A Daily Bible Study in 7-Day Sections With a Summary-Commentary, Discussion Questions, and Daily Application
J.B. Phillips, a highly respected Biblical scholar and translator, wrote in his introduction to his English language translation of Revelation that he nearly decided to not translate it at all. He observed that the Greek is “sloppy”, something that challenged his self-identified preference for order and precision, which he had happily found in the rest of the Books. While he fasted and prayed and studied the Lord God opened his eyes to a truth which we all must recognize – John was in an ecstatic state, he was viewing things never before seen by human eyes, he was interpreting them for the purpose of description based on his limited life experience (and the limitations of human language), he was recording that which he was instructed (by the angel) to record, and he was refraining from recording what he was told not to record. Once the apostle John returned to his normal state how could he choose what to edit or not without the fear that he may alter something important? Thus John did not edit his notes. This leaves the reader with the best-effort of the translator (or translation team) to make the text both faithful to the original (from ancient Greek to modern English) as well as readable. As with all of the Word of God it is only with the assistance of the indwelling Holy Spirit that we are able to rightly-discern what is His purpose for us to learn from the Book of Revelation.
This is the first of eight-weeks of daily studies through the book of Revelation. We will follow the divisions found in Constable’s Notes and also used by Daniel B. Wallace, a fellow contributor to the online Bible study resources hosted at bible.org. The divisions are as follows: 1:1-20, 2:1-3:22, 4:1-5:15, 6:1-8:1, 8:2-14:20, 15:1-18:24, 19:1-22:5, 22:6-21.
The Prologue
1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon. He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John, 1:2 who then testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ. 1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud, and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it, because the time is near!
Lord, You blessed the apostle John with an amazing and unique experience, and You sent an angel to serve as his Heavenly “tour guide”. May I be as surrendered to guidance of the Holy Spirit, as I read the Word of God, as was John to his angelic guide.
“1:1 The revelation of Jesus Christ,”
For the purposes of humankind the entire Bible is a revelation about Jesus Christ, certainly insofar as He was the One Who “created” and “all of the law and prophet/prophesy” from Genesis 3 on were about Him and His work of redemption; the Word is as well as a revelation given by Him of the necessary detail of the entirety of the history of the created cosmos and the Lord God’s interaction with it.
“... which God gave him to show his servants what must happen very soon.”
In this case the reference is specifically to Jesus as the Lord God partially-incarnate (no created thing may, of course, contain the Lord God) during His ministry in-the-flesh on earth, and later through the ministry of the Holy Spirit as He guided the Biblical authors and He illuminates the Word to every believer.
“He made it clear by sending his angel to his servant John,”
“it” refers to “what must happen very soon” and as the events recorded in Revelation unfolded almost immediately following John's revelation the angel was communicating the Lord God's plan (the elements of which were necessary for believers to know) to them (us).
“1:2 who then testified to everything that he saw concerning the word of God and the testimony about Jesus Christ.”
John was not only present while Jesus walked the earth, he was relationally-close to Him, and he was then treated to an angelic tour of Heaven together with a time-breaching multimedia presentation.
“1:3 Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy aloud,”
One is blessed merely to have the words of John as they are a record of his unique experience in Heaven, blessed to have an opportunity to read them aloud – sharing them with others, and blessed to have the Holy Spirit illuminate them as they are read and heard.
“… and blessed are those who hear and obey the things written in it,
The NET Translator's notes observe that an alternate rendering of this text might well include the following: “to continue to obey orders or commandments – ‘to obey, to keep commandments, obedience.’”
“… because the time is near!”
As already noted the events prophesied in Revelation began immediately after they were revealed to John and continue to this very day; indeed, they will continue until the end of created time itself, as they conclude with “a new heaven and a new earth”.
The circumstances of John were unique. Pray that the Holy Spirit will find you a willing partner in exploring His Word – not allowing yourself to be distracted by the word-pictures; rather, hungry for the Lord God's embedded message.
What are some practical ways to disciple believers to value the teaching of the Bible so that it is genuinely-authoritative in their lives?
The amazing experience of John is all the more amazing due to his incredible humility - that once returned that he did not attempt to draw attention to himself but only to the Lord God.
In your fellowship, when they read from the Word of God, is there is a genuine sense of awe and power and a desire to be edified so that they may “obey”.
Ask the Holy Spirit to impress upon you the proper awe and respect of His Word.
Today I am choosing to read the text of Revelation several times, perhaps in more than one translation, over the next eight weeks. If there is something that I feel He wants me to share from that experience I will prayerfully seek a fellow believer with whom to share.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“1:4 From John, to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from
“he who is,”
and who was,
and who is still to come,
and from the seven spirits who are before his throne,
1:5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithful witness,
the firstborn from among the dead,
the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood
1:6 and has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen.”
Lord, You are eternal, You set us free, and You have chosen to allow us to serve You here on earth. May I be in constant-praise so that I never forget Who I serve and why.
“1:4 From John, to the seven churches that are in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from “he who is,” and who was, and who is still to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 1:5 and from Jesus Christ – the faithful witness, the firstborn from among the dead, the ruler over the kings of the earth. To the one who loves us and has set us free from our sins at the cost of his own blood 1:6 and has appointed us as a kingdom, as priests serving his God and Father – to him be the glory and the power for ever and ever! Amen. “
John’s prayer of greeting was addressed to the Churches (gatherings of local believers) in the Roman province of Asia (not Asia proper).
He quoted an old testament text and a new testament prophesy; God “He Who Is” (Psalm 24:10), and “Who Is still to come” (Matthew 24:27.
John reminded his readers that Jesus was, of course, the first to be re-born from among humans who were dead in their sins.
He also reminded them that it was the sins of humankind which He took upon Himself, though He was without sin.
John used the phrase “... from the seven spirits” and the following discussion is among the best that I have read:
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“Question: “What are the seven spirits of God?”
“Answer: The "seven spirits of God" are mentioned in Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; and 5:6. The seven spirits of God are not specifically identified, so it’s impossible to be dogmatic. Revelation 1:4 mentions that the seven spirits are before God's throne. Revelation 3:1 indicates that Jesus Christ "holds" the seven spirits of God. Revelation 4:5 links the seven spirits of God with seven burning lamps that are before God's throne. Revelation 5:6 identifies the seven spirits with the "seven eyes" of the Lamb and states that they are "sent out into all the earth."
“There are at least three possible interpretations of the seven spirits of God. The first is that the seven spirits of God are symbolic of the Holy Spirit. The Bible, and especially the Book of Revelation, uses the number seven to refer to perfection and completion. If that is the meaning of the seven in the “seven spirits” then it is not referring to seven different spirits of God, but rather the perfect and complete Holy Spirit. The second view is that the seven spirits of God refer to seven angelic beings, possibly the seraphim, the cherubim. This would fit with the numerous others angelic beings that are described in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 4:6-9; 5:6-14; 19:4-5).
“A third possibility is based on Isaiah 11:2 which says, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him — the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” This could possibly explain the seven spirits of God…(1) Spirit of the LORD, (2) Spirit of wisdom, (3) Spirit of understanding, (4) Spirit of counsel, (5) Spirit of power, (6) Spirit of knowledge, (7) Spirit of the fear of the Lord. The Bible doesn’t tell us specifically who/what the seven spirits are, but the first interpretation that they are the Holy Spirit seems the most likely. ”
http://www.gotquestions.org/seven-spirits-God.html
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For His own reasons the Lord God has chosen to make us instruments of His great plan.
What are some practical ways to explain the “He Who Is” (Psalm 24:10) description of the Lord God to someone unfamiliar with the Bible?
The Lord God repeats the story of Jesus, God incarnate, Who died in His flesh then was raised – the first of such under the new covenant created via the Cross.
What does your fellowship use as illustrations to teach about the sinless nature of Jesus and how His sacrifice could be for us?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to improve one way that you, or perhaps your fellowship, places the Lord God first.
Today I will humbly and prayerfully pursue the opportunity identified by the Holy Spirit so that He may be lifted-up.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“1:7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all the tribes on the earth will mourn because of him. This will certainly come to pass! Amen.)”
“1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God – the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful!”
Lord, You are, You have always been, and You will always be. I am, I was nothing before I belonged to You, and I look forward to what You will do in and with and through me.
“1:7 (Look! He is returning with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him,
and all the tribes on the earth will mourn because of him.
This will certainly come to pass! Amen.)”
John provided a checklist of details for the return of Jesus:
He is returning,
He is returning with the clouds (or perhaps upon the clouds),
every eye (faithful or not) will see Him,
even those who were hateful when He walked the earth will see him,
and all of the non-faithful “tribes” will mourn because they are of the world and not of Christ Whose “children” are not of this world.
“1:8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God – the one who is, and who was, and who is still to come – the All-Powerful!”
“Alpha” means beginning and “Omega” means end.
“... the one Who is” means that He is alive and is the “I Am that I Am” of the old testament (Exodus 3:14)
“... and Who was” means that He has always existed, before Adam and Eve, Abraham or Moses, even before He created time itself.
“... and Who is still to come” means not only the He will return but that He will remain present even after created-time is no longer necessary and eternity without time is shared with His children in Heaven.
“... the All-Powerful” is a reminder that no one and no thing may alter any of what He has declared.
When Jesus returns everyone will see Him, no one need worry that they will miss seeing Him, no one may imagine they might avoid or ignore Him.
Other than Exodus 3:14, what old testament text(s) come to mind where the Lord God described His attributes, especially His eternal existence and His limitless power?
For the scoffers and the rebels the return of Jesus will be sudden accountability – too late.
How does your fellowship help people to understand the reality of tine finality of the return of Jesus?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to share this text with someone who needs to hear and to understand its meaning for them.
Today I will humbly and patiently share this text, encouraging questions (some of which I may need to ask for time to get answers for them, some of which I will be able to answer), and graciously accepting doubt and uncertainty from a teachable person who needs time to process what they have heard.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
1:9 I, John, your brother and the one who shares with you in the persecution, kingdom, and endurance that are in Jesus, was on the island called Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony about Jesus.
1:10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day when I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet,
1:11 saying: “Write in a book what you see and send it to the seven churches – to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.”
Lord, You said earlier in his life that You had special plans for John; taking him up to Heaven to reveal additional detail of Your plans was far beyond anything he could have anticipated, and what he saw a challenge for any human to fully-comprehend. May I be in awe of You Lord, Your ways are not our ways, and You are – in Your fullness – not like us.
John wanted his readers to remember that he was their peer in faith and in challenges to his well-being because of his faith.
He acknowledged his ecstatic state – his spiritual self carried by the Holy Spirit to receive the Lord God’s message. It was a Biblically-unique event, none but John have visited Heaven and returned to tell about it.
John’s very first statement “a loud voice like a trumpet” illustrated what would be an ongoing challenge; how would he relate his experience when much of it was outside of his prior experience and outside of human verbiage.
His next report was of the instruction that he was to “Write in a book what you see ...”, a daunting task as he would have been terribly distracted and overwhelmed by his environment.
John’s final instruction, from the angel of the Lord, was to “... send it to the seven churches” - so that as he listened and watched he was to write what he was expected to then distribute.
John remained very humble, describing himself as a peer-believer, never presuming himself a superior as he (or at least his mother) has attempted while Jesus lived.
Imagine yourself in John’s shoes, how would you react?
John, once returned to awareness on the island of Patmos, needed to explain to his readers what had happened before they began reading the content.
When have you been in a very “foreign” environment? How did that impact your clarity of thought?
Ask the Holy Spirit to remind you of a time in praise and worship, and/or Bible study, where you were so moved in the Spirit that you were almost out-of-body – like John.
Today I will spend some time in the Biblical text that most reminds me of the glory of the presence of the Lord, perhaps enhanced by praise and worship music that does the same. As I do so I will prayerfully prepare myself to be led through the book of Revelation by the Holy Spirit.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
1:12 I turned to see whose voice was speaking to me, and when I did so, I saw seven golden lampstands,
1:13 and in the midst of the lampstands was one like a son of man.
He was dressed in a robe extending down to his feet and he wore a wide golden belt around his chest.
1:14 His head and hair were as white as wool, even as white as snow, and his eyes were like a fiery flame.
1:15 His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters.
1:16 He held seven stars in his right hand,
and a sharp double-edged sword extended out of his mouth.
His face shone like the sun shining at full strength.
Lord, You are the Holy One, and You are the final power in the long battle (since the Fall) for humankind and for good and evil itself. May I, like John, be utterly-humbled as I ponder Your magnificence and stand awestruck.
As we observe John’s desperate effort to translate what he was seeing without any world-bound point of reference – he does his best to describe the indescribable.
The phrase “like a son of man” referred to a being who appeared to John in a humanoid form – more than that the text does not immediately specify.
The “lampstands” imagery of the “Church” (the family/body of believers) may also be translated as candlesticks which may be thought of in light of one of their key purposes – to be an instrument of the beacon/light of the Lord God's truth in a dark world.
How might your fellowship become a more-effective beacon/light of the Lord God's truth in your community?
The priests of the old testaments were a mere shadow of the Son.
When have you observed a local fellowship using the Lord God's truth to stand against cons, cults, and corrupting influences in a community?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to stimulate your fellowship, or perhaps something He wants you to do individually, to stand against cons, cults, and/or corrupting influences in a community or in a smaller context.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and my prayer-partner as I stand for the Lord against those who may be misleading people, misrepresenting the Word, and/or promoting destructive beliefs and actions.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
1:17 When I saw him I fell down at his feet as though I were dead, but he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid! I am the first and the last,
1:18 and the one who lives! I was dead, but look, now I am alive – forever and ever – and I hold the keys of death and of Hades!
“1:19 Therefore write what you saw, what is, and what will be after these things.”
Lord, You have shared with us Your power and Your grace, even despite our imperfection. May I be confident that You are both my accountability and my protector.
In verse 1:17 John made it clear that it was Jesus the Christ, in the fullness of the Son, with His glory returned in Whose presence he stood (in the his spiritual-state).
He reported that Jesus holds the keys to death-itself - His victory beyond the Cross.
John learned that our Lord also holds the keys to Hades/Sheol – the resting place of the unrighteous dead – further evidence of His power. [Note: He would later delegate those keys to an angel to secure the enemy for a time.]
Constables Notes observe that the “person” image among the symbolic lampstands is drawn from priestly images of Exod. 25:31-40, Zech. 4:2, 10, and Matt. 18:20 and the seven lampstands represent seven churches, drawn from Zech. 4:2-6 and was later clarified in Rev. 1:20.
Jesus directed John to record what he was seeing, later an angelic being would also instruct John what to leave out.
Do we have a right-sized sense of awe for the Lord God?
Knowing your own imperfections, and viewing His magnificence and perfection, can you imagine reacting any differently that John – falling down as dead?
One who holds this kind of power, and Who is this magnificent, voluntarily humbled Himself in order to purchase eternal freedom for His creation.
When have you paused to consider the incredible power of Satan, a fallen archangel, together with his legions of fallen angels – and then contemplated the power necessary to overwhelm them?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something about the Lord God which will impact you in a new and awe-provoking way.
Today I will share what the Holy Spirit has shared, using the Word as a reference, and together will with praise and worship Him in prayer and testimony, and perhaps song.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
1:20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven golden lampstands is this:
The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Lord, many things about You are a mystery to humankind, but nothing of what we need to know and to understand to be saved, rightly-discipled, or to walk in-obedience. May I trust You to share with me what is needed and to keep from me what I cannot bear and/or cannot comprehend in this fallen flesh.
We have started this study slowly so as to build a careful foundation upon which to build our understanding of some very-challenging texts to follow. As we complete the first week of our eight-week study we continue to clarify some terms. Such will continue to be necessary, from time to time, as we work our way through the book.
There is “mystery” in the Bible, generally because fallen humankind simply lacks the capacity to comprehend certain heavenly-realities (often it’s our inadequacy before our awesome God), but there is never anything “magic” as that term is Biblically-reserved for activities associated with witchcraft.
Sometimes mysteries are revealed, as in the message of the Gospel prior to Jesus completing His work on the cross and afterwards, and now here as to the lampstands and the stars. The meaning here is not obvious to John, or to us, until explained by our Lord God.
The NET uses a group of similar words in NT to correctly express the result of their Greek-to-English translation in the context of the passage and as they anticipate the reader's comprehension of the English language (the numbers represent the frequency of usage of each term):
“church 71, churches 36, assembly 3, congregation 2, a church 1, of assembly 1”
“Definition: 1) a gathering of citizens called out from their homes into some public place, an assembly 1a) an assembly of the people convened at the public place of the council for the purpose of deliberating 1b) the assembly of the Israelites 1c) any gathering or throng of men assembled by chance, tumultuously 1d) in a Christian sense 1d1) an assembly of Christians gathered for worship in a religious meeting 1d2) a company of Christians, or of those who, hoping for eternal salvation through Jesus Christ, observe their own religious rites, hold their own religious meetings, and manage their own affairs, according to regulations prescribed for the body for order's sake 1d3) those who anywhere, in a city, village, constitute such a company and are united into one body 1d4) the whole body of Christians scattered throughout the earth 1d5) the assembly of faithful Christians already dead and received into heaven Synonym : See Definition 5897 from a compound of 1537 and a derivative of 2564; a calling out, i.e. (concretely) a popular meeting, especially a religious congregation (Jewish synagogue, or Christian community of members on earth or saints in heaven or both):-assembly, church.”
“angels 72, angel 63, an angel 18, of angels 4, angel's 3, messenger 3, messengers 3, An angel 2, Angels 1, a angel 1, a messenger 1, by angels 1, to angels 1, of an angel 1, informed 1, with angels 1”
“Definition: 1) a messenger, envoy, one who is sent, an angel, a messenger from God from aggello (probably derived from (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:-angel, messenger.”
John wanted his readers to understand that there were angels assigned to each of the seven gatherings of believers. (Seven names will later be given to these gatherings.)
He wanted them to understand that “church” was not a building nor a human-formulated religious system, but rather any gathering of believers gathered for a God-honoring purpose.
Our Lord God will remain a partial mystery to us until we are make-new and in Heaven with Him.
In this first chapter of Revelation have you noticed how John used OT quotes, from his past knowledge, as “hook” for context and understanding of what he was seeing (and trying to describe to others) for the very first time?
Our Lord God has chosen not only to group His children into gatherings of seven, less so geographical (perhaps) and more-so according to predispositions toward certain sins and certain areas of righteousness (more on that as we proceed).
What is an example of God’s Word either clearly affirming the righteous conduct of a local fellowship or clearly chastising it for drifting away?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to share the difference between “church” as is commonly used and “Church” as the Bible uses it.
