The Joy of Revelation III. Messages to the Churches

III Messages to the Churches

Many of us have never heard sermons on Revelation apart from discourses on the first four chapters, the letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor (now Turkey). The messages contained are then generally applied to our present-day situation, which is not inappropriate. The Church throughout history can learn from any part of The Bible. However, particularly given that some of us will be more familiar with that portion of the book than other sections because we have more likely herd or read expositions on those passages, I am not going to go into detail about them. There are though, also other portions of Revelation which contain specific messages to the churches, to believers, and I want to pick those out for you. Of course, one could argue that the whole book is for the churches; that goes without saying. However, these are specific sayings that have some commonalities as we will see.

I have selected seven passages: 13:9-10, 18, 14:12, 16:15, 19:10, 22:6-8 and 10-20b, which I believe have special merit in this regard. 

1. The first of these reads: “13:9 If anyone has an ear, he had better listen! 13:10 If anyone is meant for captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed by the sword, then by the sword he must be killed. This requires steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.” These verses follow the passage where we are told of 13:5: a “beast [who] was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies… permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months… 16 to blaspheme against God… 7 to go to war against the saints and conquer them. He was given ruling authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation, 13:8 and all those who live on the earth will worship the beast, everyone whose name has not been written since the foundation of the world in the book of life belonging to the Lamb who was killed.” 

The admonition that follows, 13:9, brings to mind the number of times Jesus said this when he was teaching his disciples (e.g., Mk. 4:9), and even earlier in Revelation, when Jesus was delivering his message to the churches (2:7,11). It was often said in conjunction with the use of a parable, which was a strategy Jesus employed to hide the truth from those who did not really want to follow Jesus’ teachings anyway. Verse 10 simply states that, given the power of this beast, there will be those taken captive and even killed. It is a warning of what can be expected. Facing such possibilities will indeed require “steadfast endurance and faith from the saints.” The very fact that God has told us this beforehand can be somewhat reassuring, as it still tells us God knows what is happening. If these things do happen to us, it is not because God wasn’t paying attention. God is saying, “I am here. Have faith and endure. I am telling you what is coming and that it will not be easy. However, there is this book (v. 8) where those who do not submit to evil have their names written in it, “since the foundation of the world” in fact.” For the reader who knows neither they, nor their loved ones, nor their fellow believers have yielded to this beast, it will have been reassuring to know that their names are written in the Lamb's book of life. That can be a cause for rejoicing, even in the face of the persecution that is coming. 

2. The second, 13:18, reads: “13:18 This calls for wisdom: Let the one who has insight calculate the beast’s number, for it is man’s number, and his number is 666.” This notice follows further words about another beast that will appear (13:11-17): “11…another beast…13:12 He exercised all the ruling authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and those who inhabit it worship the first beast … 13:13 He performed momentous signs… 13:14 and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth. He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the [first] beast… [and] 13:15… was empowered to give life to the image of the first beast so that it could speak, and could cause all those who did not worship the image of the beast to be killed. 13:16 He also caused everyone (small and great, rich and poor, free and slave) to obtain a mark on their right hand or on their forehead. 13:17Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast – that is, his name or his number.” 

We know that when the Bible was written, numbers had great meaning. In apocalyptic writing this was even more so. There are various systems of working out the meaning of numbers. People get caught up in working them out and being on the lookout for the person they identify. However, we are told that understanding this calls for wisdom, not facility with mathematical formulas. We are also told that this number is that of a man, in other words, a fellow human, no supernatural being. The wisdom God gives should help us realize that this numbered man is just that, not a god, so we should not be deceived as many were (v. 14). We should not worship the image the beast had made. We should be reassured that God has our names written down in this book. Again, is that not cause for joy?

