Revelation Redux
The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Introduction
John, having been unsuccessfully martyred in boiling oil, is now exiled on the Isle of Patmos where he is forced to labor in its mines. While there, he receives a vision. The result is this enduring piece of apocalyptic literature. In an apocalypse, “a literary form well known in John’s day, … a visitor from heaven reveals the secrets of the unseen world and the future through vivid symbols.” – Note from the NIV
The Roman Empire is about to rain down genocide and unprecedented destruction on Jerusalem and the Jews. They will be scattered everywhere, and Jewish Christians, no longer able to remain segregated, will be forced to assemble with Gentile Christians in places like Asia Minor.
Note that the name of this book is, “The revelation of Jesus Christ…” It is both from him and about him. The latter is often forgotten by many who get caught up in the intricacies of the symbols. People of John’s day and time understood the symbolism of apocalyptic writings and were able to use these abstractions to understand the message being conveyed.
The Roman Empire is about to rain down genocide and unprecedented destruction on Jerusalem and the Jews. They will be scattered everywhere, and Jewish Christians, no longer able to remain segregated, will be forced to assemble with Gentile Christians in places like Asia Minor.
Note that the name of this book is, “The revelation of Jesus Christ…” It is both from him and about him. The latter is often forgotten by many who get caught up in the intricacies of the symbols. People of John’s day and time understood the symbolism of apocalyptic writings and were able to use these abstractions to understand the message being conveyed.
Revelation 1:1-3
Whatever we may think about the interpretation of this book, verse 1 tells us that it will soon take place, within the next few years of the readers’ lives. So, the prophecies found in it must have fulfillment in the near future of the original readers. But, like nearly all Scripture, it was crafted in such a way that it can be applicable to believers all down through history. It is like a musical theme that is repeated over and over in a composition, with different interpretations of the theme, culminating in a grand finale at the end. The grand finale of Revelation has not yet occurred, but its prophecies have seen fulfillment over and over down through the saga of the ekklesia (the Church).
And so, that’s why it is a blessing to those who hear it and read it. John encouraged those who could, to read it aloud to those who could not read. He really wanted this read in the assemblies of believers everywhere.
And so, that’s why it is a blessing to those who hear it and read it. John encouraged those who could, to read it aloud to those who could not read. He really wanted this read in the assemblies of believers everywhere.
Revelation 1:4-5
Greetings to the churches – seven of them, in Asia. I will use the word ekklesia instead of “church.” It just helps to level-set the difference between the local body of Christ in John’s time versus the idea of a local church today. The Greek word ekklesia means an assembly. The believers in a city got together on a regular basis and built each other up and celebrated their risen Lord. That doesn’t indicate that their way of “worshipping” was a superior model. Heck, a good portion of the New Testament dealt with really bad things going on in these ekklesias. Read 2 Peter and Jude if you don’t believe me.
I love John’s greeting in verses 4 and 5; “Grace and peace.” Grace, the unmerited favor of our God toward us. Peace – this is not what we think of as peace today – the absence of war. It is a recurring theme in the Scriptures. It is mentioned 429 times! Think “Shalom,” a common greeting in Hebrew. For a really good study, just assemble all the times the word “peace” is used in the Bible, and you will understand that it is something that God offers us in this world that is so broken by the results of the Fall.
So, grace and peace are two things that John sends his readers from the Trinity:
I love John’s greeting in verses 4 and 5; “Grace and peace.” Grace, the unmerited favor of our God toward us. Peace – this is not what we think of as peace today – the absence of war. It is a recurring theme in the Scriptures. It is mentioned 429 times! Think “Shalom,” a common greeting in Hebrew. For a really good study, just assemble all the times the word “peace” is used in the Bible, and you will understand that it is something that God offers us in this world that is so broken by the results of the Fall.
So, grace and peace are two things that John sends his readers from the Trinity:
- God the Father – “…him who is, and who was, and who is to come.” The great “I am.”
- God the Spirit – “…the seven spirits before his throne.” Seven can also be translated “seven-fold.” Seven is the perfect number symbolizing the completeness and perfection of God, the Holy Spirit.
- God the Son – “… Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, ruler of the kings of the earth.”
Revelation 1:5-8
Wow! What a beautiful doxology! This one is focused on Jesus. Look at all the things he has done for us!
- “He loves us,” even though we’ve made a mess of things and are so unlovable. This fact is shocking when you stop to meditate on it for a while.
- “He freed us from our sins by his blood.” This is the proof that he loves us. Read the words of that old song, “Nothing But the Blood.”
