The church at Laodicea (vs. 14-22)—Laodicea was a city not far from Colossae, and the apostle Paul had written them a letter at the same time he wrote one to the latter city (Col. 4:16). We do not have the letter to the Laodiceans, but whatever Paul told them didn’t do much good, Revelation 3:14-22 being witness to that. Perhaps the problem was that Laodicea was a very wealthy city, and that wealth had affected the church. The trade of the city was considerable, for it lay on a great trade route. The Muslims will eventually completely destroy the city and there is nothing there now but ruins.
The author (v. 14)—"The Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God.” “Amen” means “let it be so,” thus the idea is that whatever Jesus says will come to pass. His word is absolute and true. As the “Beginning of the creation of God,” He is the head and governor of all that is created. This does not mean, as Jehovah’s Witnesses, that He is a created being. The Greek word for “beginning” (arche) can also mean “first cause,” or “ruler” or “power.”
The good—There is nothing good said about the church in Laodicea. How very sad that Jesus could find nothing worthy of praise here.
The bad (vs. 15-17)—This was a “lukewarm” church, “neither cold or hot” (v. 16). They weren’t on fire for the Lord, as they should have been, but then, they hadn’t totally left Him, either. “Get in or get out” is what Jesus wants. Those who only play at religion are among the most harmful of all. And they make the Lord sick: “I will vomit you out of My mouth” (v. 16). Can you imagine getting a letter from the One Who is going to judge you eternally, and He tells you that you make Him sick? The problem in Laodicea, as noted in the introduction to this section, was wealth: “Because you say, 'I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing'” (v. 17). Without the Lord, we are nothing. To think we can live and exist without Him is foolishness to the highest degree. Even atheists are blessed by rain and sunshine from God (Matt. 5:45), though they will never admit it, of course. People like that “do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” in the eyes of God (v. 17). Jesus is trying to wake this dormant congregation up with very strong language; they needed it. His advice to them was “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see” (v. 18). Obtain from the Lord true wealth, clothing of righteousness, and spiritual eye salve so that they can see their condition before God. Verse 19 is significant: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Jesus didn’t write what He wrote to Laodicea because He was harsh, unloving, and unkind. He loved them and wanted them to be saved, and they needed strong medicine. When the doctor cuts a cancer out of our body, it hurts; but we don’t complain that he brought us pain, we thank him for saving our lives. We should always be thankful for faithful gospel preachers who tell us the truth, regardless of its convicting nature. He’s just trying to save our wicked souls. The Lord wants us to be with Him: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (v. 20). But we have to open the door.
The blessing (v. 21)— “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Reigning eternally with Jesus.
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Revelation 2, Part One
The letter to the church at Ephesus (vs. 1-7)—Chapters 2 and 3 contain seven letters, one to each of the seven churches in Asia, to whom the book was written. These epistles are direct dictations from Jesus to John. They contain what the congregation is doing well, and where it needs to improve. The first letter was to the church at Ephesus.
The author (v. 1)—Jesus identifies Himself as “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands” (v. 1). We have already seen that the seven lampstands represent the seven churches and the stars are the angels of those churches (1:20). Jesus will be identified differently to each of the churches.
The good (vs. 2, 3, 6)—The church in Ephesus had its good points. They had labored for the Lord, been patient, persevered, and not become weary (vs. 2-3). But the main commendation of the Lord was that “you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (v. 2). In other words, opposition to false teachers. Interestingly, the church in Ephesus had apparently taken heart to the warning Paul had given to their elders almost a generation before: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch…” (Acts 20:28-31). Opposition to error is a duty of every Christian (Matt. 7:15; Rom. 16:17). The Ephesians to whom Jesus wrote also “hate[d] the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (v. 6). This obscure sect apparently held some ideas similar to the doctrines of the Canaanites and their god Baal; the church at Pergamum was censored for tolerating some who believed that teaching (2:14). Iranaeus, a 2nd century Christian writer, claims that the Nicolaitans were founded by Nicholas, one of the seven chosen to serve at tables (Acts 6:5). This isn’t conclusive, however. They are mentioned by several 2nd century writers. It appears that they had some Gnostic tendencies as well. Whatever their exact identity, the Lord hated their doctrine and so did the Ephesians.
