Satan's Doom
7When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison 8and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth—Gog and Magog—to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. 9They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Dig Deeper
I had just graduated from college with a degree in secondary social studies education. Now I had an opportunity to substitute teach in a third grade class for a few days during summer school. In the first few hours, I found that teaching third graders was quite a bit different from teaching high-school-aged kids. Two of the boys in the class asked if they could move their chairs to another location. When I replied, "knock yourselves out," they paused, looked at each other, and then they both quickly took folders, hit themselves in the head and fell down on the floor as if knocked out. This was quite to the amusement of the rest of the class.
John employs the apocryphal form of writing throughout most of the book of Revelation. Apocryphal writing was not uncommon in the first century and it followed a certain set of parameters, which were quite familiar to most first-century Jewish readers. Thus, things like a thousand years would immediately have been understood in apocryphal writings as the symbolic element that it was. It is only in modern times when biblical interpreters insist on taking the words literally even though that is clearly not what the context intended, just like those third graders, that we come up rather fanciful interpretations of Revelation in the last one hundred years. Interpretations that just happen to sell a lot of books and make a lot of money. Yet, as responsible readers, it is far more important to read John's work as it would have been intended not by how we would like to interpret it.
20:7-8 - When the thousand years are over, we can assume that God's Kingdom has reached fully maturity and He is ready, according to his timetable, for Satan to be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations. This is certainly not to imply some universalist belief that all people will be saved, but in a similar manner as when God had the children of Israel wait to possess the promised land until the sin of the Amorites had reached "full measure," so must the final judgment wait until the Kingdom has reached full maturity. Satan will finally gather the nations together for battle, which has, as noted earlier, been his ultimate goal. Satan wishes to bring about the final judgment prematurely, which explains the sudden surge in demonic activity during the ministry of Christ. Satan thought he had brought the battle a head with the Cross, but of course, the plan backfired and the Cross became his ultimate downfall (1 Cor. 2:6-8).
In describing this great "war," John borrows the imagery from Ezekiel 38-39, which is most likely a description of the Maccabees' defeat of the Syrians in the 2nd century BC, not a prophecy of some great end time conflagration. He refers to these ungodly forces as Gog and Magog. Those who view the Revelation from a futurist perspective often speak of this battle as synonymous with Armageddon, yet there is one major problem with that: the so-called battle of Armageddon takes place before the thousand years, while this one takes place after it. In addition, a careful reading of Ezekiel will show that it is not talking about a futuristic battle (The futurists would claim that Ezekiel's description and this battle are both prophecies of the same futuristic battle.) as demonstrated by descriptions of soldiers on horseback, and all the soldiers are carrying swords and wooden shields, clubs, arrows, and spears. Although John borrows the imagery from Ezekiel, they cannot be describing the same event for numerous reasons, only one of which will be mentioned here: In Ezekiel, Gog's troops are defeated in Israel and the people burn their weapons for seven years; in Revelation, Gog and Magog are destroyed by fire from God out of heaven, which would destroy wooden weapons instantly. These forces are in number. . . like the sand on the seashore, yet the Church need not fear. God hasn't allowed these forces to come together to destroy her, rather it is to hand the Church victory in one fell swoop.
20:9-10 - They marched across the breadth of the earth, in language reminiscent of Isaiah's prophecy of the impending Syrian invasion (Isa. 8:8). Yet the land is God's says Isaiah, and He will annihilate the enemy if they trust in Him (Isa. 8:9-10). John now combines imagery of Moses' camp of God's people with David and Solomon's beloved city, as he says, the gathered forces surrounded the camp of God's people, the city He loves. This city is the New Jerusalem, which will be described in 21:9-22:5, which demonstrates an important detail. The "new heaven and new earth," the age to come, exists during the Millennium, which means it is a present and future reality. Christians can access and spread the age to come now, but it will come in its fullness and glory at the Second Coming of Christ. The new creation will exist in its consummate form after the final judgment, but it exists on an individual basis in the present age (2 Cor. 5:17-21) Just as it might appear that Satan has gained a final victory, fire came down from heaven and devoured his forces. The imagery for this comes from Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:25) and the life of Elijah (2 Ki. 1:10, 12). The point is that any and all opposition to the Kingdom of God will be done away with completely.
And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the Beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. In trying to describe this horrible final scene, John has once again relied on images based on Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19:24-25, 28), the destruction of the rebels in Kadesh (Num. 16:31-33), and Isaiah's description of the ruin of Edom (Isa. 34:9-10). Finally, Satan will be thrown into Gehenna, the place that was prepared for him, where he will stay for eternity.
Devotional Thought
God has always loved his "city". Of course, now, that city is the Church. Yet, it is also true that God allows His city to be surrounded by her enemies. When things seem to be going badly for your church or ministry, do you view that as a bad thing, or do you see it as a time when God is allowing the forces to gather so that they might be defeated? The next time that things are seemingly going badly, don't act defeated, look for opportunities to turn that apparent defeat into a glorious victory for God and His Kingdom.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Revelation 20:4-6
4I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.
Dig Deeper
Everyone dies. Everyone pays taxes. Those are the two certainties in life, at least according to the old saying. Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for each human to die once and then to face judgment. Death and judgment before God is something that simply cannot be avoided. What was and still is quite shocking is that Jesus came and announced that He was bringing life to those who wanted it, but that that life would come through death. Those who wanted the life He offered, which was His own life, would have to die to themselves by their own choice. Those who do that, are raised up to a new life (Romans 6:1-14).
The incredible truth that John confirms here, though, is that those who have chosen this death and entry into the life of Christ have no fear from physical death. Those who have died to themselves at baptism have already entered their death and judgment. Whatever Satan can do to human beings at their physical death by causing their permanent separation from God is of absolutely no concern to the one who is clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27).
20:4 - The fifth vision is of the thousand-year kingdom. John saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. As we have seen before, the twenty-four elders represent the assembly of the Church. Consistently through John's prophecy, he has depicted God's people as reigning with Christ (Rev. 1:6; 5:10), wearing crowns (Rev. 2:10; 3:11), having kingly authority over the nations (Rev. 2:26-27), and seated with Christ on His Throne (Rev. 3:21). As kings, the elders sit on thrones, as priests they are 24 in number (cf 1 Chron. 24). Jesus promised His disciples two things regarding the Messianic era: that they would sit on thrones, and that they would judge. This is exactly what John tells us here. In addition to the elders, John sees those whom they represent: The souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. This is an almost identical description of the martyrs underneath the altar (Rev. 6:9). These are the faithful who had not worshiped the Beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads on their hands (cf. Rev. 1:2, 9; 2:13; 12:9-11, 17; 15:2; 19:10).