“Glory! Glory! This I sing –
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring –
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring –
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
- “He made us to be a kingdom and priests.” What is the purpose of kingdoms and priests? To serve. All subjects in a kingdom serve the king. Priests function as servants to their god. For millennia, every Jewish boy or girl dreamed of being a member of the kingdom that would never pass away, one that would never be overcome by any other king, one that would literally be the apex of the world system. But Jesus’ kingdom is qualitatively different. All kingdoms based on the world system will, of necessity, go into decline and vanish. But Jesus’ kingdom is not OF the world system and there is nothing of that system to corrupt it. Being a servant in that kind of kingdom is truly a blessing. Being a priest in that kind of kingdom is a distinct privilege.
Revelation 1:7-8
It’s instructive to see how John pieces together passages from the prophets to introduce what he is about to share with his readers. There are snippets from Daniel, Zechariah, and he even tosses in a quote from the vision he’s about to relate.
Tipping his hat to Daniel, John quotes, “Look, he is coming with the clouds…” Reading the apocalyptic visions in the book of Daniel, one sees many similarities between that and John’s vision. Those who think Revelation is just interesting literature might accuse John of plagiarism. There certainly are many similarities. But I believe that’s because John witnessed something very similar to Daniel, but with the full knowledge of Jesus that Daniel did not have. They both described what they witnessed with apocalyptic symbolism.
In verse 8, John drops in a quote from Jesus in the vision he’s about to describe: “I am the Alpha and the Omega…” This is found twice more in the book of Revelation. It’s such an appropriate quote for the last book of the Bible. It’s introducing the omega of the story that began in Genesis. And its all about Jesus from the beginning to the end. As you read this book, ask Him at every opportunity, “Lord reveal yourself to me.” And He will!
Tipping his hat to Daniel, John quotes, “Look, he is coming with the clouds…” Reading the apocalyptic visions in the book of Daniel, one sees many similarities between that and John’s vision. Those who think Revelation is just interesting literature might accuse John of plagiarism. There certainly are many similarities. But I believe that’s because John witnessed something very similar to Daniel, but with the full knowledge of Jesus that Daniel did not have. They both described what they witnessed with apocalyptic symbolism.
In verse 8, John drops in a quote from Jesus in the vision he’s about to describe: “I am the Alpha and the Omega…” This is found twice more in the book of Revelation. It’s such an appropriate quote for the last book of the Bible. It’s introducing the omega of the story that began in Genesis. And its all about Jesus from the beginning to the end. As you read this book, ask Him at every opportunity, “Lord reveal yourself to me.” And He will!
Revelation 1:9
I love how John identifies with his readers as a brother and companion, not as the venerable apostle, one of Jesus’ inner circle – you know, Peter, James, and John. I think the vision of Jesus that he starts telling about made him cognizant that whatever position of influence he possessed was insignificant compared to the glory and majesty of our Savior. When one gets a vision of who Jesus is, all notions of self-importance tend to fade into the background.
And his situation puts him smack dab in the middle of the purpose of the vision and this book. John is suffering severe persecution for his testimony about Jesus. Like his readers, fellow members of the kingdom of heaven, he is trying to patiently endure what is happening to them across the Roman Empire. This vision will reveal to them the motivation for continuing to suffer, to patiently endure, knowing that a great story is unfolding behind the scenes, one so magnificent that our own words, our own imaginations are inadequate to describe it.
Lord Jesus, may I catch a glimpse of who you are this day. Help me to endure whatever inconveniences come my way, knowing they are insignificant in the light of the story unfolding in the real world, the kingdom where you reign supreme.
And his situation puts him smack dab in the middle of the purpose of the vision and this book. John is suffering severe persecution for his testimony about Jesus. Like his readers, fellow members of the kingdom of heaven, he is trying to patiently endure what is happening to them across the Roman Empire. This vision will reveal to them the motivation for continuing to suffer, to patiently endure, knowing that a great story is unfolding behind the scenes, one so magnificent that our own words, our own imaginations are inadequate to describe it.
Lord Jesus, may I catch a glimpse of who you are this day. Help me to endure whatever inconveniences come my way, knowing they are insignificant in the light of the story unfolding in the real world, the kingdom where you reign supreme.
Revelation 1:10
What did John mean when he said he was “in the Spirit” on the Lord’s Day? I mean, aren’t we supposed to be in the Spirit all the time? He must have attached some special meaning to it when he mentions it. Some might say this means that he was praying in tongues. Perhaps that is true. In any case, it was a state of mind that was somewhat different than when he was toiling in the mines.
Suffice it to say that John was mentally focused on Jesus. He was in intimate communion with the Savior. And he specifically mentions that it was on the Lord’s Day. That meant it was the first day of the week. Being a Jew, he also observed the Sabbath the day before, resting as best he could under the circumstances, and reciting prayers. But on the Lord’s Day (what we call Sunday today), he was focused on Jesus, our Lord.