Today I will respectfully share what I have learned so that others may turn their eyes first to our Lord God rather than to mere fellow-fallen humankind (and the religious institutions they have created). Not to disrespect or distance, necessarily, but to recognize that it is only our Lord Who is our “first love” and Who deserves our first loyalty.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study “Revelation – Section 1 of 8” – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in May of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
2:1 To the angel of the church in Ephesus, write the following:
“This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who has a firm grasp on the seven stars in his right hand – the one who walks among the seven golden lampstands:
2:2 ‘I know your works as well as your labor and steadfast endurance, and that you cannot tolerate evil.
You have even put to the test those who refer to themselves as apostles (but are not), and have discovered that they are false.
2:3 I am also aware that you have persisted steadfastly, endured much for the sake of my name, and have not grown weary.
2:4 But I have this against you: You have departed from your first love!
2:5 Therefore, remember from what high state you have fallen and repent!
Do the deeds you did at the first; if not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place – that is, if you do not repent.
2:6 But you do have this going for you: You hate what the Nicolaitans practice – practices I also hate.
2:7 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
To the one who conquers, I will permit him to eat from the tree of life that is in the paradise of God.'
Lord, You stand with those who stand with You, in steadfastness for truth. May I be found steadfast, a “good Berean” who tests everything against the Word, and bold to challenge carelessness and deception.
See explanations for “angel”, “stars”, and “lampstands” in the prior study of Revelation 1.
John was told to write to “the angel of the church”, rather than directly to “the church”, which was the body of believers gathered for the Lord God's purposes. There is much speculation as to the intent of the unusual phrase, the NET Translator's Greek notes allow it to refer to a messenger/pastor/spokesman – who would be responsible for delivering and explaining the message, which appears probable. It is also possible that He referred to the apostles, an alternative that better-helps to explain the text following.
As remains common today believers drifted away from the true gospel into extra-Biblical variations, preferring instead less challenging messages or less rigorous lifestyle expectations.
The Nicolatians's taught that one may freely sin, without regret, and still be saved.
The key leaders had to have been decisive and strong, as well as faithful to the Word (that which they had at the time), since they challenged false leaders – even those who claimed to be apostles. Those men may have been apostles and perhaps also “bishops”, e.g. Timothy, who had been directly-commissioned with authority over a region of fellowships.
Their “first love” was expressed through undivided attention to the Lord God Who had delivered to them salvation and the Holy Spirit and Whom they had served unreservedly. They, messenger, pastor, apostle, or bishop, bore the highest of responsibility before the Lord God (see James 3:1), so the threat to their standing – should they fail to meet His standard - was consistent.
Since the church was new and under attack it was critical that key leaders demanded strict adherence to the Word of God or else the foundation of the church would be weak or destroyed.
The reference to their common dislike for the false-teaching of the Nicolatians's implied that they were not truly at-risk and the reminder of His desire to give to them the eternal-life from the fruit in the Garden was an encouragement.
The early church was under withering-attack from a frantic enemy who used a variety of weak people in his evil effort to sabotage.
What are some practical ways to disciple believers to keep the Lord God, and His priorities, as their “first live”?
The spiritual health and Biblical felicity of leaders within fellowships, and even of families, remains critical.
What is an example of someone trying to bring a Nicolatian-like teaching into your community and/or your fellowhip?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some ways that you may have drifted, perhaps to rationalize a sin, perhaps just allowing yourself to be “captured” by “the tyranny of the urgent” (in a worldly rather than a Biblical sense).
Today I am choosing to ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement and to walk with me as I intentionally realign my priorities to those of the Lord God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
To the Church in Smyrna
2:8 “To the angel of the church in Smyrna write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who is the first and the last, the one who was dead, but came to life:
2:9 ‘I know the distress you are suffering and your poverty (but you are rich). I also know the slander against you by those who call themselves Jews and really are not, but are a synagogue of Satan.
2:10 Do not be afraid of the things you are about to suffer. The devil is about to have some of you thrown into prison so you may be tested, and you will experience suffering for ten days. Remain faithful even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown that is life itself.
2:11 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The one who conquers will in no way be harmed by the second death.’
To the Church in Pergamum
12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who has the sharp double-edged sword:
2:13 ‘I know where you live – where Satan’s throne is. Yet you continue to cling to my name and you have not denied your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was killed in your city where Satan lives.
2:14 But I have a few things against you: You have some people there who follow the teaching of Balaam, who instructed Balak to put a stumbling block before the people of Israel so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.
2:15 In the same way, there are also some among you who follow the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
2:16 Therefore, repent! If not, I will come against you quickly and make war against those people with the sword of my mouth.
2:17 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will give him some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and on that stone will be written a new name that no one can understand except the one who receives it.’
Lord, You understand the struggles we have in this dark and fallen world, and You stand ready to represent for those who have surrendered all to You in response to Your invitation through Your Gospel. May I be encouraged and strengthened, hope-filled and humbled by all that You have done for me.
Jesus acknowledged, to the leaders of the Church in Smyrna, the wealth of their love versus their worldly poverty.
He warned them of the persecution to come and encouraged them to persevere.
Jesus affirmed the assurance of their salvation “... no way be harmed by the second death.”
To the Church in Pergamum He said ‘I know where you live – where Satan’s throne is”. Jesus was assuring them that He understood they were dealing with a world in which Satan is Prince (temporarily), and they they were challenged every day – in their local case the enemy apparently had a strong foothold.
Jesus challenged them to put-out those among them who promoted the false sin-is-OK-under-grace teaching.
There has been much speculation about the “hidden manna” and the “white stone” in verse 2:17; given the NET Greek translation notes this author takes the meaning to be the Word (revealed by the Holy Spirit), imparted-righteousness (royal-robes of white in Heaven), and Jesus as their advocate and propitiation at the Great White Throne Judgment.
The wealth we have in the promise of Heaven, the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the comfort of fellow-believers is far more valuable than anything this temporary world can offer.
What are some practical ways to help fellow believers to understand the reality of Satan in the world all around us, without drifting into an obsession with evil or into silly superstitions?
Jesus not only provided our path to salvation, the Lord sees us clothed in white through Him, and He stands ready to speak for us at the Great White Throne Judgment.
When have you experienced, or observed, the obvious attack of the enemy against a believer?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some who needs encouragement as they confront false teaching or an attack from the enemy.
Today I will pray in-agreement and in-earnest for the one identified to me by the Lord and, as is appropriate, I will offer to walk alongside them through the challenge in other ways.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write the following:
“This is the solemn pronouncement of the Son of God, the one who has eyes like a fiery flame and whose feet are like polished bronze:
2:19 ‘I know your deeds: your love, faith, service, and steadfast endurance. In fact, your more recent deeds are greater than your earlier ones.
2:20 But I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and by her teaching deceives my servants to commit sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.
2:21 I have given her time to repent, but she is not willing to repent of her sexual immorality.
2:22 Look! I am throwing her onto a bed of violent illness, and those who commit adultery with her into terrible suffering, unless they repent of her deeds.
2:23 Furthermore, I will strike her followers with a deadly disease, and then all the churches will know that I am the one who searches minds and hearts. I will repay each one of you what your deeds deserve.
2:24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, all who do not hold to this teaching (who have not learned the so-called “deep secrets of Satan”), to you I say: I do not put any additional burden on you.
2:25 However, hold on to what you have until I come.”
“2:26 And to the one who conquers and who continues in my deeds until the end, I will give him authority over the nations –
2:27 he will rule them with an iron rod and like clay jars he will break them to pieces,
2:28 just as I have received the right to rule from my Father – and I will give him the morning star.
2:29 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Lord, You want to deliver a righteous and victorious church, yet humankind is constantly attacked by the promoters of unrighteousness – from the inside and outside. May I be encouraged by Your patient love and be willing to stand against those who seek to diminish and destroy Your church.
The “Son of God” appeared to John with what he loosely-described as “eyes like a fiery flame” and with “feet like polished brass”; therefore, His glory was apparent to John in his spiritual state and His foundation “feet” gave the appearance of the strength of metal and the quality of well-crafted and well cared for metal found in the possession of earthly royalty/wealth.
Jesus congratulated them for standing their ground in His name.
He challenged them for starting to drift because they were tolerating bad teaching and behavior – spawned by Jezebel.
Jesus returned to His teaching that depravity and false teaching must be purged and warned that He was going to send disease to her and spread it from her to those who engaged in sinful conduct with her.
Note: Jezebel may have been a symbol for the same sort of teaching as the Nicolaitans, who were mentioned in warnings to the other communities.
Jesus prophesied suffering and trouble for those who engage in witchcraft the “deep secrets of satan”.
He promised that the faithful will in the very last days rule with Him as He dismantled the pagan nations. (The NET Translators's notes observe that this is a partial reference to Psalm 2:8-9.)
Jesus drew a spiritual parallel to His partnership with the faithful as they break down the strongholds of sin in their lives and promised to deliver His church as “the morning star”.
Jesus emphasized avoidance of false teaching, be it the toleration of sin or all the way into witchcraft.
What are some some practical ways to identify and remove philosophies which promote the toleration of sin and witchcraft in your local fellowship without become legalistic? (Begin with ways to compare and contrast individual and fellowship lifestyles that reflect purity and righteousness versus excuses for constantly testing the threshold of over sin or folding-in elements of other religions – none of which are compatible with Biblical Christianity.)
How different are we than those discussed? Are we not also prone to tolerate the profane, on television, the Internet, music, movies, art, and even in our fellowhips?
What is an example from your life, or fellowship, where excuses for sin and/or witchcraft had drifted in and how you were successful in purging those influences?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one or more subtle, or not so subtle, ways that the toleration of sin and/or witchcraft has entered your life and/or that of your fellowship.
Today I agree to partner with a fellow believer, and the Holy Spirit, to fearlessly purge those things from my life – and as is appropriate and possible to challenge them in my fellowship - as all of them offensive to our Lord God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
To the Church in Sardis
3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the one who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars:
‘I know your deeds, that you have a reputation that you are alive, but in reality you are dead.”
“3:2 Wake up then, and strengthen what remains that was about to die, because I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”
“3:3 Therefore, remember what you received and heard, and obey it, and repent.
If you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will never know at what hour I will come against you.”
“3:4 But you have a few individuals in Sardis who have not stained their clothes, and they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy.
3:5 The one who conquers will be dressed like them in white clothing, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will declare his name before my Father and before his angels.
3:6 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.'”
Lord, you warn us that a partial surrender to You is inadequate, it is all or nothing at all – and for those who have clearly heard there is no excuse at all. May I not only be a willing instrument of the fruits of the Spirit may I also be bold in challenging others to do the same.
Jesus warned that there were many who heard the gospel and pretended to surrender but had not, and therefore they were not saved – and were facing His sudden wrath.
What was left of their original response to truth, left un-nurtured (never quite where it could have resulted in saving faith), was to be seized upon and nurtured before it died and they were completely alienated from God.
Jesus used the term “repent”, which means to turn away – in this case from all of the things of the world.
He then returned to His teaching that He will return unannounced and those who remain “asleep”, without having secured their salvation, will be lost.
Jesus acknowledged the presence of a sub-population within the community who were truly saved and described how He saw them, dressed in white like Him, their salvation secure.
Do we have a clear and present sense of the imminence of the return of the Lord, including our limited lifespan (which could end at any moment), after which nothing can be done?
How might your fellowship do a better job in clarifying the elements of a genuine personal salvation (absolute surrender)?
How different are we from those described in Revelation – are we also guilty of holding-back from a complete surrender – and do we understand the risks?
When have you hear the truth about salvation as absolute surrender preached/taught and what was the reaction?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life, or in that of another, where you are holding-back from absolute surrender to the Lord God.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement for me to get right with the Lord, and/or for the same in the walk of one whom the Holy Spirit has revealed to me, and humbly we will do whatever it takes to become His completely.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“To the Church in Philadelphia
3:7 “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Holy One, the True One, who holds the key of David, who opens doors no one can shut, and shuts doors no one can open:
3:8 ‘I know your deeds. (Look! I have put in front of you an open door that no one can shut.)
I know that you have little strength, but you have obeyed my word and have not denied my name.”
“3:9 Listen! I am going to make those people from the synagogue of Satan – who say they are Jews yet are not, but are lying – Look, I will make them come and bow down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.”
“3:10 Because you have kept my admonition to endure steadfastly, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is about to come on the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
3:11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have so that no one can take away your crown.
3:12 The one who conquers I will make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will never depart from it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God (the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from my God), and my new name as well.
3:13 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
Lord, You see past our facades, nothing is hidden from You. May I be found steadfastly devoted to You, striving to resist allowing tests to become temptations and then volitional sin – with strength from Your Holy Spirit.
Jesus recognizes our weakness and promises that if we choose the path of faith-guided truth He will hold open the door to Heaven and no created-being can ever close it to us.
It is unclear why the NET Translator's chose to be unclear in the rendering of 3:9, where it reads “ I am going to make those people ...” the NET Greek Notes allow it to read “I am going to humble (or strike) those people ...”, which would appear a more-complete and still-accurate rendering.
Jesus condemned the religious leaders when on earth because their misrepresentations of God. He did so again in 2:9 “... synagogue of Satan” refers to those who have become tools of Satan because their teaching had drifted so far from the truth and their hearts had paralleled the perversity of their leadership.
Jesus acknowledged their steadfastness and warned them that challenges were to come.
His warning about their “crown” being at risk refers to their efforts to faithfully evangelize and disciple others being thwarted by lies, not their salvation at risk. [We know this to be His intent because in 1Cor. 10:13 He says that those who are saved cannot be deceived so greatly that they can lose their salvation and Paul referred to his “crown” as those He had evangelized and discipled (Phil. 4:1 and 1 Thess. 2:14).]
Jesus does not expect us to be perfect, the Bible does not teach works-righteousness, nor does it anticipate flawless-righteousness in our Fallen bodies. [This is why we must be “made new” at the threshold to Heaven.]
How could your fellowship strike a clearer balance between advocating that all believers seek-after righteousness and yet avoid drifting into legalistic prescriptions for impossible sin-free perfect lives?
The Lord has repeatedly made examples of false teachers, humbling them before those who had clung to right doctrine, but others have risen in their place.
When have you observed a leader who, despite attack, stood his ground on the Word and persevered to victory?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a challenge for which you must prepare, one where your clarity will help you to assist others to resist confusion and/or panic.
Today I will prayerfully study the Word as I am discipled by the Holy Spirit, as necessary I will consult one who meets the Biblical standard of “elder” for clarification, and I will ask a fellow believer to walk alongside in prayer and study – together we will prepare and together we will come alongside others as they accept the need to prepare as well.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“To the Church in Laodicea
3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write the following: “This is the solemn pronouncement of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the originator of God’s creation:
3:15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot!
3:16 So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth!”
“3:17 Because you say, “I am rich and have acquired great wealth, and need nothing,”
but do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked,
3:18 take my advice and buy gold from me refined by fire so you can become rich!
Buy from me white clothing so you can be clothed and your shameful nakedness will not be exposed,
and buy eye salve to put on your eyes so you can see!”
Lord, You are the source of authority for all truth, and You desire that we live in that truth. May be certain to be unafraid of truth, unwilling to to compromise truth to avoid conflict, and cautious to avoid the idolatry of money.
The term “Amen” generally means “I believe” or perhaps “I understand and agree” but may also mean “the truth”. In this context it may be understood to refer to the One Who gives authority to truth.
Jesus wants everyone to be engaged with the challenges of truth and of righteous living.
His frustration with the Laodiceans was their avoidance of a decision – making them unteachable.
We are taught elsewhere that the Lord God “is no respecter of persons”, which means that He cares not for our worldly possessions or titles, only for the condition of our hearts.
Jesus warned repeatedly of the distractions of money and worldly pursuits.
The Lord God is the source of all truth and the authority behind that truth.
How do we teach believers to be confident in their faith when the world wants them to sell-out in order to fit-in?
Sometimes those who are most comfortable in their worldly state are also the least teachable.
When have you observed someone for whom wealth was a wall that separated them recognizing their need for Jesus?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any place in your walk, or in the teaching of your fellowship, where conflict-avoidance has become truth-avoidance.
Today I will humbly and prayerfully surrender myself, and/or challenge my fellowship, to sacrifice comfort and temporary peace for the sake of truth.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
3:19 All those I love, I rebuke and discipline.
So be earnest and repent!
3:20 Listen! I am standing at the door and knocking! If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come into his home and share a meal with him, and he with me.
3:21 I will grant the one who conquers permission to sit with me on my throne, just as I too conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne.
3:22 The one who has an ear had better hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’
Lord, You love us as You find us – here in this Fallen world – and as someone once said “You love us too much to leave us this way”. May I respond when You knock on the door of my heart, let You in, and cooperate as You make me just a little more like You.
When He walked the earth Jesus dined with the poor and the rich alike that His saving message might be made known to all.
When He sent out His disciples He instructed them to only stay at the home of one who welcomed both them and their message from Him.
Jesus is ready to walk alongside those who are teachable.
The consistent message of Jesus is that there are conditions for admittance into Heaven. Ones salvation is an unconditional surrender of everything in this world in exchange for everything good in Heaven - for eternity.
What are some practical ways to challenge people to assess their salvation and to redouble their efforts to bring the gift and assurance of salvation to the eternally dead and dying all around them?
How different are we Reflect upon the anger of Jesus at Christians who become careless about their lifestyle and/or who neglect His Greatest Commandment to love and His Great Commission to “go forth” because of His love poured into and through them intended to bless others. Reflect also upon His anger at the false teachers who assert authority using His name but who then promote legalism and tradition in place of grace and truth.
What is an example from your life where you found yourself becoming careless or neglectful about your Biblical-Christian walk? How did the Lord God guide you back to the right path?
Ask the Holy Spirit to assess your life for any evidence of carelessness in your lifestyle or neglect of love for your fellow believers and/or evangelism and discipleship.
Today I will select an area where I fall short and I will partner with the Holy Spirit, and a prayer partner, as He guides me back onto the right path.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section - “Rev. 2-3” – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in May of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
The Amazing Scene in Heaven
4:1 After these things I looked, and there was a door standing open in heaven!
And the first voice I had heard speaking to me like a trumpet
said: “Come up here so that I can show you what must happen after these things.””
4:2 Immediately I was in the Spirit,
and a throne was standing in heaven with someone seated on it!
4:3 And the one seated on it was like jasper and carnelian in appearance,
and a rainbow looking like it was made of emerald encircled the throne.
Lord, You are the only one worthy of a throne, all others are pretenders. May I stand in awe of You, may You always be my first love, and may I worship You alone.
While it was clear that the first voice John heard in Rev. 1-3 was that of Jesus it is now less clear if the voice continues to be that of Jesus or if is of an angel – it is not necessary to know because The Lord God was in complete control.
Since thrones are reserved for kings it would be reasonable to postulate that the One on the throne was either God the Father or God the Son, both are described elsewhere in the Bible as sitting on a throne.
