the leaders of the beast, which on one level represented the Roman empire in the 1st century, as “blasphemous names”. To assign divine titles to the emperor was, to the Jewish and Christian mind, a blasphemy (Dt. 11:36; 2 Thess. 2:4). This would have made the Apocalypse an outlawed document in the first century. Consider too the clear references to the evil of the emperor worship cult later in Rev. 13: one of its heads. . .is set up as the very opposite of the true Christ.
13:4 Rev.
13 stresses the immense power of the final beast: "All the world wondered
after the beast... they worshipped the beast, saying... who is able to make war
with him?" (Rev. 13:3,4). This kind of power has never really been
exercised by any previous manifestation of the beast. "Power was given him
over all kindreds, tongues and nations". To
resist his captivity and killing with the sword is "the patience and faith
of the saints" (Rev. 13:7,10). The beast leading saints into captivity and
death sounds like ghettos and concentration camps- our persecution may well be
through our having to suffer along with natural
“Who
is like unto the beast? Who is able to make war with him?" (Rev. 13:4)
will be the world's reaction to the Arab beast of the last days. Seeing that
the West has nuclear weapons, this could imply that the Arab beast either
deprives them of their weapons (a Moslem dominated and more politically
powerful UN or EU could achieve this), or that a new paradigm of weapons, worse
than nuclear, are possessed by the beast and used to hold the rest of the world
to ransom.
13:5
Daniel’s refusal to obey the command to worship Babylon's King is alluded to in
Rev. 13:5; 14:9, which prophesy how the saints of the last days will be tested
just as Daniel was, with a like miraculous deliverance. Thus Daniel seems to
especially symbolize the latter day believers.
The
beast wars with the saints for 42 months- Nero's persecution (Nov. 64 - June
68).
13:6 The
42 months of the Arab beast's prolonged persecution of Israel is also aimed
specifically at God's "tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven" (Rev.
13:5,6), i.e. the temple (1 Kings 8:30 cp. 2 Sam. 15:25; Heb. 7:26; 2
Chron. 30:27; Ps. 20:2; 11:4). The figurative 'temple'
is therefore the faithful of the last days (1 Cor. 3:16; 2 Cor. 6:16;
Eph. 2:21).
13:7 The
concept of the court of Heaven is a major key to understanding the book of
Revelation. Events on earth are described in terms of their connection with the
Angelic system in Heaven which has arranged them. “The accuser of our brethren”
being cast out of Heaven (Rev. 12:10) would therefore refer to how in the court
of Heaven, an Angel represents the system who accused the brethren on earth.
This isn’t to say that the Angel representing the accuser is sinful. “It was
given unto” the beast to have power to persecute the saints (Rev. 13:7), just
as the Lord had perceived that His persecutors only had the power that was
“given” unto them [thereby associating the saints’ final time of trial in the
last days with the Lord’s sufferings]. But the power was “given” by the Angels
in the court of Heaven, empowering people on earth to carry out what they
permit.
13:10 Goliath was the Arab
"champion" (1 Sam.17:51), using the Hebrew word 'Gibbor'. This connects with the description of Messiah as
'El-Gibbor' in Is.9:6, and shows that the latter day
Arab powers may well be headed up by one charismatic individual, who sets
himself up as a pseudo-Messiah. The Hebrew word used for "champion"
in 1 Sam.17:4 literally means 'the man who goes between the two camps',
again pointing forward to the mediatorial office of
the true Messiah. The root meaning of 'Goliath' is 'to lead and to go into
captivity', which fits in with his wager that the Philistines would go into
Jewish captivity if they killed him, and vice versa. This may be the basis of
Rev.13:10 concerning the little horn and mouth of the beast: "He that
leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity". This power having "a
mouth speaking great things and blasphemies" (Rev. 13:5) certainly
corresponds with Goliath's loud-mouthed blasphemy. "He opened his mouth in
blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that
dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to
overcome them" (Rev. 13:6,7) is Goliath exactly (cp. his blasphemy of the
Angels in 1 Sam. 17:26). "All that dwell upon the earth shall
worship him" (Rev. 13:8) recalls Goliath's charisma, indicated by the
Philistines fleeing once they saw that he was dead. "He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword"
(Rev. 13:10) nicely concludes this set of allusions- Goliath was killed with
his own sword. These parallels indicate that Goliath is a prototype of the
latter day 'mouth' or personal figurehead of the 'beast'. Note in passing how
Gen. 12:3 may have hinted at this figure right at the start of God’s
purpose with Israel: “him that curseth thee will I curse” (RV). The method of
persecution will be by leading into captivity and killing with the sword
(13:10)- ecclesias herded into cattle trucks and hauled away to mini prison camps,
sharing the sufferings of natural
13:11
Identifying
The Beast
Throughout Scripture the political
manifestation of the enemy of God's people has been symbolised by a
beast. Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Rome, the Jews and the Papacy have
all been described as 'beasts' in their aggression towards the true believers.
The beast in Revelation has been convincingly expounded by different writers
with reference to at least three separate powers - Rome, Israel and
Catholicism. Whilst these interpretations hold true over certain
periods of history, the present writer feels that 'the beast' must have a
specific latter-day application. Copious evidence has been
presented to show that the Babylon beast of history must have a latter-day
equivalent. Much has already been said about this in the present
volume; this study aims to fill in some background.
The Serpent
The most basic principle behind the
symbolism of the beast is found in Gen. 1:28, where man is told to "have
dominion over" (Heb. 'to break to powder', cp. Dan. 2:35) the
beasts. This was to teach him the need to dominate the bestial
instincts of the flesh. Thus the beasts are set up as
representative of the flesh. Indeed, Strong defines the Hebrew word
for 'beast' as fundamentally meaning 'raw flesh'. It is therefore
understandable that the devil (sin), the beast and the serpent are linked in
Rev. 12:9, and that Prov.28:15 parallels "a wicked ruler" with a wild
bear or lion; the beast epitomizes the sinful person who controls
it. The Apocalyptic beast of the earth (Rev. 13:11) must look back
to the common phrase "beast of the earth" in Genesis (e.g. Gen.
1:25). The serpent is an epitome of the bestial desires found in the beasts,
and is thus the prototype 'beast' of later prophecies. The
serpent being the greatest of the beasts (Gen. 3:1,14) points to the latter-day
beast being supreme over the other nations; its being cursed above all
beasts (Gen. 3:14) points forward to the latter-day beast-power being relegated
beneath all other nations in the Millennium. As the serpent dabbled
in spiritual things but was not morally responsible (1), so the
beast of the last days will do likewise.
This beast being a manifestation of
sin, the significance of the conflict between it and Christ at the second
coming lies in the open declaration of Christ's victory over sin, the
motivating spirit of the beast. Thus Is. 51:13 describes the Assyrian
beast in language which is picked up in Heb. 2:14-18 concerning the
"devil" of human nature. Christ's victory will not just be the means
of Israel's salvation from the Arab oppressors. The two-fold
conflict between the serpent/beast and the woman (Christ), and between their
respective seeds, must therefore have a latter-day application (Gen.
3:15). The temporary bruising of the saints by the beast must be
seen in the last days - and we have earlier examined the prophecies concerning
the holocaust to come upon both natural and spiritual Israel. The
final crushing of the serpent/beast and vindication of the woman's seed will
therefore be at Armageddon. The language of Gen. 3:15 is alluded to
in Rev. 12:17, which describes the dragon making war with the woman and her
seed. We have earlier shown this to have a specific
latter-day application.
As the serpent deceived Adam and
Eve, so the beast will deceive the weak believers of the last days.
The serpent/beast in its first century Jewish manifestation is described as
seducing the saints through the subtle reasoning of the Judaizers (2 Cor.
11:3). These people used many "fair speeches" (Rom. 16:18
cp. Jude 15), suggesting that their prototype, the serpent, persuaded Eve to
eat the fruit after a lengthy series of discussions, albeit unrecorded.
"Yea, hath God said..." (Gen. 3:1) implies the continuation of an
unrecorded conversation. The beast's ecclesial agents of the last
days will likewise use the tactic of extended public speeches using
superficially deep arguments. Their political arm will be doing the
same to destroy the morale of natural Israel, after the pattern of Rabshakeh's speeches to the Jews during the Assyrian
invasion. Being an apostate Jew he may possibly have a latter-day
equivalent in a Jewish leader, who deserts to the Arab cause, urging Israel to
capitulate. Likewise there may be a specific "man of sin"
who similarly tempts spiritual Israel. The description of him in 2
Thess. 2:3 is framed in terms of Judas - implying that he will be an apostate
member of the ecclesia?
These two evil individuals may well
meet their opposite numbers in the "two witnesses" who will arise
(Rev. 11:3), as discussed in Chapter 12. The judgment of the
serpent was by the voice of God (cp. Christ, the word) walking through the
garden, summoning the sinful parties to judgment. This easily looks
forward to Christ's second coming, and the judgment by Him in His role as the
word made flesh (Rev. 19:13; Gen. 3:8). The beast has always been
associated with a pseudo-spirituality, an aping of true God
manifestation. We have shown earlier that there will be much of
this in the latter-day Babylon/beast. There is a connection between
the beasts of God manifestation and the cherubim in Rev. 4:7; indeed, the
Hebrew word for 'beast' seems to be the equivalent of the phrase "living
creature" used in Revelation concerning the cherubim. The beast
and beasts therefore represent systems which falsely claim that they are the
vehicle of God manifestation. This most clearly fits the claims of
Islam, and also those of Catholicism. With all this in mind, it must be
significant that Isa. 14:29 speaks of Assyria as a "cockatrice" born
out of "the serpent's root", i.e. she was the seed of the
serpent. "His fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent" is
the language of Isa. 6:2 concerning the seraphim. Thus the Assyrian
seed of the serpent is associated with a pseudo-seraphim, and a false God
manifestation.
Spotting the beast
The precise political identification
of the latter-day beast seems to have preoccupied the minds of many
students. Instead, there needs to be close Biblical analysis of
what the beast does to God's people. When a system arises which
fulfils these expectations, there will be no more doubt in the minds of those
who have had ears to hear concerning who the beast is. This said, there
is such extended use of the beast symbology concerning Israel's previous
enemies that it seems reasonable to suggest that the beast largely refers to
Israel's Arab neighbours. Deut. 32:24 connects the 'beasts' of the
surrounding nations with the Genesis serpent: "I will also send the teeth
of beasts upon them, with the poison of serpents of the dust" (cp. Gen.
3:14). There is also a connection between the serpent and beasts in
Isa. 30:6. "The teeth of beasts" coming down upon Israel
will be finally fulfilled in the Arab desolation prophesied in Joel 1:6,7, where the Assyrians of the future (Joel 1:15) are
described as having Israel between their "cheek teeth" tearing the
bark off the Israeli vine and fig (cp. Isa. 9:12 concerning the Philistines).
Sheep and Wolves
Israel
being the sheep of God's pasture is a common Bible figure. Whenever
their shepherds were negligent over a prolonged period, the figure was extended
to describe the 'wild beasts' of the surrounding nations invading the land and
mauling the flock. Hos. 13:6-8 is typical of those passages which
speak in these terms. Verses 7 and 8 liken these nations to the
lion, leopard and bear, all of which are nations mentioned in Dan. 7, which are
constituents of the huge system of Arab domination described in Dan.
2.
These three beast nations are all
part of one "wild beast" , as the nations of the image in Dan. 2 are
all part of the same latter-day confederacy headed by 'Babylon': " I will
be unto them as a lion: as a leopard... as a bear... the wild
beast". Likewise Isa. 56:9,10; Jer. 30:16 and Eze. 34:5 feature the beasts of Babylon and the surrounding
Arab nations as preying on the flock of Israel due to their sleepy
shepherds. After Israel's spiritual awakening they will
become like a beast among the 'sheep' of the Arab nations (Mic. 5:8),
continuing the theme of the Jews doing to the Arabs as they did to them. It is
possible that Deut. 28:26 also refers to the beasts of the surrounding
nations: "Thy carcase shall be meat... unto the beasts of the earth,
and no man shall fray them away". This alludes to the fowls
being frayed away while the covenant was made to Abraham. Thus
while Israel abode in the covenant, the Arab nations surrounding them were kept
away. Similarly Eze. 34:25 associates the
making of the covenant with Israel in the last days, with the "evil
beasts" leaving the land. Time and again Israel's Arab enemies are likened
to "wild beasts". The list of references is impressive:
Hos. 2:12; Eze. 5:17; 14:15; Ps.
80:13; Jer. 7:33; 15:3; 16:4; 19:7; Deut.
7:22. Job's Sabean (i.e. Arab) invaders
are called "the beasts of the earth... the beasts of the field" (Job
5:22,23). It is possible that "beasts" in these passages
can be read as an intensive plural - i.e. 'the great beast', which symbolizes
all of Israel's various enemies. This equivalence of the multitude
of these enemies with a singular beast is seen in Eze.
34:28, which parallels "the heathen" (enemies of Israel) with
"the beast of the land" (singular). Rev. 17 similarly
exhibits the (singular) beast as comprising a number of nations
(heads/horns).
Ps. 74:19 RV asks God not to deliver
His people “unto the wild beast”. This is one of the Asaph Psalms, written in
the context of the restoration. The ‘beast’ threatening to destroy Judah then
was a confederacy of her surrounding Arab neighbours. Ps. 73:13,14 likens these
enemies to a many headed dragon. Another such Psalm, Ps. 83, asks for
protection against a confederacy of 10 such nations. In all this we have a
remarkable type of the last days after the pattern of Daniel and Revelation-a
beast with 10 horns, seeking to devour the recently returned people of God from
off their land.
There is repeatedly the theme that
Israel’s enemies are confederated together under one confederacy which has one
leader. Ps. 118 can be shown to be relevant to Hezekiah at the time of the
Assyrian invasion (see George Booker, Psalm Studies). He speaks of how
“all nations compassed me about”, i.e. the surrounding Arab nations confederate
with Assyria. And yet Hezekiah speaks about them as if they are really headed
up by one individual: “Thou [you singular] didst thrust sore at me” (Ps.
118:13). The beast is to punish people by beheading them (Rev. 20:4)- and it's
only Islam at the moment which legally practices beheading as a form of
execution.
Babylon
The symbology of the beast was
particularly used concerning Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar, Babylon's
king, was given a beast's heart and lived with them (Dan. 4:16) to show his
personification of the beast. "The beasts of the field" ,
i.e. the surrounding Arab nations, were given into his control (Dan. 2:38),
thus they constituted part of the beast of Babylon, " the noisome
beast" of Eze. 14:21. Babylon's army
is likened to "beasts" in Jer. 34:20,21. As God gave
power to Assyria and Babylon to achieve His will (Isa. 10), so He will to the
latter-day beast (Rev. 13:5,7). The description of the beast
leading people into captivity (Rev. 13:10) shows another connection with
Assyria/Babylon, whose trains of captives were well known. The
beast causing men to worship it (Rev. 13:12) recalls Nebuchadnezzar's decree
concerning the statue on the plain of Dura (Dan. 3:1,5). The
historical "beast of the field" was associated with the wilderness
(Isa. 43:20), as the beast of Rev. 17:3 is a wilderness power.
Babylon's beasts
Israel's Arab neighbours
confederated with Babylon in their invasion of Israel. Jeremiah
describes this in beast language: "I have given all these lands into
the hand of Nebuchadnezzar... the beasts of the field have I given him... to
serve him... to serve him... all nations (around Israel) shall serve him"
(Jer. 27:5-7; 28:14). Ps. 79:1,2, a passage whose links with Rev.
11 give it a clear latter-day application, speaks of the beasts of the surrounding
Arab nations being confederate with Babylon. As the horns hate the
Babylon/whore and turn against her to destroy her (Rev. 17:16), so the beast
nations once confederate with Babylon will come and lie down in her (Jer.
50:39; Isa. 13:21). Beasts lying down in a ruined city is
representative of nations dominating another one (Zeph. 2:14,15). Note that the
beast is "scarlet coloured" (Rev. 17:3). Whilst this may have had
reference in its time to imperial Rome, let's note that "The Canaanites...
derived their name from the purple dye which was produced there and used for
making an expensive cloth" (2). In the light of all this, it is difficult
to read the latter day beasts of Revelation as referring to anything other than
a conglomeration of Arab powers under the leadership of a revived Babylon,
between them constituting the most powerful system of opposition to God's
people which there has ever been.
Notes
(1) John Thomas in 'Elpis
Israel' has an excellent section
concerning the a-morality of the serpent
- i.e. its lack of
moral perception.
(2) R.E. Clements, Exodus (Cambridge: C.U.P., 1972) p.
21.
13:11-18 The beast of the earth in
Rev. 13:11-18 seems to have some application to the cult of emperor worship which
became so popular throughout the Roman empire: it speaks in the voice of the
dragon (v. 11), from whom it receives its power; and like the first Beast, it
attempts to mimic the Lamb (v. 12, 13). It seems to be a personification of an
Antichrist embodied in the pagan priesthood, which endeavoured to draw all men
to the cult of the emperor. In these thoughts we see just how radical was the
Apocalypse in its first century context. “The image to the beast” (13:13)
would refer to representations of the divinized Roman emperors. “The wound of
the sword” (13:13) is possibly an allusion to the mortal wound Nero inflicted
upon himself in ad 68. Nero was perceived to live again in the persecutor
Domitian (Tertullian, Apol. 5). Note how it is “the beast” who appears
to have died or been wounded and then revives (17:8)- and yet these are
references to what happened to Nero. The symbolism correctly perceives how the
empire was incarnated in one man, the emperor.
13:12 Babylon and the beast with
which it is associated is said to have power over the nations of whole earth
(Dan. 7:23; Rev. 13:12). This is referring back to the way in which historical
Babylon was praised by the whole earth (Jer. 51:41), and had an army which
included men from "the whole earth" (Jer. 34:1). As Babylon of the
last days will influence all nations of the earth with her wine, so Babylon of
old is spoken of in the same way (Jer. 51:7 cp. Rev. 17:2,4). Thus several
prophecies speak of how Babylon's fall had effects on the whole earth (e.g. Jer.
50:46); and latter day Babylon likewise (Rev. 18:9,10). If we are correct in interpretting "Babylon" as a revived Arab power
of the last days, based on the prototype of historical Babylon, then we must
look for a nation like Iran or Iraq to gather together the surrounding Arab
powers for an assault on Israel, and to somehow bring the whole world under the
control of this confederacy. An Arab-dominated UN or other global political
power could bring this about. "The Charter of Allah" makes it clear
that Islam aims for world domination, within which "co-existence is
possible with other religions, but only on Islamic terms and under Islamic
domination". Thus the control of the Western world may not be as difficult
in practice as it may seem; if, for example, the Pope makes some suitable defference to Islam on behalf of all 'Christians', such a
situation would come into existence.
13:13 The beast
"maketh fire come down from heaven" (Rev.13:13), just as Elijah did.
The inference is that the latter day miracles of the Elijah ministry will be
matched, to some degree, by the false claims of the beast. The miracles
performed at Israel's deliverance from Egypt were likewise mimicked by the
persecutors of God's people.
13:15 The beast system
will insist that all people receive the mark in their foreheads (Rev. 13:15,16;
14:11). This was an allusion to the way slaves were branded with a mark of
ownership. And so in the very last days it will intensely cost to have the
stigmata, the marks / brand, of being true servants of Jesus. It will cost and
hurt to really believe His words, that we cannot serve two masters. 1 Tim. 4:2
RV speaks of how some will depart from the faith in the last days, having their
consciences branded “as with a hot iron”. Presumably this is to be connected
with the fact that the beast system will brand people in the last days; and it
seems that some in the latter day ecclesia will fall for this. And,
interestingly enough, it seems it will not just be the liberals who fall to
this temptation: those who will thus fall away are those who ‘forbid to marry
and command to abstain from meats’ (1 Tim. 4:3).