The bad (vs. 4-5)—“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (v. 4). Exactly what that means, we do not know. Perhaps they had lost their zeal and were simply going through the motions of Christianity. One can do what’s right, and the Lord will be pleased with that, but if we do not operate from proper motives, then we also stand to be condemned. Jesus told them to “repent…or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from it place” (v. 5). The Lord was merciful and would give them space to repent, but it must be done.
The promised blessing (v. 7)—“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God" (v. 7).
The above structure is followed, with three exceptions, in each of the seven letters—an introduction to Jesus, the good in the church, the bad in the church, and the promised blessing. And each of them also end with Jesus saying “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In other words, pay attention. The Lord is serious about this.
The author (v. 1)—Jesus identifies Himself as “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands” (v. 1). We have already seen that the seven lampstands represent the seven churches and the stars are the angels of those churches (1:20). Jesus will be identified differently to each of the churches.
The good (vs. 2, 3, 6)—The church in Ephesus had its good points. They had labored for the Lord, been patient, persevered, and not become weary (vs. 2-3). But the main commendation of the Lord was that “you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (v. 2). In other words, opposition to false teachers. Interestingly, the church in Ephesus had apparently taken heart to the warning Paul had given to their elders almost a generation before: “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves. Therefore watch…” (Acts 20:28-31). Opposition to error is a duty of every Christian (Matt. 7:15; Rom. 16:17). The Ephesians to whom Jesus wrote also “hate[d] the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate” (v. 6). This obscure sect apparently held some ideas similar to the doctrines of the Canaanites and their god Baal; the church at Pergamum was censored for tolerating some who believed that teaching (2:14). Iranaeus, a 2nd century Christian writer, claims that the Nicolaitans were founded by Nicholas, one of the seven chosen to serve at tables (Acts 6:5). This isn’t conclusive, however. They are mentioned by several 2nd century writers. It appears that they had some Gnostic tendencies as well. Whatever their exact identity, the Lord hated their doctrine and so did the Ephesians.
The bad (vs. 4-5)—“Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (v. 4). Exactly what that means, we do not know. Perhaps they had lost their zeal and were simply going through the motions of Christianity. One can do what’s right, and the Lord will be pleased with that, but if we do not operate from proper motives, then we also stand to be condemned. Jesus told them to “repent…or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from it place” (v. 5). The Lord was merciful and would give them space to repent, but it must be done.
The promised blessing (v. 7)—“To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God" (v. 7).
The above structure is followed, with three exceptions, in each of the seven letters—an introduction to Jesus, the good in the church, the bad in the church, and the promised blessing. And each of them also end with Jesus saying “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” In other words, pay attention. The Lord is serious about this.
Revelation 2, Part Two
To the church in Smyrna (vs. 8-11)—Smyrna was a city on the coast of the Aegean Sea, about 40 miles north of Ephesus. It still exists and has perhaps 200,000 people. It was founded by Alexander the Great. The city seems to have been a center of some pagan mystery cults, and that is perhaps alluded to in Christ’s letter to them. We know nothing about the founding of this church.
The author (v. 8)—"These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life.” Jesus says these things in chapter 1, and it had to be comforting to know that He rose from the dead. Their faith wasn’t in vain.
The good (vs. 9)—Smyrna was apparently a poor congregation materially, “but you are rich” (v. 9)--spiritually, which is what really counts. They had worked for the Lord and endured tribulation, from “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (v. 9). This may be a figurative reference to the pagans of the city and their temple, or more likely, it was truly a bunch of false Jews whose synagogue rejected the true teachings of the Lord. The church was “about to suffer” (v. 10), “indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.” But Jesus exhorted them not to fear, and to ”be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (v. 10). The “ten days” of tribulation is almost surely figurative; they will be persecuted until the time is complete, then they will have no more.