3. Then there is 14:12: "Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus." What might the saints be called to endure? If we look at the context, the preceding verses indicate the coming of judgment (v.7), the fall of Babylon (v.8) and the forced worship of the beast (v. 9). One might think the saints who are confident that they are "keeping the commandments of God and holding fast to the faith of Jesus" should not heave to worry about judgment. However, when we look at the larger picture of judgment spelled out in the whole book, there might be many scenarios that could be of concern and raise fear. Thee are plagues of famine and pestilence or disease, there is war; the list goes on. The Christian is warned about them, but called to endure them, to last it out. 

Babylon referred at the time to the Roman Empire. It was a code word, which Jews in particular, who many of the first Christians were, understood by comparing it with the historic Babylon of Chaldea in the Middle East. the mere mention of that name brought with it awful memories of destruction, exile, disruption and dislocation. On one hand, more so earlier in its existence, the church had somewhat enjoyed its acceptance by the state as an offshoot of Judaism. The Apostle Paul appealed to the state a number of times for justice and protection. Some might have been concerned that the fall of Rome would bring about chaos. They might have been concerned for their economic wellbeing, about the failure of such social order as there was. Indeed, in some ways, there was a peace in the empire that had not occurred before, known as the Pax Romana. There was a power in control. The possibilities of the breakdown of the stability and predictability of their lives could have led those early believers to fear what could happen if Rome fell. 

Things had changed though. Now the Empire was 'the beast,' it was 'Babylon.'  This altered perception occurred because now the Emperor was demanding allegiance and worship in a way the Christians could not comply with. He was being put forward as a god. The Christians' sole allegiance though, was to Jesus as Lord. They understood that they were citizens of his Kingdom, and that superseded all other powers. This change in the religious order of the day was what really began to turn the tide against the Christians. 

Given this, it would have understandably now been considered a positive by the Christians if this Babylon 'fell.'  It was obvious that there was going to be a lot of suffering and even martyrdom before that would happen though. Their lives were now in danger. This too, the Christians were called to endure. But it was not a hopeless call. They had already been told, given the assurance that their names were written in the Lamb's book of life.

4. The next passage, 16:15, states: “16:15 (Look! I will come like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays alert and does not lose his clothes so that he will not have to walk around naked and his shameful condition be seen.)” The first part of this verse again brings to mind the words of our Lord as recorded in the Gospels when he was warning his disciples about things to come (e.g., Matt. 24:42-44). The second part of this verse is really telling us that we should stay alert, but not to the extreme of losing our clothes. Those reading this might well have understood first the symbolic meaning of this phrase.  It refers to losing the white robes always described when the faithful are seen in heaven, before the throne.  They would lose these clothes if they were led astray, if they fell away from following the true gospel, maintaining their allegiance to Christ alone. The white robe was the sign of the one who had overcome, who was victorious.  

There can be a real meaning here too. We are not to give up everything and just sit around waiting for Christ’s return. We are to keep our clothes on and continue to live as our Master taught. We have work to do while we are on earth. We will be shamed if we neglect that.

NOTE: I have expanded on these 2 verses in The Joy of Revelation VI - The Beatitudes, the third one, posted January 26, 2020. 

5. The fifth message is found in 19:10. When the writer falls at an angel messenger’s feet in adoration, we read this: “19:10 So I threw myself down at his feet to worship him, but he said, “Do not do this! I am only a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony about Jesus. Worship God, for the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” The obvious message here is not to get caught up in worship of any but God, not even those who come from God, such as angels, those who are on the right side, let alone those allied with Satan as discussed in the passages about the beasts and the image they made. We are also reminded here that “the testimony about Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” In other words, the core of all the prophecies, the spirit or centre of them, going back through the whole Bible, is to point to Jesus. Indeed, this is what Jesus himself taught (Luke 24:25-27), and the Apostles after him in many of their messages of witness and in their preaching, as recorded frequently in The Acts of the Apostles (e.g., acts 2:16-31, 8:29-35).