13:15
The beasts of Revelation seem to be
described in terms of the Kingdom of God, and the descriptions link within
Revelation to the descriptions of God's Kingdom. The point is being made that
these beasts, both over time and in the last days, are fake Kingdoms of God.
|
Beasts |
The
Kingdom Of God |
|
The dragon has Angels (Rev. 12:9) |
As Christ |
|
He figuratively comes from heaven
to earth (12:10) |
" |
|
Speaks of us day and night before
God's throne (12:10) |
" |
|
Has a name in his forehead (13:2) |
" |
|
Given power, throne and authority
(13:13) |
" |
|
Does great miracles and signs
(13:13) |
" |
|
Faithful followers have mark in their
hands and foreheads (13:17; 20:4) and are " sealed" (13:16) |
Ez. 9:4; Rev. 7:3 |
|
All the world worships the beast
(13:12) |
All the world will worship God
(15:4) |
|
Followers as numerous as sand on
the sea shore (20:8) |
As the seed of Abraham |
|
Their followers have one mind
(17:3), and are world-wide |
How it should be amongst us |
|
The woman clothed with a blood red
robe and a cup (17:4) |
Cp. the sacrificial office of
Christ |
|
The beast is, was and will be
(17:8-11); an allusion to the Yahweh Name |
God is, will and will be (16:5) |
The beast systems, as Babylon and
Assyria before them, were false Kingdoms of God. The beast has the power to
give pneuma to the image / body of the first beast (Rev. 13:15)- an
evident mimicry of God’s creation of Adam. They appear to offer, here and now,
the things of the Kingdom, and the fleshly-minded are persuaded by them. This
is all playing out the drama of Eden again; the serpent offered equality with
God, the wisdom of God, when it was actually the wisdom of the serpent. Adam
and Eve grasped for what was offered, unlike the Lord Jesus, who refused to
grasp at equality with God (Phil. 2 is full of allusion to the events of Gen.
3). What happened in Eden is in essence the epitome, the prototype of all
temptation and sin (1 Jn. 2:16 = Gen. 3:6). Every one of our temptations has an
element of this; we are tempted to grasp for what looks like the Kingdom
here and now. Pentecostals are an evident example of this; they think they can
obtain the full healing and physical ecstasy of the future Kingdom here and
now. And on a more common level, there are many of us who reach out for the
supposed fulfilment of hobbies, the supposed peace and 'security' of a nice
home and bank balance, when these things are actually a false fulfilment, peace
and security, the peace and security of Satan's Kingdom which is a counterfeit
of the spiritual fulfilment, peace and security of Christ's Kingdom. A very
evident example of this is found in Rabshakeh's offer
to the inhabitants of Jerusalem: 'If you reject Yahweh as your God, the King of
Assyria will give you a Kingdom where you will "eat every one of his vine,
and every one of his fig tree" ' (Is. 36:16); in saying this, Rabshakeh was quoting the very words of Mic. 4:4 concerning
the Kingdom of God. The Jews were faced with the choice of God's Kingdom, or
Satan's Kingdom, couched as it was in terms of God's Kingdom. Likewise, the
world around us isn't passive. It is actively seeking to deceive. There is a
tension between us and this world, including the apostate 'Christian' world,
which is vital to recognize if we are to share the salvation of God's Kingdom
and avoid the condemnation of Satan's Kingdom. There can be no half way
position.
Those who will refuse to worship the beast will be killed (Rev. 13:15); but
those (responsible) who try to avoid this death will themselves be tortured
to death by the Lamb, because they worshipped the beast (14:9-11; 16:2). See on
Mt. 3:11.
13:17 It
has been shown that in Nero’s time it was forbidden for Christians to use
Imperial coinage, with its images of Caesar as Lord. It was in this sense
impossible to buy or sell unless one was willing to accept the mark of the
beast- exactly as in Rev. 13:17. The next verse goes on to identify the number
of the beast / man as being 666. And yet this is the sum of the Hebrew letters
in ‘Neron Caesar’! Whatever other application these
verses may be seen to have to Catholic persecution, there can be little doubt
that their first century context applies to the persecution of the early
converts. Later, Domitian demanded that he be worshipped as Lord and God,
" Dominus et deus noster"
(Suetonius, Domitiani Vita, 13.4). John
records how Thomas called the Lord Jesus “my lord and my God”, in active
opposition to this kind of thinking (although Domitian came after Thomas). One
couldn’t worship Caesar and the Lord Jesus. The Lord Himself had foreseen this
when He warned that His followers couldn’t serve two masters. Domitian demanded
to be called ‘Master’, but this was impossible for the Christian. Indeed, much
of Revelation seems taken up with this theme of the first century refusal to
worship the Caesars and deified Roman empire on pain of persecution (Rev. 13:4;
14:9,11; 16:2; 19:20). “Following the Neronian
persecution, being a Christian was tantamount to being part of a criminal
conspiracy, and Christians (unlike other religious groups) were punished simply
for being Christians (Tacitus Annals
15.44.5; Pliny Letters
10.96.2-3). Their crime was an unwillingness to worship any God but their own,
an exclusiveness the Greeks labeled "atheism." The refusal to
sacrifice to pagan gods and on behalf of deified emperors was perceived as a
threat to the harmonious relationship between people and the gods” (J.L.
Mays, Editor, Harper’s
Bible Commentary, (New York: Harper and Row, 1988). Although in
many parts of the 21st century world the tension between the believer and the
beast is not articulated so starkly, the essential realities of the conflict
remain, and must be felt by us.
We
either receive the mark of the beast and ultimately face torture and the wine
of God’s wrath; or we refuse it and face Babylon’s wrath (Rev. 13:16,17;
14:9,10). Now is the time for self-examination.
13:18 The little horn takes a stand
against the Prince of princes and then is destroyed “but not by human power”
(Dan. 8:25), i.e. he will be destroyed by the stone [Jesus] cut out without
human hands. This is just the language of 2 Thess. 2, of how the Antichrist will
be destroyed by the Lord’s sudden return. Micah and Isaiah call this individual
“the Assyrian” (Is. 10:5; 14:25). We have shown elsewhere that the description
of Lucifer being thrown out of heaven can be read as describing the fall of a
future King of Babylon in the last days. The most comfortable understanding of
antiChrist as being an Assyrian / Babylonian is that he will be an Assyrian /
Babylonian, and ruler of those areas. A leader of Iraq would ideally suit this.
And their leadership shows every sign of the aggression, meglomania
and anti-Semitism which will characterize the antiChrist. Note too that Gog is
the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal- areas
identified by some as being in present Iran / Iraq. The number of the beast is
the number of a man (Rev. 13:18); he becomes personally identified with the
system that persecutes the saints and Israel in the last days.
14:1- see
on 2 Tim. 4:17.
The lamb comes to be on Mt. Zion with the
believers in that they are snatched away there and judged there. John maybe has
the reverse image of Judas and Peter standing with the Lord's enemies in mind
when he writes that the redeemed shall stand with Jesus on Mount Zion facing
the hostile world.
Name- i.e.
God's character- has been engraved in their foreheads. Cp. how in 14:11 the name
of the beast has to be merely 'received'- a rather passive verb. We either
'receive' the beast's name, or have God's name slowly engraved. We can't have a
forehead / mind / underlying heartbeat which has both names. See 14:9 note.
His
Father's Name- rather than simply 'God's Name', to show how we have God's
Name placed upon us because of His revelation in the Lamb, His Son.
14:2 Harpers- the Angels? But in what sense are the harpers different
from the four beasts and the 144,000 [believers] of v. 3? Or was God's one
voice somehow like the voice of many harpers, unity in diversity?
14:3 before
the throne.... the four beasts... the elders- there's a frequent connection
made between the Angels and the redeemed at the Lord's return, for He returns
from Heaven with the Angels. It will be so appropriate for the believers to be
united with their guardian Angels at this time.
14:3 no man
could learn- implies there will be those who try to repeat the song, seek to
enter the life eternal, but cannot. Eternal life, salvation, redemption, is
likened to an eternally sung song.
We
shall stand before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy (Jude
24). Rev. 14:3 paints the picture of the righteous singing before the throne of
judgment. In Him, in that day, will be fulfilled Zeph. 3:17: "The Lord thy
God in the midst of thee... He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy;
he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. I will gather
them that are sorrowful (us) for the solemn assembly", when the Lord will
keep Passover with us again.
14:4 not
defiled with women- i.e. the prostitute women associated with the Babylon
system. Seeing "all nations" commit fornication with her (14:8), this
implies a separation from the majority of the world in the last days.
Virgins-
there should be the sense in us all that we are keeping ourselves, for Him.
Follow the
lamb whithersoever He goes- alluding to Mk. 15:41, the
women who followed Jesus around Galilee in the days of popularity and mass
adulation, followed Him also to the rejection and loneliness of the cross. To
follow "whithersoever" is a challenge. Mk. 15:40,41 makes the point that the
women who followed the Lord in fair weather times in Galilee also followed Him
to the darkness of the cross: “There were also women beholding from afar: among
whom were both Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the little and of
Joses, and Salome; who, when he was in Galilee, followed him and ministered
unto him”. Mt. 13:55 makes it apparent that Mary the mother of James and Joses
is clearly enough Mary the mother of Jesus- for He had brothers of those names.
She had followed Him to Cana, and now, she faithfully followed Him to the
cross. But Rev. 14:4 alludes to all this by saying that all the redeemed follow
the Lamb wherever He goes. Thus Mary and the ministering women, following even
to the cross, become typical of us all. Not only following the Lord in
popularity, but also in the real and radical demands of His cross.
The
firstfruits- in that during the Millenial reign, many
others will be converted, far greater in number than those redeemed in this
dispensation? Surely "firstfruits" implies that.
14:5 no
guile found- the very language used about the Lord Jesus in 1 Pet. 2:22. His
personality and character, down to His way of speaking, are imputed to us. Only
by imputed righteousness can it be said that a person has no guile (Ps. 32:2).
Guile / deceit / dishonesty is seen as the epitomy of
sin, and to be without guile is the height of righteousness. To be honest about
who we are, not seeking to impress, being straightforward, who we are matching
what we say- this, rather than dramatic works, is the height of righteousness.
"Found" implies a process of searching- at the judgment? " Blessed
is the man...in whose spirit is no guile" (Ps. 32:2) is picked up in
Rev.14:5: " In their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault
before the throne of God" . The picture of forgiven David in Ps. 32 is
what we will each be like after acceptance "before the throne of God"
. Yet David's experience can also be ours here and now; in those moments of
true contrition, we surely are experiencing salvation in prospect.
14:5 For
they are without fault- as in Col. 1:22 and Jude 24, the faithful are presented
faultless before God's throne- only by the Lord's righteousness being counted
to them.
14:6- see
on Dan. 4:17.
Rev. 14:6
describes the great latter fulfilment of the great
preaching commission in terms of an Angel flying in Heaven with the Gospel of
the Kingdom to be preached to all nations and languages. Surely the implication
is that the latter day preachers of the Gospel are walking on earth in league
with an Angelic system above them, empowering and enabling them. See on Gal.
5:25.
An Angel
may be given a mission to preach somewhere, and success may be arranged by Him
in prospect, but it is for us to put the work into practical
effect, without which the converts will not be produced, despite the Angels
preparatory work, although of course ultimately this is all foreknown by God
Himself. Thus we read in Rev. 14:6 of an Angel being sent "having the
everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth (same word
as 'land'- i. e. the land of Israel), and to every nation, kindred and tongue
and people "(i. e. the whole world as well). However, this actual work of
preaching to the Jews and to the world will be done by the saints; thus they
will work out in practice what was achieved by the Angel in God's plan. In this
context it is worth considering how the great commission as recorded in Mt.
28:18,19 is set in the context of other references in Matthew to world-wide
preaching. We are to go into all the world and make disciples of all nations;
and yet it is the Angels who will gather the harvest from “the world” (Mt.
13:38), Angels who will “repay” us for our work at the last day (Mt. 16:27),
Angels who gather the elect from “the four winds” (Mt. 24:31) and gather
[converts from] “all nations” to judgment (Mt. 25:32). The implication surely
is that in our preaching work, the Angels are with us and will gather in the
converts which we have made.
14:6-9 “And I saw another
angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and
tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him;
for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and
earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters. And there followed another
angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made
all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third
angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and
his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand” (Rev.
14:6-9). This makes more sense if we imagine the nations presently living in
the land promised to Abraham, confederated against Israel under Babylon, now
having the Gospel preached to them. They are told not to confederate
under Babylon. The ‘earth dwellers’ in the OT (especially in
Joshua) invariably refer to the nations dwelling in the land, not the whole
planet. Yet Babylon will reign over “the kings of the earth” (17:18),
another phrase so often used in the OT of the nations dwelling in the land. So
it would seem that generally they will reject the warning given to them to keep
separate from her. Yet Revelation ends with: “the kings of the earth do bring
their glory and honour into it”. The kings of the land, once confederate with
Babylon, will in the very end come to Zion and accept her rather than Babylon
as their capital.
14:7
Worship Him- conversion is a call to worship our creator, not merely assent to
a set of theology.
For the
hour of His judgment is come- like many Old Testament prophets, is this a last
minute appeal for repentance in order to avert the world's final judgment? God
is to be feared and worshipped because of the hour of His judgment (Rev. 14:7);
"when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will
learn righteousness" (Is. 26:9); for "the Lord is known by the
judgment which he executeth" (Ps. 9:16).
Israel's condemnation was to be "an instruction" unto the surrounding
nations (Ez. 5:14,15). And Israel herself will know that "I am the
LORD" in their final condemnation, as Ezekiel so often prophesied. This
clearly associates God's judgment with a learning process. "When the
scorner is punished, the simple is made wise" (Prov. 21:11). Thus the
nations are intended to learn from the experience of Israel’s condemnation
(Hos. 2:10). The repentance of Egypt will be because "the Lord shall smite
Egypt... and they shall return to the Lord" (Is. 19:18-22).
14:8- see
on Rev. 16:12.
Fallen- the
word occurs many times in Revelation. Believers either fall before the Lord, or
fall in condemnation. We must fall and be broken- one way or the other (Mt.
21:44).
Because she
made- making others sin is the ultimate sin. To make just one brother stumble
means we should be thrown into the sea with a millstone around our necks (Mk.
9:42).
Drink of
the wine- drinking a cup of wine is a double symbol. It's either "the cup
of blessing" or the cup of condemnation. Hence the breaking of bread
service leads us to a T-intersection, we take the cup either to our eternal
blessing or eternal condemnation. And we can't flunk the choice.
Wine of the
wrath- i.e. the wrath of God because of her fornication- v. 10. Babylon caused the nations around
her to drink her wine of fornication, making them "mad" (Jer. 51:7;
Rev. 14:8). Wine being a symbol of doctrine, this must point to 'Babylon'
spreading the idea of Islamic fundamentalism to the nations around Israel (as
"the nations" seem to normally refer to), making them "mad"
in their hatred of Israel. Iran and Iraq, geographical Babylon/Assyria,
are already noted for this. As Sennacherib relied heavily on propaganda
and religious rhetoric, so Nebuchadnezzar and his latter-day equivalent will do
even more so. Jer. 51:55 speaks of Babylon as "the great voice”,
referring to her religious propaganda. This will be quite complex, carrying
with it all the power and persuasion of a
pseudo-intellectuality: "Thy wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath
perverted thee" (Is. 47:10).
14:9- see
on Rev. 13:17.
Mark on the
forehead- prostitutes had their name on their foreheads (Jer. 3:3). By using
Babylon as a prostitute, they themselves became as prostitutes.
Daniel's representative role is most clearly shown in the
figurative death, resurrection and judgment which he receives in Dan. 10. In
this Daniel is acting out the experience of each of the approved. His refusal
to obey the command to worship Babylon's King is alluded to in Rev. 13:5; 14:9,
which prophesy how the saints of the last days will be tested just as Daniel
was, with a like miraculous deliverance. Thus Daniel seems to especially
symbolize the latter day believers. The comforting "Fear not Daniel"
(Dan. 10:12,19) slots in to many other instances of
Angels saying these words to frightened men. This makes it appropriate to
speculate that the latter day believers will hear the same words from the Angel
who comes to gather them (and cp. Is. 35:4, which gives the same "fear
not" message to the generation which sees the second coming). Again,
Daniel's relationship with the Angel appears to be representative of that
enjoyed by all the saints.
14:10
without mixture- implies some who are condemned drink wine mixed with water,
i.e. are condemned with a lesser condemnation. To drink wine without any
dilution at all was unusual in the first century. It would've been very bitter.
But those who are told Babylon has fallen and yet still take her whore's mark
into their foreheads with Angels flying overhead appealing for repentance- will
be punished most severely. The grades of condemnation inversely reflect the
grades of acceptance, one star differing from another in glory, one over five
cities, another over two.
14:10
brimstone- sulphur. To recall the destruction of Sodom.
Sodom is equated with Babylon. Those who refused to leave or who turned back
[Lot's wife] represent those in the last days who will refuse the Angelic call
to leave the Babylon system.
In the
presence of- the other Biblical information about condemnation suggests that
the rejected will be taken quickly out of the Lord's presence. He takes no
pleasure in their destruction. So maybe we have here a snapshot of their agony
in His presence as they perceive their final rejection before they are cast out
of His presence. The rejected will be punished in the Lord's presence
(Rev. 14:10), and then cast out of His presence (2 Thess. 1:9) into outer
darkness. This suggests two stages of condemnation: the slinking away, within
the Lord's presence, and then bring cast out into outer darkness (perhaps
literal darkness?). The rejected are handed over to the judge who then casts
them into prison or fire. The branches are cast forth, and then (stage two)
cast into the fire (Jn. 15:6). There are verses which speak of the rejected
being slain before Christ, cut in sunder (i.e. slain with the sword) (Is.
63:1-6; Mt. 24:51; Lk. 19:27). This presumably suggests that some will be
punished quite soon after their rejection (e.g. the unwilling Jewish 'subjects'
of Christ's Kingdom, Lk. 19:27), whilst others will be punished and yet
expelled from the Lord's presence to suffer the agony of existing without any
relationship with the Lord they once loved. Again, Lk. 19:27 has an example of
both. Surely these are the "many stripes" of Lk. 12:47,48,
compared to the "few stripes" of immediate death. Likewise the degree
of punishment for individual Israelites in the wilderness was surely reflected
in how long they were kept alive until they were finally wasted away by the
Lord's hand. Some of the nations / political systems of the world are
immediately destroyed at the Lord's coming, whilst others have their suffering
period extended for a season and time (Dan. 7:12). The rejected amongst the
people of God will in some ways share the condemnation of the world which they
loved. It may be that there will be different geographical areas of punishment;
some are cast into fire, others into outer darkness, into prison (Mt. 5:25)...
or are these simply saying that there will be different kinds of punishment? Or
are they different figures for the same thing?
14:11 the
smoke- they themselves are consumed, but the smoke, the memorial of their
condemnation, will eternally remain. We will remember the rejected, in some
sense, for eternity.
They have
no rest day nor night- in the awful moments, days, months, maybe
years, the rejected have to exist after their rejection. Their rejection means
that simply existing is mental torment.In the new
Jerusalem, there will be no night (Rev. 22:5)- but they will be outside of it,
where day and night still exist. This is another illustration of the way that
the Kingdom of God starts as a little stone at the return of the Lord Jesus,
and spreads to fill the earth.