They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The wording in the NIV is somewhat misleading here and should probably read 'they lived and reigned with Christ'). Due to sin, God's people have always fallen short of the 'thousand years'. The men before the flood died in their nine hundreds (Adam at 930, Methuselah at 969, etc). David's kingdom should have lasted "forever", meaning the symbolic thousand years, until the Second Coming of Christ (2 Sam. 7:8-29; 1 Chron. 17:7-27; 2 Chron. 13:5; 21:7; Ps. 89:19-37; Isa. 9:7; 16:5; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:23-24; Hos. 3:5; Luke 1:32-33); but they weren't faithful and again man fell short. No one was able to usher in the thousand-year Kingdom until Jesus Christ came and did it. He opened the Kingdom for all His people. The Kingdom is nt some future event still waiting to happen as many teach based n a misunderstanding of these passages in Revelation. One thing that will become clearer as we continue is that the Kingdom is present both on heaven and earth. The saints are seated in heaven with Christ (Eph. 2:6), yet with Christ they exercise rule and dominion on the earth (Rev. 2:26-27; 5:10; 11:15). Jesus said that his Kingdom was not from this world (John 18:36). This only means that the source of the authority is in heaven, not on earth, the Kingdom is still on the world and in the world but not of the world.
20:5-6 - The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This refers to the unrighteous that have died apart from Christ. John is not implying that this group will live after the thousand years. David Chilton, in Days of Vengeance, says, "St. John is concerned simply to tell us about the Millennium itself, and his phrase means nothing more than that the rest of the dead are excluded from life and dominion for the whole period."
John says this is the first resurrection. What does John mean by this? It is often missed by most Christians, but the idea of two resurrections is firmly rooted in Scripture. Jesus taught that the resurrection had come now (John 5:24- 25), yet He obviously wasn't talking about the resurrection of believers at the Second Coming. He was inaugurating the Age of the Resurrection, in which believers are now to be participants. John says blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection; they are not resurrected but they are sharing in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul talked several times about sharing in Christ's resurrection (Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:5-6; cf. Col. 3:1). John, then, sees baptism as the moment of the first resurrection for the believers that will guarantee them the second resurrection, and the knowledge that the second death has no power over them. Those who have partaken in the first resurrection correspond with everything John has already told us about the saints: They are blessed (Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14), holy, that is saints (Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4; 11:18; 13:7, 10; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24: 19:8; 20:9; 21:2, 10); the second death has no power over them (Rev. 2:11); and they are priests (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) who reign with Christ (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 4:4; 11:15-16; 12:10). It is important to remember, then, that through baptism, we have already been resurrected to eternal life and rule with Christ now in the present age. This first resurrection is taking place now; Jesus is reigning now; and that means that the Millennium is now.
Devotional Thought
When seen in these terms, the first resurrection, that takes place at baptism, is of vital importance to the entrance of the believer into the Kingdom. Yet, sometimes we feel pressure to not view baptism as that important, because so many in the Christian world say it is largely unnecessary. Do you have the same high view of the first resurrection that John had? How are your convictions on the importance of baptism doing?
Dig Deeper
Everyone dies. Everyone pays taxes. Those are the two certainties in life, at least according to the old saying. Hebrews 9:27 says that it is appointed for each human to die once and then to face judgment. Death and judgment before God is something that simply cannot be avoided. What was and still is quite shocking is that Jesus came and announced that He was bringing life to those who wanted it, but that that life would come through death. Those who wanted the life He offered, which was His own life, would have to die to themselves by their own choice. Those who do that, are raised up to a new life (Romans 6:1-14).
The incredible truth that John confirms here, though, is that those who have chosen this death and entry into the life of Christ have no fear from physical death. Those who have died to themselves at baptism have already entered their death and judgment. Whatever Satan can do to human beings at their physical death by causing their permanent separation from God is of absolutely no concern to the one who is clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27).
20:4 - The fifth vision is of the thousand-year kingdom. John saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. As we have seen before, the twenty-four elders represent the assembly of the Church. Consistently through John's prophecy, he has depicted God's people as reigning with Christ (Rev. 1:6; 5:10), wearing crowns (Rev. 2:10; 3:11), having kingly authority over the nations (Rev. 2:26-27), and seated with Christ on His Throne (Rev. 3:21). As kings, the elders sit on thrones, as priests they are 24 in number (cf 1 Chron. 24). Jesus promised His disciples two things regarding the Messianic era: that they would sit on thrones, and that they would judge. This is exactly what John tells us here. In addition to the elders, John sees those whom they represent: The souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God. This is an almost identical description of the martyrs underneath the altar (Rev. 6:9). These are the faithful who had not worshiped the Beast or his image and had not received his mark on their foreheads on their hands (cf. Rev. 1:2, 9; 2:13; 12:9-11, 17; 15:2; 19:10).
They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (The wording in the NIV is somewhat misleading here and should probably read 'they lived and reigned with Christ'). Due to sin, God's people have always fallen short of the 'thousand years'. The men before the flood died in their nine hundreds (Adam at 930, Methuselah at 969, etc). David's kingdom should have lasted "forever", meaning the symbolic thousand years, until the Second Coming of Christ (2 Sam. 7:8-29; 1 Chron. 17:7-27; 2 Chron. 13:5; 21:7; Ps. 89:19-37; Isa. 9:7; 16:5; Jer. 30:9; Ezek. 34:23-24; Hos. 3:5; Luke 1:32-33); but they weren't faithful and again man fell short. No one was able to usher in the thousand-year Kingdom until Jesus Christ came and did it. He opened the Kingdom for all His people. The Kingdom is nt some future event still waiting to happen as many teach based n a misunderstanding of these passages in Revelation. One thing that will become clearer as we continue is that the Kingdom is present both on heaven and earth. The saints are seated in heaven with Christ (Eph. 2:6), yet with Christ they exercise rule and dominion on the earth (Rev. 2:26-27; 5:10; 11:15). Jesus said that his Kingdom was not from this world (John 18:36). This only means that the source of the authority is in heaven, not on earth, the Kingdom is still on the world and in the world but not of the world.
20:5-6 - The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This refers to the unrighteous that have died apart from Christ. John is not implying that this group will live after the thousand years. David Chilton, in Days of Vengeance, says, "St. John is concerned simply to tell us about the Millennium itself, and his phrase means nothing more than that the rest of the dead are excluded from life and dominion for the whole period."