It is apparent that John is struggling to describe what he is observing “in the Spirit” using his limited worldly experience – observe that he uses the qualifier “...like” twice.
Interpreting the description of the “stones” and of the “rainbow” is somewhat speculative but each may represent an attribute of God.
The joy that Consider the awe-inspiring and spiritually overwheming experience of John. Thank God for allowing him to share his experience with us so that we might have a small taste of the glory of Heaven that awaits.
What are the times and places where you have sensed the most-powerful presence of the Lord God?
The Lord God chooses to share His kingdom leadership with His creation. The character of the Lord God always amazes!
What is a practical example of a time when in worship, in song, in prayer, in the sharing of testimonies, or otherwise where the Lord God made His presence especially clear to you – maybe even in a sort of dream or vision. How were you assured that it was really of-God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone with whom you should share this text.
Today I will share this text with a fellow believer, to either prayerfully reflect upon it together, perhaps reading also Ezekiel Chapter 1, or perhaps spending some time in prayer and song as a way of joining the description of endless worship in the text.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
4:4 In a circle around the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on those thrones were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white clothing and had golden crowns on their heads.
4:5 From the throne came out flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder. Seven flaming torches, which are the seven spirits of God, were burning in front of the throne
4:6a and in front of the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
4:6b In the middle of the throne and around the throne were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back.
4:7 The first living creature was like a lion,
the second creature like an ox,
the third creature had a face like a man’s,
and the fourth creature looked like an eagle flying.
Lord, You exist in a realm that humankind is incapable of fully-comprehending, and You have taught us that Your “... ways are not our ways”. May I be in awe of You, may I never try to force my concept of You into a man-sized box, and may my worship be guided by an ever-deepening sense of humility.
We may only speculate who these “elders” were. The NT teaches that Jesus will appoint believers to rule with Him. The term elder is only used in reference to humans, not angels.
According to the Greek Translator's Notes the term “crowns” may refer to a symbol of royal rank or may be a synonym for the eternal blessedness for ones faithfulness.
The “seven spirits” are associated with the “seven lampstands” which were defined by John in Rev. 1:20 as the “seven churches” (sub-groups within the body of believers).
Given John's ecstatic state, and his unfamiliarity with much of what he was observing, “... flashes of lightning and roaring and crashes of thunder” while “in the spirit” is difficult to interpret; the NET translator's suggest that “sounds” or “voices” may also be acceptable renderings of the Greek in this context. He later prefaces another description with “something like”, indicating a continuing lack of descriptive precision.
“Lion” is a synonym of great strength.
“Ox” is synonym of new or young as in a sprout or a calf.
Man-face is synonym for some element, perhaps the partial likeness fo God in, humankind.
The flying-eagle is a synonym for purposeful action or purpose.
The NET translators propose that “In the middle of the throne ...” may also be translated “in the throne area”. A similar description of the “four” is found in Ezekiel 1:5 and following.
The Lord God is not like us, His dwelling place is nothing like anything we have ever see, and the inseparable physical-spiritual nature of the beings around Him are manifestations we cannot comprehend.
What other verses in the Bible come to mind when you read the descriptions of God and/or the various “creatures” and “elders” and their surroundings?
The Lord God chose to reveal this surreal imagery to us for a reason – He wants us to understand the vast difference between Heaven and earth.
When have you experienced a sense of awe about the Lord God as you read a description of Him in His Word?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something about the Lord God that you have misundestood or misrepresented, perhaps as the result of careless teaching, and all because someone tried to reduce Him to a simplicity that humankind can comprehend.
Today I will ask the Holy Spirit to show me where I need to just stand in awe of the Lord God, where I need to understand, and to bring alongside me a person or persons (Biblically-qualified as elders) to be a resource when I need clarification and confirmation.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
4:8 Each one of the four living creatures had six wings and was full of eyes all around and inside.
They never rest day or night,
saying: “Holy Holy Holy is the Lord God,
the All-Powerful,
Who was
and who is,
and who is still to come!”
Lord, You Were, You Are, and You will always Be, and yet You choose to love me. May I be ever-amazed, ever-humbled, ever-worshipful of my awesome Lord God!
This heavenly image of worship, submission to the only One worthy of worship no matter what is ones earthly or heavenly title, the identity of God as Creator, and His identity as sustainer of all things is consistent with the rest of the Bible.
The Lion, synonym of great strength, the Ox, synonym of new or young as in a sprout or a calf, the man-face, synonym for some element - perhaps the partial likeness of God in humankind, and the flying-eagle, a synonym for purposeful action or purpose are proclaiming the immeasurable holiness of the Lord God. One may well take this to be synonymous for all of creation.
The phrase “Who was ...” was a reminder that the Lord God exists beyond linear time, which He created for humankind, and therefore He existed prior to it.
The phrase “... who is” was to remind that He is present with us.
The phrase “... who is still to come!” was to remind us that in linear time the Lord will return for His and to just everyone who ever lived, and then will come the end to linear time (and everything bound to it), as the children of God join Him in timeless eternity.
Do we have right-sized view of the enormity of the majesty of the Lord God?
How would you explain the difference between God's creation, contained inside linear time – which He created for that purpose, and God – who exists apart from His creation?
When a human demands worship, which no human ever should, it is unlike the worship of heavenly beings – created for that solitary purpose – but is, rather, to feed the ego of a pitiful fallen creature.
When have you observed the fruits of a person who demanded worship – something reserved for the Lord God alone?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a renewed sense of wonder that our magnificent Lord God loves you.
Today I will share my wonder and gratitude for the Lord's love with a fellow believer, and/or someone considering Christ.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
4:10 the twenty-four elders throw themselves to the ground before the one who sits on the throne and worship the one who lives forever and ever, and they offer their crowns before his throne, saying:
4:11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, since you created all things, and because of your will they existed and were created!”
Lord, You are worthy! May I remember that every time I review my calendar and my checkbook to assess my priorities.
There is some discussion as to who are, or what is represented, by the twenty-four elders.
One suggestion is they are the four Heavenly creatures, each with six wings, but such appears to be precluded by the implied controlling-conditional in the text; “whenever the living creatures ...” [then] “… the twenty-four elders”.
Another suggestion is that the twenty-four elders represent a “heavenly Sanhedrin”, but the traditional full Sanhedrin was seventy-one and the so-called “small Sanhedrin” was twenty-three.
A third suggestion is that they represent the spiritual “courses” of twenty-four that were offered by the priests.
In either case the important point is that the Lord God is praised by every being in Heaven, whether angelic or somehow associated with humankind.
Honor is due to the One who sits on the throne, Who exists eternally, and Who created.
Do we give glory, honor, and thanks to the Lord God daily?
How might this daily pattern of worship be replicated in the lives of Christians without it becoming a meaningless ritual?
When have you observed Christian leaders humbling themselves before the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a way that you may be more intentional about the worship of the Lord God daily.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to hold me accountable, and to pray in-agreement for protection, as I begin a consistent daily time of worship for the Lord God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Opening of the Scroll
5:1 Then I saw in the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne a scroll written on the front and back and sealed with seven seals.
5:2 And I saw a powerful angel proclaiming in a loud voice: “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?”
5:3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it.
5:4 So I began weeping bitterly because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
5:5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered; thus he can open the scroll and its seven seals.
Lord, the scroll was a necessary element in Your great plan of cleansing and redemption, and You- alone were worthy to stand in the gap and to move it along. May I stand in awe of You, recognize that You are the only way to Heaven, and share that with others.
It is apparent that the One on the throne is not Jesus, which is a clarification of the lack of specificity in the earlier chapter.
The “powerful angel” would presumably be one of the rare beings referred to also as “archangels”.
The “scroll” contained the necessary instructions to move through the final stages of the fulfillment of the redemption of the children of God.
The One Who could open and read it had to meet, perfectly, the requirements of the Law on behalf of those to whom the scrolls content applied.
In Heaven things proceed in perfect order.
Where else in the Bible have you read about “archangels”?
In his spirit John had been given an awareness of the importance of the scroll.
When have you had to await someone with the authority to act so that a critical next step in an important process might be taken?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you where you fit, in a series of His steps, so that you may be His instrument.
Today I will humbly pray and listen, read the Word and consult a mature and prayerful fellow Biblical-Christian, to discern then follow where the Holy Spirit has directed.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
5:6 Then I saw standing in the middle of the throne and of the four living creatures,
and in the middle of the elders,
a Lamb that appeared to have been killed.
He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.”
“5:7 Then he came and took the scroll from the right hand of the one who was seated on the throne,
5:8 and when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders threw themselves to the ground before the Lamb.
Each of them had a harp and golden bowls full of incense (which are the prayers of the saints).”
“5:9 They were singing a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were killed,
and at the cost of your own blood you have purchased for God persons from every tribe, language, people, and nation.”
“5:10 You have appointed them as a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
and they will reign on the earth.”
Lord, You made Yourself into the lamb Who was slain, and You created the opportunity for humankind to be redeemed from the error of Eden. May I join in Your praise!
The word-picture varies but the theme is consistent. The “seven” are the “churches” to whom Jesus was speaking through the “seven spirits” in the earlier chapters of Revelation.
Note that “... the prayers of the saints”, all believers, are collected by God.
The “reign” of those “purchased” would not begin until a while later in the process, see Rev. 20:4, and that reign will last for 1,000 years.
The intent of the enemy was to lead the religious leaders and foolish people into killing Jesus so as to prevent Him from creating redemption, and by extension, to prevent the gathering of the Church.
How might it impact the prayers of Biblical-Christians in your fellowship if they visualized their prayers as incense in the throne-room of the Lord God?
The “twenty-four elders” had “harps” (musical instruments) and were singing praise and worship in the throne-room of the Lord God.
When have you heard that your prayers were as-incense in the throne-room of the Lord God?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a prayer that He especially loves to hear from you.
Today I will set aside some time to read the Word, reflect on my relationship with the Lord, and to lift heartfelt prayers as I feel led.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
5:11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels in a circle around the throne, as well as the living creatures and the elders.
Their number was ten thousand times ten thousand – thousands times thousands –
5:12 all of whom were singing in a loud voice:
“Worthy is the lamb who was killed to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and praise!”
5:13 Then I heard every creature – in heaven, on earth, under the earth, in the sea, and all that is in them – singing: “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be praise, honor, glory, and ruling power forever and ever!”
5:14 And the four living creatures were saying “Amen,”
and the elders threw themselves to the ground and worshiped.
Lord, You need no praise or worship, but Your creation needs a one true and perfect Lord God to know pure love and meaning. May I draw nearer to You every day and in every way.
As is described as “too numerous to count” elsewhere is the point of the “... ten thousand times ten thousand – thousands times thousands” text.
“Worthy is the lamb ...” is a repeated theme of Revelation.
“Every creature ...” sang praise and worship of and to Him.
The “... four living creatures”, who we discussed previously, agreed with “Amen”.
The elders, previously numbered as twenty-four and described, humbled themselves by bowing.
Do we have the awe and reverence for God by all beings. Note that Jesus allows Himself to be worshiped, therefore He must be God; yet another affirmation of the Trinity.
What might it mean to a watching fellowship for the spiritual leaders to be more visibly humble in their public praise and worship?
The Lord God is consistent; a Messiah was always necessary, once He pronounced the righteous-curse and the grace-filled provision of redemption in the Garden. Only He could be our intercessor.
When have you experienced a moment of awe which caused you to stop and worship Him?
Ask the Holy Spirit to touch my heart in a special way so that I am drawn-near and gently-humbled before Him.
Today am choosing to pause and to pray several times, knowing that God not only hears my prayers, but that He gathers them up together with those of all “saints” (believers) like incense.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 4 – 5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in June of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
The Seven Seals
6:1 I looked on when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures saying with a thunderous voice, “Come!”
6:2 So I looked, and here came a white horse!
The one who rode it had a bow, and he was given a crown, and as a conqueror he rode out to conquer.
6:3 Then when the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature saying, “Come!”
6:4 And another horse, fiery red, came out,
and the one who rode it was granted permission to take peace from the earth, so that people would butcher one another, and he was given a huge sword.
Lord, the tribulation of living in a fallen world is a reality for many, yet the “great tribulation” is yet to come. May I face the daily tribulations with my eyes on You for comfort, guidance, power, and wisdom.
It is interesting that while Jesus open the seals it was one of the four creatures who spoke the instruction to the horseman inside.
There is some debate as to the identity of the “conqueror”; tradition has wanted to identify it as Jesus, but the larger context argues strongly for Satan – coming as an angel of light but intent upon conquest for his own sake versus conquest for the purpose of justice. The NET Translators Notes observe that the phrase used for “conqueror” in the original language differs from that used in cases referring to Jesus or to believers.
And element of this tribulation to come would be the killing, perhaps murder, of many at the hands of their fellow humans.
The joy that believers are not spared from the Tribulation, the Lord God allows us to remain to testify for the sake of the still-teachable unsaved.
What are some of the ways that “conquer” may be realized in the lives of humans?
The conqueror was given a crown, indicating permission from the Lord God, and His authority – but also under His control.
What does your fellowship teach about the great tribulation? What about the troubles that have come against various groups of people in various regions of the earth in the time since Jesus returned to heaven (the “end times”)?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a person or group of people for whom He wants you to pray as they are facing a “tribulation”.
Today I will pray and will ask at least one fellow believer to pray in-agreement as the Holy Spirit has led.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
6:5 Then when the Lamb opened the third seal I heard the third living creature saying, “Come!”
So I looked, and here came a black horse!
The one who rode it had a balance scale in his hand.
6:6 Then I heard something like a voice from among the four living creatures saying,
“A quart of wheat will cost a day’s pay and three quarts of barley will cost a day’s pay.
But do not damage the olive oil and the wine!”
6:7 Then when the Lamb opened the fourth seal I heard the voice of the fourth living creature saying, “Come!”
6:8 So I looked and here came a pale green horse!
The name of the one who rode it was Death, and Hades followed right behind.
They were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill its population with the sword, famine, and disease, and by the wild animals of the earth.
Lord, You will allow the course of Your perfect justice to flow, but You set limits and You gather-in those who are Yours. May I never doubt Your love and protection such that I will never be overwhelmed, so long as I rest in You, and am certain that I will never be destroyed.
The choice between more barley for the same as less wheat describes a choice between quantity and quality – though according to some commentaries a days pay (a denarius) would be a very steep price – typical of disaster or wartime.
Olive oil was used in cooking, in religious rituals, and it was burned with a wick for light.
It may also have been used on the body and hair but not in the raw form for anointing.(Exodus 30:26-33 describes the unique oil-based recipe for anointing.)
Wine was used to cover the bitter taste of water and was part of both celebrations and religious rituals.
This is the Tribulation and believers are not spared.
It is a time when everyone is confronted by the consequences of the lifted-hand of protection of the Lord God and are pressed to choose where they will stand; with Job's wife “Curse God and die?” or with Job who, despite some confusion, refused to disrespect his Lord.
Death rides a light green horse and is followed by Hades, their realm for killing is limited, they are called forth but are not immediately released.
The circumstances of the tribulation are challenging at every level, a shortage of resources, spiritual attack, and constant challenges to health and safety.
What are some practical ways to help people to comprehend the desperate circumstances of the tribulation? Perhaps illustrations from regions of the world where Christians already face most of these challenges.
The Lord God requires certain boundaries “do not damage the olive oil and the wine”.
When have you been challenged because of your faith? Perhaps in a non-Christian home, in school, or in the workplace.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a challenge that is coming, or that may soon-escalate.
Today I will ask the Holy Spirit to give me comfort, strength, and wisdom to face what is to come. I will also ask a fellow Biblical-Christian to pray in-agreement with me and to be an accountability partner and an encourager.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“6:9 Now when the Lamb opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been violently killed because of the word of God and because of the testimony they had given.
6:10 They cried out with a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Master, holy and true, before you judge those who live on the earth and avenge our blood?”
6:11 Each of them was given a long white robe
and they were told to rest for a little longer, until the full number was reached of both their fellow servants and their brothers who were going to be killed just as they had been.
Lord, You honor those who cling to Your name, even at the sacrifice of their earthly lives. May my faith grow and remain strong daily so that I also will stand no matter the cost.
The faith of those described was solid as they were killed because of it.
Their sense of justice was also intact as they inquired of the Lord God when, not if, He intended to exercise His sovereign justice.
Since believers are still on earth and are being killed this must still be the Tribulation, prior to the Wrath, and the number of those to be killed – specifically for their faith – was not yet complete.
Looking ahead in Revelation to vs 6:17 we learn that this is prior to the Wrath of God. The Rapture cannot have occurred prior to the Tribulation.
There is an oddity here, not actively addressed in our prior Revelation Notes – we are seeing a unique subset of believers in a conscious state – presumably these a special few who have been called for this specific role – apart from the majority who are “asleep”.
Those who had been killed suffered specifically because of their steadfast faith.
Do we have practical ways to prepare to endure trouble and to resist the temptation from the Enemy to convert a test – designed to strengthen and empower – into a temptation to rebel against God?
The call for justice was not selfish, those who were given white robes had already sacrificed everything, their cries for justice were born of their desire to see an end to the fallen world and the birth of “a new heaven and earth” and perfection with the Lord God.
When have you heard it explained that the Lord God tarries in His return for lack of sufficient martyrs?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where your faith is especially vulnerable to worldly threats.
Today I will prayerfully acknowledge my weakness, I will ask a fellow believer to be my accountability and prayer-partner as I allow the Holy Spirit to heal and mature me.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
6:12 Then I looked when the Lamb opened the sixth seal,
and a huge earthquake took place;
the sun became as black as sackcloth made of hair,
and the full moon became blood red;
6:13 and the stars in the sky fell to the earth like a fig tree dropping its unripe figs when shaken by a fierce wind.
6:14 The sky was split apart like a scroll being rolled up,
and every mountain and island was moved from its place.
6:15 Then the kings of the earth, the very important people, the generals, the rich, the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains.
6:16 They said to the mountains and to the rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of the one who is seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb,
6:17 because the great day of their wrath has come, and who is able to withstand it?”
Lord, the time will come when Your patience wears thin and You conclude things. May I stand confidently before Jesus, not because of my righteousness, but because of His in my stead.
John was struggling to describe apocalyptic imagery. Also, events were being previewed for John and were not actually happening, in linear time, as he was seeing them – they were being viewed from a perspective outside of time.
Matthew 27:45-56 described similar events of darkness, earthquake, a torn veil, etc., but this went beyond those events; adding a red full moon, falling stars, and moving mountains and islands – the magnitude was massive.
In the timeline of future (linear time) events the Tribulation was almost over, then the believers would be set-apart by the Lord God (see Rev. 7), and only then would the full Wrath of God be poured out on those who had rejected Jesus, persecuted His children, and had asked to be kept-apart from the Lordship (and love) of God.