Those
who do not worship the beast or have his mark will be killed (13:15,16; 14:11
cp. Dan. 3:6); in this context we are told by a special announcement from
Heaven "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth"
(14:13)- as if there will be a special blessing for those who die in the tribulation.
"Them that had gotten the victory over the beast... his image... his
mark... sing the song of Moses" (15:2,3)- implying that their persecution
by the beast was like being in Egypt, and their deliverance therefore gave rise
to a new song of Moses.
Rev.14:11
speaks of the smoke of torment ascending up "for ever
and ever" in the presence of the Lamb and His Holy Angels. This going on
throughout the 'aion of the aions' would suggest that
there will always be the reminder of the condemnation of sinners, certainly for
the duration of the Millennium. How this will be achieved in practice is hard
to envisage. But in some way, there will always be a reminder of the rejection
and judgment of the unworthy saints of this present dispensation. This will serve
as a powerful reminder to the mortals of the Millennium age; it may well be
something which we use to remind them of the seriousness of sin.
14:12 Keeping
the commandments and having the Faith in Christ are paralleled in Rev. 14:12.
To have the commandments is to keep them (Jn. 14:21 Gk.)- a true understanding
leads to obedience in practice.
14:13- see
on Rom. 14:8,9.
Yes, says
the Spirit- i.e. a Spirit-Angel was the "voice from Heaven", gasping
as it were at the wonder of how those who die in the Lord will be saved. Their
works "follow" them, literally 'walk alongside with them'. Actions
are important, even if we are saved by faith. For faith without works is dead.
We come to judgment with our works, our lives, standing next to us.
14:14 A
white cloud- representing Angels, or the faithful believers (Heb. 12:1), or
simply a reference to how the Lord ascended in a cloud and will return likewise
(Acts 1:11).
14:14-16
The Angels are described as most active in the setting up of the Kingdom, but
that in time we take over their roles. It is to help us visualize our part in
that age that so much has been revealed to us about how the Angels operate now.
The Angels are reapers; the descriptions of the final judgements
on Israel in Revelation indicate that we start to take over this role as the
time of judgement for the world draws to a close. "Behold a white cloud,
and upon the cloud one sat like
unto the Son of Man (note: like
the Son of man-i. e. the saints), having on His head a golden crown, and in his
hand a sharp sickle. And another Angel came out of the temple, crying with a
loud voice to him that sat upon the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap; for
the harvest of the earth is ripe; and he that sat on the cloud thrust in his
sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped" (Rev. 14:14-16). The
"earth" here is probably 'the land'- of Israel. The saints are
commanded by an Angel that the time has come to reap the spiritual harvest of
repentant Jews now accepting Christ. There are other references indicating the
part of the saints in welcoming repentant Israel- e. g. Jer. 3:15. Perhaps this
Angel is Palmoni, the "wonderful numberer" of Dan. 9:13, in whose hands the overall
control of the timing of God's purpose is held. This would indicate that the
saints will co-operate with the Angels, each playing different roles, in the
execution of God's purpose. This is exactly how the Angels operate in this age.
In this case, the basic Heavenly organisation and
ways of working would remain unchanged, but the size of the elohim would be
increased by our joining their ranks. Alternatively, in view of the fact that
the world to come has not been put into the hands of the Angels but of us, it
may be that only during the setting up of the Kingdom are we under such direct control
of the Angels.
14:15 ripe-
Gk. over-ripe. The second coming will be delayed; wickedness will be ripe for
judgment but it will be delayed [to allow yet more to repent, such is the
Lord's grace?].
Both the cross and the final judgment (Rev. 14:7,15) are described in John’s writings as ‘the hour coming’; the parallel language indicates that he presents the cross as the essence of the judgment. Is. 53 speaks of the Lord as being “bruised" upon the cross. But Is. 42:4 had earlier used this language about Christ, saying that He would be bruised with the result that he would “set judgment in the earth" (RVmg.). His bruising thus set forth judgment to all. We have suggested above that there was a sedile or seat affixed to the cross, on which the victim sat in order to get temporary relief. Thus some accounts of crucifixion describe the victim as mounting the cross as one would mount a horse. This would make the cross capable of interpretation as some kind of seat or throne. And significantly, there are men on the right hand and left of the Lord, one rejected, the other gloriously accepted. See on Jn. 19:13.
14:17- see on Heb. 9:23.
Rev.
14:17,18 describe an Angel coming out of "The temple which is in
Heaven" and another coming out of the Altar (Christ). Does this imply that
although all Angels are subject to Christ in rank, some are in His control and
others in the Father's ? Jesus will return with "His Holy Angels".
Presumably when He returns not every single Angel in Heaven will return with
Him. The Father's Angels will remain. As Jesus is in control of our daily lives
through our guardian Angels, it would seem a fair assumption that the guardian
Angels of the saints of all ages are in the specific control of Jesus, and
these are the "reapers" of the spiritual harvest which will return
with Him to judge us.
14:18
Revelation has much to say about Angels and prayers. Rev. 14:18 pictures an
Angel coming out of the incense altar, and triggered by the incense of our
prayers, asking another Angel to do something dramatic on earth. This is how
powerful prayer is! See on Is. 6:7.
The way the Angel comes out from the incense altar to begin
the final judgments implies that the beginning of the end of human history is
related to our prayers (Rev. 14:18). The more of it, the greater and stronger
the effect- that was the lesson of the allusion to prayer as incense. The more
the unjust judge was nagged [cp. prayer], the more he responded.
Rev.
14:18-20 provides what appears to be a picture of the judgement; an
Angel with power over fire throws the apostate vine
branches outside the city, where they will be trodden. That these are the
responsible is clinched by the similarity with the Lord's description of the
rejected being branches broken off from the true vine, because of their lack of
spiritual fruit (Jn. 15:2). Thus it would appear that there is one Angel
responsible for co-ordinating the punishment of the
rejected, which he does with fire just outside Jerusalem. This suggests that
the rejected will be punished by literal fire in the locality of the historical
Gehenna.
14:19 The
harvesting of the vine of the earth / land is different from the harvesting of
the earth generally (14:16). The vine of the land may refer to specific
judgment upon Israel- hence the reference to 1600 furlongs of judgment in
14:20, which was thought to be the length of the land of Israel.
Our response to the cross is a foretaste of our response to
the judgment experience. In a similar way, the connexion between the cross and
the judgment is solidified by the image of the winepress. It is used in Rev.
14:19 as a figure for the final judgment by Jesus; but this passage is in turn
quoting from Is. 63:1-6, where the treading of the winepress "without the
city" is clearly with reference to the Lord's crucifixion "without
the gate" (Heb. 13:12). As He said, in His death, there was the judgment
of this world.
14:20 Trampled in the winepress
"outside the city", i.e. where Jesus was crucified (Jn. 19:20; Heb.
13;11-13)- as if to show that these judgments on Israel came because of what
they had done to Jesus. 1600 stadia is the length of the land. The Itenerarum of Antonius of Piacenza says the length of
Palestine was 1664 stadia.
15:1- see
on Rev. 19:11.
15:2 At
the end of the saints' latter day tribulation, the Most Holy is opened
(Rev.15:2,5), just as it was on Christ's death; as if His hanging on the cross
is parallel to the saints' tribulation. The Angels comment "It is
done" when the saints are finally delivered (Rev.16:17), as our Lord could
say "It is finished" at the end of His sufferings. The great
earthquake which is then described (Rev.16:18) matches the earthquakes at
Christ's death and resurrection. See on Mk. 13:13.
The
saints will sing "The Song of Moses", which Ex. 15 records
was sung after the triumph at the Red Sea. This indicates that
15:4 God's judgments are in all the earth right now (Ps. 105:7). God judged nations in order that men might know Him as Yahweh (e.g. Ez. 25:11; 28:22; 30:19). Yahweh is exalted in His judging of men (Is. 5:16). His judgments make His Name / character manifest. "Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name?... all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest" (Rev. 15:4).
This harder side of God converts men, and will convert them at the final judgment. God judged nations [often terribly] in order that men might know Him as Yahweh (e.g. Ez. 25:11; 28:22; 30:19). Yahweh is exalted in His judging of men (Is. 5:16). His judgments make His Name / character manifest. “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy Name?...all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest" (Rev. 15:4). A number of OT passages (e.g. Is. 25:3) hint that a remnant of Israel’s Arab enemies will actually repent and accept Yahweh’s Truth- after their experience of His judgments. God is to be feared and worshipped because of the hour of His judgment (Rev. 14:7); “when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" (Is. 26:9).
15:5-8 In Isaiah 6:1-4 we have a vision of “the Lord high
and lifted up", enthroned in the temple, with an earthquake, the temple
filled with smoke, the doorposts that held up the veil being shaken (with the
implication that the veil falls; 6:4). Note how Rev. 15:5-8, building on this
passage, has the veil being removed, the Most Holy opened, and the temple
filled with smoke. This sends the mind straight to the rending of the temple
veil at the crucifixion and the earthquake (Mt. 27:51). The Lord “high and
lifted up" (6:1) is a phrase that occurs later in Isaiah (52:13),
concerning the crucified Lord, lifted up and exalted “very high" by the
cross. John 12:37-41 tells us that Isaiah 6 is a vision of the Lord Jesus in
glory; and in this passage John quotes both Isaiah 6 and 53 together,
reflecting their connection and application to the same event, namely the
Lord’s crucifixion. So it is established that Is. 6 is a vision of the crucified
Lord Jesus, high and lifted up in glory in God’s sight, whilst covered in blood
and spittle, with no beauty that man should desire Him. The point is, when
Isaiah saw this vision he was convicted of his sinfulness: “Woe is me, for I am
undone...". And yet the same vision comforted him with the reality of
forgiveness, and inspired him to offer to go forth and witness to Israel of
God’s grace. So once again, the vision of the cross convicts men of their sin,
and yet inspires them to go forward in service. In passing, it should be noted
that the vision of Isaiah 6 has evident similarities with those of Ezekiel 1
and Revelation 4. These likewise show something of the glory of God in the
crucified Christ, and they likewise inspired men like Ezekiel and John in their
work of witness and living the life of the spirit in the midst of apostasy. The
only other time the phrase “high and lifted up" occurs in Isaiah is in
57:15, where we read that He who is the exalted and lofty one (AV- the same
words as ‘high and lifted up’) dwells with those who are crushed (Heb. Dakka-
cp. Is. 53:5,10), i.e. those who share in the Lord’s crucifixion in their
lives. This passage is talking about God Himself in the first instance- just as
Yahweh is spoken of as walking on the waters, and yet the Lord Jesus did this
in manifestation of the Father. Likewise many NT passages appropriate words
true only of God Himself to the Lord Jesus, in that He manifested the Father.
And so it seems the same principle operates here. The one “high and lifted
up" was the Lord Jesus in Isaiah chapters 6 and 52. In chapter 57 it is
God Himself, and yet in that the Lord Jesus knew the depths of the cross, so He
came to manifest the heights of His Father. And through this God through Him is able to
dwell with the crushed. In a sense, the suffering servant has been exalted to
the throne of God and yet is able to know the feelings of those who are still
the suffering servants. The same idea is found in Rev. 4- the one who sits
enthroned is as it were a slain lamb. There is a connection between His present
glory and His previous suffering on the cross.
15:8 no
man- see on Ps. 80:1.
16:2- see
on Rev. 8:7; Rev. 13:17.
16:5
Revelation abounds with examples of Angels talking and co-operating with each
other in order to execute God's purpose; e. g. in Rev. 16:5 one Angel comments
on the wisdom of another Angel's action- "the Angel of the waters said (to
the third Angel of v. 4), Thou art righteous... because Thou hast judged
thus". See on Gen. 1:26.
That a
specific Angel controls “the waters” (Rev. 16:5) is implied by the way flood
waters are described as praising God (Ps. 42:8; 148:7), water trembling at
God’s presence (Ps. 77:17; Hab. 3:10), and the deep waters mourning (Ez.
31:15). How else can waters sensibly be personified as having such feelings,
unless these figures of speech are in fact based upon the real existence of a
personal “Angel of the waters”?
16:7 It
seems that Jesus has His own personal Angels- He returns "with all His
holy Angels"; the Angel of the altar (Christ) would also appear to be
specifically connected with Him (Rev. 16:7), perhaps marshalling these Angels
for Christ.
16:12- see
on Jn. 3:32.
The sixth
vial was poured out upon the Euphrates "so that the way of the kings of
the east [the believers?] might
be prepared" (Rev. 16:12). The allusion is the drying up of the Euphrates
by Cyrus to bring about the fall of Babylon and the return of the exiles.
Babylon fell- but the exiles generally didn't return as God intended. So
perhaps the emphasis should be upon the word "might" in a conditional
sense- the way of the triumphant saints will be potentially prepared by certain latter day
judgments. This approach connects with how the fall of latter day Babylon is
mentioned three times in Revelation (Rev. 14:8; 16:17-19; 17:16,17); and it's
hard to work out when
this happens; Rev. 16:17-19 places the fall of Babylon after Armageddon and
Christ's return, whilst Rev. 17:16,17 places it before Armageddon. I see no contradiction
here; it's just that the timing of the actual fall of Babylon and return of
Christ are events which depend on various preconditions which may or may not be
fulfilled by human freewill decisions. Such considerations may explain why it
remains unclear whether Christ returns at the time of the 6th, or 7th vial. The
language of both vials has application to His return, and yet some of it seems
to speak of before His
return. Perhaps it's beyond the technique of Biblical exposition to reconcile
this language- it may simply be that the actual coming of Christ is dependent
upon various conditional factors, and the inspired language of predictive
prophecy is therefore appropriately ambiguous. Or take the way Revelation
consistently speaks of "the beast" as if there is only one- and yet
we read of three beasts, from the sea, the land and the abyss (Rev. 13,17). Is
it really that the beast changes form over time- or are there three possible
manifestations of "the beast" dependent upon various possible factors
in human response? This approach would explain why Revelation is so hard to
interpret if we insist on forcing all the events and pictures presented into a
strictly progressive chronological sequence.
16:14 The
immediate build up to Christ's return will be a result of much Angelic activity
among the nations. We have elsewhere suggested that the references to
"seducing" and "evil" spirits in Scripture may well refer
to [good] Angels in some way. The three spirits that gather the nations to
Armageddon may well refer to Angels (Rev. 16:14). See on Ez. 38:4.
Gathered together The
previous Arab invasions which typify those of the future, also mention this
'gathering together': Sisera's forces did this
(Jud. 4:13), as did those of Ammon (Jud. 10:19;
1 Chron. 19:7), the Amorites (Jud. 11:20), the Arab powers with Assyria in
Hezekiah's time (Mic. 4:11), Gog's forces (Eze.
38:7), the Arab-Canaanite tribes (Gen. 34:30) and especially the Philistines
(Jud. 16:33; 1 Sam. 13:5,11; 17:1; 25:1; 28:1; 29:1; 2
Sam. 23:11). This is quite some emphasis. Thus while we can expect
to see greater potential Arab unity developing around the Israel issue and
perhaps a common allegiance to charismatic 'Nebuchadnezzar' figure for a brief
period, their complete meeting of minds will not be until the final push
against Jerusalem.
16:15- see on 1 Jn. 2:28.
1 Tim. 5:24,25 implies a 'going through' of the good and bad works of men, with the added implication that it is done in the presence of others. Thus they will "see his shame" (Rev. 16:15). “All that behold” the unfinished spiritual building of the wicked “will mock him” (Lk. 14:29); and the accepted will praise each other for their humility in taking the lowest seat in ecclesial life (Lk. 14:10). The rejected will awake to "the reproach and abhorrence of the age" (Dan. 12:2 Dr. Thomas' translation)- as if they will be reproached by some. "When the wicked are cut off, [the righteous] shall see it" (Ps. 37:34). The 12 disciples will judge the tribes of Israel (Mt. 19:28). At judgment day, the children of the Jews who criticized Jesus would judge them- "they shall be your judges" rather than Jesus Himself (Lk. 11:19). "The wise shall inherit glory; but shame shall be the promotion of fools" (Prov. 3:35) is looking ahead to the judgment. But "shame" must be in the eyes of someone; therefore the rejection of the wicked will be in the eyes of those who once knew them in the ecclesia. The men of Nineveh will condemn first century Israel (Mt. 12:41); the folly of the rejected will be made manifest unto all men (2 Tim. 3:9). This is not so as to simply humiliate the rejected. It is so that the faithful learn something too. This was all foreshadowed in the way that Israel experienced their judgments in the sight of the nations, so that God's principles would be taught even to the Gentile world (Ez. 5:8,15). Indeed, the idea of God executing judgment on His people in the sight of others is quite common (e.g. Ez. 5:8; 16:41). But we can learn the principles of God's judgments right now, from His word.
A read through Rev. 16:13-16 makes it evident that the 6th
vial concerns the gathering of the nations to Armageddon; but right in the
middle of this section we read: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he
that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk
naked"- clearly relevant to the saints. It's as if the punishment of the
unworthy believers and that of the nations is to be connected. The collapsing
of time at the judgment would enable this to actually happen- the events used
to punish the world could fall upon the rejected from the judgment seat. These
unfortunate individuals will be threshed, as will the world be (Mt. 3:12; Rev.
16:16). This is foreshadowed by the way apostate Israel were treated like the
surrounding Gentile world in the time of their judgments (Jer. 4:7). Thus in
the 'judgment day' of AD70, the 'rejected' Jews were sent back into Egypt as
slaves. "They shall return to Egypt" had been God's earlier prophesy
(Hos. 8:13; 9:3). Their condemnation was expressed in terms of an undoing of
the redemption from the world which they once experienced.
16:16 "Megiddo" and the descriptions of Sisera gathering
Rev.
16:14-16 and Rev.
19:19 appear to be based upon the ideas of the 'gathering together' of Israel's
Arab enemies outlined in the commentary on Rev. 16:14, and also upon Zech.
12:3. "The spirit of devils ... go forth unto the kings of the earth and
of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day... into a
place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon". "The kings of the
earth" can be interpreted as in Zech. 12:3; "of the whole world"
may refer to the world in relation to Israel (as in Dan. 2), or possibly to the
fact that all nations literally will be incited to attack Israel. 'Armageddon'
meaning 'the valley of Megiddo', takes us back to Zech. 12:9,11: "I will
seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem... in that day
shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as... in the valley of Megiddon". The conclusion from this is that although
Israel have repented before their victory in the valley of Jehoshaphat (the same
area in terms of prophecy), according to the typology of 2 Chron. 20 and other
passages, their full realization of the enormity of their sin of crucifying
Jesus only comes home to them on seeing His complete rout of their
enemies. Thus their returning to Jerusalem with joy (2 Chron.
20:27) will be preceded by, or mixed with, tears of pent-up emotional release.
The similarity of the 'gather together' language has led us to associate the
following:-
- The gathering together of
Israel's Arab enemies against her at various times
- The gathering of the Arab
nations into a valley near Jerusalem (2 Chron. 20:16, A.V. mg.) for destruction
in Hezekiah's time
- Joel's prophecy of all
nations being gathered into the "valley of Jehoshaphat" (3:2)
- The gathering together of
the Arab nations into the 'valley of Megiddo' (Rev. 16:16) to fight Israel in
the last days.