The bad—There is nothing negative said about this church.
The blessing (v. 11)—“He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." Each of the blessings that end the letters begins “he who overcomes.” In this case, no eternal punishment.
This is one of two congregation to which the Lord had nothing to censure. There will be one church for which He has nothing good to say.
The church in Pergamos (vs. 12-17)—Pergamos was the chief city of the region of Mycia in Asia Minor. It still exists under the name of Bergama, and has a few thousand inhabitants. In John’s time, it was known for its wickedness—“Satan’s throne” was there. As we shall see, the church there struggled with the paganism and idolatry of the city.
The author (v. 12)—“He who has the sharp two-edged sword”—cutting both ways. This is probably a reference to the word of God.
The good (v. 13)—Jesus recognized that they lived in a very wicked city—“Satan’s throne” (or “seat”) was there. It could be simply that Satan ruled in that town or that a pagan temple existed. The church there had held fast to Christianity, did not deny the faith, and even lost a member, “Antipas, my faithful martyr, who was killed among you” (v. 13). So in the face of tremendous iniquity, the church had not caved.
The bad (vs. 14-15)—Yet paganism had influenced the church somewhat. “You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (v. 14). This is not necessarily idolatry, just a fleshly influence from the world getting into the church. Some Nicolaitans were also being tolerated in Pergamos, and for this Jesus told them to “repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (v. 17).
The blessing (v. 17)—“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” This is very obscure. Manna, of course, was what the Israelites ate in the wilderness. Some of it was put into the ark of the covenant, thus hidden. It was very holy and thus a holy blessing is promised here. It is suggested, among other things, that the white stone symbolizes pardon or acquittal. The Roman writer Ovid has some concomitant reference to this.
The author (v. 8)—"These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life.” Jesus says these things in chapter 1, and it had to be comforting to know that He rose from the dead. Their faith wasn’t in vain.
The good (vs. 9)—Smyrna was apparently a poor congregation materially, “but you are rich” (v. 9)--spiritually, which is what really counts. They had worked for the Lord and endured tribulation, from “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (v. 9). This may be a figurative reference to the pagans of the city and their temple, or more likely, it was truly a bunch of false Jews whose synagogue rejected the true teachings of the Lord. The church was “about to suffer” (v. 10), “indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.” But Jesus exhorted them not to fear, and to ”be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (v. 10). The “ten days” of tribulation is almost surely figurative; they will be persecuted until the time is complete, then they will have no more.
The bad—There is nothing negative said about this church.
The blessing (v. 11)—“He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death." Each of the blessings that end the letters begins “he who overcomes.” In this case, no eternal punishment.
This is one of two congregation to which the Lord had nothing to censure. There will be one church for which He has nothing good to say.
The church in Pergamos (vs. 12-17)—Pergamos was the chief city of the region of Mycia in Asia Minor. It still exists under the name of Bergama, and has a few thousand inhabitants. In John’s time, it was known for its wickedness—“Satan’s throne” was there. As we shall see, the church there struggled with the paganism and idolatry of the city.
The author (v. 12)—“He who has the sharp two-edged sword”—cutting both ways. This is probably a reference to the word of God.
The good (v. 13)—Jesus recognized that they lived in a very wicked city—“Satan’s throne” (or “seat”) was there. It could be simply that Satan ruled in that town or that a pagan temple existed. The church there had held fast to Christianity, did not deny the faith, and even lost a member, “Antipas, my faithful martyr, who was killed among you” (v. 13). So in the face of tremendous iniquity, the church had not caved.