Worldly standing was rendered meaningless as the imminent arrival of Jesus terrified those who had chosen the idolatry of worldly things, be it fame, fortune, and power, or bitterness, lust or human-tradition, rather than the only One worthy of worship.
John was seeing a preview of the end of the world, one may wonder how well he comprehended what he was seeing, and how much he was distracted from the overwhelming emotion of that by the necessity of recording things per instructions.
How might you help fellow believers to conceptualize the series of events up to this moment in John's report?
What kind of hardness of heart exists that, even in the midst of the Tribulation, some will refuse the Lord's invitation to Heaven?
When have you an example of a disaster where poor and rich alike recognized their common bond of powerlessness and need?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the patterns of your response to trouble – do you tend to try to make it through only using you own strength?
Today I will partner with the Holy Spirit as I move toward a greater dependence upon Him – so that when trouble comes I will naturally allow Him to be my strength and will also be ready to be used by Him to encourage and testify.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Sealing of the 144,000
7:1 After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth,
holding back the four winds of the earth so no wind could blow on the earth, on the sea, or on any tree.
7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the east,
who had the seal of the living God.
He shouted out with a loud voice to the four angels who had been given permission to damage the earth and the sea:
7:3 “Do not damage the earth or the sea or the trees until we have put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.”
7:4 Now I heard the number of those who were marked with the seal, one hundred and forty-four thousand, sealed from all the tribes of the people of Israel:
7:5 From the tribe of Judah, twelve thousand were sealed,
from the tribe of Reuben, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Gad, twelve thousand,
7:6 from the tribe of Asher, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Naphtali, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Manasseh, twelve thousand,
7:7 from the tribe of Simeon, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Levi, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Issachar, twelve thousand,
7:8 from the tribe of Zebulun, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Joseph, twelve thousand,
from the tribe of Benjamin, twelve thousand were sealed.
Lord, while You will allow destruction to purge Your fallen-creation, You will first protect those whom You have set-apart for Your special purposes. May I trust that You are omnipotent, perfectly just, and filled with grace – loving me despite my failures – keeping me for the day that You bring me home, purified of all unrighteousness.
The “four winds” here is similar to that of Daniel 7:2. The prior Revelation texts described forces poised to bring all manner of destruction, political, economic, health, and weather. Here they are held-back prior to God's special “seal” being administered.
There is considerable discussion as to the literal or figurative meaning of this text; does this literally mean only genetic and/or legal descendants of these tribes, or does this refer to the spiritual descendants of the faithful of these tribes? Perhaps it refers to “completed” or saved Jews? The answer to these questions is not critical to salvation, or to the righteous living of believers before the Lord God, so it is not appropriate to explore in greater detail in this survey-type Study.
It is worthy of note that in the following text there are many others not so “sealed” who are described as “dressed in white” and “sheltered” by God – proving the notion that the number of 144,000 represents “the only saved people” (as touted by some cults) is invalid.
The is an impending doom for those who have rejected the salvation of Jesus.
What are some differences between the text of Revelation and what pop-theology teaches?
Be amazed at the way that the Lord God stops everything, to seal and shelter those who are His, prior to pouring out His Wrath upon the earth.
What is an example of believers, or at least people who claim to be believers, whose faith is shallow because they believe that they will not only avoid the Tribulation but even avoid serious trouble in their day to day lives? What happens to their “faith” when trouble comes?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone He wants to reach with you as His instrument.
Today I will share these texts with someone who is confused about the last days of the End Times so that they are not living a shallow and weak life which will be easily overwhelmed when trouble comes.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
7:9 After these things I looked, and here was an enormous crowd that no one could count,
made up of persons from every nation, tribe, people, and language,
standing before the throne and before the Lamb dressed in long white robes,
and with palm branches in their hands.
7:10 They were shouting out in a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God, to the one seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
7:11 And all the angels stood there in a circle around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures,
and they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground before the throne and worshiped God,
7:12 saying, “Amen! Praise and glory, and wisdom and thanksgiving, and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”
Lord, it is inconceivable to mere humankind what it will be like to be in Your presence, so we are grateful for the glimpse You gave to John to share with us. May I practice now the giving of honor and worship to You that will be so much a part of eternity.
The “an enormous crowd that no one could count” is encouraging as is the fact that every nation, tribe, people, and language will be present.
Note, not every philosophy or religion but every nation, tribe, people, and language; there is only one path to Heaven.
All will be wearing white robes, signifying that they have been made-righteous by Jesus.
The presence of the palm branches, echoing the circumstances of Jesus' entrance to Jerusalem prior to His final days, is interesting. This time the worship is fully-informed, genuine, and eternal!
Wisdom flows from the Lord God, His power is omnipotent, and strength comes from Him to us.
Every nation, tribe, people, and language will have some who will have heard and responded rightly.
Is Christians were to view themselves as among those wearing white robes might that help them to resist the things that attack their righteousness here on this fallen-earth?
The events that John viewed were outside of the linear time of fallen-earth, they were a glimpse into post-Great Tribulation, post-Wrath, post-Great White Throne Judgment, post-New Heaven & Earth.
When have you contemplated the majesty of the Lord God and bowed in humble worship?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one are in which He wants you to be more-surrendered so that He may draw you nearer to the righteousness that will be yours in eternity.
Today I will humbly surrender that area of my life which the Holy Spirit has designed. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and to be my accountability partner, as I intentionally keep that area surrendered as I look ahead to the next and the next.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
7:13 Then one of the elders asked me, “These dressed in long white robes – who are they and where have they come from?
7:14a So I said to him, “My lord, you know the answer.”
7:14b Then he said to me, “These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
7:15 For this reason they are before the throne of God, and they serve him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them.
7:16 They will never go hungry or be thirsty again, and the sun will not beat down on them, nor any burning heat,
7:17 because the Lamb in the middle of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water,
and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Lord, You have promised to bless those who suffer for Your name, despite the challenges of the Great Tribulation. May I allow Your Holy Spirit to be my strength, no matter the challenge that comes because of my faith, so that I may stand because of You.
The Lord challenges John to identify a group who are in “long white robes” and he could not.
John humbly acknowledged his lack of knowledge and the superior knowledge of the Heavenly-elder.
In the implied sequence of events it again appears, from this text, that believers will experience the Great Tribulation.
The “lamb” Who is “seated in the middle of the throne” is the One Who will shelter them; yet another affirmation of the deity of Christ.
The “throne” is used literally, rhetorically, and symbolically in the Bible. It is clearly identified as the seat of the Lord God and of Jesus. The mother of a disciple inquired about a seat for her son and was chastised by Jesus. It is used rhetorically as in “the throne of grace” or putting someone or something on the throne instead of the Lord. And it is used symbolically, as in the angel pouring out the cup on the throne of the beast (see Rev. 16).
The Great Tribulation will be a very difficult challenge and those who stand for Christ will be blessed for their faithfulness.
Could the intention of a Heavenly-elder questioning John for his knowledge be that the Lord wanted his readers to have no doubt that John was a messenger and not himself a Heavenly-being?
The throne of the Lord God has always been His and always will be.
When have you been caused by the Holy Spirit, through a respectful challenge from a person of Biblical integrity, to acknowledge the limits of your knowledge?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who has suffered greatly due to their faith in the Lord.
Today I will pray for the one who has suffered for the Lord; I will give thanks that they received His strength, thanks that He found them willing instruments, and thanks that He has allowed me to know their testimony – so that it may strengthen my faith.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 4 – 5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in June of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
The Seventh Seal
8:1 Now when the Lamb opened the seventh seal there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.
8:2 Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. 8:3 Another angel holding a golden censer came and was stationed at the altar. A large amount of incense was given to him to offer up, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar that is before the throne. 8:4 The smoke coming from the incense, along with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel’s hand. 8:5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and threw it on the earth, and there were crashes of thunder, roaring, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
8:6 Now the seven angels holding the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. 8:7 The first angel blew his trumpet, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was thrown at the earth so that a third of the earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.”
8:8 Then the second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain of burning fire was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea became blood, 8:9 and a third of the creatures living in the sea died, and a third of the ships were completely destroyed.”
8:10 Then the third angel blew his trumpet, and a huge star burning like a torch fell from the sky; it landed on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. 8:11 (Now the name of the star is Wormwood.) So a third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from these waters because they were poisoned.
8:12 Then the fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. And there was no light for a third of the day and for a third of the night likewise.
8:13 Then I looked, and I heard an eagle flying directly overhead, proclaiming with a loud voice, “Woe! Woe! Woe to those who live on the earth because of the remaining sounds of the trumpets of the three angels who are about to blow them!”
9:1 Then the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star that had fallen from the sky to the earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the abyss.
9:2 He opened the shaft of the abyss and smoke rose out of it like smoke from a giant furnace. The sun and the air were darkened with smoke from the shaft. 9:3 Then out of the smoke came locusts onto the earth, and they were given power like that of the scorpions of the earth.
9:4 They were told not to damage the grass of the earth, or any green plant or tree, but only those people who did not have the seal of God on their forehead. 9:5 The locusts were not given permission to kill them, but only to torture them for five months, and their torture was like that of a scorpion when it stings a person. 9:6 In those days people will seek death, but will not be able to find it; they will long to die, but death will flee from them.
9:7 Now the locusts looked like horses equipped for battle. On their heads were something like crowns similar to gold, and their faces looked like men’s faces. 9:8 They had hair like women’s hair, and their teeth were like lions’ teeth. 9:9 They had breastplates like iron breastplates, and the sound of their wings was like the noise of many horse-drawn chariots charging into battle. 9:10 They have tails and stingers like scorpions, and their ability to injure people for five months is in their tails.
9:11 They have as king over them the angel of the abyss, whose name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek, Apollyon.
9:12 The first woe has passed, but two woes are still coming after these things!
9:13 Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a single voice coming from the horns on the golden altar that is before God, 9:14 saying to the sixth angel, the one holding the trumpet, “Set free the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates!” 9:15 Then the four angels who had been prepared for this hour, day, month, and year were set free to kill a third of humanity. 9:16 The number of soldiers on horseback was two hundred million; I heard their number.
9:17 Now this is what the horses and their riders looked like in my vision: The riders had breastplates that were fiery red, dark blue, and sulfurous yellow in color. The heads of the horses looked like lions’ heads, and fire, smoke, and sulfur came out of their mouths.
9:18 A third of humanity was killed by these three plagues, that is, by the fire, the smoke, and the sulfur that came out of their mouths. 9:19 For the power of the horses resides in their mouths and in their tails, because their tails are like snakes, having heads that inflict injuries.
9:20 The rest of humanity, who had not been killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, so that they did not stop worshiping demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk about. 9:21 Furthermore, they did not repent of their murders, of their magic spells, of their sexual immorality, or of their stealing.
The Angel with the Little Scroll
10:1 Then I saw another powerful angel descending from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun and his legs were like pillars of fire.
10:2 He held in his hand a little scroll that was open, and he put his right foot on the sea and his left on the land. 10:3 Then he shouted in a loud voice like a lion roaring, and when he shouted, the seven thunders sounded their voices.
10:4 When the seven thunders spoke, I was preparing to write, but just then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Seal up what the seven thunders spoke and do not write it down.”
10:5 Then the angel I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven 10:6 and swore by the one who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, and the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, “There will be no more delay! 10:7 But in the days when the seventh angel is about to blow his trumpet, the mystery of God is completed, just as he has proclaimed to his servants the prophets.”
10:8 Then the voice I had heard from heaven began to speak to me again, “Go and take the open scroll in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” 10:9 So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take the scroll and eat it. It will make your stomach bitter, but it will be as sweet as honey in your mouth.” 10:10 So I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it, and it did taste as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach became bitter. 10:11 Then they told me: “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages, and kings.”
Lord, that of which You have warned will come, and there will be accountability for rebellion. May I be faithful in warning those who have not yet accepted Christ, faithful in praying for the same, and comforted to know that Your wrath is reserved only for those whose names are not recorded in “The Book of Life”.
It is unclear how John marked time but one may reasonably take the delay to reflect his sense of anticipation and the seriousness of the moment.
Observe the continuing importance God assigns to “... the prayers of the all the saints”, which means every believer.
Whereas blood was a symbol of the covering of sin in the OT, and of sin washed-away in the NT, here at the pouring-out of the Wrath of God it represents judgment. There is also a repeated pattern of “a third” - which reminds one of the percentage of angels who fell from Heaven with Satan in rebellion, it has also been speculated that when a man died without a will the law specified that one-third portion was to be given to the widow and the other two-thirds to the heir. When Jesus “died” His “widow” was the unsaved – thus judgment symbolically comes to one-third.
Symbolism is used which remind one of the plagues that the Lord brought upon Egypt.
Wormwood was a very bitter substance in the Middle East.
It has been speculated that the “huge star” could be an asteroid, though a little further along in the text it appears that it may be a reference to an angel, or a group of angels.
Proclamations of woe were common in OT times, sometimes as a means to demoralize a surrounded enemy, sometimes to warn a people in rebellion against God of chastisement to come,
The NET translator’s notes suggest that “angel” rather than “eagle” is an acceptable alternative – in either case this being is issuing a clarion call of doom.
The “key” in vs 9:1 may refer to authority or knowledge or power, in this case it is associated with the capacity to open access to “the abyss”. As in Job the Enemy, or one of his minions, is allowed by God to bring into the earth a taste of life without God’s protection. As in Job God sets limits. Observe again that this is the Wrath and not the Tribulation as God has already removed those who are already His.
This contains an additional detail as to the term “star”, which is not notated in Chapter 8. The “star” is identified as a being rather than an inanimate object. Looking ahead to Rev. 12:4 where the fallen angels are described as “... swept away a third of the stars from heaven”, this would appear to refer to one of the fallen angels. It is also possible that the “star” is an angel sent by God.
John uses “like” because his descriptions were the nearest he could get. The “five months” parallels the Flood as well as the normal activity of locusts. There was no escape even to death.
Various speculations have Abaddon/Apollyon refer to Satan, the Antichrist, or the demonic equivalent of an archangel.
If one were to put a more-fine point to it, one might postulate that the Tribulation is followed by the three “woes” of the Lord God’s Wrath; Consequence, Judgment, and Destruction.
This is the beginning of the Judgment, to follow the Consequence of rebellion – the withdrawal of the Lord God’s protection from the evil powers of the “pit” where He has long-restrained the worst of the forces of Satan.
John once again uses “like” as he had no experience to directly compare to what he was seeing.
There is no evidence in the text to suggest that these had repented, they instead appear to have been killed as an example of the consequence of unrepentant rebellion to the remaining two-thirds.
The “woe” to follow is clearly the responsibility of those who remained utterly unteachable with hearts immovably-hardened against the truth of God.
Vs. 10:1 appears to support the view that the “star” or angel mentioned as “falling” from Heaven in Rev. 9 may also have been sent by God, rather than one of Satan’s minions.
The “seven thunders” are not directly identified in the text but may be yet another phrase used to refer to the “seven spirits” whom we discussed earlier in the Revelation series.
Daniel 12:4, 9, and 2 Cor. 12:4 also report withheld revelation.
John appears to be looking ahead “But in the days when ...”. “The mystery of God ...” is also referenced elsewhere in the Bible.
John recognizes that his task to prophesy will be a largely bitter experience even as the truth of God is a sweet taste in his mouth.
Sometimes the Lord God doesn’t tell us all things but only the things we need to know when we need to know them. The Lord continued to place value on the prayers of the “saints” - believers.
What are some practical ways to share the truth, which to those who love truth is sweet, but to those who do not it is bitter? How do we share difficult truths without losing the love for truth in the process?
The intentional process of God causes each thing to flows in perfect time and sequence. There is an interesting parallel between Satan’s fall from heaven, with one-third of the angels, and then the Lord God's wrath upon one-third of the fallen earth of which Satan is Prince, as well as the torment and death of one-third of humanity.
What is an example from your life where you were able to share a difficult truth with someone and they remained open to further truth rather than hiding from it for fear that they might receive additional challenging information? (The calamities described are a reflection of the absence of God’s hand of protection – withdrawn because people have rejected Him, followed by God’s judgment because of their hard hearts against His truth.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an area of your life where you may be resisting a difficult word and thus have been rejecting a portion of His truth.
Today I will agree to welcome the Holy Spirit into this area of my life and to accept whatever the Lord has to teach me. I am also choosing to pray specifically for an individual or a family who do not yet have a saving relationship with Jesus – so that they will not have to face the Wrath of God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
“The Fate of the Two Witnesses
11:1 Then a measuring rod like a staff was given to me, and I was told, “Get up and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and the ones who worship there. 11:2 But do not measure the outer courtyard of the temple; leave it out, because it has been given to the Gentiles, and they will trample on the holy city for forty-two months.”
11:3 “And I will grant my two witnesses authority to prophesy for 1,260 days, dressed in sackcloth.”
11:4 (These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.)
11:5 “If anyone wants to harm them, fire comes out of their mouths and completely consumes their enemies. If anyone wants to harm them, they must be killed this way.”
11:6 “These two have the power to close up the sky so that it does not rain during the time they are prophesying. They have power to turn the waters to blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague whenever they want.”
11:7 “When they have completed their testimony, the beast that comes up from the abyss will make war on them and conquer them and kill them.”
11:8 “Their corpses will lie in the street of the great city that is symbolically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also crucified.”
11:9 “For three and a half days those from every people, tribe, nation, and language will look at their corpses, because they will not permit them to be placed in a tomb.
11:10 “And those who live on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate, even sending gifts to each other, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth.”
11:11 But after three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and tremendous fear seized those who were watching them.
11:12 Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them: “Come up here!” So the two prophets went up to heaven in a cloud while their enemies stared at them.
11:13 Just then a major earthquake took place and a tenth of the city collapsed; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.”
11:14 The second woe has come and gone; the third is coming quickly.
Lord, You send Your prophets to declare Your truth and to bring vexations upon the rebels to teach them respect. May I be found teachable rather than making such vexations necessary in my life.
“Gentiles” does not refer here to non-Jews but to non-believers. It is probably a poor choice as a translation as it creates confusion, even though it is an accurate literal translation of the Greek. The NET translator’s suggest that “nations” is an acceptable option, which refers to secular people.
Sackcloth is the clothing one wears in mourning.
The term “witnesses” is most often used in the Bible in a legal context where more than one is required to convict. In this case it appears that the mission of these witness/prophets is to state the case for the God’s judgment against a world in rebellion.
This is a reference to Zechariah 4 where the prophet was shown a similar vision. Various explanations have been offered, the “witnesses” are symbolic of the “church” and the “state” because the olive trees and lampstands are “types” of each, but that makes little sense in this context. One may read this as the Holy Spirit pouring His truth into the Church (believers) who are to then be light – but it is then a challenge to explain why there are two. Others conclude that they are literally men and the oil is the Holy Spirit pouring the truth of God into them so that they may shine His light. This latter explanation appears to come closest to matching the apparent intent of the text.