It could be objected that the valley
of Megiddo is in the North of Israel whilst that of Jehoshaphat is in the
South, near Jerusalem. However, the other similarities of language and
context are so great as to suggest that they must refer to the same place. It
may be that Megiddo having been the scene of many previous Arab battles in
Israel's history, it is being used symbolically in Rev. 16:16 rather than as a
literal geographical reference. Back in Rev. 16, the sixth vial has described
how the nations will be gathered to their place of judgment in
Armageddon. The seventh vial then records the destruction of Babylon, who
receives "the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath" in the
form of huge hailstones (Rev. 16:19,21). This equates the nations who are
gathered to Armageddon with Babylon, which we will see is primarily a symbol of
the Arab powers. The cup of the wrath of God alludes to Zech. 12:2,3,
where the Arab nations also are "gathered together" and have burdened
themselves with Jerusalem are made to drink " a cup of trembling" by
reason of doing so. The punishment with giant hailstones recalls how
Israel's Arab enemies were destroyed in the time of Joshua/Jesus (Josh. 20:11).
This confirms our interpretation of 'Babylon' as having an Arab context.
16:17- see on Rev. 15:2.
The second coming will be our meeting with the Lord who
died for us. To come before Him then will be in essence the same as coming
before His cross. Rev. 16 describes the events of the second coming, and yet it
is full of allusion back to the cross: “it is done", the temple of heaven
opened (16:17); an earthquake (16:18), a cup of wine (16:19).
16:17-19-
see on Rev. 16:12.
16:19 The Assyrian army was split up under three leaders, Tartan, Rabsaris and Rabshakeh.
"Tartan" is related to the Assyrian god Tartak
(2 Kings 17:31), further confirming that there was and will be a religious
aspect to the final invasion. More proof of this is found in the
great emphasis on their desire to take Jerusalem as opposed to anywhere else (2
Kings 18:17); 2 Chron. 32:2 AV mg.). "Rabsaris"
is mentioned in Jer. 39:3 as being one of the princes of Babylon who came
against Jerusalem during that invasion, again demonstrating the similarity
between the invasions of Babylon and Assyria (see introduction to this
study). The attack comes against Jerusalem from the south (Lachish,
2 Kings 18:17), as do the attacks in the historical incidents which typify this
final invasion.
The subdivision of the Arab invader
into three groups, as in the original Assyrian battle plan, may also be seen in
the last days, seeing that some previous Arab invasions may have had this
feature too:-
- "The spoilers of the
Philistines (raided Israel) in three companies" (1 Sam. 13:17).
- The Israelites fought their
Ammonite enemies "in three companies", perhaps because there were
three groups of Ammonites (1 Sam. 11:11).
- The account of Gideon's
victory over Midian, a clear type of the latter-day
Arab destruction, has a triple emphasis on
Israel attacking them
in “three companies" (Jud. 7:16,20,22) - perhaps for the same reason.
- The "great city"
of Bablylon/Assyria will be "divided into three
parts" for its destruction (Rev. 16:19).
- The Chaldeans
(Babylonians/Assyrians) attacked Job, symbolic of faithless
Israel in three bands (Job 1:17). The book of Job has
many other links with the Assyrian invasion (see later).
- Is there some reference to
this in the enigmatic three frog like spirits of Rev. 16:16? See on Rev. 9:16.
The great city [Jerusalem] divided
into 3 parts - an OT image of Jerusalem's judgment. Jerusalem divided into
three opposing camps by internal strife- John, Simon and Eleazar (Wars 5.1.1,4).
16:20 The Arab nations in this confederacy will turn
against 'Babylon' in the ultimate 'time of the end'; through them God's
judgment against her is administered. Babylon " gathereth
unto him all nations", but "shall not all these take up a parable against
him, and a taunting proverb against him, and say, Woe to him...s hall they not
rise up suddenly (and) bite thee... and thou shalt be for booties unto
them?" (Hab.2:5-8). First of all the islands (nations) flee away from
Babylon (Rev.16:20), the birds and animals scatter from under the big tree as
it starts to totter. This may well speak of those Arab individuals who repent
and 'come out of' Babylon. Yet seeing that all these nations on a
national level drink the same cup of judgment as Babylon (Jer. 25:19-26, cp.
Rev. 16:19), it follows that their destruction must be through their judging
and desolating Babylon. A hi-tec war
situation in which they all desolate each other with missiles urges itself upon
us as the likely fulfilment of this. Note that Babylon's king
drinks the cup slightly after this (Jer. 25:26), in the same way as the Arab
leaders of earlier invasions were singled out by Gideon for especially symbolic
destruction (Jud. 8:12-21), which we are informed will have its latter-day counterpart
(Ps. 83:11).
16:21 The exceeding great plague of
hail was one of the plagues which lead to Israel’s Passover deliverance (Ex.
9:22), and yet this is the language of the last days (Rev. 16:21)- as if there
will again be a Passover deliverance for God’s people, heralded by the pouring
out of plagues upon those who persecute them.
17:1
Babylon's "sea", i.e. the Arab nations she had power over, will be
dried up from her - i.e. she will no longer control them (Jer. 51:36; Rev.
17:1,15), but "the sea" (those Arab powers) will then come up against
Babylon to destroy it (Jer. 51:42).
17:3- see
on Rev. 12:14.
Is. 13:14,15
shows the connection of the Arab peoples with Babylon; people of these areas
are urged to "flee every one into his own land (because) every one that
is... joined unto (Babylon), shall fall by the sword" in the day of
Babylon's judgment. This sounds like a hint that the Arab peoples will be
given the opportunity to repent and avoid God's judgments. Their
previously being "joined unto" Babylon is the language of marriage/intercourse,
showing the brief intensity of their association (remember Babylon is called a
whore in Rev. 17:5). The intensity of their joining together is shown by
the fact that Babylon is spoken of as the 'hire of the north', although "the
north" can refer to other Arab powers apart from Babylon (Jer.
1:14,15; 25:9; 46:24). Passages where "the north country"
is Babylon include Jer. 3:18; 6:22; 10:22; 16:15;
23:8; 31:8; 46:10. The conclusion to be drawn from this is
that these powers became part of 'the king of the north' for the purposes of
Israel and Jerusalem's invasion and judgment. Jer. 51:20-23 speaks of Babylon
as an individual controlling others, i.e. the other Arab nations - e.g. a rider
of a horse, a shepherd over a flock, a ploughman over his oxen. This paves
the way for Babylon being the whore who rides the beast (Rev. 17:3). In
similar vein Is. 49:26 speaks of Israel's Arab enemies being fed "with
their own flesh", whilst Babylon's flesh will be eaten by the powers
confederate with her (Rev. 17:16). This shows their close association.
17:4 The beast of 17:4 was “full of blasphemous names”. Not only
the heads of the Beast (13:1), but its whole body is covered with them,
indicating that the entire empire sanctioned the emperors’ arrogation of divine
titles; such titles could be found throughout the Roman world, inscribed on
public buildings and monuments. The golden cup which the whore has (cp.
18:6; Jer. 51:7) has contents which would have been understood as
idolatrous cults and the vices of Rome-all in sharp contrast with its outward
beauty and the splendour of the woman. These prophecies were therefore in
direct and open criticism of the Roman empire which surrounded the early
ecclesia.
17:5- see
on 1 Cor. 9:27 for a Jewish / Roman interpretation of “Babylon”. There are
other similarities with the apostate Jewish system:
|
17:6 Hab.2:16 describes how Babylon
is punished at the Lord's return because of her drunkenness. Rev.17:6 defines
this as being "with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the
martyrs of Jesus", as if to imply that it is the Babylon/ beast's mad,
drunken persecution of the saints in the last days that results in the Lord's
return in judgment.
17:7 The seven heads are seven
kings, 5 have been, one is, one is yet to come for a short space: The first
seven Caesars of Rome: Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius, Claudius already
dead. The sixth, Nero, was alive when John was given the Revelation; and the
seventh was Galba who reigned only 7 months (June 68 - Jan 69). This order of
the Caesars is that taken from standard works: Suetonius (Lives of the twelve
Caesars); Dio Cassius (Roman History 5); Josephus
(Antiquities 19.1.11 cp. 18.2.2; 18.6.10). The beast's war with the saints for
42 months (13:5-7) = the Neronian persecution. Note
how 13:12,14 interchanges the head with the whole beast. Mosheim confirms this:
"The dreadful persecution which took place by order of this tyrant,
commenced at Rome about the middle of November in the year of our Lord 64… this
dreadful persecution ceased but with the death of Nero… in the year 68 [June],
when he put an end to his own life" L. von Mosheim, Historical
Commentaries vol. 1, tr. Robert Vidal (NY: Converse, 1854) pp 138,139. In the
same way as the 1st century believers could not have accurately predicted how
all this would come about, but would have been wonderfully encouraged as they
saw it all happening, and perceived then the interpretation- so we will see the
Revelation come true, rather than be able to predict its precise fulfillment,
in our final "last days".
The fear or awe of the Lord, our wonder at Him, is the
beginning of wisdom. Wonder isn't a kind of intellectual resignation, giving up
on the study of God and retreating into numb feelings. Quite the opposite. True
wonder leads to a more earnest seeking after wisdom. The Angel told John that
John had 'wondered' in amazement at the visions so that God could now reveal
the mystery to him (Rev. 17:6,7). In our wonder we sense we are at the
beginning of things of infinite significance, we feel we are starting to grasp
something ultimate. And we wish to go further. We will glory in the
understanding and knowledge of God which that wonder stimulates us to search
out (Jer. 9:22,23)
17:8 Like
the Lamb, who was killed and then raised up (5:6), the Beast seems to disappear
and then return to life (17:8). This passage may be a reference to some
definite event, such as the murder of Caesar and the healing of the empire
under Augustus, the legend of Nero
redivivus, whereby Nero was believed to
have returned from the dead. The marvellous cure of the Beast excites
admiration and leads to the adoration of the dragon and the Beast (17:8). This
is an allusion to the rapid progress of the emperor cult and to the ready
acceptance of the immoral example of the emperors. Thus Caesar is set up as the
very antithesis of the one true Lord and Master, Jesus.
17:10 A pre-AD70 date for Revelation has been well argued by J.A.T.Robinson, H.A.Whittaker and
Paul Wyns. John would've been pretty old if it was
indeed given in AD96 as claimed by some. The many connections between
Revelation and the Olivet prophecy and 2 Peter 3 all suggest that it too is a
prophecy of AD70. The historical connections are too great to ignore, and seem
of little value if the book is simply alluding at a later date to what happened
in AD70. Rev. 17:10 speaks of the leadership of the Roman empire, speaking of
“five that are fallen”- clearly referring to:
1. Julius Caesar the first Roman Emperor (44 BC-26 BC).
2. Augustus (27 BC – AD 14).
3. Tiberius (AD 14 – 37).
4. Gaius (AD 37 – 41).
5. Claudius (AD 41 – 51)
The leader
who "is" would therefore refer to Nero (AD54-68), and the context of
persecution would then be that of his reign.
17:16 According to the prototype of
the Old Testament invasions of Israel, their enemies turn against each other.
We are to expect this in the last days, so that, e.g., Ethiopia will turn
against Assyria. This may be part of the process whereby the horns
"hate the whore" of Babylon/Assyria during the final stage of their
persecution of God's people (Rev. 17:16 cp. Hab
2:8). Nah 3:9 points out that the real strength of Assyria against
Israel was on account of the support she received from the smaller Arab
powers. Likewise the ‘Romans’ who destroyed the temple in AD70 were
largely Arab and Persian mercenaries. Similarly no one Arab nation presently
has any likelihood of dominating the Middle East in terms of military
power. Iran and Iraq (geographical 'Assyria') will need the
assistance of the other Arab nations to realistically invade Israel. "Tidings
out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him" (Dan. 11:44) uses
the same word translated "rumour" in 2 Kings 19:7, concerning the
'rumour' Sennacherib heard of his Ethiopian allies turning against
him. These 'tidings' can be interpreted in a last-days context as
referring to news reaching 'Assyria' of her smaller Arab allies turning against
her - the horns hating the whore (Rev. 17:16).
17:16,17-
see on Rev. 16:12.
17:17 The final "day of the Lord" will contain elements of all the previous 'days' of God's manifestation in the affairs of men. It will be the time when "the words of God are fulfilled" (Rev. 17:17), when "all is fulfilled" (Lk. 21:22,32) - presumably referring to the prophetic word. It is therefore fitting that there are many Old Testament historical backgrounds to the prophecies which relate to the Lord's return; those events were types of the final last day. See on Mt. 24:15.
The last days will be the time when every prophecy has its ultimate fulfilment (Lk. 21:22; Rev. 17:17). Therefore we are justified in seeing every prophecy concerning Israel and her Arab neighbours as having at least some latter day application.
As in Hezekiah’s time the
Assyrians likened captivity in their land to the wonders of being in God's
Kingdom, thus Babylon is likewise depicted as a fake Kingdom of God. All
the nations flowed together unto her (Jer. 51:44), as they will to the
true Kingdom of God (Is. 2:2). She is called "that great city, which reigneth (Gk. 'basilia')
over the kings of the earth" (Rev.17:18). 'Basilia'
is normally used about God's Kingdom. When Jesus described His Kingdom as a
tree "greater than all herbs" with "great branches; so that the
fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it" (Mk.4:32), He was
actually quoting from the description of the kingdom of Babylon in Dan.4. By
doing so, He was pointing out that Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom, legendary as it
might be, was but a fake replica of His.
17:18- see on Rev. 14:6-9.
According to Rev. 17 & 18, the latter day Babylon persecutes the saints, both Israel and the believers, and extends her power over “all the earth”. Her leadership sits on seven mountains. All attempts to identify these with literal hills in Jerusalem or Rome seem to me rather futile as the prophecy states clearly enough that these seven mountains represent seven kings (Rev. 17:9,10 RV “they are seven kings”). And there are very few symbols in Revelation which we are intended to interpret dead literally. The latter day Babylon will therefore head up a confederacy of seven nations. When the mountains flee in Rev. 16:10, Babylon loses the support base of the coalition she leads. These kings are described in Rev. 17:18 as the kings of the land- that promised to Abraham. And within the boundaries of that land we find seven such nations- Palestine, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and Iran. The appeal in Rev. 14:6-8 and Rev. 18:4 for Christian believers to “come out of her” would imply that there are believers within those nations and that there will be a major witness made to her- and it is surely highly significant that there has been a great growth in conversions in those areas in recent times! This is a sure sign that we are approaching the time of the end. Sadly Rev. 18:24 implies that believers will be murdered in these areas in the final tribulation- and already the persecution and murder of Christian converts is in full swing there. The description of Babylon sitting upon various peoples, nations and tongues is to be connected with the same use of the phrase in Rev. 5:9 and 7:9 to describe the world from which Christian believers are drawn out. And significantly, the same phrase is very commonly used in Daniel to describe the area ruled over by historical Babylon (Dan. 3:4,29; 4:1; 5:19; 6:25; 7:14). God will make the various nations under Babylon’s rule to “agree” (Rev. 17:17)- there will be an unprecedented unity amongst those nations located within the land promised to Abraham. Pan-Arabism will triumph in the end. The resolution of the Iran-Iraq tensions is one example of this ‘agreement’ being reached. This union will lead to economic prosperity for the region (Rev. 18:3)- easy to imagine, given the huge oil wealth of these areas. Babylon will become a fake Kingdom of God; hence she is described in terms elsewhere applied to the people and land of Israel (Rev. 18:22,23). Babylon is arrayed in fine linen (Rev. 18:16) as a pseudo-bride of Christ.
18:2
demons- see on Job 2:4.
18:3- see
on Rev. 17:18.
The description of Rome’s trading in chapter 18 would have been especially powerful- it would have seemed that Rome was invincible, economically and politically unshakeable, admired by the whole world. And yet it was to be brought down by Divine judgment. Note too how these passages are also applicable to Jerusalem- as if there in the city that was so defiantly anti-Roman, the same abuses in essence were going on, and would meet a like judgment.
18:4
Lot's witness completed, he was told
to leave Sodom "lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city"
(Gen. 19:15), with "thy two daughters which are here". "Are
here" in the Hebrew means literally 'to come out'- as if to stress that
although living with Lot, they still had made the conscious decision to leave.
The fact that they did not look back like their mother would indicate a certain
degree of spiritual strength- and perhaps they were still virgins because they
declined to marry "the men of Sodom (who) were wicked and sinners before
the Lord exceedingly" (Gen.13:13). This command to leave Sodom "Lest
thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city" is clearly one of the source
passages for Rev.18:4 concerning Babylon: "I heard another (Angelic) voice
from Heaven, saying, Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of
her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues". Note that it was also
an Angel who said this to Lot. Babylon is directly equated with Sodom in Is.
13:19 and Jer. 50:40. Babylon geographically and culturally represents the Arab
peoples of our last days- and therefore it is not surprising that related Arab
nations like Edom, Moab and Ammon are also parallelled with Sodom (Jer. 49:18; Zeph. 2:9). This
continues a long-standing Biblical theme that the curses on apostate Israel are
the same as those on the Arabs- thus Sodom is representative of both Jews and
Arabs.
|
Babylon (in Rev.) |
Sodom |
|
"I will shew unto thee the
judgment of the great whore" (Babylon); 17:2 |
Cp. God showing Abraham the
judgment of Sodom. |
|
The beast supporting Babylon
"was and is not and shall ascend"; 17:8 |
Sodom and surrounding cities were
strong, then overrun by Abraham, then revived. |
|
"Her sins have reached unto
Heaven, God hath remembered her iniquities"; 18:5 |
"The cry of Sodom... is great
because their sin is very grievous ...the cry of it is come unto
me" (Gen.18:20,21) |
|
"She hath glorified herself,
and lived deliciously";18:7 |
"Pride... fulness
of bread" (Ez. 16:49) |
|
"Utterly burned with
fire"; 18:8 |
'Sodom' = 'burning'. |
|
"Her plagues... death... and
famine"; 18:8 |
"He overthrew all the
inhabitants of the cities, and that which grew upon the ground" (cp.
"famine"; Gen. 19:25). |
|
"The great city... great
Babylon"; 16:19 |
The city of Sodom. |
|
"There fell upon men a great
hail out of heaven"
(16:21)
|
"The Lord rained upon
Sodom... brimstone and fire from the Lord out of
heaven" (Gen.19:24). |
|
"They shall see the smoke of
her burning, standing afar off for the fear of her torment”
(18:9,10) |
Abraham standing far away and
seeing the smoke of Sodom's burning indicates that the surrounding
kings did likewise (Gen.19:28). |
|
Merchants suffered through
Babylon's fall
(18:11-19) |
Sodom was a trading centre (Lk.
17:28) |
|
" ...a great millstone cast
into the sea ...thus with violence shall... Babylon.. be found no more
at all" (18:21) |
Sodom now appears to be submerged
in the Dead Sea, to be found no more. |
|
"Her smoke rose up"
(19:3) |
"Sodom... the land of the
plain... the smoke of the country went up" (19:28) |
Lot's call out of Sodom represents
how the Angels will call us out of this present evil world. Indeed, our Lord
said that Sodom represents the world just prior to the second coming
(Lk.17:28). The evident connections with latter day Babylon would suggest that
'Babylon' too represents the world of the last days; " Come out of her my
people" (Rev.18:4) therefore refers to the Angel's plea to us at the
second coming, in addition to any previous historical reference it may have to
the Catholic apostasy. The call for the first century Jews to leave Rome or for
true believers to come out of Catholicism were pointers towards the ultimate
fulfilment of these words, which will be in our leaving this life at the behest
of the Angel who comes to call us away. Our obedience then will be the
summation of all the previous decisions God's people have made to 'come out'
from the 'world' in its various forms.
If 'Babylon' refers specifically to the
Arab powers, it is possible to see Sodom representing the world under Arab
control in the last days, offering great material wealth. Yet the obvious
Biblical basis for the language of "come out of her my people" is in
the many references to Israel being called on to leave the soft life of Babylon
and return to the land during the restoration (e.g. Zech.2:6,7). In this there
is a remarkable similarity with Sodom. The Jews in Babylon maintained their
separateness, and yet became heavily involved in the government of Babylon (as
witness Daniel and his friends, along with secular history). This is parallel
to Lot's position in Sodom. Yet the prosperity of Babylon made the Jews
disinclined to leave it in order to go to Jerusalem, as Lot had a similar
disinclination. And the easy life of the present world will also seem a greater
attraction to the unworthy of the new Israel, when the Angel calls them to go
to Jerusalem to meet their Lord.
