BIBLE STUDY – DAY ONE (JANUARY 7, 2011)
A STUDY IN ESCHATOLOGY
I. INTRODUCTION TO ESCHATOLOGY
A. Introduction
If one were to pick up any textbook on systematic theology, for example, “Lectures in Systematic Theology” by Henry Clarence Thiessen or “Basic Theology” by Charles C. Ryrie, one would discover that in all such textbooks the doctrinal components are laid out in pretty much the same order. These textbooks begin by presenting the three Persons of the Godhead, the doctrine of God the Father (Theology), the doctrine of God the Son (Christology), and the doctrine of God the Holy Spirit (Pneumatology). Following the doctrinal information on the triune God, the next doctrine presented is the doctrine of Angels (Angelology). Having completed the doctrines on the beings in the spirit realm, the doctrine of Man is then introduced (Anthropology). Man fell in the garden so the next doctrine discussed is the doctrine of Sin (Hamartiology). Alienated from God, man needs to be saved, so the next subject presented is the doctrine of Salvation (Soteriology). Once man is saved, he joins the church community, which is the focus of the next subject matter, the doctrine of the Church (Ecclesiology). Churched man must grow in his faith, therefore, the next doctrine presented is the doctrine of the Bible (Bibliology). And last but not least, tucked away at the end of every textbook on systematic theology, is the doctrine of Last Things (Eschatology).
B. Eschatology
Eschatology is that branch of systematic theology that deals with the consummation or fulfillment of all things. Eschatology is a theological term used to designate the doctrine of last things. The term “eschatology” comes from the Greek word eschatos meaning “last” and logy meaning “the study of,” and is defined in “Webster’s New Explorer Encyclopedic Dictionary” as “a branch of theology concerned with the final events in the history of the world or of mankind.”
Much has been written concerning the prophetic events that are to transpire in the “latter days.”
Unfortunately, some of what has been written about these events can be categorized as just so much speculation and conjecture. Doomsday prophets and pseudo-scholars have exploited the biblical illiteracy, even among the body of Christ, concerning end-time prophecy, and have enriched themselves through the sale of sensational books and products.
Excellent commentaries have been written on the Bible books of Daniel and Revelation, some providing detailed exegetical and analytical presentations of these books, but by the same token, there are some commentaries that are unmistakably the products of fanciful imaginations.
Two quotations come to mind that are directly applicable to the authors of frivolous and non-biblically based works on future events. The source of the first quotation is unknown to the writer of this commentary. The second quotation is a quip from the pen of Mark Twain.
“Pious commentators have seen fit to increase the complexity of eschatological events with general doses of fantasy and rationalistic speculation.”
“The researches of many commentators have already thrown much darkness on the subject and it is probable that if they continue, we shall soon know nothing about it!”
It is incumbent on us as children of God to know the Word of God. Knowing the truth, particularly about end-time prophecy, will set us free from error-laden writings, which sow seeds of fear and confusion instead of generating hope and great expectation concerning the “glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Biblical Prophecy
Approximately one-fourth of the Bible is prophecy, some has been fulfilled, and much remains to be fulfilled. All the prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ to the earth, His incarnation, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection were all fulfilled literally, therefore, as a child of God, I can rest assured, based on the sovereignty of God, that the biblical prophecies yet to be fulfilled, no matter how far-fetched they may seem, will all be fulfilled to the letter.
The eschatological events that we’ll be covering in this study are as follows:
1) Rapture of the Church,
2) Judgment Seat of Christ,
3) Marriage of the Lamb,
4) Tribulation,
5) Second Advent of Christ,
6) Millennium,
7) Great White Throne Judgment,
8) New Heavens and New Earth, and
9) New Jerusalem.
Purpose
The pivotal point of our study will be the second coming of Christ. The purpose of the book of Revelation, for example, is to highlight His second coming and to record the events that will transpire before and after His second coming. The ultimate triumph of Christ and His saints over Satan and his followers, as prophesied in the Word of God, ought to provide a message of encouragement, comfort, and hope to us living in these, the “the latter days.”
After this study, we should experience a deeper commitment to the Lord and to evangelism in light of the fact that difficult days lie ahead for mankind in general, particularly during a period called the “Great Tribulation.” Christians not only need to be ready for the coming of the Lord, but we ought to be concerned about those who don’t know Christ as Lord and Savior. The Church needs to be busy sharing the Good News of Christ in light of the catastrophic end-time events alluded to in the book of Daniel and vividly described in the book of Revelation.
Christ in the Book of Revelation
This book is the revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ is clearly the main character of the book. If the student has no clue as to what is in the Book of Revelation, then the student probably only knows Christ from the rest of the Bible as:
The Prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15,
The suffering Servant of Isaiah 52,
The slain Lamb of Isaiah 53, and
The Rabbi of Matthew 23.
If that is the case, then you are going to be blessed in this study because just in this book alone, Christ is going to be revealed to you as:
The High Priest of Revelation 1,
The Kinsman Redeemer of Revelation 5,
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah of Revelation 5,
The Bridegroom of Revelation 19,
The King of Kings and Lord of Lords of Revelation 19, and
The Righteous Judge of Revelation 20.
C. Second Coming of Christ
The pivotal point of the book of Revelation is the Second Coming of Christ. It is exciting because in this coming of Christ:
1. Christ will not be coming as a submissive lamb but He’ll be coming as the
powerful Lion of Judah.
2. Christ will not be coming to be judged by His enemies but He’ll be coming to judge the enemies of God as the Righteous Judge.
3. Christ will not be coming into Jerusalem humbly on a donkey but He’ll be coming into Jerusalem triumphantly on a white horse, symbolic of a conquering king.
4. Christ will not be coming wearing a crown of thorns but He’ll be coming wearing diadems, regal crowns, to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
II. PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF INTERPRETATION
A. Basic Outline of Eschatology
The study of the book of Revelation is a study of prophecy. More specifically, it is a study of eschatology, the study of last things. Eschatology proper begins with the sixth dispensation. The cross, which ended the fifth Dispensation of Law, also began the sixth Dispensation of Grace. The Dispensation of Grace is divided into two ages.
The first is the Church Age, which began at Pentecost and will continue until the Rapture. The second age is the Tribulation Period, which will last for seven years, and will be the last seven years of the Dispensation of Grace. Following the Tribulation and the Dispensation of Grace will be the seventh dispensation of the Messianic Kingdom for 1,000 years. Following the Kingdom there will be the Eternal Order: Eternity. This is eschatology in its basic outline.
B. Four Principles for Interpreting Prophecy
In order to study eschatology, we need to establish some basic rules, which are especially relevant to the interpretation of prophecy. There are four basic principles of interpretation which are keys to understanding the prophetic word as well as the whole Bible. The following four principles were formulated by Dr. David L. Cooper, the late director of the Biblical Research Society.
1. The Golden Rule of Interpretation
“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning, unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”
Simply put, this law states that all biblical passages are to be interpreted exactly as they are read unless there is something in the text indicating that it should be interpreted in some other way rather than literally. If this rule is applied consistently, many errors in exegesis can be avoided. When the plain sense of Scripture makes sense, no other sense needs to be sought.
2. Law of Double Reference
The law of double reference observes the fact that often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time, but in the passage itself they are blended into one picture. The time gap between the two persons or two events is not presented by the text itself. The fact that a gap of time exists is known because of other Scriptures, though in the particular text itself the gap of time is not seen.
The application of this law becomes necessary in the interpretation of some Old Testament prophecies regarding the first and second comings of Christ. Often these two events are blended into one picture with no indication that there is a gap of time between the first and second coming of Christ. Zechariah 9:9-10 and Isaiah 61:1-2 are two passages to which the law of double reference applies.
Zechariah 9:9 – “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of New Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Zechariah 9:10 – “I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
Verse 9 refers to the first coming of Christ, while verse 10 refers to the second coming of Christ. These two comings are blended into one picture with no indication that there are two comings and that there is a separation between the two events.
Isaiah 61:1 – “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;”
Isaiah 61:2 – “To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.”
Isaiah 61:1-2 is another example of a passage where the law of double reference applies. Verses 1 and 2a refer to the first coming of Christ to the earth, while verse 2b refers to His second coming. Again, the two events are blended into one picture with no indication that there are two comings and that there is a gap of time between the two events.
When our Lord Jesus Christ visited His hometown of Nazareth, He went to the synagogue on the Sabbath and was asked to read from the scroll of Isaiah. Luke chapter 4 tells us that He read from this particular portion of Isaiah but left out the last part of verse 2, which reads, “And the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn.” Why did He leave this part out? – because ”the day of vengeance” has to do with His second coming. He read only the first part of this passage, which has to do with His first coming.
3. The Law of Recurrence
The law of recurrence describes the fact that in some passages of Scripture there exists the recording of an event followed by a second recording of the same event giving more details to the first. Hence, it often involves two blocks of Scripture. The first block presents a description of an event as it transpires in chronological sequence. A second block of Scripture dealing with the same event and the same time period follows giving further details as to what transpires in the course of the event.
An example of the law of recurrence is found in some passages in the book of Genesis. Genesis, Chapter 1, records the creation of Adam and Eve.
Genesis 1:27 – “So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.”
Genesis, Chapter 2, returns to the sixth day of creation and provides additional details concerning the manner in which Adam and Eve were created.
Genesis 2:7 – “And the LORD God formed man out of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”
Genesis 2:22 – “Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.”
Another example of the law of recurrence is found in the book of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 38:1-23 gives a complete account of a future invasion of Israel from the north and the subsequent destruction of the invading army. This is followed by the second block of Scripture, Ezekiel 39:1-16, which repeats some of the account given in the first block and gives some added details regarding the destruction of the invading army.
4. The Law of the Context
The law of the context states that a verse can only mean what it means in its context and must not be pulled out of its context. When it is pulled out of its context, it is often presented as meaning something that it cannot mean within the context. A good example for understanding the law of the context is Zechariah 13:6.
Zechariah 13:6 – “And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ ”
This verse is often used as a prophecy of Christ, as a messianic verse. Pulled out of its context, it does indeed sound like it refers to Christ. But let’s examine the context in which verse 6 finds itself and see if this verse is indeed a messianic verse.
Zechariah 13:2-6 – “ ‘It shall be in that day,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘that I will cut off the names of the idols from the land, and they shall no longer be remembered. I will also cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to depart from the land. It shall come to pass that if anyone still prophesies, then his father and mother who begot him will say to him, ‘You shall not live, because you have spoken lies in the name of the LORD.’
And his father and mother who begot him shall thrust him through when he prophesies. And it shall be in that day that every prophet will be ashamed of his vision when he prophesies; they will not wear a robe of coarse hair to deceive. But he will say, ‘I am no prophet, I am a farmer; for a man taught me to keep cattle from my youth.’ And one will say to him, ‘What are these wounds between your arms?’ Then he will answer, ‘Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.’ ”
Within its context (Zech. 13:2-6), verse 6 is speaking of false prophets. So verse 6 cannot be a messianic verse; it cannot refer to Christ unless Christ is taken to be a false prophet. This is the danger of studying an isolated verse rather than studying the verse within its context. The common saying, “You can prove anything by the Bible” is true when this rule of interpreting a verse within its context is violated. Scripture should never be interpreted in isolation from its context. Careful thought should be given to the immediate context, the general context, and the context of the whole of Scripture. One Scripture will serve to cast light on other Scripture.
5. Summary
These are four basic principles, which if followed, will help us to understand the prophetic word as well as the entire Bible. Rules and technical methods of interpretation of God’s Word are fine but will not suffice unless we seek Him, who inspired the prophets of old to write these books. The Holy Spirit, who inspired the writers, will also illuminate and enlighten the eyes of our understanding of God’s prophetic word as we seek His guidance.
C. Methods of Interpretation
In our study of eschatology, we will be spending quite a bit of time in the book of Revelation. It is vitally important that we know that authors of commentaries on the book of Revelation generally adopt one of the following four approaches to the interpretation of the book of Revelation – the allegorical, the preterist, the historical, or the futuristic.
1. Allegorical
Allegorical interpretation, or the spiritualizing interpretation, or the idealist view, neglects the literal meaning of Scripture in favor of so-called spiritual meaning. Emphasis is placed entirely on a secondary sense so that the original words or events have little or no significance. The great problem of allegorical interpretation is that it is subjective. This opens the way for the interpreter to read into the words of Scripture whatever fanciful meaning might seem appropriate.
Be aware that every verse in the Bible has only one interpretation – the interpretation that the Holy Spirit meant it to have when He inspired the writer. Now, while a verse may have only one interpretation, it can have many applications. For example, from one verse, four different preachers can come up with four different messages or applications.
2. Preterist
The preterist approach, considers the book of Revelation as historical. The preterist view holds that John was referring to events of his own day, about A.D. 96. This view, in general, tends to destroy any future significance of the book.
3. Historical
The historical approach sees the events recorded by John as symbolically fulfilled through church history between Christ’s First and Second Comings. As new history has occurred, it has required a re-interpretation of the book. There is no reputable expositor that holds this position today.
4. Futuristic
The futuristic approach, while it may consider chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation as past, looks at the rest of the book as future. This is the view of Revelation that is generally accepted. It has the advantage of taking the book more literally than the other approaches, although it still recognizes frequent symbolism.
D. Languages of Prophecy
1. Literal Language
Language is the accepted medium that we use to convey our thoughts to one another. When a person wishes to express his mind, he uses the normal medium of language. When God wants to reveal future things, He chooses regular human language instead of an ethereal or heavenly one. God uses regular earthly language to communicate and that makes our task of interpreting the Bible so much easier.
Using literal language, each word is given the same exact basic meaning it would have in normal, ordinary, customary usage, whether employed in writing, speaking, or thinking. I’d like for us to look at a passage of Scripture to appreciate how plain and actual the language of prophecy can be.
“And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. And he laid hold of the dragon, that old serpent, who is the Devil and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit” (Rev. 20:1-3a).
If we accept this passage in the literal sense, then whatever difficulties arise can begin to be resolved. The non-literal interpreter would stop you right here and say, “Wait a minute! Are you trying to tell me that Satan, who is a spirit, is going to be bound by material chains? Chains of iron and steel can’t bind a spiritual being!”
Well, first of all, the text does not say that the chain that will bind Satan is to be a chain of iron or steel or any other metal. It seems to me that this is a good time to introduce two theological terms to you, one exegesis and the other is eisegesis. The terms sound alike but they mean the exact opposite. Basically, exegesis means interpreting Scripture by reading out of Scripture and eisegesis means interpreting Scripture by reading into Scripture. To say that the chains of this passage are iron or steel is eisegesis, reading into Scripture, because it doesn’t say anywhere that metal chains are used. If I’m going to interpret this passage literally, then I must assume that the chains that are going to bind Satan are spirit-chains of some sort that can hold spirit-beings.
So in Revelation 20:1-3, I read in a literal sense that the Devil is chained and is thrown into a pit, and I have no exegetical problem with that. I keep on going. But there’ll be other Scriptures that I may read literally and find that it doesn’t make sense! In those cases the language being used is probably not literal language, but figurative language!
2. Figurative Language
We need to be aware that the Bible, like all other literature, uses figures of speech, like similes, metaphors, allegories, parables, hyperboles, etc. The purpose of figurative language is to impart some literal truth, which may more clearly be conveyed by the use of figures than in any other way. So in studying prophecy, the first problem we face is that of determining whether the language being used is literal or figurative.
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).
Immediately upon reading this verse, we are aware that what is being said, is being said in a figurative sense, and not a literal sense. Christ is not literally a vine any more than we are literally branches. Thus, we can assume that the revelation of some truth is being put forth in a figurative sense. What is this truth? We understand it to mean that it is Christ who nourishes and sustains us. It is through Him that we bear spiritual fruit. As the branches (we) only bear the fruit; it is the Vine (Christ) that produces the fruit. Christ tell us in that passage that we can only bear fruit to the extent that we abide in Him, in His word, and in His love. Amen?
Interpreting something that is figurative as literal can get us in a heap of trouble. I’d like to give you an example from Scripture how something said using figurative language was interpreted literally and how it changed dramatically the course of people’s lives.
“Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).
When many of Christ’s disciples heard Him say this, they said to one another, “How can this be, eat His flesh and drink His blood?—the Law of Moses says we are to refrain from consuming blood. This is indeed a hard saying!” The Word goes on to say that these disciples “went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). Why?—because they took something said in the figurative sense and interpreted it in the literal sense. Figurative language was interpreted as literal language and changed the course of people’s lives. Lives can also be dramatically impacted when literal language is interpreted as figurative language!
E. Methods of Prophetic Revelation
1. Revelation Through Types
a. Definition of a type
Donald K. Campbell provides us with the following definition of a “type” in its theological sense: “A type is an Old Testament institution, event, person, object, or ceremony which has reality and purpose in Biblical history, but which also by divine design foreshadows something yet to be revealed.”
“Types” in the Old Testament, by divine design, foreshadowed or pointed to some person or some event in the New Testament. We know we’re dealing with a type in the Old Testament when the New Testament (antitype) makes reference to it. Let’s interpret some types in the Old Testament in light of information we’re given in the New Testament.
b. Interpreting types
Romans 5:14 states that Adam was a type of Him who was to come—a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. How was Adam a type of Christ? The apostle Paul made the connection when he drew a parallel between Adam and Christ in chapter 15 of 1st Corinthians:
“The first Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are made of dust; and as is the heavenly Man, so also are those who are heavenly. As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man”
(1 Cor. 15:45-49).
The Passover Lamb of Exodus 12 is a type of our Lord Jesus Christ. The fact that the Passover lamb was without blemish, that none of its bones were broken, and that its blood averted death is a foreshadowing of Christ’s sacrifice. John the Baptist in the Gospel of John, chapter 1, verse 29, pointed to Christ and referred to Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” The fact that none of Christ’s bones were broken in His death, is confirmed in John 19:33. And finally, the apostle Paul referred to Christ in 1 Corinthians 5:7 as “Our Passover.”
Generally speaking each “type” that is found in the Old Testament has a corresponding “antitype” in the New Testament. In typology, the fulfillment of an antitype can only be understood in the light of the reality of the original type. There must be a divinely intended connection between the type and the antitype. For instance, the serpent made of bronze and elevated on a pole in Numbers 21:9 is a type of Christ crucified. Here’s the verse in the Old Testament establishing the “type”:
“So Moses made a bronze serpent, and put it on a pole; and so it was, if a serpent had bitten anyone, when he looked at the bronze serpent, he lived” (Num 21:9).
Here’s the verse in the New Testament establishing the antitype:
“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).
2. Revelation Through Symbols
a. Definition of a symbol
Paul Lee Tan describes a symbol as “a representative and graphic delineation of an actual event, truth, or object. The thing that is depicted is not the real thing but conveys a representative meaning.” Symbols can be divided into six kinds of symbols that are prophetic in character; (1) persons, (2) institutions, (3) offices, (4) events, (5) actions, and (6) things.
Symbolic words describe objects and things seen by the prophets in their visions. Objects, such as we’ll see in the Book of Revelation like stars, horns, lampstands, beasts, horses and riders, appear as symbols in many prophetic visions. The book of Revelation, as an example, is a symbolic book, but that does not mean the symbols do not depict literal events.
b. Interpreting symbols
Before we begin our discussion on interpreting symbols, I believe it necessary to include at this point to quote from an exegetical commentary on Revelation by Grant R. Osborne:
Thus in interpreting the symbols of the book, we first need the “hermeneutics of humility” to realize we “see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror” (1 Cor. 13:8 NLT). We are to center on the purpose of the text and note the theological thrust, leaving what will actually happen with God. Moreover, we no longer need to guess what modern events may be prophesied, for every symbol was understandable to the first-century reader. Therefore, we seek the “language of equivalents” and use background knowledge from the first century to unlock the tensive symbols and to see what the original readers would have understood when they read them . . . The sources for interpreting them come from the OT, Intertestamental literature, and the Greco-Roman world – in other words, in the common world of the original readers in the province of Asia.
For the purposes of our study, we will let Scripture interpret Scripture, but bearing in mind that every symbol was understandable to the first-century reader. Using Scripture to interpret Scripture, we’ll begin then by stating that we can interpret a symbol using either the immediate context in which it is found or find the meaning of a symbol in a remote context, that is, in some other part of Scripture.
(1) The immediate context
The best possible material for the interpretation of symbols is the immediate context in which symbols are found. Under the guidance of contextual studies, the guesswork is taken out of many Bible symbols. In the book of Daniel, some symbols are explained in the immediate context, that is, explained in the very same chapter.
For example, in the book of Daniel, chapter 8, we read about warfare between a ram and a goat. Well, there was no real struggle between a ram and a goat. The ram and the goat are symbols, which in the same chapter are interpreted for us. We are told in verses 20 and 21 that the ram represents the Medo-Persian kingdom, while the goat represents the Grecian kingdom.
Let’s take a look at a symbol in the book of Revelation that is also explained in its immediate context. In Revelation 1:12, the symbol “seven golden lampstands” is explained in the same chapter, In verse 20, we are told that the seven golden lampstands represent seven churches.
Let’s look at another symbol in the book of Revelation, but this time, one that will be interpreted in a remote context.
(2) The remote context
In Revelation 1:16, we see a symbol that is interpreted, not in its immediate context (the same chapter), but in a remote context, that is, this particular symbol is interpreted in a book of the Bible other than in the one in which it is used.
In Revelation 1:16, a sharp two-edged sword is seen coming out of the Lord’s mouth. In Revelation 19:15, a sharp sword also comes out of His mouth. The sword coming out of the Lord’s mouth is obviously a symbol. So after checking the same chapter for an interpretation of that symbol in the immediate context and not finding any, we can assume that the symbol of this sword is interpreted in a remote context.
This symbol of a sharp two-edged sword is interpreted in a remote context. The remote context where the same symbol is used can be determined by consulting a biblical concordance. A concordance, like “Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible” (which is keyed to the KJV) will indicate other verses in the Bible where the word “sword” is used. Consulting other uses of the word “sword” may shed some light on the meaning of the symbol, as is the case here. The symbol of the sword can be interpreted as “the Word of God,” in light of Hebrews 4:12 (“the word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword”), and Ephesians 6:17 (“the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”).
In Revelation 1:16, there is another expression that bears some symbolism. We are told that Christ had seven stars “in His right hand.” Being in the right hand or at the right hand signifies a position of power, prestige, prominence, privilege, authority or favor. For example, we are told that “Christ is sitting at the “right hand” of God” (Col. 3:1). Another example of the use of the expression “right hand” is in the sheep-goat judgment of Matthew 25, where the sheep, or the saved ones are directed to the “right hand” (Matt. 25:33), while the goats, the lost ones, are directed to the left hand. This type of symbolism is best understood with experience in the Word.
Important – While the Bible does use many symbols, it is consistent in its usage of symbols. A specific symbol will mean the same thing throughout the Old and New Testaments in the vast majority (though not all) of cases. Therefore, when Job 38:7 refers to the morning stars that sang together and the sons of God that shouted for joy at the creation of the earth, the symbolic reference is to angels. The stars are angels in Job 38:7, just as the stars are angels in Revelation 12:4.
There are more commentaries written on the book of Revelation than any other book in the Bible. One way I judge whether a commentary on the book of Revelation is worth reading or not is based on how they interpret certain verses. For example, how they interpret Revelation 12:14 –
“But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.”
If the commentator interprets the “two wings of a great eagle” as an American plane that airlifts a remnant of Israel and transports it to a safe place, then I close the book and put it hurriedly back on the store shelf. If the commentator has that interpretation of the “wings of an eagle,” then he is, in effect, telling me that in Exodus 19:4, where the Lord says, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself,” that Israel was airlifted out of Egypt and flown to Palestine. (Please, consistency is a basic rule of the interpretation of symbols!)
(3) Symbols in the Book of Revelation
When symbols are encountered in the book of Revelation, the following list of about 40 symbols and their interpretation provided by Dr. John F. Walvoord in his commentary entitled, “The Revelation of Jesus Christ,” will prove helpful:
The seven stars (1:16) represent seven angels (1:20).
The seven lampstands (1:13) represent seven churches (1:20).
The hidden manna (2:17) speaks of Christ in glory (Exod. 16:33-34; Heb. 9:4).
The morning star (2:28) refers to Christ returning before the dawn, suggesting the rapture of the church before the establishment of the Kingdom (Rev. 22:16; 2 Pet. 1:19).
The key of David (3:7) represents the power to open and close doors (Isa. 22:22).
The seven lamps of fire represent the sevenfold Spirit of God (4:5).
The living creatures (4:7) portray the attributes of God.
The seven eyes represent the sevenfold Spirit of God (5:6).
The odors of the golden bowls symbolize the prayers of the saints (5:8).
The four horses and their riders (6:1) represent successive events in the developing tribulation.
The fallen star (9:1) is the angel of the abyss, probably Satan (9:11).
Many references are made to Jerusalem: the great city (11:8), Sodom and Egypt (11:8), which stand in contrast to the New Jerusalem, the heavenly city.
The stars of heaven (12:4) refer to fallen angels (12:9).
The woman and the child (12:1-2) represent Israel and Christ (12:5-6).
Satan is variously described as the great dragon, old serpent, and devil (12:9; 20:2).
The time, times, and a half a time (12:14) are the same as 1,260 days (12:6).
The beast out of the sea (13:1-10) is the future world ruler and his empire.
The beast out of the earth (13:11-17) is the false prophet (19:20).
The harlot (17:1) variously described as the great city (17:18), as Babylon the great (17:5), as the one who sits on seven hills (17:9), is usually interpreted as apostate Christendom.
The waters (17:1) on which the woman sits represent the peoples of the world (17:15).
The ten horns (17:12) are ten kings associated with the beast (13:1; 17:3, 7, 8, 11-13, 16-17).
The Lamb is Lord of lords and King of kings (17:14).
Fine linen is symbolic of the righteous deeds of the saints (19:8).
The rider of the white horse (19:11-16, 19) is identified as Christ, the King of Kings.
The lake of fire is described as the second death (20:14).
The Root and Offspring of David is the Lord Jesus Christ (22:16).
The seven stars (1:16) represent seven angels (1:20).
The seven lampstands (1:13) represents seven churches (1:20).
The hidden manna (2:17) speaks of Christ in glory (Exod. 16:33-34; Heb. 9:4).
The morning star (2:28) refers to Christ returning before the dawn, suggesting the rapture of the church before the establishment of the Kingdom (Rev. 22:16; 2 Pet. 1:19).
The key of David (3:7) represents the power to open and close doors (Isa. 22:22).
The seven lamps of fire represent the sevenfold Spirit of God (4:5).
The living creatures (4:7) portray the attributes of God.
The seven eyes represent the sevenfold Spirit of God (5:6).
The odors of the golden bowls symbolize the prayers of the saints (5:8).
The four horses and their riders (6:1) represent successive events in the developing tribulation.
The fallen star (9:1) is the angel of the abyss, probably Satan (9:11).
3. Revelation Through Parables
a. Definition of a parable
A parable, according to the author Angus-Green, “denotes a narrative constructed for the sake of conveying important truth . . .” The pictorial element of the parable is drawn from the daily life of Palestine. The corresponding Greek word for parable is parabole, meaning placing of one thing alongside another for comparison so that a parable is a kind of parallelism.
In the parable, there may be parallels drawn between the earthly and the heavenly, the physical and the spiritual, the sacred and the secular, etc.
b. Jesus and parables
A parable has been defined as “an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.” In the gospels, Jesus makes frequent use of the parable as a method of revelation of some spiritual truth. Jesus, for the most part, used earthly things to lead men’s minds to heavenly things. The Palestinian culture was primarily agricultural; consequently, many of Christ’s parables are set in an agricultural context.
c. The Parable of the Sower and the Seed
In the parable of the Sower and the Seed (Matt. 13:1-9), Christ used the theme of sowing to illustrate a spiritual truth. In the parable, four different kinds of earth are mentioned:
1. The wayside ground – there was no fence around the wayside ground and people
could walk up and down on it, preventing anything from growing. This kind of soil
represents the “closed mind,” where truth cannot gain entry.
2. The rocky ground – this ground has no depth. The seed will sprout, but will soon die
from insufficient moisture and nourishment as the sun beats down upon it. This
represent a faith that is shallow and never grows roots. When the storm comes, or
when difficulties arise, faith is sure to collapse.
3. The thorny ground – The weeds alongside will always grow stronger than the good
seed and eventually the life is choked out of the good seed. This illustrates a life so
crowded with other things that Christ eventually gets crowded out.
4. The good ground – The good ground is a picture of the ideal listener. Matthew 13:23
says that the good listener understands the word. Mark 4:4-20 says that the good
listener accepts the word. To accept a thing into our minds means that we really
possess it, that it has become part and parcel of our thought and our life. Finally,
Luke 8:15 says that the good listener keeps the word. He obeys it under all
circumstances; it is not something upon which he acts when it is convenient and
discards when it is inconvenient.
d. A parable misinterpreted
Immediately after describing His glorious second coming to the earth (Matt. 24:29-31) in His Olivet Discourse, Jesus told the Parable of the Fig Tree to His disciples.
Matthew 24:32-35 – “Now learn this from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near – at the doors! Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.”
He told this parable in response to the disciples’ question: “What will be the sign of Your coming?” The lesson of the parable was the following: just as a blossoming tree signifies that summer is near; in the same manner, they were to know that His return was also near when they would see the events occurring that He had described earlier in chapter 24.
A misinterpretation of the Parable of the Fig Tree resulted in one commentator’s prediction of when Christ would return. The commentator agreed that no one could know the day or the hour in which Christ would return, as Christ Himself had said (Matt. 24:36), nevertheless, he remarked, “However, this does not preclude or prevent the faithful from knowing the year, the month, and the week of the Lord’s return.” Based on his interpretation of this parable, he went on to write a best-selling book entitled, “88 Reasons Why The Rapture Could Be In 1988.”
Although the fig tree in the parable is being used literally in an illustration, the commentator mistook the fig tree as a symbol, a symbol representing the nation of Israel. He interpreted the putting “forth leaves” symbolically to represent the return of Israel to Palestine on May 14, 1948. He calculated that the generation that would see Christ would see Him in 1988 (the year 1948 plus 40 – a “generation” being 40 years, according to him). This commentator, who sounded very convincing, led many astray because of his interpretation of literal language as figurative language.
This commentator mistook the fig tree to be Israel, although in the same parable in Luke 21, verse 29 reads, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees.” If the fig tree represents Israel, what do all the other trees represent? From his interpretation of this parable, the commentator calculated the year of the Rapture, which is strange, when one considers Luke 21:31, which reads, “So you also when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near.” This verse speaks of “the kingdom of God,” the kingdom that will be established after the second coming of Christ, certainly not after the Rapture! This commentator’s confusion arose out of his violation of the Golden Rule of Interpretation, which again reads:
“When the plain sense of Scripture makes common sense, seek no other sense; therefore, take every word at its primary, ordinary, usual, literal meaning unless the facts of the immediate context, studied in the light of related passages and fundamental truths, indicate clearly otherwise.”
Simply stated, this rule means – if the literal meaning of any word or expression makes good sense in its connections, it is literal; but if the literal meaning does not make sense, it is figurative. The plain sense of Scripture, in this case Matthew 24:32-35, makes common sense, therefore, we need not seek any other sense.
Well, we have the basic tools now to begin our study of eschatology but don’t forget the indispensable element of prayer, without which our study would be nothing more than just an exercise in futility.
III. THE BOOK OF REVELATION
A. Introduction
Eschatology is the study of the last days. Eschatology involves much more than the Book of Revelation, but the Book of Revelation will serve as a base for this study. Other portions of Scripture, as they relate to end-time prophecy, will be referenced as needed.
Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings, Revelation is the book of consummation. Not only does Revelation look forward to the future consummation of all things and the eventual triumph of God and the Lamb, but it also ties up all the loose ends of the many lines of prophetic revelation running through both Testaments. In it, the divine program of redemption is brought to fruition, and the holy name of God is vindicated before all creation.
The uniqueness of the last book of the Bible is apparent in its title “Revelation,” which comes from the Greek word “apokalypsis” – apo means “from” and kalypto means “to cover” – to remove the cover. This word, meaning “unveiling” or “disclosure” of what has formerly been hidden, is the origin of our word “apocalyptic,” a type of writing found in Daniel, Ezekiel, and Zechariah in the Old Testament, but only here in the New Testament. It refers to prophetic revelation of the future that uses dreams, visions, symbols, and figures. The book of Revelation is an unveiling of that which otherwise could not be known.
B. Author
The author of the book is John, the beloved disciple, the son of Zebedee, author of the Gospel of John, and I, II and III John. John, apparently the only one of the twelve apostles still alive in A.D. 90-96, recorded in Revelation the hope of the church and of Israel, which Jesus Christ revealed to him by an angel through a series of visions.
C. Date and Setting
Revelation was written about A.D. 95 or 96, during the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian. The Apostle John received the visions recorded in the book during his exile on the island of Patmos in the Agean Sea. John had been banished because of his effective testimony for Christ.
D. Recipients
The indicated recipients of the book, as given in chapters 1 through 3, were certain churches in Asia, specifically, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. While each of these messages had particular significance for these churches, they were also relevant for the church as a whole (“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”).
E. Themes and Purposes
That which is unveiled or disclosed in Revelation is preeminently the glorified and enthroned Christ. Christ is the central figure of the book. Sequential visions prophesy the course of the age, beginning with the Great Tribulation and culminating in eternity (Chs. 6-22). The future of kingdoms and movements is unraveled, but at the heart of all is the conquering Christ (Chs. 4; 5; 19:11-21).
This book provides a message of comfort and a promise of the providential intervention of God in the affairs of men. Triumphant vision and the promise of the ultimate defeat of evil enabled these early Christians to encounter successfully the challenges that confronted them. This was a powerful message of hope for those early Christians who had to suffer or die for their faith. In this book they learned that, in spite of the cruel power of the Roman Empire, the Lamb of God would win the final victory. This knowledge gave them hope and the courage to remain faithful.
F. Christ in Revelation
This book is “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” since it comes from Him and centers on Him. That which is unveiled or disclosed in the book of Revelation is preeminently the glorified and enthroned Christ. Christ is the central figure of the book. It begins with a vision of His glory, wisdom, and power (1), and portrays His authority over the entire church (2-3). He is the Lamb who was slain and declared worthy to open the book of judgment (5). His righteous wrath is poured out upon the whole earth (6-18), and He returns in power to judge His enemies and to reign as the Lord over all (19-20). He will rule forever over the heavenly city in the presence of all who know Him (21-22).
IV. REVELATION CHAPTER ONE
This book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Christ is clearly the main character of the book. The focus of the book of Revelation is the second coming of Christ to the earth in all His glory.
Verse 1 – There was a four-stage process by which this revelation came to the churches. God the Father gave it to His Son Jesus Christ; Jesus gave it to the angels; the angels mediated it to the Apostle John; and John wrote it down for the churches. The revelation given to John is signified, which means that much of the revelation is conveyed by means of signs or symbols. The things that John would write would “shortly take place.” “Shortly” (tachos) indicates swiftness of action. It doesn’t mean that the events would all come to pass in John’s day, but when it starts, there will be a rapid succession of events.
Verse 2 – John bore witness to the prophetic word that God spoke to him, and testified that these visions constitute “the word of God” and “the testimony of Jesus.” (The Greek word for “witness” is martus from which we get our English “martyr.”
Verse 3 – In this verse, there is a special threefold blessing:
1. “Blessed is he that reads” – as all would not have a copy of the book, a special blessing is
bestowed upon the one who reads.
2. “Blessed are they that hear the words of the prophecy” – most of the people were unable to
obtain a copy or read it, and so they were blessed by listening to someone reading it.
3. “Blessed are they that keep those things that are written therein” – blessed were both reader
and hearer if they observed what was written in the book.
This is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to the reader. At that time, the “reader” was an official reader in the Christian service. Revelation was written with the intention that it be read in the service. This threefold blessing is the first of seven beatitudes in the book (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; 22:7, 14). (The reading of the Book of Revelation should be a stern warning to unbelievers to repent and an encouragement to God’s people to persevere.)
John admonished his readers to keep those things written in this book, “for the time is near.” What does John mean by “near”? John saw the events he recorded as “near,” not because he knew the exact moment of their fulfillment, but because he sensed that his visions could become reality at any moment.
Verse 4 – John addresses the book to the seven churches located in the Roman province of Asia. This province was situated in western Asia Minor (Modern Turkey). John wishes for these churches “grace and peace.” “Grace” (chairein) was the common Hellenistic greeting and “Peace” (Shalom) was the common Hebrew greeting. Grace means the undeserved favor of God and the strength that is needed in the Christian life day by day. Peace is the resulting calm that enables the believer to face persecution, sorrow, and even death itself.
Verses 4-7 constitute the Holy Trinity’s greetings to the seven churches. John describes God the Father as He “who is, and who was, and who is to come.” By using all three tenses to describe God’s existence, John demonstrated the eternal nature of the Lord, who had no beginning and will have no end. The expression, “who is, and who was, and who is to come” is a paraphrase of the unspeakable name of God (Exod. 3:14), the absolute, the unchangeable, the “self-existing One.”
The phrase “seven Spirits who before His throne” refers to God the Holy Spirit in His fullness, seven being the number of perfection and completeness. The complete sevenfold ministry of the Person of the Holy Spirit is given in the Septuagint (LXX) version of Isaiah 11:2. He is called:
1. “The Spirit of Wisdom” – refers to His ability to judge soundly, having infinite perception
and discernment.
2. “The Spirit of Understanding” – having the ability to comprehend, to interpret or explain
clearly.
3. “The Spirit of Counsel” – who can help us in our need. He will give us of the truth from the
Word that will fit our condition.
4. “The Spirit of Might” – He is all-powerful; there is nothing that can stop Him. He is the
all-powerful Spirit by which the Lord Jesus created the universe.
5. “The Spirit of Knowledge” – He is fully acquainted with all the facets of the truth.
6. “The Spirit of the Fear of the Lord” – He produces in us true reverence for the Lord.
7. “The Spirit of Godliness” – The Spirit is of God (Rev. 3:1; 4:5) and of the Lamb (Rev. 5:6).
The Holy Spirit is designated by the expression: “the seven Spirits” (angels are never called spirits in Revelation – they are called spirits in Hebrews 1:14). The prototype of John’s expression is found in the vision of Zechariah, where the Messiah is prefigured as a stone with seven eyes (Zech. 3:9), which are the eyes of the Lord, which scan to and fro throughout the whole earth (Zech. 4:10).
Verse 5 – God the Son is designated as “the faithful witness” because He confirmed by miracles the truth, which He taught in words. The risen Christ is referred to as “the firstborn from the dead” because He is the first to rise from the dead to die no more. Some Bible versions read; “the first begotten from the dead.” The expression “first begotten” comes from the Greek word prototokos, from which we get our word, “prototype.” Jesus is the prototype for those who would be raised with Him.
(When the Scripture refers to Christ as “the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15), it is referring to His supremacy or pre-eminence and not to time or chronological sequence.) He who loved us and gave Himself for us holds a place of honor and is ruler over all earthly kings. (“My firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth – Psalm 89:27.)
Verse 6 – “made us kings and priests to His God and Father” – Christ has made us royal priests unto God. As priests, we should offer up sacrifices unto God. The Old Testament priests used to offer up dead animals as sacrifices. We as priests are not to offer up dead sacrifices. Romans 12:1 says that we are to offer up ourselves as “living sacrifices,” holy and acceptable unto God. We are to “continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Heb. 13:14).
“To Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” – This is the first of many doxologies in the book of Revelation. The word “doxology” comes from the Greek word doxologia, which means ascribing glory, honor, and praise to God (Rev. 4:11; 5:13; 7:12; 19:1).
Verse 7 – This verse summarizes the basic message of Revelation. Jesus Christ is coming in glory and majesty for all to see, striking terror in the hearts of those that oppose Him. Believers will not mourn at His coming because they will be “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13).
“Coming with clouds” is an allusion to Daniel 7:13: “One like the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven.” The return of Christ to the earth is the central theme of this book. Revelation will deal with events leading up to the Second Coming, events accompanying the Second Coming, and events following the Second Coming.
“Every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him” – Though the literal executioners and rejecters of Christ are now dead and will not be resurrected until after the Millennium, the godly remnant of Israel “will look upon Him, the One they have pierced” (Zech. 12:10). The expression, “they who pierced Him” refers not only to Jews but also to all who reject the Son of Man.
Verse 8 – The Lord introduces Himself as “the Alpha and the Omega” (the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet) symbolizing entirety or wholeness, and as “the Beginning and the End” (He spans time and eternity). Colossians 1:16 reads: “All things were created through Him and for Him” meaning that He is the source and goal of all creation.
It is interesting that Rabbinical writers used the phrase, “From Aleph to Tav” (the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet) to signify “completely, from beginning to end.”
Verse 9 – “Companion in tribulation” – The churches of John’s day were experiencing persecution by the Emperor Domitian for their fidelity to Christ. Because of his loyalty to the word of God and his witness about Jesus, John was banished by the Romans to Patmos.
Patmos is a rocky and barren island, ten miles long and six miles wide, off the southwest coast of present-day Turkey. The Romans used the island as a place to banish criminals, who were forced to work at hard labor in its mines and quarries. Christian tradition says John was released by Emperor Nerva following the death of Domitian and went to Ephesus to oversee the churches.
About a century before, the Apostle Paul had written, “We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). As Christians, we should not be surprised by the tribulations that beset us according to the Apostle Peter: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (1 Pet. 4:12-13).
Our Lord Jesus Christ said that in Him, we could overcome any tribulation that presents itself:
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). His victory over the world is our victory over the world. We should rejoice knowing that in Christ, we have the victory over anything that can come against us.
Verse 10 – John was in the Spirit when he heard a voice with the characteristics of a trumpet. The phrase, “in the Spirit” denotes a state of trance. (Peter was in a state of trance when he saw a great sheet from heaven with all sorts of animals.) “In the Spirit” denotes the Holy Spirit as the source of prophetic inspiration. When we are walking and living in the Spirit, we are in a position to receive divine communication. We must be near to God to hear the voice of God.
John was in the Spirit “on the Lord’s Day.” The expression “on the Lord’s Day” has been taken by some to refer to the first day of the week. There is no solid evidence, however, that the expression used by John was ever intended to refer to the first day of the week. The day of Christ’s resurrection is consistently referred to as “the first day of the week” and never as the Lord’s Day (Matt. 28:1; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2).
Some see the expression “the Lord’s Day” as a reference to the day of the Lord of the Old Testament, an extended period of time in which God deals in judgment and sovereign rule over the earth. For our study, we will regard the New Testament term, “the Lord’s day” as the equivalent of the Old Testament expression “the day of the Lord.”
Verse 11 – John was instructed to write on a scroll what he saw and heard and send it to the seven churches: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. These seven churches were actual historical churches in the province of Asia Minor in the closing decade of the first century. There were other churches located in the Roman province of Asia, like Troas, Magnesia, Hierapolis, Colossae, and Miletus, but these seven were chosen because they represent conditions and circumstances in all the churches in the entire world, from the beginning of the church in Christ’s day to the end of the church age at the Rapture.
Verse 12 – As John turned He saw seven golden lampstands, whose symbolism is explained in verse 20. The seven lampstands are significant symbols of the seven churches in their principal function of giving forth light. The golden lampstand in the Tabernacle represented Christ as the light of the world. Christ said that we are the light of the world. Just as the moon generates no light of it’s own but reflects the light of the sun, so believers are to be lights in this world, reflecting the light and glory of Christ (Matt. 5:14).
Verse 13 – In the verses that follow (vv. 13-16), Christ’s attributes, in relation to the events portrayed in the Book of Revelation, are described symbolically. The descriptions of Christ, which bring to mind Old Testament imagery, are not meant literally but are a symbolic portrayal of the One who is at the same time both Messiah and divine.
The Person in the midst of the seven lampstands was “One like the Son of Man,” (a title favored by Jesus as a description of Himself signifying His humanity and messianic character), an expression used in Daniel 7:13 to refer to Christ. Christ was clothed with a garment down to His feet, which in antiquity was a sign of dignity and high standing, reminiscent of Isaiah 6:1: “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.”
Christ’s long robe and golden sash depict Christ’s role as High Priest in the midst of His churches. The golden sash around His chest, according to first-century historian Josephus Flavius, was the sacred ephod of the high priest embroidered with gold thread. In chapters 2 and 3, by virtue of His letters to the seven churches, Christ can be seen in His function as High Priest as He, through His counsel, figuratively trims the wicks and supplies oil to each lampstand to insure that their lights, not only are not extinguished, but shine even brighter.
Verse 14 – We have a graphic description of Christ, which portrays various aspects of His deity: God the Son has the same attributes of purity and righteousness as God the Father (Ancient of Days), as signified by the whiteness of His head and hair: “I watched till thrones were put in place, and the Ancient of Days was seated; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head was like pure wool” (Dan. 7:9).
There is an allusion here to a passage in Isaiah 1:18, which speaks of purity and righteousness: “Come now and let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
“His eyes like a flame of fire” speaks of His searching righteousness and divine judgment upon all that is impure.
Verse 15 – The Lord’s “feet were like burnished bronze.” Metals in the Bible at times have symbolic meaning. Nowhere is this symbolism more apparent than in the Tabernacle, where items of gold, silver, and brass were used. Bronze in the Old Testament is the symbol of divine judgment. The brazen altar that stood in the Tabernacle was related to sacrifice for sin. The bronze altar was that on which the fire of God’s judgment was burning continually. Gold is the symbol for deity. As one approached the presence of God, manifested by the Shekinah glory cloud over the Holy of Holies, the bronze of the altar and laver in the outer court gave way to the gold of the lampstand, table of showbread, altar of incense, and Ark of the Covenant. Silver symbolizes redemption (Lev. 27:1-6); for example, the firstborn male had to be redeemed for five shekels of silver. Enclosing the entire Tabernacle was a fence, formed of pillars, all the pillars having hooks, bands, and caps of silver. The entire Tabernacle spoke of redemption and the Redeemer.
The Tabernacle was replaced by Solomon’s temple. The entire precincts of the temple, including the outer courts, the porches, and other buildings is referred to in Greek as the hieron. The inner sanctuary, which contains the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, is referred to in Greek as the naos. When Jesus said in John 2:19: “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up,” He was speaking of the temple (naos) of His body.
In 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, the apostle Paul urged the saints at Corinth to “Flee sexual immorality.” He went on to say, “Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is the temple [naos] of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
In that same John chapter 2, at the temple, Jesus overturned the moneychangers’ tables and drove them out of the temple. We, too, like Jesus ought to overturn some tables in our temple; tables of greed, lust, bitterness, envy, etc. We should not hesitate to drive out from our Holy of Holies all that is not pleasing to God.
“His voice as the sound of many waters” – Because of Judah’s idolatry, the presence of the Lord left Solomon’s temple and the Babylonians subsequently destroyed it. In the Millennium, there will be a new temple in Jerusalem. The prophet Ezekiel describes the presence of the Lord returning to that new temple: “Afterward he brought me to the gate, the gate that faces toward the east, and behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east. His voice was like the sound of many waters; and the earth shone with His glory” (Ezek. 43:1-2).
Verse 16 – He held in His right hand seven stars, described in verse 20 as the angels or messengers (pastors), who were responsible for the spiritual welfare of the seven churches. Significantly, Christ held the seven stars in His right hand, indicating a position of power and authority.
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“Out of His mouth went a two-edged sword” – symbolically the sword represents the Word of God (Heb. 4:12; Eph. 6:17). Isaiah 49:2 reads: “He has made My mouth like a sharp sword.” In Christ’s glorious Second Advent to the earth, graphically detailed in Revelation 19:11-16, a sharp sword shall go forth from Christ’s mouth with which He shall strike the nations, in fulfillment of Isaiah 11:4: “He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.”
The two-edged sword, the Word of God, is at once the instrument of salvation (good news to those who receive it) and the instrument of death (bad news to those who reject it). (The Greek word for two-edged is distomos, which literally means “two-mouthed.”)
“His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” – Once before, at the Mount of Transfiguration, John had beheld the glory of the Son of God when “His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light” (Matt. 17:2).
Combining all these thoughts, we see Christ in all His perfection as supremely qualified to judge the seven churches. Later in the book He will judge His foes, but now in chapters 2 and 3, “judgment must begin at the house of God” (1 Pet. 4:17). Note, however, that it is a different kind of judgment in each case. The churches are judged with the purpose of purification and reward; the world will be judged with the purpose of punishment.
Verse 17 – John had had intimate fellowship with Christ during His earthly life, but now he is confronted with the unveiled power and majesty of the glorified Son of God. John had no recourse but to prostrate himself as if dead at the feet of Christ. The Lord revived him revealing Himself as “the First and the Last,” a title of Yahweh (Isa. 44:6; 48:12), one of several titles from Chapter 1 used to address churches in Chapters 2 and 3.
Verse 18 – Jesus, though once dead, is now alive to die no more. “Keys” represent authority – Christ by virtue of His resurrection has power over both Hades and death: “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55)
Verse 19 – John is commissioned to “write the things which you have seen” (Chapter 1); “and the things which are” (Chapters 2 and 3); “and the things which will take place after this” (Chapters 4 through 22), forming the threefold outline of the book.
Verse 20 – Christ is intimately involved in the oversight and protection of the local congregations. He wanted the letters written that they might know that He was in control of all things and was encouraging, guiding, and protecting them.
V. REVELATION CHAPTER TWO
A. Introduction
According to the structure of the book as laid out in chapter 1, verse 19, chapters 2 and 3 constitute the second part of the book, “the things which are.” The letters addressed to the seven churches of Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are very significant because the churches addressed were seven actual churches that existed in John’s day. The characteristics of today’s churches are not so far removed from those of the first-century churches, which make Christ’s admonitions and exhortations to them so relevant to the churches today. The seven letters are also relevant to the study of eschatology because of their prophetic content. The promises made to the overcomers in the seven churches are equally applicable to today’s overcomers.
B. Purpose of the Letters
From the many churches that existed at the time of the writing of Revelation, Christ chose seven representative churches located in the western part of Asia Minor and addressed a letter to each church. Seven churches were chosen because the number seven in the Bible is the number of completeness and perfection. The letters to the seven churches are messages relevant to all churches at all times. These letters are exhortations designed to enhance the each individual church’s witness in its respective community. A detailed study of the churches suggests that the listing of these seven churches was divinely designed to accomplish the following three purposes:
1. Contemporary Purpose
These seven churches were seven literal churches that existed at the close of the first century. These seven churches were also representative of seven specific types of churches that existed at that time. The content of each of the seven letters met the specific spiritual need of one of the contemporary local assemblies.
2. Composite Purpose
The seven churches were selected because they provided a complete picture of the spiritual conditions common to local churches in John’s day and throughout later history. These churches portray seven different types of churches that have existed throughout any given period in church history, and will continue to exist throughout the Church Age.
3. Chronological Purpose
The letters to the seven churches provide a picture of the churches of John’s day, but at the same time, prophetically, they provide a preview of the seven great periods in the history of the church from Pentecost to the Rapture. Although all seven types of churches have existed throughout church history and will continue to exist until the Rapture, one particular type of church has always been dominant in each period of church history. In his book, “Footsteps of the Messiah,” Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum outlines the seven great periods in the history of Christianity as they relate to the seven churches:
1. Ephesus (A.D. 30-100) --- name means “desirable” -------------- The Apostolic Church.
2. Smyrna (100-313) -------- name means “myrrh” ----------------- The Martyr Church.
3. Pergamos (313-590) ------ name means “marriage” -------------- The Compromising Church.
4. Thyatira (590-1517) ----- name means “continual sacrifice” -- The Corrupt Church
5. Sardis (1517-1648) ------- name means “remnant” -------------- The Reformation Church
6. Philadelphia (1648-1900)- name means “brotherly love” ------- The Revival Church
7. Laodicea (1900-Rapture)- name means “peoples’ rights” ------- The Worldly Church
1. Ephesus: The Apostolic Church (A.D. 30-100)
2. Smyrna: The Church of the Roman Persecution (A.D. 100-313)
3. Pergamos: The Church of the Age of Constantine (A.D. 313-590)
4. Thyatira: The Church of the Dark Ages (A.D. 590-1517)
5. Sardis: The Church of the Reformation (A.D. 1517-1648)
6. Philadelphia: The Church of the Great Missionary Movement (A.D. 1648-1900)
7. Laodicea: The Church of the Apostasy (A.D. 1900-Rapture)
C. Distinctive Character of Each Church
Ephesus – the loveless church (losing their first love)
Smyrna – the persecuted church (spiritually rich)
Pergamos – the compromising church (doctrinal defection)
Thyatira – the over-tolerant church (moral departure)
Sardis – the sleeping church (spiritual deadness)
Philadelphia – the church with opportunity (perseverance)
Laodicea – the complacent church (lukewarmness)
Note: During the period of the Pergamos church (A.D. 320-500), the following five unscriptural
doctrines were introduced into the church:
1. making prayers for the dead (300),
2. making the sign of the cross (300),
3. worship of saints and angels (375),
4. institution of the mass (394),
5. worship of Mary (431).
Note: During the period of the Thyatira church (A.D. 590-1517), the following ten false
doctrines were introduced into the church:
1. Justification by works – not simply by grace through faith
2. Baptismal regeneration – a person is saved by baptism
3. Worship of images
4. Celibacy – forbidding priests to marry
5. Confessionalism – sins are confessed to a priest who grants absolution of the sins
6. Purgatory – A place of confinement, which is neither Heaven nor Hell, but a place
where one has to be refined before going into heaven
7. Extreme Unction – the doctrine of extreme unction, consists of the anointing with holy
oil, by the priest, of those in danger of death by sickness in order to obtain
forgiveness of sin
8. Transubstantiation – the concept of the continual and perpetual sacrifice of Jesus
9. Indulgences – through the giving of money, one’s time in purgatory could be reduced
10. Penance – involving the torment of one’s body in order to reduce time in purgatory.
Apocryphal Books
When Jewish scholars translated the Hebrew Bible into Greek (Septuagint) during the years of 280 to 130 B.C., they included along with the Hebrew canon of 24 books, some additional books referred to as the “Apocrypha.” The Apocrypha was included in the Vulgate (A.D. 400), the Roman Catholic’s Latin Bible. At the Council of Trent in A.D. 1546, the Roman Catholic Church officially included seven apocryphal books into their Old Testament, considering these new books as authoritative as the standard books of the Old Testament.
The Roman Catholic Church then referred to these included books as “deuterocanonical” and referred to the books they didn’t include as apocryphal. It is from their deuterocanonical books that they picked up “praying for the dead” and the doctrine of “purgatory.” The Protestants would later reject any and all additional books to the Hebrew Old Testament considering them as not inspired by the Holy Spirit.
The Use of the Rosary
Roman Catholic tradition says that the Virgin Mary gave the rosary in a dream to St. Domenic for prayer. Another account says that in the early centuries, church monks would regularly recite the 150 Psalms. The illiterate brothers, not being able to read the Psalms, were told to recite the Lord’s Prayer 150 times, and were given a rosary of beads as a prayer counter. Later fifty “Hail Mary’s were added to the recitation of the rosary.
D. Format of the Letters to the Seven Churches
1. The Church -------------the name of the church addressed.
2. The Counselor ---------what Jesus says about Himself, (references to Christ in Ch. 1).
3. The Commendation – the good things about the church.
4. The Condemnation ---the things that should be corrected.
5. The Counsel -----------what the church needs to do.
6. The Challenge ---------a promise to him who overcomes.
E. Letter to the Church at Ephesus
History of Ephesus
Ephesus was a large and important city on the west coast of Asia Minor. It was one of the four most powerful cities in the Roman Empire (with Rome, Alexandria, and Syrian Antioch). A number of factors contributed to the prominence that Ephesus enjoyed:
1. Economics – Ephesus was the most favorable seaport in the province of Asia and the most
important trade center west of Tarsus.
2. Size – although Pergamos was the capital of the province of Asia in Roman times, Ephesus
was the largest city in the province, having a population of perhaps 300,000 people.
3. Culture – Ephesus contained a theater that seated an estimated 25,000 people.
4. Religion – Ephesus was best known for its temple to the fertility goddess Artemis (Roman
goddess Diana). The temple of Artemis, their fertility goddess, was ranked as one of the
Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
Verse 1 – The Lord introduces Himself to the church at Ephesus as “He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands.” It will become apparent as we study the letters that the particular character of Christ given in the introduction to each letter is perfectly chosen to address the needs of that church.
The seven stars in the Lord’s right hand, according to chapter 1, verse 20, are the angels of the seven churches. The word for angels in the original Greek language is aggelos, which also is translated “messengers.” Therefore many commentators equate the seven stars as the pastors of the churches.
“He walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands” – Christ is not seen standing in the midst of the churches; He is seen walking, which suggests active concern and involvement in the life of His local churches.
Verse 2 – “I know your works” – an expression common to all letters. Christ judges not on lip service but on works – faith manifests itself in works: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (Jas. 2:26). Your pastor, as well as your brothers and sisters in the Lord, may overlook some good thing you do, but God does not overlook it. As a matter of fact, He records all good works in a book.
The “evil” men among the congregation were false apostles. A generation earlier, the Apostle Paul had warned the elders of the Ephesian church about “savage wolves” that would come in among them, not sparing the flock, speaking perverse things to draw away the disciples after themselves (Acts 20:28-30). This prophecy had now come true and the Ephesian church, being more interested in the quality of its members as opposed to the quantity of its members, rejected these evil men.
Verse 3 – The church at Ephesus was a working church – something said of few churches. They were untiring in their labor. Part of the reason this church failed may have been that they were too busy serving and not taking time for sweet fellowship at the feet of Jesus. One is too busy when there is no time for the Bible or prayer. It is better to be occupied with the Lord than occupied for the Lord (Luke 10:42).
Verse 4 – In Ephesians 1:15, Paul had commended them for their love of all the saints. The Ephesian church had been characterized by the love amongst the brethren (Eph. 1:15). However, their love for God had cooled. Though they had retained purity of doctrine and life, and had maintained a high level of service, they were lacking in a deep devotion to Christ. In their zeal for orthodoxy, they had left their first love. How the church today needs to heed this same warning, that orthodoxy and service are not enough! Christ wants believers’ hearts as well as their hands and heads.
Possible reasons for decline in love:
1. Second generation of believers – some 30 years had passed since this church was founded.
Perhaps the Ephesians had not passed on their knowledge and love of Christ to their
descendents. The Book of Judges (Judg. 2:10) emphasizes the importance of spiritually
educating our children when it informs us that after the death of Joshua, “another generation
arose . . . who did not know the Lord.”
2. Love for the world filtering in – “If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in
him” (1 John 2:15). “Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an
enemy of God” (Jas. 4:4).
3. Jesus warned against families taking precedence or preeminence in our love and attention:
“He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me” (Matt. 10:37).
4. Paul wrote that even marriage could be an obstacle in the way of a true love for God: “The
unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and
in spirit. But she that is married cares about the things of the world – how she may please her
husband” (1 Cor. 7:34).
5. More occupied with our ministry than with the Lord – God has set a priority for us to follow:
God first; family second; and ministry third. Whenever this priority is adhered to, the
optimum results are obtained in all three endeavors. However, if we put our family or our
ministry before God, then our loving relationship with God suffers; our family life suffers;
our ministry suffers.
Verse 5 – They should remember the good days of their early faith, repent of their diminishing of “first love,” and repeat the “first works,” acts of love toward God and one another that characterized the early years of the church. When Christ was asked, “What is the great commandment in the law?” He responded: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Matt. 22:37). They were to do this, otherwise, He would remove the lampstand at Ephesus, that is, the assembly would cease to exist and its testimony would die out.
Ignatius, one of the early church fathers, tells us in his writing that the church at Ephesus did heed the Lord’s warning, repented, and once again became a thriving church. But somewhere along the way, the church relapsed and had its lampstand removed. It has been removed for centuries; today there is a squalid Mohammedan village there that does not count one Christian in its population.
Verse 6 – They were commended because they hated the practices of the Nicolaitans (a hatred directed at the practices of these people and not at the people themselves). The Nicolaitan movement is difficult to define, as there is no ancient record for a sect of the Nicolaitans. The word “Nicolaitans” can be broken down into two Greek words. The first word is nikao meaning “to conquer,” and the second word is laos meaning “the people” or “laity.” The Nicolaitans’ deeds were believed to have seduced Christians to participate in the idolatrous feasts of pagan and in unchastity. The Nicolaitans who were rejected in Ephesus later got a foothold in Pergamos (Rev. 2:15).
Verse 7 – A promise is held out to the overcomer. John himself provides us with the definition of an overcomer in 1 John 5:5: “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” We became overcomers the day we trusted the Lord (1 John 4:4). We are overcomers by virtue of our position in Christ (John 16:33).
“Tree of life” – first mentioned in Genesis 3:22 and later appears in the New Jerusalem where it bears abundant fruit (Rev. 22:2). In Jewish apocalyptic writings, the tree of life came to typify the eternal life given by God to His followers. C. J. Hemer makes a convincing case that “the tree of life” in Revelation connotes the cross. In other words, it is the cross of Christ that produces life and makes it possible to inherit “the paradise of God.” “The leaves of the tree were for the healing [therapeutic] of the nations.” The tree on which Christ was slain is the tree that brings healing.
Seven Churches
Last week we began our study of the second part of the book of Revelation, according to the threefold outline of the book given in chapter 1, verse 19; we began our study of chapters two and three referred to as – “The Letters to the Seven Churches.” The seven churches chosen by our Lord, out of a number of churches existent in the first-century Roman province of Asia, were chosen because they were representatives of the types of:
1. churches that literally existed at the close of the first century.
2. churches that would always exist throughout the church age – from Pentecost to the Rapture.
3. churches that would always exist throughout the church age with one church after another becoming the dominant church, from Ephesus to Laodicea. At the present time, all the seven types of churches exist with the church at Laodicea being the dominant one.
Roman Empire
Following the “conversion” to Christianity of Emperor Constantine, in 313 A.D., after heavy persecution by a series of Roman emperors during the second and early third centuries, the Edict of Toleration was issued by Constantine bringing to an end the persecution of Christians. In 380 A.D., under Emperor Theodosius, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. This event occurred during the Pergamos stage of church history.
Infiltration of Paganism
During the centuries that followed, many pagan beliefs and practices made their way into the church. To understand how some pagan practices came into the church, we need, at this time, to study a little Bible history.
The Development of the Bible
Our Bible today consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament. What we refer to as our Old Testament was originally, and still is, the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible is divided into three parts: (1) Torah (Pentateuch); (2) Nevi’im (Prophets); and (3) Kethuvim (Writings). Today, the Hebrew Bible is available in a number of languages, but originally it consisted of twenty-four books written in the Hebrew language. The Jewish Bible is referred to as the TaNaKh, made up of three initials indicating its major sections, Torah, Nevi’im, and Kethuvim.
Bible Translation
Bible translation began in the third century B.C., as the large Jewish population of Alexandria, Egypt came under the influence of Hellenism. When the Greek language replaced Hebrew and Aramaic as their vernacular, their common language, and the Torah in its Hebrew original was no longer commonly understood, a translation into Greek was made for the Jewish community of Alexandria. This translation came to be known as the Septuagint (LXX), Latin for seventy, because of the legend that the committee of translators numbered seventy-two, six elders from each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
The Septuagint
The Septuagint took the twenty-four books of the Tanakh and divided them into thirty-nine books, having separated some books into two books, such as, Samuel, Kings, Ezra/Nehemiah, Chronicles, etc. The Septuagint reordered the books and gave them titles, which they formerly lacked, like “Genesis,” “Exodus,” and so forth. In addition to the thirty-nine books, the organizers of the Septuagint added about fifteen additional books referred to as the “Apocrypha.” The apocryphal books were not accepted in the Canon of the Hebrew Bible but they were widely read and quoted.
The Christian Bible
The Christian church, from its inception, adopted the Septuagint as its Bible, as its Holy Scriptures. When the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, a number of gospel writers included passages from the Septuagint, but no gospel writer included any passages from the apocryphal books, considering them as uninspired by the Holy Spirit.
The Latin Vulgate
About 400 A.D., a church father, Jerome, came up with a Latin translation of the Bible, using the original Hebrew for the Old Testament and Koine Greek for the New Testament. This Latin Bible, called the “Vulgate,” was the Christian church’s Bible for over a thousand years. Jerome had translated the apocryphal books into Latin and had included them in the Vulgate. In 1546 A.D., the Roman Catholic Church officially included seven of the apocryphal books into their Old Testament, referring to them as the “deuterocanonical” books, and giving them equal authority with the original books of the Old Testament. The books they excluded from their Bible they called the “Apocrypha.” It is from the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees, during the Pergamos stage of church history, that the Roman Catholic Church began the practice of making prayers for the dead. It was from the apocryphal book of Second Maccabees, during the Thyatira stage of church history, that the Roman Catholic Church adopted the doctrine of Purgatory.
E. Letter to the Church at Smyrna
History of Smyrna
Smyrna had a superb natural harbor, which made the city an important commercial center. As early as 195 B.C., Smyrna foresaw the rising power of Rome and built a temple for pagan Roman worship. Smyrna, known today as Izmir, is the chief city of Anatolia and one of the strongest cities in modern Turkey. The name of the city, Smyrna, means “myrrh.” Myrrh was used in the anointing oil of the Tabernacle, and for embalming dead bodies.
Myrrh was a substance that had to be crushed to give forth its sweet fragrance. While the Christians of the church at Smyrna were being crushed by Roman persecution, their faithful testimony was like myrrh or sweet perfume before the Lord. In Psalm 45:8 and in the Song of Solomon 3:6, the heavenly Bridegroom is described as using myrrh as perfume.
In this letter, the Lord will identify Himself as, “He who was dead and is alive again.” This phrase was an echo of the experience of the city of Smyrna itself. In 600 B.C., the Lydians destroyed the city. About 200 B.C., Lysimachus (one of Alexander’s generals) rebuilt it.
Verse 8 – Christ describes Himself as the “First and the Last, who died and came to life again.” Christ is portrayed as the eternal One (1:8, 17; 21:6; 22:13) who suffered death at the hands of His persecutors and then was resurrected from the grave. These aspects of Christ were especially relevant to the Christians at Smyrna who, like Christ in His death, were experiencing severe persecution. This church, shortly to be severely tested, needed to be reminded that their Savior was “The Resurrection and the Life” and in Him they would conquer death and not be hurt by “the second death” (Rev. 20:14).