John says this is the first resurrection. What does John mean by this? It is often missed by most Christians, but the idea of two resurrections is firmly rooted in Scripture. Jesus taught that the resurrection had come now (John 5:24- 25), yet He obviously wasn't talking about the resurrection of believers at the Second Coming. He was inaugurating the Age of the Resurrection, in which believers are now to be participants. John says blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection; they are not resurrected but they are sharing in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul talked several times about sharing in Christ's resurrection (Col. 2:12; Rom. 6:4; Eph. 2:5-6; cf. Col. 3:1). John, then, sees baptism as the moment of the first resurrection for the believers that will guarantee them the second resurrection, and the knowledge that the second death has no power over them. Those who have partaken in the first resurrection correspond with everything John has already told us about the saints: They are blessed (Rev. 1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 22:7, 14), holy, that is saints (Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4; 11:18; 13:7, 10; 14:12; 16:6; 17:6; 18:20, 24: 19:8; 20:9; 21:2, 10); the second death has no power over them (Rev. 2:11); and they are priests (Rev. 1:6; 5:10) who reign with Christ (Rev. 2:26-27; 3:21; 4:4; 11:15-16; 12:10). It is important to remember, then, that through baptism, we have already been resurrected to eternal life and rule with Christ now in the present age. This first resurrection is taking place now; Jesus is reigning now; and that means that the Millennium is now.
Devotional Thought
When seen in these terms, the first resurrection, that takes place at baptism, is of vital importance to the entrance of the believer into the Kingdom. Yet, sometimes we feel pressure to not view baptism as that important, because so many in the Christian world say it is largely unnecessary. Do you have the same high view of the first resurrection that John had? How are your convictions on the importance of baptism doing?
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Revelation 20:1-3
The Thousand Years
1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Dig Deeper
No one really thought they were dangerous and that attitude would turn out to be dangerous in and of itself. We were embroiled in a summer basketball tournament that was double elimination. This meant that once you lost two games, you could not advance into the semi-final round. Yet, each team was guaranteed at least three games in the tournament. This meant that a team could already be defeated and knocked out of the tournament but still have the ability to play another game and harm another team's chances. It was a unique format that I've only ever seen in that one tournament. And sure enough, I watched a team that had lost it's first two games play a game against an undefeated and overly cocky team. Because their opponents had already been eliminated from the tournament, the undefeated team felt they had a cakewalk of a game. That is until they were beaten by a plucky team with nothing to lose.
That team learned a valuable lesson that day, as did everyone in the gym. Just because a team has been defeated doesn't mean they're not dangerous if given the opportunity. This truth will help us understand what John says about Satan in the Revelation. The point is that he has already been defeated and his fate has been determined, but he has been allowed to play one more game. This means that we had better be prepared because he is still quite dangerous.
20:1 - The importance of this vision is stressed as it is the middle of the seven visions. John saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. As in 10:1 and 18:1, this is none other than a symbol for Jesus Christ, whose authority is symbolized by the key and the great chain. Satan temporarily had taken possession of the keys of authority (Rev. 9:1) but Christ came and defeated Satan and now holds the keys of death and Hades (1:18) symbolized here as the key to the Abyss.
20:2-3 - John now clearly brings together all of the different descriptions of the accuser that he has used throughout the Revelation: the Dragon (12:3-4, 7, 9, 13, 16-17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13), the ancient Serpent (9:19; 12:9, 14-15), the Devil (2:10; 12:9, 12), Satan (2:9, 13, 24; 3:9; 12:9). He is quite fearsome, but that only heightens the power and greatness of the one who conquers him. In fact, it says that He seized the evil one and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss and sealed it over him.
This great battle between the Messiah and Satan began in the wilderness. The issue was dominion over the world that Adam had forfeited. Satan came and offered this dominion to Christ, who rebuffed him, proving that the issue for Jesus was obedience. He would have to acquire the power that Satan offered Him only through the manner ordained by God. After that, He demonstrated his power over satanic forces again and again. He cast out demons and, in His words about the strong man (Matt. 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21), Jesus demonstrated His growing authority over Satan. After sending out the seventy-two to cast out demons, demonstrating that the kingdom of God had come (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20), Jesus says, at their return, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Just as he once hell from God's full presence in heaven, Jesus was watching Satan fall from the position of authority in the earth, no longer would he be the prince of the earth.
The New Testament stresses repeatedly that Satan was defeated once-and-for-all in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:8; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14). Daniel had written of the time when the Son of Man would come to His Throne (Dan. 7:13-14), but this was not just the single act of ascension to heaven, it included the immediate consequences of that act that included the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost on the Church in 30 AD and the outpouring of Gods wrath in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The final binding of Satan would be played out with the definitive end of the Old Covenant. This is why Paul writing a few years before 70 AD would comfort the Church, writing: "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (Rom. 16:20).
His being bound would keep him from deceiving the nations anymore. This refers to Satan's ability to prevent the gospel from achieving success throughout the world. Before Christ, Satan controlled the nations, but now that control has been broken by Christ. This does not mean that all of his activity has ceased or that he is not a formidable foe, but that his activity is restricted. There is more to this binding though, that we need to cover. Verse 8 informs us that his deceiving the nations has to do with gathering them together for war. The Dragon wants to join the nations of the world together for an all-out war against Christ. Why would he do that? The answer is pretty simple. Satan knows he has been defeated but still hates God and His creatures. His goal has become to drive the world into such an evil state that it brings about the premature judgment of the world and prevents God's Kingdom from coming into full maturity. Jesus says that the Kingdom is like yeast (Matt. 13:33) which takes time to do its work. The purpose of binding the Dragon, then, is to keep him from inciting God's final judgment before God is ready. When will that be? When God's Kingdom is fully matured. At that point, He will release Satan for the final confrontation. But that showdown will happen according to God's schedule, not Satan's. Satan, then, is bound from inciting the nations in an all-out war on the people of God.
Satan, then, will remain bound for a thousand years. This is biblical symbolism for manyness. It is an intensified multiple of ten, a symbol John has used often (Rev. 5:11; 7:4-8; 9:16; 11:3, 13; 12:6; 14:1, 3, 20). It is not a literal number, anymore than God only owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10), but not the one-thousand and first. The description of the Dragon will be picked up in verse 7, but one important item to note here is that he must be set free. Satan, throughout all of history, has only been able to work in so much as God has allowed Him . He uses Satan according to His purposes and will continue to do so.
Devotional Thought
Although Satan has been bound, he is still active, prowling like a lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you wary of Satan and his attacks on your life? What are the areas that Satan most attacks you in? What do you do to stay righteous during those attacks?
1And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.
Dig Deeper
No one really thought they were dangerous and that attitude would turn out to be dangerous in and of itself. We were embroiled in a summer basketball tournament that was double elimination. This meant that once you lost two games, you could not advance into the semi-final round. Yet, each team was guaranteed at least three games in the tournament. This meant that a team could already be defeated and knocked out of the tournament but still have the ability to play another game and harm another team's chances. It was a unique format that I've only ever seen in that one tournament. And sure enough, I watched a team that had lost it's first two games play a game against an undefeated and overly cocky team. Because their opponents had already been eliminated from the tournament, the undefeated team felt they had a cakewalk of a game. That is until they were beaten by a plucky team with nothing to lose.