If we are not separate from this world now, we will not be separated from them when the judgments fall. If we don't come out from Babylon, we will share her judgments (Rev. 18:4). Zion lost her children and also her husband whilst still a young woman (Is. 49:21; 54:6), just as Babylon would (Is. 47:9). Each street of Jerusalem was named after an idol, just as was the case in Babylon (Jer. 11:13)- and thus Jerusalem shared Babylon’s judgment. The world will be gathered to Jerusalem for condemnation as will unworthy saints (Rev. 16:14,16; 19:19). This is foreshadowed by the way apostate Israel were treated like the surrounding Gentile world in the time of their judgments (Jer. 4:7). Israel worshipped the Babylonian gods, and so they were sent along with Bel their idol to Babylon, where their hearts were. And so they were “Condemned with the world...”. Likewise in the ‘judgment day’ of AD70, the ‘rejected’ Jews were sent back into Egypt as slaves. Their condemnation was expressed in terms of an undoing of the redemption from the world which they once experienced.
18:6 Those who judge Babylon are told, "As she hath done, do
unto her" (Jer. 50:15). This is quoted in Rev. 18:6 concerning
the saints as the judges of Babylon. It would appear from this that
there must be two stages in Babylon's judgment:-
1) The Arab armies attacking
her armies, both near Jerusalem and in geographical 'Babylon'. They are
themselves largely destroyed while doing this.
2) The saints possibly
directing some of the repentant Arab peoples, complete the judgment, giving
some of the spoils to these Arabs.
18:7 Rome boasted that “I sit a queen” (18:7). The chief sin of Rome as of all pagan empires consists in their assertion that their power and their authority derive exclusively from themselves, that they are their own masters, recognizing no superior law. Please note that in seeing a first century fulfillment of Revelation I in no way thereby necessarily exclude a continuous historic or latter day fulfillment of it also.
Other prophecies about the sudden destruction of literal Babylon- which can only be latter day in their application- are also the basis for the words of Revelation about latter day Babylon. Consider:
|
“Thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me: I shall not sit a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children” (Is. 47:8) |
“How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously…for she hath said in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow” (Rev. 18:7). |
|
“But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children, and widowhood” (Is. 47:9) |
“Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning” (Rev. 18:8) |
|
“Let now the astrologers, the stargazers, the monthly prognosticators, stand up” (Is. 47:13) |
“For by thy sorceries…” (Rev. 18:23) |
Therefore
we conclude that the Babylon of Revelation is the Babylon of Jeremiah and
Isaiah, literal Babylon, which awaits her full punishment. This conclusion is
strengthened once it is appreciated how the harlot Babylon of Rev. 17, loud,
gaudy, decked with jewellery and painted face, is replete with reference to Semiramis, the goddess / mother of Nimrod, and one of the
patron gods of literal Babylon.
18:8 Rev.
18:8 is specific that latter-day Babylon will be punished with famine. The
Philistines, clearly typical of Israel's present Arab neighbours, will also die
from severe famine in the last days (Isa. 14:30). This may well be due to the
weaponry used to inflict this upon Israel being used by the Arabs against
themselves. Babylon's famine coming "in one day" (Rev. 18:8)
would suggest something along these lines - how else can a famine be suddenly
created in a day?
The Lord taught that the believer who makes his brother stumble should have a millstone hung around his neck and be cast into the sea (Lk. 17:2). This is exactly Babylon's judgment (Rev. 18:21). The unloving in the ecclesia will be treated like the unloving world whose spirit they share. The rejected will weep and gnash their teeth (Mt. 25:30)- and be sent back into the Babylon-world, where they are also weeping and angry (Rev. 18:15,19). As the tree of Babylon will be cut down, so will the rejected be (Dan. 4:14,23 = Mt. 7:19). As Babylon is burnt with fire (Rev. 18:8), and indeed the whole 'world' too (2 Pet. 3:10), so will the rejected be (Mt. 13:40 etc.).
If indeed time is collapsed, this would enable all these
prophecies to come true, but not in real time. Babylon is to be punished with
famine in one day; yet famine is a process (Rev. 18:8). In one day her
judgments come, and yet also in one hour (18:10). Surely the lesson is
that time is compressed. The events around Christ's return were prefigured by
those at the time of Joshua's conquest of the land. Some of the records of his
campaigns require a huge amount to have been achieved by his soldiers within
around 36 hours. The comment that so much was achieved "at one time"
(Josh. 10:42) may hint at a compression of time to enable it. "The sun
stood still" may well be intended to teach that the meaning of time was
collapsed by God, rather than that the sun literally stood still (Josh.
10:12,13). And the sun standing still over Gibeon is mentioned in Is. 28:21 as
typical of the time when Yahweh will do "His strange work, and bring to
pass his act, his strange act" in the last days. The same may be true when
the shadow went back for Hezekiah. The movement of the planets need not have
been altered; the meaning of time was simply suspended. Rev. 8:12, also
speaking of the last days, says that “the day shone not for a third part of it,
and the night likewise”. Could this mean that one day and one night last only
two thirds of their usual length, whilst the judgments of the fourth Angel are
poured out upon the land? I would suggest that the Lord had in mind the
suspension of time when he asked that "the hour might pass from him"
in Gethsemane (Mk. 14:35); rather than asking to escape the cross in this
request, he was perhaps asking for it all to happen in only a moment of real
time.
18:9
Even Babylon itself will be encouraged to repent through her latter day
judgments. In this context we read: " Babylon is suddenly fallen and
destroyed: howl for her (cp. Rev. 18:2,9); take balm for her pain, if so be she
may be healed" (Jer. 51:8). Truly God does not willingly afflict, but in
judgment remembers mercy, and His ultimate aim of achieving His glory.
Is.34
describes the judgments of "all nations" around Israel, notably
"upon Idumea", in language which is clearly alluded to in the later
prophecies of Babylon's doom in Revelation (v.9,10=Rev.14:11;
17:16; 18:9; v.11=Is.14:23). Indeed, all God's prophecies against Israel's
enemies have marked points of contact with each other. Thus the prophecies
against Tyre in Is.23 are shot through with links with those against Babylon in
Revelation; and "as at the report (prophecy) concerning Egypt, so shall
they be sorely pained at the report of Tyre" (Is.23:5). Is.14:3 says that
Babylon treated Israel like the Egyptians did; they too gave them
"sorrow... fear, and... hard bondage wherein (Israel) wast made to
serve" . Because of these similarities in how they treated and will treat
God's people, their judgments will be similar. Yet a number of these nations,
notably Egypt and Tyre, are described as being judged and destroyed by Babylon
(e.g. Ez.26:7). However, there is good reason to think that Babylon's own
judgment will be at the hands of nations like these, who come under her
umbrella during their invasion of Israel. The resolution of this apparent
contradiction lies in the prophecies concerning the Arab powers destroying each
other in the final conflict, thus fulfilling all these prophecies concerning
their judging of each other.
18:10
The destruction of the city is a sudden thing. The phrase “in one hour” occurs
three times in Rev. 18. This destruction is like that of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Literal Babylon was not destroyed “in one hour” in 536 BC. The predicted fall
of Babylon must therefore be in our last days.
18:11 The apostate
religious system called "Babylon" in Revelation is evidently
presented in the language of Solomon - at the time his kingdom was apparently
flourishing, due to his righteousness:
1 Kings
Revelation
10:14
13:17,18
10:23
18:11,12,15
11:1,2
17:1,2
10:22
18:17,19
10:23
18:3,17
10:21,22
18:12
10:11
18:12
10:22
18:12
10:10,25
18:13
10:23
18:3,9
10:28
18:12
9:22
18:13
11:1,5 (Solomon
influenced
2:20 cp. 1 Kings 16:31
by
Zidonian idolatry)
2 Chron. 9:15
(666)
13:18
18:13 Slaves in the first century were seen as mere bodies owned by their masters or mistresses. Hence Rev. 18:13 describes slaves as somata, bodies. They were seen as both the economic and sexual property of those who owned them. It seems Paul had this in mind when he spoke of how we have one master, Christ, and our bodies are indeed not our own- but they are His, to be used according to His wishes. For many slaves, this would’ve meant running the risk of death or flogging. And yet despite this radical demand, Christianity spread rapidly amongst the huge slave population of the first century world.
18:16 - see on Rev. 17:18.
18:19
"The beast, and the kings of
the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat
on the horse (Jesus, v. 11), and against his army". The connection with 2
Chron. 20 and the other references to Israel's Arab enemies 'gathering
together' invites us to see the beast as a primarily Arab organization. If
there is a detailed allusion here to the 2 Chron. 20 scenario, Jehoshaphat
(against whom the Arab kings initially gathered together) would represent
Jesus, and Jehoshaphat's army would tally with the resurrected
saints. In this case, the final Arab onslaught will be after the
return of Jesus. In passing, note the differentiation between the leaders in
this conflict and their armies: "The kings of the earth, and their
armies... him that sat on the horse (Jesus) and against his army". This
would suggest a specific Arab hatred of the Lord Jesus which is separate from,
although in addition to, their antipathy towards Israel and the
saints. It may also be possible to see in the separation between
"the kings of the earth, and their armies" a certain degree of
coercion, or difference of motivation, between leaders and people. It may be
that an Moslem-dominated U.N., E.U. or similar organization controlling some
kind of global army will fulfill such requirements.
18:20- see on Jn. 7:24.
18:21 When
God described Nineveh as a “great city”, the very fact of its size elicited a
desire to spare it. And of course we meet the same phrase in Revelation (Rev.
18:21), where a condemned Babylon is described as a “great city”. This was not
God gleefully preparing to destroy a huge city. He surely had Nineveh in mind
when He inspired those words. This was, and will be, a God whose very heart is
touched by the tragedy of sinners having to be punished, and who is open to a change
of purpose if they will repent. Thus the latter day appeal to “Come out of
her!”, whether we understand ‘Babylon’ as false religion, the Moslem world, the
world of sinners or whoever, is rooted in God’s spirit of passionate love
towards Nineveh. As Jonah “cried” against Nineveh, so God ‘cries’ against
Babylon (Rev. 18:2). We who make that appeal in these last days should be
reflecting here on earth the mind of God in Heaven; not merely pronouncing doom
and gloom against ‘Babylon’, but warning them of God’s stated intentions
towards them with a heart
that bleeds for them and seeks their repentance.
The writer of Psalm 137, sitting angry and frustrated by a Babylonian riverside, with his guitar hanging on a willow branch, being jeered (“tormented” Ps. 137:3 RVmg.) by the victorious Babylonian soldiers who had led him away captive… he felt so angry with them. Especially when they tried to make him sing one of the temple songs (“sing us one of the songs of Zion”). And, as a bitter man does, his mind went from one hurt to another. He remembered how when Babylon had invaded, the Edomites hadn’t helped their Hebrew brethren (Obadiah 11,12). They had egged on the Babylonian soldiers in ripping down the temple, shouting [in a chorus?] “Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation”. And so in anger and bitterness this Jew prays with tears, as he remembered Zion, “O daughter of Babylon… happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us. Happy shall he be that taketh and dasheth thy little ones against the rock” (:8,9 RV). God read those angry words as a prayer, and in some sense they will have their fulfilment. For these words are picked up in Rev. 18:8,21 and applied to what will finally happen to Babylon. Her spiritual children will be dashed against the rock of Christ, the stone of Daniel 2:44, at His return. He will dash in pieces the Babylon-led people that oppose Him.
It seems
the rejected saints will share the judgements of Satan, the beast, the
antiChrist. Thus Babylon has a millstone tied round her neck and she is thrown
into the sea (Rev. 18:21), just as the judgement of the rejected saints is
described (Mt. 18:6). They will be ground to powder by the stone of Christ (Mt.
21:44), just as he will fall on the nations of the Babylon confederacy and
grind them to powder (Dan. 2:34). The Lord will appoint his unwatchful servant
a place of condemnation "with the unbelievers" (Lk. 12:46). This is
understandable once we appreciate the idea that there are only two Kingdoms,
God's and Satan's. The unworthy were effectively in Satan's Kingdom, therefore
they will suffer the judgement that is prepared for it. Therefore we must
separate from Babylon, Satan's Kingdom, or else we will receive her judgements
(Rev. 18:4). Likewise the condemnation of the apostate in
18:22
There is the assumption by many that all the O.T. prophecies about
‘Babylon’ were fulfilled in the overrunning of Babylon by the Medes. However,
there are many details of those prophecies which didn’t have a total
fulfilment, and this we must see what the Medes did as but a partial, incipient
fulfilment of what is going to come in the last days. This also requires that
we understand ‘Babylon’ as literal Babylon- for it was against her that the
prophecies were uttered in the first place. And quite clearly, the prophecies
of Revelation against ‘Babylon’ are extensions of those of the Old Testament.
We therefore are encouraged to see the ‘Babylon’ of Revelation as the Babylon
of the prophets- i.e., literal Babylon. Jeremiah 51 predicts the judgment of
Babylon, and yet v. 46 says this is a time when ruler will fight ruler. And
this is quoted in Mt. 24:6,7 as being specifically applicable to our last days.
Literal Babylon decayed due to the ravages of time, whereas
Babylon was to fall “suddenly” (Jer. 51:8). And Rev. 18 tells us that the fall
of Babylon will be “in one hour”, smiting her down suddenly in her prime. This
must be future in its fulfilment. Rev. 18:22 and 14:8 both speak of “Babylon is
fallen” as applying to a latter day scenario. And yet these words are lifted
straight from Is. 21:9 and Jer. 51:8, prophecies about literal Babylon being
destroyed suddenly- a destruction which is clearly future, seeing the city was
never so suddenly destroyed in the past. The suddenness of the destruction is a
keynote of these prophecies. See on Rev. 18:7.
19:6- see
on Rev. 6:9.
19:8 The “righteous acts” of the
saints will be publicly arrayed before all (Rev. 19:8)- by none other than the
Lord. All their good ‘acts’ will be revealed to all. And yet that righteousness
is what they are clothed with by Christ- perhaps suggesting that their good
deeds will be presented in a heightened form, as imputed righteousness, which
would explain why the righteous will be shocked that the Lord could speak so
highly of them (“When saw we thee…?”).
19:10 The preaching or testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, says Rev. 19:10. I understand this to mean that our testimony to Jesus is in the spirit of the Old Testament prophets. For Rev. 22:6 associates the God of the holy prophets [a phrase referring to the Old Testament prophets in Lk. 1:70 and Acts 3:32] with the same God who is with us in our witnessing to Christ. And Rev. 18:20 speaks of those prophets rejoicing in the last day together with all preachers of the Gospel. This is why incidents from the lives and teaching of the Old Testament prophets are repeatedly alluded to in the New Testament and applied to all of us. James 5:10 puts it bluntly- the prophets are to be taken by us as our examples. Jeremiah was warned: "Be not dismayed of them, lest I dismay you" (Jer. 1:17 RV). This is alluded to by the Lord when He tells us that if we are ashamed of Him and His words, then He will be ashamed of us (Lk. 9:26). The connection surely indicates that the Old Testament prophets and the spirit of their comissioning is intended to apply to us today in our fulfilling of the great commission. Thus the prophets become our pattern for witness; they are our “brethren the prophets” (Rev.22:9). And so an understanding of them becomes programmatic for our witness today. Our audience, the world in which we live, is in essence that in which the prophets lived. Isaiah was up against the attitude that “Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we shall die” (Is. 22:13)- and Paul quotes that passage as relevant for all Christians who hold the hope of resurrection amidst a world that does not (1 Cor. 15:32).
The Angel had made prophecies, and John felt that this was something so wonderful that it separated him from the Angel. But John like us was bearing “the testimony of Jesus” (Rev. 1:9). The same essential spirit which was in the prophets is in all those who in their spirit or attitude bear the witness of Jesus. Hence the prophesying Angel encourages John not to worship him, but rather to recognize that he is John’s “fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book”, i.e. all believers (Rev. 22:9). And again, this was radical stuff for the initial audience of the Apocalypse. They were being told that they had the prophets as their brethren, and on account of their spirit / attitude of bearing the testimony of Jesus, the same spirit which was in the prophets was in them. The very act of bearing witness to Jesus in our spirit / disposition is in fact to have the same spirit in us which was in the prophets and was the basis of their prophetic witness. This makes the prophets our “brethren”, not distant white faced ‘saints’. See on Mt. 8:22.
19:11 One
of the keys to understanding Revelation is to realize that it is structured as
a series of visions based around the number seven. It must also be understood
that as with many Old Testament prophecies, the book of Revelation is not
strictly chronological in its fulfilment. Sometimes we read something which is
actually the final picture, and then we read how this situation came about. At
other times, we find a series of visions give us as it were 'snapshots' of
different aspects of the same process. The seven final visions are introduced
by the rubric "And I saw...". It is my suggestion that they each show
different aspects of the process of setting up the Kingdom. All references are
to Revelation unless otherwise stated. The thoughtful student of the final
chapters of Revelation will realize that there are difficulties in 'fitting in'
our usual view of the Millenium with the information
presented there. The suggestion is made in these notes that the "thousand
years" simply means 'a very long time', and refers to eternity. This
solves the problem that a rebellion at the end of the 'Millennium' would
contradict Is. 9:7; 60:18; Jer. 3:17 and other passages which teach that
"they shall learn war no more" after the Kingdom is established. The
wrath of God is finished when the seven last plagues are poured out
(Rev. 15:1 RV), at the Lord's return, i.e. at the beginning of the
'Millennium'. At the coming of Christ, the powers represented by the dragon and
beast are defeated and chained up. The dead are raised and judged. The rejected
join the dragon in the 'bottomless pit', an area on the borders of the land of
promise, i.e. the initial geographical extent of the Kingdom. Here they
are restrained, but once the Kingdom is established, perhaps after a period of
7 years or so, they 'attack' the land of Israel, where the Kingdom of God has
been established. They are then destroyed. The Kingdom then continues
eternally. The descriptions of a judgment seat in these final chapters are all
related to the same judgment seat, i.e. that when Christ returns. The OT
prophecies of a 'Millenium' with mortal people in it
either apply to the setting up period of the Kingdom, or they are to be read in
a more figurative way.
Christ
goes out to make war, the Beast and his armies go out to make war against Him
(v.19)- head on conflict.
19:12
Cp. our name in the Kingdom; no-one can enter into Christ's sense of
resurrection and reward; there will always be an unreachable, untouchable
element in him throughout eternity. Surely this makes our relationship with Him
the more appealing.
As with many aspects of doctrine, it is often difficult for
us to appreciate how radically revolutionary they were in the first century
context; and in essence they should lose none of their radicalness
with us. David Bosch observes: "Christians confessed Jesus as Lord of all
lords- the most revolutionary political demonstration imaginable in the Roman
Empire". Philip Yancey likewise: "As the church spread throughout the
Roman empire, its followers took up the slogan "Christ is Lord", a
direct affront to Roman authorities who required all citizens to take the oath
'Caesar [the state] is Lord'". It hurt, it cost, to recognize Him as Lord.