Verse 9 – “I know your afflictions and your poverty – yet you are rich.” What a comfort it was to the Christians at Smyrna to know that Christ knew all about their sufferings: Besides suffering persecution, they were also enduring extreme poverty. Material poverty was probably due to economic sanctions against Christians (Heb. 10:32-34), particularly against those who refused to participate in emperor worship. Though extremely poor, they were rich in the wonderful promises Christ had given them: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).
A believer might say, “I’m not rich; I’m up to my eyeballs in debt.” We are rich by the spiritual inheritance that Christ left us. Hebrews 9:15-17 says that when there is a testament (or a legal will), it doesn’t do the beneficiary of the testament any good until the testator dies. We are the beneficiaries of the new covenant (or testament), which Christ established, and Christ as testator has died, therefore we have come into our inheritance.
Paul’s prayer in the epistle to the Ephesians is that the Holy Spirit might enlighten the eyes of our understanding that we might know “what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Eph. 1:18). Truly, only through the discernment of the Holy Spirit can we know “the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Cor. 2:9-10).
“Synagogue of Satan” – In the Roman Empire of the 1st century, Judaism had the privileged status of a legal religion (religio licita) even though the Jews refused idolatrous customs and would not partake of food sacrificed to idols. The Romans accepted Judaism because it was an ancient religion. At that time, (Jewish) Christians were considered another sect of Judaism, namely “the sect of the Nazarenes” (Acts 24:5). Initially, this perceived relationship between Jews and Christians helped preserve the church from persecution but following the fall of Jerusalem of 70 A.D., Christianity stood alone with no laws to protect it from its enemies.
Rome was antagonistic toward new religions, especially those that did not deify the emperor. Christians, due to their rejection of the Roman gods, were called “atheists.” Christianity quickly became a religio illicita, considered a threat to the safety of the Roman state.
When Christians were forced to leave the synagogues because of their new faith, they became vulnerable to official state penalties for holding illegal beliefs. Christians in Smyrna could no longer count on the protection offered them by fellowship with the synagogue. By their behavior and persecution of Christians, the Jews that claimed to be God’s chosen people, showed they were actually a “Synagogue of Satan.”
In John 8:44, Jesus charged some Jews, who thought they were righteous because they were Abraham’s descendants as belonging “to your father the devil.” Here for the first time in Revelation, Satan is revealed as the ultimate source of the persecution of Christians.
“Those who say they are Jews and are not” – the claim of these Jews to be the people of God is obviated by the fact that they are tools of Satan against God’s true people, the church. Paul wrote in Romans 2:28, “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.”
Verse 10 – “You will have tribulation ten days” – The word of Christ to these suffering Christians was an exhortation to have courage. Their severe trials were to continue. They would receive further persecution by imprisonment and additional suffering for “ten days.” Some scholars interpret the “ten days” as ten major Roman persecutions (under different emperors) during the time in church history pictured by Smyrna (from Nero A.D. 64 to Diocletian A.D. 284). Other scholars believe “ten days” means a limited period of time, based on the use of the expression “ten days” in a number of places in the Scriptures (Gen. 24:55; Jer. 42:7; Acts 25:6).
The problem of human suffering, even for a limited time, has always perplexed faithful Christians. Suffering can be expected for the ungodly, but why should the godly suffer? The Scriptures give a number of reasons.
Suffering may be:
1. disciplinary – “For whom the Lord loves He chastens” (Heb. 12:6).
2. preventive – “A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet
me, lest I be exalted above measure” (2 Cor. 12:7).
3. the learning of obedience – “He learned obedience by the things which He suffered”
(Heb. 5:8; Deut. 8:1-20).
4. the providing of a better testimony for Christ – “For I will show him how many things
he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:16).
In their suffering, the believers at Smyrna were exhorted, “Be faithful, even to the point of death.” While their persecutors could take their physical lives (Luke 12:4-5), it would only result in their receiving “the crown of life.” There are two types of crowns mentioned in Revelation: (1) stephanos (a victor’s crown), and (2) diadema (a regal or king’s crown).
The Crown of Life (Jas. 1:12) will be awarded to those who suffer great trials for Christ and for those who are martyred for Christ’s sake. The Lord Jesus Christ had told His twelve disciples: “Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28).
Verse 11 – Notable is the fact that there was no rebuke whatever for these faithful, suffering Christians. Smyrna’s sufferings, though extremely difficult, had helped keep them pure in faith and life. However, as in all the letters, an exhortation is given to the individuals who will listen. The promise is given to overcomers, referring in general to all believers, assuring them that they will not be hurt at all by the “second death.” The “second death” is unspeakably worse than the first death. The “second death” is defined in Revelation 21:8 as “the lake that burns with fire and brimstone,” the death awaiting the wicked after judgment.
There are three types of death mentioned in the Word of God:
1. physical death – the separation of the soul from the body.
2. spiritual death – the separation of the soul from God.
3. second death – the eternal separation of the soul from God in the Lake of Fire.
There is a saying: “He who is born once dies twice but he who is born twice dies once.” This enigmatic statement simply means that the born-again (born twice) Christian will not suffer or “be hurt by the second death.” The reassuring word of Christ to Smyrna is the word to all suffering Christians.
G. Letter to the Church at Pergamos
History of Pergamos
In the days of Roman dominance throughout Asia Minor, Pergamos, the capital of the Roman province of Asia, became a great center of heathen religion. Temples, altars, and shrines were dedicated to Zeus, the king of gods, known there as the “savior-god.” The great altar to Zeus, 90 feet square and twenty feet high stood on a high hill and looked exactly like a great throne. It has been suggested that the great altar was “Satan’s seat.”
Pergamos held one of the most famous libraries in the world, numbering some 200,000 volumes. Pergamos was also famous for its temple to Asklepios. He was the god of healing, who was worshipped under the symbol of a serpent. The rod of Asklepios, a snake-entwined staff, remains a symbol of medicine today. The city of Pergamos was known for its pagan worship, and for emperor worship. It was the first city ever to have a temple dedicated to Caesar. Pergamos, since 29 B.C., had been active in the promotion of the imperial religion.
Once a year the residents of Pergamos were forced to enter the temple of Caesar and forced to burn incense upon the altar of Caesar. The altar of Caesar, it has been suggested may also have been “Satan’s seat.
Verse 12 – Anticipating Christ’s rebuke for their being tolerant of evil and immorality, John described Him as the One “who has the sharp two-edged sword.” This salutation speaks of judgment by the Word of God. In dealing with the Pergamos congregation, the Lord will use this sword to fight against the Balaamites and the Nicolaitans.
Verse 13 – The exalted Christ knows three things: the pagan world in which they live, their faithful witness, and their endurance under persecution. “Where Satan’s throne is” – refers to Pergamos as a center for the worship of pagan gods, especially the imperial cult. It was emperor worship that most directly occasioned the persecutions under Domitian and Trajan. In spite of the surrounding paganism, the church had remained loyal to Christ, even though one of its members, Antipas, had been martyred for his confession of the Lord Jesus.
Verse 14 – The church at Pergamos had been guilty of severe compromise by holding “the doctrine of Balaam.” The history of Balaam is given in Numbers Chapters 22 through 25. Balaam was hired by the Moabite king to curse the children of Israel who were camped in the plains of Moab. On his way to Moab, Balaam had an encounter with the Angel of the Lord who told Balaam to speak only the words that He would give him. When Balaam several times later opened his mouth to speak toward Israel, what proceeded from his lips were blessings. Later, according to Numbers 31:15, Balaam counseled the Moabite women and they were able to get the men of Israel to commit sexual immorality, eat meat offered to idols, and worship the Moabite gods.
The Balaam influence in the Pergamos church was compromising with the world and allowing idolatry and sexual immorality to be tolerated. The cult of Balaam there was apparently teaching that there was nothing wrong with participating in the imperial cult, since even most Romans did it out of civic duty rather than actual worship.
The doctrine of Balaam was causing Israel to sin through sexual immorality and idol worship (Num. 25:1-3). This is in contrast to “the way of Balaam” – selling his prophetic gift for money (2 Pet. 2:15), and “the error of Balaam” – assuming that God would curse Israel” (Jude 11).
Verse 15 – They were condemned for following the Nicolaitans’ teaching and compromising with worldly morality and pagan doctrine. Their departure from biblical faith soon corrupted the church. While the Ephesian church was commended for identifying and opposing the Nicolaitans’ heresy (Rev. 2:6), the church at Pergamos tolerated it and so had to be rebuked for its weakness. They were allowing a heretical movement to flourish in their midst, thereby endangering the whole church.
Verse 16 – Christ sharply rebuked the church with the abrupt command, “Repent!” They were warned, “Or else I will come to you quickly and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth.” The evil character of the things invading this church was so serious in the mind of Christ that it required fighting against them with the sword of His mouth.
This again is the Word of God sharply judging all compromise and sin. Since those who did not indulge in these things tolerated the practices of other church members, they, along with the guilty, needed to repent. The judgment will be upon the whole church, for undoubtedly if the church had taken a strong stand, there would have been far fewer defections to the Nicolaitan camp.
Verse 17 – The letter to the church at Pergamos closes with an invitation to hear. It is the Spirit of God who is speaking. It would be both foolish and dangerous to ignore His counsel. Those who heed the words of the Spirit are promised two divine gifts: (1) the hidden manna, and (20 a white stone.
“Hidden manna” – there are a number of interpretations of this phrase. Jewish tradition has two interpretations: (1) a jar of manna that fell in the wilderness was placed into the Ark of the Covenant (Exod. 16:32-34) which was hidden underground and will be recovered by Christ and put into the new temple in the Millennium. The hidden manna is connected to the messianic feast of the end times; (2) Psalm 78:25 says that in eating the manna, men ate angels’ food.
The hidden manna will be the food of the people of God in the Kingdom. Another interpretation is that the hidden manna is Christ Himself as “the bread of life” (John 6:35) that provides eternal sustenance.
“White stone” – this phrase has been interpreted as a token of acquittal in a legal case, a symbol of victory in an athletic contest, or as an expression of welcome given by a host to his guest. It seems clear that it is a reward given by Christ to the overcomer expressing acceptance and favor. To tie the “new name” to the stone, another interpretation suggests that the stone could refer to a jewel in the Old Testament sense. The stones in the breastplate of the High Priest bore the names of the twelve tribes written on them. The overcomer’s stone would bear his name – a name characteristic of the believer given to him by Christ in line with Isaiah 62:2 – “You shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD will name.”
H. Letter to the Church at Thyatira
History of Thyatira
Thyatira was a city of the province of Lydia in western Asia Minor (modern Turkey) situated on the road from Pergamos to Sardis. Although never a large city, Thyatira was a thriving manufacturing and commercial center during New Testament times. The city was especially known for its large number of trade guilds. The religious life of Thyatira was influenced by the guilds. Each guild had its own patron god or goddess, and the frequent feasts of the guilds were religious in character. The primary god worshiped in Thyatira was Apollo, the sun god and son of Zeus.
Verse 18 – Thyatira means “perpetual sacrifice” or “continual offering.” In keeping with what follows, Christ is introduced as “The Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.”
This description of Christ is similar to that in 1:13-15 but only here in this book is He called the “Son of God.” It is Jesus, not Apollo, who is the true Son of God. The situation in this church required reaffirmation of His deity and warranted His righteous indignation at their sins.
The “eyes like a flame of fire” portray the penetrating insight and judgment of Jesus. His “eyes like a flaming fire” and His “feet like burnished bronze” are an allusion to Daniel 10:9, where a theophany of the second Person of the Godhead is described.
Verse 19 – Though much was wrong in the church at Thyatira, it was not lacking in love, service, faith, patience, and works, which were increasing in number and not declining as in the Ephesian church.
Verse 20 – The church at Thyatira allowed itself to be deceived by a self-styled prophetess named Jezebel. Under the guise of a prophetess, she no doubt claimed that her teaching was a direct message from God. Claiming the Spirit’s authority, she apparently led many in the church into heresy.
Jezebel may not have been her actual name but she was probably called Jezebel because, just as Jezebel in the Old Testament (1 Kgs. 16:31) had corrupted God’s people with fornication and idolatry, so this woman had seduced the servants of God into committing acts of immorality and idolatry.
Verses 21-23 – Christ called her sin “adultery” and promised sudden and immediate judgment because of her refusal to repent. He also promised, “I will strike her children dead,” meaning that suffering would extend also to her followers unless they repented. As in the case of Jezebel, Christ’s strongest threat to the offenders is not in regard to their sin, but to their reluctance to repent. The Lord is walking among His churches. He judges evil; but He also offers deliverance to those who have fallen, if they repent and stop doing Jezebel’s deeds.
“Minds and hearts” – Unless they repented, the judgment would be so dramatic that all the churches would know that Christ is the One, “who searches the minds and the hearts.” “Minds” in verse 23, in some Bibles is translated “reins” (meaning literally “kidneys”). In Hebrew usage, the kidneys are the seat of the emotions and the heart is the seat of the intellect.
Verses 24-25 – There was a faithful remnant in Thyatira (“the rest in Thyatira, as many as do not have this doctrine”), which had not been initiated into the secret doctrines and rites of Jezebel, otherwise known as “the depths of Satan.” Jezebel may have claimed to know the deep things of God but actually they were the deep things of Satan. No other burden of responsibility was placed on them than to hold fast the truth until Christ’s coming.
Verses 26-27 – The overcomer, who would keep Christ’s works until the end, would be rewarded “power over the nations.” When Christ judges our works, He will not only give us crowns as rewards for our good works, but He will also give us positions of authority in the Millennial Kingdom so we can co-reign with Him. “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim. 2:12).
Verse 28 – The Lord promised to give the overcomer “the morning star.” The Lord Jesus is “the Bright and Morning Star” (Rev. 22:16). Just as the morning star appears in the heavens before the sun rises, so Christ will appear as “the Morning Star” (2 Pet. 1:19) to rapture His church to heaven before He appears as “the Sun of Righteousness” (Mal. 4:2) to reign over the earth.
Verse 29 – This letter closes with the familiar exhortation to “hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Unlike the preceding three letters, this exhortation follows rather than precedes the promise to overcomers, and this order is followed in the letters to the last three churches.
I. Letter to the Church at Sardis
History of Sardis
Sardis, located about 50 miles east of Smyrna, was the capital city of Lydia in the province of Asia. It became the capital of the ancient Lydian empire, and then passed successively to the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans during their respective dominance of the ancient world. Most of its wealth came from its textile manufacturing and dye industry and its jewelry trade. Most of the city practiced pagan worship, and there were many mystery cults or secret religious societies.
Verse 1 – In addressing the message to the church, Christ described Himself as “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” Christ’s possession of the seven Spirits (Isa. 11:2) reminds us that the Lord Jesus Christ was endued with the full measure of the Holy Spirit (John 3:34).
The church at Sardis had a great reputation in its community for being a live active church, but behind the façade, it was just going through the motions with little substance to its witness. The only word of approval was in actuality a word of rebuke as Christ quickly stripped away their reputation of being alive by declaring, “You are dead.” The church of Sardis, nearly dead, can be revived only if the Spirit takes over, and Christ has the power of the Spirit available for them.
The reason for the “deadness” of the church at Sardis, from a historical perspective, is that during the Reformation, entire countries became Protestant without being born again. Protestantism was made the state religion in many countries; for example, in Scotland it was the Presbyterian Church, in Germany it was the Lutheran Church, in Holland it was the Reformed Church, etc. Unregenerate people, who were baptized as children into the churches, but who did not know Christ, were freely embracing the state religions.
Verse 2 – This church must have been a beehive of organized activity but when the Great Physician felt their spiritual pulse, He pronounced them dead. Like the Pharisees, in the time of Jesus, their outer appearance was a façade hiding their lack of life.
“For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones” (Matt. 23:27).
Christ added, “I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God.” Past accomplishments perhaps gave them their reputation of being alive, but now they were falling far short of fulfilling their obligations as believers.
Verse 3 – Though the church was dead, there were a few who still had true life and spirituality. They were exhorted to wake from their spiritual slumber and to strengthen the few evidences of life they still had. They were told to remember, hold fast to the truth they had received, and to watch, otherwise quick judgment would come upon them.
Why does the Lord tell the church to: Be watchful” (v. 2) and that He would suddenly and unexpectedly come upon them: “if you will not watch” (v. 3)? This is perhaps an allusion to their past military history. Sardis was a military center for it was located on an almost inaccessible plateau. The acropolis of Sardis was about 1500 feet above the main roads and it formed an impregnable fortress. Sardis’ acropolis had never been taken by battle, however, twice in its history (in the sixth and fourth centuries B.C.) invaders had captured it unexpectedly in the night, because its sentries had failed to “watch.” The Lord wanted them to watch because it is when the church’s leaders and members get accustomed to their blessings and complacent about their ministry that the enemy find a way in.
Verse 4 – The Lord knows each individual heart and those who are true to Him, those who have not bowed their knees to any other god. The word “Sardis” means remnant and Christ recognizes the faithful few in Sardis, those “who have not defiled their garments.”
Verse 5 – He promised that true believers will “be clothed in white garments,” symbolic of the purity, righteousness, and holiness of God.
Before we knew the Lord, Isaiah 64:6 says that our righteousness was “as filthy rags.” But after coming to the Lord, Isaiah 61:10 says, “He has clothed us with the garments of salvation, He has covered us with the robe of righteousness.” Not only that, but at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, believers will be “arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:8).
“Book of Life” – In ancient cities whenever people were born, their names were written in a book. When they died, their names would be blotted out of the book. The book, then, was a register of the living (Exod. 32:32-33). From this custom came the concept of the names of the righteous being “written in heaven” (Luke 10:20), “registered in heaven” (Heb. 12:23), or written in one of the following books: (a) Book of the Living (Ps. 69:28), (b) Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:15), or (c) The Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 13:8; 21:27). Having one’s name written in any one of these books (maybe the same book with different names) signifies the attainment of eternal life or belonging to God’s eternal kingdom.
Two giants of the faith were willing to have their names removed from the “Book of Life’ if only those to whom they were ministering could be saved: (1) Moses – “Yet now, if You will forgive their sin – but if not, I pray, blot me out of Your book which You have written. And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book’ ” (Exod. 32:32-33); and (2) Paul – “For I wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3).
Those who overcome, Christ will also acknowledge as His own and confess before His Father and His angels: “Whoever confesses Me before men, him will I also confess before My Father who is in heaven”(Matt. 10:32).
“If anyone is ashamed of Me . . . the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when He comes in His Father’s glory with the holy angels” (Luke 9:6). (Those who deny Christ will not experience the presence of the Father who is in heaven.)
Verse 6 – The letter concludes with the exhortation to “hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” The letter to Sardis is a searching message to churches today that are full of activity and housed in beautiful buildings but are often lacking in evidence of life. Christ’s word today is “remember, repent, obey,” just as it was to the church at Sardis.
J. Letter to the Church at Philadelphia
History of Philadelphia
Philadelphia (modern Alashehir) was a city of the province of Lydia in western Asia Minor, situated about 28 miles southeast of Sardis. It was founded by Attalus II (Philadelphus), who reigned as king of Pergamos from 159 B.C. until 138 B.C. Philadelphia was a center of the wine industry. Its chief deity was Dionysus, in Greek mythology the god of wine (the Roman Bacchus).
The name “Philadelphia” literally means “brotherly love.” This church represents the period of A.D. 1648 to A.D. 1900. This age is called the “period of Modern Missions.” Love is the mainspring of all Christian service – “For the love of Christ compels us. . .” (2 Cor. 5:14).
Verse 7 – Christ is presented as the Holy One and the One who is always true. Such a One is qualified to call the Christians of Philadelphia to a life of faith in Him and a corresponding life of holiness. Here, Christ is described in Old Testament terms. We have mentioned that the book of Revelation alludes heavily to the Old Testament. God as “the holy one” is frequent in the Old Testament and the title refers to God/Christ as “set apart” from the world.
"He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Pet. 1:15).
In the New Testament, Christ is referred to as the “Holy One” (Acts 3:14; 1 John 2:20). God would have us to be holy as He is holy (Lev. 11:44); to sanctify our house to be holy (Lev. 27:14); and to maintain our body, the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19), as holy (1 Cor. 3:17).
“The key of David” seems to refer to Isaiah 22:22: “The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open.” With the key of the house of David, Eliakim had access to all the wealth of the king. Christ holds the key to all our spiritual treasures: “Christ in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col. 2:3). Christ Himself as the treasure that abides in our “earthen vessels” (2 Cor. 4:7) enriches our lives as believers.
Our Lord Jesus, in the flesh, was a descendent of King David, “I am the Root and the Offspring of David” (Rev. 22:16). Being given the key of David also claims for Christ the sovereign power of admitting individuals or shutting them out, not from the old Jerusalem, the city of David, but from the holy city, the New Jerusalem, which will descend out of heaven from God (Rev. 21:2).
Verse 8 – “I have set before you an open door” – Here Christ is presented as the door-keeper to opportunity. With the key of David, Christ opened a door for this church that no one would be able to shut. It’s generally believed that this door was a door to missions. Some of the greatest days of missionary opportunity in the history of this church were from A.D. 1750 to A.D. 1900. Philadelphia represents the true church, the missionary church, which will continue its works until the day of the Rapture.
When the Apostle Paul wrote: “For a great and effective door has opened to me . . .” (1 Cor 16:9), he understood that Christ had opened a door of opportunity for the gospel to go out. Later he would write: “all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10). Paul used the word “door” again in a different context but along the same missionary lines when he acknowledged that God had “opened the door of faith to the Gentiles” (Acts 14:27).
“You have a little strength” – There is no rebuke for this church – their “little strength” does not mean they were marked by weakness, but that they were few in number. The church lacked size and stature in the community and was looked down upon and persecuted. The church is commended for keeping Christ’s word, and unlike the majority of the Sardians, the Philadelphians refused to deny Christ.
Verse 9 – “Synagogue of Satan” appears to describe the same Jewish element that Christ condemned at the church at Smyrna. This Jewish element vehemently denied Jesus as Messiah and actively persecuted others who made this claim. Christ promised the faithful witnesses that their adversaries would be forced to acknowledge that these despised Christians of the Philadelphia church were in truth the heirs of the kingdom of God.
Verse 10 – “Keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” – According to many interpreters, the “hour of trial” is best understood as the time known to the Jews as the “messianic woes,” a time of intense trouble to fall on the world before the coming of Christ and known as the eschatological “day of the Lord” or the “Great Tribulation” (Dan. 12:1; Joel 2:31; Matt. 24:21).
Verse 10 is one of the more commented-on verses in Revelation, especially since it is the most important single passage in the book for the dispensational position, and also is critical for the posttribulationalism position. It should be noted here that there is some scholarly debate on whether “from the hour of trial” means “protect from” or “remove from”; whether it connotes not exemption from trials but protection within trials. It is best at this time to present the concept of “Dispensationalism,” and then the views of Posttribulationalism and Pretribulationalism with reference to Revelation 3:10.
THE SEVEN DISPENSATIONS
By C. I. Scofield
The Scriptures divide time (by which is meant the entire period from the creation of Adam to the “new heaven and a new earth” of Rev. 21:1) into unequal periods, usually called dispensations (Eph. 3:2), although these periods are also called ages (Eph. 2:7) and days, as in “day of the Lord.”
These periods are marked off in Scripture by some change in God's method of dealing with mankind, or a portion of mankind, in respect of the two questions: [1] of sin, and [2] of man's responsibility. Each of the dispensations may be regarded as a new test of the natural man, and each ends in judgment, marking his utter failure in every dispensation. Five of these dispensations, or periods of time, have been fulfilled; we are living in the sixth, probably toward its close, and have before us the seventh, and last: the millennium.
1. Man innocent
This dispensation extends from the creation of Adam in Genesis 2:7 to the expulsion from Eden. Adam, created innocent and ignorant of good and evil, was placed in the Garden of Eden with his wife, Eve, and put under responsibility to abstain from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The dispensation of innocence resulted in the first failure of man, and in its far-reaching effects, the most disastrous. It closed in judgment: “So He drove out the man.” (See Gen. 1:26; 2:16-17; 3:6, 3:22-24.)
2. Man under conscience
By the fall, Adam and Eve acquired and transmitted to the race the knowledge of good and evil. This gave conscience a basis for right moral judgment, and hence the race came under this measure of responsibility - to do good and eschew evil. The result of the dispensation of conscience, from Eden to the flood (while there was no institution of government and of law), was that "all flesh had corrupted his way on the earth,” that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth,” and that “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually,” and God closed the second testing of the natural man with judgment: the flood. (See Gen. 3:7, 22; 6:5, 11-12; 7:11-12, 23.)
3. Man in authority over the earth
Out of the fearful judgment of the flood, God saved eight persons, to whom, after the waters were assuaged, He gave the purified earth with ample power to govern it. This, Noah and his descendants were responsible to do. The dispensation of human government resulted, upon the plain of Shinar, in the impious attempt to become independent of God, and closed in judgment: the confusion of tongues. (See Gen. 9:1-2; 11:1-8.)
4. Man under promise
Out of the dispersed descendants of the builders of Babel, God called one man, Abram, with whom He enters into covenant. Some of the promises to Abram and his descendants were purely gracious and unconditional. These either have been or will yet be literally fulfilled. Other promises were conditional upon the faithfulness and obedience of the Israelites. Every one of these conditions was violated, and the dispensation of promise resulted in the failure of Israel and closed in the judgment of bondage in Egypt. The book of Genesis, which opens with the sublime words, “In the beginning God created,” closes with “in a coffin in Egypt.” (See Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:5; 26:3; 28:12-13; Exod. 1:13-14.)
5. Man under the law
Again the grace of God came to the help of helpless man and redeemed the chosen people out of the hand of the oppressor. In the wilderness of Sinai, He proposed to them the covenant of the law. Instead of humbly pleading for a continued relation of grace, they presumptuously answered: "All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. The history of Israel in the wilderness and in the land is one long record of flagrant, persistent violation of the law, and at last, after multiplied warnings, God closed the testing of man by law in judgment: first Israel, then Judah, were driven out of the land into a dispersion which still continues. A feeble remnant returned under Ezra and Nehemiah, of which, in due time, Christ came: “Born of a woman - made under the law.” Both Jews and Gentiles conspired to crucify Him. (See Exod. 19:1-8; 2 Kgs. 17:1-18; 25:1-11, Acts 2:22-23; 7:51-52; Rom. 3:19-20; 10:5; Gal. 3:10.)
6. Man under grace
The sacrificial death of the Lord Jesus Christ introduced the dispensation of pure grace, which means undeserved favor, or God giving righteousness, instead of God requiring righteousness, as under the law. Salvation, perfect and eternal, is now freely offered to Jew and Gentile upon the acknowledgment of sin (i.e., repentance), with faith in Christ.
“Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent’ ” (John 6:29, RV). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that believeth on me hath everlasting life...’ ” (John 6:47, RV). “Verily, verily, I say unto you, ‘He that heareth my word, and believeth Him that sent me, hath eternal life, and cometh not into judgment, but hath passed out of death into life’ ” (John 5:24, RV). "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:27-28). “For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, that no man should glory” (Eph. 2:8-9, RV).
The predicted result of this testing of man under grace is judgment upon an unbelieving world and an apostate church. See Luke 17:26-30; 18:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12, Revelation 3:15-16. The first event in the closing of this dispensation will be the descent of the Lord from heaven, when sleeping saints will be raised and, together with believers then living, caught up “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (l Thess. 4:16-17). Then follows the brief period called "the great tribulation.” (See Jer. 30:5-7; Dan. 12:1; Zeph. 1:15-18; Matt. 24:21-22.)
[Note (from the editor): Some teachers number the Tribulation as one of the dispensations, while combining the dispensations of Promise & Law. However, we see the Tribulation as a period of culmination, during which human civilization crumbles under the weight of the combined features of its ages long rejection of God. The Lord has limited this period to a short 7 years, to prevent man s self-destruction.]
After this, the personal return of the Lord to earth in power and great glory occurs, and the judgments, which introduce the seventh, and last dispensation. (See Matt. 24:29-30; 25:31-46.)
7. Man under the personal reign of Christ
After the purifying judgments, which attend the personal return of Christ to the earth, He will reign over restored Israel and over the earth for one thousand years. This is the period commonly called “the millennium.” The seat of His power will be Jerusalem. The saints, including the saved of the dispensation of grace, namely the church, will be associated with Him in His glory. (See Isa. 2:1-4; 11, Acts 15:14-17, Rev. 19:11-21; 20:1-6.)
But when Satan is “loosed for a little season,” he finds the natural heart as prone to evil as ever, and easily gathers the nations to battle against the Lord and His saints. This last dispensation closes, like all the others, in judgment. The great white throne is set; the wicked dead are raised and finally judged. And then come the “new heaven and a new earth.” Eternity is begun. (See Rev. 20:3, 7-15; 2 Pet. 3:10-14; Rev. 21 and 22.)
POSTTRIBULATIONALIST’S VIEW OF REVELATION 3:10
The Posttribulationalist’s view compares the expression “keep from” in John 17:15, and argues
that the sense is preservation while in the trial (to be kept from evil or the evil one does not mean
to be removed from his presence but simply to be kept from his harmful power). Thus, the
universal Church will experience preservation from harm in the trial of persecution and suffering
and will not be raptured till the end of the period.
PRETRIBULATIONALIST’S VIEW OF REVELATION 3:10
In Revelation 3:10, the Church is promised to be kept from the period of trial that is about to fall upon the whole earth. In the context of the book of Revelation, it is the Tribulation found im chapters 6-18 that is this period of trial that is to fall upon the whole earth. It is from this period of trial that the Church is to be kept. This verse does not say that the Church will be merely kept safe during the trial, but it will be kept from the very hour of the trial, that is, from the very time of it. This requires a removal before the Tribulation ever occurs. If revelation 3:10 only means that the Church will be kept safe during the Tribulation, then something goes terribly wrong. Throughout the Tribulation, saints are being killed on a massive scale (Rev. 6:9-11; 11:7; 12:11; 13:7, 15: 14:13; 17:6; 18:24). If these saints are Church saints, they are not being kept safe and Revelation 3:10 is meaningless. Only if Church saints and Tribulation saints are kept distinct does the promise of Revelation 3:10 make any sense.
These passages of Scripture all state that the Church will be removed before the wrath, or the day of the Lord, or the Tribulation comes. The removal of those persons with the characteristics of the Philadelphia church age and other overcomers will come by means of the Rapture of the Church. There are a number of other evidences for a Pretribulational Rapture which will be dealt with when we discuss the Rapture.
“Those who dwell on the earth” is an expression meaning those who make this earth their home – “men of the world who have their portion in this life” (Ps. 17:14b). The term “earth-dwellers” is important in the book and always refers to unbelievers, the enemies of God who not only worship and follow the beast but also persecute the believers.
Verse 11 – Christ promised, “I am coming quickly,” a concept repeated often in the Book of Revelation. The thought is not simply that of coming soon but coming suddenly or quickly. They were exhorted in the light of His coming to continue to hold on to what they had. Frequently in the Bible, the Lord’s coming is associated with rewards He will give His faithful servants (Rev. 22:12; Matt. 16:27; 1 Cor. 3:14). They were not to let anyone rob them of their crown when it was so near at hand.
The crown promised to Philadelphians is undoubtedly the Crown of Life, a promised reward for those who endure trials (Jas. 1:12). These trials or temptations differ from those of the Tribulation Period (Philadelphians are promised to be kept from the Tribulation Period). These trials refer to the everyday struggles of Christian life.
The one giving “the crown of life” to Smyrna in 2:10 was Christ and, more than likely, He is the one who will “take the crown” away from them for failing in the race (note the parallel in Paul’s athletic metaphor for being “disqualified” {undoubtedly by God] in 1 Cor. 9:24-27).
Verse 12 – “Pillar in the temple of God” – Everyone who overcomes in the name of the Lord will become “a pillar in the temple of God,” metaphorical for the permanent place the believer has in the final kingdom. The overcomer will bear three names: the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the new name of the Lord Jesus (Rev. 19:12). The overcomer will thus be identified as belonging to all three. Those who remain true to Christ will have a new identity, a new citizenship, and a new future – eternal life in heaven.
Verse 13 – The letter closes with the familiar appeal, “hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” The promise given to the church at Philadelphia and the challenge to continue to be faithful is certainly God’s word to His whole church today.
K. Letter to the Church at Laodicea
History of Laodicea
Laodicea was a city in the Lycus Valley of the province of Phrygia, situated about 40 miles east of Ephesus and about 10 miles west of Colossae. Founded by the Seleucids and named for Laodice, the wife of Antiochus II (261–247 B.C.), Laodicea was a city whose prosperity and self-sufficiency was well known throughout the ancient world. The city had been devastated by an earthquake in A.D. 60 (along with Colossae and Hierapolis) but had rebuilt itself without any financial help from Rome. Laodicea was a banking center but could also boast of a flourishing black wool industry. Laodicea was also the home of a famous medical school and its physicians were praised for discovering effective medicinal compounds including an eye salve.
The church in Laodicea represents the final stage of the condition of the church prior to the coming of our Lord in the Rapture. Christ is seen in the Book of Revelation, from the perspective of church history, from walking in the midst His churches, to standing outside the church at Laodicea humbly seeking entrance into a church He purchased with His own blood. From this end-time church will evolve the Apostate Church of the Tribulation period, referred to in Revelation 17:1 as the “Great Harlot.”
“Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first” (2 Thess. 2:3).
The “falling away” mentioned in the above verse refers to a great apostasy. Although church attendance is declining significantly across America, this falling away is not falling away from the church but falling away from the faith on the part of the church (1 Tim 4:1). Some will fall away from the fundamental beliefs in: (1) the divine inspiration of the Bible; (2) the deity and virgin birth of Christ; (3) the vicarious suffering of Christ; (4) the bodily resurrection of Christ and the saints; (5) the Second Coming of Christ; and other plain teachings of the Word of God.
Verse 14 – Church of the Laodiceans; not church in Laodicea. The name “Laodicea” means either “the people ruling” or “the judgment of the people.” This is a church where the people, not God, are ruling; where the pew controls the pulpit. The description of Christ given in this letter was in preparation for the stern word of rebuke which Christ would give the church in Laodicea. Christ introduced himself as:
1. “The Amen” – The word “Amen” means “so be it,” it refers to the sovereignty of God. Paul
wrote of Christ to the Corinthians, “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him
Amen, unto the glory of God” (2 Cor. 1:20). When Christ speaks, it is the final word; it is the
certainty of the fulfillment of His promises.
2. “The Faithful and True Witness” (1:5; 3:7) – To the church that has ceased to be faithful and
has ceased to witness to the truth, Christ comes as the Faithful and True Witness.
3. “The Beginning of the creation of God” – This expression does not mean that Christ was the
first person created as the Jehovah Witnesses would have us believe. Christ was never
created. Rather it means that He began all creation, both material and spiritual. It does not
say that He had a beginning, but that He is the beginning. He is pre-eminent over all
creation.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him, and He is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Col. 1:16-17).
Verses 15–16 – “I wish you were cold or hot.” – No word of commendation was extended to the Laodicean Church. They were pictured as utterly abhorrent to Christ because they were “lukewarm.” The Lord would have preferred it to be extreme in its indifference or extreme in its zeal. “Hot” means in the church with fervent testimony manifesting the presence of the Holy Spirit in their life. “Cold” means in the world, absolutely cold to the things of Christ. Being sickeningly lukewarm is having one foot in the church and one foot in the world, a condition nauseating to God.
“Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (Jas 4:4).
“Do not love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
A choice has to be made between being hot and being cold. Moses was one who chose to be hot as opposed to being cold. He was faced with the decision of going the way of the people of God, Israel, or going the way of the Egyptians. Hebrews 11:25 tells us that Moses chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.”
Verses 17-18 – God is not impressed by our money, our fine clothes, or our status. Laodicea had all that and all it did was to mask their pitiful, wretched state. Their real condition is shown to be: (1) one of poverty in spite of their wealth; (2) one of nakedness in spite of their abundance of cloth; (3) one of blindness in spite of their eye salve. They are advised by Christ to obtain: (1) authentic riches tempered by testing; (2) new garments to cover their shame; (3) medicine which can heal their blindness. It is obvious that Christ is not referring to the physical items, which are mentioned but to their spiritual counterparts. Gold symbolizes what is of true value; white clothes symbolize acceptance before God; eye salve symbolizes spiritual vision enlightened by the Holy Spirit.
Verse 19 – “As many as I love I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Here is a warning to repent to those actually born again but whose lives have taken on lukewarm characteristics. Christ rebuked them because He loved them. The fact that they are rebuked and chastened is evidence that they are true children of God.
“My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him, for whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives . . . But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons” (Heb. 12:5-6, 8).
“For if we judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world” (1 Cor. 11:31-32).
Verse 20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock” – What we have here is an appeal, not to non-Christians, but to Christians. This is a tragic picture when Christ must humbly seek entrance into the church He purchased with His own blood. Even though the church as a whole might be indifferent to Him, individuals might respond and experience intimate fellowship with Him, pictured here as a meal.
The attitude of Christ throughout the present age is one of knocking at the door, waiting for men to decide to receive Him. The day will come when this attitude will be changed. He will come in power and glory, leading the armies of heaven, no longer awaiting the decision of men, but then by His own power and majesty, He will take control judging those who did not invite Him to come in and rewarding those who opened the door and received Him unto themselves.
Verse 21 – To those who respond, Christ promises to give the right to sit with Him on His throne and share His victory. Those who follow Him in humility, rejection, and suffering will also follow Him in glory.
Verse 22 – Having concluded the messages to the seven churches, the invitation becomes a personal one to all who will hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
CHURCH CHRIST COMMENDATION CONDEMNATION COUNSEL CHALLENGE
|Ephesus |Holds the seven |Deeds, hard work, |Has forsaken her first|Remember; repent; do the|Will eat from the tree |
|(2:1-7) |stars in His right |perseverance. Does not |love. |things you did at first.|of life |
| |hand and walks among|tolerate wicked men. Endures| | | |
| |the seven golden |hardships. Hates the | | | |
| |lampstands. |practices of the | | | |
| | |Nicolaitans. | | | |
|Smyrna |The First and the |Suffers persecution and | |Do not be afraid. be |Will receive a crown of|
|(2:8-11) |Last, who died and |poverty. | |faithful, even to the |life; will not be hurt |
| |came to life again. | | |point of death. |by the second death. |
|Pergamos |Has the sharp |Remains true to Christ; Does|People there hold the |Repent. |Will receive hidden |
|(2:12-17) |double-edged sword. |not renounce her faith. |teachings of Balaam | |manna and a white stone|
| | | |and of the | |and a new name on it. |
| | | |Nicolaitans. | | |
|Thyatira |The Son of God whose|Deeds, love, faith, service,|Tolerates Jezebel with|Repent; hold on to what |Will have authority |
|(2:18-29) |eyes are like |perseverance, doing more |her immorality and |you have. |over the nations; the |
| |blazing fire and |than at first. |idolatry. | |Morning Star. |
| |whose feet are like | | | | |
| |burnished brass. | | | | |
|Sardis |Holds the seven |Deeds, reputation of being |Dead. |Wake up! Strengthen what|Will be dressed in |
|(3:1-6) |Spirits of God and |alive. | |remains. Remember what |white; will be |
| |the seven stars. | | |you received, obey it, |acknowledged before My |
| | | | |repent. |Father and His angels. |
|Philadelphia |Holy and true, holds|Deeds, keeps Christ’s word | |Hold on to what you |Will be pillars in the |
|(3:7-13) |the key of David. |and does not deny His name, | |have. |temple; the name of |
| | |endures patiently. | | |God, of the New |
| | | | | |Jerusalem, and of |
| | | | | |Christ’s new name will |
| | | | | |be written on them. |
|Laodicea |The Amen, the | |Lukewarm, neither cold|Buy from Christ refined |Will eat with Christ, |
|(3:14-22) |faithful and true | |nor hot. Wretched, |gold, white clothes, and|will rule with Christ. |
| |Witness, the Ruler | |pitiful, poor, blind, |eye salve. Be earnest | |
| |of God’s creation. | |and naked. |and repent. | |
SUMMARY OF THE STUDY OF THE LETTERS TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES
The letters to the seven churches are a remarkable complete treatment of problems that face the church today. The recurring dangers of losing their first love as Ephesus (2:4); being afraid of suffering as Smyrna (2:10); doctrinal defection as Pergamos (2:14-15); moral departure as Thyatira (2:20); spiritual deadness as Sardis (3:1-2); not holding fast as Philadelphia (3:11); and lukewarmness as Laodicea (3:15-16), are just as prevalent today as they were in first-century churches. Because these letters come from Christ personally, they take on significance as God’s final word of exhortation to the Church down through the centuries. In these letters to the seven churches we have our Lord’s personal encouragement to keep the faith, suffer persecution, remain zealous, and seize the opportunity to spread the gospel. The final appeal is to all individuals who will listen.
Whatever interpretation we take of the Book of Revelation, it is undeniable that the church of Laodicea presents a vivid picture of the age in which we live. Luxury living abounds on every hand while souls are dying for want of the gospel. Christians are wearing crowns instead of bearing a cross. We become more emotionally stirred over sports, politics, or television than we do over Christ. There is little sense of spiritual need, little longing for true revival. We give the best of our lives to the business world, and then turn over the remnants of a wasted career to the Savior. We cater to our bodies, which in a few short years will return to dust. We accumulate instead of forsake, lay up treasures on earth instead of in heaven. This is our condition on the eve of Christ’s coming. Unless the Laodicean church of today repents, it will give way to a universal, apostate, end-time church referred to in the Book of Revelation as “the Great Harlot.”
VI. THE RAPTURE OF THE CHURCH
A. Introduction
Before we study the Rapture, as a way of introduction, let’s discuss the general subject of resurrection, because the Rapture is only one of a number of resurrections.
“For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:22-23).
There will be a sequence of future resurrections as the final prophetic events unfold. Paul was not concerned to detail all future resurrections in the above verses since he was addressing the church and was primarily interested here in fixing their place in the scheme of things. The future resurrections, after the Rapture, will include the resurrection of the two witnesses (Rev. 11:11-12); the resurrection of the Old Testament saints (Dan. 12:1-2, 13); the resurrection of the Tribulation martyrs (Rev. 20:4); and the resurrection of the wicked dead (Rev. 20:5).
Paul called Christ the “firstfruits” of the dead. The questions that might be asked, at this point, are: “How can Christ be the “firstfruits” of the dead?” How about all those people in the Old and New Testaments who were raised from the dead before Christ’s resurrection? Why is Christ considered the first to be resurrected?
Yes, there were people raised from the dead before Christ: (a) the Zarephath widow’s son by Elijah (1 Kgs. 17:20-24); (b) the Shunammite woman’s son by Elisha (2 Kgs. 4:32-37); (c) the dead man who touched Elisha’s bones (2 Kgs. 13:21); (d) Jairus’ daughter by Jesus (Mark 5:41-43); (e) the widow of Nain’s son by Jesus (Luke 7:11-15); (f) Lazarus by Jesus (John 11:43-44); and later, (g) Dorcas by Peter (Acts 9:40-41); and (h) Eutychus by Paul (Acts 20:9-12).
Christ is proclaimed to be the first to be resurrected because all those people, previously mentioned, were raised from the dead but experienced death a second time. Only Christ, up to now, has experienced resurrection from the dead, never to die again! We must not forget that Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, was raised from the dead by His own power (John 2:19; 10:17-18).
“Knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him” (Rom. 6:9).
The concept of the resurrection of the dead was a concept known to the people during Christ’s earthly ministry. The religious leaders were split in their belief of the doctrine of resurrection. The Pharisees believed in it; the Sadducees did not (Acts 23:8). Martha, Lazarus’ sister, knew about the latter-day resurrection of the dead. We know this from her conversation with Christ at her brother’s gravesite:
“Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to Him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’” (John 11:23-26).
In order to strengthen Martha’s faith, the Lord Jesus made the startling announcement that Lazarus would rise again. Martha understood that her brother would rise from the dead some day, but she had no idea that it would happen that very day. She knew about the resurrection “at the last day,” perhaps from having been comforted by someone at her brother’s passing with the reassurance of a resurrection, as spoken of in the sacred Scriptures (Old Testament):
“Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in the dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isa. 26:19).
“And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt” (Dan. 12:2).
Perhaps, Martha learned about the resurrection from having heard it from the Master’s teaching:
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth – those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation” (John 5:28-29).
The Lord’s response to Martha’s hope of a future resurrection for her brother was basically, “No, no, you do not understand Me, Martha! I do not mean that Lazarus will rise at the last day. I’m talking “here!” I’m talking “now!” I am God and I have the power of resurrection and of life in My hand. I can and will raise Lazarus from the dead right now,” and so He did.
Today, when church saints die, their souls go immediately to heaven, to the presence of God. We have this assurance from the words of the Apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:8: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” Although this is true for New Testament saints, it was not so for the Old Testament saints. Before Calvary, whenever an Old Testament saint died, his soul did not go to heaven but rather to a place called “Hades.” Let’s take a look at the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, as told by our Lord, which will help us to understand where souls went upon the death of the body before Calvary, and where souls go today, upon the death of the body after Calvary.
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
Verse 22 – When the beggar died, he was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom, in contrast to the rich man who was merely “buried.” Many questions arise as to whether angels actually participate in conveying the souls of believers to heaven. Angels are called “ministering spirits” in Hebrews 1:14 because they minister to believers in this life. There doesn’t seem to be any reason why they could not minister to us also at the time of death.
“Abraham’s bosom” is a symbolic expression to denote a place for Old Testament believers at the time of death. To any Jew, the thought of enjoying eternal fellowship with Abraham would suggest a paradise of inexpressible bliss.
Verse 23 – “Hades,” derived from the name of the Greek god of the underworld, is the Greek word for the Old Testament word “Sheol.” Hades, translated “Hell” in English, is the subterranean place where the souls of the dead went. It contains two compartments – one where saved souls would go, called “Abraham’s bosom,” and another compartment where unsaved souls go.
The rich man was in torment in the section of the unsaved in Hades. There, he recognized Abraham and Lazarus in the saved compartment of Hades, indicating that not only do we retain our identity after death, but that there is conscious existence beyond the grave.
When David wrote in Psalm 6:5: “For in death there is no remembrance of You; in the grave who will give you thanks?” he reflected the limited knowledge which Old Testament saints possessed of life beyond death. David’s argument was valid as far as the body is concerned, for a corpse without the spirit is devoid of memory and of the power to praise.
Verse 26 – A great chasm separated the saved section from the unsaved section in Hades so that no one could cross from one section to the other. Choices in life determine our eternal destiny; once we die, our destiny is fixed.
Verses 27-31 – The rich man wanted someone to go to his five brothers and warn them against coming to that place of torment. The reply was that the teaching they possessed in the Old Testament should be enough. Not even the miracle of someone returning from the dead to warn them would have any effect on those who had shut their ears to the voice of God in the Scriptures.
Because the unsaved in Hades are fully conscious and retain the memory of their earthly existence, I believe that much of the torment in hell may be owed to one’s recollection of all the opportunities one had to accept Christ and but instead chose to reject Him. By the same token, I believe that in heaven, one’s personal recollection of one’s earthly existence may be partially blocked to prevent tears in heaven upon recalling unsaved loved ones.
Today, the souls of believers at the time of death do not go to the saved partition of Hades under the earth. That compartment of Hades is empty, having been emptied out by our Lord Jesus. Upon His death, our Lord descended into the lower parts of the earth and then ascended, leading “captivity captive” (Eph. 4:8-9). In other words, our Lord Jesus, at the time of His death on Calvary, descended into the earth and took all the souls of the Old Testament believers to heaven.
Before Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the souls of believers were not fit to be in the presence of God, because their sins had merely been covered by the blood of sacrificed animals but not removed.
“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Heb. 10:4).
“And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices which can never take away sins” (Heb. 10:11).
God saved sinners before Calvary because of His forbearance. These Old Testament saints went to the “saved” compartment of Hades though their sins had not been taken away.
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed” (Rom. 3:24-25).
These verses deal with the seeming leniency of God in apparently overlooking the sins of those who were saved through faith before the cross. It might seem that God excused those sins or pretended not to see them. Not so, says Paul. God knew that Christ would make full atonement, and so He saved men on the basis of the still-future work of Christ. Even if Old Testament saints didn’t know about Calvary, God knew about it, and He put all the value of Christ’s work to their account when they believed God.
In a very real sense, Old Testament believers were saved on credit. They were saved on the basis of a price still to be paid. They looked forward to Calvary; we look back to it. So then, it was only when Christ’s blood was shed on Calvary that the sins of the believers in Hades were actually forgiven and washed away. Then Christ descended and took the saved souls from Hades to Heaven.
With this introduction to the subject of the Rapture, we are ready to enter into the study of the Rapture proper. With the help of the Lord, many, if not all, of the most frequently asked questions concerning the Rapture will be answered.
B. Definition of the Rapture
The Rapture is the next event to transpire on God’s prophetic calendar. It is an event that is imminent, meaning it could happen at any moment. There are no signs that need to be fulfilled for the Rapture. It will be a day when Christ returns to take His Bride, the Church, to be with Him. The Bride of Christ will be all the church saints, living or dead, redeemed from the Day of Pentecost to the day of the Rapture. Living or dead, these saints will have their bodies transformed in the twinkling of an eye to glorified bodies and will be caught up to meet the Lord Jesus in the air to be with Him forevermore.
1. First mention of the Rapture
Our Lord in the Upper Room gave the first mention of the Rapture the night before He went to the cross. He told His disciples that He would be leaving them but that He would return for them.
John 14:1-3 – “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.”
2. Assurance of Our Lord’s Return
The Apostle Paul reassures us that our Lord will return for us in 2 Thessalonians 2:1:
2 Thessalonians 2:1 – “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him…”
3. Other Names for the Rapture
1 Corinthians 1:8 – “Who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 – “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:10 – “That you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 1:14 – “That we are your boast as you also are ours, in the day of the Lord Jesus.”
C. Timing of the Rapture
All that is known concerning the timing of the Rapture is that the coming of our Lord is imminent, meaning that it could happen at any moment! There are no signs that need to be fulfilled for the Rapture.
With reference to the Tribulation, there are different views as to when the rapture occurs. There is the Pretribulational view of the Rapture, the Midtribulational view, and the Posttribulational view.
1. Pretribulational View – Church raptured before the Tribulation.
2. Midtribulational View – Church raptured in the middle of the Tribulation.
3. Posttribulational View – Church raptured after the Tribulation.
Pretribulationism is the view that will be the focus of our study. Pretribulationists believe that the church will be raptured to meet the Lord in the air before the start of the Tribulation on earth. I’d like now to present some Scripture to support the Pretribulational view:
1 Thessalonians 1:10 – “And to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”
1 Thessalonians 5:9 – “For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Revelation 3:10 – “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
“Keep you from” – the Greek word translated “from” is the word ek, which means “out of.” If the Lord had meant, the Church would be kept through the Tribulation (“the hour of trial”), He would have used the Greek word dia, which means “through.” In other words, the Church will be kept out of the Tribulation, not through the Tribulation. Another indication that the Church will be in heaven during the Tribulation is the fact that the Church is not mentioned (not even once) in Revelation chapters 6 through 18, which describe the Tribulation period.
D. Events of the Rapture
What we know concerning the subject of the Rapture, we know primarily from two epistles of the Apostle Paul: his first epistle to the Thessalonians and his first epistle to the Corinthians. Let’s examine Paul’s first epistle to the church at Thessalonica, as it pertains to the Rapture:
“But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:13-18).
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Verse 13 – With regard to those saints who have died, the apostle says there is no need for hopeless sorrow. He does not rule out sorrow; Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, though He knew He would raise him in a few minutes (John 11:35-44). But He rules out the despairing grief of those who have no hope of heaven, no hope of reunion with departed loved ones, and no hope of anything but judgment.
Verse 14 – “God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.” The basis of the believer’s hope is the resurrection of Christ. Because He lives, we too shall live! At the Rapture, the souls of those believers who have died in Christ will be brought back from heaven to be reunited with their resurrected glorified bodies. The Rapture is about the redemption of the body.
“Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body” (Rom. 8:23).
Adam’s fall created the need for redemption of the SOUL (because it became separated from God), redemption of the BODY (became it became subject to death), and redemption of the EARTH (because it was cursed for Adam’s sake to bring forth thorns and thistles). The SOUL is redeemed at conversion, the BODY is redeemed at the Rapture or resurrection, and the EARTH is redeemed with the creation of a new earth and new heavens (Rev. 22:3 says there will be “no more curse”).
Until our bodies are redeemed, our salvation is not complete. That’s why Paul could say to the Corinthians:
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).
Verses 15-18 – Triumph over death will be manifested in the raising of the dead saints and in the instantaneous glorification of the living saints, who will never taste physical death. The dead in Christ arise first, then immediately the saints who are living when the Lord comes will be caught up together with them, suddenly conveyed away in the “clouds” to meet the Lord in the air. In this manner, the saints will forever be with the Lord. This is the comfort and hope of the Christian.
The living believers will be caught up (raptured) with dead believers. This is the source of the term “rapture.” The Greek word used here, harpazo, means “to be caught up.” The English term “rapture” comes from a Latin source, which is the Latin equivalent to the Greek term meaning the same thing: “to be caught up.”
Mankind is living under the sentence of death where his physical body is subject to corruption and mortality. The sin nature is in it, and results of sin are evident in the death of the body. This kind of body, subject to sin, mortality, death, and corruption, cannot enter heaven: “Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither does corruption inherit incorruption” (1 Cor. 15:50).
Therefore, a change will be necessary (in the resurrection) before our bodies can enter heaven. We know that our natural bodies will be transformed into glorious spiritual bodies from a number of New Testament passages:
“For our citizenship is in heaven from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body . . .” (Phil. 3:20-21).
“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life” (2 Cor. 5:1-4).
Let’s examine now Paul’s first epistle to the Corinthians as it pertains to the Rapture, and more specifically, as it pertains to the change that our physical bodies will undergo in the Rapture in order for us to “inherit the kingdom of God.”
“Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed – in a moment, in the twinkling of a eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality” (1 Cor. 15:51-53).
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
Verse 51 – The Rapture of the Church was a “mystery” in that it had not been revealed in the Old Testament but was later revealed in the New Testament. The truth of a resurrection itself is not a mystery, since it appears in the Old Testament, but the fact that not all will die and also the transformation of living saints at the Lord’s return is something that had never been known. The focus of the Old Testament prophets, both major and minor prophets, was on an earthly kingdom, not on a heavenly kingdom.
Verse 52 – The trumpet, as in the Old Testament, signaled the appearance of God and the assembling of the people of Israel to meet with Him (Exod. 19:16-17). The sounding of “the last trumpet” in the Rapture, will summon church saints together for an assembly where Christ will be present in the air. When the trumpet sounds, the dead will be raised incorruptible and the living will be changed.
“The last trump” – many erroneously identify “the last trump” as the last of the seven trumpets of the Book of Revelation. This is highly unlikely since at the time that I Corinthians was written, John had not written Revelation. Therefore, the Corinthians could not have associated “the last trump” with the seventh trumpet; however, they could have connected “the last trump” with the Feast of Trumpets spoken of in the Old Testament.
“The last trump” refers to the Feast of Trumpets and the Jewish practice of blowing trumpets at this feast every year. During the ceremony there are a series of short trumpets sounds concluding with one long trumpet blast which is called the tekiah gedolah, the great trumpet blast. This is no doubt what Paul meant by “the last trump.” As such, it says nothing concerning the timing of the Rapture; only that the Rapture, whenever it comes, will fulfill the Feast of Trumpets.
Verse 53 – This verse may refer to the two classes of believers at the time of Christ’s return. “This corruptible” may refer to those whose bodies have returned to the dust. They will “put on incorruption.” “This mortal,” on the other hand, may refer to those who are still alive in body but are subject to death. Such bodies will “put on immortality.”
In ministering to Martha, at the death of her brother Lazarus, the Lord looked forward to the time when all true believers would be raised, when He said to her:
“I am the Resurrection and the Life, he who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die’” (John 11:25-26).
Jesus’ words to Martha will take on a special significance when our Lord returns in the Rapture to take His people home to heaven. At that time, there will be two classes of Christians. There will be those who have died in faith, and those who will be living at His return. He comes to the dead Christians as “the Resurrection” and to the living Christians as “the Life.”
The dead Christians are referred to in John 11:25, “He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” The Christians living at the time of the Savior’s return are referred to in John 11:26, “And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die.” Both the living and the dead believers will have their bodies changed, in the twinkling of an eye, and will be taken home to heaven to be with the Lord forever.
No question about it – in the Rapture, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming as the heavenly Bridegroom to take His Bride to be with Him! However, in a sense, the Lord Jesus Christ is also coming as the Good Shepherd to call His sheep to Himself. In ancient Israel, shepherds would mix their flocks in an open field in the evening and in the morning each shepherd would call his sheep and only his sheep would respond. In the Rapture, the Lord Jesus Christ is coming as the Good Shepherd of John 10:11, as the Great Shepherd of Hebrews 13:20, and as the Chief Shepherd of 1 Peter 5:4. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep and His sheep know Him (John 10:14). In the Rapture, He will call His sheep by name, and they will respond, for they know His voice (John 10: 3-4). Those sheep that follow other shepherds will not respond to the voice of the Good Shepherd and, in the Rapture, will be left behind.
E. Awaiting the Rapture
How should we live as we await the imminent return of the Lord? In a number of biblical passages alluding to the imminent coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the Rapture, we are instructed as to how we are to live as we await that glorious day:
1. We are to attend the services of the Lord regularly.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:25).
In this chapter (Hebrews 10), verse 22 speaks of “faith;” verse 23 speaks of “hope;” verse 24 speaks of “love.” Our faith, hope, and love should be on the increase as we await the coming of our Lord. In the perilous times in which we live, with the enemy intensifying his attack on the Church and its members, we cannot afford to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
Instead of isolating ourselves (as the enemy would have us do), we need to come together as often as possible to strengthen, encourage, and comfort one another, particularly as the Day of Christ approaches.
2. We are to observe the Lord’s Supper with the Rapture in mind.
“For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).
The Lord’s Supper should serve as a periodic reminder of the free salvation that we have received through the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Lord’s Supper is the link between Christ’s two comings. This ordinance links the reality of the Lord’s death with the certainty of His return.
3. We are to love believers and all men.
“And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all . . . so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thess. 3:12-13).
The Thessalonians were already noted for their love but Paul prayed that their love would increase and abound not only toward one another, but toward the unbelievers as well. We can never be accused of loving too much! If we truly love with the love of the Lord, our hearts will be blameless at His coming.
Paul cautioned Timothy with these words, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed . . .” (2 Tim. 2:15). We should strive not only to be blameless at the Lord’s coming, but also to avoid any behavior for which we will be ashamed when we stand before the Lord. For example, the Lord could say to us:
“I put you in certain situations so that you could speak up for Me but you never opened your mouth!”
“You professed to everyone that you loved Me, but you never spent any quality time with Me!”
“There was someone who needed a special touch of My love in a critical moment in his life and so I put you, as My instrument of love, near him so I could love him through you, but you wouldn’t let Me!”
“There were times when I was thirsty and you didn’t give Me to drink; times when I was hungry and you withheld food from Me; times when I was naked and you looked the other way; times when I was sick and you didn’t visit Me or even call Me!”
Whatever there is about our lives right now that might make us ashamed when we stand before God, the Lord, in tarrying, is giving us time to repent and correct whatever needs correcting before it’s too late!
4. We are to be patient.
“You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (Jas. 5:8).
James 5:7 gives us an example of patience on the part of a farmer who doesn’t expect to reap on the same day that he plants. Rather, there is a long period of waiting. First, there must come the early rain causing the seed to germinate. Then, at the end of the season is the latter rain, needed to bring the crop to successful fruition. The soon-anticipated return of the Lord should stimulate every believer not only to patience but to persistence as well.
5. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly.
“Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:12-13).
The strengthening grace that God gives us daily should lead us to renounce our sinful past, to say “no” to worldliness and ungodliness, and to say “yes” to living a self-controlled, upright, and godly life. Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ whom we look forward to meeting is the same One who loved us and gave Himself for us to deliver us from all sinfulness. He is purifying for Himself a people eager to perform acts of loving kindness in His name and for His glory. We should seek to be pure as He is pure: “And everyone who has this hope in Him [glorification at His coming] purifies himself, just as He is pure” (1 John 3:3).
6. We are to refrain from judging others.
“Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God” (1 Cor. 4:5).
We should be extremely careful in our appraisal of Christians and their service. When the Lord comes, He will judge, not only what is seen by the eye, but also the motives of the heart; not only what was done, but also why it was done. In that day, everyone who deserves praise will receive praise from God and not from men.
7. We are to preach the Word.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:1-2).
In the name of the Lord, in light of the coming judgment, we must proclaim, not our opinions, but God’s eternal, authoritative Word of Truth as contained in the Scriptures. Using the Word, we are to correct those in error, rebuke those in sin, and encourage those who are doing well. We must be about our Father’s business, in season and out of season, preaching the Word of God to the lost.
8. We are to comfort the bereaved.
“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven . . . therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess. 4:16, 18).
To believers, the knowledge that Christ is returning for us whether we live or sleep is comfort and encouragement. The assurance that we will be united with the Lord forever is abundant reason for hope, comfort, and joy.
9. We are to be concerned with heaven.
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:1-4).
Because of our identification with Christ in his death, God wants us to consider ourselves as having died with Him. Fixing our eyes on the eternal and not on the temporal does not mean having a disdain for material things. Every physical thing God has created is good but setting our affections inordinately on these things will pervert the purpose for them. Our interests must be constantly centered in Christ. Our attitudes, ambitions, and whole outlook on life should be molded by our relationship with Jesus Christ.
VIII. THE JUDGMENT SEAT OF CHRIST
A. Definition
The Rapture, according to the Scriptures, is the first in a series of prophetic events soon to be fulfilled. Following the meeting with the Lord in the air, the Church will appear at the Judgment Seat of Christ in heaven. The Judgment Seat of Christ is sometimes referred to as the “Tribunal of Christ” or the “Bema Judgment.” The Greek word bema translated “judgment seat” in the KJV was a familiar term to the people of Paul’s day. The bema was a “reviewing stand” where a judge would be seated to watch athletic events and then reward the contestants according to their performance. There will be a heavenly “reviewing day” for believers when rewards will be given out for the work done by all who have fought the good fight of faith and have finished the race.
B. Purpose
The purpose of this judgment is not to determine whether a particular individual enters heaven or not, nor is it to punish believers for sins committed either before or after their salvation: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). The believer’s sins would have been fully atoned for in the vicarious and substitutionary death of Christ. “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation” (Heb. 9:27-28). The purpose of this judgment is to reward believers for the good works they did while on earth.
“For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us shall give account of himself to God” (Rom. 14:10-12).
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10).
C. Timing
This judgment will take place after the Rapture and before Christ’s glorious second advent to establish His earthly kingdom.
“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:13-14).
“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev. 22:12).
D. The Judge
The Judge who will preside at this judgment will be the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).
“Truly, these times of ignorance God has overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
“In the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ . . .” (Rom. 2:16).
E. Participants
Appearing at this judgment seat will be raptured believers, redeemed between the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) and the day of the Rapture. These saints will be judged in heaven at the commencement of the Tribulation period. The Old Testament saints (Dan. 12:1-2) and the Tribulation martyrs (Rev. 20:4) will be raised at the end of the Tribulation period and will then appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ.
In addition to this judgment, there will be other judgments, such as, the “Judgment of the Nations” (Matt. 25:31-46), which will take place at the end of the Tribulation, and the “Great White Throne Judgment” (Rev. 20:11-15), which will take place at the end of the Millennium.
“I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing . . .” (2 Tim. 4:1).
F. Basis of the Judgment
The basis of this judgment will be the quality of the work (“of what sort it is”) done by the believer while on earth. The service of every child of God will be scrutinized and evaluated. As a result of this judgment of the believer’s work, there will be reward or loss of reward. In any case, according to 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, the believer’s salvation is assured.
1 Corinthians 3:11-15 – The judgment of believers’ works by fire
Verse 11 – “For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
The basis of this judgment is the quality of the believer’s works. When believers perform works in the service of the Lord, according to the apostle Paul, they are building their Christian testimony upon a foundation that has already been laid, the foundation being the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verse 12 – “Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, . . .”
The judgment of believers’ works will not be based upon their quantity, but upon their quality. It will not be a question as to how many works of gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw; but rather, were the works of the quality of gold, silver, or precious stones, or were the works of the quality of wood, hay, or straw?
Verse 13 – “Each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.”
The means of the testing of believers’ works will be by fire. When the fire is applied to a work of the quality of wood, hay, or straw, it will be burned up. But when the fire is applied to a work of the quality of gold, silver, or precious stones, it will not be burned up.
Verses 14-15 – “If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”
Believers’ works that endure the fire will be rewarded. Believers’ works that do not endure the fire will not be rewarded. If a believer has performed only works of the type totally consumed by this fire, he will receive no reward. His salvation, however, will not be in question because he has built on the foundation of His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
What constitutes a superior work of gold, silver, or precious stones? How does one perform an inferior work of wood, hay, or straw? One of the factors to be weighed will no doubt be the attitude of the heart when the work was performed. The works that will endure the testing fire of this judgment will be those works that believers did to glorify God and not themselves. Conversely, the works that will not endure the testing fire will have been those works that believers did primarily to glorify themselves and not God.
G. The Works to be Judged
In anticipation of the judgment of believers’ works before the Judgment Seat of Christ, Dr. H. L. Willmington in his “Guide to the Bible” informs the believers of seven general areas, listed below, in which God is particularly interested:
1. How we treat other believers.
“He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Matt. 10:41-42).
2. How we exercise our authority over others.
“Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17).
3. How we employ our God-given abilities.
“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10).
4. How much we suffer for Jesus.
“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12).
5. How we spend our time.
“Walk in wisdom . . . redeeming the time” (Col. 4:5).
6. How many souls we witness to and win for Christ.
“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30).
7. How we run that particular race which God has chosen for us.
“That I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain” (Phil. 2:16).
H. Rewards of the Judgment
The fire of God’s judgment will test the quality of each Christian’s work and the motives and attitudes that prompted the work. The Bible mentions two types of rewards that will be given at this judgment: (1) positions of authority in the Kingdom, and (2) crowns.
1. Positions of authority in the Kingdom
“And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities’ . . . Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities’ ” (Luke 19:17, 19).
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Rev. 2:26).