That team learned a valuable lesson that day, as did everyone in the gym. Just because a team has been defeated doesn't mean they're not dangerous if given the opportunity. This truth will help us understand what John says about Satan in the Revelation. The point is that he has already been defeated and his fate has been determined, but he has been allowed to play one more game. This means that we had better be prepared because he is still quite dangerous.
20:1 - The importance of this vision is stressed as it is the middle of the seven visions. John saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. As in 10:1 and 18:1, this is none other than a symbol for Jesus Christ, whose authority is symbolized by the key and the great chain. Satan temporarily had taken possession of the keys of authority (Rev. 9:1) but Christ came and defeated Satan and now holds the keys of death and Hades (1:18) symbolized here as the key to the Abyss.
20:2-3 - John now clearly brings together all of the different descriptions of the accuser that he has used throughout the Revelation: the Dragon (12:3-4, 7, 9, 13, 16-17; 13:2, 4, 11; 16:13), the ancient Serpent (9:19; 12:9, 14-15), the Devil (2:10; 12:9, 12), Satan (2:9, 13, 24; 3:9; 12:9). He is quite fearsome, but that only heightens the power and greatness of the one who conquers him. In fact, it says that He seized the evil one and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss and sealed it over him.
This great battle between the Messiah and Satan began in the wilderness. The issue was dominion over the world that Adam had forfeited. Satan came and offered this dominion to Christ, who rebuffed him, proving that the issue for Jesus was obedience. He would have to acquire the power that Satan offered Him only through the manner ordained by God. After that, He demonstrated his power over satanic forces again and again. He cast out demons and, in His words about the strong man (Matt. 12:29; Mark 3:27; Luke 11:21), Jesus demonstrated His growing authority over Satan. After sending out the seventy-two to cast out demons, demonstrating that the kingdom of God had come (Matt. 12:28; Luke 11:20), Jesus says, at their return, "I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven." Just as he once hell from God's full presence in heaven, Jesus was watching Satan fall from the position of authority in the earth, no longer would he be the prince of the earth.
The New Testament stresses repeatedly that Satan was defeated once-and-for-all in the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ (Eph. 4:8; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14). Daniel had written of the time when the Son of Man would come to His Throne (Dan. 7:13-14), but this was not just the single act of ascension to heaven, it included the immediate consequences of that act that included the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost on the Church in 30 AD and the outpouring of Gods wrath in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. The final binding of Satan would be played out with the definitive end of the Old Covenant. This is why Paul writing a few years before 70 AD would comfort the Church, writing: "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you" (Rom. 16:20).
His being bound would keep him from deceiving the nations anymore. This refers to Satan's ability to prevent the gospel from achieving success throughout the world. Before Christ, Satan controlled the nations, but now that control has been broken by Christ. This does not mean that all of his activity has ceased or that he is not a formidable foe, but that his activity is restricted. There is more to this binding though, that we need to cover. Verse 8 informs us that his deceiving the nations has to do with gathering them together for war. The Dragon wants to join the nations of the world together for an all-out war against Christ. Why would he do that? The answer is pretty simple. Satan knows he has been defeated but still hates God and His creatures. His goal has become to drive the world into such an evil state that it brings about the premature judgment of the world and prevents God's Kingdom from coming into full maturity. Jesus says that the Kingdom is like yeast (Matt. 13:33) which takes time to do its work. The purpose of binding the Dragon, then, is to keep him from inciting God's final judgment before God is ready. When will that be? When God's Kingdom is fully matured. At that point, He will release Satan for the final confrontation. But that showdown will happen according to God's schedule, not Satan's. Satan, then, is bound from inciting the nations in an all-out war on the people of God.
Satan, then, will remain bound for a thousand years. This is biblical symbolism for manyness. It is an intensified multiple of ten, a symbol John has used often (Rev. 5:11; 7:4-8; 9:16; 11:3, 13; 12:6; 14:1, 3, 20). It is not a literal number, anymore than God only owns the cattle on a thousand hills (Ps. 50:10), but not the one-thousand and first. The description of the Dragon will be picked up in verse 7, but one important item to note here is that he must be set free. Satan, throughout all of history, has only been able to work in so much as God has allowed Him . He uses Satan according to His purposes and will continue to do so.
Devotional Thought
Although Satan has been bound, he is still active, prowling like a lion, looking for someone to devour. Are you wary of Satan and his attacks on your life? What are the areas that Satan most attacks you in? What do you do to stay righteous during those attacks?
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Revelation 19:15-21
15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Dig Deeper
The ancient world was full of rulers he wished to reign over the entire world. They raised massive armies and marched throughout the world known to them at the time demanding the submission and obedience of all. Those who submitted would be brought into their kingdom as subjects, while those who refused to give allegiance would be quickly brought low. From Agamemnon to Xerxes, Ramses II to Alexander the Great, the people of the ancient world were quite familiar with those motif. They knew well the impact of men who wished to rule the world for their own selfish gain.
John gives a picture that might appear similar but has significant differences. We see one who comes in great power, demanding the submission and obedience of all, rolling up and destroying all those who stand in opposition. That part of the picture is familiar but there are two major differences. The first difference is that Jesus will accomplish the quest that all of the pretenders to the title of world ruler had failed to complete. He actually will rule over the entire world one day, something they could only dream of. The other significant difference is that He is the rightful ruler of the world, not a pretender, and His rule is one of justice and righteousness, not finding its roots in selfish and sinful motivations.
19:15 - Out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, comes a sharp sword. John has already used this symbol (Rev. 1:16; 2:16); the sword, particularly when it comes from the mouth is a biblical symbol for the prophetic Word of God. The Word is is used in battle to defeat God's enemies (Eph. 6:17), but also in the life of the Christian, for our lives are sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2), and the Word of God is the instrument that Christ, our holy priest, uses to cut apart the sacrifice (Heb. 4:12-13) (See Isa. 49:1-2 and Hos. 6:5 for Old Testament equivalents to this). This helps us to see that this is not Christ's Second Coming, but is His the conquest of the nations by His word, as he promised in Matt. 24:29-31, when He said that after the destruction of Jerusalem, he would send his angel/ messengers to gather the elect. Once He conquers the nations, He will rule them with an iron scepter. This is always the order of the gospel: One must submit in obedience to the rule of Christ and then He will reign as the Lord of their life. This rule is the possession of the promise of Ps. 2:8-9, Dan. 7:13-14 for all things have been placed under His feet (Eph. 1:22). In His role as universal King, He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty (cf. Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 14:19-20). The passage from Isa. 63 confirms that although Christ is accompanied by His armies, it is He alone that has achieved His victory.
19:16 - We finally are told the name that no one knows, or owns, except Christ, Himself: King of kings and Lord of lords. This is truly His title as He sets out to conquer the world with the Word of the gospel. This is assurance of the hope that one day the gospel can conquer the world. The message to the church throughout the Revelation has been to overcome (Rev. 2:7, 11, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21), now the Church is assured that despite the fierce persecution, they will be victorious over all enemies.