6. Then, we come to the references from the book’s last chapter, beginning with 22:6-8: “22:6 Then the angel said to me, “These words are reliable and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must happen soon.” 22:7 (“Look! I am coming soon! Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy expressed in this book”). First, the angel reassures the writer, and us the readers, of the veracity, the truthfulness, of “these words,” of the revelation received by the writer. The angel goes on to link these words with all those given by God to the prophets of the past, already proven by their use over time, their fulfilment. All of this should reassure us that the writer knows what he is recording because it comes from God. God has, in his graciousness, given us these words so that we would be informed. God is not in the business of keeping us in the dark when it comes to what we need to know. That this “must happen soon” tells us that these messages had their application near the time of the writer too; they are not all or only about “end times,” those ‘times’ we understand are still in our future, or maybe even in the future of those who come after us. 

Then Jesus breaks in again with the warning of vs. 7. At that time, or whenever it is our time to meet our Lord, we will be blessed if we keep “the words of the prophecy expressed in this book.” In other words, all the admonitions of the first four chapters, plus the more concise messages scattered through the rest of the chapters, such as those we are examining in this chapter. We are to keep, to remember all of the pictures, the visions, the judgments foretold. However, remembering them like this is different, for a different reason(s), than expending time excessively in trying to see in these prophecies a calendar for the end times. There are other messages her we are to glean, not that. We can learn from them what the dangers of our age might be, what things we might  want to avoid or fear getting caught up in. Again, these are all things we have to attend to as we live out or lives of faith in our everyday world. We are to be watchful, alert, on our guard against the pressures and temptations of our times, but also wait expectantly for our Lord's return. Our ultimate earthly joy, our being blessed, lies in the hope we have that in our obedience to these words of our Lord for our lives today, we will overcome.

7. Finally, the comprehensive messages of the last chapter, 22:10-20b: “22:10 Then he said to me, “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy contained in this book, because the time is near. 22:11 The evildoer must continue to do evil, and the one who is morally filthy must continue to be filthy. The one who is righteous must continue to act righteously, and the one who is holy must continue to be holy.” 22:12 (“Look! I am coming soon, and my reward is with me to pay each one according to what he has done! 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end!”). 22:14 Blessed are those who wash their robes so they can have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates. 22:15 Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the sexually immoral, and the murderers, and the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood! 22:16 “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star!” 22:17 And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge. 22:18 I testify to the one who hears the words of the prophecy contained in this book: If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. 22:19 And if anyone takes away from the words of this book of prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book. 22:20 The one who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon!”

Verse 10 again reminds us that God want us to know these things. They are given us for our benefit. Verse 22, like 13:10 as discussed above, is again simply reiterating that those whose hearts are not turned towards God, as described further in vs. 15, will continue to do evil. They have made their choice and can do no other. However, we are to continue to act righteous and holy.  For that we will be rewarded (vs. 12).  Speaking of that, it is interesting to note how often our actions, our works, are referred to in Revelation as being important when it comes to the final judgment.  There is 14:13, but this theme is woven all through the seven messages to the churches. We need to begin with faith, but we need to follow through with works.

Again, we have these parenthetical remarks of Jesus interspersed with the angel’s words, telling us firsthand that he is coming again, and soon (vss. 12 & 20). He affirms that he has sent the angel to us with these messages, so we can believe them (vs. 16).  But it’s as if Jesus can’t keep back the message he wants us to hear and know, to be reassured that he is coming back for us. He wants us to rejoice in the certainty of this promise. He wants us to remember that he, as ‘alpha and omega (vs.13),’ has always been, is now, and will always be. Whatever he has done for us and can do for us now, he will always be there to do. He is indeed the promised one, the deliverer and redeemer, the Messiah, coming from the line of David as prophesied long ago (vs. 16).

Besides all this, Jesus calls us blessed who have been purified by his blood, baptized into his Church, “washed,” so we can “have access to the tree of life and can enter into the city by the gates” (vs. 14). In other words, we are guaranteed entry to heaven if we have complied with that description. Furthermore, we have legitimate access by having kept those commands – we get to go in by the gates, directly. We don’t have to work out how to get in. The way is prepared. 