2. Reward of crowns
The second type of reward to be given believers at the Judgment Seat of Christ will be a crown. The New Testament mentions at least five types of crowns that will be rewarded. The Greek language has two words meaning crown.
One is the word diadem, which is the crown of a king. This is the kind of crown that Christ wears. The second Greek word for crown is stephanos, which is the crown given to a victor, one who has won a race. This latter type of crown, a victor’s crown, is the type of crown to be given at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
a. Incorruptible Crown
The incorruptible crown is for those who have gained victory over the old sin-nature and have learned to live a Spirit-controlled life.
“And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we for an incorruptible crown” (1 Cor. 9:25).
b. Crown of Life
The crown of life is for those who love the Lord and endure trials, and for those who suffer martyrdom for their faith.
“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him” (Jas. 1:12).
“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).
c. Crown of Rejoicing
The crown of rejoicing is for those who do the work of evangelism and win souls to Jesus Christ.
“For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” (1 Thess. 2:19).
d. Crown of Righteousness
The crown of righteousness is for those who have kept the faith in spite of adverse circumstances; for those who love His appearing; for those who look longingly for the return of Christ.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:7-8).
e. Crown of Glory
The crown of glory is for pastors and elders who shepherd the flock of God.
“Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Pet. 5:2-4).
Difference Between the Parables of the Minas and the Talents
When the rewards are given out at the Judgment Seat of Christ, one would suppose that the more gifted and the most privileged of believers would be the most rewarded, but that is not necessarily the case. The Lord Jesus taught in two parables, the Parable of the Minas and the Parable of the Talents, that among believers at all levels, the opportunities and abilities to earn rewards do not necessarily make for an unequal distribution of rewards.
The following discussion by an unknown author on the difference between the two parables of the Minas and Talents addresses the issue of equal and unequal privileges.
Both the Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:12-27) and the Parable of the Talents (Matt. 25:14-30) teach that the Lord bestows privileges on His servants and demands faithfulness in return, and rewards at His coming. Both deal with privileges, but in different aspects. The Parable of the Talents presents the bestowal of unequal privileges, with the teaching that when unequal gifts are used with equal diligence, the reward is equal in the day of rewards. The Parable of the Minas reveals the reception of equal privileges, and the fact that those who are faithful may yet be unequal as to the amount of their success. While the Parable of the Talents teaches that Christians differ from each other in the amount of gifts received, the Parable of the Minas teaches that believers differ from each other in the diligence displayed. The clear and unmistakable message of these two parables is that as believers await the Lord’s return, they are to diligently utilize the gifts and resources that He has entrusted to them to bear fruit for the kingdom.
VIII. THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB
A. Introduction
In many New Testament passages, the relation between Christ and the Church is revealed by use of the figures of the bridegroom and the bride (John 3:29; Rom. 7:4; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25-33; Rev. 19:7-8; 21:9; 22:17). At the Rapture of the Church, Christ will appear as a Bridegroom to take His Bride unto Himself. The Marriage of the Lamb will be that event when the betrothal stage of the marriage will be completed and the marriage ceremony will take place between Christ and the Church.
B. The Time of the Marriage
“Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev. 19:7-8).
In the book of Revelation, the Marriage of the Lamb is revealed as occurring between the Rapture of the Church and the return of Christ to the earth. The church is anxiously awaiting the Rapture, for it is at the Rapture that the Bride will meet her Bridegroom in the air and be taken away by Him to her heavenly home. In his book, “Things to Come,” J. Dwight Pentecost affirms: “According to Revelation 19:7, this marriage has already taken place at the time of the Second Advent, for the declaration is: “the marriage of the Lamb is come.” The aorist tense, “elthen,” translated “is come,” signifies a completed act, showing us that the marriage has already been consummated.”
It is also significant that the use of the word “bride” (19:7), in most translations, is the Greek word gynē (literally “wife”). The Greek word commonly used for bride is nymphē (John 3:29). The use of the Greek word gynē implies that the marriage ceremony will have been completed and that all that remains is the marriage supper itself.
C. The Place of the Marriage
“And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses” (Rev. 19:14).
The marriage ceremony will follow the events of the Judgment Seat of Christ because when the wife appears, according to Revelation 19:8, she is arrayed in fine linen, the “righteous acts of the saints,” which refer to those works that were accepted. The expression “righteous acts of the saints” confirms the Bride’s appearance at the Bema Judgment, placing the marriage itself after the Judgment Seat and before Christ’s second coming to the earth. Thus, the marriage will occur in heaven because it is from heaven that the Lord returns with His Bride, the Church.
D. The Participants in the Marriage
The Marriage of the Lamb is an event that will involve only Christ and the Church. It will be shown later, according to Daniel 12:1-3, Isaiah 26:19-21, and Revelation 20:4-6, that the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and Tribulation martyrs will not occur until the Second Advent of Christ.
1. Christ the Bridegroom
“He who has the Bride is the Bridegroom; but the friend of the Bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the Bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled” (John 3:29).
According to the Gospels, many Jews were under the assumption that John the Baptist was the long-awaited Messiah. But John assured them that he was not the Christ. Later he pointed out the Messiah to his disciples, identifying Him as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). John understood when he said, “He must increase, but I must increase” (John 3:30), that the focus of the people was to be on Jesus and not on himself.
As part of his assuming a low profile and casting the spotlight on Jesus, he referred to Jesus as “the bridegroom” and to himself as merely a “friend of the bridegroom.” To further have Jesus assume the preeminence in the people’s lives, God called John home by permitting his death. John the Baptist died before the day of Pentecost, before the day of the birth of the Church, and consequently will not form part of the Bride of Christ, that is, those saints redeemed from the day of Pentecost until the day of the Rapture. That may be the reason why the Lord Jesus said, “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Luke 7:28).
The Lord Jesus Christ referred to Himself as “the bridegroom.”
“Then they said to Him, ‘Why do the disciples of John fast often and make prayers, and likewise those of the Pharisees, but Yours eat and drink?’ And He said to them, ‘Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them; then they will fast in those days’ ” (Luke 5:33-35).
2. Church the Bride
“For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2).
In the present age, the church is betrothed to Christ – totally set apart for Him, having been bought by His blood (1 Cor. 6:20). In the following passage, Paul draws a comparison between the marriage relationship and the relationship of Christ and the church:
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
“For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church” (Eph. 5:25-32).
Christ showed His love for His Bride, the Church, in the past by giving Himself for her. This refers to His sacrificial death on the cross. Christ shows His love for His Bride in the present by sanctifying her “with the washing of water by the word.” The lives of believers are cleansed as they hear the words of Christ and obey them. Generally, a bride prepares herself for her bridegroom, but here, the Bridegroom is preparing the Bride so that she may be holy, without spot or wrinkle, “that He might present her to Himself a glorious church.”
E. The Marriage Supper
“Then he said to me, ‘Write: blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true sayings of God’ ” (Rev. 19:9).
The Marriage of the Lamb (the wedding ceremony) and the Marriage Supper (the wedding feast) are two separate events. Although the location of the celebration of these two events is debated, most exegetes locate the celebration of the Marriage of the Lamb in heaven and that of the Marriage Supper on earth. The celebration of the Marriage Supper will be on the earth after the Second Advent when the Bridegroom will return accompanied by His Bride. The timing of the celebration will be in the Millennium, though it has been suggested that the feast will last the full 1,000 years.
The blessing of Jesus will rest upon those who are invited to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. Who will these invitees be? The invitees will not be members of the Bride of Christ for a bride is never invited to her wedding feast. Who the invited guests to the Marriage Supper will be is the theme of a number of Jesus’ parables whose subject was weddings. In His Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt. 22:1-14), the invitation to the wedding feast went out but many were not willing to come. The invitation that went out and was rejected represents the Gospel of Jesus Christ that went out to all but was rejected by many. Those who rejected the Gospel will not be among the invitees to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
In the same parable, a man was cast out from among the guests at the wedding feast because he did not have on a wedding garment (Matt. 22:11-13). Anyone who is not clothed in the righteousness of Christ, nor arrayed in fine linen, signifying righteous acts as determined at the Bema Judgment, will not be blessed with an invitation to the marriage supper. Only saved people will enter the Millennial Kingdom; only saved people will attend the Lamb’s wedding feast.
When the Bridegroom and His Bride arrived at the banquet hall for the celebration of the wedding feast in the Lord’s Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt. 25:1-13), only the wise virgins who had oil in their lamps, signifying the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, went in with Him to the wedding banquet (Matt. 25:10).
Those who will be called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb as invited guests of the Bridegroom and Bride, will be the resurrected Old Testament saints, the resurrected Tribulation martyrs, and the Tribulation saints. At the banquet, Christ Himself will serve these blessed guests, according to another teaching of the Lord:
“Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (Luke 12:35-37).
F. The Marriage of the Lamb and Jewish Marriage Customs
In the Upper Room, the night before He went to the cross, the Lord gave the first mention or hint of the Rapture:
“In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2-3).
To fully understand what the Lord was alluding to in the above verses, it is necessary to be familiar with the Jewish marriage customs in Bible times. In his book, “Maranatha Our Lord, Come,” Dr. Renald Showers has the following beautiful analogy between the Marriage of the Lamb and the Jewish marriage customs in Bible times:
“When a young Jewish man wanted to marry a young Jewish woman, the prospective bridegroom would leave his father’s house and travel to the home of his prospective bride. Once at the bride’s home, the young man would purchase his bride-to-be, thereby establishing the marriage covenant. From that moment on, the bride was considered to be consecrated or sanctified, set apart exclusively for her bridegroom. The bridegroom would then leave his bride at her home and return to his father’s house. At the end of a separation period, at an unannounced time, the bridegroom would return to the bride’s home to take his bride to live with him.
In the same manner, as the Jewish bridegroom came to the bride’s home to obtain her by establishing a marriage covenant, so Jesus Christ came to the earth to obtain His Bride, the Church, by establishing a covenant (1 Cor 11:25). Parallel to the custom of the Jewish groom paying a purchase price by which he established the marriage covenant and through which he obtained his bride, Jesus paid a purchase price by which He established the New Covenant and through which He obtained His Bride, the Church. The price He paid was the shedding of His blood on Calvary (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
Just as the Jewish bride was declared sanctified or set apart exclusively for her groom once the marriage covenant was established, so the Church has been declared sanctified or set apart exclusively for Christ (Eph. 5:25-27). Just as the Jewish bridegroom left the home of his bride and returned to his father’s house after the marriage covenant had been established, so on the day of His ascension, after having established the New Covenant, Jesus left the earth, the home of His Bride, the Church, and returned to His Father’s house in heaven (Acts 1:9-11).
Just as the Jewish groom left his bride at her home and remained in his father’s house, separated for a period of time from his bride, so Christ has remained in heaven separated from the Church for almost two thousand years since His ascension from the earth. The Church is now living in that period of separation between the time of His departure and the time of His return.
Parallel to the custom of the Jewish groom’s preparing a dwelling place for his bride in his father’s house during the time of separation, Christ has been preparing a dwelling place for His Bride, the Church, in His Father’s house in heaven during this period of separation. In the same manner as the Jewish groom came, at an unannounced time, to take his bride to live with him at the end of the period of separation, so Christ will come, at an unannounced time, to take the church to live with Him at the end of His present period of separation from her.”
In the Marriage of the Lamb all four steps of the Jewish marriage ceremony are evident:
1. The paying of the Bride-price - the blood of Christ
2. The fetching of the Bride - the Rapture
3. The wedding ceremony - takes place in heaven between the Judgment Seat of Christ
and the Second Advent of Christ
4. The marriage feast – takes place on earth; with the feast, the Millennium begins.
IX. REVELATION CHAPTER FOUR
Introduction
According to the divine outline to the book of Revelation, as given in chapter 1, verse 19, chapter 4 begins the third and major division of the book, “the things which will take place after this.” It is approaching two thousand years since those words were written and the prophetic events he described in chapters 4 through 22 of this book are as yet unfulfilled; they remain to this day, “the things which will take place after this.”
Verse 1 – As chapter 4 opens, a door in heaven opens and a strong voice is heard beckoning John, “Come up here.” This invitation to John to leave the earth and come to heaven has been taken to represent the Rapture of the church. Chronologically, between the end of chapter 3 (end of the Church Age) and the start of chapter 4 (prelude to the Tribulation), the Church will already have, not only been caught up in the pretribulational Rapture, but will already have appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ and participated in the Marriage of the Lamb. In support of this view is the absence from this point on of any mention of the Church during the Tribulation period (chapters 6–18).
I believe all of us would like for God to give us our own personal vision of heaven, but if that is not possible, then I believe the next best thing would be to share somebody else’s God-given vision of heaven. This is what is particularly exciting about chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation as the Apostle John shares his heavenly vision with us. Our Lord instructed John to write in a book what he saw so that you and I could catch a glimpse of the reality of heaven.
“Behold, a door standing open in heaven” – one glorious day, on the day of the Rapture, the door of heaven will swing open and you and I, on the arm of the Lord Jesus Christ as His Bride, will be ushered into the very presence of God. Jesus will lovingly introduce us to God the Father as He said He would: “Therefore, whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32).
We will also be introduced to the celestial beings, and all of heaven will rejoice greatly in that day for the Bride of Christ will have come home. John beholds a door opening into the third heaven, into the immediate presence of God. (The next time after this that heaven opens will be to permit Christ and His Bride to leave heaven for the Second Advent of Christ to the earth (Rev 19:11).
Verse 2 – John’s unglorified body may have still been in Patmos, but his spirit in heaven beheld a glorious vision of the throne of God and He who sat on the throne. Only here in the New Testament is the throne of God described. The background can be found in Isaiah 6:1-4 and especially Ezekiel 1:26-28. This is the culmination of all throne scenes in the Bible.
Verse 3 – The One who sat on the throne is believed by some to be God the Father, others believe Him to be God the Son, and still others believe that both the Father and Son are seated on the throne, since Jesus said He was seated on His Father’s throne (Rev. 3:21). Whoever is seen on the throne, is seen in His purity and holiness, ready to judge with justice and mercy. No one can see God as He really is, nor is it expected that a finite person like John could adequately described an infinite God, so when John sees the transcendent glory of God, he describes it in terms of the radiance of precious stones like that of jasper and sardius stone.
“A jasper and sardius stone – Many commentators have variously interpreted the symbolic significance of the stones and the rainbow. The first readers of the Book of Revelation were converted Jews who would have recalled that the jasper stone and the sardius stone were the first and the last stones in the breastplate of the high priest (Exod 28:17-21). Because the twelve stones on the high priest’s breastplate bore the names of the tribes of Israel, some scholars suggest that the jasper and sardius stones represent the glory of God in relation to the nation Israel.
The twelve stones on the high priest’s breastplate were arranged evidently according to the births of the twelve patriarchs. Based on this fact, other scholars have suggested that the jasper and sardius stones represent Christ, because the first stone of jasper bore the name of Reuben, which means “Behold a Son,” and the last stone of sardius bore the name of Benjamin, which means “Son of my right hand.”
“A rainbow around the throne” – The rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald brings to mind the rainbow of Genesis 9:13, which was the sign of the everlasting covenant established between God and Noah assuring that God would never again bring about a universal flood. The rainbow around the throne, then, is interpreted as God’s mercy in the midst of impending Tribulation judgments, judgments symbolized by the lightnings and thunderings from the throne of God (v. 5).
Verse 4 – Around the throne, John saw twenty-four thrones and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders, wearing golden crowns and clothed in white robes. There has been much debate among scholars as to the identity of the 24 elders. Some picture them as angelic beings. These twenty-four elders are thought by some students of the Bible to represent the twelve patriarchs of the Old Testament and the twelve apostles of the New Testament, because both groups are referenced later in the book in the description of the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:12-14). Others understand the 24 elders to be divided into one group of 12 representing the Old Testament saints, and the other group of 12 representing the New Testament saints, that is, the redeemed of both Testaments.
Clothed in white robes – John saw the elders wearing white robes. These elders were at one time “lost” and, at some point, received salvation as is seen by their wearing of the white robes. White raiment throughout the Book of Revelation is a symbol of salvation (Rev. 7:13, 14). The fact that they’ve been redeemed would eliminate the possibility of the elders being angels. It is also significant that the passage states that the twenty-four elders had crowns of gold. These crowns are not diadem crowns as worn by kings. These are stephanos crowns, victors’ crowns, which would have been rewarded at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
For what it’s worth, I personally do not include the Old Testament saints in the 24 elders because; if I understand the events recorded in this book to be in chronological order for the most part, then at this point in the narrative, the Old Testament saints have not been resurrected and could not have appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive their crowns. Only Church saints, raptured before chapter 4, will be in heaven at that time, having appeared before the Judgment Seat of Christ.
Redeemed Israelites will be resurrected at the conclusion of the Tribulation (Dan. 12:2), after the Second Coming of Christ. At this point in John’s narrative, the Tribulation (chapters 6-18) has not begun.
I believe the 24 elders to represent the raptured Church for the following reason. In 1 Chronicles 24, King David divided the priests of the tribe of Levi into 24 orders. Each order would have their turn to handle their daily priestly functions for a two-week period. For example, in Luke chapter 1, we see Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, ministering in the temple and we’re told the Zacharias was of the order of Abijah. Abijah was the eighth order of priests. Therefore, just as the chief priests or the 24 elders appointed by King David represented the entire Levitical priesthood, so the 24 elders of verse 4 represent the Church, the entire royal priesthood of believers. (Since the Tribulation begins in chapter 6, the Church in Heaven here in chapter 4 is further evidence of a pretribulational Rapture.)
Verse 5 – “From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings” – The lightnings, thunderings, and voices which proceed from the throne recall the many Old testament passages that describe God’s awesome power in terms of the activity of nature (Exod. 19:16; Ps. 18:13), and are a fitting preliminary to the awful judgments which are to follow in the Great Tribulation as God deals with the earth in righteousness.
“Seven Spirits of God” – Within chapters 4 and 5, the three persons of the triune God are manifested. The presence of the Holy Spirit is indicated here symbolically by the “seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.” The “Seven Spirits of God” represent the attributes or the sevenfold ministry of the Holy Spirit as described in Isaiah 11:2 (LXX).
Verses 6-8 – The four living creatures” – There has been much speculation concerning the identity of the four living creatures. The description of these beings roughly parallels those of the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2-3 and the cherubim of Ezekiel 1:10. Ezekiel used the expression, “living creatures” with reference to the cherubim he saw about the throne of God (Ezek. 1:5; 10:15, 20).
It is clear that these are a special order of created beings associated with the throne of God. They lead in the worship of the Lord God Almighty. The four living creatures do not rest day or night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (“Who was and is and is to come” identified the Father in chapter 1, verse 4.)
“The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle” (Rev. 4:7).
In what is obviously intended as symbolic language, John compares these four angelic beings to four of God’s earthly creations. Ezekiel indicates that every living creature has these four attributes. The likeness to a lion symbolizes strength and power. The image of a calf demonstrates that these beings render humble service to God. Their likeness to man shows they are rational beings. The living creatures fulfill their service to God with the swiftness of eagles’ wings.
An association has been made between the living creatures of verse 7 and the four Gospels, in which the four aspects of the Christ’s person in the Gospels is seen in John’s description of the living creatures. As the lion, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, represented as the king by Matthew. As the calf or ox, He is the Servant of Jehovah, the faithful one of Mark. As man, He is the human Jesus, presented in the Gospel of Luke. As the eagle, He is the divine Son of God presented in the Gospel of John.
John F. Walvoord in his commentary on “The Revelation of Jesus Christ” quotes Walter Scott from his “Exposition of the Revelation of Jesus Christ” regarding the four faces of the living creatures: “Ancient rabbinical writers declared that the tribes of Israel pitched their tents and standards on the four sides of the Tabernacle in this same order; namely the tribe of Judah, a lion; the tribe of Ephraim, an ox; the tribe of Reuben, a man; the tribe of Dan, an eagle (cf. Num. 2:2).”
Verses 9-11 – “You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power” – Whenever the living creatures give special glory and honor and praise to God, the 24 elders cast their crowns before the throne declaring that God is worthy of glory and honor and power because all things have been created by Him and for His pleasure. They cast their crowns before the throne in submission and homage to testify that if it had not been for God’s grace, salvation, and goodness, they could not have had victory over sin and death.
X. REVELATION CHAPTER FIVE
Introduction
The focus of chapter 4 was the splendor and glory of God the Father on His heavenly throne. The focus of chapter 5 will be the Lamb and a seven-sealed scroll. These two chapters, 4 and 5, are a prelude to a series of judgments that will fall on the earth called the “seven seals,” “seven trumpets,” and “seven bowls” judgments (chs. 6–16). Chapters 4 and 5 are the prelude to the seven seals judgment, just as there will be separate preludes to the other two sets of judgments.
Chapter 4 closed with the living creatures and the twenty-four elders giving glory and honor to God who created all things. Chapter 5 continues the worship scene in the throne room of heaven. One of the most significant events in God’s redemptive plan will occur in this chapter, an event that will usher in “the things which must take place after this” (Rev. 4:1).
Verse 1 – All of chapter 4 is an introduction to the main point of chapters 4 and 5, that is, to introduce the scroll. As chapter 5 opens, John sees Him who sat on the throne holding a scroll, bound by seven seals, and written on both the inside and outside. Scrolls sealed in that manner in John’s day were generally legal documents. Based on what follows this scene in heaven, the scroll appears to contain the judgments that are to fall on unbelieving Israel and the Gentiles, which ultimately will result in the end of this age and the consummation of God’s redemptive plan.
Verses 2-4 – To the question posed by the angel. “Who is worthy to open the scrolls and loose its seals?” the answer was, “no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth,” meaning no one anywhere was worthy. John wept much because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals. Perhaps John, sensing that the sealed scroll contained the righteous judgments of God, and that it might remained sealed, wept much fearing that the wrongs of earth would go unrighted; that the righteous would never be vindicated; that the wicked would go unpunished?
Verse 5 – But One was found to be worthy to open the scroll, One identified by two titles: “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” and the Root of David.”
1. The first title, “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” is taken from the context of Jacob’s final
blessing of his sons in Genesis 49:9-10. Judah, Jacob’s fourth son, is called “a lion’s
whelp” and is told that “the scepter shall not depart from Judah . . . until Shiloh comes.”
In the Judaism of John’s day, this passage was interpreted as a reference to the coming of
the Messiah from the tribe of Judah.
2. The second title, “the Root of David” recalls the prophet Isaiah’s words: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots” (Isa. 11:1). This passage referring to Jesse, the father of King David, looks forward to the coming of the ideal king upon whom “the Spirit of the Lord shall rest” (Isa. 11:2). Isaiah’s words were interpreted messianically in the Christian church as a reference to the coming of the Lord Jesus (Rom. 15:12).
John was told to expect a royal lion with fierce strength worthy to stand next to God as His equal and to open the scroll. When John looked, he saw a Lamb, “as though it had been slain.” The expression “as though it had been slain” is an idiom used to designate “a resurrected individual.” Jesus, the Son of God, became the slain Lamb of God to become the triumphant Lion of David’s lineage. The Lion of Judah has conquered, not through military power (though that will come), but through paschal sacrifice. The road to royal enthronement is by way of the cross. The major weapon that defeats the enemies of God is the cross. This cosmic victory enables Christ “to open” the scroll.
The Significance of the Sealed Scroll
With God the Father and the Holy Spirit present in the throne room, why was Christ the only being found worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals? The answer lies in Christ’s redemptive work as mankind’s Kinsman Redeemer, a compelling hypothesis set forth by Dr. Renald Showers in his book, “Maranatha Our Lord, Come!”
When God put Adam in the Garden of Eden, He gave him dominion over the earth. Through his disobedience, Adam forfeited his dominion and Satan usurped Adam’s authority over this world. Satan’s authority over the kingdoms of this world was manifested in the wilderness when he tempted Christ, by offering Him all the world’s kingdoms in exchange for His worship (Matt. 4:8-9). Later Christ referred to Satan as “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11). The apostle Paul called Satan, “the prince of the power of the air” (Eph. 2:2).
Dr. Showers sees several parallels between God’s program of land redemption for Israel (Lev. 25:23-34) and His program of redemption for the world. The Law of the Kinsman-Redeemer is fundamentally expressed in this manner, “If one of your brethren becomes poor, and has sold some of his possession, and if his redeeming relative comes to redeem it, then he may redeem what his brother sold” (Lev. 25:25).
The unique eternal God created the universe for His own benefit and sovereign purpose; therefore, only He has the right to rule the entire universe, and that right includes the right to crush any enemy who challenges His rule. God gave mankind tenant possession of the earth as an inheritance with the intention that mankind function as God’s representative, administering God’s rule over the earth in accordance with His will.
Mankind forfeited their tenant possession of the earth by following Satan’s lead and rebelling against God. Satan usurped the tenant possession of the earth and has continued to rule the world system ever since mankind’s fall.
God purposed to redeem mankind’s forfeited inheritance. To do so, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to become a man so that, as a kinsman, He could redeem mankind’s tenant possession of the earth. Christ paid the redemption price for mankind and their inheritance by shedding His blood on the cross, thereby fulfilling the first responsibility of the Kinsman-Redeemer.
Christ did not take tenant possession of the earth immediately after paying the redemption price but ascended to heaven, far from earth, and has remained there for many centuries. During His absence, Satan and his forces have continued to exercise tenant possession of the earth as usurpers.
Seven years before His coming to the earth, Christ will take the sealed scroll of purchase from God’s hand in preparation for the fulfillment of the second responsibility of the Kinsman-Redeemer – the eviction of Satan and his forces and the taking of the earth’s tenant possession.
Satan and his forces will strongly challenge Christ’s right to take tenant possession. In order to give irrefutable evidence of His right as the Kinsman-Redeemer, Christ will take the scroll, break its seals, open it, and read it. As He breaks the seven seals, Christ will instigate a tremendous seven-year bombardment of divine wrath or judgment against the domain of Satan and his forces in preparation for His coming invasion to evict these enemies. This seven-year bombardment is described in Revelation 6-18. Through this bombardment, Christ will prove that He has the power and authority to fulfill the second responsibility of the Kinsman-Redeemer.
On the day of His Second Coming to the earth, when Christ confronts Satan and his forces gathered in Israel to try to prevent His return to take possession of the earth (Rev. 19:11-19), He will read publicly the open scroll deed of purchase – the final, conclusive evidence that He is the true Kinsman-Redeemer and has the right to evict His enemies and take tenant possession of the earth.
After Christ has read the scroll deed He will evict Satan and his forces from the earth (Rev. 19:20–20:3). Then He will take tenant possession of the earth and, together with redeemed mankind, will rule the earth in accordance with God’s will as the last Adam, God’s representative, for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4-6). Thus, God will have fulfilled His purpose of restoring mankind’s tenant possession of the earth through the Kinsman-Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Verse 6 – “Horns” throughout the ancient world spoke of power and strength. The expression “seven horns” refers to the perfect and complete omnipotence of the all-powerful God. The expression “seven Spirits,” in this context of verse 6, refers to the perfect and complete omniscience of the all-seeing God.
Verse 7 – We can only imagine how it will be on that day, when all the saved of the earth and all the hosts of heaven will watch with wonder and amazement as the Lamb approaches and takes the scroll from the right hand of Him who sits upon the throne. It will be a scene reminiscent of Daniel’s vision of “One like the Son of Man” receiving a kingdom from the “Ancient of Days” (Dan. 7:13-14).
Verses 8-10 – In Psalm 141: 2, incense symbolizes prayer: “Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.” After the commencement of the Tribulation, the prayers of the saints will be not only worship but also probably petitions brought before God by martyred saints for vindication and justice (Rev. 6:9-11). In verse 9, a new song spontaneously breaks out among the elders and the living creatures near the throne. It will be the first time that a redemption song is sung in heaven.
Verses 11-12 – After the redemption song has been sung, the angelic multitudes will raise their voices in praise to God. Although they do not need a Savior themselves, yet they rejoice in the redemption and salvation of sinners, and they agree with the Church “worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing.”
Verses 13-14 – The concluding doxology of chapter 4 praised God as Creator and Sustainer of all things that were made; now here in chapter 5, all the created order responds with worship and thanksgiving “to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, forever and ever.”
XI. THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
A. Definition of the Tribulation
The Tribulation period, as prophesied in the Word of God, is to be an unprecedented time of God’s judgment on the earth when God’s wrath will be poured out on the ungodly. Catastrophe has been man’s constant companion throughout recorded history like the Black Death during the years 1340-1350, which killed 25 million people in Europe or the worldwide epidemic of influenza in 1918, which claimed 50 million lives. But according to the Bible, there is coming a calamity unlike any which this world has ever seen.
Although this future period of tribulation will be relatively short, it will nevertheless destroy more of this earth’s population than have all of the previous calamities combined. In fact, nearly one billion people will be struck down during the beginning of this terrible coming disaster. Our Lord Jesus Christ said, “And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened” (Matt. 24:22).
With just the limited information that we have learned thus far in this introduction to the Tribulation period, our hearts should be stirred with compassion for those unsaved who will have to endure this period of unprecedented suffering. No child of God (who is assured of being raptured from the earth before the commencement of this horrendous period) should say, “Well, I made it! I’m not going to have to go through this terrible time” and then sit back and do nothing! If indeed we are His, the love of Christ should not only burden our spirit for the lost but compel us, with a sense of urgency, to bring them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ for “the night is far spent, the day is at hand” (Rom. 13:12).
B. Some Names For The Tribulation
1. Great Day of the LORD
Zephaniah 1:14-15 – “The great day of the LORD is near; it is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the LORD is bitter; there the mighty men shall cry out. That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of devastation and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness.”
2. The Indignation
Isaiah 26:20 – “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, until the indignation is past.”
3. Seventieth Week of Daniel
Daniel 9:24-27 – This portion of Scripture has often been called the most significant prophecy in the entire Bible because it predicted the actual year in which the Messiah would make His appearance. This prophecy also presented the future course of Israel’s history from the time of Daniel until the Second Advent of Christ.
4. Great Day of His Wrath
Revelation 6:17 – “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”
5. Day of the Lord’s Vengeance
Isaiah 34:8 – “For it is the day of the LORD’s vengeance, the year of recompense for the cause of Zion.”
6. Hour of His Judgment
Revelation 14:6-7 – “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth – to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people – saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water’ ” (Rev. 14:6-7).
C. Purpose of the Tribulation
There are three main purposes for the Tribulation:
1. To Make An End of Wickedness and Wicked Ones
The first of these purposes is to make an end of wickedness and wicked ones. There is a key passage that expresses this purpose:
“Behold, the day of the Lord comes, cruel, with both wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and He will destroy its sinners from it” (Isa. 13:9).
In today’s world, evil is running rampant and wickedness is exceeding all bounds, and yet, according to the Apostle Paul, the situation will be incredibly worse when the church is no longer on the earth. In his second epistle to the Thessalonians, he wrote:
“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7).
It is by the indwelling Spirit that believers are the salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13) and the light of the world (Matt. 5:14). Salt is a preservative, but it also hinders the spread of corruption. Light dispels darkness, the sphere in which men love to perform their evil deeds (John 3:19). In the Rapture, when the Holy Spirit leaves the world as the permanent indweller of the Church (1 Cor. 3:16) and of individual believers (1 Cor. 6:19), the restraint of lawlessness will be gone.
2. To Bring About A Worldwide Revival
The second purpose of the Tribulation is to bring about a worldwide revival. This purpose for the Tribulation is given and seen fulfilled in Revelation 7:1-17. In verses 1-8, John describes the means by which God will bring about this worldwide revival, while verses 9-17 portray the results of the revival.
Verses 5-8 state that 12,000 Jewish Christians will be selected from each of the twelve tribes making a total of 144,000 Jews. It is by means of these 144,000 Jewish evangelists, the firstfruits of Israel, that myriads and myriads of people will come to a saving knowledge of the Savior during the Tribulation period. God will bring about the worldwide revival and thus fulfill the prophecy found in Matthew 24:14:
“And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.”
3. To Break the Power of the Holy People
Daniel 12:7 – “And one said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, ‘How long shall the fulfillment of these wonders be?’ Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered, all these things shall be finished.”
The third purpose of the Tribulation is to break the power or stubborn will of Israel, “the holy people,” that is, bring about their repentance. Once the church has been raptured to heaven, God will once again deal with the Jewish nation that was set aside for a season, because of her rejection of Jesus of Nazareth as her Messiah. In the infinite wisdom of God, through the fall of Israel, salvation came to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11). The severe persecution of Israel by the Antichrist during the three-and-a-half years of the Great Tribulation will be sovereignly ordained of God to break Israel’s stubborn will and bring her to her knees.
When the power of the holy people has been shattered, and they cry for the Messiah to come, He will come as He promised He would when He was rejected: “I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me” (Hos. 5:15). The spiritual regeneration of Israel will complete God’s seventy-week redemption program for Israel. The Messiah will return and bring the Tribulation period to an end.
D. Timing and Duration of the Tribulation
In order to understand when the Tribulation will begin and how long it will last, we need to be familiar with an Old Testament prophecy from the book of Daniel, referred to as, “The Seventy Weeks Prophecy” (Dan. 9:24-27. Through the angel Gabriel, God revealed to His prophet Daniel, His redemptive plan for Israel (Dan. 9:24), in which He would accomplish the following six objectives in seventy weeks:
1. Finish the transgression
2. Make an end of sins
3. Make reconciliation for iniquity
4. Bring in everlasting righteousness
5. Seal up vision and prophecy, and
6. Anoint the most holy.
These seventy weeks would be seventy weeks of years, that is, 490 years, not seventy weeks of days. The seventy weeks countdown began with the issuance of a decree by the Persian king, Artaxerxes, in 445 B.C. (Neh. 2:1-8), encouraging the Jews to return to Judah from exile in Babylonian to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple (Dan. 9:25).
1. Duration of Tribulation
The seventy weeks were broken down in three segments: 7 weeks (one week being equivalent to seven years), 62 weeks, and one final week. Of those seventy weeks, sixty-nine weeks have elapsed. After the sixty-ninth week (483 years), Messiah was cut off and the Jerusalem Temple was destroyed (Dan. 9:26).
Sixty-nine of those weeks have past but there has been a gap of time between the 69th week and the 70th week. In the interim between the 69th week and the 70th week, the Church Age has prevailed. The Church Age will come to a close at the Rapture of the Church. The final week in the Seventy Weeks of Daniel corresponds to the Tribulation period, a seven-year period.
2. Timing of Tribulation
The Tribulation period or the seventieth week, according to Daniel 9:27, will be triggered by the establishment of a covenant between Israel and “the prince who is to come,” the Antichrist. The Antichrist shall confirm a covenant with Israel for one week (the seven-year Tribulation period). This covenant will apparently be a peace treaty, or a military protection pact assuring Israel’s national security. The prophet Isaiah likened Israel’s covenant with the Antichrist to a covenant with death and Sheol (Hell itself).
Isaiah 28:15 – “We have made a covenant with death, and with Sheol we are in agreement.”
Isaiah 28:18 – “Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it.”
E. The Great Tribulation Period
1. Description of the Great Tribulation
The Great Tribulation period will be the last half of the seven-year Tribulation period. In the middle of the 70th week, three-and-one-half years into the covenant, the Antichrist will break the covenant and turn against Israel. He will forbid further sacrifices in the Temple, and will declare himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:3-4). An abominable image of the Antichrist will be set up in the Temple and all who refuse to worship the image will be put to death (Rev. 13:15). The last half of the seventieth week will be a time of unprecedented suffering for the nation of Israel.
The latter half of the Tribulation period is referred to by several names, such as “The Indignation,” “the Time of Jacob’s Trouble,” and “The Great Tribulation.”
Isaiah 26:20 – “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourself, as it were, for a moment, until the indignation is past.”
Jeremiah 30:7 – “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it.”
Matthew 24:21 – “For then there shall be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
The prophet Daniel also described that terrible period to come:
Daniel 12:1 – “There shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time.”
2. Timing of the Great Tribulation
Daniel 9:27 – “But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate.”
Israel will enter into a covenant relationship with a future ruler referred to as “the prince who is to come” (Dan. 9:26 – the Antichrist). The covenant established will be for a seven-year period. However, in the middle of the seven-year period, the Antichrist will break the covenant, turn against Israel, and thereby initiate the Great Tribulation period.
3. Duration of the Great Tribulation
Since the Great Tribulation is the last half of the seven-year Tribulation period, the duration of the Great Tribulation is three-and-one-half years. Based on thirty days to the month, these three-and-one-half years are sometimes referred to as, “one thousand two hundred and sixty days” (Rev. 12:6), or “a time and times, and half a time” (Rev. 12:14) or “forty-two months” (Rev. 13:5).
F. The Tribulation Judgments
Divine judgment will be poured out on the ungodly during this period in the form of a series of three cataclysmic judgments called the seal judgments, the trumpet judgments and the bowl judgments. The six seals will unfold successively in a chronological pattern. Out of the seventh seal will come another series of seven trumpets and out of the seventh trumpet will come another series of seven vials or bowls of the wrath of God. In general, the seals, trumpets, and bowls of divine wrath signal the terrible judgments of God on the world at the end of the age culminating in the Second Coming of Christ.
Not all commentators are in agreement that the seven seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments will unfold in sequential order over the course of the seven-year Tribulation period. Some understand that the Law of Recurrence is in play here. This law teaches that the Holy Spirit first states a fact in outline, and then refers to it again and again to add details. In other words, some view the three series of judgments as coinciding, that is, first, the seal judgments extend across the whole of the Tribulation period; then the trumpet judgments coinciding with the seven seals add more detail as to the events occurring throughout the seven-year period and finally; the bowl judgments, coinciding with the trumpet judgments, go back over the Tribulation period for a narration adding more details to the events reported in the two previous series of judgments.
XII. REVELATION CHAPTER SIX
A. Introduction
All seven seals of Revelation 6-8 are part of Christ’s Kinsman-Redeemer program. The sealed scroll is the deed of purchase for mankind’s lost tenant possession inheritance of the earth. Christ paid the redemption price for mankind and their inheritance by shedding His blood on the cross, thereby fulfilling the first responsibility of the Kinsman-Redeemer. The things that result from Christ’s breaking of all seven seals will demonstrate that He has the power and authority to fulfill the second responsibility of the Kinsman-Redeemer, that is, taking tenant possession of the earth by crushing and evicting the usurpers, Satan and his forces.
After the spectacular visions centering around God on His throne, John now sees the opening of the seven-sealed scroll. The seals will be broken, one at a time, and as each seal is broken, some terrible event will occur on the earth. Each seal will bring the redemption of the earth one step closer. The events of Revelation have their background in previous prophecies, which will help us in our interpretation of John’s symbolic revelation.
The division of the series of Tribulation judgments into sevens may ultimately go back to the retribution prophecy of Leviticus 26 where four times it is stated, “I will punish you . . . seven times for your sins” (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28). The six seals seem to unfold successively in a chronological pattern. Out of the seventh seal will come another series of seven trumpet judgments, and out of the seventh trumpet will come another series of seven bowl judgments or seven vials of the wrath of God. In general, the seals, trumpets, and bowls of divine wrath signal the terrible judgments of God on the world at the end of the age, culminating in the Second Coming of Christ.
B. The Seven Seal Judgments
1. First Seal (6:1-2)
The first four seals are distinct from the next two in that they describe four horses of different colors with four riders who are given different power over the earth – personifications of the wrath to be poured out prior to Christ’s return.
When the Lamb opened the first seal on the scroll, John saw a rider mounted on a white horse. The rider wore a crown (Gr. stephanos), had a bow, and went out conquering. This rider is the first in a series of four riders who are commonly referred to as “The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.” (The “Apocalypse” is another name for the book of Revelation.) A rider on a white horse was symbolic of a conqueror. The fact that this rider, wearing a victor’s crown, conquers with a bow and no arrows is taken by some to indicate that his conquests are predominantly diplomatic as opposed to military. This rider is often identified as the Antichrist.
In short, the Tribulation period will commence with the signing of a covenant between Israel and the Antichrist. At that point in time, the Antichrist will already have gained some renown as a formidable military and diplomatic leader. He will continue his conquests, culminating in world rule.
2. Second Seal (6:3-4)
As the Lamb opens the second seal, the second living creature invites John to come and see. John sees a red horse bearing a rider to whom power is given to take peace from the earth and to cause men to kill one another. As a symbol of this, he is given a great sword. The future world government begins with a time of peace but is soon followed by destruction (1 Thess. 5:3).
3. Third Seal (6:5-6)
The rider on the black horse denotes famine, which is the inevitable aftermath of war. This will be a major cause of death in the Tribulation period. The balance in his hand suggests scarcity of food and rationing.
A quart of wheat would cost a laborer a full day’s wage (denarius) and be enough for his daily ration but not for his family. Three quarts of barley would go further. While there is a famine of food, there will be an abundance of oil and the wine, which will be preserved as medicine for the sick and the wounded.
4. Fourth Seal (6:7-8)
John saw a pale horse when the fourth seal was opened. The rider’s name was Death and Hades (the realm of the dead) followed with him. “And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with a sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth” (v. 8). By means of war, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts, a fourth of the earth’s inhabitants are destroyed.
Although wild beasts may seem rather out of place in this list, they actually form a part of a familiar Old Testament pattern. Ezekiel speaks of the four dreadful judgments of Almighty God – sword, famine, wild beasts, and plagues (Ezek. 14:21). One fourth of the world’s population will perish during the period that Death rides accompanied by Hades. Symbolically, Death or the grave will claim the bodies of the dead earth-dwellers and Hades will claim their spirits.
5. Fifth Seal (6:9-11)
When the Lamb opened the fifth seal, John saw the souls of Tribulation martyrs, who had been slain for their testimony, under an altar in heaven. When the unrighteous earth-dwellers died, their souls went to Hades; here, the souls of righteous saints went to heaven when they died. The apostle Paul made it very clear that for the believer “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).
The souls under the altar cried out for vengeance on “those who dwell on the earth.” The martyrs’ cry for righteous judgment is in the same spirit as the psalmist’s call to God to vindicate His holiness and righteousness in dealing with the injustice and oppression, which characterize the human race (Ps. 58:6; 79:10). They were each given a white robe (a symbol of salvation) and told to wait until the number of martyrs would be complete. Their blood would be avenged at the end of the Tribulation with the coming of the rider called “Faithful and True” (Rev. 19:11).
6. Sixth Seal (6:12-17)
At the opening of the sixth seal, there was cosmic turmoil affecting the earth, sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, men of every social, economic, and political status hid themselves in mountain caves saying to the mountains, ”Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” (Rev. 6:16-17).
With the opening of the sixth seal, it seems that God is undertaking a direct intervention into human affairs. The judgments of war, famine, death, and the martyrdom of the saints have largely originated in human decision and in the evil heart of man. The judgment described here, however, originates in God (see 2 Sam. 24:1 and 1 Chr. 21:1) as a divine punishment inflicted upon an unrepentant world that has refused the grace of God.
John utilizes the imagery of the Old Testament in terms very familiar to his readers to describe this terrible visitation of God’s final judgment on the earth, for example: a devastating earthquake (Ezek. 38:20); the darkening of the sun and moon (Joel 2:31); the falling of stars and the rolling up of heaven (Isa. 34:4); the hiding in the rocks (Isa. 2:19); the prayer to the mountains (Hos. 10:8).
This cosmic turmoil is nothing less than the dreaded “Day of the Lord” predicted in the Old Testament (Isa. 13:6; Joel 1:15; Zeph. 1:14). All the unsaved, from the greatest to the least, will seek death rather than face the wrath of God and of the Lamb. Thank God, the Church is in heaven during this calamitous hour!
The first six seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:4-31). It is a parallelism too striking to be ignored but before we take a look at that parallelism, we need to study the Olivet Discourse of our Lord recorded in Matthew Chapter 24.
C. The Olivet Discourse
Introduction
The famous Olivet Discourse, so named because this important pronouncement was given on the Mount of Olives, was recorded by three of the Gospel writers: Matthew 24-25, Mark 13, and Luke 21:5-36. This discourse is entirely prophetic; it points forward to the Tribulation Period and to the Lord’s Second Coming. Our study of this discourse will be limited, at this point, to Matthew chapter 24, verses 1-44, after which we will study the parallelisms that exist between selected verses of Matthew 24 and Revelation 6.
During Christ’s scathing rebuke of the scribes and Pharisees recorded in Matthew Chapter 23:38-39, He said to them, “See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ” (The expression “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” is taken from Psalm 118:26 and is considered an official messianic greeting.)
These words of our Lord would be the final words of His public ministry. In these final words to the Jewish leaders, there is a pronouncement of the destruction of “your house,” ‘house’ referring either to the temple, or Jerusalem, or the nation of Israel, or all of them.
In these final words, there is also given the precondition to the Second Coming of our Lord, that is, He will not return until the Jewish leaders ask Him to return. Just as the Jewish leaders once led the nation to reject His Messiahship, a day must come when they will lead the Jewish people to accept His Messiahship.
Verses 1-2 – As Jesus and His disciples were leaving the Temple Compound, the disciples pointed to its magnificent buildings. Actually, at that time, the Temple buildings were not yet completed. (Herod the Great began building the Temple Compound in 20 B.C., but it was not finished until A.D. 64, only six years before its destruction.) Nevertheless, Jesus reiterated the fact that this Temple was doomed to destruction, and the Temple itself would not have one stone left upon another, that would not be thrown down.
This prophecy of the Temple’s destruction was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70 when the Romans destroyed the city of Jerusalem and set the Temple on fire. Because there was so much gold in the building, a great amount of it melted and seeped into the crevices between the stones of the Temple. The Romans then systematically removed stone by stone in order to get to the gold that had solidified inside the crevices.
Verse 3 – Upon arriving at the Mount of Olives, the disciples, perplexed because of the prophetic words of our Lord, asked Him the following questions: “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” All together, three questions were asked, which at the same time, included requests for three signs.
The first question in the Matthew passage is “Tell us, when shall these things be?” with “these things” referring to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. In the Luke passage, two questions are asked of our Lord: “Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?” (Luke 21:7).
The second question “What will be the sign of Your coming?” did not concern the Rapture of the Church because the Rapture is imminent and can happen at any moment, having no warning sign preceding it. However, a sign will precede the Second Coming, and the disciples asked what that sign would be.
The third question was: “What will be the sign of the end of the world?” The Greek word aion erroneously translated world in the King James Version of the Bible actually means age. (The Greek word cosmos means “world.”) The disciples wanted to know what the sign would be signaling the last days of this age (the Age of Grace) leading to the Messianic Age.
Our Lord’s answers to the second and third questions of the disciples are given in both Matthew and Mark. The answer to the disciples’ first question is given in Luke 21:20-24, where the sign of the approaching destruction of Jerusalem is given: “But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near.” Actually, it behooves us at this point to know the historical background leading up to and subsequent to the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple.
In A.D. 64, the first Jewish revolt broke out against the Romans. In that year, the Romans laid siege on the city of Jerusalem, surrounding the city permitting no one to enter or leave, in an effort to exhaust, among other things, the foodstuffs of the people. The surrounding of the city marked the sign that Jesus had promised of the impending destruction of the city and the Temple.
Because the city was surrounded, no one could flee as Jesus had suggested, however, in A.D. 68, the Romans relaxed their siege on the city and many Jewish Christians were able to escape. They fled the city, crossed the Jordan River and established a new community of Jewish believers in the town of Pella.
In A.D. 68, a new Roman general by the name of Vespasian and his son, Titus, again besieged the city, and in the year A.D. 70, the city and the Temple were destroyed. All together, 1,100,000 Jews were killed in this final onslaught, but not one Jewish believer died because they obeyed the words of their Messiah.
Verses 4-8 – Jesus now proceeded to answer the third question of the disciples: “What will be the sign of the end of the age?” In verses 4-6, our Lord mentioned world conditions that will precede the beginning of the end of the Age. He made this clear when after describing those events, He said in verse 6, “but the end is not yet.”
In verse 7, Jesus gave the sign of the beginning of the end of the Age: “For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” “Nation against nation and kingdom against kingdom” is a Jewish idiom signifying a world conflict or world war. Technically, the beginning of the end of this Age began with the advent of the First World War (1914-1917). Famines, pestilences and earthquakes would accompany these conflicts but “all these are the beginning of sorrows.”
“The beginning of sorrows” will be the onset of birth pangs, which will bring forth a new order under Israel’s Messiah-King. The expression “birth pains” stems from such Old Testament passages as Isaiah 13:8; 26:17; Jeremiah 6:24; and Micah 4:9-10. The Jews refer to this period of distress preceding the Messianic Age as “the birth pangs of the Messiah.”
Verses 9-14 – During the “birth pains,” Jesus’ disciples will be persecuted and killed, but those Christians who endure to the end will be delivered from any further persecution or death threats. After the “gospel of the kingdom” is preached to the entire world, then the end of the Age will come. The “gospel of the kingdom” is basically this: “Repent and receive the Messiah; then you will enter His kingdom when it is set up.” When we study chapter seven of Revelation, we will be informed as to who will be taking this “good news” around the entire world.
Verses 15-20 – Our Lord warned the future generation that sees the “abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place” to flee and not look back. What is the “abomination of desolation?” The expression “abomination of desolation” comes from the Book of Daniel (Dan. 11:31), where Daniel is prophesying an event that actually occurred during the Intertestamental Period (the 400 years of silence between the Books of Malachi and Matthew). A Syrian king by the name of Antiochus IV Epiphanes defiled the second Jewish temple known as the Zerubbabel temple in 167 B.C. by placing an image of the Greek god Zeus in the temple sanctuary.
In verse 15, approximately 200 years after the defiling of the second temple by Antiochus, our Lord is prophesying the setting up of a future “abomination of desolation” in the third Jewish temple. Antiochus Epiphanes is considered a “type” of the Antichrist who will consent to having an image of himself placed in the sanctuary of the Tribulation temple, the third temple (Dan. 9:27; 2 Thess. 2:4; Rev. 13:15).
When those living in that future time see the “abomination” in the temple, they are to flee and not look back, just as those in the first century were to flee when they began to see the city of Jerusalem surrounded. Verses 16-20 of Matthew 24 which apply to a future event are almost identical in content to verses 21-23 of Luke 21 which now apply to a past event.
Remember the principle of interpretation of prophecy called the Law of Recurrence, which we discussed early in our study that read: “This law observes the fact that often a passage or a block of Scripture is speaking of two different persons or two different events that are separated by a long period of time. But in the passage itself they are blended into one picture, and the time gap between the two persons or two events is not presented by the text itself.
The fact that a gap of time exists is known because of other Scriptures, though in the particular text itself the gap of time is not seen.” In other words, Jesus’ admonition to flee is applicable to both sets of circumstances, in the past and in the future.
Verses 21-28 – In the middle of the Tribulation Period (Daniel’s seventieth week), the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27) and turn on them to kill them all. With reference to Israel, this period of three and one half years will be a period of Great Tribulation for all believers, but in particular for the Jewish people. The prophet Jeremiah refers to this future period as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7) and Daniel calls it a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation even to that time” (Dan. 12:1). The devastation in the Tribulation will be so severe that “unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.” The term “elect” can apply equally to the Jewish elect or to all believers, Jews and Gentiles.
Verses 29-31 – The glorious second advent of our Lord Jesus to the earth is described in these verses. The heavens will be ablaze with the (Shekinah) glory of the Lord, the sign of the Son of Man, as He comes in clouds (Dan. 7:13) to the earth. He will send His angels to gather His “elect” from the four winds (those on earth) and from one end of heaven to another (those in heaven) to enter the Kingdom. In this context, “elect” is a reference to the Jews.
There are to be two regatherings of Jews to the land of Israel. The first regathering of Jews to the land of Israel began when Israel became an independent nation on May 14, 1948. This regathering, which continues today, is a regathering for judgment, judgment to be meted out in the Great Tribulation. The second regathering of Jews to the land of Israel will occur after the Second Coming of Christ to the earth. This regathering will be a regathering for blessing in the Messianic Kingdom.
Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 27:12-13 that the final restoration of Israel will be signaled by the sound of a great trumpet. Just as the gathering of the church saints for the Rapture will be preceded by the sound of a trumpet, so will the regathering of Israel be preceded by the sound of a trumpet. Israel’s prophets always wrote of the ultimate gathering of Israel to the Messiah to enjoy the blessings of the Messianic Kingdom.
Mark 13:27 – “And He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.”
Those who are gathered from “the farthest part of the earth” will be the one-third remnant that survives the Tribulation (Zech. 13:8), and those who are gathered from “the farthest part of heaven” will be the resurrected Old Testament saints.
Verses 32-35 – In these verses, our Lord drew an analogy in response to the third question of the disciples on the Mount of Olives: “What will be the sign of Your coming?” Here He said that in Israel when one sees the branches of the fig tree becoming tender, one knows that summer is near. In like manner, when that future generation sees the signs that would precede the end of the age occurring, they are to know that His coming is near. In effect, the sign of His imminent Second Coming will be the setting up of “the abomination of desolation” in the temple and the sign of His immediate Second Coming would be the sign of the Son of Man in the heavens lighting up a darkened earth.
Verses 36-44 – No one knows the day or hour of the Lord’s coming but we do know from these verses that those future days prior to His Second Coming will be like in the days of Noah when the people refused to heed the warning of impending judgment. The flood took away those who refused to repent and go into Noah’s Ark. Noah’s Ark then is a “type” of Christ for after that day of great tribulation, those who are not “in Christ” will be taken away: “Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.” Those that are taken away will be cast into hell; those who remain will enter the Kingdom.
Verses 40 and 41 are often used as a warning to the unsaved, in reference to the Rapture – the first phase of Christ’s coming when He takes all believers to heaven and leaves all unbelievers behind for judgment. While that might be a valid application of this passage, the context makes it clear that the interpretation has to do with Christ’s coming to reign. Finally, the disciples’ questions were answered, and the reader is exhorted both to look forward to the Lord’s return and to live responsibly, faithfully, compassionately, and courageously as he awaits “the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).
Parallelism – Revelation Six and Matthew Twenty-Four
As mentioned before, the first six seals closely parallel the signs of the approaching end times spoken of in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (Matt. 24:4-31). It is a parallelism too striking to be ignored, so let’s take a look at it.
First Seal: The Conqueror
Revelation 6:1-2 – “Now I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals; and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a voice like thunder, ‘Come and see.’ And I looked, and behold, a white horse. He who sat on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went out conquering and to conquer.”
Matthew 24:4-5 – “And Jesus answered and said to them: ‘Take heed that no one deceives you.
For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,” and will deceive many.’”
Second Seal: Conflict on Earth
Revelation 6:3-4 – “When He opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ Another horse, fiery red, went out. And it was granted to the one who sat on it to take peace from the earth, and that people should kill one another; and there was given to him a great sword.”
Matthew 24:6-7 – “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.”
Third Seal: Scarcity on Earth
Revelation 6:5-6 – “When He opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a black horse, and he who sat on it had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, ‘A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius; and do not harm the oil and the wine.’”
Matthew 24:7 – “And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.”
Fourth Seal: Widespread Death on Earth
Revelation 6:7-8 – “When He opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, ‘Come and see.’ So I looked, and behold, a pale horse. And the name of him who sat on it was Death, and Hades followed with him. And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth. All these are the beginning of sorrows.”
Matthew 24:7 – “And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.”
Fifth Seal: The Cry of the Martyrs
Revelation 6:9-11 – “When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, ‘How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?’ Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, until both the number of their fellow servants and their brethren, who would be killed as they were, was completed.”
Matthew 24:9-10 – “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.”
THE JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION PERIOD
Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew Matthew
24:5 24:6 24:7 24:7 24:9
| | | | | | | | | |
| |After the |First |Second |Third |Fourth |Fifth |Sixth |Seventh |
| |Rapture |Seal |Seal |Seal |Seal |Seal |Seal |Seal |
| |come | | | | | | | |
| | |Rider on White |Rider on Red |Rider on Black |Rider on Pale | | | |
| | |Horse |Horse |Horse |Horse | | |Silence |
| | | | | | | | |. . . |
| |The Seven | | | | |Martyred Souls | | |
| |Seal Judgments |Peace - |War |Famine |Death of |Persecution |Changes on earth |Seven Trumpets |
| | |Antichrist | | |1/4 mankind | |Destruction |Appear |
| | | | | | | | | |
|First 3 ½ | | | | | | | | |
|Years | | | | | | | | |
| |From out of the |First |Second Trumpet |Third Trumpet |Fourth |Fifth |Sixth |Seventh |
| |Seventh Seal come|Trumpet | | |Trumpet |Trumpet |Trumpet |Trumpet |
| | | |Meteor destroys |Falling Star | | | | |
| | |1/3 Earth afire |1/3 ships, fish |poisons 1/3 of |1/3 of sun, moon |Five months of |Satan’s 200 |Earthquake |
| |The Seven |1/3 Trees burned |1/3 sea –blood |all water |and stars |torture by |million army |700 die in |
| |Trumpet Judgments|All grass burned |filled | |darkened |Scorpion stings |kills 1/3 |Jerusalem |
| | | | | | | |mankind | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| |From out of the |First |Second |Third |Fourth |Fifth |Sixth |Seventh |
| |Seventh Trumpet |Bowl |Bowl |Bowl |Bowl |Bowl |Bowl |Bowl |
|Last |come | | | | | | | |
|3 ½ | | | | | | | | |
|Years |The Seven |Boils affect |Sea of blood |Rivers of blood |Heat from sun |Darkness |River Euphrates |Hail |
| |Bowl Judgments |those with mark |Everything in |Rivers, springs |scorches all |Earth plunged |dried up – Israel| |
| | |of Antichrist |ocean dies |turn to blood |mankind |into darkness |attacked |Cities |
| | | | | | | | |crumble |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
Matthew and Revelation correspondences:
Matthew 24:4-14 – Revelation 6–11 (first half of Tribulation)
Matthew 24:15-28 – Revelation 12–18 (second half of Tribulation)
Matthew 24:29-31 – Revelation 19 (Second Coming of Christ)
I believe the first four seals correspond to “the beginning of sorrows” (Matt. 24:8), or literally the beginning of “birth pangs.” In this usage, birth pangs are a favorite metaphor for the tribulations God’s judgment brings upon man – “as a woman in travail” (Isa. 26:17; Jer. 6:24; Hos. 13:13; Mic. 4:9).
XIII. REVELATION CHAPTER SEVEN
Introduction
Between the sixth and seventh seal judgments, God calls a divine time-out. In the midst of wrath, God remembers mercy. The remaining judgments will be even more severe. All the forces of nature that have been summoned to aid in this final redemption of the earth are now held in check for a brief interlude while certain preparations are being made.
Chapter 7 directs attention to two major groups of saints in the Tribulation. The opening portion of the chapter (7:1-8) pictures the 144,000, representative of the godly remnant of Israel on earth in the Great Tribulation. The latter portion of the chapter (7:9-17) describes an innumerable multitude arrayed in white robes standing before the throne of God.
The Vision of the Four Angels (7:1-3)
The first thing John sees is four angels who are being restrained from unleashing God’s wrath upon the earth. “The four corners of the earth” and “the four winds of the earth” symbolize the totality of the world in common biblical figures (Jer. 49:36; Matt. 24:31). The angels commissioned by God to administer judgment on the earth are commanded to delay their destruction until the servants of God are sealed on their foreheads. God will not allow judgment to come upon the earth until His people are “sealed” from those terrible forces.
The exact nature of the seal administered is debated. (Perhaps Revelation 14:1 provides a clue as to the nature of the seal – there we see 144,000 having the Lamb’s and His Father’s names written on their foreheads.) What is not debated is the fact that bearing the seal of God denotes ownership and guarantees security. Later in our study, we shall see that “the beast,” which opposes God and His people will also seal his followers that they might be known (Rev. 13:16-17; 14:9).
A specific number of God’s servants are sealed on their foreheads for two reasons: (1) they are sealed for service in a time of great revival (7:9), for they are the ones who will proclaim the message of the gospel in the Tribulation; (2) they are sealed for protection so that they cannot be hurt either from the effects of the seals, trumpets, and bowls or by the persecution of the beast against believers (13:7).
As for Old Testament background, Ezekiel 9:3-7 can be used here. In this Old Testament passage, a divine messenger with stylus in hand was to go through the apostate Jerusalem of Ezekiel’s day and put a mark upon the foreheads of those who deplored the faithless idolatry of the Israelites. Those so marked were the faithful and true servants of God; they would be spared the divine slaughtering of the rebellious inhabitants of the city.
The sign on the forehead here is antithetical to the “mark of the beast” that we’ll see in Revelation 13:16. In this book, there is no neutrality; there is no middle ground. One is a follower of (and owned by) God or of Satan.
The Sealing of the 144,000 (7:4-8)
The identification of those who are sealed is clearly specified as being 144,000 Jews. To make it even clearer, twelve tribes are listed with the statement that 12,000 are chosen from each of the twelve tribes listed. Such careful delineation definitely indicates that these 144,000 are Jews and not members of some 21st century Gentile cult. The mention of the twelve tribes of Israel is significant in that it establishes that the tribes are not “lost.” Although presently the Jews are not certain of their tribal heritage, in the mind of God there is no question as to their tribal affiliations.
In the midst of wrath and judgment, the Lord’s hand of protection is over those who love Him and trust Him. God has always had His faithful witness and He always will. During the days of Elijah, God reserved 7,000 who did not bow their knee to Baal (1 Kgs. 19:18). The 144,000 will be God’s faithful witness during the days of the Tribulation.
The Lord will shelter the 144,000 firstfruits of Israel from harm just as He kept the Israelites from suffering the Egyptian plagues:
(1) when thick swarms of flies were sent on the Egyptians, into their houses, and into all the
land of Egypt, no swarms of flies appeared in the land of Goshen where God’s people dwelt
(Exod. 8:21-22).
(2) when the Lord brought a severe pestilence on the livestock of Egypt, all the livestock of
Egypt died, but not one of the livestock of the children of Israel died (Exod. 9:6).
(3) when the Lord rained hail on the whole land of Egypt and both man and beast and every tree
of the field was struck, only in the land of Goshen was there no hail (Exod. 9:25-26).
(4) when the Lord brought thick darkness for three days in all the land of Egypt that the
Egyptians could not see one another, the children of Israel had light in their dwellings (Exod.
10:22-23).
(5) when the Lord struck all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, He passed over the houses of the
children of Israel where the blood of the paschal lamb had been applied according to His
instruction (Exod. 12:27).
In Revelation 6:17, the question is asked, “Who is able to stand?” The implied answer in Revelation chapter 7 is, “Those who have the seal of God.”
The Great White-Robed Multitude (7:9-10)
After these things John sees a multitude from every race and nationality standing before the throne of God, clothed with white robes with palm branches in their hands. Paul Benware of the Philadelphia Biblical University wrote, “One of the major purposes of the Tribulation is to save people. Mankind’s apathy and unconcern about spiritual matters will be swept away during the Tribulation when the world is startled by supernatural signs and shaken by cataclysmic events. In that setting, many will turn to Jesus Christ for salvation. While the witness of the Church and its restraining force in society is missing, the omnipresent Holy Spirit, in the Tribulation, will still convict men of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-1).
“After these things” – denotes that the salvation of this multitude follows chronologically the ministry of the 144,000 Jews.
“Standing before the throne and before the Lamb” – signifies their position of acceptance and honor as God’s true servants.
“Clothed in white robes” – proves that they have trusted in the message of the blood and are clothed in the righteousness of Christ.
The servants of Christ have overcome the world and their joy leads to a great symphony of praise as they ascribe salvation and victory to God. They cannot be silent. Who can be silent when the grace of God does its mighty work of salvation in one’s heart?
The Praise of the Heavenly Host (7:11-12)
What a glorious scene as the angels surrounding the throne respond to the cry of the redeemed with “Amen” and voice their praise and worship of God for the salvation given to humanity (“There is joy in the presence of the angels over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10). How much more joy will the heavenly host experience in the presence of myriads and myriads of redeemed Tribulation saints?). The angels, elders, and the four living creatures fall on their faces extolling God in a sevenfold doxology (see also Rev. 5:12) as worthy of all blessing, glory, wisdom, thanksgiving, honor, power, and might.
The Multitude Identified As Martyred Tribulation Saints (7:13-14)
It is clear from the questions, “Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” that the 24 elders are representative of a group different from those who are here pictured as the great multitude in white robes. If the elders represent the Church, this multitude represents a different body of saints.
The Tribulation will be a time of great martyrdom of saints (17:6; 18:24; 19:2; 20:4). These are those martyrs who come out of the Great Tribulation (mentioned by name only in 7:14) of which our Lord Jesus spoke (Matt. 24:21). The Great Tribulation is the punitive action of God against those who trouble the saints, against “those who do not know God and who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thess. 1:6-10).
This passage clearly teaches that many Gentiles will be saved during the Tribulation. The command to preach the Gospel to every nation throughout the world (Matt. 24:14; 28:19-20) will have its ultimate fulfillment in this way before Christ comes back to establish His millennial kingdom.
The concept sometimes advanced that the Rapture cannot occur because the entire world has not heard the Gospel is a faulty conclusion. The requirement that the entire world hear the gospel pertains not to the Rapture but to the coming of Christ to set up His kingdom. In spite of persecution and even martyrdom, there will be worldwide preaching of the Gospel during the Tribulation and countless people of all nations will come to know Christ.
The only way sins can be washed away is through the precious blood of Christ. Accordingly, though not suited to the 21st century sophisticated sense of beauty, the blood of Christ is exceedingly precious in the sight of the Lord and is the only cleansing agent for sin. The blood of the Lamb is the assurance of cleansing and forgiveness for these who have been martyred for their faith in Christ. Even their own sacrificial death could not atone for their sins. They, like all others, must rest alone in that sacrifice which Christ provided for them. What is true for them is true for the saints of all ages; only the blood of Christ avails to wash away sin.
Though a modern world is offended by substitutionary sacrifice and especially by the reference to sacrificial blood, the spiritual significance of shed blood is given prominence in both the Old and New Testaments with hundreds of references to it. According to Hebrews 9:22, “without shedding of blood there is no remission.” According to Acts 20:28, the Church has been purchased by the blood of Christ.
In Romans 3:25, Christ is declared to be the propitiation for our sins through faith in His blood. In Romans 5:9, we are “justified by His blood,” in Ephesians 1:7 “we have redemption through His blood,” and finally, in Colossians 1:20, Christ has “made peace through the blood of His cross.”
The Heavenly Bliss of the Martyred Saints (7:15-17)
The martyred saints are described as being before the throne of God, that is, in a place of prominence and honor. Their special privilege is further defined as serving the Lord day and night in His temple. A marvelous picture of heavenly glory is given. It is a place of intimate fellowship with God and Christ.