19:17-18 - This is the second of the final seven visions. John has already described the wedding supper of the Lamb, but now he tells us of a second great feast. He sees an angel standing in the sun (see Mal. 4:2) who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair. They have been invited to gather together for the great super of God. What is this great feast? They are to partake of the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great. David Chilton, author of Days of Vengeance, says "a basic curse of the covenant is that of being eaten by birds of prey (cf. Detu. 28:26, 49). Israel is now a sacrificial corpse (Matt. 24:28), and there is no longer anyone who can drive away the scavengers (cf. Gen. 15:11; Deut. 28:26)." John's language here comes from God's invitation, through Ezekiel, for the animals to eat up the corpses of His enemies (Ezek. 39:17-20). The meaning cannot be missed: The nations that refuse the lordship of Christ, as Psalm 2 declares, will be destroyed.
19:19-21 - The third vision begins as John sees the Beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. They could not prevail, however, as the Beast and the false prophet are defeated and were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The imagery here comes from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19) as well as from the account of the rebellious Korah (Num. 16:31-33). The point John is likely making here is not so much a personal eschatology of the Beast and False Prophet, for they are more symbolic characters, nor is he predicting the exact date of their downfall. His point is to demonstrate the complete destruction and defeat of God's enemies as they are thrown into Gehenna, the place that was made for Satan and his angels (Matt. 25:41). The followers of the Beast were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse. The nations will be conquered by the Word of God. Thus, insult is added to the injury of the Beast. Not only is he defeated, but many of those whom he led in battle against, God will eventually will be converted by the gospel.
Devotional Thought
The message of the Revelation is clear for the Church. The obedient Church will be the victorious Church. Do you have this same view? Do you believe that if the Church is truly obedient, we will overcome the world with the power of the gospel? What can you do to bring this kind of vision to the ministry of which you are a part? How would truly comprehending this principle transform your ministry group or church?
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, "Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great."
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who had performed the miraculous signs on his behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest of them were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.
Dig Deeper
The ancient world was full of rulers he wished to reign over the entire world. They raised massive armies and marched throughout the world known to them at the time demanding the submission and obedience of all. Those who submitted would be brought into their kingdom as subjects, while those who refused to give allegiance would be quickly brought low. From Agamemnon to Xerxes, Ramses II to Alexander the Great, the people of the ancient world were quite familiar with those motif. They knew well the impact of men who wished to rule the world for their own selfish gain.
John gives a picture that might appear similar but has significant differences. We see one who comes in great power, demanding the submission and obedience of all, rolling up and destroying all those who stand in opposition. That part of the picture is familiar but there are two major differences. The first difference is that Jesus will accomplish the quest that all of the pretenders to the title of world ruler had failed to complete. He actually will rule over the entire world one day, something they could only dream of. The other significant difference is that He is the rightful ruler of the world, not a pretender, and His rule is one of justice and righteousness, not finding its roots in selfish and sinful motivations.
19:15 - Out of the mouth of Jesus Christ, comes a sharp sword. John has already used this symbol (Rev. 1:16; 2:16); the sword, particularly when it comes from the mouth is a biblical symbol for the prophetic Word of God. The Word is is used in battle to defeat God's enemies (Eph. 6:17), but also in the life of the Christian, for our lives are sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1-2), and the Word of God is the instrument that Christ, our holy priest, uses to cut apart the sacrifice (Heb. 4:12-13) (See Isa. 49:1-2 and Hos. 6:5 for Old Testament equivalents to this). This helps us to see that this is not Christ's Second Coming, but is His the conquest of the nations by His word, as he promised in Matt. 24:29-31, when He said that after the destruction of Jerusalem, he would send his angel/ messengers to gather the elect. Once He conquers the nations, He will rule them with an iron scepter. This is always the order of the gospel: One must submit in obedience to the rule of Christ and then He will reign as the Lord of their life. This rule is the possession of the promise of Ps. 2:8-9, Dan. 7:13-14 for all things have been placed under His feet (Eph. 1:22). In His role as universal King, He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty (cf. Isa. 63:1-6; Rev. 14:19-20). The passage from Isa. 63 confirms that although Christ is accompanied by His armies, it is He alone that has achieved His victory.
19:16 - We finally are told the name that no one knows, or owns, except Christ, Himself: King of kings and Lord of lords. This is truly His title as He sets out to conquer the world with the Word of the gospel. This is assurance of the hope that one day the gospel can conquer the world. The message to the church throughout the Revelation has been to overcome (Rev. 2:7, 11, 26-28; 3:5, 12, 21), now the Church is assured that despite the fierce persecution, they will be victorious over all enemies.
19:17-18 - This is the second of the final seven visions. John has already described the wedding supper of the Lamb, but now he tells us of a second great feast. He sees an angel standing in the sun (see Mal. 4:2) who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair. They have been invited to gather together for the great super of God. What is this great feast? They are to partake of the flesh of kings, generals, and mighty men, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, small and great. David Chilton, author of Days of Vengeance, says "a basic curse of the covenant is that of being eaten by birds of prey (cf. Detu. 28:26, 49). Israel is now a sacrificial corpse (Matt. 24:28), and there is no longer anyone who can drive away the scavengers (cf. Gen. 15:11; Deut. 28:26)." John's language here comes from God's invitation, through Ezekiel, for the animals to eat up the corpses of His enemies (Ezek. 39:17-20). The meaning cannot be missed: The nations that refuse the lordship of Christ, as Psalm 2 declares, will be destroyed.
19:19-21 - The third vision begins as John sees the Beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war against the rider on the horse and his army. They could not prevail, however, as the Beast and the false prophet are defeated and were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. The imagery here comes from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 19) as well as from the account of the rebellious Korah (Num. 16:31-33). The point John is likely making here is not so much a personal eschatology of the Beast and False Prophet, for they are more symbolic characters, nor is he predicting the exact date of their downfall. His point is to demonstrate the complete destruction and defeat of God's enemies as they are thrown into Gehenna, the place that was made for Satan and his angels (Matt. 25:41). The followers of the Beast were killed with the sword that came out of the mouth of the rider on the horse. The nations will be conquered by the Word of God. Thus, insult is added to the injury of the Beast. Not only is he defeated, but many of those whom he led in battle against, God will eventually will be converted by the gospel.
Devotional Thought
The message of the Revelation is clear for the Church. The obedient Church will be the victorious Church. Do you have this same view? Do you believe that if the Church is truly obedient, we will overcome the world with the power of the gospel? What can you do to bring this kind of vision to the ministry of which you are a part? How would truly comprehending this principle transform your ministry group or church?
Monday, August 25, 2008
Revelation 19:9-14
9Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' " And he added, "These are the true words of God."