Several of these negative events parallel the plagues upon Egypt.
The witnesses are a “type” of Jesus, and of all who follow Him,. The Enemy attacks both the truth and the messengers of truth.
John again qualifies his text, this time instead of “like” he uses “symbolically”.
This is s similar time-period to that which Jesus was dead. Observe that “... these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth”, suggesting again that all were unsaved – post tribulation (wrath). There is no evidence in this text that anyone mourned their death.
Resurrection, another “type” of Jesus. Elsewhere we are told that the Enemy will counterfeit this miracle in order to borrow credibility.
Ascension, another “type” of Jesus. Elijah was also taken-up in a vaguely similar way.
There are many atheists who cry out to God in a moment of abject terror in a “foxhole”, but that is not about salvation, it is merely a superstitious hope that some “magical being” would rescue them. The same appears to be true here, except that they have a much better notion as of Whom they should be terrified, thus they declared His power. The phrase “gave glory” is about the recognition of God’s power, it does not denote a submission to His Lordship, and a surrender of worldly attachments.
Prior to pouring-out His just Wrath upon the unrepentant world the Lord God sees fit to one final time send prophets to tell the story of why they are about to be condemned. Truth is preached and, as in the past, the truth-teller is murdered.
What are some practical ways to allow the Lord God to pour His truth into you so that you may be a light to the dark world all around you?
There is a difference between one who recognizes the glory and power of God (even Satan recognizes that) and one who submits appropriately to that (only a genuine believer).
What is an example from your life when fear caused you to “give glory”, the recognition of power, to someone or to some thing – but not so that you intended to worship it or them. (e.g. a scary storm, a menacing bully, a threatening animal, a dictatorial boss, etc.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways that you might partner with Him to better-receive His “oil” for your “lamp” so that you may become a more effective truth-teller.
Today I am choosing to seek a specific area where I may have been blocking the flow of His “oil” or have been failing to keep His “light” burning as brightly as I could and should.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Seventh Trumpet
11:15 Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven saying:
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever.”
11:16 Then the twenty-four elders who are seated on their thrones before God threw themselves down with their faces to the ground and worshiped God 11:17 with these words: “We give you thanks, Lord God, the All-Powerful, the one who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun to reign. 11:18 The nations were enraged, but your wrath has come, and the time has come for the dead to be judged, and the time has come to give to your servants, the prophets, their reward, as well as to the saints and to those who revere your name, both small and great, and the time has come to destroy those who destroy the earth.”
11:19 Then the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring, crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.
The Woman, the Child, and the Dragon
12:1 Then a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head was a crown of twelve stars. 12:2 She was pregnant and was screaming in labor pains, struggling to give birth.
12:3 Then another sign appeared in heaven: a huge red dragon that had seven heads and ten horns, and on its heads were seven diadem crowns. 12:4a Now the dragon’s tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth.
12:4b Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born.
12:5 So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, 12:6 and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days.
Lord, Your righteous-wrath will come and the enemy will desperately attempt to harm as many of Yours as possible. May I trust Your timing, Your justice, and Your perfect loving protection of those who belong to You.
The Lord God is about to finish the cleaning-out of fallen things and to wrest the final vestiges of power over the world from Satan, who has been the prince of this world since the Fall in Eden.
This last phase, which we have been studying, has been about God’s Wrath, poured-out upon an unrepentant world, in a three-woe process.
And thus begins the third and final woe.
The sun and the moon have varying Biblical meaning. We know from John’s qualifier “a great sign” that the “woman” is symbolic rather than literal, though not certainly exclusive of literal meaning. Some have postulated the woman as representing Israel, some the Church (in the Historicist model more the institutional organization, in the all-of-the-above model she would represent believers), others (Preterist) literally Mary, and yet others (Idealist) the coming of one philosophy or another purporting to represent God. The Futurist might have one postulate literal Israel returning to the forefront of Biblical events, perhaps the “completion” of Jews as they accept Jesus as Messiah, or perhaps as the Church (believers) “... struggling to give birth” to truth in a world that seems to prefer the darkness of lies.
The dragon is generally understood as a symbol of evil, or of Satan himself. The sweeping away of “a third of the stars in heaven” has appeared previously to describe angels whom he led into his rebellion against God.
Depending on the view of the woman’s identity the birth could be literally Jesus, figuratively Jesus ushering-in the Church, figuratively the organized church impacting the world, figuratively Israel turning to their Messiah, or figuratively Jesus gathering His Church together to “birth” the “new heaven and new earth”, which would of course mean the end of Satan.
There are widely varying methodologies which impact how one interprets Revelation; Preterist (allegorical and symbolic from John’s time), Historicist (allegorical and symbolic of church history), Idealist (illustrating spiritual truths with incidental relationship to history or future), Futurist (describing the latter days of the end times). It is this student’s view that the answer is all-of-the-above rather than any one of them to the exclusion of the others. The Bible is filled with layers of meaning and there is no sound reason to believe that Revelation is suddenly an exception, one must be as equally cautious to not exclude meaning as one is to not impose meaning. It is also helpful to recall that while Creation is locked-into linear time, one event follows another in order within a fixed flow of time and no one can move back and forth in time, such is not true of God. It is also helpful to recall that what seems like a long time on earth to man is but a moment in time to God.
Revelation 11:19 described a scene that sounds a lot like the events at the death of Jesus on the Cross “... the temple of God in heaven was opened and the ark of his covenant was visible within his temple. And there were flashes of lightning, roaring, crashes of thunder, an earthquake, and a great hailstorm.”
Up until this point there appeared to be a clear sequence of events, all the way up to the third and final “woe” of the pouring-out of the Wrath of God and the text of Rev. 11:14-18 clearly supports that reading. It would thus appear that the following text may refer to events in the spiritual realm parallel to the prior telling of earth-bound events.
[It is beyond this Study to attempt the granular exploration necessary to compare and contrast the many vagaries among analyses of Revelation. There are Biblical themes critical to salvation and righteous living reinforced in Revelation and those, more than anything are, to be discerned and applied.]
The message is clear that there is a massive spiritual battle and we are in the middle of it, indeed, we are the treasure over which the Lord God and Satan are warring.
What are some practical ways to help people to see the pattern in the Bible of Satan as our implacable enemy and the Lord God as our tenacious ally?
The continuing pattern of the Biblical teaching is that the faithful are blessed with God’s love, and the rebellious are cursed with the absence of God’s love.
When have you observed (or experienced) a newly saved person, or a growing and effective outreach of evangelistic-missions, whom or which the enemy has attacked? How did God defend that person or ministry?
Ask the Holy Spirit to show me one area of your walk with Him where you need to be strengthened in your knowledge of and trust in Him.
Today I am choosing to step-out without fear and to bear-up when the enemy attacks, because He is my courage and He is my strength and my great defender.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
War in Heaven
12:7 Then war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.
12:8 But the dragon was not strong enough to prevail, so there was no longer any place left in heaven for him and his angels.
12:9 So that huge dragon – the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.
12:10 Then I heard a loud voice in heaven saying, “The salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the ruling authority of his Christ, have now come, because the accuser of our brothers and sisters, the one who accuses them day and night before our God, has been thrown down.”
12:11 “But they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die.
12:12 “Therefore you heavens rejoice, and all who reside in them! But woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has come down to you! He is filled with terrible anger, for he knows that he only has a little time!”
12:13 Now when the dragon realized that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child.
12:14 But the woman was given the two wings of a giant eagle so that she could fly out into the wilderness, to the place God prepared for her, where she is taken care of – away from the presence of the serpent – for a time, times, and half a time.
12:15 Then the serpent spouted water like a river out of his mouth after the woman in an attempt to sweep her away by a flood,
12:16 but the earth came to her rescue; the ground opened up and swallowed the river that the dragon had spewed from his mouth.”
12:17 So the dragon became enraged at the woman and went away to make war on the rest of her children, those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony about Jesus.
(12:18) And the dragon stood on the sand of the seashore.
Lord, You cast Satan out of Heaven – together with the fallen-angels – and they sought revenge against Your children here on Earth. May I be found faithful so that rather than partnering with Your enemy, and mine, I am Your instrument of blessing.
The context of his text suggests a jump back to the original fall of Satan and one-third of the angels, which may or may not imply that everything up to this point was prior to the fall in Heaven.
In our study of Genesis 1-4 there was a reasonable suggestion that the fall of man paralleled the fall of Satan; that when he tempted Eve he was verbalizing for the first time his own rebellion. That said, the Biblical text elsewhere refers to the spiritual battle “in the heavenlies”, so perhaps this text refers to a time where God called an end to that post-Fall conflict (prior Revelation text had chronicled major change throughout Heaven and all of Creation).
The text also continues to suggest that this cataclysmic event follows a period of time after the fall of Satan, as it refers to his past; indeed, the term “ancient” is used.
This text, paired with the gospel understanding of the impact of Jesus’ death and resurrection upon the power of Satan and of death, suggests a moment has been reached for the final impact of “... the accuser” being “... thrown down” by “Christ”.
The text says “... our brothers” the believers “overcame” because they were fearless in their faith. The term “overcame” could be past, or present, or both.
In the flow of Revelation vs 12:12 may describe the release of Satan and his minions upon the earth as the woes” unfold.
The NET translators conclude that “... a time, times, and half a time.” refers to 1,260 days, the same as referenced elsewhere in the text of Revelation. There are seemingly endless reports of God’s provision of a safe place for those whom He loves, so this fits with with the character of God.
God defends those who are his. It is valuable to note the linkages from passage to passage where the text includes “then”, which implies a sequential flow of events.
The “children” of the “women” are identified as faithful and under attack. If this refers to a moment in what has generally appeared to be a continuous flow of time, and is taken literally, then the believers would be new ones “birthed” during the Wrath. If more allegorical then it could refer to his efforts to cause the condemnation of believers in the Lord – a quixotic endeavor. It is notable that Jesus described sand as a poor choice of places on which to build a house as it tends to be washed away more easily.
Satan directly challenged the rule of Heaven by the Lord God and lost. There are two Biblical postulates to explain why Satan and the fallen angels were not obliterated; the first is that Satan’s Fall was directly-associated with that of Adam & Eve – so his future became linked to that of all of humankind, and the second is that part of the process of justice was to demonstrate why Satan and the fallen angels had to be destroyed.
How might you use this text to help believers to trust the Lord God more and to become more-watchful for the evil schemes of the enemy?
Despite the cataclysmic battle the Lord God troubles Himself to protect His children.
When have you observed a circumstance where someone tried to harm a fellowship but they were detected and further harm prevented?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you believe that is not truly-Biblical but is, rather, a trick of the enemy to create conflict between you and your Lord Jesus.
Today I will humbly and gratefully accept the Heavenly-warning. I will seek-out a fellow believer, and perhaps one who is Biblically-qualified as an elder, to walk with me toward truth.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Two Beasts
13:1 Then I saw a beast coming up out of the sea. It had ten horns and seven heads, and on its horns were ten diadem crowns, and on its heads a blasphemous name.
13:2 Now the beast that I saw was like a leopard, but its feet were like a bear’s, and its mouth was like a lion’s mouth. The dragon gave the beast his power, his throne, and great authority to rule.
13:3 One of the beast’s heads appeared to have been killed, but the lethal wound had been healed. And the whole world followed the beast in amazement;
13:4 they worshiped the dragon because he had given ruling authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast too, saying: “Who is like the beast?” and “Who is able to make war against him?”
13:5 The beast was given a mouth speaking proud words and blasphemies, and he was permitted to exercise ruling authority for forty-two months.
13:6 So the beast opened his mouth to blaspheme against God – to blaspheme both his name and his dwelling place, that is, those who dwell in heaven.
13:7 The beast was permitted 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.
13:9 If anyone has an ear, he had better listen!
Lord, for forty-two months You will allow the “beast” to play-god in order that there is a sifting of rebels from believers. May I trust You to protect those who belong to You and that Jesus is far more powerful than the “beast” and will defeat him.
While the “beast” is initially described as an “it”, suggesting that it could be a group or an organization, the text then switches to a masculine gender “his”. This suggests that the beast also has a clear human or human-like focus or leader. Since the “dragon” is a symbol of Satan, and he is the prince of this world, he is able to give power to the “beast” - and God allows it as part of His unfolding judgment.
The “beast” counterfeits the healing and/or resurrection by Jesus and His disciples in order to borrow/steal credibility.
Worship is what Satan always wanted, despite the fact that only the Lord God is to be worshiped.
John 4:3 teaches that the spirit of the antichrist is already in the world, so this is more of an unbridled release than an entirely new activity.
Everyone will worship the beast (and Satan) except for believers, because their names have been written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and they only worship God.
An Old Testament “type” for this experience is Daniel, who in captivity continued to worship God, even though jealous schemers had manipulated the king into a declaration requiring that the people could only worship him.
A clear line is drawn between the faithful and the rebellious, those who belong to this fallen world and those who belong to the kingdom of heaven. This world gets the leadership it desires – apart from the Lord God – and believers endure as God works-out His perfect plan.
What are some examples of the ways tht people are being conditioned to believe lies and to follow obvious liars in the world today?
The Lord God allows Satan a time to pretend to be God and to manipulate and terrorize the unsaved into worshiping him, and those to whom he delegates power. Any time that we drift into the functional-worship of any sort of idol (celebrity, money, possessions, power, etc) we make it easier for Satan to persuade people to worship him rather than God.
When have you experienced or observed someone claiming authority in the Christian world who lied about the Lord God and about themselves?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you believe something that you have reason to believe is not true (or are doing something you know to be unwise), but that you want to believe (or do), so you are ignoring the truth.
Today I will humbly confess and seek forgiveness for my offense against the truth. I will accept the Lord Gods forgiveness as I truly-repent, and will prayerfully reconcile and be restored to a healthier relationship with Him – without that sin in the way.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
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.
13:11 Then I saw another beast coming up from the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but was speaking like a dragon.
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, the one whose lethal wound had been healed.
13:13 He performed momentous signs, even making fire come down from heaven in front of people 13:14a and, by the signs he was permitted to perform on behalf of the beast, he deceived those who live on the earth.
13:14b He told those who live on the earth to make an image to the beast who had been wounded by the sword, but still lived.
13:15 The second beast 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.
13:17 Thus no one was allowed to buy or sell things unless he bore the mark of the beast – that is, his name or his number.
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.
Lord, You allow the enemy to bring his best against the world so as to cull the faithful out from ‘fakesville’, a terribly-painful refining process. May I be prepared to stand-apart from the world system and to stand with You, with your strength – not mine - no matter what.
Believers will suffer for their faithfulness to God. It is unclear if “meant for” requires that God has ordained the manner of death, for His purposes, or if it means that whatever comes one must endure in faith.
Some have suggested a parallel to Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:52 “... everyone who takes up the sword will die by the sword”, but the NET translator’s argue for the Jeremiah 15:2 meaning of endurance.
A creature with horns like a lamb, and other features like a dragon, is a common image in satanism and witchcraft.
This odd-looking creature is one who has delegated power from the beast - whose power came from Satan.
The deception is amplified using false signs and wonders.
What was presented in vss 13:14b-15was an animated idol with the power to kill those who did not worship it. This is not necessarily a singular physical being, or a literal animated-statue, but may be symbolic of a political-religious system.
There has been much debate as to the precise meaning of the “mark”. The timing of this must be prior to the Wrath, as that is reserved for non-believers, and the lesson appears to be that believers need a form or bartering and/or interdependence that is independent of the world system of commerce – as they will not accept “the mark of the beast” and therefore will not be allowed to participate in general commerce.
There are many speculations about the “number” one must reconcile “the number … 666” as the number of humankind, the number of the name of the antichrist, and the number of the “mark”; none of them necessarily literally “666”
Some schemes have purported to assign numbers to letters and then to discover words that use them, of course they do this in English – a language that did not exist at the time – to be legitimate this must be done in the original language, ancient Greek. Perhaps the wisdom to “calculate the number” has not yet been given to humankind by the Lord God.
Do we have a plan to survive, brothers and sister helping one-another, when we have to reject the “mark” and therefore are unable to gain access to resources via the normal worldly system of commerce?
If the “mark” prevents believers from participation in the commerce of the world if that more likely to finally motivate us to work together, or will we all suffer terrible poverty – isolated and unprepared?
Those who are obsessed with guessing the meaning of “666” via some scheme may be proving their lack of wisdom.
When have you experienced an example of suffering for your faith?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some way that you, and perhaps a number of other believers, might prepare yourselves to support one-another – physically ad spiritually – should the “mark” become real during your lifetime.
Today I will discuss with fellow believer how we might acquire the necessities of life apart from the world system of commerce. We will also discuss how we can support one-another in bearing-up under the terrible oppression – perhaps learning from modern-day believers in the Sudan and other systematically and /or violently anti-Christian nations.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
An Interlude: The Song of the 144,000
14:1 Then I looked, and here was the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were one hundred and forty-four thousand, who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.
14:2 I also heard a sound coming out of heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. Now the sound I heard was like that made by harpists playing their harps, 14:3 and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one was able to learn the song except the one hundred and forty-four thousand who had been redeemed from the earth.
14:4 These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These were redeemed from humanity as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb, 14:5 and no lie was found on their lips; they are blameless.
Three Angels and Three Messages
14:6 Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth – to every nation, tribe, language, and people.
14:7 He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”
14:8 A second angel followed the first, declaring: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great city! She made all the nations drink of the wine of her immoral passion.”
14:9 A third angel followed the first two, declaring in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and takes the mark on his forehead or his hand, 14:10 that person will also drink of the wine of God’s anger that has been mixed undiluted in the cup of his wrath, and he will be tortured with fire and sulfur in front of the holy angels and in front of the Lamb. 14:11 And the smoke from their torture will go up forever and ever, and those who worship the beast and his image will have no rest day or night, along with anyone who receives the mark of his name.”
14:12 This requires the steadfast endurance of the saints – those who obey God’s commandments and hold to their faith in Jesus.”
14:13 Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: ‘Blessed are the dead, those who die in the Lord from this moment on!’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “so they can rest from their hard work, because their deeds will follow them.”
14:14 Then I looked, and a white cloud appeared, and seated on the cloud was one like a son of man! He had a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 14:15 Then another angel came out of the temple, shouting in a loud voice to the one seated on the cloud, “Use your sickle and start to reap, because the time to reap has come, since the earth’s harvest is ripe!” 14:16 So the one seated on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the earth was reaped.”
14:17 Then another angel came out of the temple in heaven, and he too had a sharp sickle. 14:18 Another angel, who was in charge of the fire, came from the altar and called in a loud voice to the angel who had the sharp sickle, “Use your sharp sickle and gather the clusters of grapes off the vine of the earth, because its grapes are now ripe.”