Under God’s protection, never again would they experience hunger, or thirst, or oppressive heat as was their experience of suffering on the earth. The Lamb “will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of water.” (All of these figures are drawn from Isaiah 49:10). Like a tenderhearted, devoted mother, God will wipe each tear from their eyes. Never again will they cry out because of pain and suffering. Even the sorrowful memory of the pain and suffering of the former days will be mercifully removed by the Father.
XIV. REVELATION CHAPTER EIGHT
Introduction
This chapter opens with the announcement that the seventh seal is opened. This is the last of the seven seals marking the prophetic judgments of God. Contained in the seventh seal are all the subsequent developments leading to the Second Coming of Christ, including the seven trumpets and the seven bowls of the wrath of God. While the Lamb Himself opens the seven seals, seven angels execute the judgments of the seven trumpets and the seven bowls. The imagery of the seven angels may have been taken from the Jewish apocryphal tradition where seven angels (Raphael, Uriel, Raguel. Michael, Sariel, Gabriel, and Remiel) appear in Tobit 12:15 and Enoch 20.
John’s description of the trumpet judgments (Rev. 8:2–11:19) sounds very similar to a global holocaust. The entire planet will be affected by massive destruction, loss of life, and human suffering. The chaos that results will destabilize both the global economy and the world government predicted in chapter 13.
Verse 1 – As the seventh seal is broken, an ominous silence settles across heaven for a period of about half an hour. The reason for this silence has been much discussed, with several differing interpretations offered. Here, I believe the praise and worship around the throne will cease in anticipation of what is soon to take place.
Verse 2 – No specific judgment is mentioned when the seventh seal is opened. Instead, the narrative moves directly to seven trumpet judgments. From this is inferred that the seventh seal consists of the seven trumpets. The use of trumpets as eschatological signals of the day of the Lord is well established in the Old Testament (Joel 2:1; Zeph. 1:16).
Verses 3-6 – An angel is introduced as standing before the altar with a golden censer. In the Old Testament order, the golden censer was a golden pan, used to transport fiery coals from the brazen altar to the altar of incense, in order to ignite the incense.
The priests would burn incense upon the altar of incense, and the smoke would fill the Temple or Tabernacle and would ascend to heaven. This occurred twice daily at the time of the morning and evening sacrifices.
Incense was symbolic of worship and prayer and a reminder that intercession to the Lord has the character of sweet incense. Though nothing is said as to the nature of the incense, it is reasonable to suppose that it fulfills the same function as incense used in the Old Testament worship. This is a beautiful picture of the prayers of the saints as seen from heaven.
The incense presented at the heavenly altar speaks of the perfection and worthiness of Christ and testifies to the efficacy of prayer when presented in the name of Christ. A strong assurance is here given to the suffering followers of Christ that their prayers for vindication are not forgotten because God will speedily vindicate them from their enemies’ assaults.
The angel is said to take the censer filled with fire and to cast it to the earth. Noises, thunderings, lightnings, and an earthquake result from the casting of the censer to earth. The implication is that the censer here is used as a symbol of judgment, apparently in response to the intercession and prayers of the suffering saints in the midst of great tribulation. The scene, therefore, is set for the judgment symbolized by the seven trumpets about to sound according to verse 6.
Verse 7 – As in the case of the seals, the first four trumpets form a special unit in contrast to the last three trumpets. The plagues indicated by the first four trumpets are entirely inflicted on natural objects, whereas the plagues indicated by the last three trumpets are inflicted on men.
First Trumpet (vegetation struck) – In response to the sounding of the trumpet held by the first angel, a scene of desolation is spread abroad upon the earth caused by hail and fire mingled with blood. Blood and fire were often combined as symbols of judgment (Isa 9:5; Ezek. 21:32; 38:22). The first four trumpets are judgments reminiscent of the Egyptian plagues (Exod. 7-10). The first trumpet judgments seem to be directed to vegetation.
Verses 8-9 – Second Trumpet (the seas struck) – From here on out, it is difficult to interpret where the symbolic ends and where the literal begins. The great mountain burning with fire may refer to a huge meteor or asteroid surrounded by gases that will ignite as it enters earth’s atmosphere. Its impact will create a tidal wave, destroying one-third of the world’s ships and one third of the sea life. The unmistakable implication of these judgments is that God is dealing in righteous wrath with the wicked world.
“The sea became blood” – This may refer to an event known as red tides, caused by billions of dead micro-organisms poisoning the water – in this case the result of the meteor’s collision. Or it may be actual blood, a clear act of eschatological judgment.
Verses 10-11 – Third Trumpet (the waters struck) – John next sees a huge fiery star, which seems to be a heavenly body or a mass from outer space, understandably burning as it enters the atmosphere of earth, falling with contaminating influence upon the rivers and springs of water. The star’s name is “Wormwood,” which refers to the bitter herb artemesia absinthium, a bitter, poisonous substance, derived from a root, that causes drunkenness and eventually death (Prov. 5:4; Jer. 9:15). “He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood” (Lam. 3:15). Its connection with bitter sorrow and judgment makes it a natural symbol of death.
“Springs of water” – water was scarce in Judah, and so springs were essential. Springs were viewed as a source of life. Their mention here may be to heighten the great reversal of water as life to water as death in this judgment. The metaphorical meaning of springs as a source of life are found in several places:
(a) “fountain of life” (Prov. 10:11; 13:14; 14:27),
(b) “the spring of living water” (Jer. 2:13; 17:13),
(c) “springs of living water” (Rev. 7:17),
(d) “the spring of the water of life” (Rev. 21:6).
Verse 12 – Fourth Trumpet (the heavens struck) – At the sound of the fourth trumpet, the light of the sky was reduced by one third. This does not necessarily imply that one-third of the sun, moon, and stars are destroyed, only that their light sources are somehow hindered from reaching the earth.
Our great God controls the bounds and limits of the most severe calamities. In the Old Testament, the darkening of the heavens appears in connection with the judgments of God (Isa. 13:10; Ezek. 32:7-8).
Verse 13 – With the first four trumpets having sounded, this verse introduces the final three. Because the final three judgments are especially grievous for mankind on the earth, they are called “woe” judgments. As bad as the first four judgments were, the latter three will be far more severe, so severe that there is an angelic warning from the atmospheric heavens of their approach. Two of the woes are identified with the fifth and sixth trumpets (9:12; 11:14). The third woe could be seen as the seven bowl judgments in 16:10.
The announcement of the “woe” judgments is made by an angel according to the King James Version. The Greek word aetou meaning “eagle” or “vulture” is translated “eagle” by most other versions. The eagle in this context is a divine herald announcing to the world its imminent doom. That it is an unclean bird perhaps adds further symbolism to its message, for God is telling them of their own unclean state in His eyes.
Summary
So dramatic are the judgments and so unmistakably an evidence of the power and sovereignty of God that blaspheming men on earth can no longer ignore the fact that God is dealing with them. Fearful as these judgments are, they are only the beginning of God’s dealing with the earth; and as indicated in a special announcement, three great woes are still to fall. The “inhabitants of the earth” distinguishes the Christ rejecters of the world from the true, faithful followers of the Lamb. Though it is difficult in this day of grace to imagine such catastrophic judgments, the Word of God is clear, and men are called everywhere to avail themselves of grace before it’s too late.
XV. REVELATION CHAPTER NINE
Introduction
John now focuses attention on the fifth and sixth trumpets (the first and second woes) by giving more than twice the space to their description than he does to the previous four trumpets together.
Verse 1 – Fifth Trumpet (First Woe) – After the fifth trumpet sounds, John sees a star “fallen”or descended from heaven to the earth. The star mentioned, rather than referring to a literal star or meteor, symbolically refers to an angel. The angel is given the key of the bottomless pit, or the pit of the “abyss.” The reference to the key indicates that all of the demons or wicked angels imprisoned there (2 Pet. 2:4; Jude 6) are firmly under God’s control. The abyss (bottomless pit) mentioned in this chapter in verses 1, 2, and 11 is also referred to in 11:7 and 17:8 as the place from which the “beast” arises. The abyss is also mentioned as the place where Satan himself will be confined for one thousand years during the reign of Christ on earth (20:1-3). The abyss is the place that the demons feared to be sent to when they were cast out of the Gadarene demoniac by Christ – “and they begged Him that He would not command them to go out into the abyss” (Luke 8:31).
Not all fallen angels or demons are confined in the bottomless pit at the present time. Those that are, will be released for specific judgments on mankind. Their abode in the abyss is temporary as their final abode will be in the Lake of Fire. The opening verse of this chapter, then, presents an angel as having the key to the bottomless pit (the shaft of the abyss) with power delegated to him by God to release those who are confined there.
Grant R. Osborne’s comment on this passage merits mention here:
God gives the locusts authority over the earth-dwellers and power to inflict harm on them. This parallels 13:7, in which the beast “is given authority to make war against the saints.” This is part of an important theme in this book. Even the demonic forces can do nothing, unless God allows it! Many have the mistaken opinion that Satan has autonomy from God and can do whatever he wishes. That could not be further from the truth. Satan is powerless and has already lost at the cross (see 5:6). Everything he and his followers do in this book can only be done after God gives permission. Even more than that, all the actions of the evil forces are part of the divine will, thus part of the divine plan. God is using the locusts to achieve his larger purpose, judgment on the earth-dwellers. As in God’s control of the four horsemen of 6:1-8, however, God does not have to command the demonic locusts to do anything; He simply allows their evil to express itself.
Verse 2 – In this chapter there are more occurrences of the words “as” and “like” than in any other chapter in the Bible. This is an indication on what John was to witness would be beyond any first century vocabulary. When the abyss is opened, huge billows of smoke, as the smoke of a great furnace pour out and darken the sky and the air. But it is not the blackout that makes the fifth trumpet judgment the first woe judgment.
Verse 3 – John sees swarms of locusts emerging out of the smoke, capable of inflicting excruciating pain like the sting of scorpions. As borne out by the description given later, these are not natural locusts, but a visual representation of the hordes of demons, chained in darkness all these centuries, being loosed upon the earth.
Verse 4 – In the Old Testament, locusts were used by the Lord as a divine judgment upon a wicked world (Exod. 10:12-15; Joel 1:4-7). They could strip the country of every green leaf and sprout, leaving man and beast alike to die for lack of food. These locusts here, however, are commanded to refrain from harming any vegetation and to harm only those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. The 144,000 and all who know the Lord will be excluded from any harm.
Verse 5 – These demons are commanded to kill no one, but only to torment unsaved men for five months. Commentators say that five months fits the approximate lifespan of a normal kind of locust (spring and summer) or to the dry season in Palestine between the “early and latter rain” (April to August) when locusts tended to appear.
Verse 6 – In contrast to the pain caused by a scorpion, which would pass away in a course of hours, their agony continues for a long period. So severe is the torment that these demons inflict, that their victims will seek death, but even the hope of death to deliver them is taken away from them in that dark hour. They are left to face their trial and affliction without any way of escape.
Verses 7-10 – John was describing what he saw but did not interpret each characteristic. The comparison of these demons host to locusts goes back to Joel’s vision of the locust army that came on Israel as a judgment from God, particularly where it is said that the locust armies look like war horses running to battle, making noise like chariots, running like mighty men, darkening the heavens (Joel 2:4-10) and having fangs like lions (Joel 1:6).
Verse 11 – The description of the first woe ends with the identity of the king of the fallen angels in the abyss. His name in Hebrew is “Abaddon” and in Greek “Apollyon.” Both names mean destruction or destroyer. (Perhaps the name of this king of demons is an indication that judgment will come upon both Jew and Gentile.) There is a hierarchy of power among the demons, just as among the holy angels. Apparently, “the angel of the bottomless pit” is either Satan or one of Satan’s most trusted leaders.
Verses 13-15 – Sixth Trumpet (Second Woe) – With the sounding of the sixth trumpet, John hears a voice described as coming from the four horns of the golden altar before God. The “horns” (Exod. 37:25) were protuberances at the four corners of the altar that signified the strength and power of Yahweh. In 8:3, this altar is the scene of the offering of incense with the prayers of the saints. The inference is that this judgment like those preceding is partially an answer to the prayers of the persecuted saints on earth and a token of divine response and preparation for their deliverance.
The sixth angel was instructed to release the four angels bound at the great river Euphrates. These four angels are clearly demons, as holy angels are never referred to as being bound. God’s control extends even to the demonic forces – they are bound or freed at His command.
These wicked angels are designated to execute the great judgment of the sixth trumpet but prevented from doing so until the proper moment. It is declared that the angels’ function is to kill a third of mankind. They had been prepared to fulfill this purpose exactly at God’s appointed hour. They are commanded in the area of the Euphrates River to execute their judgment.
The Euphrates River is a body of water that runs through Iraq and Syria. This is the part of the world where Satan performed his destructive work against Adam and Eve (Gen. 2:10-14) and where mankind made its first united move against God (Gen. 11:1-4). The Euphrates River served as the eastern boundary of the Promised Land (Gen. 15:18). It was also the eastern boundary of the Roman Empire. Many of the terrible invasions of Palestine by the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Persians came across the Euphrates. Beyond the Euphrates lay the Parthian kingdoms (equivalent today to Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of India, and southern Russia.
Earlier in the fourth seal, a fourth of the earth’s population is killed. Here an additional third is marked out for slaughter. These two judgments alone account for half of the world’s population and it is clear that in addition to these judgments there is widespread destruction of human life in other divine judgments contained in the seals, trumpets, and bowls. The words of our Lord Jesus Christ are confirmed that the Great Tribulation would end in the death of all mankind if it were not stopped by His second coming (Matt. 24:22).
Verses 16-19 – A mounted army of 200 million is introduced. Bible commentators are divided on whether this army represents a literal human army or an army of demons. Commentators like Walter Scott and H. B. Swete believe that the army of 200 million indicates merely an innumerable company and should not be taken literally.
Those commentators, like John Walvoord, who argue for a human army, cite the fact that an army of 200 million is quite feasible considering the present population in the Orient. Walvoord interprets the graphic description of the horses as well as the warriors mounted upon them as John describing a picture of modern mechanical warfare. The Roman army in the first century was composed of twenty-five legions or 125,000 soldiers, and they had an auxiliary army of comparable size. Two hundred million is a thousand times that number, and that fact would not go unnoticed by the first-century reader.
While some argue for a literal human army here, other commentators like Arnold Fruchtenbaum point to their identity as demonic forces. He contends that the fact that four fallen angels lead them shows that they are demons rather than humans. The description of this army clearly rules them out as being human and requires that they be demonic. In addition, the location of the source of this invasion is the Euphrates River, which is not located in China, but in Mesopotamia or ancient Babylonia, a place the Scriptures often connect with demonism. Furthermore, the means by which the destruction of one-third of the world’s population is accomplished (fire, smoke, brimstone), involves the supernatural rather than the natural. An unbelievably huge and terrifying demonic cavalry would be an unstoppable force. Only God could keep the number of the dead to only a third of mankind.
A large invasion from the east and the north in the end times is predicted in Daniel 11:44. Fruchtenbaum points out that the “east” in Scripture is always Mesopotamia and never China. And finally, whether one connects the 200 million man army (Rev. 16) with the kings of the east (Rev. 19) depends on whether one believes that the seal, trumpet, and bowl judgments coincide or are separate judgments occurring sequentially over the seven-year period of the Tribulation. Whether this army is natural or supernatural, this is an awesome picture of an almost irresistible military force destroying all that opposes it.
Verses 20-21 – Though the judgment was devastating and obviously from God, it did not bring men to repentance. Punishment and suffering cannot change a sinner’s character; only the new birth can do that. They continued to worship demons and the demonic corruption is manifest in the inhuman acts of those who have given up God for idols – acts of murder, sexual immorality, and theft.
In spite of the clear evidence of God’s power to judge the world, no evidence was given John that there would be any change of heart on the part of the great mass of humanity. Though men can be made to fear God by demonstration of divine power, they are not brought to the place of repentance apart from faith in Christ and divine grace. God is not willing that any person should suffer His judgment but that all should repent and turn to Him (2 Pet. 3:9). Sadly, when God’s works and words are persistently rejected, only judgment remains (Eph. 5:6; Heb. 10:26-31).
XVI. REVELATION CHAPTER TEN
Introduction
Beginning with Chapter 10, a parenthetical section is introduced similar to the one in Chapter 7. Just as John recorded a temporary suspension of the judgments from heaven between the sixth and seventh seal judgments, we now experience a break between the sixth and seventh trumpet blasts. The study of this interlude or “lull before the storm” continues through Chapter 11, verse 14. Like Chapter 7, this chapter does not advance the narrative but presents other facts that contribute to the total prophetic scene.
Verse 1 – Chapter 10 opens with John seeing an angel coming down from heaven. The angel is altogether striking and every attribute he possesses strongly suggests a divine figure, although it is doubtful that this is Christ Himself, as some commentators believe. This angel is declared to be “another mighty angel.” The Greek word translated “another” means one of the same kind, that is, a created being. This mighty angel apparently ranks with the strong angel of 5:2 and the angel having great authority of 18:1.
The angel of 10:1 is described as one who comes down from heaven and there is no evidence that Christ comes to the earth midway in the Tribulation. There are many instances in Revelation where angels are made the ministers of God for both the punishment of the wicked and the protection of the righteous. Though the angel is presented as one having great majesty and power, there is no clear evidence that his function or his person is more than that of a created angel to whom has been entrusted great authority.
Verse 2 – John sees the angel, clothed in a cloud, descend from heaven,. The angel plants his feet on land and sea, implying a position of power and authority over all creation, and shouts his command with the roar of a lion. In response to the angel’s cry, John hears seven thunders. All of this, however, is introductory to the point of primary importance, which is the little book that is open in his hand.
Verses 3-4 – The contents of the little book are nowhere revealed in Revelation, although they are thought to be what remains of the seven-sealed scroll, containing a record of impending judgments. As John beholds the vision with the angel standing upon the sea and the earth, the angel cries out with a loud voice like a lion’s roar. In answer to this cry of the angel, seven thunders are heard.
There have been many different interpretations of the “seven thunders.” Some commentators relate the “seven thunders” to the seven times “the voice of the Lord” is mentioned in Psalm 29:3-9. Other commentators say the seven thunders point to the perfection of God’s intervention in judgment. It seems that the seven thunders contain further revelation but John is instructed not to record it. This illustrates a divine principle that while God has revealed much, there are secrets that God has not seen fit to reveal to man at this time (Deut. 29:29).
Verses 5-7 – One of the indications that the angel portrayed in this vision is not Christ Himself is the fact that he swears by God, implying that God is greater than the angel. It is, however, a very solemn oath. Attention is called to the special character of the sovereignty of God over the earth as the One who lives forever and as the One who created all things in heaven and in earth.
The angel raises his right hand to heaven and swears that “there should be delay no longer.” Clearly there is some type of progression in the seals, trumpets, and bowls that nears its conclusion as the seventh trumpet is about to sound. In verse 7, it is announced that “the mystery of God would be finished.” In the New Testament, a mystery is a truth that God concealed in the Old Testament but has revealed through Christ and His apostles. Here the mystery is the final consummation of all things as God destroys sinners and establishes His righteous kingdom on earth.
Verses 8-11 – In response to the command of the voice, John goes to the angel and requests that he be given the little book. In reply the angel instructs John, “Take and eat it; and it will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” Eating the scroll graphically illustrates taking its message to heart, internalizing the prophecy and putting it to work in one’s life.
The incident of John eating the book brings to mind similar experiences of Ezekiel: “Moreover He said to me, ‘Son of man, eat what you find; eat this scroll, and go, speak to the house of Israel’ ” (Ezek. 2:9-10; 3:1-4) and Jeremiah: “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart” (Jer. 15:16-18). The content of the little book is prophecy, especially the prophecy concerning the remaining judgments still to be released in the Tribulation period.
The little book was both sweet in John’s mouth but bitter in his stomach. John’s physical reactions demonstrate what every believer’s proper response to God’s judgment should be – sweet anticipation of God’s glory and our victory, and at the same time, the bitterness of seeing God’s wrath poured out on those who reject His Son.
Having learned how the Word of God must be experienced in life, John next is taught that it must be publicly expressed to the lost. He records what he was told: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, tongues, and kings” (Rev. 10:11).
Summary
The invitation to John to partake of the little book and eat is, of course, the invitation of God to all who would participate in the blessing of the Word of God. Though there may be trials and afflictions for the saint, like the Apostle John, he has been promised eternal blessing when the Lord comes for His own.
The trials during the brief span of the Christian’s life in this world, as he seeks to serve the Lord, are only the prelude to the eternal blessing which will be the fulfillment of God’s grace to those who trust in Christ. Like John, every saint should take and eat with the assurance that the Word will be sweet, whatever sufferings and trials he may be called upon to bear.
XVII. REVELATION CHAPTER ELEVEN
Introduction
Some Bible scholars have considered this chapter one of the most difficult to interpret in the Book of Revelation in terms of whether to understand some elements literally or symbolically. For the purposes of our study, we will interpret the chapter in the literal sense unless reason dictates otherwise. Chapter 11 continues the parenthetical section beginning in chapter 10 and extending through chapter 14. With the exception of 11:15-19, introducing the seventh trumpet, the narrative does not advance in these chapters and various topics are presented.
Verses 1-2 – John is given a reed compared to a rod and instructed to measure the temple of God, the altar, and them that worship therein. The temple of God refers to the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies, not the outer court of the temple. John is instructed not to measure the court without the temple as it is given to the Gentiles and the outer court as well as the holy city will be under Gentile domination for forty-two months. John is instructed to measure not only the temple of God and the altar but also the worshipers.
A number of questions can be raised concerning the literalism or the symbolism of passages where measurements are taken. In Ezekiel 40-42, the dimensions of the future millennial temple, its sanctuary, and its courts are measured and noted. In Revelation 21:15-17, the New Jerusalem is measured and the dimensions of the city and its wall are given. I believe these two instances of measuring were to indicate the actual physical dimensions of the various structures.
There are two other biblical references to the taking of measurements, one in Zechariah 2:1-5 and the other in Revelation 11:1-2. In both of these passages, no physical dimensions result from the measurement process. I believe that in Zechariah 2:1-5 a man with a measuring line goes out to measure Jerusalem in order to indicate God’s protection of the holy city. Verse 5 reads: “For I, says the LORD, will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.”
In a similar manner, John is commanded (Rev. 11:1-2) to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshippers. These verses, 11:1-2, tell us that access to God (temple and altar), and His worshipers, are under the special blessing and protection of God Himself. John is told only to measure the spiritual part of the temple precinct for protection; the outer court (Court of the Gentiles) has already been profaned, as Jesus predicted (Luke 21:24).
The “holy city” will be desecrated for forty-two months or 1260 days. These numbers resemble some found in Daniel’s prophecies about the end times (“time, times and half a time” – Dan 7:25). The “times of the Gentiles” end at the second coming of Christ, when Gentile dominion is destroyed and Christ establishes His kingdom.
It is important to understand what the protection of God means in the context of Revelation 11:1-2. We know from Revelation 6:9-11 that many saints will be martyred. We also will learn that God will give the beast power “to make war with the saints and to overcome them, saints from every tribe, tongue and nation (Rev. 13:7). Therefore, it is clear that God will protect His people not from physical harm but rather from spiritual harm in the coming great persecution.
The first place of worship ever built was called Solomon’s Temple and is discussed in 1 Chronicles chapters 22, 28, and 29 and 2 Chronicles chapters 2 through 7. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed this temple in 586 B.C. Seventy years later it was rebuilt under Zerubbabel and Joshua. This second temple was desecrated by Antiochus Epiphanes, a Greco-Syrian ruler (168 B.C.). He brought a pig into the temple – an act that prefigured the final desecration to occur under Antichrist as he sets up the abomination of desolation in the Tribulation temple (Matt. 24:15).
In the second temple, rebuilt and enlarged by Herod the Great starting in 20 B.C., the outer court was marked off from the inner one where only Israel was permitted to enter. The courts were separated by “the middle wall of partition” (Eph. 2:14), and no Gentile was allowed beyond that point. Now we find that a third temple has been erected. It is not the final millennial temple of Ezekiel 40-48, but one that is built either before the Tribulation or during the first half of the Tribulation.
God sanctioned the building of Solomon’s temple, the temple built by Zerubbabel, and will sanction the millennial temple but He will not sanction the third or Tribulation temple. This is clear from Isaiah 66:1-6, in which the prophet foresees the building of a temple that God will not sanction. A segment of the Jewish population is presently making preparations for the building of this third temple.
Priests will be required to minister in this temple. Although eleven of Israel’s tribes have lost tribal identity, the tribe of Levi has not. The Levites retain their tribal identity in their last names, i.e., Levi, Levy, Levin, Leventhal, Levinson, etc. Those Levites with last names such as Cohn, Cohen (priest), and many other variations, retain their identity as descendants of Aaron, Israel’s first High Priest.
Verses 3-6 – In verse 3, two characters are introduced, described as two witnesses who shall prophesy 1,260 days. They shall preach a message of judgment and salvation, most probably, during the first half of the Tribulation. The Old Testament required two or more witnesses to confirm testimony (Deut. 19:15).
The witnesses because of the grave character of their message wear sackcloth. Sackcloth was a coarse, rough cloth made from goat or camel hair. In the Bible, wearing garments made from it expressed penitence, humility, and mourning. The two witnesses are mourning because of the wretched wickedness of the world, God’s judgment on it., and the desecration of the holy city by the Antichrist. They cry out against the sins of the people and announce God’s coming indignation.
The two witnesses are described as two olive trees and two lampstands who stand before the God of the earth. This seems to be a reference to Zechariah chapter 4, where a lampstand and two olive trees are mentioned. In answer to the question in the Zechariah incident, “What are these?” the answer is given to Zechariah: “This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Of Hosts’ ” (Zech. 4:6).
It is evident that a similar meaning is intended in the Book of Revelation. Together, the olive trees and lampstands symbolize the light of spiritual revival. The preaching of the two witnesses will spark a revival, just as the preaching of Joshua and Zerubbabel did in Israel after the Babylonian captivity. The center of the ministry of the two witnesses will be the city of Jerusalem, whereas that of the 144,000 Jews will be worldwide.
There has been a great deal of speculation concerning the identity of these two witnesses. Malachi is explicit in predicting Elijah’s future appearance upon the earth (Mal. 4:5). For this reason, most Bible scholars believe they are either Elijah and Enoch, or Elijah and Moses. Those who claim the two witnesses will be Enoch and Elijah base it on the fact that these two men were translated to heaven without having tasted death and therefore must return to die in the Tribulation because it is written in Hebrews 9:27, “It is appointed for men to die once.”
This is a general principle but not an absolute rule. How about those people who died and were resurrected in the Old and New Testaments? They actually died twice. How about those Christians who will be raptured and never die? Expecting Enoch and Elijah to return to die is to forget that both men, in their translation to heaven, put on immortal bodies and can never die.
Since Enoch’s earthly ministry predated the establishment of the Jewish race, he is considered by some as God’s first prophet to the Gentiles. Elijah, on the other hand, was God’s prophet to Israel. Thus, since God’s witness during the Tribulation is to be to both groups, this is another reason many believe the two witnesses to be Elijah and Enoch.
Those who wish to make them Elijah and Moses, fall back on the fact that these were the two who appeared with Christ at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:3), Moses representing the Law and Elijah representing the prophets.
The extraordinary power of the two witnesses is set forth in terms reminiscent of Elijah and Moses. The destroying fire recalls 2 Kings 1:10; the ability to prevent rain, 1 Kings 17:1; the turning of water to blood, Exodus 7:20; and the smiting of the earth with plagues as in the days of the exodus from Egypt, Exodus 7-12. Fire proceeding from the mouth of the witnesses, a fiery word that consumes the guilty (Jer 5:14), parallels the “sharp, double-edged sword” that proceeded from the mouth of Jesus in Revelation 1:16 as an apocalyptic symbol of judgment.
The fact that the miracles performed by the two witnesses are similar to those of Moses and Elijah is hardly sufficient evidence, for God can use others, living at that time, “in the spirit and power” of Moses and Elijah, to perform these same miracles. Taking all the facts furnished, it is evident that these two witnesses have a combination of the greatest powers ever given prophets on earth, and this accounts for their ability to withstand their enemies for the entire period of 1,260 days.
Verses 7-10 – There are two differing views on the identity of “the beast that ascends out of the bottomless pit.” One thought is that the ascension from the abyss refers to the resurrection of the Antichrist from the dead by Satan (13:3) and therefore it is the Antichrist who will be permitted to overcome and kill the two witnesses.
As in the case of many other great prophets of God, when their ministry is finished, God permits their enemies to overcome them. People from every nation, Jew and Gentile alike, will gloat over the bodies of the witnesses and celebrate the victory over them by exchanging gifts with one another. The two witnesses will be silenced but the Word of God makes it clear that it is often possible to silence a witness to the truth by death, but such action does not destroy the truth that has been announced. The truth and the power of God will be ultimately revealed.
The term “great city” is the holy city of Jerusalem (11:2). It is called Sodom and Egypt because the moral and spiritual conditions that existed in Sodom before its destruction, and the idolatrous iniquities that abounded in Egypt before God judged the land, are found inundating Jerusalem during this period of time.
Verses 11-14 – Because refusing to bury one’s enemies in the ancient world was a way to dishonor and show utter contempt for them, the bodies of the two witnesses will lie in the street. The merrymaking of those who rejoice in the death of the two witnesses is cut short after three and one-half days by the witnesses’ restoration to life. As they stand on their feet, before the startled gaze of those who watch, great fear falls upon those who see them. Their amazement increases as they hear a voice from heaven saying to the witnesses, “Come up here.”
As they watch, the two witnesses ascend up into heaven. The victory of the beast is temporary; the victory of God through His servants and saints is eternal. John wants us to see that though we may give our lives for our faith, we will be raised again by God and taken up to heaven to be with Him.
As in other instances in Revelation, a great earthquake symbolizes the judgment of God. Here it kills seven thousand people. The earthquake is God’s further sign of the vindication of His servants but unlike the earthquake under the sixth seal, this one appears to produce repentance. Even in the midst of judgment, God is active in the world to save those who repent.
With the passing of the last three visions – the two hundred million mounted soldiers or demons, the angel and the little scroll, and the two witnesses – the second “woe” ends. John is told that the third “woe” will arrive soon.
Verse 15 – When the seventh trumpet sounds, John hears great voices in heaven announcing that the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of Christ and that henceforth, He shall reign forever and ever. Then is heard a great symphony of voices chanting the triumph of Christ.
“The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ.” The King James Version erroneously introduces these kingdoms in the plural, whereas the American Standard and other recent translations translate it correctly as singular, for John has in view the one-world kingdom of the Antichrist at the time of the glorious appearing of Christ (Rev. 19:1).
The question that remains, however, is how can the kingdoms of the world become at this point the kingdoms of Christ, when, as a matter of fact, the seven bowls are still to be poured out? The answer seems to be that just as the seven trumpets are contained in the seventh seal, so the seven bowls are contained in the seventh trumpet. The process of earthly power is therefore already underway, and although some additional events have to transpire before all is realized, the end is so near now that the announcement can be made.
A further problem is presented in the fact that Christ is declared to reign “forever and ever.” The millennial reign, while it extends for only one thousand years, will blend into the eternal kingdom (chapters 20-22). Never again will the earth be under the control of man. The announcement of the reign of the King occurs here, but the final breaking of the enemies’ hold over the world does not occur till the return of Christ (19:11).
Verses 16-19 – The twenty-four elders fall down to worship God giving thanks because He has manifested His power and assumed authority over the earth. Verses 17 through 18 lay out an ordered progression of events which will be observed later in this book; God has begun His eternal rule, the millennial kingdom (20:4-6); the nations were angry rising in rebellion (20:8-9); God’s wrath manifested itself in judgment (20:9); the dead were judged (20:11-15); the saints rewarded in the city whose builder and maker is God, home of the heroes of the faith who confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (21), and the sinners destroyed in the Lake of Fire (20:15; 21:8).
The temple in heaven is opened to reveal the Ark of the Covenant. The manifestation of the ark to men at this point implies that God has not forsaken the covenant that He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. As the end of the Tribulation draws to a close, God will let us see the fulfillment of every word He has ever promised. Lightning, earthquakes, and hail, etc., testify that the consummation has arrived.
It should not come as a surprise that so much space is given in the book of Revelation to the nation Israel. She dominates the pages of the Old Testament because she is God’s nation of destiny. That God is not through with Israel is seen in the prophetic “time of Jacob’s trouble” outlined in Chapter 13 and described in Daniel 9:24-27. The “seventieth week of Daniel” or Tribulation Period is covered in Revelation 6-18. It would naturally include an extensive prediction of Israel’s part in that time that will “try the whole earth.”
XVIII. REVELATION CHAPTER TWELVE
Introduction
Since the seven trumpets followed the seven seals, it is a natural expectation that the seven bowls will immediately be poured out, but instead a lengthy parenthesis intervenes. In this chapter are three main figures: the woman, the child, and the dragon. There are also three scenes: the birth of the child (vv. 1-6), the expulsion of the dragon (vv. 7-12), and the dragon’s attack on the woman and her children (vv. 13-17). Chapter 12 picks up and develops the theme of the persecution of God’s people under the symbolism of the dragon who wages war on the woman and her children.
Verse 1 – This portion of Scripture opens with another vision that John is privileged to see. This time John sees a great sign in heaven of “ a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars.” The woman is referred to as “a great sign in heaven” (Rev. 12:1). The word “sign,” literally translated from the Greek word semeion indicates that the woman is not to be taken literally as a woman but as a symbolic representation of something.
In total, the Book of Revelation pictures four different women: (1) Jezebel (2:20) representing false religion; (2) the harlot (17:1) representing the apostate church of the future; (3) the Lamb’s wife (19:7) representing the true, blood-bought church of Christ; (4) the woman of this passage (12:1) to be identified shortly.
Many explanations have been offered for the identity of this woman. Mary Eddy Baker presented herself as this woman, claimed her offspring as the Christian Science Movement, and referred to the dragon as “mortal mind” endeavoring to destroy her new religion! Many have interpreted this woman as the Virgin Mary, but that interpretation fails when we are told in verses 13 through 17 that the woman is persecuted during the last half of the Tribulation.
Generally, the Apostle John uses the word “sign” to refer to something miraculous that points to a deeper spiritual significance. The sun, moon, and twelve stars of verse 1 are all common Old Testament figures relating to Israel. The Old Testament background for this sign is Joseph’s dream in Genesis 37:9-10. From this passage, John’s vision can be easily interpreted. The sun represents Jacob who was renamed “Israel” and both these names are often used to represent the nation. The moon represents Rachel, who in turn became representative of Jewish women, especially Jewish motherhood (Matt. 2:18). The twelve stars represent the twelve sons of Jacob who in turn fathered the twelve tribes of Israel. Clearly then, the woman arrayed with the sun, moon, and stars is representative of the nation of Israel.
Verse 2 – The woman as the nation of Israel is seen travailing in birth awaiting delivery of her child. The emphasis on her pain and suffering, both physically and spiritually, may not entirely refer to the actual birth of Christ, but may denote the travail of the community from which the Messiah has arisen. The emphasis on her labor and pain can also, in a sense, signify the suffering of the faithful messianic community as a prelude to the coming of the Messiah and the new age.
Verse 3 – The second sign appearing in heaven is described as a great dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns (diadems) upon his heads. From the similar description given in 13:1 and 17:3, and the parallel reference in Daniel 7:7-8, 24, it is clear that the revived Roman Empire, over which the Antichrist will rule during the Great Tribulation, is in view here. The “dragon” is clearly identified in verse 9 with the ancient serpent called the devil or Satan. The seven heads and ten horns represent the final form of the fourth Gentile world empire, now shown to be under Satan’s control and authority.
Verse 4 – The demonic host is enumerated as comprising one-third of the stars meaning one-third of all the angels that God created. Only from this verse is it possible to learn how many of the angels fell with Satan in the original revolt (Ezek. 28:16). The bringing down of the entire demonic host was evident throughout the life of Christ. There is a tremendous amount of demonic activity in the Gospels in contrast to the minimal demonic activity found in the Old Testament. Following the Gospels, there is a decrease of demonic activity as seen in the Book of Acts.
From Abraham to the days of Mary, the nation of Israel was preparing to bring forth a man-child that would bless the entire world. The attempt to destroy the child as soon as it was born was the slaughter of the babes in Bethlehem (Matt. 2:16-18). Throughout the course of our Lord’s earthly ministry, Satan continued his efforts to destroy the Messiah both before His proper time – Passover (Luke 4:28-30) and by the wrong means, stoning instead of crucifixion (John 8:59). Actually, Satan has been working against Christ from the days of Adam.
From the announcement in Genesis 3:15 of a coming Redeemer, Satan has been very active in attempting to thwart God’s plan of redemption for mankind. He began by having his seed Cain (1 John 3:12) murder his brother Abel, the seed of the woman Eve. With the death of Abel, the godly line, from which the Redeemer would come, proceeded through Abel’s brother Seth (Gen. 5:3).
It wasn’t long before the Devil tried to corrupt the godly line of Seth (thereby preventing the coming of the Redeemer) by having his wicked angels intermarry with the daughters of men (Gen. 6:2). Before the godly line could be completely corrupted, the Lord brought on the great flood and only the righteous Noah and his family survived (Gen. 9:1). Many years later, when the children of Israel were in Egyptian bondage, Satan, through Pharaoh, unsuccessfully tried again to prevent the Redeemer from coming by having all the Jewish male children killed (Exod. 1:16).
Centuries later, after the taking of the children of Israel to Babylon captivity, and subsequently Persian captivity, a man by the name of Haman tried to have the king destroy all the Jews in his empire (Esth. 3:8-9). Clearly this was another attempt by Satan to destroy the Jewish people from whom the promised Redeemer, Abraham’s seed, would come (Gen. 12:3; Gal. 3:16).
Satan could not prevent the birth of the redeemer, our Lord Jesus Christ. However, once again he worked through King Herod, to have all the newborn babes destroyed and in that manner, kill the Christ child. Once again he was unsuccessful in ruining the redemptive plan of God, so as a last resort he tried, unsuccessfully, to prevent Jesus from going to the cross by tempting Him with the offer of all the kingdoms of the world (Matt. 4:8-9).
During World War 2, Hitler, the 20th century Haman, tried to destroy all the Jews in the holocaust, causing the death of six million Jews. Satan’s final attempt to thwart the plan of God will come during the last half of the Tribulation, when through the Antichrist, Satan will try to destroy all the Jews once again.
Why would Satan want to destroy the Jews after the birth of Christ? The answer to that question is found in Matthew 23:39, where Jesus stated that they (the Jews) would not see Him again unless they cried out for Him to come. Therefore, Satan knows that in destroying all the Jews, there would be no one to cry out, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” and the Messiah would not come to the earth to cast him into a fiery hell. Such has been, and will continue to be Satan’s evil handiwork in an attempt to keep God’s plan of redemption from its ultimate fruition.
Verse 5 – The woman identified as Israel in verses 1 and 2 is said in verse 5 to bring forth a man-child who is destined to rule all nations, but for the time being is caught up to God to the throne. He is described as destined to rule all nations with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9; Rev. 19:15). The “catching up” of the man-child is a reference to the ascension of Christ.
Verse 6 – The mother of the child, again represented as Israel, is seen in the time of the Great Tribulation as fleeing into the wilderness to a place prepared of God where for 1,260 days (3 ½ years) she is cared for. This is a reference to the preservation of a portion of the nation Israel through the Great Tribulation to await the second coming of Christ. God took care of them for forty years as they wandered through the wilderness, and now He again proves His love for His ancient people by delivering them. Yes, they shall be saved out of it (Jer. 30:7; Dan. 12:1).
Some have suggested that this wilderness refuge will be the presently deserted city of Petra in southern Palestine, located in a basin with Mount Seir, totally surrounded by mountains and cliffs. The only way in and out of the city is through a narrow passageway that extends for a mile and can only be negotiated by foot or on horseback. Only two or three abreast can enter through this passage at any time giving the city even greater defensibility.
Daniel 11:40-45 states that while the Antichrist will conquer the whole world, three nations will escape his domination: Edom, Moab, and Ammon. All three of these ancient nations currently comprise the single modern state of Jordan. Other passages suggesting Bozrah (Hebrew - “fortified place”), modern Buseirah, as the place of refuge are Isaiah 34:1-6 and Isaiah 63:1-4.
Verses 7-9 – Though the conflict of the end of the age is primarily on earth, attention is directed in this section to the war that will be waged in heaven. The tumultuous events on earth during the Tribulation find their counterpart in heaven. A state of war has existed since the fall of Satan. Satan and his demons were cast out of heaven at the time of their original rebellion. Some commentators view these three verses (11:7-9), as a completion of the account of the original expulsion of Satan, with no future implications. However, there is biblical evidence of demonic forces in heavenly places both in Daniel 10:12-14 and Ephesians 6:11-12.
Ephesians 6:11-12 – “We do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
Michael the archangel is mentioned five times in the Word of God (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7). Every time Michael appears, he is connected with the children of Israel making it very plausible that he is at war with Satan in verse 7 in defense of the Jewish people as prophesied by Daniel.
Daniel 12:1 – “At that time Michael shall stand up, the great prince who stands watch over the sons of your people, and there shall be a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation, even to that time. And at that time your people shall be delivered, every one who is found written in the book.”
Michael “standing up” (Dan. 12:1) marks the beginning of the Great Tribulation. It is undoubtedly the same event as in Revelation 12. Michael and his angels (holy angels) will fight against the dragon and the wicked angels associated with him, defeat them, and cast them down to the earth.
Satan and his demons’ access to heaven will then be denied, and they will be forever barred from heaven. An enraged Satan being cast to earth explains the severity of the persecution during the Great Tribulation period.
The description of Satan in verse 9 is quite significant as all of his important titles are given. He is described as “the great dragon,” a term that also applies to the empire which he, dominates in the end time. He is referred to as “that old serpent,” a reference to the Garden of Eden and his temptation of Eve. The title “devil” is from the Greek “diabolos” meaning defamer, or slanderer. He is the master accuser of the brethren. The name “Satan” from the Hebrew has the meaning of adversary.
Verses 10-12 – As John beholds Satan and his angels being cast from heaven, he hears a loud voice described as saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ has come.” The loud voice, although not identified, may very well be the shout of the Tribulation martyrs longing for and anticipating the ultimate victory and triumph over Satan. The salvation mentioned as impending refers to salvation in the sense of the completion of the divine redemption program.
Satan has been cast down in defeat but another defeat awaits him. The saints will also defeat him by the blood of the Lamb and the Word to which they bear witness. In faithfulness to Christ, they will seal their testimony with their blood. They will follow the instruction given to the church at Smyrna (2:10) of being faithful unto death, as well as the example of the Savior who laid down his life for the sheep. It is the blood of Christ that is the basis of every victory achieved by the people of God.
The awfulness of the hour ahead is attributed to the fact that the devil knows his hour of confinement is near. Though many of the judgments of God inflicted on the earth during the Great Tribulation originate in divine power rather than satanic influence, the afflictions of the inhabitants of the earth spring largely from the activities of Satan, resulting in the martyrdom of countless saints and in widespread human suffering of every kind.
Grant Osborne writes, “While believers are characterized by good works in their time on earth, Satan wants to do as many evil works as he can in his short time left. His judgment is both inevitable and imminent, so the world must brace itself for the outpouring of evil from Satan and his demonic hordes. Why does Satan hate his own followers, the earth-dwellers? Unbelievers are still made in the image of God, and they are still the objects of God’s love (John 3:16). So they are the objects of Satan’s wrath.”
Verses 13-17 – No longer able to attack the male child who is in heaven or to accuse the saints because of the victory of Jesus on the cross, the devil now pursues the woman, who flees into the desert. This apparently is the beginning of the Great Tribulation of which Christ warned Israel in Matthew 24:15-22. Israel is hated by Satan not because of any of its own characteristics but because she is the chosen of God (Zech. 2:8) and essential to the overall purposes of God (Zech. 8:23).
“Wings of an eagle” – The faithful Jewish remnant is given two wings of a great eagle enabling it to escape quickly to its wilderness hideout. The two wings are not actual bird’s wings, but a graphic depiction of God’s providential protection of Israel. Wings often speak of protection. Just as God delivered His people from Egypt and protected them in the wilderness, so He will again deliver His people and protect them in the wilderness.
Every symbol in Revelation is explained either elsewhere in Revelation itself or somewhere else in the Bible. The figure of flight in connection with the wings of the eagle is to be interpreted in its usage elsewhere. The same figure is found in Exodus 19:4 in connection with the exodus from Egypt. It describes a successful flight or escape after being pursued. The closest parallel is Isaiah 40:31, where Israel is told that the faithful “will soar on wings like eagles,” that is, they will rise above their earthly trials through the new strength that God supplies.
In the persecution of Israel, the serpent is described in verse 15 as casting water as a flood out of his mouth that the woman might be carried away. Verse 16 reveals that the earth helps the woman by swallowing the flood. Some prefer to take it literally as a flood of water let loose to sweep Israel down some valley, and the earth would either naturally or supernaturally be enabled to swallow the water to prevent it from overtaking the Israelites.
It is more plausible that this passage should be understood in a symbolic way. Whenever the figure of a flood is used symbolically, it is always a symbol of a military invasion. A good example is Daniel 9:26, where the Roman invasion and devastation of Jerusalem fulfilled in A.D. 70 is prophesied or described in terms of a flood. In Numbers 16:32, the “earth opened its mouth and swallowed” the sons of Korah in divine judgment for their rebellion.
Verse 17 states that the dragon is especially angry with those within the nation of Israel who “keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” While the program of Satan is against the Jewish race as such, anti-Semitism as a whole will reach its peak against Jewish believers during this period.
This invasion of Israel in the latter days is described in Daniel 11:41 as, “He shall also enter into the glorious land.” This is a reference to the invasion by which the Antichrist will succeed in taking both Jerusalem and the temple and will commit the “abomination of desolation.” But this invasion will fail (v. 16) in its attempt to destroy the Jews, because Israel will succeed in fleeing into the wilderness after being pursued by the invading army.
The nation of Israel is a “special treasure” unto the Lord. How long will Israel exist as a nation? The answer is given in Jeremiah 31:35-36: “Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for a light by day, the ordinances of the moon and the stars for a light by night, who disturbs the sea, and His waves roar (The LORD of hosts is His name.) If these ordinances depart from before Me, says the LORD, then the seed of Israel shall cease from being a nation before Me forever.”
Summary
Before we enter into Revelation chapter 13, and are introduced to two principal human actors: the beast out of the sea and the beast out of the earth, we need to look at the Book of Daniel. The Book of Daniel is important historically and prophetically. Daniel outlines the history of the times of the Gentiles and describes past and future empires that occupy Palestine and rule over Israel until the Messiah returns. The prophecies in this book concerning God’s program for the Gentiles, for the land of Palestine, and for the people of Israel, lay the foundation for His eschatological program. Daniel, then, provides the key to the overall interpretation of biblical prophecy.
XIX. THE BOOK OF DANIEL
A. Introduction
The themes introduced in the Book of Daniel come to their ultimate consummation in the Book of Revelation. To understand fully the culmination of God’s program revealed to the Apostle John in Revelation, it is necessary to understand the inception of His program revealed to Daniel. In many respects, the Book of Daniel is the most comprehensive prophetic revelation of the Old Testament, giving the only total view of world history and prophecy with that which concerns Israel. Daniel, then, provides the key to the overall interpretation of biblical prophecy. A brief overview of specific chapters of the Book of Daniel (2, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12) will now be presented as a means of obtaining a keener insight into the Book of Revelation.
B. Historical Background
The Old Babylonian period extended from 1894 to 1595 B.C. During this period, Babylon became the capital city of the empire. Under Hammurabi (1728-1686 B.C.), the sixth king of the first dynasty of Babylon, the city was at the height of its power.
The Neo-Babylonian Empire began in 626 B.C., under the leadership of Nabopolassar with the liberation of Babylonia from Assyrian domination. In 612 B.C., the Babylonians joined forces with the Medes and marched on Nineveh, the capital city of Assyria. Nineveh was totally destroyed fulfilling the oracle of the Hebrew prophet Nahum concerning the judgment of “the bloody city” (Nah. 3:1).
In 609 B.C., Pharaoh Necho II led his Egyptian army northward to join the Assyrian army at the Euphrates River in an effort to halt the advance of the Babylonians. King Josiah of Judah (640-609 B.C.), seeking to incur favor with Nabopolassar, attempted to cut off the Egyptian army at Megiddo. Josiah’s army was routed and the last godly king of Judah was killed (2 Kgs. 23:29). With the death of Josiah, the officials in Judah appointed Josiah’s son Shallum as king.
Judah was now under control of Pharaoh Necho and after three months of rule by Shallum (renamed Jehoahaz by Necho), the Egyptian king removed Shallum and appointed Eliakim (renamed Jehoiakim by Necho), another son of Josiah, to sit on the throne of Judah. (Sovereigns of that period customarily changed the names of their captives to manifest control over them. Later, Daniel and his three companions would have their names changed by the Babylonian king.)
In 605 B.C., Nabopolassar’s son, Nebuchadnezzar, defeated the Egyptians at Carchemish, bringing Syria and Palestine under Babylonian control (2 Kgs. 24:7; Jer. 46:2). Later that same year after the death of his father, the crown prince Nebuchadnezzar now king, attacked Jerusalem and took Daniel and his companions as hostages to Babylon to ensure that his vassal Judah remained loyal to Babylon.
This was the first of three deportations of Judahites to Babylon. Two other deportations occurred, first in 597 B.C. when the prophet Ezekiel, King Jehoiachin, and 10,000 Jews were taken, and then in 586 B.C., after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple, when the rest of the southern kingdom of Judah was taken to exile.
C. Chapter Two – Nebuchadnezzar’s Vision of the Great Image
Beginning with the second chapter of Daniel, the grand outline of the program of God for the period of Gentile supremacy and chastisement of Israel is presented for the first time. Combining chapters 2 and 7, we can say that nowhere else in Scripture is a more comprehensive picture given of world history as it stretched from the time of Daniel, 600 years before Christ, to the consummation at the second advent of Christ.
In 603 B.C., Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that disturbed him greatly. Nebuchadnezzar recognized that this dream was important. The ancient Babylonians believed that dreams were messages from the gods; thus a right understanding of the dream was critical for their future. Nebuchadnezzar fearing that the strange revelation contained an ominous message for him, called his wise men for an interpretation of the dream.
It didn’t take the king long to realize that his wise men could not shed any light on his dream. Daniel approached the king and asserted that what the wise men of Babylon could not do by consorting with their false deities, Daniel was able to do because there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. Daniel humbly affirmed that the mystery was not revealed to him because he was wiser than others. All the credit belonged to God.
At last the contents of the dream are revealed. What follows is one of the most amazing prophecies in the Bible. Daniel reported that the king had seen a great image. Its size and appearance were awesome. The head of the image was fashioned of pure gold, the chest and arms were of silver, the belly and thighs of bronze, and the legs were of iron, with its feet partly of iron and partly of clay.
The image was struck on the feet by a rock breaking the iron and clay into pieces. Not only were the feet destroyed, but also the entire image (the bronze, silver, and gold) disintegrated into powder as it fell to the earth. The powder itself was blown away by the wind, removing all traces of the colossus. Finally, the rock that had destroyed the image grew into a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
After telling the king his dream, Daniel proceeded to interpret the dream. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream here in chapter 2 covered the prophetic panorama of Gentile history from his time till the forthcoming subjugation of Gentile powers to Israel’s Messiah. This time period is called the “Times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24).
Daniel’s interpretation makes it clear that the image revealed the course of Gentile kingdoms, which in turn would rule over the land of Palestine and the people of Israel. The image’s head of gold represented Nebuchadnezzar, head of the Babylonian Empire. His father had come to power in Babylon by military conquest, but Nebuchadnezzar received his kingdom and power and strength and glory from “the God of heaven” (who sets up kings and deposes them, v. 21). (The name God of heaven is used frequently in texts of the post-exilic period (Ezra 1:2; 6:10; 7:12, 21; Neh. 1:5; 2:4) but rarely in the pre-exilic period.)
The second portion of the image, the chest and arms of silver, represented the rise of the Medes and Persians, united together in 550 B.C., who conquered the Babylonians in 539 B.C. The arms of silver evidently represented the two nations of Media and Persia that together defeated Babylon. Though that kingdom lasted over 200 years (539-331 B.C.), longer than the Neo-Babylonian Empire of 66 years (605-539 B.C.), the Medo-Persian Empire was inferior to it, as silver compared with gold.
The belly and thighs of bronze represented the third kingdom to arise. This was the Grecian Empire. In 331 B.C., Alexander the Great conquered the Medo-Persians, who had dominated for approximately 208 years, and assumed authority over its peoples and territory. By Alexander’s conquests, he extended the Greek Empire as far east as the northwestern portion of India – an extensive empire that seemingly was over the whole earth. The last portion of the third empire is the upper portion of the two legs, fulfilled in history by the eventual emergence of Syria and Egypt as the two main components of the Alexandrian period.
The two legs of iron represent the Roman Empire. The Roman Empire dominated the world from the defeat of Carthage in 146 B.C. to the division of the East and West empires, approximately 500 years. In A.D. 364, the Roman Empire was divided politically into two divisions – the Western Roman Empire with Rome as its capital and the Eastern Roman Empire (or the Byzantine empire) with Constantinople as its capital. The last Roman emperor ruled in the West until A.D. 476, when he was deposed by the Goths, and the Eastern division of the empire continued until A.D. 1453.
This fourth kingdom conquered the Greek Empire in 146 B.C., which had dominated for approximately 185 years. This empire was characterized by its strength, as iron is stronger than bronze, silver, and gold. The Roman Empire was stronger than any of the previous empires. The empire that began as iron regressed to a state of clay mixed with iron. This mixture speaks of progressive weakness and deterioration. Although Rome succeeded in conquering the territories that came under its influence, it never could unite the peoples to form a united empire.
The legs of the fourth kingdom consisted of iron, but the feet and toes were a mixture of iron and clay. This distinction in substance also indicated that the Roman Empire would experience two distinct stages of existence – an earlier and a later stage. It would appear that the final stage of the Roman Empire would consist of a confederation of several nations. These nations would combine forces for the sake of military strength, but they would not combine to the extent of losing their national identities.
The ten toes indicated that the final stage of the Roman Empire would consist of a ten-nation confederation. Indeed, Daniel 7:23-24 clearly stated that the fourth or Roman kingdom would consist eventually of ten kings or kingdoms (Rev. 17:12). Sometime beyond the present there will be a revival of the Roman Empire. The Empire that died in A.D. 476 will be brought back to life again in the form of a ten-nation confederation. Daniel says in verse 44 that God will set up His kingdom in the days of these kings (10 kings – Dan. 7:24; Rev. 17:12), at the time of the seventieth week of Daniel. The establishment of Christ’s rule at His second advent during the time of these kings is the meaning of the stone striking the image upon its feet and toes.
Two observations can be made concerning the image, going from head to feet:
(1) decrease in three areas:
(a) decrease in the worth or value of the metals, gold being the most valuable;
b) decrease in the specific gravity of the metals, gold having the highest.
c) decrease in the weight of the metals, gold being the heaviest.
(2) increase in two areas:
(a) increase in the hardness of the metals;
b) increase in the strength of the metals, iron being the strongest.
When the silver kingdom is said to be inferior to the gold kingdom in verse 39, it reflects the character of the authority or rule. History confirms that the Medo-Persian and the empire of Alexander lacked the central authority and fine organization that characterized the Babylonian Empire. The king of Babylon was an absolute monarch – he was above the law. The second empire was the Medo-Persian where the king was not above the law – once he issued a decree and sealed it with his signet ring, he himself could not rescind or change the decree.
Although the empires are said to be progressively inferior as we move from head to feet, actually the empires were stronger as they defeated the preceding empire. The Medo-Persian Empire was not inferior in size, for it controlled much more territory than Babylon. The Greek Empire was greater than the Persian and the Roman Empire was greatest of all in extent.
Daniel then focused on the overthrow of those kingdoms. The stone struck the huge image on its feet, therefore causing the entire image to disintegrate. These indicated several things. First, the coming of the Kingdom of God would take place when the last stage of Rome – the Revived Roman Empire – would be in existence. Second, the Kingdom of God would destroy the Revived Roman Empire when it would come. Third, when the Kingdom of God would destroy the last stage of the Roman Empire, it thereby would destroy all of Gentile world dominion forever.
The image was struck on the feet and became like chaff, which was blown away. Chaff was the light, inedible portion of grain stalks that was blown away in the winnowing process. As one empire defeated another, some aspect of the previous kingdom remained (7:12). But when the fifth kingdom, the Messiah’s kingdom, comes to power, nothing will remain of the previous kingdoms. The chaff being blown away represents this fact.
Nebuchadnezzar had seen a stone hit and smash the image. In Scripture, a stone or rock often refers to Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah (“The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone” (Ps. 118:22); “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (Isa. 8:14)). In Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the smiting rock became a mountain that filled the whole earth. In Scripture, a mountain is often a symbol for a kingdom. When Christ comes, He will establish the messianic kingdom promised to Israel through David. At His return, He will subjugate all kingdoms to Himself, thus bringing “the times of the Gentiles” to an end. Then He will rule forever in the Millennium and in the eternal state.
Summary
God designed the image to portray the times when the Gentiles would be the dominant power in the world and the Jews would be at the mercy of that power. In Luke 21:24, Jesus called those times “the times of the Gentiles.” The “Times of the Gentiles” began with the Babylonian captivity and will end with the second advent of Christ.
Three primary theological truths are emphasized in this chapter:
1. God is sovereign over kings and the affairs of this earth.
2. God is omniscient. He knows all things, including the future, which at times He chooses to
reveal.
3. Empires will arise until the end, but the glorious kingdom of God will surely come, and all the
wickedness of earthly regimes will cease.
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D. Chapter Seven – Daniel’s Vision of Future World History
In the interpretation of biblical prophecy, the seventh chapter of Daniel occupies a unique place. As interpreted by conservative expositors, the vision of Daniel provides the most comprehensive and detailed prophecy of future events to be found anywhere in the Old Testament. Although its interpretation has varied widely, conservative scholars generally are agreed, with few exceptions, that Daniel traces the course of four world empires, namely, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, concluding in the climax of world history in the second coming of Jesus Christ and the inauguration of the eternal kingdom of God, represented as a fifth and final kingdom which is from heaven.
On four different occasions Daniel was given revelations concerning the political future of the world. None of these visions are complete in themselves. Each omits important details found in the other. The great image of chapter 2 served well enough to show the rise and fall of world-empires and the method of establishing the kingdom of God in the world, but the image is inadequate to reveal the intricate details of the last days. Thus, the main purpose of this second vision is to add details to the general outline already revealed. In chapter 7 by the use of animals as symbols, it is possible to show many details not included in the image of Daniel 2.
Symbolism is a key element in the apocalyptic books, and these symbols sometimes have baffled readers of books like Daniel and Revelation. Usually the meaning of figures is explained in the text itself. When this is not the case, their significance is often found in other Scriptures. A valid principle for interpreting prophecy is to accept the plain sense of the text unless there is good reason to adopt some other meaning. Daniel chapters 7 through 12 contain many symbols, but most of the material is straightforward prophecy.
One fourth of the books in the Bible deal with prophecy. The prophecy in Scripture can be divided into fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecy. We will find a great deal of fulfilled prophecy in Daniel as well as unfulfilled prophecy. The multimetallic image of chapter 2, the four beasts of chapter 7, and the seventy weeks of Daniel in chapter 9 form the backbone of biblical prophecy. The main subject of prophecy is the Lord Jesus Christ. Other prophetic topics in Daniel include Israel, the Gentile nations, the Man of Sin, the Great Tribulation, and the Millennial Kingdom.
In the opening verse of chapter 7, Daniel speaks of his experience as a dream and a vision, apparently indicating that he had a vision in a dream. He had been the interpreter of two dreams by Nebuchadnezzar (chaps. 2; 4). Then Daniel became the recipient of four dreams or visions (chaps. 7; 8; 9:20-27; 10:1–12:5). The vision recorded by the prophet Daniel in this chapter was revealed to him in the first year of the reign of Belshazzar (553 B.C.).
In this chapter, Daniel has a vision of four great beasts coming up from the sea. Throughout the Old Testament, the Mediterranean Sea is referred to as the Great Sea. This vision then related specifically to the Mediterranean world. The sea usually typifies the Gentile nations. Quite often the peoples of the earth are portrayed as a great sea of humanity in a constant state of unrest, chaos, and turmoil – an apt description of today’s world.
These four beasts represent four kingdoms, which are the same kingdoms or empires represented by the image’s four parts in chapter 2. Daniel chapter 7 merely provides more detailed information concerning them. Only four verses are given to the four empires of the past. All the rest of the chapter of twenty-eight verses is devoted to the man we call Antichrist and the final scenes of this age in which he figures.
The first beast was like a lion, an animal symbolizing power and strength. The first beast, a lion, corresponds to the gold of the image of Daniel 2, and is a symbol of the Babylonian Empire. This lion had eagle wings, which speak of swiftness of conquest. Interestingly, the lion and eagle were both symbols of Babylon (Jer. 4:7, 13; Ezek. 17:3). Winged lions guarded the gates of the royal palaces of the Babylonians. Statues of winged lions, which are believed to have been representative of the empire, have been found in the ruins of Babylon, and lions adorned the famous Ishtar Gate.
The second beast was like a bear, an animal of formidable strength. The second beast corresponds to the silver of the image of Daniel chapter 2, and is a symbol of the Medo-Persian Empire. The Medo-Persian army was strong and fierce (Isa. 13:15-18). The bear had one side higher than the other. This suggests that though Persia rose later than Media, Persia soon overshadowed the Medes in their united kingdom.
The bear was told to devour flesh. This command suggests that kingdoms operate by divine appointment, not their own authority. The bear “had three ribs in its mouth.” Since the beasts represent nations or empires, devouring other beasts would symbolize triumph over them. These ribs are generally interpreted to represent Medo-Persia’s three major conquests – Babylon (539 B.C.), Lydia (546 B.C.), and Egypt (525 B.C.). In devouring other kingdoms and extending its territory into a vast empire, the bear was fulfilling God’s purpose.
The third beast Daniel saw was like a leopard, an animal noted for its swiftness (Hab. 1:8), cunning, and agility (Jer. 5:6; Hos. 13:7). This beast corresponds to the bronze of the image of Daniel chapter 2, and is a symbol of the Greek Empire. This beast had four wings like a bird, stressing a swiftness beyond its natural capacity. Additional features of this beast is that it had four heads and authority to rule was given it. The kingdom that conquered Medo-Persia was Greece, which did so with great speed, conquering the entire empire between 334 and 330 B.C.
Twenty-two years after Alexander died, his kingdom was divided into four parts (Dan. 8:8, 22), represented here by the four heads of the beast. Cassander took Macedonia; Lysimachus took Asia Minor; Seleucus took Syria, and Ptolemy took Egypt. Scripture does not give us a historical record of the Graeco-Macedonian kingdom. It falls chronologically between the Old and New Testaments – in the period known as the Intertestamental Period.
Daniel now described a fourth beast. Instead of likening it to some known animal, Daniel simply called it a beast. This fourth beast, a non-descript beast, corresponds to the iron of the image of Daniel chapter 2, and is a symbol of the Roman Empire. It was different from the three previous beasts but had some of their bestial characteristics, parts of a lion, bear, and leopard (see the beast in Rev. 13:2).
It is described as dreadful and terrible, exceedingly strong, with huge iron teeth. Its iron teeth identify it with the legs of iron of the image vision – which is the Roman Empire. More attention is given to the fourth beast than to all of the other three put together. A significant feature of this fourth beast was that it had 10 horns.
What do the “ten horns” on the head of the beast represent? “Horns,” like heads, commonly symbolize kings or kingdoms in Scripture (Rev. 13:1), and the “horns” in this verse are specifically identified as “kings” (or “kingdoms”) in v. 24. Since the horns protrude from the fourth beast, these kings or kingdoms must have a connection with that empire. As Daniel focused his attention on the horns, he saw another horn begin to emerge among the ten horns. This little horn had an insignificant beginning but in its growth it was able to uproot three of the existing horns.
The uprooting of three horns symbolizes that three kings or kingdoms (nations) will be conquered by the new ruler. Being “uprooted” denotes a violent overthrow and does not imply that an individual will merely succeed a previous king (or kings) to the throne. By force this king (the little horn) will subjugate other kings (and their kingdoms) who resist his quest to rule over them (or to incorporate them into his empire). When they capitulate, the empire symbolized by the ten horns comes under the aggressive king’s full control (7:24).
This little horn was noted for its intelligence (it had the eyes of a man; v. 8) and its blasphemous claims (it had a mouth that spoke boastfully; vv. 11, 20, 25). Coming “after them” signifies that the empire will already have been formed by the first ten kings when Antichrist rises to his position of dominance over them.
There is a reference to the horn’s “eyes.” Eyes in Scripture are symbolic of intelligence, insight, and wisdom. Revelation 4:6 speaks of living creatures around the throne of God full of eyes in front and in back. When the word “eyes” is used in reference to God, it speaks of His omniscience, an all-seeing and all-knowing God.
The Roman Empire was different from the other empires in many respects. It bore somewhat the nature of a republic. There was a senate, and there was the possibility of being a citizen rather than a subject. The empire was not the creation of one man as were the others; it had no successor and will have no successor until it succeeds itself.
By contrast to the other empires, the Roman Empire was ruthless in its destruction of civilizations and peoples, killing captives by the thousands and selling them into slavery by the hundreds of thousands. Rome had no interest in raising the conquered nations to any high level of development. All her designs were imperial; let the nations be crushed and stamped underfoot.
The vision of this fourth beast is made even more important to us because it is yet unfulfilled. Apparently we are living in some period toward the end of time. The visions of the three beasts have already been literally fulfilled, which means that three-fourths of this prophecy has already been literally fulfilled; there remains for the future only the time of the “horns.” The fourth kingdom of Rome has already appeared. Although it fell apart, it will comeback together in ten kingdoms. It will be put together by the one who has been labeled “the Antichrist.”
As Daniel kept looking intently upon the vision that was before him, the scene shifted once again to earth. As the prophet listened to the great words uttered by the little horn of verse 8, he saw the beast destroyed and given to burning flame. This passage is an obvious parallel to Revelation 19:20 where the beast and the false prophet are cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone at the time of the second coming of Christ.