10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The Rider on the White Horse
11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Dig Deeper
Perhaps the most well known Bible story, at least from the Old Testament, is that of David and Goliath. Who hasn’t heard the tale of the young shepherd boy who trusted God so much that he was willing to do battle with the fiercest warrior that anyone had ever seen, the giant Goliath. The young man had been anointed as the rightful king of Israel but had not yet been installed as king, and now he was here fighting for his people. In fact, he represented the entire nation, as was common for the king to do, even if no one other than Samuel and a small handful of people knew that he would be king. When David won the battle, the whole nation of Israel won. If he had lost, they would have lost. What was true of the king, in the minds of the Jewish people was true of his people.
This concept was carried into the New Testament times by the early church as it concerned their king, the Messiah. Jesus is the conqueror of the earth, the one with all authority on heaven and earth, and He has given that authority to His people. If he comes riding on a white horse (albeit symbolically) then it only makes sense that his people would be right behind, taking part in whatever endeavors their king is involved in.
19:9 - The angel gives the fourth beatitude in the Revelation: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. This phrase invokes two central themes to the Christian life. One is that of marriage: Jesus often referred to himself as the bridegroom (Matt. 25:10; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; cf. 3:28-29); and the New Testament image of the Church being the Bride of Christ is prevalent throughout the Scriptures in various allusions. The second is that of the communion meal. The heart of the Christian worship was and still should be the sacrament of communion (1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:20-34; Acts 20:7). The greatest event in the Christian community is the weekly participation in the communion meal, the wedding supper of the Lamb. The truth of this statement is verified by the highest standard possible, the vow that these are the true words of God.
19:10 - At realizing the great privilege of taking part in the wedding supper, and that this was given as the very words of God, John fell at the angel’s feet to worship him. John is told, do not do it (this incident will be repeated in 22:8-9). The angel reminds him that I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. The word translated ‘worship’ here, proskuneo, can also mean the proper reverence due to superiors. It is likely that this is the aspect of the word that John intended; he was not bowing to worship the angel as a deity. All Christians under the New Covenant have ascended into the Lord’s presence so it is no longer appropriate (as it once was to view angels as superior). They are fellow servants. Thus, the angel urges John to Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He is telling John to come to the Throne of God with confidence (Heb. 4:16).
19:11 - Verse 11 begins a section of seven visions, each beginning with the phrase I saw. He again is allowed to see into the realm of heaven, as he beholds a white horse. The white horse is a symbol of Christ’s victory and dominion (Rev. 6:2). David Chilton, in Days of Vengeance, says "It is important for the proper understanding of this passage to note that the [rider on the white horse] is called Faithful and True: Christ rides forth to victory in His character as the ‘faithful and true Witness’ (3:14), as the ‘Word of God’ (19:13). St. John is not describing the Second Coming at the end of the world. He is describing the progress of the Gospel throughout the world, the universal proclamation of the message of salvation, which follows the First Advent of Christ." With Justice he judges and makes war. This is a fulfillment of many Messianic prophecies (Ps. 72:2; 96:11-13; Jer. 23:5-6). It is clear that this rider is Christ, and the fact that He is declared to be the one who makes war confirms that the rider on the white horse from chapter 6 was also Christ.
19:12 - The rider on the white horse is the same as the Son of Man (Rev. 1:14), as he is also described as having eyes that are like blazing fire. We also know that this rider is victorious already, for on his head are many crowns. We are also told that He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. The use of the Greek word for know here is probably influenced by an extremely common Hebrew idiom in which the verb to know takes on the meaning to acknowledge as one’s own (Meredith G Kline, Images of the Spirit). The point of the verse is not that no one can know what the name is, rather it belongs to Him alone. That we can know the name will become clearer in the chiastic pattern (A, B, C, C, B, A) of this passage: A) Name no one knows (12b); B) Robe dipped in blood (13a); C) His name is called the Word of God (13b); C) Two-edged sword from his mouth (15a); B) He treads the wine-press of God’s wrath; A) He has a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords (16).
19:13 - That Christ is dressed in a robe dipped in blood is explained in verse 15, which tells us that the blood comes from the enemies of God. There is a sense, however, that the blood also brings forth images of Christ’s own blood and sacrifice on the Cross, for John tells us that his name is the Word of God, which references John 1:1, 14, and the Incarnation as a whole.
19:14 - The armies in heaven were following him. These are the chosen and faithful that are with Him in battle (Rev. 17:14). From the perspective of the New Testament, the Church is in heaven (Eph. 2;6; Hebrews 12:22-23; Rev. 7:15; 12:12; 13:6). The army of Christians (and possibly angels are in view here as well) are riding on white horses and are dressed in fine linen, white and clean. This again stresses the righteousness of the saints from a biblical perspective.
Devotional Thought
Nearly everyone in our culture "knows" the Jesus who is all about love and mercy, but few have any sense of the rider on the white horse, whose robes are dipped in the blood of His enemies. How does that image change your perception of Jesus Christ? Does it change how we should think about presenting the message of the gospel to the lost? How so?
10At this I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, "Do not do it! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy."
The Rider on the White Horse
11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Dig Deeper
Perhaps the most well known Bible story, at least from the Old Testament, is that of David and Goliath. Who hasn’t heard the tale of the young shepherd boy who trusted God so much that he was willing to do battle with the fiercest warrior that anyone had ever seen, the giant Goliath. The young man had been anointed as the rightful king of Israel but had not yet been installed as king, and now he was here fighting for his people. In fact, he represented the entire nation, as was common for the king to do, even if no one other than Samuel and a small handful of people knew that he would be king. When David won the battle, the whole nation of Israel won. If he had lost, they would have lost. What was true of the king, in the minds of the Jewish people was true of his people.
This concept was carried into the New Testament times by the early church as it concerned their king, the Messiah. Jesus is the conqueror of the earth, the one with all authority on heaven and earth, and He has given that authority to His people. If he comes riding on a white horse (albeit symbolically) then it only makes sense that his people would be right behind, taking part in whatever endeavors their king is involved in.
19:9 - The angel gives the fourth beatitude in the Revelation: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb. This phrase invokes two central themes to the Christian life. One is that of marriage: Jesus often referred to himself as the bridegroom (Matt. 25:10; Mark 2:19-20; Luke 5:34-35; cf. 3:28-29); and the New Testament image of the Church being the Bride of Christ is prevalent throughout the Scriptures in various allusions. The second is that of the communion meal. The heart of the Christian worship was and still should be the sacrament of communion (1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:20-34; Acts 20:7). The greatest event in the Christian community is the weekly participation in the communion meal, the wedding supper of the Lamb. The truth of this statement is verified by the highest standard possible, the vow that these are the true words of God.