And so it should with us. Men and women died for this; and we likewise give our
lives in response to that very same knowledge. There is a tendency, which the
Lord Himself brought to our attention, of calling Him Lord but not doing what
He says. To know Him as Lord in truth is axiomatically to be obedient to Him
(Lk. 6:46). The reality of the Lordship of Jesus is used in Revelation (19:12,
16) to encourage the brethren to continue fearless in their witness despite
persecution. Jesus is Lord of the kings of the earth; He has control over the
world; therefore, no human power can harm us without His express permission and
purpose. The exhortation of Ps. 110 is powerful: because Jesus is now seated at
the Father's right hand, His people offer themselves as freewill offerings in this,
the day of His power. They are arrayed in “holy attire" because He has been made the
Priest after the order of Melchizedek- they share in the work which His
exaltation has enabled (Ps. 110:1,3,4 RVmg.).
19:13- see
on Heb. 12:24.
Joseph’s blood drenched coat = Is.
63:2; Rev. 19:13.
19:14-
see on Mt. 24:28.
19:17
birds of prey gathered together = Ez. 39:17-20; therefore Gog / Magog = Beast
and false prophet (19:19). This = 14:18-20, which is Joel 3:13. Therefore Joel
3 and Ez. 38/39 are parallel.
19:19
This is war with Christ- therefore Ez. 38/9 = after Christ's return- the Psalm
2 scenario. He is already crowned, 19:12.
The beast, the kings of the earth and their armies 'gather
together' to fight against Christ.
This is the gathering of 16:13,14; they are gathered together by the power of
the false miracles. Thus v. 20 mentions how "the false prophet that
wrought miracles before [the beast]" is captured with the beast- the scene
of 16:14.
19:20- see
on Rev. 13:17.
"That
wrought miracles"; the connections between Revelation and John's Gospel tke us back to the miracles of Christ, for which John uses
the same phrase (Jn. 2:11,18; 3:2; 4:54; 6:2,14,30; 7:31; 9:16; 10:41; 11:47;
12:18,37; 20:30. Thus the false prophet is an anti-Christ,a
fake Christ with fake power and fake validation.
Destruction
of the beast by fire = Dan. 7:11; Is. 30:30,33 (who is
"the king"?). The beast and false prophet are cast into the lake of
fire. This is the lake of 20:14,15; 21:8- where the unworthy saints are thrown.
Thus the punishment of the rejected and that of the world is the same; and
therefore there must be a separation now, lest we be "condemned
with the world" (1 Cor. 11:). "Burning with brimstone" /
sulphur recalls Sodom- where the unworthy believers shared the same fate as the
'world' around them. Lot's wife was turned into salt, as was the surrounding
country (Lk. 17:29). "The lake of fire" will be in the presence of
Christ (14:10)- not underground. "Cast alive" suggests torture; cp. 14:10 "tormented". Others are simply
killed outright by Christ's word of command (20:21).
This would suggest that even among the unresponsible
there are degrees of punishment. Casting into a pit and fire as punishment cp.
Babylon's persecution of Daniel and his friends.
Note how the Assyrian is described in Is. 30:31-33 as being
thrown into a lake of fire- just as the future beast will be (Rev. 19:20). See
on 2 Thess. 2:8.
19:21 Rev.19:17-21 describes
"fowls" being called to eat the flesh of the carcases of "all men" who had "gathered together" to fight
God's people in the last days. This connection would associate the Philistines,
who also "gathered together" (1 Sam.17:1) against Israel, with these
latter day aggressors. The "all men" whose flesh is to be eaten are
the remaining followers of the beast and false prophet, whose association with
the Philistines encourages us to interpret them as having an Arab reference in
the last days. This eating by fowls is equated with burning in the lake of
fire, or Gehenna (Rev.19:20,21). Several passages in Jeremiah associate the
mauling of carcases by fowls with destruction in Gehenna. This creates the
image of the Arab beast being ravaged by the 'fowls' of either natural Israel
(as they represented in David's speech to Goliath) or the Arab nations once
confederate with 'Babylon', as they seem to represent in Daniel.
20:2
Devil and Satan Bound
Comments
1.
Verse 10 says that Satan is to be thrown into the lake of fire for ever.
Eternal fire represents total destruction (Jer. 17:27; Jude 7) – it is not to
be taken literally. Thus Satan is to be totally destroyed. Angels cannot die or
be totally destroyed (Lk. 20:35,36), therefore Satan is not an angel. Death is
also “cast into the lake of fire” (Rev. 20:14). Death is not a being or person,
it is an abstract concept. Death being cast into the lake of eternal fire,
shows that it is going to be totally ended/destroyed. The beast and false
prophet are also there. From what we learn earlier in Revelation these are
human organizations, and according to this verse are also to be destroyed.
Romans 6:23 says, “The wages of sin is death”; those who commit sin will be
punished with death, not eternal fire, therefore the lake of fire where they
are must represent total destruction and death. Revelation 20:14 says as much:
“the lake of fire...is the second death”.
2. We have
seen in Comment No. 6 on Revelation 12:7–9, that the Devil being called “that
old serpent” means that whatever is represented by the Devil – be it our evil
desires or a political system – has the characteristics of the serpent in Eden.
3.
We have seen in our comment on Revelation 12:7–9 that the dragon is not a
literal dragon, therefore the serpent is also to be taken figuratively.
4.
We have seen that sin and spiritual deception come from our own evil heart (Mk.
7:21–23; James 1:14–15). Jeremiah 17:9 says that our heart is too deceitful for
us to fully appreciate just how deceptive it is. We have also often seen that
this evil heart is sometimes termed “Satan”; but Satan is not a force outside
that evil heart – it is the heart itself.
5.
Notice that Satan’s deceit of the nations and all of his powers were totally in
control of God (Rev. 20:2,3,7). Satan is not a free agent to act as he wishes,
without regard for God.
6.
If the Devil in the sense of a personal being is caught hold of and bound at
the start of the 1000 years, i.e. at the return of Christ, how then are we to
understand that the Devil was “destroyed” by the death of Christ, and by the
fact that a perfect Jesus had human nature (Heb. 2:14)? How come he is still
running free at the time of Christ’s return? Further, Jesus had prophesied how
in His death, He would “bind” [same Greek word] the “strong man” and enable us
to spoil the Devil’s house (Mt. 12:29). The Devil in the sense of sin and the
power of sin was indeed bound by the Lord’s death. The parable of the wheat and
tares helps explain things further – the tares, the
people and systems who follow the Devil in the sense of the desires of sin,
grow together with the wheat, until the Lord comes and the Angels go forth and
“bind them in bundles to burn them” (Mt. 13:30). Here in Rev. 20:1,2 we have an
Angel binding the Devil and then burning him in the lake of fire. There’s an
evident connection here. Surely the idea is that those people and systems who
have followed the Devil / the flesh / sin will be exposed for whom they are,
bound by the Angels, and destroyed by the end of the 1000 years. The Lord uses
the same figure of ‘binding’ to describe how the condemned people at the final
judgment will be ‘bound hand and foot’ by the Angels and then destroyed (Mt.
22:13).
7.
I suggest that here again we have an example of Scripture alluding to
contemporary incorrect ideas and deconstructing them. The Jews until about 150
B.C. believed that Messiah would return and establish His Kingdom on earth. But
influenced by their humiliation under the Romans, they came to believe that the
world was too evil for Messiah to return to, and that it required a 1000 year
period of purification by the Jews before Messiah could return. Slavonic Enoch
22–23, which has been dated at around 50 A.D., stated this specifically.
Revelation
was
therefore written with this idea current in the surrounding Jewish world. I
suggest that this incorrect view is being alluded to and deconstructed, by
stating that Messiah will come at the beginning
of the 1000 years and ‘purify’ the earth forcibly by figuratively ‘chaining’
Satan. Thus Messiah is to come and purify the earth Himself, rather than the
Jews having to purify the earth for 1000 years before Messiah could come.
Suggested
Explanations
1.
Revelation 20:2 has clear links with Revelation 12:9 – “the great dragon...
that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world”.
We have interpreted this as having some reference to a political organization
which epitomizes the Devil, i.e. man’s evil desires. The fact that it is
“bound” for the 1,000 years of Christ’s Millennial reign (i.e. the first part
of this Kingdom which He will set up on earth at His second coming), shows that
this organization is very much in evidence in the last days before His coming –
i.e. now.
This
organization is “bound” during the Millennium. It then reappears, with God’s
permission, at the end of the 1,000 years (v. 7) and inspires a political
confederacy of nations to attack Christ (v. 8) – “God and Magog, to gather them
together to battle”. This has many echoes of the confederacy against Christ in
these last days before the second coming (cp. Ez. 38:2; Rev. 16:14,16). The
same kind of political system will, perhaps, be allowed to develop again at the
end of the 1,000 years. However, it is totally destroyed, v. 10, along with the
other political systems – “the beast and the false prophet” – that meet their
end at Christ’s second coming. The whole book of Revelation is full of
allusions to the Old Testament prophecies. Rev. 20:1–3 is surely based upon Is.
24:21,22, which prophesied that the kings of the earth will be gathered
together, imprisoned in a pit and punished. It is these very human “kings of
the earth” who are described in the more figurative language of Revelation as
“Satan”.
2.
From what we know of conditions in the Millennium (the 1,000 years reign of
Christ at the start of the Kingdom of God), the “Devil and Satan” here clearly
also represent the evil desires within man and the expression of those desires
in sin. In the Millennium, the curse that was put on the earth in Eden will be
greatly reduced. The deserts will be fertile (Is. 35:1), there will be no more
famine (Is. 35:7; Ps. 67:6; 72:16) and therefore man will not have to work so
much in the sweat of his face to stay alive (Gen. 3:17). However, man will
still have to till the ground and “sweat” to some extent (Is. 65:21). Although people
will live much happier and longer lives, there will still be death – if a man
dies at 100 years of age he will be thought of as a mere child (Is. 65:20).
This is why, at the end of the 1,000 years, there will be a second resurrection
(Rev. 20:5,6) for those who die during that 1,000 years.
Sin
brings death (Rom. 6:23). The curse on the earth came because of sin, and to
some degree is perpetuated because of our continued sinning – “by one man sin
entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for
that all (men) have sinned” (Rom. 5:12). The reduction of the curse will
therefore be because man is sinning less, although it will still be there to
some degree because the people are still sinful descendants of Adam. an
accurate way of saying that man is sinning less is to say that the Devil – the
evil desires and sins of man – is bound for 1,000 years, but resurges at the
end, leading to a rebellion against Christ.
If
this was the fault of an evil being outside of people, he should be punished,
but they are
punished (Rev. 20:9) because they have given way to the Devil within them. When
the Devil is cast into the lake of fire, so is death (Rev. 20:10 cp. v. 14),
implying that the Devil and death are closely connected – which they are,
because “the wages of sin (the Devil) is death” (Rom. 6:23); the Devil “had the
power of death” (Heb. 2:14). Thus the Devil here in Revelation 20 is also our
evil desires; they deceive the whole world, seeing that “the whole world lieth
in wickedness” and is obedient to the lusts of the flesh (i.e. the deception of
the Devil) – 1 John 5:19; 2:16.
The
chaining of the devil/ dragon/ serpent in 20:2 probably refers more to the binding
of the manifestation of sin in the political devil/ dragon/ beast/ serpent of
12:7 than to abstract sin. Seeing that there will still be nations in the
Millennium, it may even be that the beast revives in a similar political form
to which it existed in our last days; i.e. a collection of Arab nations,
confederate with the forces of sin latent within all other peoples. The beast
is returned to the pit from which he emerged (20:3). The souls of those
beheaded for being witnesses to the word in the tribulation are made rulers
with Christ, and live with him (20:4). Does this speak specifically of some
special honour for the two witnesses during the Millennium?
Satan
is bound. Surely 'satan' here is the political forces of the dragon, not
abstract sinfulness. Satan in the sense of the power of the flesh was bound by
the Lord during his life and death (Mt. 12:29). However, it may be that the
Lord's binding of satan was only for believers; he still has the power to bind
(Lk. 13:16). Bound 1000 years- i.e. for ever? Note
the difference between binding and sealing.
The devil and beast will be cast to the
lake of fire (Rev. 19:20; 20:10), as will all the rejected (Rev. 20:15); they
will go to the same place. As Satan is bound (Rev. 20:2), so will the rejected
be (Mt. 13:30; 22:13). This will be the antitype of Zedekiah being bound in
condemnation (Jer. 52:11).
20:3 The Lord spoke in parables so that Israel would be deceived and therefore would not come to salvation (Mk. 4:12; Lk. 8:10 cp. Acts 28:26). This fact is hard to get round for those who feel God isn't responsible for deception. Isaiah spoke likewise (Is. 6:9,10; 29:10,11). The Angels will work in such a way as to allow the world to be deceived at the end of the Millennium (Rev. 20:3,8).
“The
pit” is s.w. Lk. 8:31,33, where the demons ask Christ not to send them into the
abyss; the parallel record says that they asked not to be sent out of the land of Israel (Mk. 5:10). Also Rom. 10:7 uses the abyss as a
term for the lands beyond Israel
(it is referring to Dt. 30:13). The beast that comes out of the abyss comes out
of the sea (11:7; 13:1). It seems that the geographical area outside Israel
from where the beast comes (i.e. the Arab world?) is where it is returned to
for punishment. Loosed a little season once eternity (the "1000
years") is established. "Fulfilled" = s.w. accomplish; to
establish, build up (Lk. 22:37; Gal. 5:16; James 2:8; LXX: Ruth 3:18; Is. 55:11; Dan. 4:30). The
little season cp. 6:11- the time of persecution just before the Lord's return.
Do the forces of evil try to persecute the saints by repeating their behaviour
during the holocaust period which lead up to the Lord's return? If that lasted
3½ years, will their rebellion last a similar 3½ years? Both periods are
described as "a little season".
20:4 The rebellion happens "when the
thousand years are expired" (Rev.20:4). "The rest of the
dead" did not live again "until the thousand years were finished"
(Rev.20:5). This conscious connection between the 1000 years expiring and being
finished may suggest that the rebellion is in some way associated with
"the rest of the dead" who are resurrected and judged at the end of
the 1000 years. It may be that those who are rejected at the second judgment,
having the outward appearance of the seed of Abraham, will be associated with
this rebellion. Notice that it is after the end of the Millennium and
the second resurrection/judgment that the "nations" are gathered to
rebel. Who are these "nations", seeing the second judgment is passed,
and the Millennium has ended, by the time they are gathered? Presumably they
must refer to the rejected responsible of all nations, who have been sent back
to their various geographical homes to live for a while. As the rejected
responsible of the first judgment may see part of the Millennium (cp. Moses
seeing the land, the rejected Jews seeing Abraham enter the Kingdom, the goats
seeing the sheep accepted), so those of the second judgment may exist a
fraction into the glorious ages of eternity. There are many problems with interpreting
these verses in Rev.20. These are just suggestions!
"Them that were beheaded". Death by beheading was only for Roman citizens; is this
reference a special recognition of the sacrifice of those who could have had
much in life, but gave it up for the sake of God's Truth?
Saints
sitting on thrones = Dan. 7:22; the throne of the beast is cast down, and
judgment given to the faithful.
"The
word of God" = the preaching of the word; the word is designed by its very
nature to be preached.
20:5
"But the rest"- those not among the righteous, v.4.
"Lived
not again (no, not even when) the thousand years were established". For
other examples of this idiom see 2 Sam. 6:23; Dt. 23:3 cp. Neh. 13:1. Who are
the "rest of the dead"? The wicked responsible, raised to judgment
along with the righteous? The rest of humanity?
"The
first resurrection" doesn't have to imply that there is a second one chronologcially. Jn. 5:29 says there are two resurrections;
the first, to life, and the second to death. The second death is this second
resurrection to death.
Because of the extreme importance of His
people to Him, God uses language in a way which focuses very much upon them to
the relative exclusion of all others. Frequently, New Testament references to
“all men” really means “all true believers” or those who have become
responsible to God. Hebrews 2:14 states that Christ killed the devil (the power
of sin) on the cross; but this is only true for those in Christ. Those who are
ignorant of the saving power of God’s Truth are under the active control of
sin- the Biblical devil. Revelation 20:5 speaks of “the dead” as those
responsible to judgment, whereas many other Bible passages show that not all
the dead will be raised. Only those who have heard the Gospel will be
resurrected to judgment. Thus “the dead” in God’s usage does not refer to
everyone who has ever died. 1 Corinthians 15:21-22 speaks of “the dead” as
those in Christ. Matthew 25:32 describes “all nations” coming before Christ for
judgment. This indicates that to God, the world He sees is comprised of those
who are responsible to Him; not literally “all nations” will come before
Christ, only those people from them who are responsible to Him.
20:8
Gog and Magog. The similarities with Ez. 38/9 are so strong; an invasion of
God's land when His people are in "peace and safety" (a phrase
elsewhere used about the Kingdom), destruction by fire. According to the usual
view of Rev. 20, this similarity means absolutely nothing. This cannot be
correct exposition. There must be a connection; surely this must refer to the
same invasion?
"Shall
go out"- implying the bottomless pit is a geographical area? Satan
deceives the "nations"; but 21:1 says that when the Kingdom is
established, there will be no more sea, no more nations. Therefore this must be
appropriate to the beginning of the Kingdom. During the setting up period, the
nations come up to worship Christ, as often prophesied in the OT;
however, they are described as entering into the city (21:24-27), i.e.
attaining immortality through their faith and obedience. The dragon "will
come out to deceive the nations which are at the four corners of the earth/
land" (RSV). The Gog / Magog invasion comes from those dwelling in the
"isles" (Ez. 39:6); but this Greek phrase often means Gentile areas
on the borders of the land (Is. 41:5; Jer. 47:4; and "the isles" in
Ezekiel refer to Arab lands bordering the land of promise). Abraham was from
the sides of the land of Israel (Is. 41:8,9), the margins of the land of
promise- from where the final Arab invasion will come. There is triple emphasis
on his deception (vv. 3,8,10). He continues the work of the false prophet,
after the false prophet is put into the lake of fire. The dragon carries on his
work; the false prophet is Babylon (19:20), who also deceived (18:23). The
bottomless pit, where the rebellion comes from, is therefore at the borders of
the land. The Kingdom of God is fundamentally based upon the land of Israel.
They are gathered to "the battle" (RV)- the final battle which
the OT prophets so often mention.
The
dragon was a deceiver back in 12:9, and still is, as Jezebel in the early
church deceived (2:20).
The dragon of chapter 12 is cast down at Christ's return; the description of the
dragon being cast into the pit is an amplification of this. When the dragon is
thrown down in chapter 12, he persecutes those of the land (natural Israel?) and the sea (the nations?) for "a short
time" (12:12)-
the "little season" of 20:3? The dragon is cast out of heaven in
12:9- meaning that he is thrown out of the 'heavens' of the land of Israel (or
the temple specifically), into the earth / world.
|
Rev.
12 |
Rev.