In this portion (vv. 9-12) of the vision, the scene shifts to heaven, and the throne of God is revealed. An innumerable angelic host stands in the presence of God ready to do His bidding. The phrase “ten thousand times ten thousand” was the square of the highest number for which ancient people had a word.”
God’s throne was “flaming with fire” and “its wheels were all ablaze.” “Fire” is commonly a symbol of judgment. This is the same scene described in chapters 4 and 5 of the Book of Revelation. It is the preparation for the judgment of the great Tribulation when the wrath of God will be poured out upon the wicked.
“Wheels” on a throne may at first seem strange, but the image of God sitting on a chariot-throne with wheels is set forth in other passages, particularly Ezekiel 1 and 10, where the chariot-throne is more fully described. It was common in the ancient Near East for thrones of kings and gods to have wheels.
When Daniel saw God the Judge take His seat, the court (7:26) was convened, and the books were opened. In Scripture “the books” are symbolic of God’s memory of the deeds, words, and thoughts of every person who has ever lived. A frightening scene is set forth here.
Someday “the books” will be opened, and each individual will be judged according to what is written in them. Of course, one’s eternal destiny will be determined by whether one’s name is written in “the book of life.” After this is established, the reward of the believer or the degree of punishment for the lost will be fixed by what is inscribed in the record books. (Rev. 14:13 – “our works follow us!”)
As Daniel was watching the little horn because of its boasting, he saw that the fourth beast was slain and consigned to blazing fire (v. 11). This event will terminate “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24). The kingdoms represented by the three preceding beasts had already been stripped of their power by military conquest. But the fourth beast will be relieved of its power not by being conquered militarily, but by divine judgment (Dan. 9:27; Rev. 11:15; 19:15).
The other beasts, namely, the first three empires, had their authority taken away but were allowed to continue “for a season and a time.” How could these beasts lose their authority and still exist? The explanation is that their dominance ceased, but they continued to live because they were absorbed into the next empire. In chapter 2, the continued existence of the defeated kingdoms is paralleled in that the statue did not collapse until its lowest part, the iron and clay feet and toes (representing the final phase of the last empire), was struck by the stone.
In the third major portion of this vision Daniel saw the Son of Man approaching the Ancient of Days. Jesus Christ, taking the title “Son of man” from this prophecy, frequently used it to refer to Himself, as recorded in the Gospels (Mark 10:45; John 1:51).
When the Son of Man was brought into the presence of the Ancient of Days, all the authority, glory, and sovereign power over all peoples, nations, and men of every language was conferred on Him. This is in keeping with the Father’s promise in Psalm 2:6-9, and will be fulfilled at Christ’s Second Advent (Rev. 11:15).
The most compelling evidence for the messianic identification of the Son of man is furnished by Christ Himself. In Mark 14:61-62, He identified Himself as that “Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.” There is no other passage in the Old Testament to which Christ could have been referring. Furthermore, when Christ made the claim, the high priest said, “You have heard the blasphemy” (Mark 14:64), demonstrating that Jesus was understood to ascribe deity to Himself. The use of this title by Jesus Christ is one of the strongest evidences that He attributed deity to Himself.
The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy (Rev. 19:10). The Lord Jesus Christ is the subject of the entire Bible. Here in the book of Daniel:
He is the Stone that smashes the metallic image in chapter 2.
He is One like the Son of Man who receives the kingdom in chapter 7.
He is Messiah the Prince in chapter 9.
“An everlasting dominion” seems to contradict the idea of a millennial Kingdom of one thousand years. However, at the end of the thousand years, which is a test period with Christ ruling, there will be a brief moment of rebellion against Him when Satan is released for a brief season. After Christ “puts an end to all rule and all authority and power” (1 Cor. 15:24), He will surrender the kingdom to God the Father, after which Christ will be appointed as Ruler over God’s eternal kingdom forever.
In summary, several facts about this little horn were revealed to Daniel:
(1) It came after the ten horns were in existence and then was contemporaneous with them.
(2) It represents a person. In 7:24, he is said to be a king.
(3) It uprooted 3 of the 10 horns (kings).
(4) It was intelligent (it had the eyes of a man).
(5) It was arrogant and boastful.
(6) He will persecute the saints of the Most High. As in verse 18, the saints refer to the nation
Israel. His persecution of Israel will take place during the Great Tribulation.
(7) He will overcome the nation Israel and will bring that nation under his authority.
(8) He will be judged by God, and Israel, no longer under the rule of the little horn, will enter
into her covenanted blessings in the kingdom.
He will also attempt to “change times and laws,” that is, to change times of religious observances and religious traditions such as characterize those who worship God. Critics relate this to Antiochus Epiphanes, the “little horn” of Daniel 8. While Antiochus will foreshadow the activities of the little horn of Daniel 7, the complete fulfillment will be much more severe and extensive.
Though historically, the sphere of the fourth beast, though greater than the extent of each of the previous three kingdoms, was limited, the sphere of this coming ruler in the fourth kingdom will be worldwide. Daniel was told that this empire would devour the whole earth (v. 23). And it will be a ferocious conquest, in which that kingdom will trample and crush those who oppose it. This anticipates a coming one-world government under a worldwide dictator.
One cannot escape the parallels between the truths revealed to Daniel on this occasion and what was revealed to Nebuchadnezzar early in his reign. Both cover the span of the times of the Gentiles. Both dreams indicate that Israel and her land will be ruled over by four successive world empires.
The sovereignty of God continues to be emphasized in this chapter, for example:
1) The bear was told to arise and devour much flesh (v. 5).
God determines who rules and to what extent.
2) The third beast had four heads and dominion was given to it (v. 6).
God appoints authorities at an ordained time for an ordained purpose.
3) The saints will be given into the hands of the Antichrist (v. 25).
God is to be trusted in the saints’ darkest hours. He has neither forgotten them nor forsaken them. He is in control.
Thus ends one of the great chapters of the Bible which conservative scholarship recognizes as a panoramic view of future events revealed to Daniel in the sixth century B.C. In a modern world, when attention is again being riveted upon the Middle East, and Israel is once again back in the land, these items become of more than academic interest, because they are the key to the present movement of history in anticipation of that which lies ahead.
Summary
If these visions relate to the future, what significance could they have had for the people of Daniel’s day? Were they relevant to those who first heard them? God’s messages through his prophet were of the utmost value to Daniel and his people, for through them God assured the Jews that the nation of Israel would endure. This issue was uppermost in the mind of every religious Israelite. After Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, the Jews were taken into captivity, and the nation of Israel ceased to exist. Even when the small group under Zerubbabel returned to Judah, the future of the nation was uncertain.
But God made clear to the Jewish people through the prophet Daniel that Israel would continue to have a place in history, that their promised Messiah would come and deliver them from spiritual and national bondage, and that the Messiah would set up his kingdom and reign over the nations with Israel raised to a place of prominence. Moreover, just as believers today are unaware of the exact time of the coming of the Lord, so Old Testament saints did not know when Daniel’s prophecies would be fulfilled. Eschatological promises of a better world have always encouraged believers in the here and now.
E. Chapter Eight – Daniel’s Vision of the Ram and the Goat
Because the revelation in chapters 8 through 12 concerns Israel during the times of the Gentiles, here in chapter 8, Daniel returns to the use of the Hebrew language. In the third year of Belshazzar’s reign (551 B.C.), Daniel had his second vision and once more, animals are used to symbolize empires. Daniel saw himself in Shushan by the River Ulai. Shushan was a capital city of the ancient kingdom of Elam, and was located in what is today western Iran. (In Shushan, Esther would become King Ahasuerus’ queen (478 B.C.) and Nehemiah would become King Artaxerxes’ cupbearer (445 B.C.).)
In Daniel’s previous vision, Daniel saw a bear raised up on one side (Dan. 7:5) that represented the Medo-Persian Empire. In this chapter, a ram with two horns, according to verse 20, represents the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. One horn was higher than the other (recalling the bear raised up on one side), which symbolizes the more dominant Persians who under Cyrus gained control of Media in 550 B.C.
The ram came from the east pushing westward, northward, and southward – no animal (kingdom) could withstand him. Cyrus conquered to the west, north, and south and met little opposition. Three of the kingdoms that could not withstand the Medo-Persian onslaught were Lydia, Babylonia, and Egypt, represented as ribs between the bear’s teeth in Daniel 7:5. The vanquished kingdoms could not withstand Cyrus because the Persian king was fulfilling a divine mandate:
“Thus says the LORD to His anointed, ‘To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held – to subdue nations before him and loose the armor of kings, to open before him the double doors, so that the gates will not be shut’ ” (Isa. 45:1).
As Daniel was contemplating the ram and its movement, suddenly a one-horned male goat charged from the west at great speed. The male goat, according to verse 21, is the kingdom of Greece and the prominent horn between the goat’s eyes symbolizes the first king of the Grecian Empire, Alexander the Great. The goat moved eastward with incredible speed as symbolized by a leopard with four wings on its back (Dan. 7:6).
The goat charged furiously at the ram. Moved with rage the goat attacked and broke the ram’s horns. The ram was helpless against the goat as it was cast to the ground and trampled. Though heavily outnumbered, Alexander crossed the Hellespont and in three years (334-331 B.C.), swept across the Near and Middle East, conquering from Macedonia to the eastern-most part of the Persian domain. Persia was powerless to defend itself as it suffered major defeats at the decisive battles of Granicus (334 B.C.), Issus (333 B.C.), and Gaugemela (331 B.C.). Alexander also conquered Syria, Tyre, Sidon, and the Philistine cities as predicted by the prophet Zechariah (Zech. 9:1-6).
The goat was moved with rage against the ram. Alexander’s fury against the Persians was fueled by a sense of retaliation for past invasions of Greece by the Persians. In 490 B.C., Darius the Great attacked Greece and was defeated at Marathon. In 480 B.C., Ahasuerus (identified as Xerxes I) led an army of 300,000 men against Greece and was defeated at Salamis.
The goat grew greatly but at the height of his power, the large horn was broken and four prominent horns came up in the east, west, north, and south. In twelve years, Alexander conquered the greatest amount of territory ever controlled by one ruler. Tradition says that Alexander wept because there were no more worlds to conquer. He died in Babylon in 323 B.C. at the age of 33, supposedly from a sickness complicated by alcoholism.
Since Alexander had no heirs to succeed him, the kingdom was divided several years later. After extensive fighting among his generals over a period of twenty-two years, four of his generals (represented by the four notable horns of verse 8) divided the great empire into four separate kingdoms. Cassander ruled over Macedonia and Greece; Lysimachus ruled over Thrace and Bithynia; Seleucus ruled over Syria, Babylonia, and as far east as India; Ptolemy ruled over Egypt, Israel, and Arabia Petrea.
Out of one of the four horns (the four horns correspond to the four heads of the leopard of Daniel 7:6), about one hundred years later, there emerged a “little horn,” which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward Israel. The little horn here in chapter 8 is totally different from the little horn of chapter 7.
The little horn of chapter 7 arose from the fourth kingdom, or the Roman Empire; the little horn of chapter 8 came up from the third kingdom, or the Grecian Empire. This little horn of chapter 8 is historical, while the little horn of chapter 7 is to be revealed in the future.
Years later from among one of the four horns (kings), there would arise, Gabriel said, a severe (stern-faced) and cunning king (a master of intrigue and deceit). A powerful ruler, he would devastate property and destroy people in order to expand his kingdom. The holy people, the nation of Israel (saints), would be a special target of his oppression. In subjugating Israel, many would lose their lives just when they thought they were safe.
The little horn being considered here is a king who came out of Syria. His name was Antiochus IV, the eighth king of the Seleucid Dynasty (175-164 B.C.). He took on the title of Epiphanes (“God Manifest” or “Illustrious One”) but his contemporaries referred to him as “Epimanes” (“The Mad One”). He began small but expanded his kingdom as he subjugated nations toward the south, toward the east, and toward the “Glorious Land” (Palestine). (The activities of Antiochus IV Epiphanes are recorded in the apocryphal books of 1 and 2 Maccabees.)
Antiochus was bent on imposing the Hellenistic culture on all his subjects, including the Jews. His antagonism against Israel would also be against her God, the Prince of princes. Yet this mighty conqueror himself would be destroyed by supernatural power. His rise was not his own doing (8:24) and his downfall was not by human means (he died insane in Persia in 163 B.C.).
“Because of transgression,” Antiochus was able to persecute the righteous of Israel (the host of heaven) and kill thousands of Jewish believers (stars) who resisted him. In 167 B.C., Antiochus brutally oppressed Jewish worship at Jerusalem prohibiting the Jews from observing the Mosaic Law and from offering up their prescribed daily sacrifices. The Jews were compelled to offer unclean sacrifices, which desecrated the Temple’s altar of burnt offerings. The sanctuary was also desecrated (cast down) when Antiochus erected a statue there and dedicated the temple to the pagan deity. (Some commentators say that the statue was of the Greek god Zeus but with Antiochus’ likeness.)
In his vision, Daniel heard one angel ask another angel (apparently for Daniel’s sake) how long the deplorable conditions in the vision would persist, pertaining to the prohibition of daily sacrifices, the persecution of God’s people, and the defilement of the Temple, in general. The answer directed to Daniel was that it would take 2,300 days and then the sanctuary that had been defiled would be cleansed. (The Hebrew words translated “days” mean literally “evening-mornings.”)
The historical record notes that the Jewish patriot Judas Maccabeus and his followers drove out the Syrians, cleansed and rededicated the Temple in 165 B.C. Assuming the 2,300 days interpretation (based on 360 days per year), going backward approximately six years gives the year 171 B.C., the year of Antiochus’ first incursion into Jerusalem. The 2,300 “evening-mornings” were fulfilled in the time of Antiochus and are not subject to fulfillment in the future. The rededication of the Jewish temple is still celebrated today by the Jews as the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22) or, in the more popular vein, as Hanukkah (Feast of Lights).
As Daniel pondered the meaning of what he had witnessed in the vision, a being having the appearance of a man stood before him. Daniel heard a man’s voice call the person who stood before him “Gabriel,” commanding him to help Daniel understand the vision. The voice commissioning Gabriel to make known the interpretation of the vision to Daniel may have been the voice of God Himself or perhaps the voice of the Archangel Michael (Dan. 10:13; Jude 9).
The angel Gabriel would reappear to Daniel 13 years later to reveal to him the seventy-week plan of God for Israel (Dan. 9:24-27). More than 500 years later, Gabriel would make two appearances in the New Testament: (1) to Zacharias to tell him that his wife would bear him a son and that his son’s name was to be John (Luke 1:13), (2) to Mary, six months later, to tell her that she was to bear a son and her son’s name was to be Jesus (Luke 1:31).
When Gabriel approached him, Daniel was frightened and fell to the ground prostrate. The first thing that Gabriel told Daniel was that the vision pertained to the time of the end. Gabriel then went on to shed some light on the meaning of the expression “the time of the end.”
He said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation, for at the appointed time the end shall be” (v. 19). The “time of the end” would then be in the latter days of the indignation.
Joyce G. Baldwin in her commentary on Daniel defines the word, “indignation” – “The indignation is the sentence of God which must eventually fall on those who rebel against Him and fail to repent.” In chapter 8, in the context of what was to transpire in the 2,300 days, the word “indignation” more rightly refers to a time of great tribulation for God’s people.
God’s covenant people suffered great tribulation under Antiochus Epiphanes and they will suffer even greater tribulation under the antitype of Antiochus, the Antichrist, during a future time that Isaiah calls the “indignation” (Isa. 26:20). God brought the indignation during Antiochus’ reign to an end and He has ordained a specific time when He will bring the indignation during the Antichrist’s reign to an end.
With that, Gabriel began to interpret the symbolism of the ram and the goat. The ram with two horns that Daniel had seen was the kings of Media and Persia. The male goat was the kingdom of Greece and the large horn between its eyes was its first king. Of the four empires represented in chapter 2 by Nebuchadnezzar’s great image, only one empire had until now been identified, that is, the first empire (gold), the Babylonian Empire.
In verse 20, the second empire (silver), is identified as the Medo-Persian Empire. In verse 21, the third empire (bronze) is identified as the Grecian Empire. As for the four horns that came up after the single horn was broken, they represented four lesser kingdoms that would come out of the Grecian kingdom. After the death of Alexander the Great, since there was no heir to succeed him, his kingdom was divided into four separate kingdoms by four of his generals.
When Daniel wrote his book, both the little horn of chapter 7, the Antichrist, and the little horn of chapter 8, Antiochus Epiphanes, were future figures prophesied to make their respective appearances well beyond the time of Daniel. Centuries later, Antiochus made his appearance on the world stage and fulfilled all the prophecies concerning his person. The things written about Antiochus, before and after his appearance, picture prophetically the man Antiochus typified, the Antichrist.
In verses 23 through 25, Gabriel gives a detailed interpretation of Daniel’s vision, outlined in verses 9 through 12. Both groups of verses outline the activities of Antiochus Epiphanes in the second century B.C. that will be mirrored by the Antichrist in the days immediately preceding the second coming of Christ to the earth. Since one horn was typical of the other horn, parts of verses 23 through 25 apply to one horn or to the other horn or to both horns.
J. Dwight Pentecost in his commentary on Daniel summed up the striking similarities between Antiochus and the Antichrist:
From Antiochus certain facts can be learned about the forthcoming desecrator:
1. He will achieve great power by subduing others (v. 24).
2. He will rise to power by promising false security (v. 25).
3. He will be intelligent and persuasive (v. 23).
4. He will be controlled by another (v. 24), that is, Satan.
5. He will be an adversary of Israel and subjugate Israel to his authority (vv. 24-25).
6. He will rise up in opposition to the Prince of princes, the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 25).
7. His rule will be terminated by divine judgment (v. 25).
So it can be concluded that there is a dual reference in this striking prophecy. It reveals Israel’s history under the Seleucids and particularly under Antiochus during the time of Greek domination, but it also looks forward to Israel’s experiences under Antichrist, whom Antiochus foreshadows.
Gabriel concluded the interpretation of Daniel’s vision by telling him to seal up the vision, that is, conclude it for now, for its fulfillment is far into the future. The details of the vision, particularly details of the suffering of his people for a period of 2,300 days, upset Daniel, but after a few days he was able to resume his duties in the king’s court.
Summary
In this chapter, God’s omniscience is set forth; He knows the future. Biblical revelations of the future are given by the Lord to His people to exhort faithfulness, to encourage during difficult days, and to comfort in suffering.
F. Chapter Nine – Daniel’s Vision and the Seventy Weeks Prophecy
1. Introduction
This is another one of those remarkable chapters in Scripture. It has been called “the greatest chapter in the book and one of the greatest chapters of the entire Bible.” Chapter 9 contains one of the most significant prophecies in all the Old Testament Scriptures. It foretold the precise time when Messiah would be present in the world. As a result, that prophecy is one of the strongest biblical evidences to the effect that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah whom God promised to Israel throughout its Old Testament history.
This chapter presents Israel’s history from the time of Ezra and Nehemiah to the inauguration of the kingdom from heaven at the second coming of Christ. The seventy weeks fit into the Times of the Gentiles and run concurrently with them. The seventy weeks for Israel and the Times of the Gentiles will both come to an end at the same time, that is, at the Second Coming of Christ. This prophecy, contained in Daniel 9:24-27, is so crucial to our understanding of God’s program that we will examine it verse by verse.
2. Daniel’s Prayer and the Seventy Weeks Prophecy (9:1-27)
Daniel was reading the word of God, specifically the scroll of Jeremiah, in the first year of Darius the Mede (538 B.C.). Darius was the king whose decree resulted in Daniel being cast into the den of lions (chap. 6). As the “word of the Lord,” the writings of Jeremiah were already considered sacred Scripture. It is not known how many scrolls of Scripture Daniel had or how he came to possess them, but it can be assumed that he was led by the Spirit to read the scroll of Jeremiah. In reading Jeremiah, Daniel discovered a portion of Scripture of the utmost relevance to his situation; he read that the city of Jerusalem would lay desolate for seventy years.
“And the whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity, says the LORD; and I will make it a perpetual desolation” (Jer. 25:11-12).
“For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place” (Jer. 29:10).
God had delivered His people into the hands of the Babylonians as punishment for their grievous sins against Him, two in particular. The first sin was a sin that God abhors, the sin of idolatry. The people had blatantly violated God’s first commandment, “You shall have no other god before Me” (Exod. 20:3). The northern kingdom of Israel had bowed its knee to a variety of pagan gods, such as, Baal, Ashtoreth, and the two golden calves. It had provoked the wrath of God and was taken away from the land by the Assyrians (722 B.C.). The southern kingdom of Judah fell into the same grievous sin of idolatry worshipping the queen of heaven, Tammuz, and the sun. They also committed great abominations in the very house of the Lord (Ezek. 8). God removed His presence from the defiled temple, permitting it to be destroyed, and the children of Judah to be taken away from the land by the Babylonians.
The second sin of the Judahites for which they were exiled was their continual disregard for the observance of the law of the sabbatical year. They had been commanded under the Mosaic Law to sow their fields for six years but in the seventh year they were not to sow their fields or prune their vineyards (Lev. 25:3-4). Because this law had not been complied with for many years, the Lord had the Babylonians remove His people so the land could enjoy its Sabbaths, as it lay desolate for seventy years (2 Chron. 36:21).
By this time, Daniel was in his eighties. Serving in the king’s court, he had seen the Babylonian kings come and go and now the Medo-Persian kings ruled. With the transfer of power from one kingdom (gold) to the next kingdom (silver), Daniel witnessed, in part, the fulfillment of prophecy he himself had brought to light. Interpreting Jeremiah’s writing literally, Daniel became aware that the seventy years foretold by the prophet were almost at an end. He, himself, had no intention of returning to his homeland, but he was concerned for his people and for their return. (A remnant of his people returned in the first year of Cyrus (Ezra 1:1-4).) Daniel was also aware that the years of captivity in Babylon had been God’s divine discipline on His people. They had sinned and had been punished, but had they repented? This was Daniel’s principle concern for he knew that confession of sin was a requisite for restoration.
Daniel prepared to present his prayer and supplications before the Lord by fasting and putting on sackcloth and ashes. The attitude of mind and steadfastness of purpose indicated is now supplemented by prayer and supplications, that is, prayer in general and petition specifically. This is accompanied by every known auxiliary aid to prayer; namely fasting, that he might not be diverted from prayer by food; sackcloth, a putting aside of ordinary garments in favor of rough cloth speaking of abject need; and ashes, the traditional symbol of grief and humility. In a word, Daniel left nothing undone that might possibly make his prayer more effective or more persuasive (from Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation by John F. Walvoord).
Daniel’s prayer (vv. 4-19), which has been called “a liturgical gem in form and expression,” has three components: (1) confession of sin (vv. 4-10); (2) affirmation of God’s righteousness (vv. 11-14); and (3) petition for mercy (vv. 15-19).
Before Daniel exalted the righteousness of God or presented his petition, he first confessed. There had to be atonement for sin made before fellowship with the Lord could be restored. Nebuchadnezzar and his armies had destroyed the Temple. No longer could the high priest enter the Holy of Holies and sprinkle blood on the mercy seat for the propitiation of Israel’s sins; Daniel would now present the people’s sins before the merciful throne of God in prayer. He approached God with a penitent spirit perhaps recalling that in the days of the Tabernacle, if the sin offering was not accompanied by repentance, divine forgiveness was withheld.
Daniel set his face toward Jerusalem and began his prayer, which initially centered on confession, by acknowledging God’s greatness, awesomeness, and faithfulness toward those whose love for the Lord is manifested by their obedience. He confessed that they, the people and himself included, had broken God’s law by sinning, committing iniquity, doing wickedly, and rebelling. Because the people had willfully disregarded the laws of the covenant, God had sent His prophets, time and time again, to call Israel to repentance, to abandon their wicked ways, and to turn from their sin to God, but they would not heed the Lord’s call.
Daniel acknowledged that it was the righteousness and holiness of God that would not tolerate sin and which demanded judgment on defiant and rebellious sinners. It was not God’s fault that they were in captivity. He had waited patiently to extend His mercy and forgiveness to them, but through their hard-heartedness, they had brought judgment and reproach upon themselves. God had been very clear when He told them through His spokesman Moses that blessings would overtake them if they obeyed the voice of the Lord their God (Deut. 28:2). But if it came to pass that they would disobey the voice of the Lord their God, then curses would come upon them and overtake them (Deut. 28:15). Because Judah turned its back on God and would not abide by His precepts and statutes, they experienced the divine discipline that disobedience demanded (Deut. 28:48-68).
Daniel acknowledged that God was righteous and just in bringing calamity upon His rebellious people who persisted in their sin. In a humble and contrite spirit, Daniel pleaded with God to turn away His anger and fury from His city Jerusalem and to look with favor on His sanctuary, which was desolate. The prophet Jeremiah wept sorrowfully when he beheld the ruins of what once had been a magnificent city.
“How lonely sits the city that was full of people! How like a widow is she, who was great among the nations! The princess among the provinces has become a slave . . . Jerusalem has sinned gravely, therefore she has become vile. All who honored her despise her because they have seen her nakedness; Yes, she sighs and turns away” (Lam. 1:1, 8).
Daniel presented his supplications before the Lord, not out of any righteousness the people may have had, for they were spiritually impoverished. He appealed to the mercy of God and rightly so for it was by the Lord’s mercies, which are new every morning, that they had not been consumed (Lam. 3:22-23). Daniel ended his prayer pleading with the Lord, for the sake of His name, not to delay in acting on behalf of His people and His city, which were called by His name. Daniel wanted the Lord to act for the sake of His holy name as He had on previous occasions.
“Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went’ ” (Ezek. 36:22).
More than 800 years earlier in the history of Israel, the children of Israel in their unbelief had rebelled against their God as Moses led them through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. They provoked the righteous indignation of God and He was ready to slay them all, and would have done so, had not Moses intervened. Moses was more concerned about upholding the name of God than anything else and so he pleaded: “Now if You kill these people as one man, then the nations which have heard of Your fame will speak, saying, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring this people to the land which He swore to give them, therefore He killed them in the wilderness’ ” (Num. 14:15-16). Moses did not want the nations to mock his God or regard his God as impotent.
Now, it was Daniel who was deeply concerned with upholding the renown and the honor of his God. In the eyes of the surrounding nations, the God of Israel must have seemed powerless. The armies of the Babylonian gods had defeated the military might of the God of Israel. His temple had been destroyed, and His people had rejected Him and had been taken into captivity. For Daniel, this was not about the restoration of the people to the land, or about the restoration of the city or the Temple. This was about the restoration of the good name of his God. And so he pleaded that the Lord not delay in vindicating His name and His righteousness.
Before Daniel had completed his prayer, “the man Gabriel” appeared to him. Gabriel was dispatched before Daniel had completed his prayer (or perhaps before Daniel had begun his prayer) recalling the promise of the Lord recorded in Isaiah 65:24: “It shall come to pass that before they call, I will answer, and while they are still speaking, I will hear.” The angel Gabriel is referred to as a “man” because he came in “the appearance of a man” (Dan. 8:15). Angels that do not interact with men in visions normally are seen with wings, like the six-winged seraphim of Isaiah’s Temple vision (Isa. 6:2), and the four-winged cherubim of Ezekiel’s chariot-throne vision (Ezek. 10:20-21). When angels interact directly with men, they are generally seen as men. Two men who were angels led Lot and his family out of Sodom before its destruction (Gen. 19:16). Two men who were angels appeared in the tomb to the women seeking the Lord Jesus’ body (Luke 24:4-5). Because of their appearance as men, the writer of Hebrews believed that some believers had “unwittingly entertained angels.”
Thirteen years had elapsed since Gabriel’s last appearance to Daniel. On that occasion he had come to help Daniel understand the vision of the ram and the goat (chap. 8). Now, Gabriel had been sent in response to Daniel’s prayer, because Daniel was “greatly beloved” of the Lord. Gabriel appeared at “the time of the evening offering,” which from the Temple days was the main time of prayer, between 3pm and 4pm. This heavenly messenger had been sent to give Daniel “skill to understand” one of the greatest prophecies in the entire Bible. The prophecy, known as the “Seventy Weeks” prophecy, covers a panorama of prophetic events, from the return of the Jewish captives to their land, clear on out in time to the ultimate establishment of the Messianic Kingdom.
Daniel’s primary concern was to know God’s immediate plan for the restoration of his Jewish brethren to the land and the restoration of the Temple. Little did he suspect that Gabriel would reveal to him God’s overall plan for His people commencing with their return to rebuild Jerusalem to the ultimate establishment of the covenanted kingdom. Implicit in God’s plan for His people would be the first and second coming of the Messiah (Christ) to the earth.
Gabriel began to reveal to Daniel one of the most significant prophecies in the entire Bible, the “Seventy Weeks” prophecy, considered to be one of the most important keys to understanding the Bible. Gabriel began by telling Daniel: “Seventy weeks are determined for your people and for your holy city.” God decreed that His plan for Daniel’s people (Jews) and for his city (Jerusalem) would be consummated in seventy weeks.
The English word “weeks” used in this verse is misleading; the original Hebrew word shavuim translated “weeks” should be translated “sevens.” The term “week,” which will be used for the remainder of this study actually refers to a unit of seven. A week in this context could be seven of anything – seven days, seven weeks, seven months, or seven years. Conservative scholarship has determined that in this context a unit of seven or a week is equivalent to seven years. Therefore, here, a week is not seven days; a week is seven years. If one week is seven years, then seventy weeks is seventy times seven or 490 years. Recapping, Gabriel informed Daniel that in seventy weeks (490 years), God’s prophetic plan for Israel would be fulfilled.
It was determined by God that by the time the seventy weeks had run their course, He would have met six divine objectives, as they pertain to Israel:
1. To finish the transgression,
2. To make an end of sins,
3. To make reconciliation for iniquity,
4. To bring in everlasting righteousness,
5. To seal up vision and prophecy, and
6. To anoint the Most Holy.
“To finish the transgression” – According to Strong’s Concordance of the Bible, the Hebrew word pesha translated “transgression” here, also means “rebellion” or “revolt.” When the Lord commissioned Ezekiel to be His spokesman, He said to him: “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that has rebelled against Me, they and their fathers have transgressed against Me to this very day” (Ezek. 2:3). By the time the seventy weeks would be completed, Israel would no longer shake her fist in the face of God and say, “I know this is sin, but I’m going to do it anyway.”
“To make an end of sin” – By the completion of the seventy weeks, God will bring an end to Israel’s sin. Under severe persecution from the Antichrist in the latter half of the seventieth week, “when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Dan. 12:17), Israel will turn her face to God in national repentance (Isa. 53:4-5; Hos. 6:1-2). “In that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and uncleanness” (Zech. 13:1). The Lord will remove the iniquity of that land in one day (Zech. 3:9). In that glorious day the prophecy of Joel 2:28 will be fulfilled when the Spirit is poured out on all flesh and the sins of Israel will be brought to an end.
“To make reconciliation for iniquity” – Iniquity (Hebrew, avon) is the word used frequently in the Bible to describe evil and wickedness. It has a broad range of meanings, such as, perversity, depravity, unrighteousness, lawlessness, and sin in general. To make reconciliation in this context means, “to make atonement.” In order for the national reconciliation of Israel to God to be effected, atonement had to be made.
In the past, the children of Israel atoned for their sins through the blood of sacrificial animals. The use of the Levitical sacrificial system as a means of making atonement for sins came to an end when the “Lamb of God” was offered as the supreme sacrifice for sins on the altar of the cross of Calvary. Through the vicarious death of Christ on the cross, the penalty for sin was paid in full. The gift of eternal life is extended by grace to whosoever will receive it by faith. At the conclusion of the seventy weeks, national Israel will have appropriated God’s gift of salvation by accepting Jesus Christ as her Messiah and Lord.
In summary, by the end of the Seventy Weeks, Israel as a nation will experience a spiritual regeneration in which her transgressions will be finished, her sins will end, and she will be in right relationship with God. The prophet Micah looked forward to that marvelous day:
“Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us, and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Mic. 7:18-19).
God will keep not only His unconditional covenant with Abraham (Gen. 12:1-3), but He will also keep His covenant with David (2 Sam. 7:16), and fulfill the New Covenant prophesied by Jeremiah (Jer. 31:31-34).
“To bring in everlasting righteousness” – This portion of verse 24 looks forward either to the spiritual regeneration of Israel (Rom. 11:25-27) when all Israel will be clothed in the righteousness of the Messiah they will embrace, or to the second advent of Christ to the earth when He will come and bring to an end the seventieth week of the Seventy Weeks. At that time, the Stone (Christ) will strike and destroy the Great Image of Daniel 2 (the Gentile armies) and end “the times of the Gentiles,” which began with the Babylonian domination of Israel (605 B.C.).
He will establish His earthly kingdom (“And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth” (Dan. 2:35)), and He will rule in Jerusalem from “the throne of His father David” (Luke 1:32).
Only the righteous will enter the 1000-year (Millennial) Kingdom, which will be characterized by righteousness, an everlasting righteousness that will extend into the Eternal State.
“Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. 23:5-6).
“To seal up vision and prophecy” – With the second coming of Christ to the earth and the establishment of His earthly kingdom, all vision and prophecy will have been fulfilled. If all prophecy is fulfilled with the Lord’s second coming, how about all those other prophecies in the Bible concerning those things that will transpire after the Messianic (Millennial) Kingdom ends, such as, the Great White Throne Judgment, the casting of Satan to the Lake of Fire, the New Jerusalem, and the Eternal State? Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum in his book, “The Footsteps of the Messiah” poses that question and then answers it:
Because he is dealing with the Messianic Kingdom, another question is: How is it that the Messianic Kingdom will fulfill all prophecies, since there are things concerning the time beyond the Kingdom, the Eternal State? The thing to remember, however, is that the Eternal State is New Testament revelation; no Old Testament prophet ever saw beyond the Kingdom into the Eternal Order. From the perspective of the Old Testament and in light of the fact that no prophet ever saw beyond the Messianic Kingdom, when Daniel speaks about the sealing up of vision and prophecy with the Kingdom, he means that insofar as Old Testament prophecy is concerned, everything will indeed be fulfilled.
“To anoint the Most Holy” – The sixth and final objective to be met by the end of the seventy weeks pertaining to the nation of Israel is “to anoint the Most Holy.” According to the original Hebrew as correctly translated by the NASB version, the verse should read: “to anoint the most holy place.” In the complete history of the Jewish people from the reign of King Solomon to the future reign of the King of kings, Jesus Christ, Israel will have had four Temples:
1. The Solomonic Temple (2 Chron. 7:1),
2. The Zerubbabel Temple (Ezra 6:15),
3. The Tribulation Temple (Rev. 11:1), and
4. The Millennial Temple (Ezek. 40–46).
The most holy place to be anointed in this passage is the Millennial Temple, which the Lord Jesus Christ Himself will build (Zech. 6:12-13).
Having been informed by Gabriel about the objectives that would be met in the divinely ordained seventy weeks, Daniel is now given vital information as to when the seventy weeks would begin. The first week of the seventy weeks would commence when a decree would be issued “to restore and build Jerusalem.” Within the historical context of the early Medo-Persian era, subsequent to the conquest of Babylonia, there were four “restore and rebuild” decrees issued:
1. The decree issued by Cyrus in 538 B.C. permitting the Jews to return to Judah and rebuild the
Temple (Ezra 1:1-4),
2. The decree issued by Darius in 519 B.C. permitting the continuance of the Temple
construction (Ezra 6:1-12),
3. The decree issued by Artaxerxes in 458 B.C. permitting Ezra and a contingent of Jews to
return to Jerusalem with resources for the enhancement of the Temple (Ezra 7:11-26), and
4. The decree issued by Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. permitting Nehemiah to return and rebuild
Jerusalem and its wall (Neh. 2:1-8).
Of the four decrees issued above, only the fourth decree, the one issued by Artaxerxes in 445 B.C. explicitly addressed the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Hence, 445 B.C. is the year in which God’s Seventy Weeks program for Israel officially began. From that starting point “until Messiah the Prince,” there would be sixty-nine weeks, here divided into two periods – seven weeks and sixty-two weeks. Again, one week in this context equals seven years. The division of the sixty-nine weeks into two periods of seven and sixty-two seems to indicate that the rebuilding of the city of Jerusalem and its wall (“with plaza and moat,” NASB) was completed in seven weeks or 49 years.
The length of time required for the building project is understandable given the harassment from three main enemies, Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, experienced by Nehemiah and his men.
“Those who built on the wall, and those who carried burdens, loaded themselves so that with one hand they worked at construction, and with the other held a weapon” (Neh. 4:17).
“Messiah the Prince” is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ. From the going forth to rebuild Jerusalem in 445 B.C. “until Messiah the Prince” would make His appearance, seven weeks (49 years) plus sixty-two weeks (434 years) equaling sixty-nine weeks (483 years) would elapse.
The Old Testament is replete with prophecies concerning the first coming of Christ to the earth. What makes the Seventy Weeks prophecy so amazing is that it actually furnishes a timetable for Christ’s appearance. In his book “The Coming Prince,” Sir Robert Anderson published in 1881 his extensive mathematical calculations, using the 445 B.C. decree as his point of departure, to give the specific date that the Messiah was to make His appearance.
Sir Robert Anderson has made a detailed study of a possible chronology for this period beginning with the well-established date of 445 B.C. when Nehemiah’s decree was issued and culminating in A.D. 32 on the very day of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem shortly before His crucifixion. Sir Robert Anderson specifies that the seventy sevens began on the first Nisan, March 14, 445 B.C. and ended on April 6, A.D. 32, the tenth Nisan. The complicated computation is based upon prophetic years of 360 days totaling 173,880 days. This would be exactly 483 years according to biblical chronology (from Daniel: The Key to Prophetic Revelation by John F. Walvoord).
Gabriel went on to say, “after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself” (v. 26). To be cut off means, “to be killed.” Sometime after Messiah’s appearance at the end of the sixty-nine weeks (483 years), He would be killed. (“For He was cut off from the land of the living” (Isa. 53:8).) This, of course, is a reference to the crucifixion of Christ, which occurred days after His triumphal entry into Jerusalem as Israel’s Messiah. He died but not for Himself. (“For the transgressions of My people He was stricken” (Isa. 53:8).) He died so that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish but have life everlasting.
In verse 26, the next major event prophesied to occur after the Messiah’s death would be the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Historically, this occurred in A.D. 70 when the Romans, under the leadership of Vespasian and later Titus, destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple.
About forty years earlier, Christ’s disciples had been admiring the beauty of the Temple and Christ said to them, “These things which you see – the days will come in which not one stone shall be left upon another that shall not be thrown down” (Luke 21:6).
From biblical times until the present day, false messiahs have arisen in Israel and many more will arise in the future (Matt. 24:5). The prophecy of the Seventy Weeks, in stating the approximate time of the Messiah’s appearance, in conjunction with other overwhelming evidence, serves to substantiate and affirm the messiahship of Jesus of Nazareth.
When Jesus began His journey to Jerusalem to present Himself as Messiah, He paused on the Mount of Olives and wept. His heart was broken because His Jewish brethren had rejected Him as Messiah, not knowing from the book of Daniel that this was their time of the Messiah’s visitation. Sadly, judgment would begin with the destruction of their city and their Temple. He said to Jerusalem:
“If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment around you, surround you and close you in on every side, and level you, and your children within you, to the ground; and they will not leave in you one stone upon another, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:42-44).
The city and the sanctuary were destroyed by “the people of the prince who is to come.” It is a historic fact that the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple in A.D. 70, approximately 40 years after the crucifixion. Therefore, “the prince who is to come” will be of Roman origin. “Messiah the Prince” and “the prince who is to come” are two completely different individuals. Messiah the Prince is the Lord Jesus Christ. “The prince who is to come” is represented in chapter 7 as the “little horn” that came up among the ten horns of the fourth beast. The prince who will make his appearance in the latter days as ruler of the revived Roman Empire is the Antichrist.
“The end of it shall be with a flood” – The word “flood” when used symbolically refers to an invading army. An invading army destroyed the Temple and city and thousands of Jews were killed. “Desolations are determined” for the Jewish people as they remain under the chastening of the Lord until the seventy weeks have run their course.
“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week” – Verse 27 introduces the last or seventieth week of the Seventy Weeks prophecy. The first sixty-nine weeks ran continuously with no interval of time between the first seven weeks and the next sixty-two weeks. The question of whether or not the sixty-ninth and seventieth weeks ran continuously without a gap of time in between has been the subject of much discussion.
The amillennial interpretation holds to the theory that the seventy weeks ran continuously. To the amillenarian, the Seventy Weeks prophecy has been fulfilled. Another school of thought on the matter (Dispensationalism) holds to the theory that there is indeed a gap of time between the sixth-ninth week and the seventieth week. The dispensationalist’s position is that the seventieth week is still future and has yet to be fulfilled.
Those who argue that the seventy weeks have been fulfilled put themselves in the untenable position of implying that the six objectives of verse 24 have been met. Those objectives most assuredly have not been met. Add to that the fact that historically there has not been as yet any seven-year covenant established with Israel that was broken three-and-a-half years later. Most assuredly, there is a gap of time between the sixty-ninth week and the seventieth week. Two questions that might be asked are: “How long is the gap?” and “Why the gap in the first place?” The length of the gap in terms of time is unknown; the reason for the gap is known.
The gap of time exists because the Jews as a people rejected Jesus of Nazareth as their Messiah. They not only rejected the Son of God but they blasphemed the Holy Spirit when they attributed Jesus’ power to cast out demons to Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons (Matt. 12:24). Therefore, painful as it must have been, the Lord set His people aside for a season (not indefinitely!) and turned to the Gentiles, in much the same manner, as would the apostle Paul years later when he visited the synagogues and the Jews rejected the gospel of Christ.
Jesus admonished His incredulous Jewish brethren with these words: “Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruit of it” (Matt. 21:43). The kingdom was given, as it were, to the Church that Christ would build (Matt. 16:18). The interim between the sixty-ninth week and the seventieth week is the present age, the Church Age, which will end at the Rapture, at which time, God will once again deal with His chosen people.
“Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week” – Who is “he” who shall confirm a covenant and who are the “many?” The nearest antecedent to the pronoun “he” is “the prince who is to come” of verse 26. Since the Seventy Weeks prophecy concerns itself with Daniel’s people, the “many” will be a majority of Jewish leaders authorized to enter into a covenant.
The terms of the covenant will set its duration for a period of “one week” or seven years. These seven years will be the seven years of a future period called the “Tribulation.” It will be the signing of a covenant between the Antichrist and Israel that will begin the seventieth week, not an event called the Rapture that will occur some time before the Tribulation period. This covenant may be some sort of friendship pact assuring the safety of Israel from foreign aggression.
“But in the middle of the week he shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” – Since the covenant will be for seven years, in the middle of the week, that is, three-and-one-half years into the covenant, the Antichrist will bring to an end Israel’s sacrifices and offerings. The fact that Israel will have reactivated their sacrificial system presupposes the erection of another Temple. This Temple to be built by Israel perhaps in the early part of the seventieth week will be Israel’s third Temple, referred to by some as the “Tribulation Temple.” Midway into the seventieth week, the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and turn against her, beginning with the cessation of her Temple rituals and services. The Antichrist, much like his predecessor Antiochus Epiphanes, will defile and desecrate the Jewish Temple.
The prophet Isaiah made reference to the foolish and disastrous covenant to which Israel will become a party: “Your covenant with death will be annulled, and your agreement with Sheol will not stand; when the overflowing scourge passes through, then you will be trampled down by it” (Isa. 28:18).
The persecution that Israel will experience under the Antichrist will be like none she has ever known, including the horrific Holocaust. Jeremiah foresaw that day and called it: “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7). “The saints shall be given into his hand for a time and times and half a time” (Dan. 7:25). The last three-and-one-half years of the Tribulation period are referred to as the “Great Tribulation.” In His Olivet Discourse, the Lord Jesus Christ had this to say about that future period: “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).
“And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate” – The Antichrist will sit in the Jewish Temple and declare himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:4). An image of him will be erected in the Temple and any person not willing to worship the image will be killed (Rev. 13:14-15). This is the abomination that makes desolate, similar to the abomination of desolation that Antiochus placed in the Jewish Temple (Dan. 11:31). The Lord Jesus Christ prophesied about that future desecration of the Temple: “Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains” (Matt. 24:15-16). Jesus used a well-known historical event to warn of something yet future.
“Even until the consummation which is determined, is poured out on the desolate” – The completion of the seventy weeks will occur at the second coming of Christ. The Antichrist and his followers will be judged bringing to an end “the times of the Gentiles.” The divine objectives of verse 24 will have been met and a new age will begin, the Kingdom Age.
3. Summary
In light of the revelation in Daniel 9, it can be concluded that Israel’s present independence and possession of Jerusalem is only a temporary lull in what is to be the norm for that nation and city until the end of the 490 years. In essence, it is the calm before the worst storm that Israel will ever experience. Jesus said: “Jerusalem will be trampled by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled” (Luke 21:24). Daniel 2 and 7 indicated that those times would not be fulfilled until the Second Coming of Christ.
Today, Israel knows no peace. She knew no peace after having been driven out of the land by the Romans following the Bar Kochba rebellion in A.D. 135. Since the establishment of the State of Israel in May 14, 1948, peace continues to elude her. She can enter into a myriad of peace treaties but she will never know true peace until she makes peace with God. Jesus lamented their rejection of Him: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (Matt. 23:37).
Israel as a nation is alienated from God. When the Lord Jesus scathingly rebuked the nation’s religious leaders, He said to them as representatives of the people: “See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” (Matt. 23:38-39).
The day is rapidly approaching when Israel will be driven to her knees by the unprecedented persecution of the Great Tribulation. In that day, she will cry out for her Messiah: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD” and He will come! Then and only then, when she embraces her Messiah, the Prince of Peace, will she be justified by faith and know the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.
XX. GOG’S INVASION OF ISRAEL
Introduction
Before we move on to Daniel chapter 10, we need to discuss an invasion of Israel that is prophesied to occur in the latter days. Ezekiel 38 and 39 describe an invasion of Israel from the north and the subsequent destruction of the invading forces once they reach the area of the “mountains of Israel.” We will approach this passage of Scripture with the questions: who, where, why, what, how, and when, concerning this invasion of Israel in the latter days.
Ezekiel 38:1-6 – Who are the peoples involved in the confederacy of nations that will invade Israel?
There are many theories as to who will join in this future invasion of Israel:
1. Hashemite Kingdom Theory: The Islamic Nations will come against Israel either by an
Iraqi-led, Jordanian-led, or Turkish-led coalition. The enemy from the north refers to the areas
of Syria, Turkey, and Iraq. These Islamic nations make up the lands occupied by Magog,
Gomer, Togarmah, Meshech and Tubal.
2. Caucus Theory: Gog and Magog are the Arab nations in an alliance with the Muslim
republics of the former Soviet Union. This theory leaves out most of Russia, and includes
only the southern part.
3. All Europe theory: Gog and Magog are the sons of Japheth thus the originators of the
European races. Gog and Magog therefore indicates all of Europe. This is not a widely held
theory and there is little support for it.
4. Russian Theory: The Hebrew word 'rosh' in verse 3 is identified with Russia, 'Tubal' with
Tiblisi or Tobolsk and 'Meshech' with Moscow, therefore Gog and Magog refer to Russia.
This is one of the most commonly held views and is based on a different interpretation of the
Hebrew word Rosh (used as a noun rather than adjective), similarities in the pronunciation of
words, and the Greek translation of Rosh referring to a tribe of people found in what is now
Russia.
5. Indo-European Theory: Gog and Magog include the nations descending from Japheth: Russia, the Caucasus (Turkey), Iraq, and the Islamic republics of Central Asia. The coalition is an alliance of Arab nations, Muslim republics, Georgia, southern Russia and the Black Sea area.
Below is a list of the nations that are listed in Ezekiel 38 as Israel's last-days enemies.
|ANCIENT NAME |MODERN NATION |EXPLANATION |
|Rosh |Russia or Chief |Ancient Sarmatians known as Rashu, Rasapu, |
| | |Ros, and Rus. |
| | |OR |
| | |Translated as the adjective Chief. |
|Magog |Central Asia |Ancient Scythians - Islamic southern |
| | |republics of the former Soviet Union with a|
| | |population of 60 million Muslims. This |
| | |territory could include modern Afghanistan.|
|Meshech |Turkey |Ancient Muschki and Musku in Cilicia and |
| | |Cappadocia. |
|Tubal |Turkey (also southern Russia and Iran) |Ancient Tubalu in Cappadocia. |
|Persia |Iran |Name changed from Persia to Iran in 1935. |
|Ethiopia (Cush) |Sudan |Ancient Cush, south of Egypt. |
|Put |Libya |Ancient Put, west of Egypt. |
|Gomer |Turkey |Ancient Cimmerians - from the seventh |
| | |century to first century B.C. in |
| | |central/western Anatolia. |
|Beth-togarmah |Turkey |Til-garimmu - between ancient Carchemish |
| | |and Haran (southern Turkey). |
|Many peoples with you |Other Islamic nations |Possibly Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt |
For the purposes of this study, we will consider the Russian Theory.
In verses 1-3, attention is centered on Gog, leader of the land of Magog. He is the prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal. The identification of Magog, Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal is to be determined from the fact that these tribes of the ancient world occupied the areas of modern day Russia. Meshech and Tubal were between the Black and Caspian Seas, which today bear the names of Moscow, the capital, and Tobolsk, a major city in the Urals in Siberia. Rosh was in what is now northern Russia.
The name Rosh is the basis for the modern name Russia. As if to avoid any further doubt, verse 6 adds that these invaders come from the uttermost parts of the north. This is repeated in 38:15 and 39:2. From Israel, the uttermost parts of the north is Russia with Moscow being almost a straight line due north from Jerusalem. The modern nations of the former Soviet Union encompass all these areas of Ezekiel.
Russia is the leader of the northern confederacy with Gog as leader of Russia, but Russia is not alone in the invasion of Israel. Other nations are listed in verses 5 and 6. Involved in the confederacy is Persia or present day Iran. Another nation involved is Cush, which refers to Ethiopia. Put is mentioned next, which is present day Libya (some believe Put refers to Somalia). This is followed by Gomer, located in present day Germany. The last name is Togarmah, which is present day Armenia, located totally within Russia. In answer as to who is involved in this confederacy, it is Russia and the allied states of Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Germany, and Armenia.
Ezekiel 38:7-9 – Where will the invasion take place?
This passage continues to address Gog as the leader of this confederacy (v. 7). The specific place where the invasion takes place is stated to be the land of Israel, more specifically in the mountains of Israel (v. 8). The massiveness of the invasion is pictured as a storm cloud that covers the entire land. The land to be invaded is described in verse 8 as being first, a land brought back from the sword; secondly, a land that is gathered out of many peoples; thirdly, a land with mountains that have been a continual waste; and fourthly, a land that is brought forth out of the peoples.
All these statements are true of present day Israel. This began occurring toward the end of the nineteenth century culminating with statehood in 1948. Since then, the “waste places” have been rebuilt and resettled on a more massive scale. Regardless of one’s viewpoint as to when this invasion occurs, each viewpoint does require the existence of the Jewish state. Furthermore, Israel in this passage is regathered in unbelief, as is the case today, for only after the invasion do many in Israel turn to the Lord (Ezek. 39:22).
Ezekiel 38:10-13 – Why does this invasion take place on the part of Russia?
The key reason for the Russian invasion is “to take great plunder” (v. 13). Exactly what Israel has that Russia would want is not spelled out in the text. The text simply mentions cattle and goods and silver and gold, but these are Old Testament references to spoils of war.
Much speculation has been involved in what it is that Israel has that Russia would want. One of the more popular reasons given is that the Dead Sea contains 45 billion tons of sodium, chlorine, sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and bromide.
Another reason centers on the oil crisis with the abundance of oil in the Middle East. The purpose of the invasion might be to gain a solid foothold in the Middle East. A Russian takeover of Israel would give Russia such a foothold without overly upsetting the Arabs, as they would be in favor of the destruction of Israel even if it means a Russian army in the area. Whatever Russia’s reasons for this invasion may be, the actual reason will be in Russia’s own self-interest. It is stated in verse 10 that the invasion is premeditated by the Russians, for they “make an evil plan” and resolve to invade “to take plunder and to take booty” (v. 12).
A second group of nations is listed as protesting this invasion, for they recognize it to be an invasion for spoil and for nothing else (v. 13). Sheba and Dedan are countries in northern Arabia, which shows that at least some of the Arab states will not favor the Russian presence in the Middle East. Another nation named is Tarshish out of which other nations come. Regardless of the exact identity of Tarshish, it is this group that issues a protest. However, it does not go beyond the protest stage. Russia succeeds in invading, and the invading army is then disposed of, with no help from the protesting nations.
Ezekiel 38:14-16 – Why does God allow this invasion to occur?
The invasion begins and the armies of Gog cover the land like a storm cloud in massive swarms (verses 14-16a). Hence, there is initial success on the part of Russia. God’s reason is given for allowing this invasion to occur (v. 16b), as over against Russia’s reasons given in the preceding verses. God’s reason is that He might be sanctified in the eyes of the nations in light of what is to occur.
Ezekiel 38:17-23 – What will God do regarding this invasion and how will God destroy the invading army?
As to the question of “what,” with the Russian invasion of Israel, the cup of iniquity is full, for the apple of God’s eye (Zech. 2:8) is touched arousing God’s anger so that He moves out in judgment (vv. 17-18), to destroy the invading army. This is followed by the answer to the question “how” the invading army is disposed of and destroyed.
Several causes are listed: earthquake (vv. 18-19); civil war breaking out among the invading soldiers themselves (v. 21); pestilence, blood, flood, hailstones, fire, and brimstone (v. 22). Since these things totally destroy the invading army without the aid of other nations, God’s purpose is seen as succeeding in its objective. God will indeed be sanctified in the eyes of many people (v. 23).
Ezekiel 39:1-5 – These verses and those to follow give further details to the information found in chapter 38. These verses give us a further description of the invasion and its subsequent destruction. The new information added is found in verses 2 and 4 where the armies are said to fall specifically on the mountains of Israel. Up to the Six Day War in 1967, all of the mountains of Israel, except for a small corridor of West Jerusalem, were entirely in the hands of the Jordanian Arabs. Only since 1967 have the mountains of Israel been in Israel, thus setting the stage for the fulfillment of this prophecy.
Ezekiel 39:6-8 – Another dimension is added to the Russian invasion in verse 6. Not only is the Russian and allied army destroyed in Israel, but the land of Russia itself is devastated by the raining of brimstone causing much destruction in the nation itself. It will cause Russia to cease being a political force in world affairs. In verses 7 through 8, not only will God’s name be sanctified among the Gentile nations, but in Israel as well. Thus, a revival occurs in Israel causing many Jews to turn to the Lord.
Ezekiel 39:9-16 – In verses 9 through 10, it states that it will take seven years to dismantle all military equipment left behind. In verses 11 through 16, there is a description of the burying of the dead for seven months. The most controversial question regarding the invasion is “when?” There are five major views as to when this invasion will occur: (1) before the Tribulation begins; (2) middle of the Tribulation; (3) end of the Tribulation; (4) in the interlude between the Tribulation and the Millennium; (5) at the end of the Millennium. Each of these views has its strengths and weaknesses.
XXI. THE BOOK OF DANIEL (CONTINUED)
A. Chapter Ten – The Vision of the Glory of God
The last three chapters of Daniel, Chapters 10,11, and 12, constitute the fourth vision of Daniel which gathers together the significant threads of prophecy, especially as they relate to the Holy Land and to the people of Israel. The entire content of chapter 10 is introductory, indicating the extensive character of the prophecy to follow. The introduction actually extends through the first verse of chapter 11. The next section, 11:2 – 12:4, is divided into two major divisions. The first, 11:2-35, deals with the immediate future, from Darius to Antiochus; and the second, 11:36—12:4, with the far future, the end times just before the second advent of Christ. A final message and revelation is given to Daniel in 12:5-13.
Daniel’s last recorded vision is given in the last three chapters of the book, chapters 10,11, and 12. In this vision, an angel appeared to the prophet and revealed to him the history of Israel from the Persian period (the time when the vision was given) until the coming of the kingdom of God. These chapters provide more details concerning the Greek Empire, the Antichrist, and the Tribulation period of the last days.
Daniel’s final revelation can be divided into three parts: preparation for the vision (10:1—11:1); the contents of the vision (11:2—12:3); and final instructions to Daniel (12:4-13). Chapter 10 is an introduction to the message itself and relates the setting, a vision of an awe-inspiring heavenly person, and the coming of the interpreting angel to impart wisdom to the prophet. One significance of this chapter is that it “states or implies important facts relative to angels and demons and their respective interests in the people and work of God.
We have already seen the principle of double reference, which refers to predictions that have a near and local fulfillment and also have a distant fulfillment. For example, the historical fulfillment in Antiochus Epiphanes gives us a picture of the future fulfillment which will be in Antichrist.
The key to understanding these last three chapters is found in the explanation the angel gives to Daniel: “Now I am come to make thee understand what shall befall thy people in the latter days: for yet the vision is for many days” (v. 14). In other words, it will be a long time before this will be fulfilled, and it concerns Daniel’s people, the people of Israel.
This chapter will introduce the believer to the spiritual realm, to the order of angels – both good and bad angels, fallen and unfallen. We will see something about the kingdom of Satan, which is about us today. The fallen angels belong to the order of demons to which frequent reference is made in the Gospels. The angels are in different orders, ranks, and positions and have various powers and abilities. Satan has some of his angels as overseers of nations. God’s angels and Satan’s angels move in the arena of this universe in which we live. They are engaged in ceaseless warfare to capture the souls of men. We will see more of this as we go through this section.
B. Daniel’s Vision of the Heavenly Messenger (10:1-21)
The final vision given to Daniel came in the third year of the reign of Cyrus which was about
536 B.C., which was about four years after the vision of the Seventy Weeks. Exiles had returned from Babylon and had begun rebuilding the temple, but Daniel had remained in exile. Understanding the significance of the vision, Daniel fasted for three weeks (lit., “three sevens of days”). During this time of mourning he abstained from choice foods and apparently waited on God in prayer (10:12) concerning his people’s destiny.
After three weeks (v. 3), Daniel was visited by a messenger as the prophet was standing by the Tigris River (Heb. Hiddekel). There he saw a vision of a glorious man clothed in linen and had a dazzlingly bright appearance. The description of this person resembles that of the Lord Jesus in Revelation 1:13-16. Daniel prostrated himself before the messenger and in that position fell asleep.
The angel then explained why the response to Daniel’s prayer had been delayed. When Daniel first began fasting and mourning in response to the vision, God had dispatched the angel with a message for him, but the angel was hindered by the prince of the Persian kingdom. Michael, the archangel (Jude 9), came to his assistance and he was able to get through to Daniel.
J. Vernon McGee said of prayer – “Prayer has been made a light sort of thing today. Most of the prayers I hear are either very flowery or very theological, and I think we could do without both kinds. Real prayer is agonizing. It is getting through the barriers to release spiritual power. It is not done by trying to entertain the Lord with flowery language or by trying to be very profound and theological. My friend, we are fighting a spiritual battle!”
This is the key which opens the door to the understanding of the remainder of the book of Daniel. There are three features which characterize this closing vision:
1. The vision concerns “your people.” I think we can dogmatically identify the prophecy as having Israel as its subject.
2. It will be accomplished “in the latter days.” This places the final fulfillment in the period of the Seventieth Week, which is the time of the Great Tribulation period. The “latter days” places it at the end of that period.
3. “Yet the vision is for many days.” This emphasizes the fact that a long period of time is
involved – not only in fulfillment – but before the vision will be finalized.
God has arranged the angelic realm in differing ranks referred to as “rule, authority, power, and dominion” (Eph. 1:21). Michael had been assigned authority over angels who administer God’s affairs for the nation Israel (Dan. 10:21; 12:1; Jude 9). In imitation, Satan has also apparently assigned high-ranking demons to position of authority over each kingdom. The prince of the Persian kingdom was a satanic representative assigned to Persia. To seek to prevent the message from getting to Daniel, the demonic prince attacked the messenger (Gabriel?) as he embarked on his mission. This gives insight into the nature of the warfare fought in the heavenlies between God’s angels and Satan’s demons to which Paul referred (Eph. 6:12): “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of the dark world, and against spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.” The messenger explained that he had come to give Daniel understanding of the things that would happen to Daniel’s people, the Jews, in the latter days. This is done in chapters 11 and 12.
Daniel, who had been weakened at the appearance of the messenger and became speechless by this experience, was strengthened by one with human appearance. In addressing the messenger as ‘my lord’, Daniel was using a title of respect something like the modern-day “Sir.” The messenger then stated that when he returned to fight against the prince of Persia (10:13), the prince of Greece would come. These princes, as stated earlier were demons, Satan’s representatives assigned to nations to oppose godly forces. The messenger was about to tell Daniel God’s plans for Israel under Persia (11:2-4) and Greece (11:5-35) and later in the Tribulation (11:36-45) and the Millennium (12:1-4).
C. Chapter Eleven – World History From Darius to the End of Time
1. Introduction
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a multi-metallic image in chapter 2 presented four Gentile empires that would successively rule over Israel during the times of the Gentiles, the Babylonian, Medo-Persian, Grecian, and Roman. Daniel’s dream in chapter 7 presented four beasts that corresponded with the four parts of the image in chapter 2, each beast similarly symbolizing one of the four Gentile empires. Mention was made in chapter 7 of a little horn that would emerge from among the ten horns of the fourth empire, the Roman Empire. Daniel’s vision in chapter 8 focused on two of the four beasts or Gentile kingdoms destined to dominate Israel, namely the Medo-Persian and Grecian (Hellenistic) Empires. Mention was made in chapter 8 of a little horn that would emerge from the third empire, the Grecian Empire. In chapter 9, Daniel’s vision revealed the course of Jewish history from Nehemiah’s return to rebuild Jerusalem until the second advent of Christ.
2. Syrian and Egyptian Relations Foretold Down to 165 B.C. (11:1-20)
The speaker here is the angel, and this is a continuation from chapter 10. From here through verse 34 is one of the most remarkable examples of prewritten history. The prophecy of this chapter is so detailed and so accurate that the liberal critic will not accept the fact that it was written before it happened. He insists that Daniel’s prophecy was written after it had become history.
When the angel gave this information to Daniel, he knew that Daniel would not live to see it fulfilled. Obviously, it was recorded for the comfort and encouragement of the people of God who would live through the difficult days it describes. Also it was written as a testimony to the fact that God knows the end from the beginning.
Verse 2 – “And now I will tell you the truth: Behold, three more kings will arise in Persia, and the fourth shall be far richer than them all; by his strength, through his riches, he shall stir up all against the realm of Greece.”
Verse 2 tells of the power of four kings of Persia and the opposition of the last one to Greece. The first three kings were Cambyses, Cyrus’ son (529-522 B.C.), Pseudo-Smerdis (522-521 B.C.) and Darius I Hystaspes (521-486B.C.). The fourth successor of Cyrus was Xerxes I (486-465 B.C.), known in the Book of Esther as Ahasuerus. Xerxes was the most powerful, influential, and wealthy of the four. His invasion of Greece in 480 B.C. ended in disaster for Persia.
Verses 3-4 – “Then a mighty king shall arise, who shall rule with great dominion, and do according to his will. And when he has arisen, his kingdom shall be broken up and divided toward the four winds of heaven, but not among his posterity nor according to his dominion with which he ruled; for his kingdom shall be uprooted, even for others besides these.”
The mighty king was Alexander whose rise had been foreshadowed by: (a) the bronze belly and thighs of Nebuchadnezzar’s image (2:32, 39b); (b) the winged leopard (7:6) ; and (c) the prominent horn of the goat (8:5-8). Between 334 and 330 B.C., Alexander conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, and the land of the Medo-Persian Empire. His conquests extended as far as India before Alexander’s death at the age of 32 in 323 B.C. from malaria with complications from alcoholism.
A few years after Alexander’s death, having had no heirs, his kingdom was divided among his four generals. This division was anticipated through the four heads of the leopard (7:6) and the four prominent horns on the goat (8:8). Of the four divisions of Alexander’s kingdom, only two proved to be significant in the ancient world – the division ruled by the Ptolemies in Egypt and the division ruled by the Seleucids in Syria. Since Egypt was south of Israel, the rulers of Egypt were called “the king of the South.” Since Syria was north of Israel, the rulers of Syria were called “the king of the north.”
The wars between Syria and Egypt in chapter 11 occurred during the Intertestamental Period. It was a time of great travail for Israel. They suffered at the hands of both Syria and Egypt. Palestine was caught in the middle as the armies of these two nations seesawed back and forth, up and down, across the land of Israel. In 198 B.C., Antiochus the Great from Syria had a major victory over Egypt. This victory for Syria ended Egypt’s rule in Israel (v. 15).
There was continual warfare between Egypt and Syria. This section (vv. 5-20) gives many details of the continuous conflict between the Ptolemies and the Seleucids during which the land of Israel was invaded first by one power and then by the other. Many in the nation of Israel were slain at this time.
3. The Career of Antiochus Epiphanes Foretold (11:21-35)
These verses describe Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a son of Antiochus III the Great. This one Seleucid who ruled from 175-163 B.C. is given as much attention as all the others before him combined. He is the little horn of Daniel 8:9-12, 23-25. A long section (11:21-35) is devoted to him not only because of the effects of his invasion on the land of Israel, but more so because he foreshadows the little horn (king) of 7:8 who in a future day will desecrate and destroy the land of Israel.
Verses 21-22 – “And in his place shall arise a vile person, to whom they will not give the honor of royalty; but he shall come in peaceably, and seize the kingdom by intrigue. With the force of a flood they shall be swept away from before him and be broken, and also the prince of the covenant.”
Antiochus IV is introduced as a contemptible person. He took to himself the name Epiphanes which means “the Illustrious One.” But he was considered so untrustworthy that he was nicknamed Epimanes which means “the Madman.” The throne rightfully belonged to Demetrius Soter, a son of Seleucus IV Philopater, but Antiochus IV Epiphanes seized the throne and had himself proclaimed king. Thus he did not come to the throne by rightful succession; he seized it through intrigue. He was accepted as ruler because he was able to turn aside an invading army, perhaps the Egyptians. In 171 B.C., he also deposed Onias III, the high priest, called here a prince of the covenant. Onias was called “the prince of the covenant” because it was the high priest’s responsibility to see that Israel kept its covenant with God.