The bad (vs. 14-15)—Yet paganism had influenced the church somewhat. “You have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality” (v. 14). This is not necessarily idolatry, just a fleshly influence from the world getting into the church. Some Nicolaitans were also being tolerated in Pergamos, and for this Jesus told them to “repent, or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth” (v. 17).
The blessing (v. 17)—“To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” This is very obscure. Manna, of course, was what the Israelites ate in the wilderness. Some of it was put into the ark of the covenant, thus hidden. It was very holy and thus a holy blessing is promised here. It is suggested, among other things, that the white stone symbolizes pardon or acquittal. The Roman writer Ovid has some concomitant reference to this.
Revelation 2, Part Three
The church in Thyatira (vs. 18-29)—Thyatira was on the border of the regions of Lydia and Mysia. It exists today under the name of Ak-hissar, or “white castle.” Lydia, the seller of purple (Acts 16:14), was from Thyatira and was converted by Paul and Silas when they were in Philippi. So it’s possible the church in Thyatira got its beginning from that source. It was famous in ancient times for its dyes, and it still is.
The author (v. 18)—“the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass.” He sees all and has the power to crush all opposition.,
The good (vs. 19, 24, 25)—They had some good works, love, service, faith, and patience, and “as for your works, the last are more than the first” (v. 19). There were some serious problems in the church, as we shall see, but there were those who did not give in (v. 24). It must have been a severe disturbance, because Jesus told the faithful group, “I will put on you no other burden” (v. 24). And He also tells them “but hold fast what you have till I come” (v. 25). The “but” there might imply a weakening that could lead to succumbing to the error in the church.
The bad (vs. 20-23)—There was apparently a very powerful, influential woman in the church at Thyatira who was seducing many of the members to sin. Jesus calls her “Jezebel,” which was almost assuredly not her true name, but a reference to Ahab’s wife in the Old Testament, the woman who might have been the most wicked to ever plague Israel. So calling her by that name indicates serious iniquity. She “calls herself a prophetess,” and obviously many of the members in Thyatira believed her. But her “prophesy” was ”to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (v. 20). And this is probably literal, not figurative. Jesus gave her time to repent, but she failed to do so (v. 22). She and her followers would suffer “great tribulation” unless they repented (v. 22). Jesus also says “I will kill her children with death” (v. 23). There will be nothing left of her and her spiritual offspring. It will be a lesson to “all the churches,” who need to know that the Lord “searches the minds and hearts.” Nothing is hidden from Him, “and I will give to each one of you according to your works” (v. 23).
The blessing (vs. 26-28)—To the one who overcomes “I will give power over the nations—he shall rule with a rod of iron” (vs. 26-27). Victory in the end. “And I will give him the morning star” (v. 28)—an inheritance in the brightest and most glorious empire ever. The blessings keep adding up for “him who overcomes.”
The author (v. 18)—“the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and His feet like fine brass.” He sees all and has the power to crush all opposition.,
The good (vs. 19, 24, 25)—They had some good works, love, service, faith, and patience, and “as for your works, the last are more than the first” (v. 19). There were some serious problems in the church, as we shall see, but there were those who did not give in (v. 24). It must have been a severe disturbance, because Jesus told the faithful group, “I will put on you no other burden” (v. 24). And He also tells them “but hold fast what you have till I come” (v. 25). The “but” there might imply a weakening that could lead to succumbing to the error in the church.
The bad (vs. 20-23)—There was apparently a very powerful, influential woman in the church at Thyatira who was seducing many of the members to sin. Jesus calls her “Jezebel,” which was almost assuredly not her true name, but a reference to Ahab’s wife in the Old Testament, the woman who might have been the most wicked to ever plague Israel. So calling her by that name indicates serious iniquity. She “calls herself a prophetess,” and obviously many of the members in Thyatira believed her. But her “prophesy” was ”to teach and seduce My servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols” (v. 20). And this is probably literal, not figurative. Jesus gave her time to repent, but she failed to do so (v. 22). She and her followers would suffer “great tribulation” unless they repented (v. 22). Jesus also says “I will kill her children with death” (v. 23). There will be nothing left of her and her spiritual offspring. It will be a lesson to “all the churches,” who need to know that the Lord “searches the minds and hearts.” Nothing is hidden from Him, “and I will give to each one of you according to your works” (v. 23).