20 |
Comment |
|
The
dragon persecutes the woman for 3½ years |
|
The
holocaust before Christ's coming |
|
Thrown
out of the temple / land of Israel (heaven) to the earth / rest of the world |
Dragon
cast to the abyss |
Christ
comes to throw the man of sin out of his place in 'heaven' (2 Thess. 2) |
|
There
for a while until he realizes he has a short time |
Chained |
Setting
up of the Kingdom |
|
Makes
war with the saints for another 3½ years, replicating the holocaust, also
involving suffering for the sea (nations) and the land-dwellers (natural
Israel?) |
Makes
war with the saints; aims for Jerusalem. |
Rebellion;
the invasion of Ez. 38 and maybe Joel 3; the desire for the temple in Joel 3
would then be another similarity between the rebellion and the invasion prior
to Christ's return. |
|
|
Destroyed
by fire |
The
Ez. 38/39 invasion is destroyed in two stages; five sixths are destroyed
first, then the final sixth- by fire. |
20:8 It is reasonable to assume that
there will be about three generations in the Millennium. A child will die at
100 years old (Is.65:20), whereas today a child would be considered anything
from five to 15 years old. If a child will then be thought of as 100 years old,
then life-spans will be increased by about 10. The average life of a mortal
believer would then be around 700; it is for this reason that we suggest that
there will only be three generations in the Millennium. Apostacy is usually
evident in the third generation after a revival of the truth. It seems that
this same tragic pattern will be observable in the Millennium. Ez.37:25 speaks
of how Israel would dwell in the land, in the Kingdom, "they and their
children, and their children's children", under the rulership
of "David their prince" ; again hinting at three generations? Compare
this with "to you and you children" in Joel 2:28 (cp. Acts 2:39),
possibly referring to the two generations who had the miraculous power of the
Holy Spirit after Pentecost. That prophecy has a future fulfilment in the
Kingdom- in the first two generations of natural Jewish believers having the gifts
in order to support the spread of the Gospel? They will be heavily involved in
preaching in the earlier stages of the Millennium. The rebellion comes from
"Gog and Magog". The rebellion may be from the same geographical
region as the Gog of Ez.38; or (more likely), the Gog/Magog invasion of the
last days will be typical of the rebellion at the end of the Millennium. Their
motive will be to take a great spoil, to capitalize on the weak defences of
what seems to them like a paradise on earth. These same motives will be seen in
the final rebellion. Notice that they come up against Jerusalem; as if the
conditions and blessings of the Kingdom are particularly manifest there, as
compared to the rest of the earth. This rebellion has support in "the four
corners of the earth" (Rev.20:8); it will be widespread. 'Satan' does not
just mean abstract diabolism; it is sin manifested in something, either an
individual or an organization. It seems that such a movement, collectively
embodying the diabolism of the flesh, will gain support in the Millennium. They
are described as being as numerous "as the sand of the sea" -
immediately shouting for comparison with the true seed of Abraham having the
same description. This connection may imply that the rebels are apostates from
the true seed of Abraham- they outwardly appear as the seed, yielding 'feigned
obedience' to the Gospel, and then apostacizing.
20:9
They compass Jerusalem- s.w. Lk. 21:20. As they did during the invasion of the
land prior to Christ's coming, so they will do in this re-enactment of it. The
rejected saints and defeated Arab armies will make the rebellion of 20:9. This
will connect with the rebellion of Korah and his company of rejects against the
encampment of God and His faithful people- which was also destroyed by fire.
The lake of fire / bottomless pit / second death all seem to be parallel.
20:10
The dragon is in the abyss and deceives the nations which are there. The devil
will deceive during the rebellion as it did in the period of the holocaust before
the Lord's return (12:9; 13:14; 18;23; 19:20). The devil is cast into the lake
of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet already are.
This suggests that their punishment lasts until the Kingdom is established, and
until the "little season" of the rebellion is finished. Thus it would
seem that the punishment of the wicked and rebels is to exist for some time
into the Kingdom age. A number of passages tend to agree with this. The
righteous will go forth from the borders of the promised land and look at their
carcases (Is. 66). The rejected saints go to the same place (20:15), condemned
with the world (1 Cor. 11).
20:11-
see on Heb. 2:3.
20:11
is amplified / repeated in 21:1. This is about the judgment at the second
coming, not the end of the 'Millennium'. Earth and heaven flee away (cp. 6:14)-
the old human system. "There was no place found for them" = Dan. 2:35 re. the human system being destroyed at Christ's second
coming, not the end of the 'Millennium'. This is surely the new heaven and earth
of 21:1; that of Is. 65:17 and 2 Pet. 3:13, which will be established at Christ's
return. The opening of the books (20:12)
= Dan. 7:10; 12:1, which concern the start of the 'Millennium'.
The rejected believers will slink away from the Lord's presence
(1 Jn. 2:24 Gk.). The whole heaven and earth of this present world will
likewise flee away from the face of the enthroned Christ (Rev. 20:11; Is.
2:21). Fleeing away is a characteristic of both the unworthy and also the world
which they loved. In some sense the world will come before the judgment seat of
Christ to be rejected (Dan. 7:9-14).
20:12 When
Christ opens the books of His people (Rev. 20:12; as if each saint has a book
written about him recording his life), He does this through discussing with our
guardian the details of our life. Perhaps the Angels with have literal books
with them; we pointed out earlier that the Angels do seem to use their facility
for reading and writing.
The judgment seat is described as if literal books are
written each day we live, and these will be opened and considered by God at the
last day, in order to decide whether to give us the reward of the Kingdom or
not. When we survey the total of God’s revelation, it is evident that this is
not to be taken literally. There will be a judgment, the result of which will
be proportionate to the way we have lived our daily lives. But God (through the
Lord Jesus) will not need to weigh up evidence. The books were written before
the world began in the sense that God knew then who would be in His Kingdom. It
is almost impossible to suggest that there will be literal scrolls unrolled.
The idea of scrolls was no doubt used because it would have been understandable
by those who were first inspired with God’s word. Yet this is how God reveals
the judgment to us; in human terms which we are capable of understanding. We
are not explicitly told that there will not be literal scrolls, or that God
will not need to weigh up evidence to decide whether we will be in the Kingdom.
Moses (Ex. 32:32) and Nehemiah (Neh.13:14) perhaps saw the judgment in this
literal sense, but this does not mean that there will be actual scrolls
unrolled.
20:13
The sea giving up the dead doesn't refer to dead bodies floating upwards; sea =
nations (17:5), which won't exist after the Kingdom is established (21:1);
therefore this refers to the judgment at Christ's return. Is the bottomless pit
to be equated with the lake of fire? A place of punishment? The rebels are
punished and then those who survive (i.e. those deserving more punishment) are
sent back to this area, where they are punished for a long time, day and night
for ever (20:10). But there will be no day and night as such in the Kingdom
(21:25; 22:5). Therefore we must take this description of their punishment figuratively.
Rev.20:13
speaks of the sea giving up the dead which were in it.
Presumably, some people will drown during the Millennium. The shock of death,
the trauma of tragedy, will still be experienced in the Millennium. Again, we
can imagine the work of comforting the families in their loss, encouraging them
with the prospect of the second resurrection. We need to ask whether in this
life we have that desire to reach out into the world of suffering around us,
ministering the grace of God and the love of Christ; if we rejoice to do such
things now, our joy and fulfilment will be the greater in the Kingdom.
20:14
The destruction of death = the second death, which occurs at the judgment
(21:8), when Christ comes. The second death can't happen twice, at the
start and end of the Millennium. Death, sorrow etc. (21:4) are destroyed
for us, the believers; this is believer-centric language. Likewise
"men" in 21:3 = the believers, not all human beings then alive (some
will still be enduring punishment).
21:1 down
from Heaven- See on 1 Thess. 4:14.
No more sea- "the wicked are like the troubled sea,
when it cannot rest" (Is. 57:20). However it may be that the point of
contrast is with the fact that in the Kingdom age, the source of water will not
be the sea and its role in the water cycle, but rather the water which emerges
from Zion (Rev. 22:1). The book of Revelation also seeks to subtly undermine
the commonly accepted views of evil, by showing that all the beasts, dragons,
demons imaginable are in fact not radical, free-ranging evil [as many imagined
both then and now], but rather under God's very tight control; they are playing
their role within His purpose, all leading towards the final end when sin and
evil will be no more on earth. "The sea" was feared by the first
century world, as being the source of monsters and evil. Rather than trying to
argue that actually, that's nonsense- Revelation 21:1 instead teaches that
whatever our beliefs are about "the sea", it will ultimately be no
more when Christ returns.
No
more sea, i.e. nations, 17:15. 21:1-8 connects with Is. 65, concerning the
establishment of the Kingdom, not after the Millennium.
Heaven
and earth pass away, the former (Gk. proton) things pass, v.4- the
things that were once first place now pass.
One question we need to tackle is
whether the events of Rev. 21 and 22 occur at the start or finish of the
Millennium. Well, let's present the conclusion before giving the
evidence: these chapters refer to the position at the start of the
Millennium. Consider the strong evidence:
- Revelation of the situation
after the Millennium would surely be inappropriate, if not impossible, for us
to receive in this dispensation.
- The context of Revelation 21
and Revelation 22 is set in chapter 20. The earth and heaven flee
away when Christ sits on the throne, "and there was found no place for
them" (20:11). This is almost quoting Dan. 2:35 concerning the
establishment of the Kingdom.
- In place of this heaven and
earth, a new heaven and earth appear in Revelation 21:1. This is the language
of Is. 65:17 and 2 Pet. 3:13 concerning the second coming.
- In this context, John sees
"the bride, the Lamb's wife" (Revelation 21:2,9). The church is
only a bride at the time of the second coming, seeing she marries Christ at the
marriage supper.
- At this time, "God
shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more
death", sorrow etc. (Revelation 21:4). The church will not be
afflicted by these things during the Millennium; this must refer to Christ's
return. Likewise the gift of the water of life (Revelation 21:6) is at the
judgment at the second coming.
- The idea of former things
(e.g. death, tears) passing away in 21:4 is one of many connections in
Revelation 21 and Revelation 22 with Isaiah's prophecies of the second coming
(Revelation 21:4 = Isa. 60:20; 65:19; Revelation 21:25 = Is.
60:11,20).
- Revelation 21:7 speaks of
the time when the faithful believer will receive his inheritance.
This surely refers to the judgment at the second coming (Matt. 25:34).
- Revelation 22 has a number
of connections with Revelation 21 which would indicate that we are to see
Revelation 22 as also referring to the start, rather than the end, of the
Millennium (e.g. Revelation 22:14, 21:27; 2:7). "The leaves of
the tree were for the healing of the nations" (Revelation 22:2) is another
obvious example.
- "They shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 22:5) is the language
of Dan. 7:18,27 concerning the judgment at Christ's return.
21:2
The whole prophetic metanarrative
of the Bible is in many ways a tale of two cities- Babylon and Jerusalem. There
are times when Babylon masquerades as Zion- a false city of God with a false
Messiah leading her. Babylon / Babel was a city built to reach unto Heaven, in
contrast to the true city of God which comes down from Heaven (Gen. 11:4 cp.
Rev. 21:2). And there are times when Zion in her apostacy has appeared as
Babylon. But in the final conflict of the last days, these two cities will be
literally pitted against each other. Zion will briefly succumb under the might and pride of Babylon, to rise again in eternal glory.
It was in Babylon where Nimrod first built the tower of Babel, the first
organized rebellion against God; and it was there that God first entered into
open judgment of flesh and humanity en masse. And it is here likewise
that His purpose with sin and His true people will likewise be fulfilled.
Babylon was also called Su-anna, “the holy city”. Yet
“the holy city” is Jerusalem, thus making Babylon a fake Zion. Herodotus says
the city was square, just as new Jerusalem. We have shown elsewhere that the
events of the Babylonian invasion are typical of the last days. That invasion was
“the time of [Israel’s] trouble” (Jer. 11:12), clearly typical of Jacob’s
latter day “time of trouble”.
"The
bride" is married at the marriage supper (19:7-9)-
not at the end of the Millennium. Therefore this is about the setting up of the
Kingdom at Christ's return.
21:3- see
on Jn. 1:14.
"The
tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be
his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God" (21:3) =
Ez. 37:26,27, concerning the time of Christ's return. If God lives with us at
Christ's return, how will He be shielded from the 'mortal' population? This
problem dissapears if the 1000 years is seen as a
description of the Kingdom itself.
The tabernacle of God" being
God's people; He being our God; God living and walking with us, is
evidently alluding to Lev. 26:11,12 and Ex. 29:45,46 concerning the ultimate
blessings of the covenant after Israel's final repentance. The
shadowy fulfilment they have had in the past through God's manifestation in an
Angel doesn't mean that these promises can and must only be fulfilled by some
form of God manifestation. Surely Revelation 21:3 is saying that at
the second coming the principle of God manifestation will change in that God
will personally be with His people. Because we have so far lived
under the paradigm of God manifestation, let's not think that it's not possible
for God to personally be with us. Let's really try to be
broad-minded enough to take this on board.
God promised Abraham that through
Christ, His seed, blessing would come on people from all nations, with the
result that God would be the God of Abraham's multitudinous seed:
"To be a God unto... thy seed... I will be their God" (Gen. 17:7,8).
The seed is Christ, and the "God" is Yahweh. Let's not
confuse them. Now in Revelation 21:3 this fundamental promise is
alluded to; God Himself will be our God then; we will see Him and have a
personal relationship with Him. This would mean that this idea of
personally being with God is a fundamental part of the Gospel preached to
Abraham.
"God Himself" is difficult
to refer to God manifestation in Christ. Long ago John Thomas urged us to
settle for the simplest interpretation of a passage if it was supported by
other verses. The other references to "God himself" are
to Yahweh personally, rather than to Christ: Is 45:18; Jn.
5:37; 16:27; 2 Cor. 5:18,19; Eph. 1:5. Indeed, those
N.T. references seem to point a difference between "God himself" and
Christ. So isn't it lack of spiritual vision - perhaps even of
faith - that makes us wriggle against the idea of God Himself, in person,
living with us?
The idea of God Himself dwelling
with men in the tabernacle (temple) of the new city of Jerusalem (Revelation
21:2,3) is a clear reference to Eze. 48:35, which
says that the name of Jerusalem in the Millennium will be "Yahweh is
there". These ideas doubtless also have reference to Yahweh's promise to
David to build an eternal house for Yahweh's Name.
This verse seems to teach that God
Himself, in person, will descend to earth with Christ. This might
sound altogether too incredible. But think about the idea. The King
Himself (= God) comes to see the guests at the wedding of His Son (= Jesus; Mt.
22:11). "The tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them,
and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their
God" (Revelation 21:3). "God himself" here either means God
Himself or God manifest in Christ. "God himself shall be with
them" seems to me an odd way of describing Christ's second coming. God
will "be their God”. I would just about be willing to concede that this
might apply to God manifest in Christ - but for one significant fact: this
Revelation 21:3 is packed with O.T. allusions which explicitly refer to God the
Father.
21:3
= fulfilment of Gen. 17:3.
21:4- see
on Mt. 25:37-40; Rev. 20:14.
The utter literality of all this was perhaps emphasized to
John, when he was told: "Write: for these words are true and
faithful" (Revelation 21:5). The almost fantastical description of God
Himself wiping away all the tears that are in
(Gk.) the eyes of men... this really is true and faithful.
God (this is important) made Joseph forget all his "toil", his mental sufferings (Gen. 42:51). This was a miracle; no amount of steel-willed suppression of his past could have made Joseph paper over all the pain. But God did a psychological miracle upon him. Has God done the same to Christ now in His glory, as He will to us one day soon (Rev. 21:4)? Yet Christ will be factually aware of His sacrifice and the associated pain. God presumably did not obliterate Joseph's memory cells, but He made him "forget" the pain. This is surely what God has done to Christ, and what He will do to us: take away the pain on a psychological level whilst still leaving a factual awareness. Is it too much to suggest that even now, God is ready and willing to do something like this?
Wiping away tears s.w. Acts 3:19 sin blotted out at Christ's
return. Tears = for our sins (sorrow = for sin in Is. 53). Will we have an
emotional breakdown straight after the judgment? The accepted will feel so certain of this that they will
almost argue with the Lord Jesus at the day of judgment that he hasn't made the
right decision concerning them (Mt. 25:37-40). It's only a highly convicted man
who would dare do that. Thus the Father will have to comfort the faithful in
the aftermath of the judgment, wiping away the tears which will then
(see context) be in our eyes, and give us special help to realize that our
sinful past has now finally been overcome (Rev. 21:4). We will be like the
labourers in the parable who walk away from judgment clutching their penny,
thinking "I really shouldn't have this. I didn't work for a day, and this
is a day's pay". Therefore if we honestly, genuinely feel that we won't be
in the Kingdom, well, this is how in some ways the faithful will all feel.
The tears that will be wiped from our eyes are those associated with
"the former things" of this life, and also the emotion associated
with our acceptance. But it can't be that it means we will never have the
emotion of sadness ever again. For God is made sad, grieved at His heart, even
now. And we are to share His nature. Consider for a moment the emotion
which we will feel after being granted Divine nature. Malachi says we will be
like stalled animals, who are fed, fattened, kept in small dark pens to be
killed… who then suddenly break out into the daylight, and go prancing away
through the meadows. This will be our leap of joy and taste of true freedom.
Yet the Father will have to comfort the faithful in the aftermath of the
judgment, wiping away the tears which will then (see context) be in
our eyes, and give us special help to realize that our sinful past has now
finally been overcome (Rev. 21:4).
21:5 All things will be made new at the Lord’s coming (Rev. 21:5), and yet those in whom the new creation is worked out already have all things made new in their spiritual experience (2 Cor. 5:17,18).
21:6
Invitation to mortals to drink fountain of water of (eternal) life freely, as
the river in chapter 22, implies the mortals will be progressively granted
immortality during the setting up period. 21:24 Gk. speaks of the nations of
those who are being saved. We, now, take the water of life
(22:17; Jn. 4:14; Mt. 10:8). The mortals will replicate then our experience
now. Therefore we can preach to them from our personal experience and they can
follow our pattern of redemption.
Christ
will give the water of life freely then to the mortals- as he did in his
mortality. It's the same Jesus, with no fundamental change. Freely we received,
freely give- not a reference to not charging for the Gospel, but a command to
reflect the gracious enthusiasm for our salvation which we have received from
the Lord.
21:8 These people are the responsbile of 20:15,
those of 22:15 who are placed (Geographically?)
outside the encampment of the people of God.
The fearful- s.w. only Mt. 8:26; Mk.
4:40 re. disciples. We either have faith or no faith; there's no third road.
"I believe, help thou mine unbelief" was counted as faith. On the
other hand, "O ye of little faith. How is it that ye have no
faith?".
The unbelieving- s.w. re. the
disciples (Mt. 17:17; Jn. 20:27; Tit. 1:15).
"Liars"- only s.w.
elsewhere in Rev. re. believers (2:2).
"Abominable, murderers, whoremongers (s.w. re. believers in 1 Cor. 5:9,11; Heb. 12:16; 13:4), sorcerers, idolaters, liars". These are the rejected saints. It means that in essence this is how God sees some in the ecclesias. I wonder how many of them will have literally done those things. Surely it is more reasonable to suppose that this is how their other deeds and attitudes were counted in God's sight. Or does it show that far more people than we expect will be classed as responsible to judgment?
This overall sequence of judgment on
the kings of the earth, gathering them into a pit, shutting them up, then their
revival and final destruction and then the unchallenged, eternal reign of
Christ is the same sequence as in Is. 24:20-23. Very significantly, Psalm 2 has
a similar picture, of Christ ruling amidst his enemies, "the kings of the
earth" (cp. Rev. 19:19), who then decide to cast away the cords with which
Christ has bound them (Ps. 2:3). This is exactly the scene of Rev. 20; the
enchained remnants of the first invasion, along with the rejected saints, being
loosed from their chains and surrounding Jerusalem. Interestingly, Psalm 2
describes them throwing off their chains, whilst Rev. 20 says that their chains
of condemnation are loosed. Presumably this means that they try a rebellion
against the Lord Jesus which he 'lets' succeed. The language of Rev. 19:15-18
combines allusions to both Psalm 2 and also Ezekiel 38- as if to imply that
they both prophecy of the same invasion, i.e. that after Christ has returned.
We can construct a possible timeline
of events from the evidence here presented:
Arab invasion; 3½ year domination of
Israel? Temple desecrated?
Christ comes
Invaders destroyed and punished,
some immediately, others by being placed outside the confines of the land of
promise, i.e. the Kingdom. The rejected 'saints' also go there. They are
'chained', i.e. kept out of the territory which comprises the Kingdom. They
rebel against this.