Verses 29-31 – “At the appointed time he shall return and go toward the south; but it shall not be like the former or the latter. For ships from Cyprus shall come against him; therefore he shall be grieved, and return in rage against the holy covenant, and do damage. “So he shall return and show regard for those who forsake the holy covenant. And forces shall be mustered by him, and they shall defile the sanctuary fortress; then they shall take away the daily sacrifices, and place there the abomination of desolation. Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.”
In 168 B.C., Antiochus moved against Egypt. As he moved into Egypt, he was opposed by the Romans who had come to Egypt in ships from the western coastlands (ships of Kittim [Cyprus]). From the Roman senate, Popillius Laenas took to Antiochus a letter forbidding him to engage in war with Egypt. When Antiochus asked for time to consider, the emissary drew a circle in the sand around Antiochus and demanded that he give his answer before he stepped out of the circle. Antiochus submitted to Rome’s demands for to resist would be to declare war on Rome.
This was a humiliating defeat for Antiochus Epiphanes but he had no alternative but to return to his own land. On his return, he decided to vent his wrath upon the people of Israel. The history of this period is given in 1 and 2 Maccabees. The parallel prophesy in Daniel 8:23-25 covers the same series of incidents.
For a second time Antiochus took out his frustration on the Jews, the city of Jerusalem, and their temple. He vented his fury against the holy covenant, the entire Mosaic system, favoring any renegade Jews who turned to help him (v. 32). He desecrated the temple and abolished the daily sacrifice. Antiochus sent his general Apollonius with 22,000 soldiers into Jerusalem on what was purported to be a peace mission. But they attacked Jerusalem on the Sabbath, slaughtering and enslaving as many as 80,000 Jews.
The Jews were forbidden to follow the Mosaic Law in observing the Sabbath, their annual feasts, and traditional sacrifices, and circumcision of children. On December 16, 167 B.C., the Jews were ordered to offer unclean sacrifices and to eat swine’s flesh or be penalized by death. An image was erected in the holy place of the Temple, probably an image of the Greek god Zeus. This desecration represents “the abomination of desolation” of verse 31.
The entire series of incidents, including the persecution of Israel, the desecration of their temple, and the stopping of the daily sacrifice, although fulfilled historically in Antiochus’ persecution of Israel, is also prophetic of the future persecution of Israel, which will result in the Great Tribulation.
There is no question among expositors that Antiochus is in view in this prophecy. What was prophesied was fulfilled literally through him. However, the prophecy looks beyond Antiochus to a future person (the Antichrist) of whom Antiochus is only a foreshadowing.
This coming one is said to “stand against the Prince of princes.” This can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus the prophecy must go beyond Antiochus and look forward to the coming of one (the Antichrist), whose ministry will parallel that of Antiochus.
Antiochus promised apostate Jews (those who violated the covenant) great reward if they would set aside the God of Israel and worship Zeus, the god of Greece. Many in Israel were persuaded by his promises (flattery) and worshiped the false god. However, a small remnant remained faithful to God, refusing to engage in those abominable practices.
The latter part of verse 32 is clearly a reference to the Maccabean revolt led by the elderly Mattathias Maccabeus, the father of five sons. Mattathias refused to offer sacrifice to the Grecian god and instead slew the representative of Antiochus. Then he and his sons, with others who came to join, moved into the mountains and began the famed Maccabean revolt.
Verses 33-35 – “And those of the people who understand shall instruct many; yet for many days they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering. Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but many shall join with them by intrigue. And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.”
The Jews who refused to submit to Antiochus’ false religious system were persecuted and martyred for their faith. In 166 B.C., Mattathias, a priest, refused to submit to this false religious system. He and his five sons fled from Jerusalem to the mountains and began the Maccabean revolt. At first only a few Jews joined them. But as their movement became popular, many joined them, some out of sincere motives and some from false motives. The suffering that the faithful endured served to refine and purify them.
On his deathbed, Mattathias encouraged his sons from the Scriptures. The rebellion was carried on by his son Judas Maccabeus (the hammer) and other sons, which eventuated in the spectacular cleansing of the Temple in 164 B.C. Ever since then the Jews celebrate the rededication of the Temple after its desecration by Antiochus Epiphanes at Hanukkah (“Feast of Dedication”).
“The time of the end” (v. 35) – All the events described thus far in chapter 11 are past. The intricate details of the conflicts between the Seleucids and the Ptolemies were fulfilled literally, exactly as Daniel had predicted. All of this prophecy was in the future when Daniel gave it – some is now history and some is yet future. We move now from the history of that day into that which is yet in the future. Verse 35 leaps forward in prophecy from Antiochus Epiphanes, who died insane in Persia in 163 B.C., to the Antichrist.
4. The Career of Antichrist Foretold (11:36-45)
“Then the king shall do according to his own will” – From verse 21 up to verse 35, the subject was the king of the north, Antiochus IV Epiphanes. Verse 36 continues with the characteristics of “the king” but the king here is longer Antiochus. This is a prime example of the Law of Double Reference where a gap of time between two verses; two verses that appear to be describing the same person but actually refer to two different individuals (one a type of the other), separated in this case by thousands of years.
Verses 36 through 45 describe the Antichrist, the “little horn” of Daniel 7:8, and “the prince who is to come” of Daniel 9:26. He is the final ruler of the fourth Gentile Empire; the future revived Roman Empire. This is known because Antiochus fulfilled the prophecies of verses 21 to 35, but the prophecies of verses 36 through 45 have yet to be fulfilled.
Where students of the Bible disagree is whether some of the events of verses 40-45 occur in the first half of the week (first three-and-a-half years of the Tribulation) or in the last half of the week (last three-and-a half years of the Tribulation).
There are several reasons to suggest that a king yet future is spoken of in Daniel 11:36-45:
1. “The time of the end” – is an eschatological term that points to the last days of the present
age.
2. The scope of the prophecy – goes beyond the Persian and Greek eras. In Daniel 10:14 the
messenger angel tells Daniel, “I am come to make you understand what will happen to your
people in the latter days.”
3. The historical record – We can substantiate the historical accuracy of the prophecy in Daniel
11 up to verse 35. After that we have no historical data to explain verses 36-45. Also, there is
no indication that the events recorded in those verses were fulfilled during the life of
Antiochus Epiphanes.
4. The timing of God’s final judgment – Daniel 11:36 says the king “shall prosper till the
indignation be accomplished.” When the term “indignation” is used in the Bible in a prophetic
context, it is used almost synonymously with the Tribulation period – the final outpouring of
God’s wrath in the last days.
5. The similarity of description – The ruler described in this passage is similar to other scriptural
accounts of the Antichrist. Daniel 12:1 says he will reign during “a time of trouble, such as
never was since there was a nation even to that same time.” It will be worse than any other
time in the history of man. Daniel 12:2 tells us it will be followed by the resurrection, which
is at the end of the last days.
6. The prophetic context – the previous three prophecies in the book of Daniel all speak of the
Antichrist. It makes sense that the final prophecy in Daniel would follow the same pattern.
Description of Antichrist (11:36-39)
1. He shall do according to his own will (v. 36). [absolute dictator]
2. He shall exalt and magnify himself above every god (v. 36). [claims to be deity]
3. He shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods (v. 36). [speaks against the true God]
4. He shall prosper for a time until he comes to his end (v. 36). [judged at Christ’s second
coming]
5. He shall not regard the gods of his fathers (v. 37). [disregards deities his fathers worshiped]
6. He shall not regard the desire of women (v. 37). [hates “the desired of women” – the Messiah]
7. He shall honor the god of fortresses (v. 38). [honors the power to make war]
In verses 36-45, a leader is described who is introduced simply as “the king.” Some suggest that this is Antiochus IV Epiphanes and that the verses describe additional incursions of his into Israel. However, the details given in these verses were not fulfilled by Antiochus. True, Antiochus was a foreshadowing of a king who will come. But the two are not the same. One is past and the other is future.
The coming king (the “little horn” of 7:8 and “the prince who is to come” of 9:26) will be the final ruler in the Roman ruler. His rise to prominence by satanic power is described in Revelation 13:1-8 where he is called a “beast.” According to John (Rev. 17:12-13), he will gain authority not by military conquest but by the consent of the 10 kings who will submit to him. The events recorded in verses 36-45 will occur during the final seven years of the 70th week (9:24).
Verse 36 – “Then the king shall do according to his own will: he shall exalt and magnify himself above every god, shall speak blasphemies against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the wrath has been accomplished; for what has been determined shall be done.”
This coming king will be independent of any authority apart from himself (he will do as he pleases). Midway during his seven-year reign he will exercise the political [power given him by the ten kings who will have elected him (Rev. 17:12-13). He will also take to himself absolute power in the religious realm, magnifying himself above all gods and defying and speaking blasphemy against the God of gods.
2 Thessalonians 2:4 – “He opposes and exalts himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, and even sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.”
The world will be persuaded to worship him as god by the miracles the false prophet will perform in his name (Rev. 13:11-15). He will succeed in spreading his influence around the world, both politically and religiously (Rev. 13:7-8).
God has determined the duration of this king’s rule. He will be successful as the world ruler during the time of wrath, the three and one-half years of the Great Tribulation, but at the end of that period the judgment determined by God will be meted out to him (Dan. 7:11; Rev. 19:19-20).
Verse 37 – “He shall regard neither the God of his fathers nor the desire of women, nor regard any god; for he shall exalt himself above them all.”
Because of the reference to “the God of his fathers” (KJV), some have concluded that this ruler will be a Jew, since the Old Testament frequently uses the phrase “the God of your fathers” to refer to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. However, verse 37 is better translated, “the gods of his fathers” (NASB, NIV). Since this individual will be the final ruler in the Roman world, the little horn of the fourth beast (Dan 7:8), he must be a Gentile. His showing no regards for the gods of his fathers means that in order to gain absolute power in the religious realm, this king will have no respect for religious heritage. He will set aside all organized religion and will set himself up as the sole object of worship. Instead of depending on gods, he will depend on his own power (received from Satan, Rev. 13:2) and by that power he will demand worship of himself.
“Nor the desire of women” – This refers evidently to the desire of Hebrew women to be the mother of the Messiah. The fact that he has no regard for the one desired by women suggests he repudiates the messianic hope of Israel.
Verses 38-39 – “But in their place he shall honor a god of fortresses; and a god which his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and pleasant things. Thus he shall act against the strongest fortresses with a foreign god, which he shall acknowledge, and advance its glory; and he shall cause them to rule over many, and divide the land for gain.”
The Antichrist will honor a god of fortresses, that is, he will promote military strength. And because of his political and religious power he will be able to accumulate vast wealth. The god unknown to his fathers (ancestors), who will give him strength may be Satan. Though this king will come to power offering peace through a covenant with Israel (9:27), he will not hesitate to use military power to expand his dominion. Those who submit to his authority will be put in positions of power, and his ability to dispense favors will gain him a great following.
5. The King Attacked (11:40-45)
Verses 40-45 – “At the time of the end the king of the South shall attack him; and the king of the North shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter the countries, overwhelm them, and pass through. He shall also enter the Glorious Land, and many countries shall be overthrown; but these shall escape from his hand: Edom, Moab, and the prominent people of Ammon. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall have power over the treasures of gold and silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt; also the Libyans and Ethiopians shall follow at his heels.”
The following commentary reflects, without getting into too much detail, one of the several end-time scenarios put forth by interpreters of eschatological events.
The king of the south and the king of the north will come against him toward the close of the first half of the seventieth week. The “him” of verse 40 ties back to the “he” of verses 36-39, the Antichrist. The king of the south will be Egypt; the king of the north will be Russia. The land of Israel is always the geographic point of reference in these Scriptures. From the “south” implies south of Israel; from the “north” implies north of Israel.
The king of the south and the king of the north will invade Israel. The Antichrist may be in Israel at that time, if not, he will move his army from Europe to Israel, with whom he has a covenant (Dan. 9:27) to defend.
The coming of Russia from the far north and nations like Libya and Ethiopia coming from the south, plus other nations, is prophesied to occur in the “latter years,” in Ezekiel chapters 38 and 39, commonly referred to as the war of “Gog of Magog.” Gog of the land of Magog (Russia) will march on Israel when Israel is living in “unwalled cities” (Ezek. 38:11), dwelling safely and peacefully because of her covenant with the Antichrist. These armies of Gog and her confederation of allies will be destroyed on the mountains of Israel by divine intervention (Ezek. 38:21-22). In this war, the Antichrist will be slain, but Satan will resurrect him. “And I saw one of his heads as if it had been mortally wounded, and his deadly wound was healed. And all the world marveled and followed the beast” (Rev. 13:3).
The world will marvel at the Antichrist, the beast that “will ascend from the bottomless pit” [Abyss] (Rev. 17:8). With the consent of 10 kings who will give their power and authority to him (Rev. 17:12-13), he will arise to world supremacy. His headquarters will be established between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea on the glorious holy mountain, Mount Moriah (v. 45). He will break his covenant with Israel “in the middle of the week,” cause her holy sacrifices to cease, and from his throne in the Temple he will blaspheme and declare himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:4).
Toward the end of the last half of the seventieth week, the Antichrist will receive troubling news of the approach of rebellious armies from the east (Rev. 9:16; 16:12) and from the north. “The kings of the earth and of the whole world” will be gathered in Israel at a place called “Armageddon” for “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (Rev. 16:14, 16). Jerusalem will be taken and half of the city will go into captivity (Zech. 14:2-3). Then heaven will be opened and a rider on a white horse, on whose robe and thigh is written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS,” will descend and defeat the Antichrist, the kings of the earth, and their armies (Rev. 19:11-19). The Antichrist shall come to his end, and no one will help him (v. 45), when the Lord casts him into the lake of fire burning with brimstone (Rev. 19:20).
6. Summary
On five occasions in his letters to the churches, the apostle Paul used the expression: “I would not have you to be ignorant . . .” The God who knows the beginning from the end would not have His people to be ignorant . . . concerning the things which are to come in the “latter days.” Through the writings of the prophets of God, who were inspired by the Spirit of God, believers gain insight into the plans and purposes of God for the future. “Surely the Lord God does nothing unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7).
Revelation of future events is beneficial and in some cases vital to believers in: (1) alerting them to difficult days ahead, (2) encouraging the down-hearted who see wickedness flourishing all around them, (3) strengthening the dismayed whose faith is shaken by their dire circumstances, and (4) instilling hope in those whose present is dismal and whose future is bleak.
D. Chapter Twelve – Daniel’s Vision of Israel’s Tribulation and Triumph
Chapter 12 supplies the final details of Daniel’s fourth and final vision, which began in chapter 10. If one assumes that chapter 11 closed in the middle of the seventieth week, when the Antichrist will break his covenant with Israel and turn from being Israel’s ally to her archenemy, then chapter 12 follows chronologically because it opens with the Great Tribulation.
“At that time Michael shall stand up” – To understand why midway through the seventieth week the archangel Michael, who watches over the nation of Israel, shall stand up, requires examining Revelation 12:7-9:
And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
In the middle of the seven-year Tribulation period, there will be a great spiritual war in the heavenlies, with Michael leading the holy angels and Satan leading the fallen angels. Michael will prevail and Satan and his angels will be cast down to the earth. The heavens will rejoice because they will have been purged of principalities, powers, rulers of darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness (Eph. 6:12). What is good news for the heavens, however, is bad news for the earth: “Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time” (Rev. 12:12).
Whenever a “woe” is pronounced in the book of Revelation, terrible things follow. Ousted from the heavenly realm, Satan will unleash his fury toward God’s chosen people. A remnant of the Jews will be taken to safety in the wilderness for the last half of the Tribulation period (Isa. 26:20; Rev. 12:14), but Satan will empower, enable, and encourage his protégé, the Antichrist to destroy the remainder of the Jews (Rev. 12:17).
“And there shall be a time of trouble” – As a result of the Antichrist’s relentless pursuit and oppression of the Jews, the nation of Israel will undergo the greatest persecution she has ever known, “a time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation” (v. 1). The prophet Jeremiah foresaw that terrible time and wrote, “Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7). Over the course of history, the Jewish people have undergone severe persecution at the hands of anti-Semites, such as, in the German holocaust (1933-1945), Spanish inquisition (1478-1492), and Russians pogroms (1821-1907). Those horrible days were times of tribulation for them, but a dreadful day of great tribulation still lies ahead. A day of distress unparalleled in human history will befall God’s chosen people, “For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matt. 24:21).
“At that time your people shall be delivered” – Two-thirds of the world’s Jewish population will perish during the Tribulation (Zech. 13:8). The national regeneration of Israel (Isa. 66:8; Hos. 6:1-2; Rom. 11:26) will occur when the surviving remnant confesses their iniquity (Lev. 26:40) and cries out to the Lord, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” (Matt. 23:39). A godly remnant will be ready to greet their Messiah when He comes (Zech. 12:10).
“Everyone who is found written in the book” – Daniel’s people shall be saved, everyone whose name is found written in the “book” (v. 1). In ancient cities whenever people were born, their names were written in a book. When they died, their names would be blotted out of the book. The book, then, was a register of the living (Ps. 9:5). From this custom came the concept of the names of the righteous being “written in heaven” (Luke 10:20), “registered in heaven” (Heb. 12:23), or written in one of the following books: (a) Book of the Living (Ps. 69:28), (b) Book of Life (Phil. 4:3; Rev. 20:15), or (c) The Lamb’s Book of Life (Rev. 13:8; 21:27). Having one’s name written in any one of these books (maybe the same book with different names) signifies the attainment of eternal life or belonging to God’s eternal kingdom.
“And many who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake” – “Those who sleep in the dust” is a euphemism for “the dead.” The prophet Isaiah wrote that the time would come when the earth would cast out its dead (Isa. 26:19).
All who sleep in the dust, saved or unsaved, will be resurrected one day to stand before the Lord Jesus Christ for judgment, some to everlasting life and some to everlasting condemnation (John 5:22, 28-29). From the John 5:28-29 passage and Daniel 12:2, the implication is that all the dead will rise from the grave at the same time, that is, that there will be one general or universal resurrection. That is not the case.
This is another example of the Law of Double Reference where two events are placed side by side with no indication of a time gap between the two events. Actually, there will be a series of resurrections according to the apostle Paul (1 Cor. 15:23). The righteous will be resurrected first to everlasting life and then, at least 1,000 years later, the unrighteous will be resurrected to everlasting shame and contempt (Rev. 20:4-5). One of the groups that will be raised in the first resurrection will be the Tribulation martyrs, those believers who will be slain by the sword for refusing to receive the mark of the beast (Rev. 20:4). They will have overcome “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony” (Rev. 12:11).
“Those who are wise shall shine” – Many of those who will be raised in the resurrection of the just will owe their salvation to someone who turned them to righteousness. “He who wins souls is wise” (Prov. 11:30). At the Judgment Seat of Christ, there will be a special reward, “the crown of rejoicing” (1 Thess. 2:19), given to those saints who have won a soul for the Lord. Daniel himself may have led two kings to saving faith, Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:34) and Darius (6:26).
“Shut up the book and seal the words” – Daniel was instructed by the angel to bring the book that he would write to its conclusion at this point. No further revelation was to be forthcoming (other than the answers to questions that remain in this chapter). The book was to be sealed, but not in the sense of making its content inaccessible. It was to be preserved for those who would later need its information. In the time of the end, in light of what will be transpiring, there will be great hunger for more knowledge regarding the latter-day events predicted by the Old and New Testament prophets.
“How long will these wonders be?” – Daniel looked and saw two other angels, one on either side of the Tigris River. One of these angels addressed Daniel’s messenger angel, who was above the waters of the river, asking him how long the wonders that had been described to Daniel (Dan. 11:36–12:3) would last. The angel raised both hands to heaven and swore by Him who lives forever (Rev. 10:5-6) that they would last for “a time, times, and half a time” (three-and-one-half years). The holy people will be given into the hands of the Antichrist for a time, times, and half a time (Dan. 7:25) to completely shatter their power (v. 7), that is, break their reluctance to confessing Jesus as their Messiah. When they acknowledge His messiahship, the six objectives of Daniel 9:24 will have been accomplished.
“Although I heard, I did not understand” – Many an Old Testament prophet like Daniel received a prophetic word from God, passed it on to its intended recipient, and then struggled within himself to understand its significance. Even the angels desired to look into the things of God regarding salvation (1 Pet. 1:10-12). Daniel heard all that was said but was still puzzled as to when “these things” would end. He was told not to be concerned; the words he had heard (and would later write) would be fully understood by those living in the day of their fulfillment.
“Many would be purified” – The Lord will bring the remnant of His people through the fire of the Great Tribulation to “refine them as silver is refined and test them as gold is tested” (Zech. 13:8). The wicked will reject the things of God for they are spiritually discerned. The rebels and those who transgress against God will be purged from among those who will inherit the kingdom (Ezek. 20:38). Many will receive the mark of the beast and be eternally damned, but the wise will understand, and placing no value on their lives will refuse to be marked and counted among the followers of the Antichrist.
“One thousand two hundred ninety days” – In the middle of the seven-year Tribulation period, an image of the beast (Antichrist) will be placed in the Jewish Temple. For the Jews, this abomination will make the area of the Temple desolate; no Jew will go anywhere near it. From the placing of the “abomination of desolation” in the Temple until the end of the Tribulation period (seventieth week) will be three-and-one-half years or 1,260 days.
Verse 11 adds 30 days and verse 12 adds an additional 45 days beyond the 1,260 days, designating a point in time that will be 1,335 days after the abomination of desolation is set up in the Temple.
The Seventy-Five Day Interval
The Millennium will not begin the day immediately following the last day of the Great Tribulation because there will be a seventy-five day interval. During this time between the Great Tribulation and the start of the Messianic or Kingdom Age, a number of events will occur. The existence of this interval is revealed in Daniel 12:11-12:
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.”
From the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation in the Jewish Temple in the middle of the Tribulation to the end of the Tribulation will be 1,260 days, equivalent to 3½ years. The 1,335 days mentioned in verse 12 is 75 days beyond the end of the Tribulation. A special blessing is pronounced on those who make it to the 1,335th day. The blessing is that those who survive until the 75th day of the interval will enter the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom.
A number of events will transpire during the seventy-five day interval, but understand that it is impossible to determine the chronological sequence of these events. Among the events which transpire during this seventy-five day interval are: (1) the removal of the Abomination of Desolation, (2) the casting of the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire, (3) the judgment of Israel and the Gentiles, (4) the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation martyrs, (5) the structuring of the Jewish and Gentile branches of government which will co-reign with Christ during the Millennium, and (6) the binding and confinement of Satan.
“Blessed is he who waits” – After the Tribulation period ends, Christ will come and establish His earthly kingdom. Only saved people will be able to enter the kingdom, therefore, a period of time is required to judge the survivors of the Tribulation to determine who is worthy to enter. Since verse 12 states that whoever waits until the 1,335 days is blessed, it must be that at that time only the saints who remain will enter the kingdom (which may be inaugurated that very day). The unrighteous “will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life” (Matt. 25:46). The book of Daniel closes with the angel assuring Daniel that he too will be resurrected and share in the riches of the Messianic Kingdom.
Conclusion to the Book of Daniel
Torn from his family, his home, his land, Daniel was taken as a youth to Babylon. Having lost everything except his faith in God, his captors even tried to take away his identity by giving him another name, a name that did not honor his God. Because of his noble ancestry, his good looks, and intellect, he was taken to the royal court, where he excelled as a student of Chaldean knowledge, wisdom and literature. By the grace of God, he and his young companions overcame a number of life-threatening experiences. Daniel was gifted with the ability to interpret dreams, and through his dream interpretations and personal visions, he was able to prophesy the future course of history for Jews and Gentiles, and the rise and fall of earthly kingdoms, culminating in the establishment of a kingdom that would never fall, God’s kingdom.
Daniel lived long enough to see the fall of the Babylonian kingdom and the rise of the Persian kingdom. Harold L. Willmington in his Bible Handbook expressed the thoughts that may have passed through Daniel’s mind in his old age, as he rejoiced to see his people return to their homeland.
I wish them God’s blessings as they leave for Jerusalem, all 50,000 of them! With Zerubbabel leading them, they’re in good hands. God has not told me to leave, so I shall remain here. (Ezra 1:1-5; 2:2, 64)
How different Jerusalem must have become since I last saw it as a young man some 67 years ago. So much has happened during that time. Solomon’s Temple has been destroyed and the Holy City burned. Both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar are dead, and the Persians now rule the Middle East. (1:1-6; 5:30; 2 Kings 25:1-10)
Of course I warned both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar of this takeover by Persia. Cyrus probably doesn’t know it, but I also predicted that his empire will fall to the Greeks . . . and theirs to the Romans! What a series of glorified dogfights! (2:39-43; 5:26-28; 7:6)
How faithful God has been to his people during our long captivity, proving he is indeed Lord of both fire and wild beasts. He has honored me personally through the many visions he gave our people through me. Some of those dreams actually made me physically ill. Of course, God’s judgment on sin is never a pleasant matter. That’s why so much pain and bloodshed still lies ahead. (3:24-25; 6:22; 8:27; 10:7-8; 12:1).
Yet I depart this life peaceful and confident, knowing there will arise after those four brutal kingdoms a blessed fifth and final one, ruled over by the Messiah himself. I described this glorious reign to both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar.
I saw someone who looked like a man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. He was given authority, honor, and royal power over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal – it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. (7:13-14; 2:44)
XXII. REVELATION CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Introduction
This chapter introduces us to two beasts. The first one, commonly known as the Antichrist, is unveiled in verses 1 through 10, while the second beast, known as the false prophet, is revealed in verses 11 through 18. The first beast is political and also represents the revived Roman Empire in its period of worldwide dominion. The second beast is religious, commonly known as the False Prophet. Both beasts are energized by the power of Satan.
The Antichrist
Verse 1 – Following his vision of the woman persecuted by the dragon in chapter 12, John had another apocalyptic vision in which he saw a beast coming up out of the sea having seven heads and ten horns. Ten crowns are seen on the horns, and on the seven heads names of blasphemy are written. The identity of this beast is quite clear in its reference to the revived Roman Empire, as the description is similar to that found in Daniel 7:7-8 and in Revelation 12:3; 17:3, 7.
Some consider the seven heads of the beast as representative of successive kings or empires, an idea borne out by Revelation 17:10-12, where the heads are indicated to be successive rulers. The ten horns (Dan. 7:7), which correspond to the ten toes of Nebuchadnezar’s image (Dan. 2:42), can be regarded as ten kings who will reign simultaneously receiving their power from the beast (Rev. 17:12). The “blasphemous name” is a reference to the divine title that the beast will assume.
Verse 2 – The beast is further described as being comparable to a leopard with the feet of a bear and the mouth of a lion, and as receiving his power, throne, and authority from the dragon, that is, Satan. The selection of these three animals is related to the similar revelation given in Daniel 7, where successive world empires are described by the lion, referring to Babylon; the bear, referring to Medo-Persia; and the leopard, referring to the Alexandrian Empire. This beast is a composite of all the beasts or empires throughout human history that have stood against God and His people; a culmination of all the evils of the human governments of all time.
The beasts selected, as many have pointed out, are typical of the revived Roman Empire in the Great Tribulation, having the ferocity of the lion, the strength and tenacity of the bear, and the cruelty and cunning of the leopard. In addition to these natural symbols of strength is the added factor of satanic power coming from the dragon, Satan himself.
Verse 3 – John in his vision sees one of the heads of the beast as wounded unto death. The deadly wound is healed and the entire earth marvels at the beast. Countless views have been offered in the interpretation of this verse, one of the most common views is that the Antichrist will receive a mortal head wound in battle toward the middle of the Tribulation but the wound will be healed according to the following verse: The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit” (Rev. 17:8).
The expression, “as if it had been mortally wounded,” is a Hebrew idiom signifying an individual who was dead and then was resurrected. This expression is likewise used of Christ in Revelation 5:6: “a Lamb as though it had been slain.” Christ, the Lamb, was slain and then was resurrected.
The entire earth will marvel at the recovery of the beast and at mid-point of the Tribulation, he will (a) destroy the Great Harlot (Apostate Church) (Rev. 17:16); (b) slay the two witnesses (Rev. 11:7); (c) break his covenant with Israel (Dan. 9:27); and (d) enter the Jerusalem temple and declare himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:4). These events will initiate the horrific period known as the “Great Tribulation,” in which Israel will undergo severe persecution.
The Antichrist who is to have the central role in human affairs during the Great Tribulation is given a number of names throughout the Scriptures. These various names, titles or descriptions simply portray the various facets of his character. Taken together; these names portray him as the epitome of evil in the human realm, just as Satan is the epitome of evil in the angelic realm. The various names are as follows:
The Seed of Satan – Genesis 3:15
The Little Horn – Daniel 7:8
The King of Fierce Countenance – Daniel 8:23
The Prince That Shall Come – Daniel 9:26
The Desolator – Daniel 9:27
The Willful King – Daniel 11:36
The Man of Sin – 2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Son of Perdition – 2 Thessalonians 2:3
The Lawless One – 2 Thessalonians 2:8
The Antichrist – 1 John 2:22
The Beast – Revelation 11:7
Verse 4 – The final form of apostasy is not simply the worship of some pagan deity but the worship of Satan himself who in his whole program seeks to be “like God” (Isa. 14:14). Because men worship Satan, they also worship the beast. He is Satan’s substitute for Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, and to him the world as a whole flocks to give homage, indicated in the questions, “Who is like the beast? Who is able to make war with him?” The point in history when this takes place is apparently at the beginning of the Great Tribulation when the head of the revived Roman Empire, described here as the beast, is able to assume authority over the entire world.
Verse 5 – The evil character of the world ruler of that day is shown in his boasting and blasphemy. A similar description of the same character is given in Daniel 7:8, 11, 25. His authority continues for forty-two months, again the familiar three and a half years of the Great Tribulation. It is probable that the person who heads the revived Roman Empire comes into power before the beginning of the entire seven-year period of Daniel 9:27, and as such enters into covenant with the Jewish people. His role as world ruler over the nations, however, does not begin until the time of the Great Tribulation. From that point, he continues forty-two months until the second coming of Christ terminates his reign. (The power to give authority is ultimately God’s. Neither Satan nor the Antichrist can do a single thing without permission from God. God grants Antichrist authority, but that authority is limited to three and one half years.)
Verse 6 – He is described as blaspheming God, against the name of God, and against the Tabernacle of God, as well as against them that dwell in heaven. He utters the ultimate in unbelief and irreverence in relation to God. If the king of Daniel 11:36-45 is the same individual, as some believe, he does so in total disregard of any god because he magnifies himself above all gods (Dan. 11:36).
Verse 7 – The world-wide extent of the beast’s power is here indicated as anticipated in Daniel 7:23, where the beast devours “the whole earth.” The expression “it was granted to him” refers to the satanic origin of his power. Acting as Satan’s tool, the beast is able to wage war against the saints throughout the entire globe and to overcome them (Rev. 7:9-17).
Verse 8 – Those worshiping the beast are the unsaved of both Jews and Gentiles in contrast to saved Jews and Gentiles whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. The “Book of Life” is a phrase used to describe the roster of all the redeemed of God (Exod. 32:32; Ps. 69:28; Isa. 4:3; Dan. 12:1; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 17:8; 20:15; 21:27).
The Book of Life belongs to Jesus Christ who is described in Old Testament sacrificial terms as the slain lamb (Isa. 53:7; John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6, 12). The redeemed of the earth have been bought with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pet. 1:19). For Christ to say that He will never blot out the overcomer’s name from the Book of Life (Rev. 3:5) is the strongest affirmation that death can never separate us from Christ and the life that He offers (Rom. 8:38-39).
Verse 9 – “If anyone has an ear, let him hear” is an expression used by John to alert the hearer to pay close attention (Rev. 2:7). Here, attention is to be given to what follows in verse 10.
Verse 10 – A number of variations occur in the text of verse 10 resulting in two main interpretations. The first interpretation is based on the verse beginning with the words “If anyone is to be taken captive” which expresses the resignation that Christians are to adopt in face of possible incarceration or martyrdom. This accords closely with Jeremiah 15:2; 43:11.
The fatalistically sounding words in verse 10 are not meant to discourage the believers, but to tell them that given the shortness of time, it is better to go to jail or submit to death, rather than hold out for one’s own continued earthly existence. Because heaven awaits us, earth and its freedoms can be forfeited without real loss. This is indeed patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints.
The first interpretation of this passage is a call to passivity – to be faithful unto death (Rev. 2:10).
Jeremiah 43:10-11 – “Thus says the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will send and bring Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will set his throne above these stones that I have hidden. And he will spread his royal pavilion over them. When he comes, he shall strike the land of Egypt and deliver to death those appointed to death, and to captivity those appointed to captivity, and to the sword those appointed for the sword.’ ”
The second interpretation of verse 10 is based on the verse beginning with the words “He who leads into captivity shall go into captivity” which expresses the warning of the ultimate sovereign justice of God which will be brought to bear upon this scene of wickedness. In a word, it is the law of divine retribution.
Those who persecute the saints and lead them into captivity must in turn suffer the righteous wrath of God. In this ultimate triumph and judgment upon wicked men lay the patience and faith of the saints in their hour of trial. The Scriptures frequently mention this final vindication (Gen. 9:6; Matt. 26:52; Rom. 12:19; Gal. 6:7). The same truth, which serves as an encouragement to the saints, acts as a warning to their persecutors.
Second Thessalonians 2:1-12
Paul had instructed the Thessalonians concerning the day of the Lord when he preached to them in person. In his first letter to the Thessalonians, Paul had taught them that the day of the Lord would come as a thief in the night (1 Thess. 5:2). This instruction raised a question in his readers’ minds. It must have seemed to some of them that the day of the Lord has already come.
After all, the persecutions they were experiencing seemed to be what the prophets had predicted when they wrote about the great calamities coming on God’s people and the world in the day of the Lord. The Thessalonians apparently had received instruction from other teachers to the effect that they were indeed experiencing the judgments of the day of the Lord, that is, the Tribulation. But if this is so, how could Paul’s previous instruction that they would be caught up in the Rapture and escape the wrath of God coming on the earth be true? Paul wrote to warn his readers against being deceived.
Paul referred to three events that must occur before the judgments of the day of the Lord took place. They are:
1) the falling away or apostasy (v. 3) – a rebellion, in which the professing church will depart from the truth that God has revealed in His Word.
2) the revealing of the man of sin, the son of perdition (vv. 3-4, 8) – it seems probable that the man of sin will be identified by some people living then when he makes a covenant with Israel at the beginning of the 70th week of Daniel (Dan. 9:27) and then breaks the covenant three and a half years later.
3) the removal of restraint against lawlessness (vv. 6-7) – when the church leaves the earth in the Rapture, the Holy Spirit will be taken out of the way in the sense that His unique lawlessness restraining ministry through God’s people will be removed.
After the removal of the restraint, the man of sin, the Antichrist, empowered by Satan, will perform miracles, signs, and wonders, which will deceive people into thinking he has divine power. He will sit “as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” All who worship him will be condemned because they “did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
The False Prophet
Verse 11 – Following the rise of the first beast, the Antichrist, John sees a second beast coming out of the earth. He will appear like a lamb giving the appearance of gentleness and harmlessness and of a true religious character, but he will speak like a dragon indicating he is directly inspired and empowered by Satan. Our Lord Jesus gave a twofold description of false prophets in the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 7:15).
Verse 12 – This second beast, who is elsewhere called the False Prophet (16:13; 19:20; 20:10), causes those who dwell on the earth to worship the first beast whose wound was healed according to verse 3. It is clear that the second beast shares prominence and leadership with the first beast throughout the Great Tribulation as they both are cast alive into the Lake of Fire at its close (19:20).
Verse 13 – One of the strategies the land beast uses to deceive people into following the first beast is the performance of “miraculous signs.” The ability of the Satan-inspired prophets to perform deceiving miracles is attested elsewhere in Revelation and in other parts of the Bible (Rev. 16:14; 19:20; Deut. 13:1-5; Matt. 7:22; Mark 13:22). Distinguishing between the true and false prophets has always been difficult but not impossible. The followers of Jesus must be constantly alert to discern the spirits (1 John 4:1-3) and not be deceived by even spectacular miracles that the False Prophet may perform. Such miracles in themselves are no evidence of the Holy Spirit.
Verse 14 – The second beast is the third member of the satanic trinity. The devil imitates the Father; the Antichrist imitates the Son; the False Prophet imitates the Holy Spirit. Just as Christ received authority from the Father (Matt. 11:27), so Antichrist receives authority from the dragon (Rev. 13:4), and as the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ (John 16:14), so the False Prophet glorifies the resurrected beast whose death stroke was healed (Rev. 13:12).
On the basis of great signs and the impression it makes upon men described as “them that dwell on the earth,” the second beast urges them to make an image of the first beast, reminiscent of the great golden image Nebuchadnezzar made and commanded every person to worship on the threat of death (Dan. 3:1-11). This monstrous image will be erected in Jerusalem and placed in the Jewish Temple to be worshiped, clearly in violation of God’s commandments (Exod. 20:3-4). The False Prophet will be the organizer and propagator of a new religion centered in the first beast.
Verse 15 – Expositors usually hold that the extraordinary powers given by Satan to the false prophet do not extend to giving life to that which does not possess life, because this is a prerogative of God alone. The intent of the passages seems to be that the image has the appearance of life manifested in breathing, but actually it may be no more than a robot. The image is further described as being able to speak, a faculty easily accomplished by mechanical means.
Whether completely natural in its explanation, or whether some supernatural power is used to create the impression of life, the image apparently is quite convincing to the mass of humanity and helps to turn them to a worship of the first beast as their god. The absolute authority of both the first and second beasts is such that those who will not worship the image will be killed.
Verse 16 – To counterfeit the seal of God on the foreheads of the saints, the seal of the Holy Spirit, the False Prophet will introduce his own counterfeit mark or seal. The counterfeit seal is the famous “mark of the beast” which will be received by all classes of people who worship the beast. All classes are included in three contrasting pairs: the small and the great, referring to status; the rich and poor, alluding to possessions; and the free and the bond, referring to their state in society.
Verse 17 – The mark will serve as identification necessary to conduct business and to purchase the necessities of life. No one will be able to buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast or the number of his name. It will be another device to force all people, this time by economic means, to forsake Christ for idolatry. It will be a severe test, but true believers will prefer death to renouncing the Savior (20:4).
Not everyone will worship the beast; many will embrace martyrdom rather than receive his mark. The number of martyrs may very well outnumber the believers who survive. Those who do receive the mark of the beast will damn themselves for all eternity. Their last days in the Great Tribulation will be days of incredible torment (Rev. 16:2) and excruciating pain (Rev. 16:10). All bearing the mark of the beast will suffer eternal torment in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15) because they rejected the word of truth.
Verse 18 – The number of the beast is now revealed: “His number is 666.” The number is introduced by the phrase “Here is wisdom,” and the appeal is made to those of understanding to count the number of the beast, which is the number of a man.
The interpretation of the mark is given by five clues: (1) the name of the beast; (2) the number of his name; (3) the number of the beast; (4) the number of a man, and (5) the number is 666. Following through this logical progression, the number of the beast is also the number of a man because the Antichrist will be a man. Furthermore, this number is the number of his very own name, and the numerical value of his name is 666.
Ancient languages, including Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, used standard letters from their alphabet as numerical signs. A series of letters could form a word and at the same time indicate a number. Jews used a practice called “gematria” to find mysterious connections between words based on their numerical value. The Greeks employed a similar practice called “isopsephy.”
Assuming the name of the Antichrist will be in Hebrew, the numerical value of that name will be 666. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet has a numerical value. There are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and in the order of numerical value they are as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 200, 300, and 400. Everyone’s name in Hebrew has a numerical value when the values of the letters of one’s name are added up.
Whatever the name, whatever the language, when the beast comes, the wise will recognize him by the number of his name. Being thus forewarned, they will be able to make swift and secret arrangements to get away into the wilderness and await the Lord’s return in glory.
XXIII. REVELATION CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Introduction
Chapter 14 consists of a series of pronouncements and visions assuring the reader of the ultimate triumph of Christ and the judgment of the wicked. Much of the chapter is prophetic of events that have not yet taken place, but which are now pending. The chapter begins with the assurance that the Lamb will ultimately stand in triumph on Mount Zion with His followers, and it concludes with a series of pronouncements upon the wicked.
Verse 1 – The first verse looks forward to the time when the Lord Jesus will come back to the earth and stand in Jerusalem with this group of believers from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. The 144,000, all of who bear the name of the Lamb’s Father on their foreheads are the same group of Jews mentioned in chapter 7, still intact, preserved by God through the fearful days of persecution. Jesus had promised in His letters to the seven churches that whoever overcame in the “hour of trial” which would come upon the whole world (Rev 3:10), that He would “write on him the name of My God” and “My new name” (Rev. 3:12). (By this expression, they are clearly identified as belonging to both the Father and the Son.) The 144,000 overcame and now stand triumphantly on Mount Zion after the Tribulation period ready to enter the millennial kingdom of Christ.
Verses 2-3 – John then heard a voice from heaven, described majestically as similar to the sound of many waters and comparable to the sound of great thunder. John also heard the music of harpists. The harpists are seen singing a new song of redemption in thanks for what God has accomplished through Christ. The song the harpists were singing was reserved for those purchased by the blood of Christ and delivered from their enemies, one group through martyrdom, and the other group by divine preservation through the Tribulation.
Verse 4 – John described the 144,000 as “not defiled with women, for they are virgins.” This description refers to spiritual purity, that is, they are not defiled by love of the world or compromise with evil, but keep themselves pure in a world situation that is morally filthy. In like manner, Israel is referred to frequently in the Bible as “the virgin daughter of Zion” (Lam. 2:13) and as the “virgin of Israel” (Jer. 18:13). In the New Testament also, the term “virgin” is used of both men and women as in 2 Corinthians 11:2 in reference to the Church as a bride.
This faithful group, who follows the Lamb wherever He goes, is offered to God as a holy and pure sacrifice of firstfruits. When a sheaf of the barley harvest was presented at the temple on the Feast of Firstfruits (Lev. 23:10), it signified the beginning of a harvest with more grain to be harvested. The 144,000 Jews are the firstfruits of a great harvest of Jewish souls to follow, which will occur in the regeneration of Israel at the end of the Tribulation period.
Verse 5 – The description of the 144,000 closes with the statement that they are without guile and without fault. In saying they have no guile, the thought is that in them there is no falsehood. In particular, this large number has been kept utterly clean from the false religion of the Great Tribulation. They are described as without fault, that is blameless and without stain. Christians in this present age are exhorted to be “without blame” (Eph. 1:4); “without blemish” (Eph. 5:27); “holy, blameless, and above reproach” (Col. 1:22); “without spot” (Heb. 9:14), and “faultless” (Jude 24).
Verses 6-7 – The next phase of the vision given to John in this chapter introduces an angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel to preach to the entire world. In the last warning given to unbelieving men, the angel calls for repentance in the face of the coming judgment of God. This is reminiscent of Jesus’ words that the gospel must be preached throughout the world as a testimony to all nations before the end can come (Matt. 24:14). The ground for the angel’s appeal is that God is the Creator of the universe. This was the theme of the doxology sung by the twenty-four elders as they laid their crowns before the throne of God (Rev. 4:11).
“The everlasting gospel” – The subject of the gospel is given in verse seven. Men are commanded to fear God (rather than the beast); to give glory to God (rather than to the idolatrous image); and to worship Him (rather than a mere man), for the hour of His judgment has come.
Verse 8 – The pronouncement of verse 8 is by another angel saying that the great city of Babylon has fallen. Prophetically, “Babylon” sometimes refers to a literal city, sometimes to a religious system, sometimes to a political system, all stemming from the evil character of historic Babylon.
David Reagan observes, “The city is referred to metaphorically as Babylon because at the time of the Antichrist’s reign, it will represent the epitome of the occultic spiritual evil that originated in Babylon and has always been associated with its name.” Two thousand years of church history verify that apocalyptic “Babylon” is Rome. It is either pagan Rome, papal Rome, or a future revived Rome – but it is Rome!
The abominable portrait before us typifies a one-world church united to a one-world political system using every type of corruption imaginable to promote herself into prominence at the end of time. “Babylon” was a synonym for Rome (17:5). This symbolic name for Rome appears in 1 Peter 5:13. The expression “she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication” means that the nations who participate in the spiritual corruption induced by Babylon ultimately share her divine condemnation and judgment.
Verses 9-11 – The third angel proclaims that anyone who receives the mark of the beast shall also partake of the judgment of God. This is the point of no return. The opportunity of salvation will be available to all as long as they are without the mark. But once the mark is taken, signifying the acceptance of the Antichrist as the one true god, they will have forfeited any further opportunity to be saved. Jesus says in Matthew 10:39: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Those who take the mark are destined for two things: first, they will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is the bowl judgments of Revelation 16; and, secondly, they are doomed to eternal torment in the Lake of Fire. (In the fifth trumpet judgment when demons are released from the pit of hell to torment men, those without the seal of God experience the wrath of God (Rev. 9:4). In the first bowl judgment, only those who bear the mark or worship the beast will experience God’s wrath (Rev. 16:2.))
No one will take the mark out of ignorance for by this time there will have been the two worldwide proclamations of the Gospel. First was the 144,000 during the first half of the Tribulation and the second was the angel in Revelation 14:6-7 in the middle of the Tribulation. Those who accept the mark of the beast will suffer in the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15) because they heard the word of truth but rejected it.
Verses 12-13 – The stern warning addressed to all worshipers of the beast is also an encouragement to those who put their trust in Christ in the time of great tribulation. Though some of them will face martyrdom and others will need to go into hiding, they are assured that their lot is preferable to those who accept the easy way out and worship the beast. The saints are described as those who “keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.”
John hears a voice from heaven pronouncing a blessing on those who die in the Lord. This is a direct divine pronouncement from the Holy Spirit as contrasted with communication through an angel implying that this is unusually important. The reference to the blessing of those who die in the Lord from this time on is to those who die in this period of the Great Tribulation. Those who die in the Lord as martyrs of the faith are described as resting from their labors with the rewards of their work following them.
Verse 14 – Following the reassurance of the saints’ ultimate reward, a further revelation is given. John in his vision beholds One like the Son of Man sitting on a white cloud wearing a golden crown and having in His hand a sharp sickle.
“One like the Son of Man” – there is little doubt that the divine figure seated on a cloud must be associated, through Daniel 7:13, with the person of the Messiah: “I was watching in the night visions, and behold, One like the Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven!” The term “Son of Man” in the Gospels is associated with the glory of the second advent of Christ: “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory” (Matt. 24:30).
Verses 15-16 – John beholds another angel come out of the Temple crying to the Son of Man to thrust in His sickle and reap, declaring that the harvest of the earth is ripe. It is remarkable that an angel should thus address the Son of Man, but it should be regarded as an entreaty of a holy angel to Christ in His position as Judge of men (John 5:22). The fact that the angel comes from the Temple seems to allude to this judgment as proceeding from the righteousness of God. The expression “the harvest of the earth is ripe” seems to imply that the judgment is overdue.
Some commentators distinguish between the figure of reaping in verses 14 through 16 and the vision of reaping which follows (vv. 17-20), holding that the first harvest is that of the saints in contrast to the second harvest, which is clearly of the wicked. The passage itself does not tell us what the first harvest is. There is no distinct event in this sequence of prophecies, which clearly presents a harvest of saints, and it is probably preferable to consider the first harvest (14:14-16) as the judgments in general which characterize the period and the second harvest (14:17-20) as the final climatic one.
Verses 17-20 – John now sees a second vision of judgment, still using the theme of harvest, this time a grape harvest. The grapes are cut and thrown into the vat where the wrath of God is trampled out. (The old hymn, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” could very well have been inspired by the apostle John, considering the lyric of the hymn, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored.”) This image derives from the Old Testament prophets who used the picture of the blood-red juice flowing out of the winepress to describe the outpouring of blood in war (Isa. 63:2-6).
The imagery of the harvest and the vintage is taken from Joel 3:12-13, which pictures the future judgment as a harvest:
“Let the nations be awakened and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down, for the winepress is full, the vats overflow – for their wickedness is great.”
When the armies of the world gather around Jerusalem at the time of the second coming of Christ, the blood is to come out of the winepress up to the horses’ bridles for 1600 furlongs (equivalent to 200 miles or the approximate distance of the land of Israel from north to south). It seems quite impossible that the blood will flow in depth as high as the horses’ bridles, and it is better to understand this simply as a liberal spattering of blood, which speaks of the awful human carnage of Revelation 19:17-19, 21.
Summary
Taken as a whole, chapter 14 of Revelation emphasizes first that the 144,000 of Israel seen at the beginning of the Great Tribulation will be preserved triumphantly through it. Second, the rest of the chapter is devoted to various pronouncements of divine judgment upon a wicked world, reassuring the saints of that day that, though they may suffer and even be martyred, God’s ultimate justice will triumph, the wicked will be judged, and the saints will be rewarded.
Today is a day of grace, but what is true of the Tribulation is also true today, namely, that God will ultimately judge all men. Today, however, the invitation is still open to those who will trust in Christ and who thereby can avail themselves of the grace of God and be saved from entering this awful period that may be impending for this present generation.
XXIV. REVELATION CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Introduction
Chapters 15 and 16 of Revelation bring to completion the sequential events introduced in this chapter as “the seven last plagues, “ which are the divine judgments preceding the second coming of Christ. Chapter 15 has two main visions: the first portrays the saints who have emerged triumphant from the Great Tribulation (verses 2 through 4); the second relates the appearance from the heavenly temple of seven angels clothed in white and holding the seven bowls of the last plagues (vv. 5-8).
Verse 1 – The final series of the last seven plagues (included in the third and last “woe” judgment) is introduced by the vision in which John sees “another sign in heaven.” The three signs of Revelation (12:1; 12:3; 15:1) taken together represent important elements in the prophetic scene: (1) the woman representing Israel; (2) the red dragon representing the final world empire under the control of Satan and the beast; and (3) the seven angels having the seven plagues – the completion of God’s judgment when His wrath is unleashed against rebellious mankind. John describes the third sign as “great and marvelous,” indicating that it is the most significant sign revealed to this point.
Verse 2 – The scene in heaven is described by John – “something like a sea of glass mingled with fire.” This seems to be an allusion to the same scene in 4:6 where a “sea of glass like crystal” is “in the midst of the throne.” In chapter 4, its description “like crystal” speaks of the glory, majesty, and brilliance of God. Here the sea mingled with fire speaks of divine judgment proceeding from God’s holiness. Upon this sea stand a company of martyred saints “having harps of God.” The harpers’ privileged position before the throne is their reward for refusing to worship the beast, receive his mark, bow to his image, or be identified with his number. They clearly belong to the saints martyred during the time of the Great Tribulation.
The False Prophet may have given these saints the alternative to receive the mark or the name or the number of the first beast or die, whereupon they may have responded, “Do what you will, but we will never receive his mark, nor his name, nor his number.” When they were killed, the world may have seen it as a defeat for the saints, but on the contrary, the death of the saints was their final victory! “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death” (Rev. 12:11). As a result the saints will rejoice in their victory (15:2-4) and inherit the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:7).
The inheritance of the saints is especially spelled out in the seven letters, as saints who emerge victorious are promised the tree of life (2:7), deliverance from the second death (2:11), the hidden manna (2:17), authority over the nations (2:26), white garments and their names in the book of life (3:5), the honor of becoming pillars in God’s temple with the name of God written on them (3:12), and the honor of sitting with Christ on His throne (3:21).
Verses 3-4 – The hymn of praise sung by the martyred saints in glory is identified as “the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb.” The martyrs extol God, as did Moses following the parting of the sea (Exod. 15:1-18). It is called Moses’ song because it models on what he sang in praise of God commemorating God’s victory over the Egyptians and the gods of Egypt, but it is even more the Lamb’s song because it commemorates His victory over all the evil forces of the world and every form of idolatry.
Verses 5-8 – As John observes, the Holy of Holies in the heavenly tabernacle is opened. The expression “the temple” refers to the inner holy place of the tabernacle. It is described as “the tabernacle of the testimony” because of the presence of the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, which were placed in the ark of the testimony in the Holy of Holies, as was Aaron’s rod that budded and a golden cup of manna (Heb. 9:4).
As the seven angels emerge from the sanctuary, they are each given a golden bowl of the wrath of God. The wrath of God is the final expression of divine righteousness. The “smoke” that filled the temple refers to the Shekinah cloud first associated with the Tabernacle and then with the Temple. It symbolizes God’s special presence (Exod. 40:34; 1 Kgs. 8:10-11) and the One who is the source of the judgments. His awesome presence in the temple prohibits even angels from entering it.
XXV. REVELATION CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Verses 1-2 – The seven angels to whom were given the seven plagues symbolized in the seven bowls are now commanded to pour out their divine judgment upon the earth. The “great” voice is undoubtedly the voice of God, which is described as coming out of the temple. The first bowl judgment falls upon men who have the mark of the beast and worship his image. The judgment is in the form of a severe physical affliction bringing widespread suffering. Those who refuse to heed the warning of the third angel (14:9) and take the mark of the beast now must drink of the wine of the wrath of God. This plague of “a foul and loathsome sore” parallels the sixth plague of boils under Moses (Exod. 9:9-11).
In significant ways, all seven of these bowls of wrath parallel the situation prior to Israel’s exodus from Egypt. In both places, the rebellious refuse to listen and harden their hearts, thus bringing further judgment on themselves. Confirmation that the bowl judgments occur late in the Great Tribulation is given in the record that the first bowl judgment falls on those who are worshipers of the beast’s image. This image apparently is established early in the last half of the Tribulation period.
Verses 3-7 – The second bowl is poured out upon the sea with the result that the sea becomes as blood and every living thing in the sea dies. This is reminiscent of the first plague upon Egypt when the Nile was turned to blood (Exod. 7:17-21). The area of judgment is similar to that of the second trumpet where one-third of the sea is turned to blood and one-third of the creatures of the sea die. Here, the judgment on the sea is universal and “every living creature in the sea died” (v. 3). The third in the series of judgments extends the turning of the water into blood to rivers and fountains, apparently with the same devastating effects (v. 4).
It does not take much imagination to see that when all living creatures in the seas die, they will float to the top, their decaying bodies discharging an unbearable stench and inaugurating potential disease. This judgment could well interfere with commercial shipping and send whole populations into confusion as man gropes for an adequate supply of water.
John hears “the angel of the waters” declare that because men have shed the blood of saints and prophets, God is righteous in judging them in kind in that they are given blood to drink. Jesus had pointed out that the blood of prophets would be demanded from those responsible for their death (Luke 11:47-51). The statement of the angel of the waters is confirmed by another angel’s voice out of the altar, which declares, “Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments.”
God has inflicted judgments many times: His judgment on the tower of Babel; His judgment on the world in sending a universal flood; His judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah; His judgment on Jerusalem in A.D. 70; and His judgment on Israel for almost two thousand years. This will be God’s final judgment.
Perhaps it is troubling to read so much of God’s wrath in Revelation, but one must be remember that God’s wrath and judgment are not arbitrary, but are always in response to man’s sin. God takes no delight in the death of the wicked; His judgment comes only after every other avenue has been exhausted. God cannot be faulted when He must pass judgment upon the wayward peoples of the earth for He is quoted in Isaiah 65:2-3 as saying, “I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts. A people who provoke Me to anger continually to My face.”
Verses 8-9 – Like the fourth trumpet, the fourth bowl is a judgment that affects the starry heaven, specifically the sun. In this judgment, the sun’s intensity is increased with the result that men are scorched with fire. The prophet Malachi described that day in this manner – “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble, and the day which is coming shall burn them up” (Mal. 4:1). The divine judgment thus inflicted, apparently upon the whole earth, does not bring men to repentance (the only act that could even now turn away God’s wrath) but only increases their blasphemy, even though they recognize that the plague comes from the God whom they reject.
Verses 10-11 – The fifth judgment resulting from the pouring out of the fifth bowl is directed to the throne of the beast and his subjects. The “throne of the beast” symbolizes the seat of the worldwide dominion of the satanic system of idolatry. The result of the judgment is darkness as was the case in the ninth plague in Egypt (Exod. 10:21-22). The wicked in their suffering are declared to weep and gnash their teeth (Matt. 8:12). Although weeping denotes sorrow, the gnashing of teeth depicts cursing. Again we have the sad note that they blasphemed God as author of these judgments and did not repent of their deeds.
Verse 12 – As the sixth bowl is poured out, its particular objective is the great Euphrates River. “The Euphrates River, one of the most prominent rivers in the Bible since the dawn of human history has stood as a natural barrier between east and west. . . The Euphrates River is the eastern border of the land God gave to Abraham (Gen. 15:18). It is about eighteen hundred miles long and so large that it forms a natural barrier against the armies of the world. Most people are not particularly conscious of the fact that it served as the eastern border of the Roman Empire. The sixth bowl judgment will dry up that river to make way for the “kings of the east.” (Tim LaHaye)
The reference to the Euphrates in the sixth trumpet (9:14) is a striking parallel to the sixth bowl plague, but while the sixth trumpet releases demonic hordes on the earth dwellers, the sixth bowl affects the assembling of the demonically inspired kings from the east to meet the Lord God Almighty in battle. “For I will gather all the nations to battle against Jerusalem” (Zech. 14:2).
Verses 13-14 – John sees three unclean spirits like frogs in appearance coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. These wicked spirits or demons are declared to work miracles and are commissioned to gather the kings of the entire earth to the battle. As such these demons are the emissaries of the unholy trinity of verse 13, namely, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, a counterfeit of the true triune God.
The kings of the east will combine their efforts with the armies of the world against Christ and His army from heaven when the glory of the Second Coming of Christ appears in heaven. “The battle of that great day of God Almighty” will be the final challenge to divine sovereignty and power in which the omnipotence of God will be fully demonstrated to the world’s military might of that day.
Verse 15 – The pronouncement is made, “Behold, I come as a thief.” The expression is used of a sudden, unexpected coming, which will result in judgment or loss on the part of the person overtaken. In Matthew 24:43, the second coming of Christ is compared to the coming of a thief who will overtake those who do not watch. In 2 Peter 3:10 and in 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4, the day of the Lord is said to come as a thief. Those who worship and serve the Lamb must be constantly vigilant lest their loyalty to Him be diverted through the satanic deception.
A special blessing is pronounced on the one who stays awake, a common expression relating to the end times (Matt. 25:13; Mark 13:33-37). “Keeping the garments” speaks of the righteousness of the saints as expressed in their life and testimony (19:8). The unifying factor in all these passages is that the coming in view results in loss for those who are not ready.
Verse 16 – The conclusion of the combined action of the sixth bowl and the enticement of the demons is that the armies of the earth are gathered in the Middle East in a place described as Armageddon. Armageddon is a combination of two Hebrew words, “Har Megiddo,” which mean “the mountain of Megiddo.” Megiddo was a strategic city located at the western end of the Valley of Jezreel, sometimes referred to as the Plain of Esdraelon (Greek for Jezreel). This area has been the scene of over two hundred battles such as that of Barak and the Canaanites in Judges 4 and the victory of Gideon over the Midianites in Judges 7. Here also occurred the deaths of King Saul and King Josiah. Napoleon Bonaparte upon seeing this valley for the first time said with great emotion: “This is the ideal battleground for all the armies of the world.”
Megiddo, however, is only a tell (an artificial mound – seventy feet high in John’s day), not a hill or mountain, though the fact that over two hundred battles have been fought in this vicinity make this site an appropriate symbol for the final battle against evil. The valley of Jezreel will merely serve as a gathering ground for the armies of the Antichrist. Actually, the armies will be deployed to the north and to the south of this central location (14:20). At this time, God will intervene and “The cup of the wine of the fierceness of His [God’s] wrath” will be poured out, and the forces of evil will be overthrown and destroyed.
Verse 17 – This verse shows the seventh angel pouring out his bowl. The seventh bowl signals that the eschatological wrath of God is complete. God’s voice is heard coming from the temple and directly from the throne of God itself saying, “It is done.” Just as Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (John 19:30) when our salvation was accomplished, so God calls out, “It is done” as the end of the age arrives when salvation and judgment will be ultimately accomplished.
Verse 18 – As in the case of the final seal and the seventh trumpet (8:5; 11:19), the final bowl is introduced by the sound of voices, thunderings, lightnings, and a great earthquake. The earthquake is declared to be greater than any previous earthquake. The earth literally convulses as “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) comes to an end. The prophet Haggai may have predicted this when he stated: “For thus says the LORD of hosts . . . ‘I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations’ ” (Hag. 2:6-7).
Verse 19 – This verse declares that “the great city” is split into “three parts” and that the other cities of the Gentile world fall. The question has been raised as to the reference to the great city, inasmuch as Babylon is specifically mentioned later in the verse. Some have taken both references to indicate Babylon; others have identified the first great city of the verse as Jerusalem. In 11:8, Jerusalem is referred to as “the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.” It is also clear that great topographical changes will take place around Jerusalem in connection with the judgments at the end of the age (Zech. 14:4).
There is therefore some justification for considering Jerusalem as a possible interpretation. There does not, however, seem to be any clear evidence that Jerusalem is destroyed with these judgments, which overtake the earth at the end of the Great Tribulation.
Babylon, however, according to Scripture, is destined to be completely destroyed. (The judgment of Babylon will occupy John’s attention in chs. 17 – 18.) Whether this refers to Rome, which is spiritual Babylon or, as some have understood it, to a rebuilt city of Babylon on the Euphrates, it is clear in any case that Babylon is the special object of the judgment of God, expressed graphically in the statement “to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.” The fact that the judgment is an earthquake seems to indicate that a literal city is in view, either Rome or rebuilt Babylon, and that the judgment results in its physical destruction. The time is just prior to the second coming of Christ.
Verse 20 – The sweeping statement is made in verse 20 that every island is affected and that the mountains disappear. The movement of the islands and mountains mentioned in 6:14 as stemming from the sixth seal is here carried to a more violent conclusion with apparently the entire earth radically changing its appearance.
Verse 21 – In addition to the great earthquake, verse 21 records the downpour of great hail with every stone about the weight of a talent (100 pounds). The size of the hailstones befits the terrifying proportions of this last shaking of the heavens and earth (Hag. 2:21). The Egyptians endured a plague of great hailstones (Exod. 9:24); while the hosts of Gog will suffer like fate (Ezek. 38:22). Although the judgment and its demonstration of the power and sovereignty of God are great, men are still unrepentant.
Summary
The utter perversity of human nature, which will reject the sovereignty of God in the face of such overwhelming evidence, confirms that even the Lake of Fire will not produce repentance on the part of those who have hardened their hearts against the grace of God. There is no escape from divine judgment except for those who avail themselves of the grace of God in that day by faith in Jesus Christ.
XXVI. REVELATION CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Introduction
“And another angel followed, saying, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication’ ” (Rev. 14:8).
“Now the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath” (Rev. 16:19).
An announcement of the fall of Babylon was given in 14:8. With the pouring out of the seventh bowl of God’s wrath, the actual destruction of Babylon is mentioned in 16:19. Now John fills in the details in chapters 17 and 18 of the final destruction of Babylon in both its religious and political forms. Babylon is described as a harlot – one who gives herself to others, not because she loves them or is interested in their welfare, but to gain their favors, which ultimately results in their destruction as well as her own.
John first describes the nature of the harlot and the beast she rides (ch. 17); then he describes her momentous fall (ch. 18). It is evident from these chapters that the events described therein, especially those in chapter 17, occur at the beginning of the Great Tribulation. Any interpretation of Revelation 17 (Babylon the woman) and Revelation 18 (Babylon the city) is difficult because expositors have differed in the details of their interpretations. In general, however, it is helpful to consider chapter 17 as dealing with Babylon as a religious or spiritual entity and chapter 18 as dealing with Babylon as a political or commercial entity. Chapter 17 may be divided into the vision of the great harlot, (vv. 1-6) and the interpretation of the vision (vv. 7-18).
Verse 1 – One of the seven angels, who had the seven bowls, invites John to witness the judgment of the Great Harlot. The Great Harlot, the woman whom John saw, is identified in verse 18 as “that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.”
Calling a city a prostitute continues the Old Testament imagery of referring to false worship as adultery. The city of Tyre is called a harlot by Isaiah (23:16-17), as is idolatrous Jerusalem by Ezekiel (16:15), and Nineveh by Nahum (3:4).
The latter part of verse 1 quotes Jeremiah’s description of Babylon as that city was addressed by the prophet, “you who dwell on many waters” (Jer. 51:13). This phrase, “many waters,” interpreted by John in verse 15 as “peoples, multitudes, nations and tongues,” speaks of the vast influence of the prostitute on the peoples of the world.
Verse 2 – “with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication” – Here, John is fulfilling his commission given in Revelation 10:11 to prophesy against “kings.” The kings of the earth have committed fornication with the Great Harlot. She has “corrupted the earth with her fornication” (Rev. 19:2). The political leaders and the inhabitants of the earth, seduced by the Great Harlot to commit immorality and idolatry, have become drunk with the wine of her fornication. (“The inhabitants of the earth” is a technical phrase that refers to the people who are hostile to God and His people. The expression, “those who dwell on the earth” denotes those who shake their fists in the face of God and adamantly exclaim, “I know this is wrong, but I’m going to go ahead and do it anyway!”) Those whose names are written in the Book of Life will understand that anything idolatrous is not of God. The symbolism of spiritual adultery is not ordinarily used of heathen nations who know not God, but always of people who outwardly carry the name of God while actually worshiping and serving other gods.
Verse 3 – John is carried away in the spirit and sees a woman seated on a scarlet-colored beast, which is full of blasphemy and which has seven heads and ten horns. The woman is a symbol of Babylon described as the “Great Harlot.” The scarlet beast is the same as described in 13:1, where the beast is the revived Roman Empire in its character as the center of the world government of Gentile power in that day. The fact that the woman is riding the beast signifies that she represents religious or ecclesiastical power as distinct from the beast, which is political power.
Her position, that of riding the beast, indicates on the one hand that she is supported by the political power of the beast, and on the other that she is in a dominant role, at least outwardly. The relationship between the woman and the beast will be mutually beneficial. The situation seemingly is in the first half of Daniel’s seventieth week, before the time of the Great Tribulation, which is the second half.
Verse 4 – The woman, arrayed in purple and scarlet and decked with gold, precious stones, and pearls, rides the beast swinging in her hand a golden cup full of her idolatrous abominations and wickedness by which she intoxicated the rulers of the world.