The blessing (vs. 26-28)—To the one who overcomes “I will give power over the nations—he shall rule with a rod of iron” (vs. 26-27). Victory in the end. “And I will give him the morning star” (v. 28)—an inheritance in the brightest and most glorious empire ever. The blessings keep adding up for “him who overcomes.”
Friday, March 26, 2010
Revelation Chapter 1
Preface (vs. 1-8)—Chapters one through three of the book form the prologue. Always, when reading/studying the Revelation, keep in mind the circumstances surrounding the book—persecution of Christians by the Roman empire. John himself was “on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ” (v. 9), i.e., he had been exiled for the gospel’s sake. The message is that of a risen Lord; victory will be ours if we remain faithful. As noted in the earlier article on “four keys,” verse one informs us that the matters of which John writes “must shortly take place,” and were “signified” to him. The Greek word “must” is dei, which means “moral necessity.” Those who persecute the Lord’s people must be punished. Verse 3 pronounces a blessing on all who “hear the words of this prophecy” (it is hard to be “blessed” if we cannot understand it), and confirms verse 1: “for the time is near”—not 2,000 hence. The interval of time between the beginning of relief and final consummation of things is not given; John’s readers didn’t need that. They needed assurance of immediate relief and a complete final triumph, and Revelation gives them that.
Verse four tells the intended audience: “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.” They are subsequently listed in verse 11, and separate letters are written to each in chapters 2 and 3.
Verse 5 introduces us to the true author of the book, Jesus Christ (verse 1 begins “The revelation of Jesus Christ…to His servant John”). Jesus is “the faithful witness,” resurrected, and, most importantly for John’s audience, “the ruler over the kings of the earth,” including the Romans. He has made us a kingdom and priesthood, by loosing us from our sins by His blood (vs. 5-6). He has authority over all (v. 6). When He comes with the clouds, “every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him” (v. 7). This is almost surely a reference to the literal Second Coming, but could refer to His coming in judgment upon the Romans, who would eventually be overtaken by Christianity. “Alpha” and “Omega” (v. 8) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty,” is typical Jewish conception of God, in effect, “the eternally existing one.”
So we see in the very first few verses of the Revelation that the Author of Christianity is still alive, He is in control, He’s what He always was and always will be. This had to be a comforting message to those Christians to whom Rome appeared all powerful.
The Son of Man (vs. 9-20)—John knew what his readers were going through. He was their “brother and companion in the tribulation” (v. 9), and, as already noted, had been banished to a small, rocky, barren island in the Aegean Sea. Jesus appeared to him “on the Lord’s Day” (v. 10), and told him, “what you see, write in a book” (v. 11), and send it to the seven churches in Asia that are listed in that verse. The apostle then sees seven golden lampstands (representing the seven churches, v. 20), and “in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man” (v. 13). This “Son of Man” was spectacular in appearance. He wore a long, flowing garment with a golden girdle (v. 13); this is the clothing of a priest and king. His hair was like wool, white as snow (v. 14)—pure and holy. “His eyes like a flame of fire” (v. 14)—omniscient, piercing, seeing everything. His feet were like refined brass (v. 15)—strong, able to crush anything in His path. His voice with “the sound of many waters” (v. 15) speak of power and authority, especially with a two-edged sword coming out of His mouth (v. 16). In His right hand, He held seven stars (v. 16, more on that in a moment). He had a face that shone like the sun—majestic and awesome. And, not surprisingly, when John saw Him “I fell at His feet as dead” (v. 17). But the beloved apostle was comforted (v. 17), and Jesus again tells of His eternal nature, and His resurrection. “And I have the keys of Hades and of Death”--i.e., power over death (v. 18). John is again told to write what He sees (v. 19), and, to introduce the second chapter, Jesus informs him that the seven lampstands represent the seven church, each with its own angel (v. 20—the seven stars in His hand).