14:19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and gathered the grapes from the vineyard of the earth and tossed them into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 14:20 Then the winepress was stomped outside the city, and blood poured out of the winepress up to the height of horses’ bridles for a distance of almost two hundred miles.”
Lord, Your love is so great that even in the midst of terrible judgment You still choose to offer a final opportunity for salvation. May I honor Your love and patience and more-intentionally partner with the Holy Spirit to follow You more closely.
This is a celebration, a prelude to the great redemption of God’s children into an eternity of perfect relationship with Him - that which He has long desired and patiently brought to fruition.
It could be that the “new song” is the praise of the newly redeemed 144,000, a new song (or a new “choir”) never before heard in Heaven.
Clearly there is none but Jesus Who ever lived on this fallen earth who truly “undefiled” and truly “blameless”.
If the text is taken somewhat literally this would represent 144,000 children, taken prior to the so-called age of accountability, may represent a selective-rapture, and would refer to the absence of volitional-sin versus salvific-blamelessness (none but Jesus achieved that).
The discussion of the 144,000 has previously been considered and it is improbable, though not impossible, that these are other than the same.
The description of the 144,000 could be treated as rhetorical, as all who are given new bodies are instantly “virgins”, and because they have been made holy – in Christ – and they are also “blameless”.
Vss 14:6-7 may be a final call to faith to those remaining on earth, may be the final clarion call of the end of the fallen world, and may be a declaration of the last chance to take sides (the “mark” serving as a “line in the sand”).
Vs 14:12 mentions “saints”, suggesting that – depending upon where one positions the time-sequence of these events - some appear to have newly come-to-faith after the Tribulation and/or during the Wrath.
The Lord God calls for endurance in faith during an exceptionally difficult time and He promises blessing.
If the One on the “white cloud” is Jesus then the angel was not issuing a command but was, rather, making a celebratory declaration.
If this being was “like a son of man”, it could mean that it looked-human, or that it looked more than merely-human – more like Jesus. (Since 14:17 refers to a parallel being as an “angel” one may reasonably postulate this also to be an angel – or at least an angelic-like being.)
Those in unrepentant-rebellion have their life-blood pressed out of them so that they no longer contain the breath of life that the Lord God once gave them.
A “new song”, never before heard in Heaven, will be sung as those whom He has redeemed enter the presence of God.
What are some practical ways to live “blameless” and “undefiled” lives before our loving and gracious Lord God, insofar as is possible in these fallen bodies in this fallen world, even with the help of the Holy Spirit?
Even after thousands of years of history, and all of the events of the last days of these end times, the Lord God still issues a final challenge to people to choose sides.
What example(s) of endurance in the face of persecution-for-faith can you share and how was the strengthening of the Holy Spirit apparent to you during those events? (Either as a participant or as an observer.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your walk where you could become more intentionally “blameless” and “undefiled” in a specific and practical way.
Today I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement, and to be an accountability-partner, in my journey toward greater maturity as a child of the Lord God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 4 – 5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in June of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
The Final Plagues
15:1 Then I saw another great and astounding sign in heaven: seven angels who have seven final plagues (they are final because in them God’s anger is completed).
15:2 Then I saw something like a sea of glass mixed with fire, and those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name. They were standing by the sea of glass, holding harps given to them by God.
15:3 They sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:
“Great and astounding are your deeds,
Lord God, the All-Powerful!
Just and true are your ways,
King over the nations!
15:4 Who will not fear you, O Lord, and glorify your name, because you alone are holy?
All nations will come and worship before you for your righteous acts have been revealed.”
15:5 After these things I looked, and the temple (the tent of the testimony) was opened in heaven,
15:6 and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, dressed in clean bright linen, wearing wide golden belts around their chests.
15:7 Then one of the four living creatures gave the seven angels seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God who lives forever and ever,
15:8 and the temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and from his power.
Thus no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues from the seven angels were completed.
Lord, Your perfect justice will bring an end to the conflict, in the meanwhile the consequence of choices will unfold as it must. May I cling tightly to You for safety in the storms of life.
The consequences of thousands of years of rebellion are “bowls of wrath”, the terrible outpouring of a mercy-free cause and effect, a world without the tempering grace of the Lord God.
Standing with the angels, holding the bowls of God’s wrath, were “... those who had conquered the beast and his image and the number of his name”.
Conquering the beast would have been accomplished through the faith-enabled power of the Lord.
Conquering his image, the animated-idol which so many will worship would happen in the same way.
Conquering “... the number of his name” remains a mystery to be known in its time, but will also only happen through the faith-enabled power of the Lord.
Despite their preference for evil and rebellion every nation will submit and recognize the holy power of the Lord God.
While the “bowls of wrath” are being poured-out the Lord God becomes unapproachable in the temple, perhaps a parallel to the “furnace” of Daniel 3, which was so hot that servants who drew too-near were consumed by the heat, or Moses at the “burning bush” in Exodus 3, at which time (and later during the making of the Ten Commandments) he was warned to take care to not approach too-closely and/or to turn away.
Those who stood with the Lord God during the most trying times continued to be held near to Him.
What are some other times in the Bible where the Lord God set boundaries in His relationship with humankind due to His righteous-anger which His grace was preventing Him from destroying them?
The Lord God is the definition of, and the sole source of, holiness.
What is an example of a time when testimonies were shared and the presence of the glory and power of the Lord among His people seemed exceptionally real?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a testimony that He has in your life which He wants you to share so that others may know His love poured-out into you.
Today I will share my story, perhaps before a group, perhaps in an electronic format, perhaps one on one – calling little attention to myself, giving all of the attention and glory to the only Holy One.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Bowls of God’s Wrath
16:1 Then I heard a loud voice from the temple declaring to the seven angels: “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”
16:2 So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth. Then ugly and painful sores appeared on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.
16:3 Next, the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea and it turned into blood, like that of a corpse, and every living creature that was in the sea died.
16:4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and the springs of water, and they turned into blood.
16:5 Now I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are just – the one who is and who was, the Holy One – because you have passed these judgments,
16:6 because they poured out the blood of your saints and prophets, so you have given them blood to drink. They got what they deserved!”
16:7 Then I heard the altar reply, “Yes, Lord God, the All-Powerful, your judgments are true and just!”
16:8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was permitted to scorch people with fire.
16:9 Thus people were scorched by the terrible heat, yet they blasphemed the name of God, who has ruling authority over these plagues, and they would not repent and give him glory.
16:10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast so that darkness covered his kingdom, and people began to bite their tongues because of their pain.
16:11 They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their sufferings and because of their sores, but nevertheless they still refused to repent of their deeds.
16:12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates and dried up its water to prepare the way for the kings from the east.
16:13 Then I saw three unclean spirits that looked like frogs coming out of the mouth of the dragon, out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet.
16:14 For they are the spirits of the demons performing signs who go out to the kings of the earth to bring them together for the battle that will take place on the great day of God, the All-Powerful.
Lord, You are always just, it is humankind which is both rebellious and unjust. May I pray and share with those who do not yet have a saving relationship with You.
Choices have consequences.
Observe that it says “... every living creature” in the sea died. This breaks the food-cycle of the entire planet.
Whereas much of Revelation utilizes symbolism it is reasonable to take “... the angel of the waters” as a rhetorical expression to say that one angel celebrated the justice of the Egypt-like plague of turning the waters to blood.
Vs 16:6 justice and vs. 16:7 affirmation.
Here is an incredible expression of power, from a human standpoint, that the massive sun could be stimulated to expel enough energy - above and beyond the usual - to burn people on the earth. Even though it was acknowledged that the source of this plague was God, the same three prior plagues, the unrepentant people still refused to “... give Him glory but, rather, blasphemed His name.”
Sores on their bodies, no fish in the sea, no water to drink, burns, and oppressive heat, and now darkness – yet the unrepentant continue to rebel.
A huge highway is made from the river bed as it is about time for the battle of Armageddon and the armies need to gather.
God allows the demons to summon the human kings of the rebellious people.
Consequences come upon unrepentant people who chose Satan over God. As distasteful as it is – this is justice. Note that the text refers over and over to their continued choice to blaspheme God rather than to surrender and worship Him.
What are some practical ways to show people the Lord God’s consistency from Genesis to Revelation. He tells us how to be right before Him and what are the consequences of rebellion? (He uses many of the same consequences over and over, so none may be surprised when they come in a final judgment.)
The depth of arrogant-rebellion is amazing; even under these devastatingly-horrific conditions people continue to assert their independence from God and their reliance upon Satan – who is powerless to protect them and who is also part of the reason for their suffering.
What is an example of contemporary events where despite overwhelming evidence some people refuse to accept truth because it would require them to be aligned with a group or person whom they have been propagandized to hate?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have accepted a lie because to think and/or act otherwise would force you to make peace with someone or some organization for whom you have developed a strong dislike.
Today I agree to cooperate with the Holy Spirit, and as necessary to recruit an accountability and prayer partner, as I walk through the process of accepting a hard truth as I reconcile with a hard-to-like and hard-to-love person or group of people.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
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.)
16:16 Now the spirits gathered the kings and their armies to the place that is called Armageddon in Hebrew.
16:17 Finally the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying: “It is done!”
16:18 Then there were flashes of lightning, roaring, and crashes of thunder, and there was a tremendous earthquake – an earthquake unequaled since humanity has been on the earth, so tremendous was that earthquake.
16:19 The great city was split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. So Babylon the great was remembered before God, and was given the cup filled with the wine made of God’s furious wrath.
16:20 Every island fled away and no mountains could be found.
16:21 And gigantic hailstones, weighing about a hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people, but they blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, since it was so horrendous.
Lord, as the final bowl of Your righteous-wrath is poured-out what Jesus defeated when He said “it is finished” is thereby completed. May I be both glad and sad as this means that the time has come for You to gather Your children home and to destroy evil, yet many will perish and suffer for their rebellion.
Jesus again declares that He will return to end the days of fallen man on this earth – and no one but God knows that day – so we must be at the ready. Not found being careless about the things required of our faith.
Armageddon means the high place of Megiddo, it is the OT location of two major victories and also where Saul and Josiah died. It is a place of massive conflict and massive losses.
The OT judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah and the last words of Jesus on the Cross are echoed “it is done” or “it is finished” as the flow of evil out from Babylon is now reversed against it.
The cities are gone, the fish are dead, the water is undrinkable, people suffer sores and sunburns, great armies have gathered at Megiddo, the land has been leveled and there are no islands to which anyone may escape.
Then the “... gigantic hailstones” fall. (The smoke and ash and dust from the burning and crumbling cities have seeded the clouds?)
But still the unrepentant people blasphemed God rather than turn to the all-powerful One and the only One who can save them.
The Lord is showing them the “sign” that they demanded in Mark 8:11-12, and as Jesus knew “in His Spirit”, would make no difference.
Jesus will return and those without a saving relationship with Him will be as if they were without clothes, their sin visible to earth and heaven, their doom sealed.
Why is it important that we presume the day of His return is tomorrow, rather than some specific date?
The Lord allowed Cain to establish the first city, and throughout history cities have served as concentrated places of sin.
When have you observed a person, aware of a deadline, awaiting the last minute to complete tasks that they should have engaged daily without regard to the deadline?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you one area of your live where you have procrastinated dealing with sin.
Today I will prayerfully confess and repent of both the sin and the procrastination, I will partner with the Holy Spirit to drive that sin from my life, and I will pray daily against its return.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Great Prostitute and the Beast
17:1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke to me. “Come,” he said, “I will show you the condemnation and punishment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters,
17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality and the earth’s inhabitants got drunk with the wine of her immorality.”
17:3 So he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness, and there I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
17:4 Now the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup filled with detestable things and unclean things from her sexual immorality.
17:5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: “Babylon the Great, the Mother of prostitutes and of the detestable things of the earth.”
17:6a I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and the blood of those who testified to Jesus.
17:6b I was greatly astounded when I saw her. 17:7 But the angel said to me, “Why are you astounded? I will interpret for you the mystery of the woman and of the beast with the seven heads and ten horns that carries her. 17:8a The beast you saw was, and is not, but is about to come up from the abyss and then go to destruction.”
17:8b The inhabitants of the earth – all those whose names have not been written in the book of life since the foundation of the world – will be astounded when they see that the beast was, and is not, but is to come.
17:9 (This requires a mind that has wisdom.)
Lord, Your children are not involved in the pouring-out of Your wrath, but the immense evil that is described is profound. May my prayer-filled empathy for those not-yet-saved be increased and my outreach to them be increased.
The great prostitute is over “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages” (see Verse 17:15). It/she is the worldly philosophy or system which teaches rebellion against God and the pursuit of sin.
“Mystery” is a term which often refers to something difficult to understand and generally involving a spiritual element. Many of the word pictures John uses are common from Revelation and elsewhere in the NT and OT. This “woman” is not the same as the “prostitute”.
Satan hates truth and all who reject Jesus are slaves to him. Those who hate truth hate those who love the truth. The world system is his tool of manipulation in the world and it desires the destruction of all believers because believers represent conviction of their blasphemous life choices.
The beast was swept from the earth “... was, and is not” but will be released to face judgment.
The unsaved will be shocked when they see that God not only took the beast away but that He may at-will bring him back for judgment.
Leaders of nations, perhaps also sub-groups within nations, entice the people to follow apostate religions, leading them away from the truth of the Lord God. The Word teaches that “... people perish for lack of knowledge.” [Hosea 4:6]
How can the Biblical-Christian church more-effectively educate people about the essentially of the faith so that they are not as easily deceived?
The Enemy, and his associates, have done – and will do – a great deal of harm but the Lord God is greater and His great plan will be completed.
When have you experienced or observed a leader causing people to look away from Biblical teaching and at “another gospel”?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to educate people about the essentials of the Biblical-Christian faith.
Today I will prayerfully and practically, directly and/or indirectly, make and assist in every way that the Holy Spirit directs and provides.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
17:9b “The seven heads are seven mountains the woman sits on.
They are also seven kings: 17:10 five have fallen; one is, and the other has not yet come, but whenever he does come, he must remain for only a brief time.
17:11 “The beast that was, and is not, is himself an eighth king and yet is one of the seven, and is going to destruction.
17:12 “The ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive ruling authority as kings with the beast for one hour.
17:13 “These kings have a single intent, and they will give their power and authority to the beast.
17:14 “They will make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them, because he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those accompanying the Lamb are the called, chosen, and faithful.”
17:15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw (where the prostitute is seated) are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
17:16 The ten horns that you saw, and the beast – these will hate the prostitute and make her desolate and naked. They will consume her flesh and burn her up
with fire.
17:17 For God has put into their minds to carry out his purpose by making a decision to give their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.”
“17:18 As for the woman you saw, she is the great city that has sovereignty over the kings of the earth.”
Lord, no matter how many fallen angels and rebellious humans join with the enemy, You will always prevail. May I trust You, rest in the certainty that soon all imperfection will be obliterated, and serve you with complete confidence of right and victory.
Some have taken this, and some text to follow, to refer to literal human kings in past history. Others take it to refer philosophies or religions. If this follows the events of Rev. 16 then either the leveling of the mountains therein was only of some, rather than all, or else the term “mountain” here is rhetorical and not literal. The beast that both is one of the seven and the eighth king is one who was a king that had fallen but has been brought back and again becomes a king.
The time-sequence of Revelation is somewhat mysterious some have speculated that John, in a non-linear time experience, is seeing the past, present and future, others suggest that he is seeing only the future (following his time), and yet others that the events are entirely from the Tribulation-forward.
It has been suggested that these are usurpers of worldly political authority in ten states or regions who are manipulated into power so that they may transfer the sovereign powers of the ten to a single one-world power.
The “Lamb” (the Son of God, member of the Trinity) has superior authority and power and will always prevail.
There is ultimately no “honor among thieves” as here they turn upon one of their own.
Vs 17:18 refers to Babylon.
The big picture of sin is that it pollutes “peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages”.
What are some practical ways explain the Biblical meaning of “Babylon”?
What are the subtle and not-so-subtle ways that sin is able to spread across to much of the world and not be recognized and rejected?
What is an example from your life where you discovered hidden sin in your life which had been promoted by culture, tradition, government, or language?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you ways that enticements to sin are being brought into your life, promoted by culture, tradition, government, or language.
Today I agree to do what I can to avoid and/or purge those things where I can, to pray for God’s protection, and to enter into a prayer and accountability relationship with a fellow believer to keep myself safe.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
Babylon is Destroyed
18:1 After these things I saw another angel, who possessed great authority, coming down out of heaven, and the earth was lit up by his radiance.
18:2 He shouted with a powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is Babylon the great! She has become a lair for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detested beast.
18:3 “For all the nations have fallen from the wine of her immoral passion, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have gotten rich from the power of her sensual behavior.”
18:4 Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, so you will not take part in her sins and so you will not receive her plagues,
18:5 “because her sins have piled up all the way to heaven and God has remembered her crimes.
18:6 “Repay her the same way she repaid others; pay her back double corresponding to her deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix double the amount for her.
18:7 “As much as she exalted herself and lived in sensual luxury, to this extent give her torment and grief because she said to herself, ‘I rule as queen and am no widow; I will never experience grief!’
18:8 “For this reason, she will experience her plagues in a single day: disease, mourning, and famine, and she will be burned down with fire, because the Lord God who judges her is powerful!”
Lord, the philosophies and people who promote evil-rebellion must soon be eliminated by You, and Your children must learn to avoid them in the meanwhile. May I be watchful, warning others, and accepting the wisdom of Your Holy Spirit to avoid evil in my own life.
As discussed in previous weeks the events of Revelation are unlikely to be time-linear but, rather, moving from scenario to scenario to explain different elements of the last days of the end times.
Chapter 18 begins with “After these things ...” then in vs 4 mentions saved people coming out from association with the sinfulness of Babylon, placing that moment clearly prior to the Wrath of God.
The angelic being referenced is not Jesus, any more than the angel in 10:1 was. It has all of the markings of an “archangel” such as Gabriel or Michael.
The angel of the Lord God brings light into a very dark world much as every believer is instructed to bring both light and salt into the world around them.
The discussion of “Babylon” in Rev. 17 may be worth revisiting for perspective.
Selling-out to anything but the Lord God is immoral and is a form of slavery to the lusts of the flesh.
Vs 4 reads like a parallel to the Lord God’s call upon Lot, via Abraham, to flee Sodom and Gomorrah.
The source of encouragement, false prophets and religions, to rebel against the Lordship of God is now punished by God.
The world system, fed by the evil of the enemy, seduces and compromises all who trust it.
What are some good ways to help people to recognize the difference between the things of the Lord God and those of the world, without become too legalistic, yet without compromising with sin?
How different are we when it comes to things of pleasure?
When have you experienced or observed the people of God being persuaded that worldly priorities are acceptable when they clearly are not?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have been led astray by the community and people around you.