There are also severe warnings here (vss. 18-19). Unfortunately, those who take things too literally have misused these passages to support things such as the use of only one version of the Bible, usually The Authorized or King James version, forgetting that this is not the original language, so what does that say about is reliability? These verses are also sometimes used to argue against deeper study and interpretation of the word. It is all there, clear and plain, we are told; “the Bible says,” we often hear. In other words, if God wanted us to know how it was read and understood in the past, what importance there might be to things like context, he would have told us. What Jesus is really saying is that if we actually add to – or take away from - what we put forward as scripture, then we are in trouble. 

But the most wonderful part of the message for us in this passage is the invitation (vs. 17): “the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let the one who hears say: “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wants it take the water of life free of charge.” It is of note that this invitation comes not only directly from Christ, but it is also the invitation of the bride, who is of course we believers, the Church. We have a duty to keep extending this invitation, as the introduction to the second “Come” makes clear, in case we missed the meaning in the first part. We are invited to partake of the water of life, of which the best part is, because of the work of the Son of Man, the Lamb, the finally victorious Messiah, is that it is free! Is that not cause for rejoicing? There is so much here that should give us joy!

My Sweet Spot

I have never liked this phrase that much. It sounds a bit cloying. I like sweet when it refers to something to eat or to some element of romance. Nowadays this modifier is used in many ways.

However, the phrase is out there and it’s ingrained enough even in my mind that it came to me this morning as a description for a favourite spot of mine. I was reading our morning devotional about Jesus retreating to the shores of Galilee after hearing that his dear cousin John the Baptist had been imprisoned by King Herod. Jesus obviously wanted to put some distance between himself and the king down south in Judea. He went home.

I have recently had the fortune of being able to read diaries of both of my parents from the time I was a young child. This relates to the subject because it told me something of how my sweet spot came to be. Apparently, my parents, one or both, used to take us young children down to the river bank and sit and watch (We were living at the time on the Saskatchewan River, where it empties into Lake Winnipeg). If you have ever just sat by a body of water this might resonate. We also had many picnics with our family and friends, invariably next to a body of water. 

I wonder now if that riverside experience did not plant something in my mind. I have fond memories of a habit I had as a teenager living on Lake Winnipeg. I loved nothing better in the evening before turning back to bed than to go out to the point, as we called it, just down the path from the front of our house. I especially liked to do this in spring. Not in the winter when it was cold and everything was frozen and covered with snow!

I would stand alone in the quiet and gaze eastward over the bay, looking across to the mouth of a river we loved to explore, or the beaches and rocks of the Canadian Shield north of it, or the distant marsh to the south. I might be favoured by the call of a loon from one of the small bays on the eastern shore, or the pumping sound of a bittern from the marsh. Some ducks or gulls might fly quietly by. I loved to watch the colours of the sky fade from blue to shades of grey, mauve and pink. As I reflect on it now, it was probably a centering or grounding practice, a moment of mindfulness, clearing my mind before retiring for the night. Those words were not in my consciousness then though. 

Some forty years later I had the occasion to return to the spot. I loaded a canoe and a tent; I was going to camp on that point. No one was in our former home at the time. Well, things did not turn out as hoped. There must have been more rain than usual as my car got stuck in the approach to the house, a spot where this had never happened before. So, as it was getting late, there was nothing to be done but carry the tent through the water and deep unmown grass past the house to the rocky shore of the point. On the plus side, it was one of those calm evening s that should have allowed me to re-live my teenage experience. On the negative, if you are familiar with standing water, deep grass and calm evenings in the north, you know what I stirred up! Hordes of mosquitoes. I had left my runners in the car and the pests were already fastening on to my ankles. There was nothing to it but to get the tent set up as fast as possible, close and zip the flap and try and get some sleep. 

As you can imagine, it was a night not to be forgotten. Not because of any calm beauty. The hungry swarms kept at it around the tent all night. I don’t know how much sleep I got but when the sunrise was imminent I gave up. I got up, put the canoe in the water and paddled to a friend’s. It was lovely on the calm morning water, although the mosquitoes still tried to follow my canoe. After a lovely breakfast, my friend drove me back with his pickup and pulled my car out in no time. 