So, upon reading this, what would John’s persecuted readers think? They would know that the Lord they believed in was still alive, knew their plight, had the power and authority to relieve them, and indeed, He soon would. He is still in command, is in their midst, and holds their destiny in His hand. What a marvelous picture of peace and comfort. Revelation may be the most beautiful book in the Bible, once we understand what the Lord is revealing to us. Chapter 1 is certainly soothing and reassuring.
Verse four tells the intended audience: “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia.” They are subsequently listed in verse 11, and separate letters are written to each in chapters 2 and 3.
Verse 5 introduces us to the true author of the book, Jesus Christ (verse 1 begins “The revelation of Jesus Christ…to His servant John”). Jesus is “the faithful witness,” resurrected, and, most importantly for John’s audience, “the ruler over the kings of the earth,” including the Romans. He has made us a kingdom and priesthood, by loosing us from our sins by His blood (vs. 5-6). He has authority over all (v. 6). When He comes with the clouds, “every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him” (v. 7). This is almost surely a reference to the literal Second Coming, but could refer to His coming in judgment upon the Romans, who would eventually be overtaken by Christianity. “Alpha” and “Omega” (v. 8) are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty,” is typical Jewish conception of God, in effect, “the eternally existing one.”
So we see in the very first few verses of the Revelation that the Author of Christianity is still alive, He is in control, He’s what He always was and always will be. This had to be a comforting message to those Christians to whom Rome appeared all powerful.
The Son of Man (vs. 9-20)—John knew what his readers were going through. He was their “brother and companion in the tribulation” (v. 9), and, as already noted, had been banished to a small, rocky, barren island in the Aegean Sea. Jesus appeared to him “on the Lord’s Day” (v. 10), and told him, “what you see, write in a book” (v. 11), and send it to the seven churches in Asia that are listed in that verse. The apostle then sees seven golden lampstands (representing the seven churches, v. 20), and “in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man” (v. 13). This “Son of Man” was spectacular in appearance. He wore a long, flowing garment with a golden girdle (v. 13); this is the clothing of a priest and king. His hair was like wool, white as snow (v. 14)—pure and holy. “His eyes like a flame of fire” (v. 14)—omniscient, piercing, seeing everything. His feet were like refined brass (v. 15)—strong, able to crush anything in His path. His voice with “the sound of many waters” (v. 15) speak of power and authority, especially with a two-edged sword coming out of His mouth (v. 16). In His right hand, He held seven stars (v. 16, more on that in a moment). He had a face that shone like the sun—majestic and awesome. And, not surprisingly, when John saw Him “I fell at His feet as dead” (v. 17). But the beloved apostle was comforted (v. 17), and Jesus again tells of His eternal nature, and His resurrection. “And I have the keys of Hades and of Death”--i.e., power over death (v. 18). John is again told to write what He sees (v. 19), and, to introduce the second chapter, Jesus informs him that the seven lampstands represent the seven church, each with its own angel (v. 20—the seven stars in His hand).
So, upon reading this, what would John’s persecuted readers think? They would know that the Lord they believed in was still alive, knew their plight, had the power and authority to relieve them, and indeed, He soon would. He is still in command, is in their midst, and holds their destiny in His hand. What a marvelous picture of peace and comfort. Revelation may be the most beautiful book in the Bible, once we understand what the Lord is revealing to us. Chapter 1 is certainly soothing and reassuring.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Four Keys To The Book of Revelation
Thus far I have considered in some detail the basic background to the book of Revelation, especially the nature of apocalyptic literature and the numerical symbolism that is such a key part of it. Before I get directly into a chapter-by-chapter study of the text, I want to look at one more introductory aspect, what I call “four keys to the book of Revelation.” They are all found within the book, in the first two chapters. And once again, failure to grasp these crucial points can lead to significant errors in rightly comprehending John’s message.