Today I will confess and repent of my drift into unrighteous priorities, I will restructure my life to replace them with the things of God, and I will prayerfully review daily or weekly to assure that I don’t drift back into worldly ways.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
18:9 Then the kings of the earth who committed immoral acts with her and lived in sensual luxury with her will weep and wail for her when they see the smoke from the fire that burns her up.
18:10 They will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment, and will say, “Woe, woe, O great city, Babylon the powerful city! For in a single hour your doom has come!”
18:11 Then the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn for her because no one buys their cargo any longer – 18:12 cargo such as gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all sorts of things made of citron wood, all sorts of objects made of ivory, all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble, 18:13 cinnamon, spice, incense, perfumed ointment, frankincense, wine, olive oil and costly flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and four-wheeled carriages, slaves and human lives. 18:14 (The ripe fruit you greatly desired has gone from you, and all your luxury and splendor have gone from you – they will never ever be found again!)
18:15 The merchants who sold these things, who got rich from her, will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment. They will weep and mourn, 18:16 saying, “Woe, woe, O great city –dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet clothing, and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls –18:17a because in a single hour such great wealth has been destroyed!”
18:17b And every ship’s captain, and all who sail along the coast – seamen, and all who make their living from the sea, stood a long way off 18:18 and began to shout when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, “Who is like the great city?”
18:19 And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, “Woe, Woe, O great city – in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth – because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”
18:20 (Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has pronounced judgment against her on your behalf!)
18:21 Then one powerful angel picked up a stone like a huge millstone, threw it into the sea, and said, “With this kind of sudden violent force Babylon the great city will be thrown down and it will never be found again!
18:22 And the sound of the harpists, musicians, flute players, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. No craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again; the noise of a mill will never be heard in you again. 18:23 Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells! 18:24 The blood of the saints and prophets was found in her, along with the blood of all those who had been killed on the earth.”
Lord, You have made no secret of what You love and hate, and have been patient. May I never look back to the past and long to be in those sinful places again.
The longing of the merchants and others for the city being destroyed, because of sin, is a parallel to perspective of Lot’s wife.
Vss 18:9, 15 These people are so obsessed with the things of the world they miss the reality that the same God who destroyed Babylon has the power to destroy or save them.
Vss 17b-19 once again, they miss the point.
Vs 20 is about justice.
The legend of Atlantis probably flowed from an unattributed thread from Revelation or perhaps the OT prophesy upon which it is built, though the mystery in that fable is how and why the great city of Atlantis was suddenly destroyed. There are many such fables which some claim to pre-date the Bible but represent mere fragments of the Biblical story for which the threads of connection have been long-lost. To the direct point of the text, justice is meted-out upon this well-spring of rebellious selfishness.
What terrible blindness those observing the destruction had; they were so consumed with their momentary selfishness that they missed the big-picture reality of Who was doing the destroying and why.
What are some practical ways to parallel the sinful influence “Babylon”, as described here, and that of individuals, institutions, philosophies, and religions today?
How different are we upon the reach of the influence of Babylon and how entangled so much of the world had become – so that they could neither recognize the evil nor could they comprehend that “her” fate was about to become theirs.
When have you observed an example of an individual, institution, philosophy, or religion that has sold-out to “Babylon”.
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place in your life where you have been tolerating a Babylon-like influence for reasons of comfort, convenience, power, or profit.
Today I will partner with the Holy Spirit, and as is appropriate, a fellow believer (for accountability and prayer) to purge that influence from my life – no matter the cost.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 4 – 5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in June of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
Commentary
19:1 After these things I heard what sounded like the loud voice of a vast throng in heaven, saying,
“Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,
19:2 because his judgments are true and just. For he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality, and has avenged the blood of his servants poured out by her own hands!”
19:3 Then a second time the crowd shouted, “Hallelujah!” The smoke rises from her forever and ever. 19:4 The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures threw themselves to the ground and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne, saying: “Amen! Hallelujah!”
19:5 Then a voice came from the throne, saying: “Praise our God all you his servants, and all you who fear Him, both the small and the great!”
19:6 Then I heard what sounded like the voice of a vast throng, like the roar of many waters and like loud crashes of thunder. They were shouting: “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the All-Powerful, reigns!
19:7 “Let us rejoice and exult and give him glory, because the wedding celebration of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.
19:8 “She was permitted to be dressed in bright, clean, fine linen” (for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints).
19:9a Then the angel said to me, “Write the following: Blessed are those who are invited to the banquet at the wedding celebration of the Lamb!”
19:9b He also said to me, “These are the true words of God.”
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.”
Lord, Your servants – even the angels – honor Your sovereign right to worship. May I be faithful in never worshiping anyone or anything other than You, my Lord.
In vss 19:1-2 the text describes the implementation of grace-delayed justice.
The phrase “... forever and ever” in vs 3 is a rhetorical flourish best understood in the context of linear created time. Those who are condemned are bonded to the once-created and then-fallen “heavens and earth”; therefore, when the heavens and earth as we know them are obliterated everything associated is also obliterated.
In vss 19:5-7 prophesy is being fulfilled. The “bride” is the “Church”, faithful believers.
In vss 19:8-9a the “saints” are faithful believers. Jesus used the illustration of a “wedding celebration” previously, it was reported in the gospels.
Only the Lord God may be worshiped, Father, Son, or Holy Spirit. No other, no thing, ever.
The Lord God chooses to work through a partnership with believers.
What are some practical ways to know for certain that you are never doing anything that even hints at “worship” of anyone or anything but God?
It is comforting to know that following the Great White Throne Judgment that all rebellion-caused imperfection is replaced by “a new heaven and a new earth”.
When have you experienced the removal of a troublesome person and/or philosophy from a fellowship resulting in a more peaceful experience?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place or places in your life where lies and/or temptations have troubled you.
Today I agree to apply the Word of God in order to receive the gift of God's perspective and power and priorities – and to be set more-free.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Son of God Goes to War
19:11 Then I saw heaven opened and here came a white horse! The one riding it was called “Faithful” and “True” and with justice he judges and goes to war.
19:12 His eyes are like a fiery flame and there are many diadem crowns on his head. He has a name written that no one knows except himself.
19:13 He is dressed in clothing dipped in blood, and he is called the Word of God.
19:14 The armies that are in heaven, dressed in white, clean, fine linen, were following him on white horses.
19:15 From his mouth extends a sharp sword, so that with it he can strike the nations. He will rule them with an iron rod, and he stomps the winepress of the furious wrath of God, the All-Powerful.
19:16 He has a name written on his clothing and on his thigh: “King of kings and Lord of lords.”
19:17 Then I saw one angel standing in the sun, and he shouted in a loud voice to all the birds flying high in the sky: “Come, gather around for the great banquet of God, 19:18 to eat your fill of the flesh of kings, the flesh of generals, the flesh of powerful people, the flesh of horses and those who ride them, and the flesh of all people, both free and slave, and small and great!”
19:19 Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to do battle with the one who rode the horse and with his army.
19:20 Now the beast was seized, and along with him the false prophet who had performed the signs on his behalf – signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. Both of them were thrown alive into the lake of fire burning with sulfur.
19:21 The others were killed by the sword that extended from the mouth of the one who rode the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves with their flesh.
Lord, You are omniscient and omnipotent, and You administer irresistible and perfect justice to those who have unrepentantly opposed You. May I never doubt, no matter what may come for a moment, that You will one day obliterate all evil, and all that will remain is You and that which You have made-perfect and have called Your own.
Verses 19:11-13 describe Jesus, arriving to administer closure to the finished work of defeating evil which He declared at the Cross.
Vs 19:14 describes believers who have been made pure in Heaven; according to the implications of Rev 17:4 they may be the same selected sub-set of believers as later described in Rev 20:4, but they are not described as armed nor are they described as involved in any combat – the Word of God as a sword represents the entirety of the very brief battle.
Vss 19:15-16 echo Ephesians 6:17. The sword of the Spirit is the right application of the Word of God in spiritual warfare, and in many matters of day to day living. Here it convicts and condemns those who are in unrepentant rebellion.
Vss 19:17-18 employs a common curse or taunt in OT warfare to declare that birds would feast on the flesh of ones enemy (remember Goliath's taunt and David's reply in 1 Samuel 17:44-47).
In vss 19:19-21 the army of rebellion is destroyed. While the beast and the false prophet are powerful – they are easily cast into the “lake of fire” by Jesus. Their master, Satan, will soon be dealt the final blow.
In the Bible a person's name was rarely, if ever, arbitrary but rather defined or described them; therefore, only the Lord God would know the God-sized name of Jesus.
What are some practical ways to help people to understand “the sword of the Spirit” and how to use it?
It is the Word of God which destroys His enemies.
When have you experienced in your life a practical example of the Word of God destroying the power of lies or of temptations that had previously troubled you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to challenge confusing, false, or incomplete teaching in your family, fellowship, or community.
Today I will respectfully share the complete Biblical truth where I believe that it has been misrepresented. I will pray and will ask at least another to join me in prayer for courage and wisdom.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Thousand Year Reign
20:1 Then I saw an angel descending from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the abyss and a huge chain.
20:2 He seized the dragon – the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan – and tied him up for a thousand years.
20:3 The angel then threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it so that he could not deceive the nations until the one thousand years were finished. (After these things he must be released for a brief period of time.)
20:4 Then I saw thrones and seated on them were those who had been given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of the testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. These had not worshiped the beast or his image and had refused to receive his mark on their forehead or hand. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.
20:5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished.) This is the first resurrection.
20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.
Lord, You are all-powerful and You fight every meaningful battle. May I rest in the certainty that I am never the source of power or truth but rather an imperfect instrument blessed by You as You pour-out truth into a dark and dying fallen-away world.
Chapter 20 lies along the timeline between the Wrath and the Great White Throne Judgment.
The Tribulation was a high-conflict sifting-out period, some accept the Lordship of Christ and others reject Him.
Some believe that believers will avoid via an early rapture but the Biblical text suggests that the tribulation has already begun and will conclude with the rapture immediately prior to the wrath.
The Biblical text describes the wrath as only for those who have unrepentantly rejected the Lord God - no believers remain on earth during that time – during the wrath Jesus returns and, as described in Rev 19, wins the battle with the Word as a sword (while accompanied by angels and some believers both the battle and the victory are His alone).
A significant power-shift has occurred since a single angel is now empowered lock-up Satan.
The dead are “asleep” (a term repeatedly used by the apostle Paul) until they are incrementally raised by the Lord God; all believers have either died or been raptured, and now a sub-set believers are awakened. Many of those who have rejected the Lord God are also dead.
If the 1,000 year reign is taken literally, then even if everyone lived for 100 years it would still represent 10 generations passing while the martyrs of the tribulation rule – starting with a population exclusively representing the tribulation and wrath-surviving unrepentant rebels against the Lordship of Christ – all 1,000 years also occur while Satan has been removed from the equation (the deceiver/false prophet and the beast have previously been throne into the lake of fire).
Jesus fights the final battle alone and does so with the sword of the Word – truth.
Do we have a right-view of our role in the battle? Is it ever by our power that we have victory? While He allows us to be present is it not always His truth and His power that fights and wins?
Due to the sequence of events there is a shift of power from where Satan – and his most powerful fallen angels - had previously been allowed a somewhat peer relationship with God's archangels (recall an archangel apologizing for being delayed) he is now perfunctorily tossed into prison by a single angel.
When have you felt overwhelmed and experienced the Lord God overcoming for you?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a new and power sense of the importance of learning to submit to His Lordship so as to bear-up under attack for His sake.
Today I will humbly renew my surrender to the Lord God and I will share this with a fellow believer as peer-discipleship and/or as encouragement.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
Satan's Final Defeat
20:7 Now when the thousand years are finished, Satan will be released from his prison
20:8 and will go out to deceive the nations at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to bring them together for the battle. They are as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea.
20:9 They went up on the broad plain of the earth and encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city,
but fire came down from heaven and devoured them completely.
20:10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur,
where the beast and the false prophet are too,
and they will be tormented there day and night forever and ever.
Lord, no matter how arrogant the enemy nor how great the numbers of the deceived who follow him You are always far more powerful. May I praise You for Your perfect justice and unchanging truth.
Satan is released for a brief time and His deception of the nations persuades those, who have rejected the Lord God, that despite what they have seen of His great power they still can win.
They “encircled the camp of the saints and the beloved city” but nothing is mentioned of any combat as before that happens the Lord God sends down fire and consumes the massive army of Satan.
The phrase “forever and ever” is used again here. Recall that we previously learned that it refers to a period of time in Creation which exists only until the end of created linear time when everything is obliterated and a perfect and pure new heaven and new earth are created.
Satan gets a final chance to deceive and “the nations” a final chance to choose. The “nations” choose poorly because they have rejected the Lordship of Christ.
Why would the Lord God give Satan a final opportunity to tempt “the nations” to attack “the camp of the saints and the beloved city”?
This follows the thousand-year reign of those selected by the Lord God and still the deceived were “... as numerous as the grains of sand in the sea”, showing why they deserved to be destroyed, as they were clearly unredeemable.
When have you observed a person who, despite kindness and love, they still rebelled?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a place where you feel out-numbered by those who appear able and willing to overwhelm you.
Today I will prayerfully rest in the Lord God who lives in me and Who is able to sustain my faith despite the attack of the enemy.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The Great White Throne
20:11 Then I saw a large white throne
and the one who was seated on it;
the earth and the heaven fled from his presence,
and no place was found for them.
20:12 And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne.
Then books were opened,
and another book was opened – the book of life.
So the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to their deeds.
20:13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it,
and Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them,
and each one was judged according to his deeds.
20:14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire.
This is the second death – the lake of fire.
20:15 If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, that person was thrown into the lake of fire.
Lord, Your deadline is known only to You, and You have patiently and sacrificially provided opportunity for each member of humankind to choose. May I be sure of my salvation and generous in sharing Your gospel so that others may also be sure.
The Lord God opens “books”, those which contained the record of everyone's deeds.
Then “… another book was opened – the book of life.”, which contained the list of those who belonged to Jesus and for Whom His substitutional-death and resurrection was effective.
Vs 20:12 describes “the dead” those found in “the sea” and “... Death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them”.
It has been speculated that “the sea” was mentioned as those who died in the water were never ritually buried and their standing was in-doubt by some.
“Death” (personified as in 1 Cor. 15:55) has generally been used in the Bible to refer to the holding or resting place of deceased humankind, a dead-end for every living thing in fallen-Creation, other than humankind.
“Hades” was the holding-place, prison, for fallen angels.
The “lake of fire” (or “sea of fire”) already held the “false prophet”, “the beast”, and the “devil” (Satan, the great dragon) and many others, and now it becomes the depository for all whose names were not found in the “Book of Life”.
This is still a linear created time context. This is Step two in the end of linear time and of fallen-Creation. The final Step is reported in Revelation 21.
The apostle Paul taught that the dead are “asleep”, thus unaware of the passage of time until awakened/resurrected by the Lord in either the first, or this – the second resurrection.
How might we do a better job of teaching people about this critical moment in time, before the end of all time, and wherein ones eternity is determined?
There is a sudden irreversible decisiveness of the Great White Throne and the intersection of the books of our deeds and the superseding-power of the Book of Life.
When have you observed an example of someone ignoring a looming deadline and missing it because they waited too long to act?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone for whom He wants you to pray, and probably to share, so that their name may be written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
Today I will pray and I will respectfully share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with an unsaved person who has asked questions. I agree to share this chapter with them as a motivation that time is short.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
A New Heaven and a New Earth
21:1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,
for the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist,
and the sea existed no more.
21:2 And I saw the holy city – the new Jerusalem – descending out of heaven from God, made ready like a bride adorned for her husband.
21:3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying: “Look! The residence of God is among human beings. He will live among them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them.
21:4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,
and death will not exist any more – or mourning, or crying, or pain,
for the former things have ceased to exist.””
21:5 And the one seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new!”
Then he said to me, “Write it down, because these words are reliable and true.”
21:6 He also said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the one who is thirsty I will give water free of charge from the spring of the water of life.
21:7 The one who conquers will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be my son.
21:8 But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie,
their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.”
Lord, You will restore everything to the way it was first made – but even better – and You will share it with those whom You have redeemed for that purpose. May I live day to day with the joy of knowing, despite the imperfections of this fallen-away world, that one day my home will be perfectly with You.
Everything in Creation (heaven and earth) that had existed has been obliterated “... ceased to exist” and replaced.
Not some things but everything “Look! I am making all things new!” this is because “... the first heaven and earth had ceased to exist”
Note the phrase in the text “... and the sea existed no more” The “lake of fire” may also, according to the NET Greek/Hebrew reference, also be rendered “sea of fire”.
With the resurrection of Jesus death had lost its power, even death no longer even exists, “... the former things have ceased to exist.”
While the truly saved already have the indwelling presence of the Lord God via His Holy Spirit, it would seem that Jesus is declaring something far more profound, as now that everything has been made pure and holy it is literally-possible for the first time since pre-Fall Eden for “The residence of God [to be] among human beings.”
Jesus made a linking-proclamation, tying-together His work on the Cross with the actualized conclusion of all things (as presented to John outside of linear time).
Jesus then shifted to a reflective message and away from showing John the future.
Jesus spoke to John about the last days of these end times – instructing him to record His promises to the faithful, and to reminding them of the consequences of rebellion – and to that purpose He listed again a sampling of the sins committed by unrepentant people.
Jesus concluded His warning against rebellion “... their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That is the second death.” The “second death” has no escape, no possibility of redemption, only Godless-horror then obliteration.
“The one [a saved person] who conquers [those who allow the Holy Spirit to be their strength and who do not deny the Lord] will inherit these things ...” [the new heaven and earth in the presence of the Lord God] “… and I will be his [those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life] God and he [the surrendered-followers who are the Church] will be my son [beloved, family].”
Jesus wanted us to understand both grace and justice; to have an absolute certainty of both.
There will no longer any purpose to anything not “made new”, therefore it ceases to exist. The Lord God throws out the garbage.
What are some examples from the Bible, OT and/or NT where the Lord God has previously “taken out the garbage”, meaning that He obliterated individuals or groups who stood in the way of His promised blessing to His faithful?
The Lord keeps warning that the consequences of rebellion are terrifying and terminal.
When have you experienced or observed rebellious choices resulting in an irreversible ending? (Death, divorce, injury, lost employment.)
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who has been considering-Christ but who has been procrastinating as to a decision, someone whom He wants you to bring this message.
Today I will humbly and respectfully share this study with someone who may be blessed by the challenge of contrasting eternal endings.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
The New Jerusalem Descends
21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven final plagues came and spoke to me, saying,
Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb!”
21:10 So he took me away in the Spirit to a huge, majestic mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.