19:10 - At realizing the great privilege of taking part in the wedding supper, and that this was given as the very words of God, John fell at the angel’s feet to worship him. John is told, do not do it (this incident will be repeated in 22:8-9). The angel reminds him that I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. The word translated ‘worship’ here, proskuneo, can also mean the proper reverence due to superiors. It is likely that this is the aspect of the word that John intended; he was not bowing to worship the angel as a deity. All Christians under the New Covenant have ascended into the Lord’s presence so it is no longer appropriate (as it once was to view angels as superior). They are fellow servants. Thus, the angel urges John to Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. He is telling John to come to the Throne of God with confidence (Heb. 4:16).
19:11 - Verse 11 begins a section of seven visions, each beginning with the phrase I saw. He again is allowed to see into the realm of heaven, as he beholds a white horse. The white horse is a symbol of Christ’s victory and dominion (Rev. 6:2). David Chilton, in Days of Vengeance, says "It is important for the proper understanding of this passage to note that the [rider on the white horse] is called Faithful and True: Christ rides forth to victory in His character as the ‘faithful and true Witness’ (3:14), as the ‘Word of God’ (19:13). St. John is not describing the Second Coming at the end of the world. He is describing the progress of the Gospel throughout the world, the universal proclamation of the message of salvation, which follows the First Advent of Christ." With Justice he judges and makes war. This is a fulfillment of many Messianic prophecies (Ps. 72:2; 96:11-13; Jer. 23:5-6). It is clear that this rider is Christ, and the fact that He is declared to be the one who makes war confirms that the rider on the white horse from chapter 6 was also Christ.
19:12 - The rider on the white horse is the same as the Son of Man (Rev. 1:14), as he is also described as having eyes that are like blazing fire. We also know that this rider is victorious already, for on his head are many crowns. We are also told that He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. The use of the Greek word for know here is probably influenced by an extremely common Hebrew idiom in which the verb to know takes on the meaning to acknowledge as one’s own (Meredith G Kline, Images of the Spirit). The point of the verse is not that no one can know what the name is, rather it belongs to Him alone. That we can know the name will become clearer in the chiastic pattern (A, B, C, C, B, A) of this passage: A) Name no one knows (12b); B) Robe dipped in blood (13a); C) His name is called the Word of God (13b); C) Two-edged sword from his mouth (15a); B) He treads the wine-press of God’s wrath; A) He has a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords (16).
19:13 - That Christ is dressed in a robe dipped in blood is explained in verse 15, which tells us that the blood comes from the enemies of God. There is a sense, however, that the blood also brings forth images of Christ’s own blood and sacrifice on the Cross, for John tells us that his name is the Word of God, which references John 1:1, 14, and the Incarnation as a whole.
19:14 - The armies in heaven were following him. These are the chosen and faithful that are with Him in battle (Rev. 17:14). From the perspective of the New Testament, the Church is in heaven (Eph. 2;6; Hebrews 12:22-23; Rev. 7:15; 12:12; 13:6). The army of Christians (and possibly angels are in view here as well) are riding on white horses and are dressed in fine linen, white and clean. This again stresses the righteousness of the saints from a biblical perspective.
Devotional Thought
Nearly everyone in our culture "knows" the Jesus who is all about love and mercy, but few have any sense of the rider on the white horse, whose robes are dipped in the blood of His enemies. How does that image change your perception of Jesus Christ? Does it change how we should think about presenting the message of the gospel to the lost? How so?
Friday, August 01, 2008
Revelation 19:1-8
Hallelujah!
1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." 3And again they shouted:
"Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
"Amen, Hallelujah!"
5Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both small and great!"
6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Dig Deeper
One of the biggest mistakes that Christians can ever make is to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It is the constant struggle for every preacher, for instance, to constantly be anchored to the fact that no matter how many great insights we have or lessons we give, that it all comes from God rather than our own abilities. It is easy, in fact, for any Christian to become impressed with themselves and think that their acts of service or the level of righteousness to which we have attained is of our own doing. Some teachers even feed into that by teaching this topic falsely. I recently heard one person who was teaching that righteousness is something that each Christian must attain to and for which they will be rewarded. In other words, the more righteously you act, the more rewarded by God you will be. He actually cited verse 8 of this passage, claiming that those who didn’t do acts of righteousness would be naked in heaven because they hadn’t earned their clothes.
The constant reminder of the Bible, however, is that we do not and cannot earn righteousness. "Salvation and glory and power belong to our God," and we are given the "fine linen" of righteous acts to wear. What does this mean for us? It means that everything act and work of goodness and righteousness that we do is a gift from God not a praiseworthy act in and of ourselves. A sober estimation of this will keep us grounded in the reality of our need to honor and praise God constantly.
19:1-2 - A careful reading of 18:24-19:6 will show the extreme similarities between this section and 11:15-19, which is the announcement of the Kingdom and the heavenly Temple to the whole world in the New Covenant. As this section is introducing the appearance of the Bride, it is clear that in John’s mind there is an equivalent between the opening of the Temple and the full establishment of the New Covenant.
The great multitude is in heaven shouting: Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. The Church had prayed for Jerusalem’s destruction (Rev. 6:9-11) and now those prayers have been answered. Prophecies were intended for strengthening, encouragement and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3), and John’s readers were commanded to listen to this prophecy and take it to heart (Rev. 1:3). In describing the heavenly Church’s prayers against her enemies, John was rallying the saints on earth to do the same. Now that Jerusalem’s immanent doom has been guaranteed, John instructs the Church to worship and glorify God, not to mourn. In handing down His judgments, God has truly shown that His actions are righteous. Israel’s destruction is actually God’s righteousness on display in the physical world. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of His servants. This is yet another symbolic connection between the great prostitute and Jezebel, the queen who had led Israel from the worship of God. God had ordered Elisha to instruct Jehu to take down Jezebel, saying: "I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the LORD's servants shed by Jezebel" (2 Ki. 9:22).
19:3 - The second refrain of the celebration song begins here as again, they shout Hallelujah! The cause for the praise is, again, the destruction of Jerusalem. The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever. This expression has been used three times before (Rev. 14:11; 18:2, 9) and is based on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The specific wording, however, comes from Isaiah’s description of the punishment of Edom (Isa. 34:10). It is no accident that John borrows quite liberally from both Old Testament denunciations of Israel, but also equally borrows from oracles against pagan nations. The point is that Jerusalem, once the covenantal people of God, had now become one of the very enemies of God.
19:4 - Present during this chorus are the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. As discussed in 4:4-11, the twenty-four elders represent God’s people, while the four living creatures symbolize all the earthly creation. We are told that they fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. There is always a connection in biblical worship between proper praise of God and a physical activity that is appropriate to the godly fear and reverence that should be shown to the most high God. This is perhaps a point that we should pay attention to, as we live in a time when worship has become casual to the point of being irreverent.
19:5 - An unnamed voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small." This command is given to the Church, the servants of God, who are continuing in their praise of God for His righteous act of the destruction of Jerusalem.