The first two keys are found in the very first verse.
Key #1—“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.” While some people suggest that the book was written before 70 A.D. in lieu of the coming destruction of Jerusalem, most scholars believe that John wrote around 95 with the Roman persecution in mind. That’s the view I will take in this study. But either way, the things written would “shortly come to pass.” They weren’t going to happen 2,000 years later; 2,000 years from 95 A.D. is not “shortly.” Now, I suppose if one looks at it from God’s perspective, 2,000 years isn’t much. But the book is written for humans to understand, and if you were one of John’s readers in the first century, and you read that the things written in Revelation were going to “shortly come to pass,” what would you think? The book is written for beleaguered Christians in the first century, for their aid, and the happenings in the book are for their strength and comfort, not just ours. Any attempt to cast the majority of the book 2,000 year into the future—as premillennial theory does—is missing a major key to understanding the Revelation.
Key #2—Also in verse 1: “and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.” As I’ve pointed out repeatedly in earlier posts, Revelation is written in signs and symbols. That’s not just the judgment of a human writer, that is the statement of inspired Scripture. Now obviously signs and symbols have meaning; John isn’t writing nonsense. But we must be very, very careful about literalizing, when the book itself says it was “signified” to John. Thus, a literal battle of Armageddon, or a literal 1,000 years is problematic, at best, especially since there is no other location in Scripture—literal or figurative—that give any indication that those two events will ever occur. To build an entire system of theology on basically one passage of Scripture—Revelation 20 and the “1,000 year reign”—is a most hazardous approach to Biblical interpretation. Indeed, it really boggles the mind.
Key #3—In chapter 1:4, we read, “John to the seven churches which are in Asia.” To whom was the book written? That verse tells us—the seven churches of Asia, which are listed later in the chapter, and to whom specific letters are written by the Lord in chapters 2 and 3. What does the book of Revelation mean? Well, first and foremost, it means what Jesus intended for it to mean, but since it was initially written to those seven churches, then we must try to understand it the way they would have. Folks, every book in the Bible was written to somebody, by somebody, for a specific purpose calculated to be understood by its initial readers. And that’s what each of the 66 books of the Bible means. Now, of course, they all have residual meaning for us; God’s principles are timeless. But if we bypass the original readers and try to twist some meaning out of a text that would be totally inapplicable to them, then we have grossly misunderstood what the writer is trying to convey. What did the book of Revelation mean to the seven churches of Asia? That’s what it means and nothing else!! What we gain from it is based upon whatever timeless, divine truths are found in what God first told those Asian congregations. And that is just as true with the book of Romans as it is with the book of Revelation, and every other book in the Bible. I will be at pains to repeat that point ad nauseum through this study.
Key #4—“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). There is the theme of the book. Every book has a theme and a purpose, and “faithfulness unto death” is the thesis of Revelation. And that’s not just “faithful until you die of old age,” that's “faithful even if it means your death.” The latter was a distinct possibility to Christians of John’s day, and those who lived in the Roman empire. Persecution by the Romans wasn’t constant, but it did happen, and it could be severe. And thousands of Christians suffered martyrdom at the hands of their pagan masters. That’s what Jesus meant. That theme will be illustrated in the text, as we shall see.
With these keys in mind—keys which I will probably repeat frequently through the study—I believe we have a firmer foundation for understanding John’s message. The events would “shortly come to pass.” Revelation is largely written in signs and symbols. It must be understood the way the churches of Asia, to whom it was initially written, would have understood it. And it must be interpreted in light of its thesis. Folks, there is nothing complex about that. We should approach the book of Revelation the same way we would approach all other books that have ever been written—let the writer tell us who his audience is, what he intends to say, and how he intends to say it. In that regard, what’s different about the book of Revelation from, say, a calculus textbook or a Louis L'Amour novel?