21:11 The city possesses the glory of God;
its brilliance is like a precious jewel, like a stone of crystal-clear jasper. 21:12 It has a massive, high wall with twelve gates, with twelve angels at the gates, and the names of the twelve tribes of the nation of Israel are written on the gates. 21:13 There are three gates on the east side, three gates on the north side, three gates on the south side and three gates on the west side.
21:14 The wall of the city has twelve foundations, and on them are the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
21:15 The angel who spoke to me had a golden measuring rod with which to measure the city and its foundation stones and wall. 21:16 Now the city is laid out as a square, its length and width the same. He measured the city with the measuring rod at fourteen hundred miles (its length and width and height are equal). 21:17 He also measured its wall, one hundred forty-four cubits according to human measurement, which is also the angel’s. 21:18 The city’s wall is made of jasper and the city is pure gold, like transparent glass. 21:19 The foundations of the city’s wall are decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation is jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, 21:20 the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
21:21 And the twelve gates are twelve pearls – each one of the gates is made from just one pearl! The main street of the city is pure gold, like transparent glass.
21:22 Now I saw no temple in the city, because the Lord God – the All-Powerful – and the Lamb are its temple.
21:23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, because the glory of God lights it up, and its lamp is the Lamb.
21:24 The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their grandeur into it.
21:25 Its gates will never be closed during the day (and there will be no night there).
21:26 They will bring the grandeur and the wealth of the nations into it,
21:27 but nothing ritually unclean will ever enter into it,
nor anyone who does what is detestable or practices falsehood,
but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22:1 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life – water as clear as crystal – pouring out from the throne of God and of the Lamb, 22:2 flowing down the middle of the city’s main street.
On each side of the river is the tree of life producing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month of the year. Its leaves are for the healing of the nations.
22:3a And there will no longer be any curse,
22:3b … and the throne of God and the Lamb will be in the city. His servants will worship him,
22:4 and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.
22:5 Night will be no more, and they will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun,
because the Lord God will shine on them, and they will reign forever and ever.
Lord, we have rebelled and resisted, but Your love patiently persisted – testing hearts for a surrendered response to truth – rewarding the right-responses with encouragement, nurturing that seed to salvation. May our grateful thanks pour-out across an eternity with You.
The same angel delivers both judgment, one of the bowls of Wrath, and good news.
In vs 21:10 John reminded his readers that he was not being moved about in the flesh, nor in linear time, but was instead being moved about “in the Spirit”.
John returned to the use of “like” to make it clear that he really could not directly-describe what he was seeing using any point of reference in the created and fallen world of his prior life experience.
John continued to attempt to describe the indescribable. He also appears to be describing once-again many things that he had been show and had recorded earlier.
The earthly temple, even at its most ornate, was a mere shadow of heaven. Observe the parallel between “... the Lord God” and “... the Lamb”, once again affirming the divinity of Christ.
None who are capable of sin exist any longer. Never again will there be rebellion or sin. Those whose names are written in “... the Lamb's book of life” have surrendered their free will, though the Lord God preservers their individuality. “... the grandeur and the wealth of the nations” are the believers “The Church”.
While John does not use the modifier “like”, the finer details of his description remains a “best approximation” using images and words with which he was familiar. The word picture is, however, inspiring to read – though our perception, once there, may vary somewhat from his.
The curse of the Fall will have been obliterated with the rest of fallen-Creation because any who are in Heaven will have been made pure and holy. No rebellion, no sin, ever again.
The imperfect will be destroyed, nothing imperfect may be in the presence of perfection, and according to John's report we will be in the Lord God's presence.
The phrase “reign” is interesting here as there are only the faithful in the “New Jerusalem”, so “reign” should be understood not in terms of a power relationship but more-so in terms of living in the “new Creation” of the “New Jerusalem”.
Only the Lord God can create perfection in beings, apart from Himself, so that they may come into His presence.
What are some practical ways to use this chapter to help believers, and those considering Christ, to visualize the incredible promise of Heaven?
It is an amazing word-picture; the Lord God and the Lamb as “the temple” within Whose presence we are in-worship and in-fellowship, forever.
When have you heard a testimony of the Lord God patiently-persisting in lovingly drawing a resistance person toward His truth and how He nurtured their first right-response toward a second and a third until they finally surrendered?
Ask the Holy Spirit to lead me to set aside some time to worship the Lord God, alone or in fellowship with one or more believers, in a time intentionally set-apart to contemplate Heaven with Him.
Today I agree to share a report of the experience with at least one believer, and perhaps also one person who is considering Christ, as an encouragement to the first and a motivation to the second.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 19 – 22:5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in July of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.
A Final Reminder
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.)”
Lord, You are the always-reliable One, the source of truth, and the keeper of the integrity of Your Word. May I be confident that no matter the schemes of man or fallen-angel, beast or deceiver, or Satan himself, Your truth and power and promise will always prevail.
The angel quoted what Jesus had said to John previously about the reliability of the words; in the prior statement Jesus cited His deity and the self-affirmation of the Lord God.
“The Lord” is such because He is the only legitimate “God of the spirits of the prophets”, the One who gave to them authority, power, and wisdom.
The phrase “... to show his servants” implies via John, but given that John is the one to whom he is speaking and is the one who is recording what he hears and is shown, it was unnecessary.
The phrase “... what must happen soon” is a reminder to the reader that what John recorded had not yet occurred. In Biblical terms “soon” would refer to the earliest step in the process, rather than the entire process.
The angel then quoted Jesus again as to His imminent return and that He (Jesus) was the blessed One Who would keep (protect and share as well as to enforce the conditional quid pro quo's of) the prophesies of the Book.
The Lord God was very intentional in His repetition of the credentials of His Word as truth.
What are some examples of ways that you could demonstrate the integrity of the Word, and at the same time the integrity of the One Who has given it to us, by testing the accuracy of the prophesies?
It was and is important that the Word is “shown” to “His servants”; we call that discipleship as the term refers to those who belong to the Lord God.
When have you observed someone in discipleship where the sharing of the Word transformed them from confused and weak to confident and strong?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an opportunity to share the Word.
Today I am choosing to make time to walk alongside someone in discipleship so that they may come to know and understand (gain wisdom) from the Word of God.
Be Specific ______________________________________________________
22:8 I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things, and when I heard and saw them, I threw myself down to worship at the feet of the angel who was showing them to me.
22:9 But he said to me, “Do not do this! I am a fellow servant with you and with your brothers the prophets, and with those who obey the words of this book. Worship God!”
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.”
Lord, You are worthy, none other than You are. Your story must be told as Your plan of justice and redemption unfold. May I share Your story and walk in Your light.
John returned to the theme of his early text where he affirmed his first-hand experience which prompted his authorship.
He was also so overwhelmed by the whole experience that his reaction was to worship the first heavenly being before him – this is similar to the interaction described earlier, but may be a repeat because the angel refers to a completed “book” which John had not yet heard and seen and written in the first case.
Only the Lord God rightfully accepts worship – any other person or being who allows anyone to worship them in any way is a heretic to the true Biblical faith. (The terms recreant or deceiver or false god may be applied as well. This includes political leaders, religious leaders, celebrities, and fallen angels.
The angel explains to him that he is a peer with John “and … fellow prophets” as well as with all who obey the Word. He then directs John to “Worship [only] God!”
The angel reminded John to share the Word, repeating what Jesus had told him, and reminded him that the time was short (from a heavenly perspective) – so that there was urgency to tell The Story.
John was also reminded that the Lord would allow the fallen-away world to continue to thrash about, evil living evil, righteous living righteously (each influencing the other, the righteous accepting the guidance and strength of the Holy Spirit despite their weak flesh).
Evil is practiced constantly among the fallen angels and righteousness perfectly so in Heaven, here on the fallen-away earth both are somewhat unpredictable.
Prophesy mostly re-tells the past and only partly foreshadows the future; both are valuable to a right understanding of our Lord and His expectations of us. Prophesy serves to confront us all with truth.
John may have repeated the error of attempting worship of the angel in his confusion and probable emotional and mental exhaustion.
What are some practical ways to motivate people to read and study the Word?
We must expect the evil to act evil and the righteous to try to behave righteously; though evil may be a more natural path for the Godless than righteousness is for the saved person trapped in what the apostle Paul called “this body of death”.
When have you observed the contrast between Godless people appearing unable to make good choices and the children of God trying to do so?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a fellow believer who would be blessed to read this and encouraged to know that while the Godless lack the power to resist evil, they do.
Today I will ask the Holy Spirit to use me as His vessel of discipleship and encouragement to a fellow believer so that they may persist in seeking righteousness and in resisting evil.
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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!)
Lord, You are returning, we have not been abandoned nor left alone. You are in control and you bring purpose where humankind has wrought chaos. May I be encouraged to know that You give purpose to Creation, even in its fallen-away condition.
Our Lord is returning, His timing is perfect, and the term “soon” means that there is a definite time which is relative to all of Created time, though seen through the eyes of One who is eternal.
The Lord brings perfect justice.
The Lord has “books” which contain the records of our deeds.
Each will receive what they are due, although those whose names are in the Lamb's Book of Life are only due that remains after He paid for our sins, which leaves nothing punitive.
“Alpha” means the beginning, He has always been, and He is the Creator; the original Creation and the new Creation of a new and perfect heaven and earth.
“Omega” means the conclusion of things; the end of Creation, the end of conflict, the end of separation between the Lord and His beloved created beings.
He was the first to be worthy of salvation, because He (Jesus) lived without sin, and He is the last to do so, as He provided the way for all who followed Him.
He was there at the beginning of all Creation, and He is the end, as His purpose will have been completed and met.
The Lord God is not confined by anything in Creation, He is far above and apart from the constraints of linear time.
There is a conclusion to everything, perfectly timed, and perfectly executed.
How might making people aware that the Lord God is keeping a record of deeds make them more introspective?
The perfect justice of the Lord God is tempered by His perfect grace.
When have you paused in reflection, praise, and worship of a magnificent Lord Who is the beginning and the end?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a pattern of choices in your life which you'd not like to continue to show up in the books of the Lord God, even if covered by grace through Jesus.
Today I will humbly confess and repent of my sin, request and receive the forgiveness of the Lord, and then I will intentionally alter my life (including adding accountability from a fellow believer) to avoid failing the test – allowing it to become temptation and sin.
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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!”
Lord, only those who are unreservedly and irrevocably devoted to You will receive eternal life from the “tree of life”. As it was in the beginning in the Garden, so it has always been, and always will be.
The first phrase in this text returns to that found in Rev. 7:14; the washing of a robe describes the atoning value of the blood of Jesus - it was though their perseverance in the faith, not by their own strength but in the strength of the Holy Spirit, that they were rendered righteous.
Through the imparted-righteousness of Jesus they, and we, have our names written in the Lamb's Book of Life.
There is only one way into the eternal city of the Lord God, and that is through the gates; and the “gatekeeper” only allows passage to those whose name are in the Book of Life.
He then lists some generic illustrative categories of those who will not enter heaven as yet another affirmation that the Lord God will not allow anyone capable of sin into heaven.
It is not intended that one think of the “city” as surrounded by the unrighteous who assault the gates and walls seeking admission, there is no Biblical evidence for that, indeed the evidence points to the absence of any but those in the Book of Life at the conclusion of things.
Righteousness comes from Jesus, the strength to endure from the Holy Spirit, all that we contribute is a surrendered heart.
How would you help disciples to recognize the consistency of the Lord God's message from Genesis through Revelation, using the “tree of life” as an illustration?
The “gates” are symbolic of the limited access humankind has to heaven.
When have you experienced or observed someone suffering for their faith, knowing that you or they lacked the strength to endure alone, and amazed at the strength they received from the Lord?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you someone who has been deceived about limited access to heaven and/or who is ignorant of the consistency of message from Genesis through Revelation.
Today I will humbly and respectfully share these texts with the one whom the Holy Spirit has made known to me. I will ask a fellow believer to pray in-agreement that I may be His vessel of freedom through truth.
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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.”
Lord, You are indeed the “morning star” of hope and promise and of fulfillment of a new and perfect day. May I have joy, and may I share the reason for my joy, so that many may and find You as this broken vessel leaks and overflows with Your loving invitation.
It is unclear how Jesus spoke with John, perhaps indirectly rather than directly.
The glory of the Lord God was returned to Jesus when He ascended, so it may have been that even “in the spirit” John could not have been in the true presence of Jesus, thus the sending of an angel to communicate the message.
Jesus affirmed the credentials of the message by associating Himself with it.
The message was given to John and again it was affirmed that it was for “the Church”, all believers. (According to the NET Greek/Hebrew reference the text could have fairly been rendered:
“... for the assembled believers.” or “... for the church universal.” or “... for all believers.”
Jesus echoes prophesy as He was the beginning “root” of humankind “... made in Our image”, he was of the “shoot of Jesse” (Isaiah 1:11) that led to being a “descendant” of David in His human form; then also, He is the new beginning “the bright morning star” bringing a new day of eternal life.
The “Spirit” and “the bride”, the church, both present the Gospel of invitation from Jesus “Come!”.
The one who hears responds to Jesus and says “Come!” and the Spirit inspires understanding in a teachable/willing heart.
The one who is made-thirsty by the Truth comes to Jesus for the water of eternal life and the constant-filling that is discipleship and later eternity in heaven.
This text includes yet another affirmation that salvation requires a mutual agreement.
Jesus left nothing to chance as He personally addressed John to clarify the heart of the message he had been given, and to underline the divine authority and truth therein.
How would you tell the story of the linkage between the “root” and the “descentant” history and prophesy of Jesus and David?
The participants and steps to salvation are stated: The Spirit, the Church, the teachable person; the invitation “Come!”, the reply of the person to the Spirit and Church to teach, the “thirst” of the person for “living water” and the gift of that living water through salvation – and beyond as the life of discipleship and then of eternity in heaven.
When have you visualize Jesus as the “bright morning star” of a new day of eternal life?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you a new way to make Jesus the “bright morning star” of every day of your life until You are with Him in heaven.
Today I will humbly and joyfully accept the gift of Jesus to be my “bright morning star” every day as I put on the “full armor of God”, rest peacefully and safely in-Him by the “still waters”, “stand” in His strength, have courage as I tell His story, and joyfully allow my broken vessel to leak and overflow with His blessings for others.
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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.”
Lord, You alone have the authority and holiness to create Your Word, and any who dare alter it are beyond-apostate. May I be careful to never add or subtract from Your sovereign Word, and watchful for those who may do so, warning them of their error and others against falling prey to their deception.
Jesus, having just testified (vss 22:16-17) to His identity and deity, then to the authority and truth of His Word, now addresses the terms of protection of “the book”.
There has been some debate as to the intended meaning of the term “this book”.
Some believe it to refer only to the book of Revelation, or perhaps even a subset of Revelation, while others take it to refer to the entirety of the Lord God's Book, the Bible.
There is nothing in the text of Revelation to support a narrow application.
The latter view parallels the teaching of Deuteronomy 4:2 “Do not add a thing to what I command you nor subtract from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God that I am delivering to you.”
Since Deuteronomy is one of the earliest books of the Bible, and Revelation is at the end, it is reasonable to conclude that the common phraseology is intentional – designed to defend the entirety of God's Word.
Intentionally adding or subtracting from the sovereign Word of God might be considered equivalent to “blaspheming the Spirit” since it is essentially a declaration that the Serpent in the Garden was right, the Holy Spirit is wrong in declaring the sovereign authority of the Lord, and that one is therefore a peer - worthy to alter His Word.
What are some examples of cults which claim to be “Christian” but clearly are not Biblical-Christian because their religious book adds and/or subtracts from “the book”?
Adding to the Word brings the plagues of the Wrath, subtracting from the Word means certain banishment from eternity in Heaven, both are really the same thing – because believers are not exposed to the Wrath.
When have you observed someone adding and/or subtracting in a subtle way from “the book” in an otherwise Biblical-Christian fellowship?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you something that you believe about the Bible that is a result of someone adding and/or subtracting from “the book”.
Today I will ask one who meets the Biblical definition of “elder” to assist as I seek clarity. I will share my experience with a fellow believer as an encouragement to them to do the same.
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22:20 The one who testifies to these things says,
“Yes, I am coming soon!”
Amen!
Come, Lord Jesus!
22:21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.
Lord, You have “returned” via Your Holy Spirit, via Your Word, and via Your communication with us through prayer. May I be found faithful in “praying without ceasing”, studying Your Word, and following the leading of Your Holy Spirit.
John recorded a final declaration of the credentials of the Bible and then celebrated the coming of Jesus (yesterday, today, tomorrow, and at the end of created time) to bring hope and salvation.
Jesus will return because He promised redemption at the Fall in the Garden, the prophesies He placed in the Bible say that He will (and every prophesy has been fulfilled), He promised to return just before He ascended home to heaven, and now at the conclusion of Revelation He promised to do so yet again.
“Amen” at the conclusion of a text means that the contents are trustworthy, the fulfillment of promises are certain, and/or the speaker agrees to meet the requirements of conditional promises so that they may be kept.
“Lord Jesus” is an affirmation of the deity of Christ and of ones surrender to His Lordship.
The phrase “Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!” is a declaration by John of his longing for the return of our Lord, Jesus the Christ.
John's benediction “The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.” does not mean universal salvation, though surely his desire would be that all would choose salvation, in this case the NET Greek-Hebrew reference explains that it is a reference to all of the “saints” (elsewhere described as believers).
When the Lord repeats Himself He wants us to be sure to get the message – He has repeated His promise to return multiple times in His Word. He is coming back for us!
In how many places in the Bible, old and new testaments, do you recall the promise of return and redemption?
How must John have cried-out in existential angst for the quick return of he Lord, having been abused then imprisoned by man then lifted by the Lord in the spirit from his body into heaven, then about to be returned to that anti-heavenly place?
How often have you, frustrated with this fallen-away world, cried-out for the Lord to hurry His return?
Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you some ways that the Lord has already “returned” in small but real ways into your life as His child.
Today I will pause and give grateful thanks for all that the Lord God has already done in my life and I will join the apostle John in a prayer of agreement for the return of my Lord Jesus.
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All Bible text is from the NET unless otherwise indicated - http://bible.org
Note 1: These Studies often rely upon the guidance of the NET Translators from their associated notes. Careful attention has been given to cite that source where it has been quoted directly or closely paraphrased. Feedback is encouraged where credit has not been sufficiently assigned.
Note 2: When NET text is quoted in commentary and discussion all pronouns referring to God are capitalized, though they are lower-case in the original NET text.
Commentary text is from David M. Colburn, D.Min. unless otherwise noted.
Copyright © 2012 by David M. Colburn. This is a BibleSeven Study – “Revelation” Section – Revelation 4 – 5 – prepared by David M. Colburn and edited for bible.org in June of 2012. This text may be used for non-profit educational purposes only, with credit; all other usage requires prior written consent of the author.