Verse 5 – Upon the forehead of the woman was written her name described as “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” The exhibition of the name on the harlot’s forehead probably alludes to the custom of Roman courtesans, who similarly displayed their names on their headbands.
“Mystery” is a descriptive reference to the title but not a part of the title itself. The word “mystery” in the Bible always refers to the divine truths that have been hidden but are now being revealed in the end times. The mystery is the fact that Babylon will develop into a one-world unified false religion and will rule the world religiously for the first half of the Tribulation. It has been commonly held that the title “Babylon the Great” assigned to this woman is not a reference to Babylon as a city but is a religious designation. The woman represents the one religious system before which all kings, dictators, and nations have been forced to bow down throughout history, that is, the Babylonian religion of idolatry. Religious systems of this sort have always had enough of the truth to deceive the faithful and enough of the false to damn its followers.
The Mother of Harlots – She is pictured as the source of moral evil and spiritual infidelity. Through the prophet Isaiah, God pronounced future judgment on Babylon for the occultic practices prevalent in Babylon from the very beginning of her history:
“Stand now with your enchantments and the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth – perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail. You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the astrologers, the stargazers, and the monthly prognosticators stand up and save you from what shall come upon you” (Isa. 47:12-13).
The Bible is full of information about Babylon as the source of false religion, the record beginning with the building of the Tower of Babel (Gen. 10–11). Nimrod, who founded Babylon (Gen. 10:8-12), had a wife known as Semiramis (and son Tammuz) who founded the secret religious rites of the Babylonian mysteries, according to accounts outside the Bible.
Various religious practices were observed in connection with this false Babylonian religion, including recognition of the mother and child as divine beings. The Semiramis–Tammuz counterfeit mother–son system spread to various nations over time, such as: Egypt as Isis and Osirus; Assyria as Ishtar and Bacchus; India as Isi and Iswara; Asia as Cybele and Deoius; Greece as Aphrodite and Eros; and Rome as Venus and Cupid.
Tammuz, according to the tradition, was killed by a wild animal and then restored to life, a satanic anticipation and counterfeit of Christ’s resurrection. Scripture condemns this false religion repeatedly (Jer. 44:17-19; Ezek. 8:14).
After the Persians took over Babylon in 539 B.C., they discouraged the continuation of the mystery religions of Babylon and subsequently the Babylonian cultists moved to Pergamum. When the teachers of the Babylonian mystery religions later moved from Pergamum to Rome, they were influential in paganizing Christianity and were the source of many so-called religious rites which have crept into ritualistic churches.
When Emperor Constantine became a professing Christian, the ancient Babylonian mysteries were simply transferred bodily into the church. Pagan temples became Christian churches, pagan gods became Christian saints, pagan festivals became Christian feasts, and pagan customs became the customs of the church. The “queen of heaven” (Jer. 44:17) in antiquity is today, for some, the virgin Mary , who also is revered by some as “the Mother of God.”
Little by little, all the trappings of paganism became an established part of the religion of Christendom. Such Babylonian articles of religion as the worship of the mother and the child, the dogma of purgatory, the use of holy water, bells, candles, rosary beads, incense, the sign of the cross, and absolution of one’s sins by a priest all became articles of Roman faith.
Babylon’s religious system has survived the centuries, and it lives on in many a pagan religion in the world today and many believe it reigns supreme in Rome. Rome is certainly not the “mother” of harlots and abominations, for that title belongs to ancient Babylon – but many believe she certainly is included among the daughters of the Mother of Harlots.
In the past we ourselves may have played with the harlot but let us not play the harlot. May God keeps us from prostituting the gifts and talents He has given us in order to gain favor from the world. Gaining favor with the world can be very costly when it necessitates the setting aside of our integrity and dignity and the compromise of our morals and Christian beliefs.
The whole worldwide system of idolatry, possibly coached and led by Rome as some commentators suggest, will unite at last under the beast. Idolatry will be the cornerstone of his world religion; once the beast rids himself of the Roman system, it will all be headed up in himself and in his image. Babylon is the symbol of apostasy and blasphemous substitution of idol-worship for the worship of God in Christ.
Verse 6 – This mother prostitute is also the source of the shed blood of the followers of Jesus, the saints of all eras of church history, but especially to the martyrs of Jesus during the Tribulation. To be drunk with blood was a familiar figure in the ancient world for the lust for violence. Here the primary reference is not to ancient Babylon but to Babylon perpetuated in apostate Christendom especially in its future form. (There is no biblical evidence that ancient Babylon spilled the blood of saints of God.) The history of the church has demonstrated that apostate Christendom is unsparing in its persecution of those who attempt to maintain a true faith in Jesus Christ.
Verse 7 – The angel, perceiving that John wonders at what he sees, states that he will declare the mystery of the woman and of the beast. Few passages in Revelation have been the subject of more disputes among scholars than the passage to follow. In the following verses, the beast is described and identified (7-8), followed by the seven heads (9-11), the ten horns (12-14), the waters (15), and finally the woman (18).
Verse 8 – The angel first gives a detailed description of the beast in his general character. The beast is explained chronologically as that which was, is not, and is about to ascend from the abyss and go into perdition. The word “perdition” means “destruction” or “utter destruction,” referring to eternal damnation. The abyss or bottomless pit is the home of Satan and demons and indicates that the power of the political empire is satanic in its origin as is plainly stated in 13:4.
There is an identification to some extent of Satan with the future world ruler and identification of the world ruler with his world government. Each of the three entities is described as a beast. The world government that the beast promotes is entirely satanic in its power and to this extent is identified with Satan. Many believe it is the beast as the world government that is revived.
The man who is the world ruler, however, has power and great authority given to him by Satan. The fact that Satan and the world ruler are referred to in such similar terms indicates their close relationship one to the other.
Verses 9-11 – The explanation of the beast introduced by the unusual phrase “here is the mind which has wisdom” anticipates the difficulty and complexity of the revelation to follow. It will require nothing less than the wisdom of God to understand this vision (the wisdom of God is found in the Word of God). The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. The expression “the seven heads are seven mountains” is taken by some expositors to indicate that the seat of the ecclesiastical power will be in Rome, geographically, rather than in Babylon, since seven hills formed the nucleus of the ancient city of Rome. (These hills received the names of Palatine, Aventine, Caelian, Esquiline, Viminal, Quirinal, and Capitoline.)
The seven heads of the beast, or seven mountains, however, are said to be symbolic of seven kings, described in verse 10. (It is interesting that the beast of Revelation 12:3 has seven diadems on its seven heads, inferring that the heads represent kings.) Five of these kings/kingdoms are said to have fallen, one is in contemporary existence, that is, in John’s lifetime, and the seventh is yet to come. (If this refers to Rome the city, then five hills should no longer be in existence, only one should be there now, with another to arise in the future!)
The seven heads are part of the beast, not part of the woman. The woman sits on seven heads that are part of the beast on which she sits. Therefore, some commentators say that the seven mountains or kings represent seven great world powers, of which five have fallen – Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece; one which existed in the day of John – Rome; and one which has not yet come – the future revived Roman Empire. She sat on these heads in the same manner as she is seen sitting on the beast. In other words, she greatly influenced and dominated to some extent the former kings/kingdoms and will likewise influence and control to some degree, the end time beast and his kingdom.
Other commentators have thought that the seven kings represent seven forms of the government of Rome, five of which have come and gone, and in John’s day, the sixth was in power. These five forms of government are said to be the government of Rome by (1) kings, (2) consuls, (3) dictators, (4) decemvirs, (5) military tribunes, and (6) emperors. The seventh form of government, still future, would be that of a great confederacy headed by the beast.
“The beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition” – the final form of world government that is not yet come and will continue only a short time, symbolized by the eighth beast itself, is the worldwide empire of the Great Tribulation time. The revived Roman Empire, which will be in sway immediately after the rapture of the church, will move into a global empire that continues a short time and is destroyed by Jesus Christ at His coming to earth.
Verses 12-14 – Further detail is given concerning the final stage of the world empire as having a nucleus of ten kings apparently joined in a confederacy represented by the ten horns. These kings in contrast to the seven heads of the beast are kings who rule not in succession but simultaneously at the end time. By comparison with chapter 13, it will be seen that this is the form of the Roman Empire just preceding the world empire.
The rule of the ten horns as kings is subject to that of the beast itself. This is shown in verse 13 where it is said that these have one mind and shall give their power and strength to the beast. They are further described as making war with the Lamb, a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ, and their ultimate subjugation under the Lamb is destined to be fulfilled at the Second Coming.
Verse 15 – In the first verse of the chapter the harlot is seen sitting upon many waters. Here the description and the symbolic meaning of the waters are given as referring to peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. The situation described here is one of great political power on the part of the beast but a sharing of rule with the woman who controls the multitudes of the world.
Verses 16-18 – It appears that the revived Roman Empire allows itself to be controlled, or at least influenced by the harlot for a while and then having increased in power and prestige no longer has need of the woman and consequently destroys her. The hated harlot is stripped, consumed, and burned by the beast on which she sat.
In the declaration “God has put it into their hearts to fulfill His purpose,” there is another indication of God’s use of the forces of evil as instruments of His own purposes of judgment (Jer. 25:15-27). Nothing will distract them from their united effort to destroy the prostitute until God’s purposes given through the prophets are fulfilled. Evil can never stop God’s good from being done, and in its own peculiar way, evil only cooperates in the accomplishing of God’s good will.
The “woman” and “the great city” are one. Yet this city is not just a historical one; it is the “great city,” the “mother” city, the archetype of every evil system opposed to God in history. Her kingdom holds sway over the powers of the earth. The cities in Revelation are only two: the city of God, the New Jerusalem (21:2), and the city of Satan, Babylon the Great (16:19).
XXVII. REVELATION CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Introduction
As will be clearly seen, the Babylon of Chapter 18 is exactly the same as the Babylon of chapter 17. The only difference is that chapter 18 focuses on the material, secular aspect of Babylon whereas chapter 17 focuses on the spiritual, religious aspect of Babylon. The events of chapter 17 will be fulfilled at the midpoint of the seven years, whereas the events of chapter 18 will occur at the end of the seven years, immediately before the second coming of Christ. The destruction of the city of Babylon will be the final blow to the times of the Gentiles, which began when the Babylonian army attacked Jerusalem in 605 B.C.
The chapter begins with a kind of prelude in which the whole judgment is proclaimed (vv. 1-3). Then comes a call for the people of God to separate themselves from the city because the divine plagues are about to descend upon her in recompense for her crimes (vv. 4-8). The main movement that expresses the laments for the city’s fall is divided into three parts: (1) the lament of the kings of the earth (vv. 9-10), then (2) the lament of the merchants who traded with her (vv. 11-17), and (3) the lament of the sea captains who became rich from the cargoes they took to the city (vv. 18-20). The finality of Babylon’s fall is proclaimed because she deceived the nations and killed God’s people (vv. 21-24).
Verses 1-3 – Religious Babylon was presented as a woman or mother, while commercial Babylon is portrayed as a city, a great city, and a mighty city. Religious Babylon was destroyed by the kings of the earth (17:16), but political Babylon will be destroyed by horrendous judgments from the hand of God. In chapter 17, when religious Babylon was destroyed, the kings rejoiced. In chapter 18, when commercial Babylon is demolished, however, the kings of the earth will lament.
“Earth was illuminated with his glory” – no celestial being, angelic or demonic, has glory in the book of Revelation, except here. Therefore, it is likely that the angel reflects the glory of God, implying he has come directly from the divine presence.
Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen” – In Isaiah 21:9, the fall of religious Babylon is prophesied, with particular emphasis on the corruption of kings and nations by idolatry: “And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen! Then he answered and said, ‘Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground.’” Here, in chapter 18, the downfall of economic and political Babylon is announced.
The downfall of the city of Babylon in verse 2 is followed by its becoming the habitation of demons, the “prison” of every evil spirit, and the “cage” of every unclean and hateful bird (Isa. 13:21-21; Jer. 50:39). This will be the place of demonic abode and confinement during the messianic age. This abandonment of destroyed Babylon to demons is a divine judgment stemming from the global political (kings of the earth) and economic (merchants of the earth) corruption originating in the city because of the Antichrist’s rule.
“The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her” – In the Old Testament, the city of Tyre was accused of having committed “fornication with all the kingdoms of the world on the face of the earth” (Isa. 23:17) She was condemned as a “prostitute” for selling herself to “all the kingdoms of the earth” for profit (a commercial rather than a religious metaphor) and therefore this is more a commercial image rather than a religious image.
Verses 4-5 – “Come out of her My people” forms the burden of Jeremiah’s refrain concerning Babylon (Jer. 51:6). Christians are to separate themselves ideologically and physically from all the forms of Babylon. The saints/holy ones are to separate themselves (the very meaning of “holiness” from the things of the world. The purpose of leaving Babylon is twofold: first, by separation from her they will not partake of her sin, and second, they will not have her plagues inflicted on them.
“For her sins have reached to heaven” – a strong image that reminds one of the tower of Babel that the foolish people built to reach “to the heavens” (Gen. 11:4). Here, it alludes to Jeremiah 51:9, where the judgment of Babylon “reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.”
“God has remembered her iniquities” – Our omniscient God is aware of all things all the time. In Exodus chapter 3, when the LORD was commissioning Moses to be the deliverer of His people, He said to Moses, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrow.” [Emphasis mine] Rest assured that God has seen your struggle, heard your cries and prayers, and knows your situation. Wait on God for His deliverance in His time.
Verses 6-8 – In keeping with the enormity of her sin, the voice from heaven now calls on God to reward Babylon even as she rewarded the people of God. “Repay her double according to her works,” indicates that her torment and sorrow will be proportionate to her self-aggrandizement and luxurious lifestyle. Although the phrase, “repay her double” is a metaphor for full recompense rather than for twice the penalty, there is a sense in which of what she sowed, she will reap two separate judgments: (1) the destruction of all natural life by fire, and (2) total physical annihilation destroying Satan’s spiritual base of operations. Her judgment will come in one day and will involve death and mourning and famine. It is God who will punish her with fire. “ ‘As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbors,’ says the LORD, so no one shall reside there, nor son of man dwell in it” (Jer. 50:40).
Verses 9-19 – Some believe that ancient Babylon is to be rebuilt as the capital of the world empire in the Great Tribulation period and that Babylon in this chapter refers to ancient Babylon rather than to Rome. Others identify Babylon as Rome, the seat of the worldwide religious system as described by the seven mountains of 17:9 and also the political city. It is possible that Rome might be the ecclesiastical capital and rebuilt Babylon the political and commercial capital. It is also conceivable that Rome might be the capital in the first half of the seven years and Babylon in the second half – in the world empire phase. Regardless of location, the burning of the city is a symbol of the fall of its political and economic might.
The question remains as to what city is in view here. A common view is that it refers to the city of Rome as the seat of the Roman Catholic Church and the capital of the ancient Roman Empire. Some find confirmation of this in the fact that the sea merchants will be able to see the smoke of the burning of the city (18:9, 18).
Other evidence seems to point to the fact that it is Babylon itself, located on the Euphrates River, which in the end time will be converted into a ship-bearing river. When all evidence is studied, the conclusion seems to point to Babylon being rebuilt as the capital of the world empire rather than to Rome in Italy. Bible expositors, however, continue to be divided on this question.
Those who interpret the Scriptures literally whenever possible are inclined to believe that the city of Babylon will be rebuilt. The main reason for believing that Babylon must be rebuilt relates to some prophecies concerning her destruction which are yet unfulfilled.
1. Isaiah 13 and 14 and Jeremiah 50 and 51 describe the destruction of Babylon as being at the
time of “the day of the Lord.” (The Law of Double Reference may apply in these four
chapters.)
2. The ruins of Babylon have been used to rebuild other cities (at least six). Contrary to Jeremiah
51:26: “They shall not take from you, a stone for a corner nor a stone for a foundation, but
you shall be desolate forever, says the LORD.” The builders of Baghdad (762), fifty miles
north of Babylon, also used materials from the ancient city. This fact alone would demand the
rebuilding of Babylon, because when God destroys it, in chapter 18, no part of it will be used
to build another city.
3. “Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed” (Jer. 51:8).
“And Babylon, the glory of the kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldeans’ pride, will be as when
God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah” (Isa. 13:19).
When taken together, these two prophecies indicate that Babylon will be destroyed by a
sudden cataclysm, much the same as were Sodom and Gomorrah. History reveals that
Babylon was never destroyed like that.
4. “It will never be inhabited, nor will it be settled from generation to generation; nor will the
Arabian pitch tents there, nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there” (Isa. 13:20).
Presently, there are some settlers in the ruins of the city. The suburbs of a nearby city (Hillah)
is rapidly extending toward Babylon.
Once rebuilt, the great city Babylon will serve as the seat of Satan, the governmental, religious, and commercial headquarters of the world during the Tribulation Period. The city will again become the home of idolatry, occultism, demonism, and false religion.
On the other hand, there are those scholars who see the word “Babylon” being used symbolically for Rome (as in 1 Pet. 5:13). They believe it is not a reference to literal ancient Babylon, which was destroyed centuries ago. Nor is it a reference to a rebuilt Babylon of the “last days.” Although such is possible, it is not probable. The amount of time it would take to rebuild the city and for it to emerge as a world commercial center violates any proper sense of the imminent return of Christ.
The Babylon of Revelation is the “New Rome” of the future. It is the revived Roman Empire of a politically and economically resurgent new Europe. Since the days of the Roman Empire, there has never been a truly unified Europe. But today talk of such a reality is commonplace. The European Union (EU) has as its stated goal the establishment of the United States of Europe.
After Babylon’s destruction there will be intense lamenting by those who invested heavily in her, became rich by her, but now will be bankrupt by her destruction. Three classes of people will mourn over Babylon, and their lamentations are recorded in 18:9-19:
First is the lamentation of the kings, the political rulers of the world in 18:9-10. The kings of the earth will marvel at the destruction of the seemingly infinite power of the capital of the world empire. Their mourning is also characterized by fear lest they have the same judgment which has overcome the city, and for this reason they stand afar off.
The second group of mourners is the merchants in 18:11-17a. Babylon will become the economic center of the world, the center of business and world trade, a city characterized by the luxury items listed in the passage. But it will suddenly all go up in smoke, and the wealth of the merchants will be no more. (Much of the material of chapter 18 relates to Ezekiel 27, a lament for Tyre.) Swiftly becoming paupers, the merchants will be heard lamenting indeed. Like the kings of the earth who stood afar off and watched the ascending smoke of the burning of Babylon, so the merchants also shall fear to go near to the city. This passage confirms that Babylon’s destruction by fire is a literal event.
The transporters of goods are the third group who benefited from their association with Babylon. But they too will lament in 18:17b-19. Those in ships, apparently standing off from shore on the sea, witness the scene and join in the mourning as they see the smoke of the city ascending. Their mourning is not for the city, however, but because their wealth derived from trade in shipping is now at an end.
Those who advocate that “Babylon” is a code word for Rome, identify the great trade center as Rome. A second-century writer estimated Rome’s imports just from China, India, Africa and Arabia at roughly thirty million denarii (a denarius was a day’s wage in Palestine). Rome was a center of international trade, and no merchant marine existed like Rome’s for a thousand years after its demise.
Verse 20 – In contrast to the grief overtaking worldly rulers and merchants by the destruction of Babylon, those in heaven, the saints and the apostles and the prophets are called upon to rejoice at the righteous judgment of God. God has brought to bear the righteous recompense for her martyrdom of the saints. It is another case where the righteous ultimately triumph as victory follows suffering.
Verses 21-24 – John in his vision now sees a “mighty angel” throw a stone like a great millstone into the sea, portraying the violent downfall of the great city. Like a stone cast into the sea, it will be found no more.
The angel now enlarges on the cessation of activity in this great city. That which characterized its life and featured its luxurious existence, such as the voice of harpers and musicians, of pipers and trumpeters, is now silent. Similarly, the fine craftsmen who produced the ultimate in luxurious goods are no longer to be found. The sound of the millstone grinding out grain is silent. In like manner, the light of the candle is now out, the city cold and dead, and no longer do its streets ring with the voices of the bridegroom and the bride. The “voice of the bridegroom and bride” was the ultimate sound of joy. The very silence of the city is a testimony to God’s devastating judgment.
Jeremiah commanded a scroll-wrapped stone to be thrown into the Euphrates River to symbolize the sinking of the city of Babylon. Now, another person, an angel, also casts a stone, the size of a millstone, into the sea to depict how totally Babylon will disappear so as not to be found any more. (A millstone was so large that it had to be driven by a donkey – it was used to grind large amounts of grain and weighed several tons.)
Verses 23 and 24 provide another brief summary of the extent of Babylon’s sins and greatness. Her merchants were “great men of the earth.” All nations were deceived by Babylon’s sorceries. Babylon is declared to be guilty of the blood of prophets and saints, reference in part to the martyrs of the Great Tribulation.
Summary
There is an obvious parallel in the rise and fall of Babylon in its varied forms in Scripture. As introduced in Genesis 11:1-9, Babylon historically symbolized by the tower reaching to heaven, proposed to maintain the union of the world through a common worship and a common tongue. God defeated this purpose by confusing the language and scattering the people.
Babylon, ecclesiastically symbolized by the woman in Revelation 17, proposes a common worship and a common religion through uniting in a world church. This is destroyed by the beast in 17:16 who thus fulfills the will of God (17:17). Babylon, politically symbolized by the great city of Revelation 18, attempts to achieve its domination of the world by a world common market and a world government. These are destroyed by Christ at His second coming (19:11-21).
The triumph of God is therefore witnessed historically in the scattering of the people and the unfinished tower of Genesis 11 and prophetically in the destruction of the city of Revelation 18. With the graphic description of the fall of Babylon contained in chapters 17 and 18, the way is cleared for the presentation of the major theme of the book of Revelation, the second coming of Christ and the establishment of His glorious kingdom.
XXVIII. REVELATION CHAPTER NINETEEN
Introduction
John has just witnessed the destruction of the earthly center of all satanic activity. Chapters 17 and 18 summarize the downfall of evil on earth and the vindication of God. Now the quintessence of evil is gone – the prostitute on the beast, Babylon the great, drunk with the blood of the saints. In this chapter, the last act of the historical and cosmic drama is played out ushering in the Millennial Age or Messianic Age toward which saints of all the ages have eagerly awaited. Their longing will not be in vain. The King of kings and Lord of lords is just over the horizon, riding on His white horse of victory ready to bring this sin-weary age to a close.
Verses 1-3 – Chapter 19 begins with John hearing a loud shout that fills the heavens, coming from the vast multitude of God’s redeemed people. It is a word of triumph, praise, and adoration – “Hallelujah!” rendered in the Greek text as allelouia. It means “Praise the Lord” in Hebrew and is found 22 times throughout Psalms 104–150. It occurs only four times in the New Testament, all in this chapter (19:1, 3, 4, 6). It is as though the note of triumph is reserved until the end when God fully exercises His rule on earth. Salvation, glory, power, and justice are ascribed to God as the essence of His rule as He deals with earth. With the judgment of the Great Harlot, the day of God’s vengeance has arrived. John pictures the smoke of Babylon being an everlasting reminder of the fate that awaits those who choose to rebel against God.
Verses 4-6 – Now the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures join in the chorus of hallelujahs and worship God while those who reverence God are commanded to praise Him. John hears the voice of the great multitude, that is, the same as in verse 1, accompanied by the majestic sound of many waters and mighty thunderings, saying for the fourth time in this passage, “Hallelujah: for the Lord God Omnipotent reigns.”
Verses 7-8 – Though marriage customs varied in the ancient world, usually there were four major phases: (1) The marriage contract or covenant was often consummated by the payment of a suitable dowry. Once the marriage covenant had been established, the couple was legally married. (2) At a later time, the second step in the wedding took place. This was the marriage custom in which the bridegroom accompanied by his friends would go to the home of the bride and escort her to his house. (3) In the third aspect of the marriage custom, the wedding ceremony would be performed. (4) The fourth aspect of the marriage custom would be the celebration of the marriage supper or feast, to which guests were invited.
The marriage symbolism is beautifully fulfilled in the relationship of Christ to His church. The wedding contract or covenant is consummated at the time the church is redeemed. Every true Christian is joined to Christ in a legal marriage. When Christ comes for His church at the Rapture, the next phase of the wedding is fulfilled, namely, the Bridegroom comes to receive His bride and the Marriage of the Lamb takes place in heaven.
The “marriage of the Lamb” (v. 7), is properly the marriage supper of the Lamb, the final phase of the marriage relationship between Christ and His church. A beautiful picture is drawn of the holiness and righteousness of the church in that hour, for the bride is described as arrayed in “fine linen, clean and white.” The fine linen is the righteousness of the saints. The word for “righteousness” is the word for righteous deeds and is in the plural. The emphasis here seems to be on the works of the bride rather than on her standing as one who has been justified by faith. The fine linen may, in some sense, be a part of the reward given at the Judgment Seat of Christ to those who have served the Lord, here seen collectively in the wife of the Lamb.
Accordingly, It would seem that the beginning of the millennium itself will fulfill the symbolism of the wedding supper (gamos). It is also significant that the use of the word “bride” (19:7), in most translations, is the Greek word gyne (literally “wife”), implying that the wedding will have been completed and that all that remains is the feast itself. The Greek word commonly used for bride is nymphe (John 3:29).
Verses 9-10 – Following the praise to the Lord by the multitude and the announcement of the marriage of the Lamb, John is instructed to write that those who are invited to the marriage supper are truly blessed. “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” In this verse, as in verses 7 and 8, the wife of the Lamb is distinguished from the attendants at the wedding, the wife being the church, and the attendants at the wedding the redeemed saints of past and future ages.
So overwhelmed is John that he offers his heartfelt adoration to the bringer of the message. John is forbidden to do this both here and later (22:8-9). Although the worship of angels presented a temptation to some in the early church (Col.. 2:18-19), it was strictly forbidden. Christ is the head of all things, having total supremacy over the entire created order (Col. 1:15-18). John is told, “Worship God!”
The concluding phrase of verse 10 is most significant: “the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” Christ is not only the major theme of the Scriptures but also the central theme of prophecy. During His earthly ministry, Christ said to the unbelieving Jews, “You search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me” (John 5:39). To His disciples, Jesus said: “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me” (Luke 24:44). This means that prophecy at its very heart is designed and used by the Holy Spirit to unfold the beauty and loveliness of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Before we continue to look at the events to occur in chapter 19, we have to understand that the Lord Jesus Christ laid down a condition to the nation of Israel, before His ascension, regarding His second coming. He said to them, “For I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD (Matt. 23:39).’ ” Because of Israel’s rejection of the messiahship of Jesus, the nation was set aside by God until the day when they would acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah and cry out for Him to come.
Israel in the Book of Romans
In our verse-by-verse study of Revelation, we are now up to chapter 19. Actually, we are up to verse 11 in that chapter, which begins a description of the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth. But before we can continue in the book of Revelation, we need to study the event that will precipitate the Second Coming, namely the “Regeneration of Israel.”
Presently, the nation of Israel is estranged from God. Israel is alienated from God for two basic reasons: (1) in the past, they were unfaithful to the covenant with God, and (2) in the present, they have rejected Jesus Christ as their Messiah.
To fully understand the relationship between God and Israel, we need to study chapters 9, 10, and 11 of the book of Romans. In Romans, chapters 9 through 11, we will learn of God’s past, present, and future dealings with the children of Israel.
But first, let us discuss the book of Romans in general. Last week we mentioned the structure or layout of most prophetic books in the Old Testament, which was:
a. Prophet’s call to Israel for repentance to avoid judgment,
b. Judgment of the nations hostile to Israel, and
c. Future regathering of the children of Israel to the land to enjoy kingdom blessings.
Some of the Apostle Paul’s epistles, of which Romans is one of thirteen, are also structured or laid out in a prescribed manner:
a. First part contains theological and doctrinal issues, and
b. Second part contains the practical application of the aforementioned doctrines.
The book of Romans is part doctrines (Chs. 1-11) and part practical application (chs. 12-16).
Chapters 9, 10, and 11, are considered a parenthetical section within Romans since some scholars see these chapters as neither doctrinal nor practical Christian living.
Before we enter into chapters 9 through 11, let us briefly look at the contents of chapters 1-8. The first three chapters of the epistle to the Romans read like a trial or legal proceeding, with defendants being charged, indicted, found guilty, and sentenced. God is depicted in dual roles as the prosecuting authority and ultimately the Judge.
A. The Indictment
The formal indictment is made against humankind in Romans chapter 3, verse 9:
“For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.”
B. The Charges
Let us look at the charges leveled against humanity in general in chapters 1 and 2. Actually, we will find that there are three groups of people who are charged: (1) the pagan world, the world of the Gentiles (1:18-32), (2) the moralists, both Jew and Gentile (2:1-16), and (3) the Jew (2:17-29).
1. The Pagan or Gentiles (non-Jews)
The charges against the pagans or Gentiles are the following: (a) suppressing God’s truth (1:18), (b) ignoring God’s revelation (1:19-20), and (c) perverting God’s glory (1:21-23).
The pagans or Gentiles suppressed the truth of God’s existence despite the clear evidence of God’s handiwork in the Creation. Instead of worshipping the Sovereign Creator, they turned to idolatry because their idols made no moral demands of them and they were free to indulge their passions in vile and despicable sexually immoral acts.
2. The Moralists, Jew and Gentile
The charges against the Jew and Gentile moralists were exactly the same because God is totally impartial. Some pagans, non-Jews, had higher ethical standards and moral lifestyles and condemned the moral corruption of their contemporaries. In addition, the Jews morally stood apart from the pagan world around them and freely condemned the uncircumcised Gentiles.
Both groups of moralists might have concluded that God’s condemnation did not apply to them because of their higher plane of living. The moralist Jews and Gentiles were also charged as sinners and condemned because they were doing the same things for which they judged others.
3. The Jew
The Jew’s first defense was their circumcision as the sign of their special covenantal relationship with God, but that defense was beaten down by the argument that an uncircumcised Gentile, obedient to his conscience, was better off than a circumcised Jew, disobedient to the law. The Jew’s second defense was the fact that they had possession and knowledge of God’s Law, but that argument fell through when it was ruled that in addition to being a possessor and a knower of the law, one also had to be a doer of the law. In summary, they neither obeyed the law nor were they truly circumcised in their heart.
C. The Formal Indictment
An indictment against all humanity was prepared. (An indictment is a formal written statement framed by a prosecuting authority (in this case God Himself) charging a person with an offense. The formal indictment reads as follows (Rom. 3:10-18):
“There is none righteous, no, not one;
There is none who understands; there is none who seeks after God,
They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable;
There is none who does good, no, not one.”
Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they have practiced deceit”;
The poison of asps is under their lips”;
Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
Their feet are swift to shed blood;
Destruction and misery are in their ways; and the way of peace they have not known.”
There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
D. The Verdict
And finally, the guilty verdict is given in Romans 3:19:
“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.”
E. The Sentence
The sentence imposed by the righteous Judge: “The wages of sin is death . . .” (Rom. 6:23).
Since God is just, those who violate His law must be punished. At this point, the whole human race stands under the sentence of death. But the judge, our God, is a merciful Judge and He has provided a way in which the righteous demands of justice can be met and sinful man can be acquitted (justified). Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God, stepped up and offered to take the blame and the shame associated with man’s sin upon Himself. He lovingly did so, so that all who believe and trust in Him will be officially acquitted and be in right standing with God.
The rest of the book of Romans up to chapter 8 deals with the Christian doctrines of sin and salvation. Now we are ready to begin our study of Romans Chapter 9.
XXIX. ROMANS CHAPTER NINE
Introduction
For the first eight chapters of Romans, Paul has led us through the process of sin and salvation for believers. Now, with those principles firmly established, Paul begins a discussion of the spiritual position of Israel before God. In this chapter he goes to great measures to show a distinction between the physical promises made to Israel and the spiritual promises made by God to Abraham’s seed.
Verse 1 – Paul begins this chapter on a personal note by expressing the burden of his soul over the spiritual condition of his fellow Jews, according to the flesh. In order to validate what he is about to state, he summons two witnesses – his union with Christ who is the truth (Eph. 4:21) and his conscience as aided by the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:16). What is the conscience? The “conscience” is the inner moral sense that all men have, that inner moral consciousness. Paul lets us know that the Holy Spirit is bearing witness to what his conscience is revealing to him. The conscience when enlightened by the Holy Spirit can be trusted. The conscience without the Holy Spirit cannot be trusted.
Verses 2-3 – Paul has great sorrow and continual grief over the spiritual state of his fellow Jews (in the flesh) because they have rejected Christ as their Messiah. He is brokenhearted to the degree that he is willing to be eternally damned, if it were possible, in exchange for the salvation of his people. Paul had suffered the loss of all things to gain Christ (Phil. 3:8) and now, for the sake of his kinsmen’s salvation, he is willing to suffer the loss of Christ. (Moses at one time was willing to have his name blotted out of the Book of Life for his people, but the Lord said to him, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book” (Exod. 32:32-33).)
Verses 4-5 – Paul goes on to cite the spiritual heritage of the people of Israel, eight privileges that distinguished Israel from other nations:
1. the adoption – “Thus says the LORD: ‘Israel is My son, My firstborn’ ” (Exod. 4:22).
“You are the children of the LORD your God” (Deut. 14:1);
2. the glory – the Shekinah-glory, God’s localizing His presence in a unique way within Israel
“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the
tabernacle” (Exod. 40:34);
3. the covenants – the Abrahamic (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-17; 15:18; etc.), the Mosaic (Exod.
20-31), the Palestinian (Deut. 29-30), the Davidic (2 Sam. 7), and the New (Jer. 31:31-33);
4. the giving of the law – communicated through Moses to the children of Israel at Sinai
5. the service of God – the Levite worship in the tabernacle and temple;
6. the promises – the messianic kingdom, etc.:
7. fathers – the patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to whom God revealed Himself;
8. Christ – born of Israel as her anointed Savior-King and given as the world’s Redeemer.
These are national attributes, not spiritual attributes. Nationally, God has promised to physically prosper Israel and its people. Yet, that promise does not invalidate the personal need for every Jew or Gentile to establish a personal, spiritual relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Verses 6-13 – Paul argues that the Jews’ view of themselves as automatically a chosen nation is a fallacy. Their claim of assurance, “We have Abraham as our father” (Luke 3:8; John 8:33, 39) is historically unsound, since the chosen line bypassed his son Ishmael according to Genesis 21:12. God’s choice depends not upon a hereditary process but upon His personal promise, as Genesis 18:10 proves.
Nor on the other hand can God’s choice rest upon works, upon any supposed claim with which man may arrogantly demand a place in God’s redemptive purposes. God did not wait to see how Jacob and Esau would turn out before He selected one of them (Gen. 25:23; Mal. 1:2-3). His own call was the decisive issue, irrespective of individual merit or demerit. Neither blood nor behavior qualifies a Jew for divine acceptance.
In verses 6-13, Paul explains that just because you are a descendant of Abraham, does not necessarily assure that you have a place in God’s redemptive purposes. Paul specifically alludes to the fact that neither Ishmael nor Esau was included in the special blessings given to Isaac and Jacob. The promise to Abraham was specifically directed through Isaac over Ishmael (Gen. 21:12) and later Jacob over Esau (Gen. 28:1-5).
In verse 12, Paul refers to Genesis 25:23 and then quotes Malachi 1:2-3 in verse 13. His point is that God knew and prophesied before they were born through which of them God would bring the physical blessings of a whole nation, Israel. Therefore, the physical blessings of national prosperity were not assigned to all of Abraham’s descendants, nor through all of Isaac’s descendants. Likewise, on the personal spiritual level, all born of Israel do not have a reservation in Heaven simply because of their Jewishness; they must be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as well. That’s Paul’s point here.
Verses 14-29 – Beginning with verse 14, Paul then deals with the “that’s-not-fair” issue of the whole selection process. From man’s perspective, if God knew before they were born which of the two, Jacob or Esau, would receive the birthright, then that doesn’t seem fair. Yet, keep in mind, God is omniscient; he knows every intricate detail of everyone’s future. God did not cause Jacob to negotiate Esau out of his birthright, but He did know it would happen in advance – even before their birth.
If God thus chooses some and rejects others, is he being unfair (v. 14)? “Certainly not!” says Paul, giving the example of Pharaoh, whom God raised up and then destroyed, all in order to bring glory to Himself. But how can God condemn someone he has not predestined for salvation (9:19)? Such a question hardly even deserves an answer, said Paul, for God has the right to choose one and reject another just as a potter has the right to shape his clay as he sees fit (9:20-23). He has the right to choose both Jews and Gentiles, just as Hosea predicted He would (9:24-26): “Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered. And it shall come to pass in the place where it was said to them, ‘You are not My people,’ there it shall be said to them, ‘You are sons of the living God.’ ”
This difficult passage must be balanced by some of Paul’s other statements in Romans, such as Romans 2:11 – “For there is no partiality with God” and Romans 10:12 – “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.” God will save all who ask Him – “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom. 10:13).
The relationship between predestination and free will has perplexed scholars for ages. Concerning the present passage, note that Paul did not say that God made the clay as it was but that He worked with it as it was. The “vessels of wrath” are “prepared for destruction” (Rom. 9:22). It is important to note that in the original Greek, “prepared” is in the middle voice, meaning “to prepare oneself.” On the other hand, God Himself prepared the “vessels of mercy” for “glory.” This difference in verb tense suggests that destruction is the deserved destination of sinners, while glory is the undeserved destination of the saved.
Verses 30-33 – Paul reminded his readers of the current state of affairs. Many Gentiles, with no religious background, were accepting Christ, while many Jews, with all the benefits of their religious heritage, were rejecting him. Why? - Because they had sought righteousness by works, not by faith. And when they saw their Messiah on a cross, not a throne, they couldn’t accept Him.
XXX. ROMANS CHAPTER TEN
Verse 1 – “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they may be saved.” – Paul feels very deeply for his countrymen. He is burdened by the fact that the nation of Israel has, for the most part, has rejected Jesus as their Messiah.
Verse 2 – “For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge” – Paul knows their situation because their condition was his own condition prior to his conversion. He acknowledges that his people have a zeal for God. Zeal for God is good. It says in Galatians 4:18: “It is good to be zealous in a good thing always.” Paul himself had been zealous toward God (Acts 22:3; Gal. 1:14); however, Paul could testify that zeal for God can be unenlightened. His own zeal before his conversion so preoccupied him that he considered Jesus and his followers as traitors to the faith of his fathers and zealously persecuted them: “As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison” (Acts 8:3).
Verse 3 – “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness have not submitted to the righteousness of God.” – Paul describes the zeal of Israel as lacking in “knowledge.” His own zeal before he came to Christ was lacking in knowledge as he used to breathe threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1). Later in life he would say, “I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief” (1 Tim. 1:13).
Just as Paul’s zeal was misdirected, so was the zeal of his kinsmen, according the flesh. Just as Paul acted ignorantly in unbelief, so, in unbelief, his people were ignorantly seeking to establish their own righteousness by the works of the Law. Yes, Israel had a zeal for God, but paradoxically it was Israel’s zeal for God that constituted their greatest barrier. They failed to distinguish legal righteousness from faith righteousness, “the righteousness that comes from God.” They had misconstrued the purpose of the Law and so they were ignorant of God’s righteousness, which was salvation by grace through faith.
Verse 4 – “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.” – Considerable debate has centered on the interpretation of verse 4, especially on the intended meaning of the word translated “end” (telos). Just as in English we speak of “toward that end” – meaning either “termination” or “purpose” – the same dual possibility lies in the Greek word telos.
Christ the Termination of the Law
Favorable to the first meaning (“Christ terminated the law”) is the fact that the law had a certain course to run in the economy of God, according to Galatians 3:19 – “What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made . . .”
Galatians 3 goes on to add in verses 21-25: “Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life, truly righteousness would have been by the law. But the Scripture has confined all under sin that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. But before faith came, we were kept under guard by the law, kept for the faith, which would afterward be revealed. Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”
Christ the Purpose of the Law
Those that contend that Christ is the purpose of the Law and not the termination of the Law state that the goal at which the Torah aims is acknowledging and trusting in the Messiah, who offers on the ground of this trusting the very righteousness they are seeking. They see that the righteousness which the Torah offers is offered through Him and only through Him. They also see that He offers it to everyone who trusts – to them and to the Gentiles as well.
They contend that an error made by all major English versions and by most commentators – and one with profound anti-Semitic implications even when none are intended – is the rendering here of the Greek word telos as “end,” in the sense of termination. The Messiah has not brought the Law to an end, nor is He the termination of the Law as a way to righteousness. The Torah continues. It is eternal.
God’s Torah, properly understood as the very teaching which Jesus upholds, remains the one and only way to righteousness – although it is Jesus Christ through whom the Torah’s righteousness comes. To such a Torah there is no cessation, neither in this world nor in the next.
The goal at which the Torah aims is the Messiah, who offers the Torah’s righteousness, which is God’s righteousness, to everyone who trusts. To Jews with even a modest amount of Jewish training the Torah is correctly understood as a central and eternal element of God’s dealing with mankind in general and with Jews in particular. Therefore, the idea that “the law has come to an end with Christ” is for them both shocking and unacceptable.
Verse 5 – For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, ‘The man who does those things shall live by them.’ ” – Paul deals first with the negative side of the attainment of righteousness by citing a passage (Lev. 18:5) that calls for obedience and performance of the will of God as contained in His statutes and ordinances. The one who complies will live. The emphasis in this verse falls on doing if one expects to gain life. The dark side of the picture is that a curse rests on anyone who fails to meet the law’s demands. The attempt by Israel to gain righteousness for themselves by keeping the law cannot bring life because of human weakness and imperfection. It can only lead to self-deception and pride.
Verses 6-8 – Next Paul addresses himself to the positive approach, for which purpose he makes use of another passage from Moses (Deut. 30:11-14), this one designed to describe “the righteousness that is by faith.” The whole burden of the passage is to discourage the idea that doing God’s will means to aspire after something that is too difficult and out of reach. Actually, if life is attuned to God, His will is as near as the mouth and heart.
Paul applies the reference to heaven (v. 6) in order to emphasize certain aspects of the Gospel. He describes faith righteousness, noting that it is not attainable by human effort. There is no need to try to ascend to heaven to gain spiritual knowledge or acceptance, for Christ has come from heaven to proclaim and effect salvation for the world. There is no need to descend into the abyss to bring Christ up (v. 7) for He has already been resurrected.
Everything that needs to be done has been done in the finished work of Christ on Calvary. This means that our grasp of the righteousness of God, with His Son as the object of our faith, is not difficult. Everything is of Him. Our part is to believe. The saving message lies at hand, waiting to be received. The means is faith, and the one essential is belief; one must believe the confession that Jesus is the Messiah.
Building on the Deuteronomy passage, especially its use of “mouth” and “heart,” Paul goes on to speak directly of the content of the Christian Gospel and its availability to Jew and Gentile alike. The word of “faith” (the gospel message) is something to “confess” as well as to “believe.” The priority of confession over believing is simply due to Paul’s preservation of the “mouth” and “heart” in Deuteronomy 30:14.
Verses 11-13 – Scripture indicates how faith can be transforming for one’s life, replacing fear and hesitation with bold confidence that rests on the sure promises of God. For this purpose Paul uses Isaiah 28:16 (“whoever”). This belief and its blessing are open to Jew and Gentile alike. Whatever “difference” there may be in the two groups in some respects, there is no difference when it comes to the need for Christ and the availability of His salvation. The source of their spiritual life is found in “the same Lord,” whose blessings (notably salvation) are richly bestowed on them without partiality. The reason the Jews were ignorant of the universality of salvation was based on the fact that God gave the Law only to Israel and not to the Gentiles, therefore they concluded that God intended only to save Jews and not Gentiles.
In support of this, Paul cites Joel 2:32: “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” God will hear the cry of any who call upon Him for salvation. When verse 13 is compared with verse 9, it becomes evident that the Lord of Joel 2:32 is being identified with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 14-15 – Paul now turns from the responsibility of the seeker after salvation to emphasize the role that believers have in God’s plan for reaching the lost. Paul then proceeds to the second consideration in his closely reasoned argument – that is, faith depends on knowledge. One must hear the Gospel before he or she can be expected either to receive it or reject it. The message of the Gospel has to be communicated by word of mouth to the hearing of others.
The next step is the necessity that someone proclaim the message. We are saved to serve, and the paramount element in that service is to bear witness to the saving power of Christ. “To be sent,” suggests at least two things: that one operates under a higher authority and that one’s message does not originate with oneself but is given by the sending authority.
Verses 16-17 – Here an element of tragedy enters. The spiritual salvation God promised to provide through His servant and did provide in the fullness of time has met with unbelief. The prophet foresaw a repudiation of the message about salvation through a suffering Servant (Isa. 53:1).
Verses 18-19 – Paul quotes Deuteronomy 32:21: “They have provoked Me to jealousy by what is not God; They have moved Me to anger by their foolish idols. But I will provoke them to jealousy by those who are not a nation; I will move them to anger by a foolish nation.”
Deuteronomy 32:21 voices the complaint of God that the people had provoked Him to jealousy by their idolatry. This in turn prompts God to resort to something that is calculated to make Israel jealous. It will be done through “a nation that has no understanding.” This must be understood of Gentile response to God and His word in such a way as to surpass the response of Israel – exactly what was happening during Paul’s day. Those who lacked special revelation and the moral and religious training God provided for Israel have proved more responsive than the chosen people.
Verses 20-21 – The quotation from Isaiah 65:1 clearly supports what has been declared in the previous passage (Deut. 32:21). Paul sees in the Old Testament an anticipation of what has come to pass in his day. The pagan world, occupied with its own pursuits, was in the main not seeking after God, but now they were.
The spiritual condition of Israel did not come from a lack of opportunity to hear the Gospel or a lack of understanding of its content, but must be traced to a continuous pattern of a stubborn and rebellious spirit. Despite Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, God still loves her and keeps His arms open awaiting Israel’s repentance and subsequent restoration.
XXXI. ROMANS CHAPTER ELEVEN
Verses 1-6 – “Has God cast away His people” The answer is threefold: first, Certainly not; second, Paul’s own salvation shows that God did not cast off the Jews; and third, God’s foreknowledge of His people, the fact that He foreknew His people and then chose His people, shows that God did not cast off His people. As further evidence, he points to the remnant of Israel, dealing with both the past and the present. The past (vv.2b-4) shows that God has always had a remnant, which was a minority. The fact that God always has a remnant, although only a minority in the Old Testament did not mean, then, that God had cast off Israel. Regarding the present, there is a Remnant according to the election of grace. True, only a minority believes today, but this shows that God did not cast off His people. On the contrary, it is evidence that He has retained His people. The basis (v. 6) is by grace and not by works.
Verses 7-10 – What then? That which Israel as a whole sought, which was righteousness, it did not obtain. However, the elect, the remnant of Israel, did obtain it. The rest, the non-remnant, were hardened. Paul provides the evidence of the present hardening of Israel by quoting from the Old Testament (vv. 8-10).
Verses 11-15 – Paul describes the purpose of Israel’s stumbling. The question (v. 11) is: Have they stumbled that they should fall? Was this stumbling for an irrevocable fall from which Israel could not rise again? The answer is: Certainly not! The fact is that by their fall, salvation has come to the Gentiles. The purpose of this Gentile salvation is to provoke the Jews to jealousy. By Israel’s fall, salvation has gone out to the Gentiles, so the Gentiles have received a great measure of blessing because of Israel’s stumbling; but if Israel’s stumbling brought so much blessing to the Gentiles, how much more, then, will the Gentiles be blessed by Israel’s return. It will mean life from the dead; it will mean the Second Coming; and it will mean the Messianic Kingdom.
Verse 16 – In these verses, Paul gives his famous illustration of the Olive Tree. He begins with the illustration and the principle. The twofold illustration compares the firstfruits to the lump, and also the root to the branches. The firstfruits and the root are the Patriarchs and the Abrahamic Covenant. The lump and the branches refer to Israel as a nation. The holiness of the root is passed on to the branches, and the consecration of the firstfruits is passed on to the lump. Just as the firstfruits sanctify the whole harvest (lump), even so, some day all Israel will be sanctified. The Abrahamic Covenant made with the Patriarchs is the basis for the future salvation of Israel.
Verses 17-24 – Moving from the firstfruits/lump and root/branches, he deals with the Olive Tree itself. The Olive Tree represents the place of spiritual blessings. The Olive Tree does not represent Israel; the Jewish people are represented by the natural branches. The Olive Tree does not represent the Gentiles; the Gentiles are represented by the wild olive branches. The Olive Tree represents the place of spiritual blessing, and the Gentiles have become partakers with the Jewish believers of Jewish spiritual blessings. This is the mystery of the Book of Ephesians. The point of verse 17, then, is that Jewish and Gentile believers are partaking of the spiritual blessings of the Jewish covenants. That leads to his warning in verses 18-22.
The Gentile blessing is on the basis of faith, not merit. The Gentiles can also be removed from the place of blessing. These verses deal with the nationality of Jews and Gentiles, not individual salvation; he is not discussing individual loss of salvation, but Jew and Gentiles can be removed from the place of blessing. In verses 23-24, Paul prophesies Israel’s eventual restoration. He points out that God has the ability to graft natural branches back into the tree (v. 23). The reason this should be anticipated is (v. 24): That it is Israel’s Olive Tree. He states that if God grafted wild olive branches contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, He can certainly do the more natural thing of grafting natural branches back into the tree. The reason for this is that this tree belongs to Israel; it is their own olive tree, the covenantal blessings that belong to the Jewish people. Furthermore, it should be anticipated that there will be a reengraftment of Israel back into the tree. Now a mystery will be revealed that will show how this will happen.
Verses 25-32 – Verse 25 contains the content of the mystery. What they need to know is twofold: first, the hardening of Israel is partial, as he has already shown that there is still a remnant; second, this hardening is temporary. It is temporary up until – this is the key word – until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. The content of the mystery is that of a partial, temporary hardening of Israel until a full, set number of Gentiles is reached, and this is something that was not revealed anywhere in the Old Testament.
In verses 26-27, the apostle notes the future national salvation of Israel. He clearly states, and so all Israel shall be saved (26a). However, all Israel does not mean “all Israel of all time,” but all Israel following the fullness of the Gentiles.
In verses 28-29, Israel’s present status during the mystery is described, starting with a contrast in verse 28: As touching the gospel, they are enemies for your sake, meaning for the sake of Gentile salvation, the hardened element become the enemies of the gospel, but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake – the election refers to Israel’s national election, and the fathers to the Patriarchs and the Abrahamic Covenant. For these reasons, Israel’s election and covenantal promises, there must some day be a national salvation. The basis, in verse 29, is that the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. The calling is Israel’s national election; the gifts are covenantal promises, one of which is the national salvation of Israel.
In verses 30-32, he spells out the principle of the calling out of the Gentiles and Israel’s national salvation, in that unbelief has given God the opportunity to reveal His mercy, not on the deserving, but on the undeserving. In the past, the Gentiles were disobedient, but now have obtained mercy because of Jewish disobedience (v. 30). Now Israel is in disobedience, and can also obtain mercy by the mercy shown to the Gentiles, in that the Gentiles can provoke Jews to jealousy (v. 31). Finally (v. 32), God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all, both Jews and Gentiles.
Verses 33-36 – Paul concludes this section by extolling the wisdom, knowledge, and judgments of God in the reconciliation of both Jews and Gentiles.
REVELATION CHAPTER NINETEEN (Continued)
Review of Romans Chapters 9–11
Romans 9:6 – “But it is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel.”
There were two groups of Jews in Paul’s day: (a) those who were merely circumcised in the flesh – the unsaved, and (b) those who were circumcised in their flesh and in their hearts as well – the saved.
Romans 11:5 – “Even so then, at this present time there is a remnant according to the election of grace.”
Those saved in Israel were always a remnant. There was a remnant in Elijah’s day, there was a remnant in Paul’s day, and there shall be a remnant of messianic Jews in the future.
Romans 10:6-10 – “But the righteousness of faith . . . with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
This passage states that you don’t have to go up to heaven to get your salvation nor do have to go down to the deep to obtain your salvation. First of all, salvation is not by works, and secondly, salvation is not that far away. For those seeking salvation, salvation is as near to them as their mouth and their heart. Notice that both the mouth and heart need to be engaged in order to obtain salvation.
Remnant in Christendom
Just as Romans 9:6 says they are not all Israel who are of Israel, so it can be said today that they are not all Christians who claim to be Christians. Like in Israel, so within Christendom, there is also a believing remnant. There are Christians who have had a genuine encounter with Christ and there are some people who call themselves Christians, who perhaps we call Christians, who have never had a genuine encounter with Christ.
Our Lord Jesus left us some indicators by which disciples of Christ could be identified: (a) by their fruits you shall know them He said (Matt. 7:20), and (b) by the way they loved another (John 13:35). John also indicated the mark of a true believer in his first epistle (1 John 3:6, 9; 5:18).
1 John 5:18 – “We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.”
If a “Christian” is habitually sinning with no acts of repentance for an indeterminate length of time (God knows how long), based on 1 John 5:18, it is highly unlikely that that “Christian” is really a Christian. He or she needs to repent and receive Christ.
Too often we’re called upon to help so-called Christians in a variety of ways, and so when we pray for their finances or actually help them financially, it is analogous to watering a withered leaf on a plant instead of watering the root.
In other words, what all “Christians” really need is to experience a genuine encounter with Christ. By a genuine encounter, I mean Romans 10:9; I mean not just confessing without believing, nor believing without confessing, but actually confessing with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believing in one’s heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Rom. 10:9).
The Olive Tree
In Romans chapter 11, Paul uses the image of an Olive Tree. The Olive Tree, in this context, denotes a place of blessing, based on the Abrahamic Covenant and based on God’s promises to Israel’s patriarchs. The natural branches on the tree represent saved Jews. The wild olive tree branches grafted in the cultivated tree represent saved Gentiles. All branches form part of this olive tree on the basis of faith.
Speaking to Gentiles, Paul writes in verse 19: “You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.’ ” Through Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their Messiah, righteousness was extended to the Gentiles. We can surmise then that those Jews who rejected Christ as Messiah represent the natural branches of the Olive Tree that were broken off.
They can be grafted in again by their belief that God raised Jesus from the dead and their commitment to Jesus as Lord. The Gentiles who received Christ were grafted in Israel’s Olive Tree (v. 24). Are we branches in that Olive Tree?
Another question that can be asked is, “How did the natural branches that were broken off get on the Olive Tree to begin with? Did those Jews receive Christ and later reject Him?” I don’t think so! For me, the answer lies in the changing nature of faith, from one dispensation to the next. That is to say, the natural branches were initially on the Olive Tree by faith in God before the first advent of Christ to the earth and then when Christ came as their Messiah, they rejected Him and figuratively were broken off as branches on that tree.
If by the stumbling of the Jews, we Gentiles were saved, how much more will we be blessed by their coming to Christ in faith (11:12)? How about being blessed by the Second Coming of Christ? – How about being blessed by the establishment of Christ’s earthly kingdom? Both of these events will not happen until the nation of Israel comes to saving faith at the end of the Tribulation!
“Life from the dead” (11:15) – life from the dead could be a reference to spiritually dead Israel coming to life, or life from the dead could be a reference to the resurrection of dead saints (Old Testament and Tribulation) after the Second Coming of Christ.
Dual Covenant Theology
No serious study of Eschatology would be complete without the study, however brief, of two theologies concerning the salvation of Israel that are floating around today. It has become increasingly popular to argue that salvation is envisioned for Israel apart from faith in Christ. There are a number of scholars who advocate a two-covenant theory of salvation. The two-covenant theory says that Gentiles are saved through faith in Christ and that Jews are saved by adhering faithfully to the Torah. John Hagee is quoted as saying, “I’m not trying to convert the Jewish people to the Christian faith . . . In fact, trying to convert the Jews is a waste of time. Jews already have a covenant with God and that has never been replaced by Christianity.”
Romans chapter 11 must be interpreted within the context of Romans 9-11, and these chapters open with Paul’s sorrow that Israel is separated from Christ (Rom. 9:3), revealing that the only way they or anyone can be right with God is through faith in Jesus as Messiah (Rom. 10:9). I doubt that Paul would be willing to be accursed from Christ if there were some other way for his people to be saved apart from Christ.
Covenant Theology (Replacement Theology)
The Israel of God (Galatians 6:16)
The Book of Galatians is concerned with Gentiles who were attempting to attain salvation through the law. The ones deceiving them were Judaizers, who were Jews demanding adherence to the Law of Moses. To them, a Gentile had to convert to Judaism before he qualified for salvation through Christ. In verse 15 Paul states that the important thing for salvation is faith, resulting in the new man. He then pronounces a blessing on two groups who would follow this rule of salvation through faith alone. The first group is the “them,” the Gentile Christians to and of whom he had devoted most of the epistle. The second group is the “Israel of God.” These are Jewish believers who, in contrast with the Judaizers, followed the rule of salvation by faith alone.
Covenant Theologians must ignore the primary meaning of kai [the conjunction which is usually translated “and”] which separates the two groups in the verse in order to make them both the same group. [KJV and NASB translate kai as “and.” AMP and NIV translate kai as “even.”] Translating kai as “even” or “that is” makes the two groups, the church and Israel, one group, supporting the covenant theologians’ argument that Israel has forfeited all her Old Testament prophecies, which now apply to the church as the Israel of God.
Orthodox Christian theologians contend that from the standpoint of biblical usage this view of the church being the “New Israel” or the “Israel of God” stands condemned. There is no instance in biblical literature of the term Israel being used in the sense of the church, or in the sense of the people of God as composed of both believing ethnic Jews and Gentiles.
The Spiritual Regeneration of Israel
Having studied the relationship between God and Israel as outlined in the book of Romans, chapters 9-11, we can now enter fully into our study of the spiritual regeneration of Israel by looking at related Old Testament prophecies, some of which must be fulfilled immediately prior to the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and others that will be fulfilled after the Second Coming of Christ.
Israel rejected Jesus as her Messiah and blasphemed the Holy Spirit when she attributed the miracles of Jesus to Beelzebub (Matt. 12:24). This act by Israel constituted the national rejection of Jesus and would be punished by God in a number of ways:
a) Those Jews who blasphemed the Holy Spirit would not have their sin forgiven
“either in this age or the age to come” (Matt. 12:32).
b) The Temple and Jerusalem would be destroyed and not a stone would be left upon a stone (Luke 19:41-44).
c) Christ did not establish the earthly kingdom that He would have established had they not rejected Him (Matt. 21:43).
d) God set Israel aside; Gentiles became the beneficiaries of Israel’s fall in terms of salvation (Rom. 11:11-12). Christ’s Bride is predominantly Gentile.
Judicial blindness came upon Israel because of her rejection of the Messiah (Rom. 11:25). “But their minds were blinded. For until this day, the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ” (2 Cor. 3:14). Individual Jews have come to faith in Christ but the nation as a whole remains in a spiritual stupor (Rom. 11:7-8)
After the church has been raptured, God will once again deal with the nation of Israel because the calling of God is irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). According to Romans 11:25, Israel’s blindness will be lifted when the number of Gentiles that God has predetermined enter the kingdom. One third of the Jewish people (the remnant), who come through the fire of the Great Tribulation (Zech. 13:8), will cry out for Christ to return.
They will cry out for Him “when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered” (Dan. 12:7) by the intense anti-Semitic persecution of the Antichrist. To discover what the basis of the Second Coming of Christ is, we must look at five passages of Scripture.
Leviticus 26:40-42
In Leviticus 26:1-39, Moses predicted how the Jews would be scattered all over the world because of their disobedience to God’s revealed will. But in verse 42, Moses states that God will remember His covenant with His people Israel and that He will give them all the blessings and promises of the Abrahamic Covenant. This is especially true as the covenant pertains to the Promised Land. However, before they can begin to enjoy these blessings of the Messianic Age, it is first necessary for them to fulfill the condition of verse 40 and confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their fathers (v. 40).
Notice that the word iniquity is singular and that it is specific. There is one specific iniquity that Israel must confess before she can begin to enjoy all of the benefits of the Abrahamic Covenant. This iniquity was committed by their fathers or ancestors, but now must be confessed by a subsequent generation, the remnant generation of the Tribulation.
Jeremiah 3:11-18
In verses 14-18 of Jeremiah chapter 3, the prophet begins to describe the blessings that God has in store for Israel in the Messianic Kingdom. It will be a time of tremendous blessing and restoration for the Jewish people when their Messiah establishes the Kingdom. But the Lord says to Israel, the one condition I require of you before the blessings can flow is that you only acknowledge your iniquity, that you have transgressed against the LORD your God (v. 13). The remnant generation of the Tribulation must acknowledge or confess that one specific iniquity, the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus.
Zechariah 12:10
Zechariah chapters 12, 13, and 14 are one prophetic revelation, a unit of thought that develops one theme. Chapter 13 speaks of the national cleansing of Israel from their sin. Chapter 14 describes the Second Coming of Christ and the establishment of the Kingdom. But the cleansing of Israel, followed by the Second coming of Christ, and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom are all conditioned on Zechariah 12:10: And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication; then they will look on [unto] Me whom they pierced.
Before Israel will receive the cleansing of her sin and before the Messiah will return to establish His Kingdom, Israel must first look unto – not upon (KJV) – the One whom they have pierced and plead for His return. Once they do this, then, and only then, will they receive their cleansing and begin to enjoy the blessings of the Messianic Age.
Hosea 5:15
I will return again to My place till they acknowledge their offense. Then they will seek My face; in their affliction they will earnestly seek Me.
In this passage, Christ states that He is returning to His place. His place is Heaven, and He will not come back to earth until the offense that caused Him to return to Heaven is acknowledged or confessed. The national offense of Israel was in the rejection of His Messiahship. According to Hosea 5:15, only when this offense is acknowledged or confessed will Christ return to the earth.
Matthew 23:37-39
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her. How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ ”
Chapter 23 contains Christ’s denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees, the Jewish leadership of that day, for they were guilty of leading the nation to reject the Messiahship of Jesus. Still speaking to the Jewish leadership, Christ expresses in verse 37 His original desire to gather them, if they would only accept Him.
Because of their rejection of His Messiahship, they will be scattered instead of being gathered. In verse 38, their house, the Jewish Temple, will be left desolate and will be destroyed, with nothing remaining. But then He declares that they will not see Him again until they say: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!” This is a messianic greeting, and it will signify their acceptance of His Messiahship.
This, then, is the twofold basis of the Second Coming of Christ: first, Israel must confess her national sin; secondly, Israel must then plead for Christ to return.
New Covenant
The repentance and acceptance of the Lord Jesus as their Messiah by the Jews at the end of the Tribulation period will bring about the fulfillment of one of four outstanding covenants God made with Israel. The covenant to be fulfilled bringing about the spiritual regeneration of Israel is the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34). The other three covenants will be fulfilled during the Millennial Period.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 – “Behold the days are coming says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah – not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: ‘I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, “know the LORD,” for they shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’ ”
Ezekiel 36:26-28 – “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be My people and I will be your God.”
The spiritual regeneration of Israel will also fulfill the prophet Ezekiel’s prediction of the breath of God entering the dry bones of “the whole house of Israel” (Ezek. 37:1-14). “Then you shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O My people, and brought you up from your graves. I will put My Spirit in you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken it and performed it” (Ezek. 37:13-14).
Here are other prophetic Scriptures that will be fulfilled with the national redemption of Israel:
Joel 2:28-32 – “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls.”
Isaiah 66:7-8 – “Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a
male child. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to
give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she
gave birth to her children.”
XXXII. THE CAMPAIGN OF ARMAGEDDON
Before we can look at the Second Coming of Christ to the earth, we must first study the Campaign of Armageddon. While the term “Battle of Armageddon” has been commonly used, it is really a misnomer, for more than one battle will be taking place. For this reason, the term “Campaign of Armageddon” is used although this, too, is a misnomer because there will be no fighting in Armageddon itself. The Valley of Jezreel, guarded by the Mountain of Megiddo, will merely serve as the gathering place for the armies of the world who will gather for the purpose of destroying all the Jews still living. From the Valley of Jezreel, the armies of the Antichrist and the armies of all the nations will gather against Jerusalem (Zech. 12:1-9; 14:1-2).
Zechariah 12:1-9 and 14:1-2 describe God’s providential dealings at this stage of the Campaign of Armageddon prior to the actual intervention by the personal return of Jesus the Messiah. The energizing of the Jewish forces in the battle for Jerusalem is further described in Micah 4:11–5:1. The nations will be assembled against Jerusalem (Mic. 4:11) for the purposes of destroying it. But in the course of doing so, these nations will become like sheaves on the threshing floor. However, the battle will be lost, and the Gentiles will capture Jerusalem, symbolized by the striking of Jerusalem’s leader with a rod on the cheek (Mic. 5:1).
The main concentration of Jews and Jewish leaders will no longer be in Jerusalem or in Israel, but in Bozrah, in the land of Edom or present–day southern Jordan. Since the main purpose of the Campaign of Armageddon is the annihilation of the Jews, the armies of the world will move southward from Jerusalem to Bozrah (Jer. 49:13-14).
It has previously been taught that there are two facets that serve as the basis for the Second Coming. First, there must be the confession of Israel’s national sin (Lev. 26:40-42; Jer. 3:11-18; Hos. 5:15); and second, there must be a pleading for the Messiah to return (Zech. 12:10; Matt. 23:37-39). Several of the Psalms are poetic versions of the pleading of the Remnant for God to come and save them from the invading armies. One such passage is Psalm 79:1-13.
With the armies of the Antichrist at the city of Bozrah, the Jewish leaders who once led the nation to the rejection of the Messiahship of Jesus, will now lead the nation to the acceptance of His Messiahship by issuing the call of Hosea 6:1-3, which will begin the last three days before the Second Coming. Thus, the national regeneration, fulfilling the prophecy of Romans 11:25-27, will come by means of the national confession (which some believe is contained in Isaiah 53:1-9).
XXXIII. REVELATION CHAPTER NINETEEN (CONTINUED)
Jesus will return at the Jewish request for Him to do so. The initial place of His return will not be the Mount of Olives, as is commonly taught, but the place known as Bozrah. The city of Bozrah in Mount Seir is located in ancient Edom or southwestern Jordan. Since this area will escape the domination of the Antichrist (Dan. 11:41), the Jews will flee to this place. Thus, God will have provided a city of refuge outside the Antichrist’s domain for the fleeing Remnant. Two key passages pinpoint the place of the Second Coming at Bozrah:
Isaiah 34:1-7 – According to this passage, the exact geographic spot where God will strike all the armies of the nations will be the city of Bozrah in the land of Edom.