The first two keys are found in the very first verse.
Key #1—“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass.” While some people suggest that the book was written before 70 A.D. in lieu of the coming destruction of Jerusalem, most scholars believe that John wrote around 95 with the Roman persecution in mind. That’s the view I will take in this study. But either way, the things written would “shortly come to pass.” They weren’t going to happen 2,000 years later; 2,000 years from 95 A.D. is not “shortly.” Now, I suppose if one looks at it from God’s perspective, 2,000 years isn’t much. But the book is written for humans to understand, and if you were one of John’s readers in the first century, and you read that the things written in Revelation were going to “shortly come to pass,” what would you think? The book is written for beleaguered Christians in the first century, for their aid, and the happenings in the book are for their strength and comfort, not just ours. Any attempt to cast the majority of the book 2,000 year into the future—as premillennial theory does—is missing a major key to understanding the Revelation.
Key #2—Also in verse 1: “and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.” As I’ve pointed out repeatedly in earlier posts, Revelation is written in signs and symbols. That’s not just the judgment of a human writer, that is the statement of inspired Scripture. Now obviously signs and symbols have meaning; John isn’t writing nonsense. But we must be very, very careful about literalizing, when the book itself says it was “signified” to John. Thus, a literal battle of Armageddon, or a literal 1,000 years is problematic, at best, especially since there is no other location in Scripture—literal or figurative—that give any indication that those two events will ever occur. To build an entire system of theology on basically one passage of Scripture—Revelation 20 and the “1,000 year reign”—is a most hazardous approach to Biblical interpretation. Indeed, it really boggles the mind.
Key #3—In chapter 1:4, we read, “John to the seven churches which are in Asia.” To whom was the book written? That verse tells us—the seven churches of Asia, which are listed later in the chapter, and to whom specific letters are written by the Lord in chapters 2 and 3. What does the book of Revelation mean? Well, first and foremost, it means what Jesus intended for it to mean, but since it was initially written to those seven churches, then we must try to understand it the way they would have. Folks, every book in the Bible was written to somebody, by somebody, for a specific purpose calculated to be understood by its initial readers. And that’s what each of the 66 books of the Bible means. Now, of course, they all have residual meaning for us; God’s principles are timeless. But if we bypass the original readers and try to twist some meaning out of a text that would be totally inapplicable to them, then we have grossly misunderstood what the writer is trying to convey. What did the book of Revelation mean to the seven churches of Asia? That’s what it means and nothing else!! What we gain from it is based upon whatever timeless, divine truths are found in what God first told those Asian congregations. And that is just as true with the book of Romans as it is with the book of Revelation, and every other book in the Bible. I will be at pains to repeat that point ad nauseum through this study.
Key #4—“Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:10). There is the theme of the book. Every book has a theme and a purpose, and “faithfulness unto death” is the thesis of Revelation. And that’s not just “faithful until you die of old age,” that's “faithful even if it means your death.” The latter was a distinct possibility to Christians of John’s day, and those who lived in the Roman empire. Persecution by the Romans wasn’t constant, but it did happen, and it could be severe. And thousands of Christians suffered martyrdom at the hands of their pagan masters. That’s what Jesus meant. That theme will be illustrated in the text, as we shall see.
With these keys in mind—keys which I will probably repeat frequently through the study—I believe we have a firmer foundation for understanding John’s message. The events would “shortly come to pass.” Revelation is largely written in signs and symbols. It must be understood the way the churches of Asia, to whom it was initially written, would have understood it. And it must be interpreted in light of its thesis. Folks, there is nothing complex about that. We should approach the book of Revelation the same way we would approach all other books that have ever been written—let the writer tell us who his audience is, what he intends to say, and how he intends to say it. In that regard, what’s different about the book of Revelation from, say, a calculus textbook or a Louis L'Amour novel?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