During this period of 'chaining' and
punishment, the Kingdom is established.
Their invasion aims for the temple
(Joel 3; Ez. 38). It replicates the earlier invasion, prior to Christ's return.
He is King in Zion
(Psalm 2). The rebellion lasts a short time- maybe 3½ years?
It is destroyed by fire (Ez. 39).
As with the first invasion, some are destroyed immediately, others are
punished in a certain geographical area on the borders of
the Kingdom, for a very long time.
21:12 The
12 gates of the Heavenly Jerusalem are identified with 12 Angels, whereon are
written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12). This suggests that
the tribes of Israel are reflective of the situation in Heaven, where there are
Angels representing each tribe. Dan. 8:24 speaks of Israel as “the people of
the saints” (RVmg.), although v. 13 speaks of “the saint” (RV “holy one”) as an
Angel. 1 Sam. 17:45 parallels the Angelic hosts, and the hosts of Israel’s
armies; they were to follow where the host of God went, just as David’s army
had to follow the sound of the cherubim “marching” over the mulberry bushes (1
Chron. 14:15). And whilst we follow where we are led, we are identified with
our Angels to the extent that what is done to us is done to them. To defy the
armies of Israel was thus to defy the armies of Heaven (1 Sam. 17:45). Thus the
four faces of the Angel cherubim were reflected in the four standards of the
camp of Israel; the people were intended to “keep in step with the Spirit”,
following where they went, as they had done in the wilderness years. They were
to walk “each one straight before him” (Is. 57:2 RVmg.), as each of the
cherubim went straight ahead (Ez. 1:12). And we too are to follow where our
Angel potentially enables us to go. The Angel went in to Jericho to take the
city; and the Israelites went “straight” ahead, following the Angel, and thus
took the city (Josh. 5:13,14; 6:20).
21:21- see
on Mt. 7:6.
21:24 God
dwells in light (1 Tim. 6:16), and this new city will have light from God, through
Christ (Revelation 21:11,23; 22:5) - because Yahweh Himself will be
there. Perhaps some of the intensity of that light will spread out
to the surrounding world (Revelation 21:24), so that the nations call Jerusalem
the place where Yahweh is (Ez. 48:35).
21:27 The many connections between Eden and the descriptions of
the world's state during the Millenium become more
meaningful if it was geographically located around Jerusalem, seeing that many
descriptions of the Millenium apply mainly to the
land of Israel and Jerusalem. The following passages are a selection of those
which imply the conditions of the Kingdom will be far more in evidence in
Israel/ Jerusalem than elsewhere in the world:
1) Rev.21:27-only the saints will be
allowed in the new city.
2) Rev.22:3 "no more
curse" in the city- this cannot apply to the whole earth.
3) Is.11:7-9 describes the animals
living at peace and states " they shall not hurt nor destroy in all My
holy mountain" ; yet the animals will hurt and destroy each other, albeit
less than they do now, elsewhere in the earth during the Millenium-
see Ez.44:31.
4) Is.65:20 " there shall be no
more thence (i.e. in Jerusalem) an infant of days...". This whole prophecy
of the Millennial conditions is in the context of v.17: "I create new
heavens and a new earth". "Heaven and earth" is often a figure
of the state of Israel. "I create new heavens and...earth" is
paralleled by " I create Jerusalem a rejoicing" . Indeed, all
Isaiah's Kingdom prophecies are what he saw "concerning Judah and
Jerusalem" in the future (Is.1:1), rather than the whole world.
5) Psalm 72 and other passages
describing the fruitfulness of the earth apply mainly to the land of Israel-
there will be deserts elsewhere ,see Joel 3:19.
6) The passages about living under
our own vine and fig tree and not labouring for others must apply only to the
land, because Is.61:5 describes some labouring for others in the Kingdom; and
Jer.32:43 implies there will still be money used in that age
7) The promises to Abraham comprising
"the Gospel of the Kingdom" are primarily concerning the land of
Israel. "I will bless them that bless thee... and in thee shall all
families of the earth be blessed" (Gen.12:2,3) will only be totally
fulfilled in the Kingdom. The blessing of the earth will therefore be based
around that of natural Israel. The "Holy Mountain", a phrase often
used to describe the coming Kingdom, is a separate area from the rest of the
world; this agrees with Daniel 2 describing the little stone returning to the
land (A.V. "earth")- i.e. the mount of Olives (Acts 1:11) and
becoming a great mountain, filling the land of Israel and then the world. If we
take the “earth" to be the land of Israel- it is the same word used, the
metals of the image refer to the powers which governed Israel, rather than
world empires, thus avoiding the problem of other contemporary world empires
existing at the times of the Babylonians and Persians. Therefore the nations
say "Let us go up to the Mountain (a common figure for a Kingdom) of the
Lord"; they do not live in the "mountain", which is only in
Israel.
8) "The plowman
shall overtake the reaper... and the mountains shall drop sweet wine" in
Israel because "I will bring again the captivity of my people of
Israel... and I will plant them" (Am.9:13,14).
9) That Eden had a mountain in it is
shown by the four streams being "headstreams" (N.I.V.), necessitating
the existence of a mountain. It is fitting that this mountain should be so
prominent in the new Eden, and that from this mount should flow streams of
living waters as they did originally. We need to be ever mindful that the Millenium will be a "restitution of all
things" . It is interesting to note in passing the significance of this
mountain as the place where Abraham offered Isaac (Moriah=
'The Lord will provide', Jerusalem='The Lord will see (provide) peace'), the Jebus of David's time, and other important events. The four
rivers mentioned in Genesis are each types of the future river of life:
Pison ='freely flowing'- cp. Rev.21:6; 22:17 "take the
fountain of the water of life freely"
Gihon = 'stream'- this river is presumably the same as the Gihon headstream which is mentioned as starting from Mount
Zion in 2 Chron.32:30, thus again associating Eden and Jerusalem.
21:23 Grasping
God's view of time means that we will see the Kingdom as immortality, not
everlasting life. The eternity of our future existence is not the big theme of
the Bible; it is "God manifestation, not human salvation", in the
words of John Thomas. The process of eternity, the life and Kingdom of God, is
already going on now; the tree of life is now (not 'will be'; Greek
tenses are precise) in the midst of the paradise of God, at least from God's
perspective (Rev. 2:7). We will have no need of the sun, for the light of God's
glory will replace our concept of time (Rev. 21:23). Indeed, "the time of
the end" can be read as "the end of time" (Dan. 12:4,9). There
will be "time (Gk. chronos, the idea of
time) no longer" (Rev. 10:6). The image of Dan. 2 is destroyed together by
the Lord's return; each metal in some sense exists at his coming. Rather than
meaning that each of those empires must have an end time revival, this may be
teaching that the whole concept of human history and time will be ground to
powder by the advent of the Kingdom. One day, when we are then with the Lord,
will be like a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8)- there will be no comparison between
our present view of time and what will then be. Even in the Millennium, the plowman shall overtake the reaper (Am. 9:13)- which may
refer to the collapsing of time, rather than just being a figure of fecundity.
Before people pray, they will be heard (Is. 65:24- although this is our present
prayer experience too, Mt. 6:8). Our focus should therefore be more on the quality
and nature of the Kingdom life, rather than the mere eternity of it.
21:27
The association between the city and
the paradise of God raises an interesting question, in that the descriptions of
the city in Rev.21 and 22 seem to contradict those given in Ezekiel 40-48:
|
Revelation |
Ezekiel |
|
21:27 Only those in the book
of life can enter |
45:6 the city is for
natural Israel (Zech.8:5- children play in the streets). 44:11;46:9 ordinary mortals enter it. |
|
21:25 City gates never shut |
44:1 Gates shut at
times |
|
22:5;21:23 Glory of God is the
light, eclipsing sun and moon |
45:17;46:1,3 Moon shines in the
city |
|
22:14 those who enter the
city eat the tree of life |
mortal priests inside
the city |
|
21:22 no temple in the city |
a temple in the city |
|
The true temple has
already been sprinkled by Christ's blood. |
45:20 This temple needs
regular cleansing ("so shall ye reconcile the house") by
sprinkling of blood. |
These are just some of the many
disparities, yet both cities are said to be built on a great mountain. No
satisfactory explanation seems to account for this, except to assume that the
"great mountain" of Zion, God's throne in Eden, will split into two
"great mountains" as foretold in Zech.14:4, the temple of Ezekiel
being built on one and the Saints' city of Revelation on the other.
Zech.14 mentions the rivers from one of the mountains as flowing twice a year,
whilst the river of Rev.22 flows constantly with the result that the trees of
life blossom every month, another indication that although the two cities have
certain similarities they are also clearly separate. Thus the temple and city
of Ezekiel seems to be a lesser replica of those of Rev.22, as if to show the
mortal worshippers what they can aspire to. This is perhaps based on the
distinction in the prophets between 'Zion', the temple mount (to be equated
with the future throne of God and the saints dwelling around it), and the
'daughter of Zion' being the inhabited city, which in the future will be the
city where children play in the streets, inhabited by mortals and visiting
gentiles, with the temple for the Jews in it. A similar distinction is found in
Is.24:23: "When (in the Kingdom) the Lord of Hosts shall reign in
Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, (as if separate places), and before His ancients
(saints in the city) gloriously". A further possible basis for this
arrangement is the clear difference between the "two houses, the house of
the Lord and the king's house" (1 Kings 9:10) during the time of Solomon,
a clear type of Christ's Kingdom. The personal dwelling of the King would then
connect with the saints' city, and the Lord's house- the temple- would be the
temple of Ezekiel, whose dimensions are exactly the same as those of Solomon's
temple.
22:1- see
on Jn. 1:14.
22:2- see
on Rom. 5:12.
The righteous man is like "a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth (in this work of preaching?) shall prosper" (Ps. 1:3). These words are quoted in Rev. 22:2 concerning our holding out of life to the mortal population at the Lord's return. The conclusion? If we witness now we are living the Kingdom life now, and therefore we will be perpetuated in that time.
Rev.21 and 22 seem to describe a
"wood of trees of life" (22:2- A.V. 'tree' must be wrong because the
'tree' is on either side of the river), watered by the river of life proceeding
from the mountain of "the throne of God and of the Lamb" . We have
seen that there was a mountain in Eden, and it seems fitting to suggest that
God's throne was on this same mountain before the fall. Ezek. 47:12 also
implies that the new 'garden' will consist solely of trees of life, "whose
leaf shall not fade" - a contrast with the bright, glossy fig leaves Adam
and Eve used to cover their sin which would have faded so quickly.
Another allusion is the description of the trees of life as "trees for
meat", implying that instead of all the trees except those of life
and knowledge being "for meat" (Gen.1:29;2:9), the tree of life
alone will be for meat. Similarly, Rev.22:17, in the context of describing the
new Eden, speaks of drinking " the water of life freely", reminding
us that "of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat" - except
for the tree of life. The garden is now composed of that tree and its
associated water, which can be freely consumed. The new rivers and mountains
described have both a physical and spiritual fulfilment- e.g. there will
literally be a high mountain in Jerusalem to symbolize that God's ways
are exalted above the nations, and the river of life physically healing
the land represents the spiritual healing of the barren nations. For this
reason it seems we can interpret the description of many of the rewards of the
faithful literally; we will literally eat the fruit of the trees of life in the
midst of the new Eden- i.e. at the throne of the Lamb where judgement (or
the ceremony of glorification) will take place; we will literally pluck
leaves from those trees with which to heal the nations' sicknesses
(Ezek.47:12), symbolizing spiritually the fact that the nations are healed by
God's provision through the medium of the saints. Rev.22:2 states that there is
a "street" running through the city, on either side of which is the
wood of life, thus implying that the new Jerusalem and the new Eden are
synonymous. The city's foundations ('edens') are of
precious stones- the abundance of which, as we have seen, was associated with
the literal Eden. Rev.22:14 again parallels the city and Eden by equating
having "right to the tree of life" with entering "in through the
gates into the city". Rev.22:3 tells us that the throne of God will be in
"it" - i.e. the wood of life (not the river- see context), as in Eden
God's throne was in the garden, which garden was presumably a wood of trees and
little else ("of every tree of the garden..." -other plants are not
mentioned), in the same way as the new Eden is composed solely of trees of
life. The invitation "of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely
eat" is mirrored in "take the water (lit. take from the stream)
of life freely" - the stream being that of Eden. Rev.21:27
stresses that no serpent -"whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh
a lie" - will enter the new Eden as it did before. The midst of the new
Garden will be the throne of Christ, who in every way will then be the tree of
life and knowledge.
22:3- see on Rev. 21:27.
The final chapters of Revelation so often parallel God and “the lamb" (e.g. Rev. 22:3). The Father was so deeply united with the Son in His time of sacrificial offering. See on Jn. 19:19.
The
descriptions of the new city of Jerusalem in the prophets and Revelation can be
better understood once it is appreciated that Eden will literally be restored
in that area. Zech.14:8-11 lays the basis for the descriptions of the
city in Revelation, and includes the main elements of Eden- "living
waters" ('Hiddekel') going out from a
"Lifted up" mountain in Jerusalem, with "no more curse"
there, v.11 (the phrase "no more utter destruction" is translated
like this when it is quoted in Rev.22:3).
22:4 Throughout Revelation 21 and 22 there is a distinction made between God and "the Lamb". This further suggests that the references to "God himself" are not to God manifestation in the Lamb, but to Yahweh Himself. "They shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads" (Revelation 22:4) indicates that "His face" and "His name" refer to the same being. The Name which will be in our foreheads will be that of Yahweh, the Father, not Christ (Rev. 3:12; 14:1). Therefore it is His face which we will see. Of course there is some reference here to 'seeing' in the sense of understanding, which is how we see the Father now. But then our fuller mental comprehension of the Father will be reflected in our physical vision of Him. Is. 25:6-9 speaks of how God's people will enjoy a feast in Jerusalem at the Lord's return, the veil will be withdrawn from their eyes, all tears will be wiped away, and then "It shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God... this is Yahweh" . There is a parallel between physically seeing God and having the veil of our present incomprehension removed. The fuller understanding which we will then have will be reflected in our literal seeing of God.
22:5 In
the new Jerusalem, "there shall be no night there; and they need no
candle" (Rev.22:5). The candle, common symbol of God's word (e.g. Ps.119:105)
will no longer be needed by the faithful, because "the Lord God giveth
them light" . Our personal, direct contact with God will replace the
ministry of the Bible as we now have it.
22:6- see
on Jer. 23:18,22.
22:9 The
Angel told John that he was of "thy brethren the prophets, and of them
which keep (lit. guard, preserve from corruption) the sayings of this
book" (Rev. 22:9). This shows that the Angel was a prophet. This title
does not only mean one who foretells future events, but in Biblical usage
refers more to one who ministers the word of God under inspiration; the Angel
was therefore responsible for inspiring the Bible like the prophets (Old and
New Testament ones) were. Note too how the Lord describes the Angels as
“servants” (Mt. 22:13), using the common description of the prophets as
Jehovah’s servants- as if He saw a close connection between Angels and
prophets. See on 2 Cor. 3:6.
22:10
The flagship
verse concerning the opening of our eyes to latter day prophecy must be Dan.
12:4,10: "Shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the
end: many shall run to and fro (an idiom often used concerning response to
God's word: Ps. 119:32,60; 147:15; Amos 8:11,12; Hab. 2:2; 2 Thess. 3:1 Gk.),
and knowledge (of Daniel's prophecies) shall be increased... many shall be
purified, and made white, and tried (in the tribulation); but the wicked shall
do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall
understand". This is all in the context of the Angel rejecting Daniel's plea
for insight into his own prophecies. All he was told was that they would be
fulfilled in the far distant future, but he was comforted with the thought that
the faithful at that time would understand. That the fulfilment
of all the latter day prophecies will be understood fully in the very last days
is implied in Jer. 23:20: "In the latter days ye shall understand it
perfectly". The "it" refers to "the intents of [God's]
heart" revealed in His prophetic word. It is no accident that the
Apocalypse ends with words which clearly allude to the closing words of
Daniel. John falls at the Angel's feet, as Daniel did. The Angel then says:
"Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book (unlike
Daniel's, which was sealed): for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let
him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still (cp.
"the wicked shall do wickedly")". The implication is that the
book is sealed for those who are a long way from the time of fulfillment; hence
John must not seal the prophecy because its fulfillment is near. Thus
Dan. 12:4 LXX reads: "Seal the book until the time of its
accomplishment"- then it will be unsealed and the meaning become
apparent. The primary application of Revelation is to the events of AD70; the
implication is that the righteous understood the pattern of events then because
of this book. There is a repeated stress throughout the NT epistles on the need
to understand and get true knowledge (1 Pet. 3:7; 2 Pet. 1:2-6,8,16; 2:20; 3:18),
perhaps with special reference to Scripture like the Olivet prophecy and
Revelation; likewise 1 Tim. 3:1,16; 4:1,2 encourage Bible study in the 'last
days' leading up to AD70. The need for understanding and study at that time is
reflected in our last days. Paul told the Thessalonians (in the context of
AD70) that he didn't need to tell them about the times and seasons because they
already understood the prophecies so well- but they needed rather to make sure
that their lifestyle was appropriate to their understanding (1 Thess. 5:1-5).
The situation in AD70 is a type of the true "last days". Therefore
the understanding of Revelation will not be sealed just before its second and
major fulfillment in the second coming of Christ. In the same way as Daniel's
prophecies will be opened to us in the last days, so must the book of
Revelation, because the understanding of Revelation is so bound up with the
meaning of Daniel. "None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise
shall understand" suggests that this true understanding of prophecy
motivates the faithful remnant in holding on to a righteous lifestyle. Time and
again Israel are condemned because their lack of understanding of the
prophecies led them into sinful behaviour (Dt. 32:29; Ps. 94:8; Is. 44:18).
22:12- see
on Mt. 26:70.
It will be
in our last days that
22:14- see
on Mk. 10:25.
We will have the “right” to the tree of life (Rev. 22:14);
yet our salvation is by pure grace alone. We are "meet" to be
partakers of the inheritance, we walk worthy of the Lord Jesus unto all
pleasing of him (Col. 1:10-12), the labourers receive the penny of salvation,
that which is their right (Mt. 20:14). We are either seen as absolutely
perfect, or totally wicked, due to God's imputation of righteousness or evil to
us (Ps. 37:37). There is no third way.
22:17 "The Spirit ("The Lord the spirit", Jesus) and the bride (the church) say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come". The whole spirit of the Lord Jesus is to invite others to come and share His salvation. He that hears will say to others "Come".
22:18 It is a feature of God's dealings with men that He
confirms the degree of spiritual success or failure which we achieve or aim for
by our own freewill effort. Thus we read nine times that Pharaoh hardened his
own heart; but ten times that God hardened his heart. Similarly, God adds
iniquity unto the iniquity of those who wilfully sin (Ps. 69:27; Rev. 22:18).
Conversely God imputes righteousness, adding His own righteous characteristics
to us, in response to our faith. This is the key idea of 'justification by
faith', being counted righteous although personally we are not. The briefest
reading of the Gospels will likewise reveal that people were both attracted to
and repulsed from Jesus at the same time.
22:18,19-
see on Dt. 12:32.
22:19 That disobeying the law of God is
effectively adding to it was clearly brought home to Israel: "What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add
thereto, nor diminish from it" (Dt.12:32). The command to Joshua to
"observe to do according to all the law... turn not from it to the right
hand or to the left" (Josh.1:7) is probably reiterating the command not to
add ("to the right") or subtract ("to the left") from the law.
Rev.22:18,19 is based on these passages.