Heavy on his mind were his fellow believers in Asia Minor. They were the pariah of the empire. Christians were being blamed by the Romans and its citizens for anything bad that was happening. They were the scapegoats for any catastrophe of nature or society. Persecution was being heaped on them. John’s heart was broken as he communed with his Lord. And this sets the stage for the opening curtain that follows.
Suffice it to say that John was mentally focused on Jesus. He was in intimate communion with the Savior. And he specifically mentions that it was on the Lord’s Day. That meant it was the first day of the week. Being a Jew, he also observed the Sabbath the day before, resting as best he could under the circumstances, and reciting prayers. But on the Lord’s Day (what we call Sunday today), he was focused on Jesus, our Lord.
Heavy on his mind were his fellow believers in Asia Minor. They were the pariah of the empire. Christians were being blamed by the Romans and its citizens for anything bad that was happening. They were the scapegoats for any catastrophe of nature or society. Persecution was being heaped on them. John’s heart was broken as he communed with his Lord. And this sets the stage for the opening curtain that follows.
Revelation 1:10 (continued)
In response to John’s spoken or unspoken prayer, his groanings for his fellow believers in Asia Minor, the Lord speaks. John hears a voice that is like a trumpet. At this point we know that he has suddenly been transformed into another dimension where our five senses are not enough. And so John tries to tell us what the other worldly voice sounded like using the limited physical senses of our existence in time and space. It would be like saying that I walked into a flower garden that smelled like the music of a violin. So when John says the voice sounded like a trumpet, he is describing what speech can sound like in eternity, in the limitless expanse where God exists.
The trumpet was used to bring one to attention, to summon one to a higher plain. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 where Paul tells about the end of all things and the gathering of the elect to be with the Lord forever. “The trumpet of God” will sound. The dead will be raised! Victory at last! The culmination of all things is imminent!
The voice was communicating much more than the words John heard. It was a voice of triumph!
The trumpet was used to bring one to attention, to summon one to a higher plain. Read 1 Thessalonians 4:16 and 1 Corinthians 15:52 where Paul tells about the end of all things and the gathering of the elect to be with the Lord forever. “The trumpet of God” will sound. The dead will be raised! Victory at last! The culmination of all things is imminent!
The voice was communicating much more than the words John heard. It was a voice of triumph!
Revelation 1:11
Seven ekklesias. Why seven? And why these seven? There may be some explanations.
First of all, remember the importance of symbolism in this book. Seven is the perfect number. These seven represent the perfection of the Body of Christ. There were certainly more than seven ekklesias in Asia Minor, so they are representative of the Body of Christ. It is interesting to note that each one lay along a Roman mail route. The Lord wanted this read to all the ekklesias in Asia Minor and perhaps these seven were strategically selected to make that happen.
These seven also represent the issues, the challenges, facing all ekklesias in Asia Minor. Revelation was written for the believers in John’s day as well as to all believers and all ekklesias down to the present time. Issues that ekklesias face today can be found in the ones to which John writes in this book.
First of all, remember the importance of symbolism in this book. Seven is the perfect number. These seven represent the perfection of the Body of Christ. There were certainly more than seven ekklesias in Asia Minor, so they are representative of the Body of Christ. It is interesting to note that each one lay along a Roman mail route. The Lord wanted this read to all the ekklesias in Asia Minor and perhaps these seven were strategically selected to make that happen.
These seven also represent the issues, the challenges, facing all ekklesias in Asia Minor. Revelation was written for the believers in John’s day as well as to all believers and all ekklesias down to the present time. Issues that ekklesias face today can be found in the ones to which John writes in this book.
Revelation 1:12-20

So now John turns to “see the voice.” What he saw, no doubt, was very much like what he had seen years earlier when Jesus was transfigured before him along with Peter and James. But this time there were other objects present – seven golden lampstands, seven stars, and a sharp double-edged sword.
Once again, we encounter the number seven. The seven golden lampstands no doubt reminded John of the Menorah in the temple and the one Moses wrote about for the tabernacle. The Menorah had seven branches. Remember also that there were seven days in creation. When God finished, he looked at everything he had done and said that it was very good. Complete. Finished. Perfect!
The seven lampstands represent the seven ekklesias. And there is a star in his hand for each of the seven ekklesias. Each star represents an angel. The word angel can also be interpreted as “messenger.” Most of us in evangelical protestant Christianity don’t know much about angels. But our ignorance does not lessen their function in the Kingdom of heaven. God does send angels to do things or say things. And he still does. Based on this passage, it is safe to say that each group of believers, each ekklesia, has at least one angel assigned to carry out orders from God himself. That doesn’t mean that we need to venerate the angel. We make it our focus to know Jesus and understand that angels are dispatched, as we are too, to do his bidding, whether it be a message or a task.