So much for revisiting my sweet spot. I have never been back. Well, it would be a 2500 km drive from where I am now. If I want to go to the water these days, I have the choice of three arms of the Fraser River, the Salish Sea or the shores of the beaches and inlets of Vancouver. Problem is, they are all too far to walk to first, before walking along those shores, and I like to keep my carbon footprint low. We still go though – once in a while – myself and my wife, or a friend. 

The Joy of the Revelation of John II

II. A First Look – Visions of Jesus

When one begins to read this book carefully, it becomes evident that with respect to some of the content, you are reading about the same thing from different perspectives, or vantage points if you will. We must realize that this book is not written as something to be understood in linear or chronological fashion. Apocalyptic writers were not primarily concerned with that. We do well also to keep in mind, that these are visions given from God. God is beyond space and time, so what is told is not bound by those limitations. Remembering that, we can ate least begin our study by looking at these visions and group them according to subject.

The first vision is of Jesus. There are numerous references to Jesus in the book but they generally fall into three images. The first is right in chapter 1 verse 12 where he is described as one ‘like a Son of Man.’ Now, this was a title used in the writings of the intertestamental years and earlier to refer to The Messiah, whom all Israel longed for.  Indeed, it was then a title Jesus applied to himself (Matthew 8:20, 98:6 etc.).

The second vision we have of Jesus is of The Lamb (Rev. 5:6, and two dozen more references, ending in 22:3). He is the one who, because of his obedience to death, rewarded by resurrection to a seat at God’s right hand, is the one worthy of opening the seven seals on a scroll God gave an angel to open to reveal what must come hereafter (5:1-7). We can see the Lamb begin to be seen differently than just this meek and mild obedient sacrificial animal though. Beginning in 6:15-16 we read of “the kings of the earth and the magnates and the generals and the rich and powerful” being so afraid that they are “hiding in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,” crying for “the mountains and rocks [to] ‘fall on us and hide us from the face of the… wrath of the Lamb.” The Lamb is moving from the way Christ generally presented himself on earth to show another side of the Son of Man. 

The third vision is then one of Jesus whom I call The Victor. Indeed, the first victorious battle was won with Jesus’ death, wherein Jesus defeated death and the power of evil. However, in common parlance, we could say there was still considerable “mopping up” to do. The first reference to some of this is in 17:12-14, where it states the ten kings there described will unite with “the beast” to make war on the Lamb [but] the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings. The most vivid description of Jesus seen in this light is in 19:1-16, where he appears in heaven, riding a white steed, armed with a sword, “with which to strike down the nations, and… rule them with a rod of iron; he will tread the wine press of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name inscribed, ‘King of kings and Lord of lords.’” 

Now, we can immediately say two things about this. First, whatever else might catch our attention, and too many are distracted by the details, this is a book about Jesus Christ, who is at once the Son of Man, the Lamb and Lord of lords and King of kings. He is the beginning and the end of the book, let alone of all existence, as he says of himself right at the start: “I am the alpha and the omega.” Those are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, in which Revelation is written, and simply mean the beginning and the end, and everything in between. As we say nowadays, “From A to Z.”

Second, there is a wonderful and meaningful progression in these images of our Lord and Saviour. He is first of all The Messiah (Hebrew), the Christ (Greek), the ‘anointed one.’ He is the one Israel, and indeed all mankind, were waiting for. He is the one written about all through the Old Testament from Genesis, the first book, to Malachi, the last. He is the embodiment and fulfilment of the covenant first spoken of with Adam and Eve. He is the one who had come to earth as the Son of Man, fully human, but still fully God, mere decades before Revelation was written, and who had given new life to many. 