19:6-8 - We should not miss that the great multitude, the entire Church, speaks with the characteristic voice of the glory cloud: the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder. This confirms their identity as people that are in the glorious image of God. The crowd has praised God for His sovereignty, displayed in the destruction of Jerusalem. Now they praise Him for His wedding of the Lamb, for which the time time has come. The New Testament is full of exhortations to the Church to prepare herself as the glorious bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; Jude 3, 24, etc.), but now John sees the Church in her glory and purity, having met her trials, and passed through the treat tribulations into her possession of the Kingdom as the Bride of Christ. The destruction of Jerusalem signified the Church’s full establishment as the new Temple, the faithful Bride. The bride has made herself ready, and fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear. Linen has already been used frequently as a symbol (Rev. 15:6; cf. 3:4; 4:4; 7:9, 14), now John explicitly states that the linen symbolizes the righteous acts of the saints. Two important points are seen here about the sanctification of the Church. First it was given to her, as sanctification always is. Yet, second, she was still expected to make herself ready. This same concept is consistent throughout Scripture (Lev. 20:7-8; Phil. 2:12-13).
Devotional Thought
God expects His people to be holy and sanctified. It is a work that only He can make available to us, yet we must take hold of it and put it on. How much have you striven to be holy? Is it something you pray for without ceasing? The book of Hebrews tells us that "without holiness no one sees the Lord." Make a point to study the Scriptures to see what they say about holiness and to go after receiving the work of sanctification from god.
1After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting:
"Hallelujah!
Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
2for true and just are his judgments.
He has condemned the great prostitute
who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.
He has avenged on her the blood of his servants." 3And again they shouted:
"Hallelujah!
The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
4The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried:
"Amen, Hallelujah!"
5Then a voice came from the throne, saying:
"Praise our God,
all you his servants,
you who fear him,
both small and great!"
6Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
7Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
8Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Dig Deeper
One of the biggest mistakes that Christians can ever make is to think more highly of ourselves than we ought. It is the constant struggle for every preacher, for instance, to constantly be anchored to the fact that no matter how many great insights we have or lessons we give, that it all comes from God rather than our own abilities. It is easy, in fact, for any Christian to become impressed with themselves and think that their acts of service or the level of righteousness to which we have attained is of our own doing. Some teachers even feed into that by teaching this topic falsely. I recently heard one person who was teaching that righteousness is something that each Christian must attain to and for which they will be rewarded. In other words, the more righteously you act, the more rewarded by God you will be. He actually cited verse 8 of this passage, claiming that those who didn’t do acts of righteousness would be naked in heaven because they hadn’t earned their clothes.
The constant reminder of the Bible, however, is that we do not and cannot earn righteousness. "Salvation and glory and power belong to our God," and we are given the "fine linen" of righteous acts to wear. What does this mean for us? It means that everything act and work of goodness and righteousness that we do is a gift from God not a praiseworthy act in and of ourselves. A sober estimation of this will keep us grounded in the reality of our need to honor and praise God constantly.
19:1-2 - A careful reading of 18:24-19:6 will show the extreme similarities between this section and 11:15-19, which is the announcement of the Kingdom and the heavenly Temple to the whole world in the New Covenant. As this section is introducing the appearance of the Bride, it is clear that in John’s mind there is an equivalent between the opening of the Temple and the full establishment of the New Covenant.
The great multitude is in heaven shouting: Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for true and just are His judgments. The Church had prayed for Jerusalem’s destruction (Rev. 6:9-11) and now those prayers have been answered. Prophecies were intended for strengthening, encouragement and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3), and John’s readers were commanded to listen to this prophecy and take it to heart (Rev. 1:3). In describing the heavenly Church’s prayers against her enemies, John was rallying the saints on earth to do the same. Now that Jerusalem’s immanent doom has been guaranteed, John instructs the Church to worship and glorify God, not to mourn. In handing down His judgments, God has truly shown that His actions are righteous. Israel’s destruction is actually God’s righteousness on display in the physical world. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of His servants. This is yet another symbolic connection between the great prostitute and Jezebel, the queen who had led Israel from the worship of God. God had ordered Elisha to instruct Jehu to take down Jezebel, saying: "I will avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the LORD's servants shed by Jezebel" (2 Ki. 9:22).
19:3 - The second refrain of the celebration song begins here as again, they shout Hallelujah! The cause for the praise is, again, the destruction of Jerusalem. The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever. This expression has been used three times before (Rev. 14:11; 18:2, 9) and is based on the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The specific wording, however, comes from Isaiah’s description of the punishment of Edom (Isa. 34:10). It is no accident that John borrows quite liberally from both Old Testament denunciations of Israel, but also equally borrows from oracles against pagan nations. The point is that Jerusalem, once the covenantal people of God, had now become one of the very enemies of God.
19:4 - Present during this chorus are the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures. As discussed in 4:4-11, the twenty-four elders represent God’s people, while the four living creatures symbolize all the earthly creation. We are told that they fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. There is always a connection in biblical worship between proper praise of God and a physical activity that is appropriate to the godly fear and reverence that should be shown to the most high God. This is perhaps a point that we should pay attention to, as we live in a time when worship has become casual to the point of being irreverent.
19:5 - An unnamed voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both great and small." This command is given to the Church, the servants of God, who are continuing in their praise of God for His righteous act of the destruction of Jerusalem.
19:6-8 - We should not miss that the great multitude, the entire Church, speaks with the characteristic voice of the glory cloud: the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder. This confirms their identity as people that are in the glorious image of God. The crowd has praised God for His sovereignty, displayed in the destruction of Jerusalem. Now they praise Him for His wedding of the Lamb, for which the time time has come. The New Testament is full of exhortations to the Church to prepare herself as the glorious bride of Christ (Eph. 5:25-27; Jude 3, 24, etc.), but now John sees the Church in her glory and purity, having met her trials, and passed through the treat tribulations into her possession of the Kingdom as the Bride of Christ. The destruction of Jerusalem signified the Church’s full establishment as the new Temple, the faithful Bride. The bride has made herself ready, and fine linen, bright and clean, was given to her to wear. Linen has already been used frequently as a symbol (Rev. 15:6; cf. 3:4; 4:4; 7:9, 14), now John explicitly states that the linen symbolizes the righteous acts of the saints. Two important points are seen here about the sanctification of the Church. First it was given to her, as sanctification always is. Yet, second, she was still expected to make herself ready. This same concept is consistent throughout Scripture (Lev. 20:7-8; Phil. 2:12-13).
Devotional Thought
God expects His people to be holy and sanctified. It is a work that only He can make available to us, yet we must take hold of it and put it on. How much have you striven to be holy? Is it something you pray for without ceasing? The book of Hebrews tells us that "without holiness no one sees the Lord." Make a point to study the Scriptures to see what they say about holiness and to go after receiving the work of sanctification from god.
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