Isaiah 63:1-6 – A far more graphic description of the vengeance of the Lord against the nations that come against the Remnant at Bozrah is given in this passage. The main point to learn from this passage is that the battle is initiated in the city of Bozrah in Edom. By the time Christ reaches Israel, His garments are already stained with blood from the slaughter of the enemy.
Having identified the place of His Second Coming, we will now look at the Scriptures that deal with the manner of the Second Coming and the final battle between Jesus and the Antichrist. The manner of the Second Coming is described in Matthew 24:30 (very similar to Revelation 1:7):
“Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.”
Verses 11-13 – This account of the Second Coming begins by describing Christ as the Judge (vv. 11-13). The war He engages in against the nations is a result of judgment by Him who is “Faithful and True.” He wears on His head the diadem crowns indicating His natural royalty. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood (v. 13).
The blood could be that of Jesus, a reference to His atoning sacrifice, or the blood of the martyrs, or the blood of His enemies, as in Isaiah 63:1-6. The fact that His robe is dipped in blood and not splattered in blood, coupled with the fact that Christ comes from heaven with His garment already dipped in blood, makes it highly unlikely that this is His enemies’ blood. The blood is most likely Christ’s own life-blood, a possible reference to the true victory over the forces of evil that Christ won on the cross. (See Mini-teaching: “The Lamb of God.”)
Verse 14 – When Christ returns, the armies in heaven will accompany Him. At least two separate armies will return with Him. One army will be an angelic army, “the hosts of the Lord,” and another army will be the army of church saints, saints who had been raptured before the start of the Tribulation:
“For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matt. 16:27).
“Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly simmers have spoken against Him’ ” (Jude 14-15).
A further description is given of Christ: “out of His mouth goes a sharp sword,” which according to the text will be used to smite the nations and establish His absolute rule. The expression of ruling “with a rod of iron” is also found in Psalm 2:9 and Revelation 2:27, with a similar expression, “the rod of His mouth,” in Isaiah 11:4. It represents unyielding, absolute government under which men are required to conform to the righteous standards of God.
Verse 15 – The divine act of judgment is also described in the latter part of verse 15 in the words: “He treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” This is another view of divine judgment portrayed in a similar way in Revelation 14:19-20 and anticipated in Isaiah 63:1-6. All of these passages point to the sad conclusion that in the day of judgment it is too late for men to expect the mercy of God. Divine wrath must prevail where the grace of God has been spurned.
Verse 16 – The concluding description of Christ reveals that on His vesture, previously described as dipped in blood, and also on His thigh a name is written, “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.” In view of this ultimate outcome, how important is the invitation of Psalm 2:10-12 to serve the Lord and kiss the Son while there is yet time to claim the blessing of those who put their trust in Him.
Verses 17-18 – In words closely approximating Ezekiel 39:17-20, John now hears an angel call together the birds of prey to feast upon the carnage found on earth. In a striking metaphor, John suggests that everyone is called to take part in a supper. One may attend the wedding supper of the Lamb where all will be joy, glory, and blessing. Those who refuse the invitation to the first supper (v. 9) will partake of the second supper (v. 17) as food for the birds of the air. The birds of prey will make no distinction – kings, generals, mighty men, slave or free – all will have become food for them.
While the battle between Christ and the Antichrist will begin at Bozrah, it will apparently continue all the way back to the eastern walls of Jerusalem, which overlook a section of the Kidron Valley, also known as the Valley of Jehoshaphat. The key passage is Joel 3:12-13:
“Let the nations be awakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; for there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; for the winepress is full, the vats overflow – for their wickedness is great.”
Verse 19 – In his vision, John sees the beast, referring to the world ruler, the kings of the earth associated with him, and their armies, all of who gather to make war against Christ and His armies from heaven. The beast is to be identified with the one of Revelation 13:1-10, and the kings as those associated with the beast who participate in the final battle. There is some evidence in Daniel 11:40-45 that a struggle is going on between the various segments of the world empire at the time of the Second Coming of Christ; but with the appearance of the Lord in glory and the procession of the armies of heaven accompanying Him, these armies will forget their differences and join in battle against the King of kings and the Lord of lords.
Verses 20-21 – Zechariah 14:1-9 is another description of the devastation of the armies that will come against Jerusalem during the Campaign of Armageddon. Here, in Revelation 19:20, both the beast and the false prophet are seized and cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone. Daniel 7:11 predicts the slaying of the “beast” and its body destroyed and given to the burning flame. The apostle Paul confirms the slaying of the Antichrist by Christ in 2 Thessalonians 2:8: “the lawless one will revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth.” Therefore, his being cast alive into the lake of fire must connote his conscious punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone.
The followers of the beast also fall before the sword (the Word) of Christ. The armies of the kings of the earth are destroyed bringing to an end “the times of the Gentiles.” No great military battle will actually be fought, for the decisive battle has already been won at the Cross (John 12:31; 16:11; Col. 2:15).
XXXIV. THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST
When Will the Second Coming of Christ to the Earth Occur?
The Second Coming of Christ will occur at the end of the Seventieth Week of Daniel (Dan. 9:24-27). The day of His Second Coming to the earth will begin with fearful manifestations in the skies (Matt. 24:29), but in the midst of this the heavens will open and Jesus will come forth (Rev. 19:11-16).
What is the Purpose for the Second Coming of Christ?
1. To punish sin and ungodliness (2 Thess. 1:7-10; Isa. 26:21; Jude 14-15).
2. To judge the nations (Matt. 25:31-46; Ps. 96:13).
3. To set up His kingdom (Dan. 2:44; Isa. 2:1-4; Luke 1:31-33).
4. To deliver the creation from bondage (Isa. 35:1-10; Isa. 65:20-25; Rom. 8:19-23).
5. To deliver the Kingdom to God the Father (1 Cor. 15:24-28).
6. To rebuild the temple (Ezek. 40-43; Zech. 6:12-13; Hag. 2:6-9).
7. To bring an end to the times of the Gentiles (Dan. 2:31-35; Luke 21:24).
8. To bring universal peace and prosperity (Mic. 4:1-7).
9. To make restoration of all things (Acts 3:19-21).
10. To destroy the Antichrist and bind Satan (2 Thess. 2:8; Rev. 19:20; Rev. 20:1-3).
11. To fulfill His covenants with Israel (Gen. 17:8; 2 Sam. 7:16; Jer. 31:31-34; Rom. 11:25-29).
12. To resurrect Old Testament and Tribulation saints (Dan. 12:2; Isa. 26:19; Hos. 13:14;
Rev. 20:4).
What Will Be Different Between Christ’s Coming at the Rapture and His Second Coming?
At The Rapture At His Second Coming
For His Church With His Church
In the air To the earth
No signs Full of signs
World will not see Him Every eye shall see Him
What Will Be Different Between Christ’s First Coming and Second Coming to the Earth?
First Coming Second Coming
1. He came “lowly and riding a donkey” He will come “with power and great glory”
(Zech. 9:9). (Matt. 24:30) riding “a white horse”
(Rev. 19:11).
2. “He is despised and rejected by men” “Every knee should bow and every tongue
(Isa. 53:3). should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord”
(Phil. 2:9-11).
4. He came as “the Lamb of God” He will come as “the Lion of Judah”
(John 1:29). (Rev. 5:5).
5. He wore “a crown of thorns” (Matt. 27:29). He will wear a “golden crown”
(Rev. 14:14).
6. Christ was judged of men (Matt. 27:1-2). Christ will be the Judge (John 5:22).
7. He was called a sinner (John 9:24) He “will be called Wonderful, Counselor,
and blasphemer (Matt. 26:65). Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of
Peace” (Isa. 9:6).
8. He was beaten, mocked, and crucified He will reveal His triumph (Col. 2:15) by
(Matt. 27:30-31). heading up the armies of heaven
(Rev. 19:14).
9. He was a lowly carpenter (Mark 6:3). He will proclaim to the world His true
identity: “KING OF KINGS AND LORD
OF LORDS” (Rev. 19:16).
XXX. THE SEVENTY-FIVE DAY INTERVAL
The Millennium will not begin the day immediately following the last day of the Great Tribulation because there will be a seventy-five day interval. During this time between the Great Tribulation and the start of the Messianic or Kingdom Age, a number of events will occur. The existence of this interval is revealed in Daniel 12:11-12:
“And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away, and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be one thousand two hundred and ninety days. Blessed is he who waits, and comes to the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days.”
From the setting up of the Abomination of Desolation in the Jewish Temple in the middle of the Tribulation to the end of the Tribulation will be 1,260 days, equivalent to 3 ½ years. The 1,335 days mentioned in verse 12 is 75 days beyond the end of the Tribulation. A special blessing is pronounced on those who make it to the 1,335th day. The blessing is that those who survive until the 75th day of the interval will enter the Millennial or Messianic Kingdom.
A number of events will transpire during the seventy-five day interval, but understand that it is impossible to determine the chronological sequence of these events. Among the events which transpire during this seventy-five day interval are: (1) the removal of the Abomination of Desolation, (2) the casting of the Antichrist and the False Prophet into the Lake of Fire, (3) the judgment of Israel and the Gentiles, (4) the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation martyrs, (5) the structuring of the Jewish and Gentile branches of government which will co-reign with Christ during the Millennium, and (6) the binding and confinement of Satan.
Let’s look at the judgment of Israel and the Gentiles and then we’ll look at the resurrections, which will take place during this seventy-five day interval.
THE JUDGMENT OF ISRAEL
Introduction
The Judgment of Israel is to be distinguished from the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Judgment of the Great White Throne. The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), a time of reward for believers only, takes place after the Rapture. The Judgment of the Great White Throne takes place after the Millennium when the wicked dead will be judged and consigned to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:11-15). The Judgment of Israel, as illustrated in the Parable of the Ten Virgins, takes place after the Second Advent of Christ to the earth.
After His Second Coming, Christ will gather His elect: “And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matt. 24:31). Two-thirds of the Jewish people will perish in the Tribulation (Zech. 13:8). The one-third that survives the Tribulation Period will then be judged by Christ to determine who enters the Millennial Kingdom.
Matthew 25:1-13
Verses 1-5 – Jesus likens the kingdom of heaven at that time to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. The five wise virgins represent true disciples of Christ in the Tribulation. The lamps speak of profession, and oil is generally acknowledged to be a type of the Holy Spirit. The foolish virgins represent those who profess to know Christ but who have never been converted and thus do not have the Holy Spirit. The bridegroom is Christ, the King; His delay symbolizes the period between His two advents.
Verses 6-12 – At midnight the announcement rang out that the bridegroom was coming. While the five foolish virgins, lacking oil had gone out, and were not present, the bridegroom came. The Lord Jesus will return with His bride, the Church. (The wedding will have taken place in heaven after the Rapture.) The faithful remnant of Tribulation saints will go in with Him to the marriage feast. The marriage feast is a fitting designation of the joy and blessing of Christ’s earthly kingdom.
In the parable, the wise virgins went in with him to the wedding feast) and the door was closed. It was too late for anyone else to get into the kingdom. When the other virgins came seeking admittance, the bridegroom disavowed knowing them – a clear proof that they had never been born again.
Verse 13 – The lesson, Jesus said, was to watch, because the day and hour of His coming are unknown. Believers should live as if the Lord might come at any moment. Are our lamps trimmed and filled with oil?
In the Parable of the Expectant Steward, our Lord also stresses the absolute necessity of having one’s lamps burning as one awaits and watches for the Lord’s imminent return: “Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning; and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them” (Luke 12:35-37).
dou:loV – slave (from a Greek–English lexicon: ‘servant’ for ‘slave’ is largely confined to Biblical translation and early American times) – “Well done, good and faithful servant (slave).” A ‘servant’ and a ‘slave’ are two completely different t terms. A servant, for example, negotiates his terms of employment. Once employed, if he is not satisfied with working conditions, the servant may discontinue his employment. Not so with a slave. The slave sets his own will aside because his desire and delight is in doing the will of his Master. (1 Cor. 7:17-24; Rom. 6:15-23.)
Judgment of Israel
The prophet Ezekiel also describes the judgment of Israel to determine who enters the Millennial Kingdom:
“As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out, I will rule over you. I will bring you out from the peoples and gather you out of the countries where you are scattered, with a mighty hand, with an outstretched arm, and with fury poured out.
And I will bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I will plead My case with you face to face. Just as I pleaded My case with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so I will plead My case with you, says the Lord GOD. I will make you pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant; I will purge the rebels from among you, and those who transgress against Me; I will bring them out of the country where they dwell, but they shall not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD” (Ezek. 20:33-38).
THE JUDGMENT OF THE NATIONS
Introduction
The Judgment of the Nations (Matt. 25:31-46), like the Judgment of Israel, is to be distinguished from the Judgment Seat of Christ and the Great White Throne Judgment. The Judgment of the Nations (the Greek word ethne translated “nations” can well be translated “Gentiles”), will take place after the Second Advent of Christ when He will judge which Gentiles enter the Millennial Kingdom.
When Will the Judgment of the Nations Occur?
“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left” (Matt. 25:31-33).
Where Will the Judgment of the Nations Take Place?
“For behold, in those days and at that time, when I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there on account of My people, My heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations; they have also divided up My land” (Joel 3:1-2).
The location of this judgment will be in the Valley of Jehoshaphat, which according to Jewish tradition was that part of the Kidron Valley between the Temple and the Mount of Olives.
What Will Be the Basis For This Judgment?
The basis for this judgment is how those Gentiles, who survived the Tribulation, treated faithful Israel, referred to by Christ as “My brethren.” In effect, this judgment will fulfill a promise made to Abraham: “And I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you” (Gen. 12:30).
In view of the distress in the Tribulation period, it is clear that any believing Jew will have a difficult time surviving (Matt. 24:15-21). The forces of the world dictator will be doing everything possible to exterminate Jews (Rev. 12:17). Befriending the Jewish remnant will not save Gentiles but their kindness will reflect their redemption and their love for the Lord:
“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of My brethren, you did it to Me’ ” (Matt. 25:40).
Summary
There will be a twofold result of the judgment of the living Gentiles: (1) To those who have been appointed to the King’s right hand (the sheep) the invitation is extended, “Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34), and (2) To those consigned to the King’s left hand (the goats) the judgment is pronounced, “Depart from Me you cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).
The one group is taken into the kingdom to become subjects of the King, while the other group is excluded from the kingdom and consigned to the Lake of Fire. The Judgment of the Nations reminds us forcefully that Christ and His people are one; what affects them affects Him: “Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ ” (Matt. 25:45).
The Sons of Light in The Day of the Lord
In apocalyptic literature, “The Day of the Lord” encompasses both the Tribulation Period and the Millennium. In the biblical account of the Creation in Genesis Chapter one, one can observe that the evening or dark part of the day preceded the morning or light part of the day: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. And God saw the light that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day.”
The Jewish people, when celebrating their holy feasts, understand that the feast day begins in the evening (when the first three stars are visible in the night sky), about 6 PM. The second part of the day, the light part, begins in the morning or at sunrise, and ends in the evening or at sundown. “The Day of the Lord” can be configured in this manner also, that is, the evening or dark part of the Day comes first (Tribulation), and then comes the light part of the day (Millennium).
Paul refers to church saints as “sons of light” in 1 Thessalonians 5:5: “You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.”
This understanding of the breakdown of “The Day of the Lord,” coupled with the understanding that we are “Sons of Light” is necessary for appreciating the following blessing: As the Sons of Light, we will be raptured before the Tribulation begins, therefore we will not experience the dark part of the Day of the Lord, as will the Sons of Darkness.
We will accompany our Lord to the earth in His second coming to experience, as Sons of Light, the light part of the Day of the Lord (the Millennium), but the Sons of Darkness will at this time be cast into outer darkness and will not experience the light part of the Day of the Lord.
RESURRECTIONS OF SAINTS
Our Lord Jesus Christ prophesied on the subject of resurrection as recorded in John 5:28-29: “Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.”
From this passage concerning the subject of resurrection, we get an indication of two types of resurrections: (1) the resurrection of the righteous to everlasting life, and (2) the resurrection of the unrighteous to everlasting condemnation. Although this account concerning future resurrections gives the impression that there will be only one general resurrection, the simultaneous resurrection of the saved and unsaved, actually the apostle Paul indicates that there will be many resurrections: “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order; Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming” (1 Cor. 15:22-23). In total there will be six resurrections, listed as follows:
1. Christ – Matt. 28:5-6
2. Raptured church saints – 1 Cor. 15:51-53; 1 Thess. 4:13-18
3. Two Witnesses – Rev. 11:11-12
4. Tribulation martyrs – Rev. 20:4
5. O.T. saints – Isa. 26:19; Dan. 12:2
6. Wicked dead – Rev. 20:12-13
The Bible indicates six resurrections but Revelation 20:6 seems to indicate that there will be only two resurrections: “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
The expression the first resurrection can be defined two ways:
1. As being the first of two general resurrections, the resurrection to life (numbers 1
through 5 on the above list of resurrections) and the resurrection to condemnation
(number 6 on the above list of resurrections).
2. As the first resurrection relative to the Millennium (the first resurrection to life before
the Millennium – and the second resurrection to damnation after the Millennium).
During the seventy-five day interval between the end of the Tribulation and the beginning of the Millennium, there will be two resurrections, the resurrection of the Old Testament saints and the resurrection of the Tribulations martyrs.
The Resurrection of the Old Testament Saints
The Rapture will include only the Church saints and it will occur before the Tribulation period.
Later, during the seventy-five day interval, the Old Testament saints will be resurrected. The
resurrection of Old Testament saints is attested to by two Old Testament passages, Isaiah 26:19
and Daniel 12:2.
Isaiah 26:19 – “Your dead shall live; together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and
sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the
dead.”
This is a general statement of a resurrection that will take place some day. A clearer picture is found in the second passage in Daniel 12:2.
Daniel 12:2 – “And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt.”
This passage draws a clear distinction between the resurrection of the righteous and the resurrection of the unrighteous. Only the righteous saints will be resurrected at this time in order to partake of the blessings of the Millennial Kingdom. These are the “friends of the bridegroom” (John 3:29) who will be invited to the wedding feast with which the Millennium will start.
The Resurrection of the Tribulation Martyrs
Not only will there be a resurrection of Old Testament saints, but also a resurrection of those saints who will be killed in the course of the Tribulation period according to Revelation 20:4:
“And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”
In this verse, John sees two groups of saints co-reigning with Christ. The first group of saints are those to whom judgment was committed. The thrones that John sees could be the twenty-four thrones of Revelation 4:4, on which sat the twenty-four elders representing the raptured church saints, or the thrones could be the twelve thrones, upon which the twelve apostles will sit to judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28).
The second group of saints that John sees are identified as those who have been beheaded because they did not worship the Antichrist or his image, nor were they willing to consent to receive the mark of the Beast. Obviously, then, these cannot be anyone else but Tribulation saints and they, too, will be resurrected at this time. Both the Old Testament saints and the Tribulation martyrs will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive, according to their works, crowns and positions of authority in the Millennial Kingdom.
KINGDOM PARABLES
Future and Present Kingdom
In our eschatological studies, when we think of the kingdom, we generally think of it as something that will be established in the future, and it will be. If the kingdom of God, over which the Messiah will reign is to be set up in the future, then why did Jesus, when asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom would come, answered, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:20-21). What did Jesus mean when He told the Pharisees that the kingdom of God was within them?
Present Kingdom
Before we can answer that question, we need to understand that in the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), the principal message of both John the Baptist and Jesus was the following: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17). (“Heaven” is a circumlocution for “God.” Out of reverence, the Jews replaced the name of God in that expression with the word ‘heaven,’ – noted principally in the Gospel of Matthew, written primarily to the Jews.) The message of Jesus was that the long-promised kingdom of God was about to appear, and the hour of decision had come.
Preaching the Kingdom
Jesus told Nicodemus, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Being born of the Spirit entailed believing in the name of the only begotten Son of God. Later, Jesus would say to His disciples: “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18:3).
John the Baptist
Jesus preached not only that people were on the threshold of the end of time, but that the new age of salvation had already begun. This new age had begun with John the Baptist who made the great break-through, but was not himself a member of the kingdom: “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matt. 11:11). The kingdom of heaven is the dynamic reign of God over His people, a reign that looked forward to the cross.
Jesus went on to say: “And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by storm” (Matt. 11:12). By this statement, Jesus meant that there would be violent opposition to the kingdom and entering it would require advancing forcefully.
The forces of evil must be defeated to usher in the kingdom of God. When Jesus went about casting out demons, He was dealing a decisive blow to the kingdom of Satan: “But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you” (Matt. 12:28). The kingdom of God, then, is conceived as both present and future. The present kingdom, then, functions as a precursor of the coming, perfected kingdom of God.
Again, when Jesus was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom was to come, He said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, “Lo, here it is!” or “There!” For behold, the kingdom of God is within you.” The expression, within you, is generally interpreted in two ways. First, within you seems to be the way of expressing the inward nature and dynamic of the kingdom of God, rather than referring to, in this case, any actual presence in or among the Pharisees.
The second interpretation of the expression, “The kingdom of heaven is within you” is the following: “The kingdom of heaven is in your midst.” “In your midst,” then, identifies the kingdom of God with the person of Jesus and His works. In that sense, the kingdom of God was a present reality during Jesus’ ministry.
The Interim Kingdom
As we survey the kingdom parables in Matthew Chapter 13, we find that in view of Israel's rejection of the Messiahship of Christ, Christ foresaw the postponement of the millennial form of the kingdom.
He would now teach His disciples “the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 13:11) by introducing a new form of the kingdom, an interim kingdom that would span the period from Israel's rejection of Christ until Israel's future reception of Christ at the Second Advent.
The Kingdom Parables
The parables of the kingdom of God that Jesus taught, illustrate different aspects of the kingdom of God:
a. The Parable of the Sower (Matt. 13:1-23) – the people’s response to the message of the kingdom of God,
b. The Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matt. 13:31-32) and The Parable of the Leaven (Matt. 13:33) – the immense growth of the kingdom from an insignificant beginning,
c. The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares (Matt. 13:24-30) and The Parable of the Dragnet (Matt. 13:47-50) – the mixed nature of those presently involved in the kingdom of God, who will be separated at the end, and
d. The Parable of the Hidden Treasure (Matt. 13:44) and The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price (Matt. 13:45-46) – the inestimable value of the kingdom of God, for which people must be prepared to give up everything.
THE SEVEN FEASTS OF ISRAEL
Unlike the holidays of most nations, which are established by men, the holidays of the nation of Israel were established by God Himself, set aside specifically to recall God's concern and provision for His people. The seven holidays or feasts of Israel are not only historic, but prophetic. Leviticus chapter 23 contains a complete chronological foreshadowing of God's design for mankind, commencing with Christ's redemptive work at the cross and concluding with His establishment of the millennial kingdom. Each separate feast had a distinctive importance all its own, yet when the seven are arranged in their chronological order, it can be seen how they were divinely preordained to typify future events.
Historical Context Prophetical Context
1. Passover (Pesach) celebrates God's 1. Passover (Lev. 23:4-5) points to
deliverance of the children of Israel Christ as the Lamb of God sacrificed
from Egyptian bondage (Exod. 12:1-14). for mankind (1 Cor. 5:7).
2. Unleavened Bread (Hag HaMatzah), 2. Unleavened Bread (Lev. 23:6-8)
celebrated as part of Passover, points to Christ’s body, which
commemorates deliverance from suffered no corruption in the grave
Egypt (Exod. 12:15-20). (Ps. 16:10).
3. Firstfruits (Bikkurim)– celebrates the 3. Firstfruits (Lev. 23:9-14) points to the
first harvest in the Promised Land Lord’s resurrection (1 Cor. 15:20-23).
(Josh. 5:10-12).
4. Pentecost (Shavuot) celebrates the 4. Pentecost (Lev. 23:15-22) points to
revelation of God at Mount Sinai Christ as Head of the Church, which
(Exod. 19:16-17). was born on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-47).
5. Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) calls for 5. Trumpets (Lev. 23:23-25) points to
a sacred assembly commemorated the return of the Lord in the Rapture
by trumpet blasts. (1 Cor. 15:52).
6. Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) is a 6. Day of Atonement (Lev. 23:26-32)
solemn day of self denial and affliction points to the Great Tribulation when
of the soul. Israel will afflict her soul and cry out
for Christ to return (Zech. 12:10–13:1).
7. Tabernacles (Sukkot) commemorates 7. Tabernacles (Lev. 23:33-43) points
the Exodus and living in tents during to the Millennium when Christ will
the wilderness wandering. reign on the earth (Zech. 14:16-19).
Israel's holy days fall into two groups – those celebrated in the spring and those kept in the autumn. The spring festivals teach believers about the first coming of Christ and the fall festivals teach about the second coming of Christ. The interval of time between Pentecost, the last spring festival, and Trumpets, the first of the fall festivals, symbolically represents the present Church Age. The feasts of the spring months, Passover and Unleavened Bread, Firstfruits, and Pentecost, were historically fulfilled in the same order as listed in Leviticus 23. It is consistent to believe that the remainder of these feasts as types will be fulfilled in order. Today, believers are at Verse 22 of Leviticus 23. Their great expectation is to hear the trumpet that will sound as the dead are raised incorruptible. Then will come the Day of Atonement, which will occur during the Great Tribulation, and after that, the Feast of Tabernacles in the Millennium.
XXXVI. THE MILLENNIUM
Introduction
The term “millennium” is from the Latin and means a thousand years. The term “millennium” is not found in Scripture, but the expression “a thousand years” occurs six times in Revelation 20:2-7. The Greek term “chiliasm” frequently occurs in theological literature and denotes the doctrine that Christ will come and set up an earthly kingdom for a thousand years. The fact of such a kingdom is firmly established in the teaching of the Old Testament, but only the book of Revelation gives its duration. The Millennium will be an unprecedented time of peace, justice, and righteousness as Christ and His saints will reign on the earth.
Views on the Millennium
Just as there are differing views on the timing of the Rapture – pretribulational, midtribulational and posttribulational, so there are different views on the timing of Christ’s Second Advent with respect to the Millennium – the premillennial view, the postmillennial view, and the amillennial view.
1. Premillennialism
The premillennial view is the view that holds that Christ will return to earth, literally and bodily, before the millennial age begins, and that by His presence, a kingdom will be instituted over which He will reign. In this kingdom all of Israel’s covenants will be literally fulfilled. It will continue for a thousand years, after which the kingdom will be given by the Son to the Father when it will merge with His eternal kingdom.
2. Postmillennialism
Postmillennialists teach that Christ will return visibly and personally after the Millennium. In history, the Postmillennial view has stood largely on the theory of evolution, the belief that things are getting better and better.
It is the idea that the gospel will be triumphant, that the whole world will become Christianized and that Christ will return after Christians (not Christ Himself) have established the kingdom on this earth. However, this is not the view of the world in the end times that Scripture presents. From the book of Revelation, it is easy to see that the world will be a terrible place during that future time. Also, in 2 Timothy 3:1-7, Paul describes the last days as “perilous times.”
Those who hold to postmillennialism use a non-literal method of interpreting unfulfilled prophecy, assigning their own meanings to words. They believe that Revelation 20:4-6 should not be taken literally. They believe that “1000 years” simply means “a long period of time.” The problem with this view is that when someone starts assigning meanings to words other than their normal meaning, a person can decide that a word, phrase, or sentence means anything he wants it to mean. All objectivity concerning the meaning of words is lost.
3. Amillennialism
Amillennialism is the name given to the belief that there will not be a literal Millennium – a literal 1000-year reign of Christ on the earth. Instead, they believe that Christ is now sitting on the throne of David and that this present church age is the kingdom over which Christ reigns. There is no doubt that Christ is now sitting on a throne, but this does not mean that it is what the Bible refers to as the throne of David. There is no doubt that Christ now rules, for He is God. Yet this does not mean He is ruling over the millennial kingdom.
In order for God to keep His promises to Israel and His covenant with David (2 Sam. 7:8-16, 23:5; Ps. 89:3-4), there must be a literal, physical kingdom on this earth. To doubt this is call into question God’s desire and/or ability to keep His promises. We need to take God at His word and understand that His promises will be literally fulfilled.
Characteristics and Events of the Millennium
1. Physical characteristics
a. Living waters from the temple
Ezekiel 47:1-12 – “Then he brought me back to the door of the temple and there was water, flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east . . . Then he said to me: ‘This water flows toward the eastern region, goes down into the valley, and enters the sea. When it reaches the sea, its waters are healed. And it shall be that every living thing that moves, wherever the rivers go, will live. There will be a very great multitude of fish, because these waters go there; for they will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river goes.”
One feature in the Millennium will be a life-giving river flowing from the new temple (Zech. 14:8; Joel 3:18). Joel had mentioned this river before Ezekiel’s time and Zechariah spoke of it after Israel returned from Babylonian Captivity. In the Millennium, this river will be another visible reminder of God’s presence and blessing.
b. Wild animals tamed
Isaiah 11:6-9 – “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them . . . They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.”
In the righteous kingdom of Christ, the curse will be lifted, peace and harmony will be present, and wild animals (wolf, leopard, lion, bear) will again be tame and harmless to domesticated animals (lamb, goat, calf, cow) and to humans (Isa. 35:9; 65:25).
c. Crops abundant
Amos 9:13 – “Behold, ‘the days are coming,’ says the LORD, when the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him who sows seed; the mountains shall drip with sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.”
In the days when God restores Israel, the land will be so productive (Isa. 27:6; 35:1-2) that the plowman who starts in October will have to wait for the reaper who should have finished in May. The one who treads grapes in July will find the planter still sowing new seed into the ground broken by the long-delayed plowman. The grapes will hang so heavy in the mountain vineyards that the hills will drip and flow with new wine (Joel 3:18).
d. Human longevity increased
Isaiah 65:20 – “No more shall an infant from there live but for a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
The picture drawn by Isaiah is, at least in part, that of a second patriarchal period, a period described in terms of physical health and longevity. Though death will still be present, life spans will be extended. The point of a hundred years is that in this new setting a mere century is shamefully brief, so vast is the scale. Sickness and even death, except as a penal measure, in dealing with overt sin, will be removed.
2. Spiritual characteristics
a. Satan confined in the abyss
Revelation 20:1-3 – “Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven having the key to the bottomless pit . . . he laid hold of the dragon . . . and he cast him into the bottomless pit and shut him up . . .”
Satan will be bound and cast into the bottomless pit for the duration of the Millennium. The Millennium will reveal that humanity’s rebellion against God lies deep in one’s own heart, not in the devil’s deception. Even when Satan is bound and righteousness prevails in the world, some people will still rebel against God. The final release of Satan will openly draw out this hidden evil.
b. Millennial temple built
Ezekiel 43:4-5 – “And the glory of the LORD came into the temple by way of the gate which faces toward the east. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me into the inner court; and behold, the glory of the LORD filled the temple.”
Ezekiel chapters 40 through 46 describe in detail the dimensions, priesthood, worship, sacrifices, and ritual of the Millennial Temple. The climax of the book of Ezekiel is the return of the glory of the Lord, which was present only in the first Temple (Solomonic), to this fourth Temple (Millennial).
c. Animal sacrifices will be offered
Hebrews 9:13-14 – “For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
All mentions of “atonement” in Ezekiel 40–48 relate to the concept of purification or consecration of the temple or altar with the exception of two references. The atonement of the people is mentioned only in Ezekiel 45:15-17. The sacrifices in Ezekiel are memorials of the atoning work of Christ even as the Mosaic sacrifices were picture lessons and types of the work He would do. Neither is efficacious; neither is a means by which one’s sin is removed or forgiven.
d. Feasts reinstituted
Ezekiel 45:21 – “In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month, you shall observe the Passover, a feast of seven days; unleavened bread shall be eaten.”
Zechariah 14:16 – “And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Although the general phrase “all the appointed feasts of the house of Israel” is used in Ezekiel 45:17, only three festivals are explicitly mentioned in these chapters: Passover and the Feast of Unleavened bread, and the Feast of Tabernacles.
e. Christ rules in Jerusalem
Micah 4:1-2 – “Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and peoples shall flow to it. Many nations shall come and say, ‘Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.’ For out of Zion the law shall go forth, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.”
The Lord shall be King over all the earth (Zech. 14:9). The law shall go forth from Jerusalem and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa. 2:3). Dominion, glory, and a kingdom will be given to Christ that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him (Dan. 7:14).
f. Resurrected saints reign with Christ
Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”
The saints who will reign with Christ will be from: (1) Israel – Jesus told His disciples that when He would sit on the throne of His glory, they would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28); (2) The resurrected tribulation martyrs – who will be killed for their faithful witness to Jesus and for the word of God, will reign with Christ for a thousand years (Rev. 20:4); and (3) Church saints – will also reign with Christ (2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 5:10).
g. Nations worship in Jerusalem
Because of God’s covenant promise to Abraham, Moses, and David, Zechariah knew that Israel will again be in the land and will again have a superior position among the nations (Isa. 2:2-3).
Zechariah 8:22-23 – “Yes, many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem; and to pray before the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”
h. Righteousness and justice prevails
Jeremiah 23:5-6 – “ ‘Behold, the days are coming,’ says the LORD, that I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; a King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days, Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”
God promised to raise up to David a King who would be a righteous Branch, that is, another member of the Davidic line. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of this prediction. As King, he will reign wisely and do what is just and right. The name of this coming King will be “The LORD Our Righteousness” (Jehovah Tsidkenu).
i. Universal peace prevails
Micah 4:3-4 – “He shall judge between many peoples, and rebuke strong nations afar off; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. But everyone shall sit under his fig tree, and no one shall make them afraid: for the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.”
The Messiah is called “Prince of Peace” (Isa. 9:6), the One who will bring in and maintain the time of millennial peace. The peace of Christ’s reign is described in Isaiah 32:17-18: “The work of righteousness will be peace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever. My people will dwell in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.”
FULFILLMENT OF ISRAEL’S COVENANTS
The Millennial Age will see the fulfillment of all the covenants that God made with Israel.
1. The Regeneration of Israel
Basis: The New Covenant
Jeremiah 31:31-34 – “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – and not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is a covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
The promises of the New Covenant of a new heart, the forgiveness of sin, the filling of the Spirit are fulfilled in the converted nation in the millennial age (Jer. 31:31-34; 32:37-41; Ezek. 11:17-20; 16:60-63; 37:26; Rom. 11:26-29). All the spiritual blessings Israel receives are fulfillment of this covenant.
2. The Regathering of Israel
Basis: The Palestinian Covenant
Deuteronomy 29:1 – “These are the words of the covenant which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, besides the covenant which He made with them in Horeb.”
Deuteronomy 30:1-5 – “Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the LORD your God drives you, and you return to the LORD your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, that the LORD your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the LORD your God has scattered you. If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the LORD your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers.”
The promises in the Palestinian Covenant concerning the possession of the land are fulfilled by Israel in the millennial age (Isa. 11:11-12; 65:9; Ezek. 16:60-63; 36:28; 39:28; Hos. 1:10-2:1; Mic. 2:12; Zech. 10:6). These references to the possession of the land promise fulfillment of the Palestinian Covenant.
3. The Possession of the Land
Basis: The Abrahamic Covenant
Genesis 15:18 – “On the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates.’ ”
Genesis 28:13-15 – “And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: I am the LORD God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you.”
The promises in the Abrahamic Covenant concerning the land and the seed will be fulfilled in the millennial age (Isa. 10:21-22; 43:1; 65:8-9; Ezek. 34:24, 30-31; Mic. 7:19-20; Zech. 13:9; Mal. 3:16-18). Israel’s perpetuity, their possession of the land, and their inheritance of blessings are directly related to the fulfillment of this covenant.
4. The Re-Establishment of David’s Throne
Basis: Davidic Covenant
2 Samuel 7:16 – “And your house and your kingdom shall be established forever before you. Your throne shall be established forever.”
Psalm 89:34-37 – “My covenant I will not break, nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips. Once I have sworn by My holiness; I will not lie to David: His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before Me; it shall be established forever like the moon, even like the faithful witness in the sky.”
Ezekiel 37:24-25 – “David My servant shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd; they shall also walk in My judgments and observe My statutes, and do them. Then they shall dwell in the land that I have given to Jacob My servant, where your fathers dwelt; and they shall dwell there; their children, and their children’s children, forever; and My servant David shall be their prince forever.”
The promises in the Davidic Covenant concerning the king, the throne, and the royal house are fulfilled by Messiah in the millennial age (Isa. 11:1-2; 55:3; Jer. 23:5-8; 33:2-26; Ezek. 34:23-25; 37:23-24; Hos. 3:5). The fact that Israel has a kingdom, over which David’s Son reigns as King, is based on this Davidic Covenant.
XXXVII. REVELATION CHAPTER TWENTY
Introduction
This is one of the great chapters of the Bible. It presents in summary the tremendous series of events that relate to the millennial reign of Christ on earth. In this future period of one thousand years, many expositors believe that hundreds of Old Testament prophecies will be fulfilled.
Verses 1-3 – The next phase of the prophetic program is introduced by another vision of an angel. The subordinate powers of evil having been destroyed, only Satan remains to be dealt with. As John witnesses the scene, he observes an angel coming down from heaven possessing the key to “the bottomless pit,” that is, “the abyss” (Rev. 9:1). This is the home of demons and unclean spirits. The angel is seen laying hold of Satan and binding him with a great chain after which Satan is cast into the abyss and its door shut. A seal is placed upon Satan himself making it impossible for him to deceive the nations until a thousand years have elapsed, after which, Satan must be loosed for a “little while.”
Verses 4-6 – John in his vision records that he saw thrones. Those sitting on the thrones are probably the saints who will judge the world and judge angels (1 Cor. 6:2-3). There are a number of passages that reference saints who will reign with Christ during the golden age of peace and prosperity (Dan. 7:27; Luke 22:30; Isa. 32:1; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 2:26).
A description is given of the Tribulation saints who were martyred for their refusal to worship the beast and receive his mark. No longer under the altar (Rev. 6:9-11), they are resurrected at this time to reign with Christ for a thousand years. Mention is made of “the first resurrection,” which Jesus called the resurrection of the righteous (Luke 14:14). John calls it the “first resurrection” to distinguish it from “the second death,” which also includes a resurrection, but that is a resurrection to damnation (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:11-15).
The “first resurrection” is not a single event. It describes the resurrection of the righteous at various times. It includes the resurrection of Christ (1 Cor. 15:20), the resurrection of those who are Christ’s when He raptures the Church (1 Thess. 4:13-18), the resurrection of the Two Witnesses (Rev. 11:11), the resurrection of the Old Testament saints (Dan. 12:2), and the resurrection of Tribulation martyrs (Rev. 20:4).
In other words, the first resurrection includes the resurrection of Christ and of all true believers, though they are raised at different times. It occurs in several stages. A special beatitude is pronounced upon those who take part in the first resurrection. Their special blessing is that they are protected from the “second death.” They are priests of God and Christ, and they reign with Christ for the thousand years. Will they be priests in the Millennial Temple? No! The millennial temple will be Israel’s fourth temple and will be ministered to by Jews, specifically by “the Levites, the sons of Zadok” (Ezek. 44:15). The fact that Christians will function as priests in that age suggests that there is a ministry for them to perform among earth’s inhabitants, perhaps with special reference to evangelism.
Verses 7-10 – The “little while” in which Satan is loosed is after the thousand year reign is completed. The purpose for which Satan is loosed is readily seen as he goes forth to deceive the nations, here symbolically called Gog and Magog, in order to lead a final revolt against the theocracy of God. John uses the terms Gog and Magog to denote all the world powers opposed to God, coming from the four corners of the earth. The release of Satan is viewed in Scripture as the final test that demonstrates the corruption of the human heart.
Apart from some comprehension of the depth of depravity of the human heart (Jer. 17:9; Matt. 15:19), there is no understanding how a multitude “whose number is as the sand of the sea” could revolt against the Lord Jesus Christ, when they have lived under His beneficence all their lives. This section shows something of the deep, complex nature of evil. The fundamental source of rebellion against God does not lie in our environment or with the devil but springs up from deep within a person’s own heart. The return of Satan will demonstrate this in the most dramatic manner once for all.
In this Gog and Magog rebellion, it is demonstrated once again that God is just when He judges sin. The judgment comes in the form of physical death, the pouring out of fire, on all rebels assembled under Satan’s leadership. The swiftness and finality of the divine judgment emphasize the reality of the victory of Christ at the Cross. Following the destruction of the armies of Satan, the devil is cast into the lake of fire, where the beast and false prophet are, to be tormented forever. In this manner, God removes all unbelief from the millennial kingdom in anticipation of its merger with the eternal kingdom of God.
Verses 11-15 – In the next phase of the prophetic revelation, John sees One of great majesty sitting on a great white throne. The expression, “from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away,” indicates that this judgment takes place in eternity after the destruction of the present creation. The language here may serve to underline the awesome majesty of the Judge and the judgment. Frequent references in the Bible seem to anticipate this future time when the present heaven and earth will pass away (Matt. 24:35; Luke 16:17; 2 Pet. 3:10-13; Isa. 65:17).
Before the great white throne awaiting their judgment are seen the wicked dead, the unbelievers of all the ages, who are not raised in the first resurrection (Acts 24:15). The phrase “small and great” indicates that those appearing before the throne come from all walks of life and degrees of greatness. Their judgment is made on the basis of the books that are opened, being in two classifications. The Book of Life refers to the roll of those who are saved and have eternal life (Ps. 69:28; Phil. 4:3; Rev. 3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12; 20:15; 21:27; 22:19).
The other books mentioned as plural are the divine records of their works. Here the works evidently are such that salvation is not the issue but rather the degree of punishment, as there is no indication that any righteous are found in this judgment. The absolute justice of God is revealed in this judgment of works. Even for those who have spurned the Lord Jesus Christ, there is differentiation in degrees of wickedness and apparent variation in punishment as suggested by Matthew 11:20-24 and Luke 12:47-48.
While works are never a ground of salvation, they are, nevertheless, considered important before God. Though men are judged according to their works, the Book of Life is introduced as the deciding factor as to where they will spend eternity. The sea, death, Hades – all these places are now forced to give up their dead. “The sea gave up the dead who were in it” (v. 13) – death at sea, with no monument to mark the spot where one’s body lay, was thought of as a terribly desolate fate. In some Jewish circles, resurrection was thought of as possible only for those buried on dry land.
The bodies and souls will be reunited to stand before the awesome throne of God. The lake of fire becomes the final abode of all that is evil. The devil, the beast, the false prophet, and those whose names were not found written in the Book of Life are all cast into the lake of fire.
In 1 Corinthians 15:25-26, we read that Christ “must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.” Here, Death and Hades are also cast into the flames, “into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41). The lake of fire is described as everlasting fire “where their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched” (Mark 9: 44).
There are four different words used in Scripture that are translated as “hell”:
1. Sheol – used 65 times in the Old Testament, translated “hell” 31 times (Deut. 32:22), “grave”
31 times (Job 7:9), and “pit” 3 times (Num. 16:30). It was regarded as a temporary place of
conscious existence (Isa. 14:9) out of which the righteous anticipated resurrection into the
millennial age (Ps. 17:15).
2. Hades – named for the Greek deity of the underworld. In the New Testament this word is
practically equivalent to Sheol, translated “hell” in every instance but one (1 Cor. 15:55
(KJV), where it is translated “grave”). Generally this word has in view the unsaved dead, who
are in misery, awaiting the resurrection unto judgment at the great white throne.
3. Tartaros – used only in 2 Peter 2:4 in reference to the judgment on the wicked angels. It
seems to have specific reference to the abode of the wicked angels.
4. Gehenna – translated into Greek, the Hebrew “Valley of Hinnom” becomes “gehenna,”
which is used 12 times in the New Testament (Matt. 5:22). In the Valley of Hinnom, parents
sacrificed their children as a burnt offering to the pagan god Molech (2 Kgs. 23:10). Jeremiah
foretold that God would judge this awful abomination of human sacrifice and would cause
such a destruction that “the Valley of Hinnom” would become known as “the Valley of
Slaughter” (Jer. 7:31-32).
For the city of Jerusalem, the Valley of Hinnom was a garbage dump where fires continually
smoldered, and smoke from the burning debris rose day and night. Hinnom or “gehenna” thus
became a graphic symbol of woe and judgment and of the place of eternal punishment called
“hell” (Mark 9:43-44).
Summary
Bible-believing Christians have tended to tone down the awfulness of eternal death, however, a thorough appreciation of eternal punishment will in the end enhance the doctrine of the grace of God and make the love of God as the more wonderful for those who enter into its truth. The only revelation that has been given concerning the eternal state recognizes two destinies only: one of blessedness in the presence of the Lord, the other of eternal punishment.
XXXVIII. REVELATION CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Introduction
While the messianic age is the high point of Old Testament prophecy, the Eternal Order is the high point of New Testament prophecy. There is a question among scholars whether chapters 21 and 22 deal with the Eternal State only or whether they alternate between the Millennium and the Eternal State. Since the Millennium and eternity are similar in many ways, it is not surprising if they seem to merge at times in the writings of the apostle John. Whereas most of the information in the first twenty chapters of Revelation can also be found in the Old Testament, the last two chapters of Revelation (Rev. 21:1–22:5) give us all that is known about the Eternal Order, brand new material not revealed to the prophets of the Old Testament. The Millennium itself is only one thousand years long. However, according to the promises of the Davidic Covenant, there was to be an eternal dynasty, an eternal kingdom, and an eternal throne. The eternal existence of the dynasty is assured because it culminates in an eternal person: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 1-2 – Following the judgment of the Great White Throne, depicted in the closing verses of chapter 20, John’s attention is next directed to the new heaven and the new earth. The new heaven and the new earth presented here are evidently not simply the old heaven and the new earth renovated, but a new creation of heaven and earth. God originally created the earth and heaven to be our permanent home. But sin entered the world and transformed the earth into a place of rebellion and alienation. But God has been working in salvation history to effect a total reversal of this evil consequence.
When the new earth is created, the New Jerusalem, in all its splendor, holy and new, will come down from heaven adorned with the beauty of a bride prepared for the marriage ceremony. While the greatest details of the New Jerusalem are to found in the last two chapters of Revelation, it is mentioned in other pages of the New Testament. The New Jerusalem is described as that which is free in Galatians 4:26; as the city that Abraham was seeking in Hebrews 11:8-10; as the eternal abode of all the redeemed in Hebrews 12:22-24, and; as the city of God which comes down out of heaven in Revelation 3:12.
Verses 3-4 – John hears an announcement from heaven that the tabernacle of God is with men and that He will dwell with them. In the Old Testament, God dwelt with His people indirectly, by way of the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34) and the Temple (1 Kgs. 8:10-11). The prophet Zechariah foresaw the time when God would be directly with His people (Zech. 2:10). John sees that being established with the coming of the New Jerusalem. The presence of God banishes every form of evil, sorrow, suffering, and death (Rev. 7:15-17).
In relation to the eternal destiny of the church saints, it is to be observed that their destiny primarily is related to a Person rather than a place. While the place looms with importance (John 14:3), it is the Person who is emphasized in all the passages dealing with the glorious expectation of the church rather than the place to which they are taken: John 14:3 – “receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there you may be also,” and 1 Thessalonians 4:17 – “to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” Paradise is not about a place; it’s about a Person: the Lord Jesus Christ.
Verses 5-6 – The One who sits on the throne will make all things new. The work of God is always fresh and new. When He steps into a life, He wholly transforms it. God in his sovereignty affirms that what John has been told is so. Then God says, “It is done.” As Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, so He is the Beginning and the End, the Creator and the object of creation. It is He who gives the water of life (salvation) freely to whoever thirsts for it.
Verses 7-8 – Frequently in Scripture, particular promises are given those who triumph in faith, but here the generous provision is made that they shall inherit “all things” and enjoy a new intimacy with God as between Father and son (Rom. 8:16-17). “He who overcomes . . .” – here are summed up the blessings promised to the victorious overcomers in the seven churches (2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21). An overcomer is one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (1 John 5:5) and by faith overcomes the world (1 John 5:4).
In contrast to the abundant blessings on the child of God is the sad inheritance of unbelief outlined in verse 8. Several lists like this that characterize unbelievers are found in the New Testament (Rom. 1:28-32; 1 Cor. 6:9-10; Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 22:15). Their destiny is to be thrown into the lake, which burns with fire and brimstone, which is “the second death.”
Verses 9-11 – John is now invited by one of the seven angels involved in the bowl judgments to come for a further, more detailed view of the New Jerusalem, which he called the bride, the Lamb’s wife. Carried away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, John again saw Jerusalem descending out of heaven. John was trying to describe what he saw and relate it to what might be familiar to his readers. The overall impression of the city to John was as a gigantic brilliant jewel compared to jasper, clear as crystal, indicates its great beauty. Today, one might describe that city as a beautifully cut diamond, a stone not known as a jewel in the first century.
Verses 12-14 – The city was surrounded by a high wall in which there were twelve gates, graced by twelve angels and bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. Three gates faced each direction of the compass. The twelve foundations of the wall bore the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. The distinction between Israel and the church is thus maintained. The names of the twelve tribes and the twelve apostles will be remembered for all eternity. The names of the gates could correspond to the names of the gates of the city in the Millennium, as given in Ezekiel 48:30-33.
The anticipation of Hebrews 12:22-24 is specifically that the heavenly Jerusalem will include not only God and an innumerable company of angels but also the general assembly and the church of the firstborn, the saints of the present age and the spirits of just men made perfect, that is, all other saints, whether in the Old Testament, in the Tribulation, or in the Millennium.
Verses 15-17 – Using a reed, a measure about ten feet long, the unit of measure common among the Jews, the angel measures the city and finds that the city is square, its length and breadth being the same, twelve thousand furlongs, or approximately 1,400 miles. The tremendous dimension of the city’s length and breadth is equaled by its height which towers an equal distance into the heavens.
Nothing is said concerning the shape of the city, whether it is a cube, recalling the Holy of Holies in the ancient temple (1 Kgs. 6:20) or in the form of a pyramid as some believe. Whatever its shape, a city of large dimensions would be proper, if it is to be the residence of the saved of all ages including infants who died before reaching the age of accountability.
In addition to measuring the city itself, the angel measures the wall, which is 144 cubits or, assuming that a cubit is 18 inches, a height of 216 feet. Although measured by an angel, a human standard was used. The city taken as a whole is pictured as descending from heaven to the new earth, and the fact that it has foundations and comes from heaven to the earth implies that it rests on the new earth itself. This is also implied in the fact that people go in and out of the gates, which fact is difficult to visualize unless the gates themselves rest upon the earth.
Verses 18-21 – Having given the dimensions of the city, John now endeavors to give a description of a scene, which in most respects transcends earthly experience. The constant mention of transparency indicates that the city is designed to transmit the glory of God in the form of light without hindrance. Attention is now directed to the foundation of the city, which is garnished with all kinds of precious stones. This is a sight of indescribable beauty with the light of the city playing upon the multicolored stones, designed to reflect the glory of God in a spectrum of brilliant color. As for the twelve gates named after the twelve tribes of Israel, each gate will be made of a single huge pearl.
The twelve foundations were adorned with twelve precious stones, reminiscent of those used on the breastplate of the high priest, representing the twelve tribes of Israel (Exod 28:17-20). It is as though the city is one vast place of worship; fulfilling Isaiah’s prophetic words that Jerusalem would be established in righteousness and built of jewels (Isa. 54:11-14).
Verses 22-24 – John, as he searches the city, finds no temple therein. During historic time, a total of four temples will have existed. But in eternity, there will be no temple, neither will there be a need for one, for the saints will be in the immediate presence of the Lord with no need for an earthly mediator or for shadows of things eternal. As promised by God, they will have full access to the most sacred, intimate fellowship with the Lord their God. In a city modeled on the Holy of Holies there is no need of a temple; all is holy and God is everywhere adored.
The source of light in the eternal order will not come from created things like the sun or the moon but will be provided by the Creator of light. The Shekinah glory of the Lamb will be the source of light in the city. That God Himself should be the light of the city is entirely in keeping with many passages in the Old and New Testaments comparing God to light (Isa. 60:19-20) and Jesus Christ Himself being the light of the world (John 8:12). The nations of the earth will walk by means of this light as well as those who served as kings in the old order.
Verses 25-27 – Though there will be twelve pearly gates around the city maintained by twelve angels, these gates will never be closed throughout eternity. The brilliant light of the city will dispel any possible darkness. The glory and the honor of the nations shall be brought into it. Only those can enter whose names are in “the Lamb’s book of life” and who thus belong to Him through redemption. It is interesting that in the six references to the book of life in Revelation (3:5; 13:8; 17:8; 20:12, 15; 21:27), only this one calls it “the Lamb’s.” Nothing of unrighteousness will ever be allowed to enter into the eternal city. All unrighteousness will now be confined in the lake of fire.
Summary
After the manifold series of visions consisting of conflict, evil, judgment, and doom, John saw this dazzling vision of the new order of things. The prophet Isaiah looked beyond the judgment that was to fall upon his nation to a period of restoration when the former things would no longer be remembered and all things would be made new. Peter looked for the day when the old order would be burned up and replaced by the new (2 Pet. 3:13). Paul looked for this as well, but saw its beginnings in the work of Christ in the church and in the life of the believer (2 Cor. 5:17).
The New Jerusalem is to be inhabited by God, by the church, by the redeemed of Israel, and by the redeemed of all ages, together with the unfallen angels. This will be a perfect environment in contrast to the centuries of human sin. Though the description of the city does not answer all questions concerning the eternal state, the revelation given to John describes a beautiful and glorious future for all who put their trust in the living God.
XXXIV. REVELATION CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Introduction
Wilbur M. Smith summarizes the state of blessedness in the holy city in these words, “All the glorious purposes of God, ordained from the foundation of the world, have now been attained. The rebellion of angels and mankind is all and finally subdued, as the King of kings assumes His rightful sovereignty. Absolute and unchangeable holiness characterizes all within the universal Kingdom of God. The redeemed, made so by the blood of the Lamb, are in resurrection and eternal glory. Life is everywhere – and death will never intrude again. The earth and heavens both are renewed. Light, beauty, holiness, joy, the presence of God, the worship of God, service to Christ, and likeness to Christ – all are now abiding realities. The vocabulary of man, made for life here, is incapable of truly and adequately depicting what God has prepared for those that love Him.
Verse 1 – This section continues the description of the holy city begun in Revelation 21:9, but now the emphasis is on its inner life. John sees a pure river of the water of life. Many of the things we studied concerning the millennial period foreshadow things that will prevail in the eternal state. Here, we have one of them, a river of life. In Ezekiel chapter 47, which describes the millennial period, the prophet saw a river flowing from under the temple causing life to spring up everywhere it went. Here, in verse 1, we’re told that in the New Jerusalem, in the midst of its street, a river of life will flow from the throne of God and the Lamb. The throne is indicated as that of both God and the Lamb; this confirms that Christ is still on the throne (Rev. 3:21) in the eternal state, though the throne has a different character than during His millennial rule over the earth.
Verse 2 – When Adam and Eve sinned by partaking of the tree of knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:17), God drove them out of the Garden of Eden. He then stationed an angel before its entrance in order to keep them from eating the fruit of the tree of life, lest they eat and live eternally in their sinful state. Now a new day has arrived. The saints are in the very presence of God, and may eat of the tree of life to their heart’s content (Rev. 2:7).
The river of life in the millennial period, according to Ezekiel chapter 47, will have trees on either side, which will bear fruit every month. The trees’ leaves will be for healing. In the New Jerusalem, the tree of life with its yield of fruit every month suggests God’s ceaseless provision for every season and the “leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations” is a figurative way of saying that they will enjoy perpetual health.
Verse 3 – In the millennial scene, there is a lifting of the curse upon the earth, but not a total deliverance from the world’s travail brought in by sin. In the new heaven and new earth, the curse pronounced in Eden (Gen. 3:17) is removed. In the New Jerusalem, the priestly service of the saints to God and the Lamb will be perpetual.
Verses 4-5 – With no restrictions such as those that pertained to Moses (“You cannot see My face; for no man shall see me, and live” - Exod. 33:20), the redeemed will be in Christ’s presence, beholding perpetually His glory (“Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God” - Matt. 5:8). Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ as “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim. 6:15), but in the New Jerusalem, we too shall be immortal and we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is” (1 John 3:2).
1 Corinthians 13:12 – “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”
The name of Jesus will be indelibly inscribed on our foreheads as a seal of eternal ownership. Because Christ, in all His glory, illuminates the city and its inhabitants, no other type of natural or artificial lighting is required. Even the sun, which warmed the former earth for so many centuries, is no longer necessary. The warmth of the love of God shines upon His people perpetually in this city of eternal day.
Verse 6 – An angel declares that it is “the Lord God of the holy prophets,” the One from whom prophets like John receive their message, that assures the readers of the speedily fulfillment of all that has been revealed.
Verse 7 – The wonderful hope of the coming of Christ, especially as it relates to the believer in the present age, is stated: “Behold, I come quickly.” Here John may be referring to Christ’s coming for the church, however, in keeping with the theme of Revelation, it is most likely a reference to His second coming to earth. The blessing of God is especially pronounced on the one who keeps the sayings of the prophecies of this book, a special promise repeated from Revelation 1:3, where also the note of imminency is emphasized in the expression “for the time is at hand.”
Verses 8-9 – The tremendous impression given to John by these transcending revelations finally overwhelms him and he falls down to worship before the feet of the angel. John’s response is natural, but he is rebuked by the angel who informs him not to worship him but to worship God.
Verses 10-15 – In light of the revelation of things to come in God’s program, certain declarations are given in this final chapter of the book in verses 10 through 15. The first declaration concerns the book itself in verse 10: “And He said to me, ‘Do not seal the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand.’ ” As Daniel the prophet was closing his book, he was told to seal it in Daniel 12:4: “But you Daniel, shut up the words and seal the book until the time of the end.” Then again in Daniel 12:8-9: “Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, ‘My Lord, what shall be the end of these things?’ And He said, ‘Go your way Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.’ ”
The revelation given to Daniel covered so much territory and expanded over such a long period of time that he was unable to understand much of what he wrote. Daniel was told to seal his book until the time when many of the prophecies would be explained and clarified by later revelation. With the book of Revelation, much of Daniel has been clarified, expanded, detailed, and explained. So John, in contrast to Daniel, was told not to seal up his book, for all prophecy can now be understood and its fulfillment could begin at any time.
The second declaration is directed at the righteous and the unrighteous in verse 11: “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Verse 11 appears to be an encouragement for those who do wrong and are vile to continue to do so and those who do right and are holy to continue to do so. The book of Revelation closes with a statement similar to a closing statement in the book of Daniel, “Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand” (12:10) There is no reason to take this passage in Revelation 22:11 as teaching the irreversibility of human choices. The time is coming when change will be impossible, but until then, repentance is always an option while a person is alive. After death, however, there remains only judgment (Heb. 9:27).
Two ways in which this seemingly fatalistic exhortation can be understood are: (1) some believe that this is not to be seen individually but corporately. In other words, the individual can change, but the presence of good and evil will continue right up to the return of Christ, and (2) the evil or good deeds of people will have no effect on the fulfillment of these prophecies. They are grounded in God rather than in the actions of people.
The third declaration gives the purpose of the coming of Christ in verse 12: “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” The purpose of the coming of Christ is to render to each man according to his works. His coming at the Rapture is to reward the saints for the works done in their bodies since salvation. The purpose of the second coming is to render judgment for the works of the unrighteous but also to reward the tribulation saints for their righteous works.
The fourth declaration emphasizes the eternality of the Person of Christ in verse 13: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.” The three pairs of titles given in this verse all connote the same truth, that Christ is the beginning and source of all things as well as the goal and consummation of all, in a word, the eternal God. Christ is before all Creation and He will continue to exist after the present creation is destroyed.
The fifth declaration concerns the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem in verse 14: “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.” The inhabitants of the New Jerusalem will be characterized by redemption. It is their redeemed state that will give them the authority to enter the city via the pearly gates and to partake of the tree of life.
The sixth and final declaration in verse 15 gives the characteristics of the unredeemed who will not have the authority to enter the New Jerusalem, “But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.” “Dogs” here may refer to male prostitutes (Deut. 23:18), unclean Gentiles (Matt. 15:26), or Judaizers (Phil. 3:2). As in the former description of the unsaved, the issue is not that they have at some time committed sins of this character but rather that these are the settled characteristics of their lives from which they were never delivered although the grace of God made possible that deliverance. (“Outside” the New Jerusalem is the lake of fire.)
Verse 16 – The six declarations are followed by the first affirmation of Christ in verse 16: “I Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.” Jesus Himself affirms that it was He who sent the angel to John to reveal all the things found in the book of Revelation so that John could deliver these things to the churches. He speaks of Himself as “the Root and the Offspring of David.” As to His deity, He is David’s Creator; as to His humanity, He is David’s descendant.
Historically, Christ comes from David (Matt. 1:1); prophetically, His coming is like the morning star, the beginning of a bright new day.
Verse 17 – “And the Spirit and the bride say ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” God so loves sinners that His compassionate heart must extend the gospel call one last time before the book closes. All willing to accept the invitation will have the authority to partake of the water of life in the New Jerusalem.
Verses 18-19 – The call to salvation is followed by two warnings in verses 18-19. The first warning is against any and all additions. Those who do add to what is written will receive the plagues of the book of Revelation, ultimately the Lake of Fire. The second warning is against any subtractions from this book, for those who do so will not dwell in the New Jerusalem nor partake of the tree of life.
Verse 20 – “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus!” Christ testifies to the truthfulness of all that John wrote by stating that He will be returning to fulfill all the prophecies contained in this book. For the believer, the term quickly emphasizes imminency, meaning He could come at any moment. Although almost two thousand years have passed since this affirmation, nevertheless, the saints are always to be ready and looking for the appearing of the Son of God.
Verse 21 – And now we come to the final blessing of this wonderful book of Revelation, and of the word of God. It is a peaceful close to a book filled with the thunders of divine judgment – “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.”
Summary
This final book of the Scriptures, which began with the revelation of Jesus Christ ends with a prayer that His grace might be with those who have witnessed the scene through John’s pen. Probably no book in the Bible presents in more stark contrast the grace of God as seen in the lives and destinies of the saints as compared to the righteous judgment of God on the wicked. In no other book are the issues made more specific. The book of Revelation is the presentation in the Word of God of what the saints will witness and experience in the glorious consummation of the ages. With John we pray, “Even so, come, Lord Jesus!”
THE OLD TESTAMENT IN THE NEW
NT Text OT Text Subject
Rev 1:7 Zech 12:10 Looking on one pierced
Rev 1:13 Dan 7:13 Coming Son of Man
Rev 1:13-15 Dan 10:5-6 Vision of a man
Rev 1:15 Ezek 43:2 Voice of rushing waters
Rev 2:27 Ps 2:9 Ruling the nations
Rev 4:6-8 Ezek 1:4-10 Four living creatures
Rev 4:8 Isa 6:3 Holy, holy, holy Rev 5:6 Zech 4:10 Seven eyes of God
Rev 6:2-8 Zech 6:1-6 Four different colored horses
Rev 6:8 Ezek 14:21 Four dreadful judgments
Rev 7:3 Ezek 9:4 A mark on the forehead
Rev 7:16 Isa 49:10 Eternal blessings
Rev 7:17 Isa 25:8 God wipes away tears
Rev 10:4 Dan 12:4 Sealed words
Rev 10:9-10 Ezek 3:1-3 Eating a scroll
Rev 11:1 Ezek 40:3 Measuring the temple
Rev 11:4 Zech 4:1-2 Lampstand and olive trees
Rev 11:15 Dan 7:27 An everlasting kingdom
Rev 12:14 Dan 7:25; 12:7 Three times and a half
Rev 13:1-2 Dan 7:3-7 Beasts from the sea
Rev 13:6 Dan 11:36 Blaspheming God
Rev 13:7 Dan 7:21 War against the saints
Rev 14:14 Dan 7:13 Coming Son of Man
Rev 17:12 Dan 7:24 Ten horns as ten kings
Rev 18:13-19 Ezek 27:27-32 Destruction of a sinful city
Rev 19:15 Ps 2:9 Ruling the nations
Rev 19:17-21 Ezek 39:17-20 Food for the birds
Rev 20:8-9 Ezek 38:1–39:16 Gog and Magog
Rev 20:12 Dan 7:10 Court books being opened
Rev 21:7 1 Chron 17:13 Father and Son Rev 21:10 Ezek 40:1-2 Vision of a new Jerusalem
Rev 21:12-13 Ezek 48:30-35 Twelve gates of the city
Rev 22:1-2 Ezek 47:1, 12 Flowing waters and fruit trees
Just as Genesis is the book of beginnings, so Revelation is the book of consummation. Subjects that were introduced in the first book are brought to fruition in the last. Note the following:
Genesis Revelation
Creation of heavens and earth (1:1) Destruction of heavens and earth (20:11)
Creation of new heavens and new earth
(21:1)
Start of Satan’s reign on earth (3:1-7) Satan cast into the Lake of Fire (20:10)
Entrance of sin (3:1-7) Sin banished (21:27)
Pronouncement of the curse on Curse removed (22:3)
creation (3:17-19)
Right to tree of life forfeited (3:24) Access to tree of life restored (22:2)
Eviction of man from the Garden of Man welcomed back to “Paradise” (22:1-7)
Eden (3:24)
Entrance of death into the world Death forever removed (21:4)
(2:17; 5:5)
Marriage of first Adam (4:1) Marriage of last Adam (19:7)
Sorrow comes to mankind (3:16) Sorrow eliminated (21:4)
WHERE ARE WE NOW ACCORDING TO BIBLE PROPHECY?
1. We are between the Feast of Pentecost (prophetically, the birth of the Church)
and the Feast of Trumpets (prophetically, the Rapture).
2. We are between the iron legs of Nebuchadnezzar’s image and its ten toes,
between the fall of the Roman Empire and the emergence of the revived
Roman Empire.
3. We are between the 69th week and the 70th week of Daniel’s Seventy-Weeks
prophecy.
4. We are between the coming together of the dry bones of Israel and spiritual life
being breathed into national Israel.
5. We are between Jewish temples, between the destruction of the Herodian
Temple and the building of the Tribulation Temple.
6. We are between the planting of the wheat and the tares and the end-time
harvest.
7. We are between the establishment of our marriage covenant with Christ and His
return to take us to be with Him.
PROPHETIC PANORAMA OF THE LATTER DAYS
Substitute the chart “Prophetic Panorama of the Latter Days” for this page.
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