This brings us to the second image. Jesus accomplished his initial purposes as The Messiah by dying for us. In some mysterious way, his death erased the consequences of man’s straying from his Maker and God’s purposes for us. He was the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. No more need daily and yearly sacrifices be made for sins, for atonement. No more do we need human and imperfect prophets and priests to mediate between us and God. Jesus is now our fully effective divine mediator prophet and priest. In the ensuing resurrection, he completed the defeat of the forces of evil that had been unleashed by mankind’s self-centred choices. However, as we know, we still live in an era where evil is present and active. As Jesus himself taught, The Kingdom of Heaven is ‘at hand,’ but it is not yet totally here, we are not yet entirely within it. We live in what sometimes is called the age of grace, but in apocalyptic terms can also be called the end times. This is because, in apocalyptic understanding, this entire period of time between Jesus’ ascension to heaven and his promised return, was understood by The Early Church as simply a period of time which must pass before Christ returns. The focus was Christ’s return, not this present age. 

In the third image then, Jesus is seen as making his defeat of Satan, the forces of evil, final. In apocalyptic terms, he defeats Satan and casts him and those who, by their failure to chose Life, into ‘hell’ forever. Here the Messiah, come to earth as a mere human Son of Man, to die as a weak Lamb, becomes The Victor his followers, all those who have put their hope in him, have been waiting for. Here we can see emerging the picture that gives Jesus' suffering followers, those under persecution and restraint, living in hard times, hope; a hope that can lead to joy in the confidence that our Lord is indeed Lord of lords and King of kings and all those persecuting powers' day is doomed.

I THE JOY of The REVELATION of JOHN - Introduction

Introduction

This is a study of the last book in The Bible. Its writing was prompted by the impression I have that too many who read and study this book, or teach from it, focus on the negative aspects of the writing. They pay attention to those passages that they understand predict many dire events to come in the time leading up to Christ’s return. For some, this seems to turn into a preoccupation and what they write and speak about becomes a cause for apprehension and even fear. 

I believe this direction misses the real message of Revelation. It occurs because the real place of literature such as Revelation in a faith community today is misunderstood.  This is due to its being an example of apocalyptic writing, which is not something we are familiar with. Therefore, we can miss what its purpose is and how it was originally received by its first readers. Indeed, Revelation is also known by the name Apocalypse. It is part of a larger body of literature known as apocalyptic scripture. Some of this has made it into the Christian canon of The Bible, some into the Jewish canon, some into neither.

Apocalypse comes from the Greek, meaning “an unveiling or unfolding of things not previously known and which could not be known apart from the unveiling.” As a genre, apocalyptic literature details the authors' visions of the end times…”(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalyptic_literature). Thus, by its very nature, these writings hint at secrecy, at mystery. What the writer is saying is not clearly spelled out in a generally understandable fashion. All of this is what fuels the endless round of prophetic writings and conferences which base much of their content on these scriptures.

Apocalyptic literature was developed during times of hardship for those who counted themselves as the people of God. The original writings of this nature surfaced during the period when the nation of Israel fell on hard times. This began during the 8^th century BCE (BC), the era of the Assyrian assaults on the two Israelite kingdoms. The language of apocalypse developed further as these difficulties were followed by suffering at the hands of the Babylonians, then the Greeks, and finally the Romans. These writings thus continued to appear until at least the first century CE (AD), spanning a period of some 800 years. The Revelation at the end of the New Testament is really the last major example of this literary genre.  

These books describe in abstruse symbolic language great calamities that will befall mankind in the future. They speak of judgment, wars between the forces of good and evil. There are visions of heaven, of angels and strange beasts. However, importantly, in the end, God triumphs and sandwiched between those other terrifying images are also visions of the saints, safely esconced in heaven with their victorious God.

The message of apocalyptic literature was thus really meant to reassure its readers. It was to strengthen hope, regardless of the trying times the readers were facing, be it invading forces in Israel’s day or persecuting Roman Emperors in the Christina era. If it accomplished those purposes, in the face of what the readers were experiencing, it was to renew their joy in the path they were on. We too need to rediscover the potential for finding this joy in Revelation. 

Now, this is not a new concept. If one ‘googles’ ‘joy’ and ‘Revelation,’ millions of hits are returned. However, many focus only on a specific passage, often one of the hymns found here. We need to see how the book as a whole can lead to joy.