Some say that the angel of one of these ekklesias is the pastor. But that’s not how the ekklesias were structured in John’s time. Of all the letters in the New Testament, not one of them was addressed to the pastor of an ekklesia. That office did not exist as we know it today.
The stars were in his hand because they were his to command. They willingly complied with his wishes and were empowered with the resources to accomplish his bidding. And the same is still true today. If you, like the angels, are tasked by our Savior to send a message or accomplish a task, he will empower you with the ability to carry it out.
Once again, we encounter the number seven. The seven golden lampstands no doubt reminded John of the Menorah in the temple and the one Moses wrote about for the tabernacle. The Menorah had seven branches. Remember also that there were seven days in creation. When God finished, he looked at everything he had done and said that it was very good. Complete. Finished. Perfect!
The seven lampstands represent the seven ekklesias. And there is a star in his hand for each of the seven ekklesias. Each star represents an angel. The word angel can also be interpreted as “messenger.” Most of us in evangelical protestant Christianity don’t know much about angels. But our ignorance does not lessen their function in the Kingdom of heaven. God does send angels to do things or say things. And he still does. Based on this passage, it is safe to say that each group of believers, each ekklesia, has at least one angel assigned to carry out orders from God himself. That doesn’t mean that we need to venerate the angel. We make it our focus to know Jesus and understand that angels are dispatched, as we are too, to do his bidding, whether it be a message or a task.
Some say that the angel of one of these ekklesias is the pastor. But that’s not how the ekklesias were structured in John’s time. Of all the letters in the New Testament, not one of them was addressed to the pastor of an ekklesia. That office did not exist as we know it today.
The stars were in his hand because they were his to command. They willingly complied with his wishes and were empowered with the resources to accomplish his bidding. And the same is still true today. If you, like the angels, are tasked by our Savior to send a message or accomplish a task, he will empower you with the ability to carry it out.
Revelation 1:12-20 (con’t)
The next object in this scene is the “sharp, double-edged sword.” John says it was coming out of the mouth of the son of man that he saw. Now it is clear that this “son of man” was Jesus himself. In verse 18 we read, “I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever!” – NIV.
So, are we to suppose that in heaven we will see Jesus walking around with a sword coming out of his mouth all the time? Well no. And yes!
First of all, note that the sword is a symbol. So, in that sense, no, we will not see a sword coming out of Jesus mouth in heaven. What does it represent? Pretty simple, really. It’s the word of God.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…” – Hebrews 4:12
“… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” – Ephesians 6:17
“… so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty…” – Isaiah 55:11
(All NIV)
Earlier, in his gospel, John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1 (NIV) The Greek “word” here is logos, quite familiar to many of us. It may sound a little trite to us because we’ve heard it so often. But the concept of logos is the title of another complete encyclopedia that is rooted in mythology, philosophy, and of course our understanding of Jesus and his relationship in the Trinity along with his connection to our world. It’s pretty heady stuff if you like to delve into it.
So, the sword coming out of his mouth represents the fact that Jesus is always speaking. And he has connection to every one of us collectively as bodies of believers, and individually. And he speaks simultaneously to all of us. “…his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.” – v. 15 (NIV)
So, yes, we will see/hear Jesus in heaven with a sword coming out of his mouth. But John was only providing a word picture of what he heard and saw. Jesus himself is the “Word of God,” and as such he is always speaking. The tough part is that I am not always listening. When we are ushered into the realm in which John found himself, that will no longer be a problem. We will be privileged to see and hear the word of our Lord. And we will drink in the wonder and majesty of his omnipotence, his omniscience, his love, forever and forever, never satiated, but always hungry for more of him.
So, are we to suppose that in heaven we will see Jesus walking around with a sword coming out of his mouth all the time? Well no. And yes!
First of all, note that the sword is a symbol. So, in that sense, no, we will not see a sword coming out of Jesus mouth in heaven. What does it represent? Pretty simple, really. It’s the word of God.
“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword…” – Hebrews 4:12
“… the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” – Ephesians 6:17
“… so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty…” – Isaiah 55:11
(All NIV)
Earlier, in his gospel, John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1 (NIV) The Greek “word” here is logos, quite familiar to many of us. It may sound a little trite to us because we’ve heard it so often. But the concept of logos is the title of another complete encyclopedia that is rooted in mythology, philosophy, and of course our understanding of Jesus and his relationship in the Trinity along with his connection to our world. It’s pretty heady stuff if you like to delve into it.
So, the sword coming out of his mouth represents the fact that Jesus is always speaking. And he has connection to every one of us collectively as bodies of believers, and individually. And he speaks simultaneously to all of us. “…his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.” – v. 15 (NIV)
So, yes, we will see/hear Jesus in heaven with a sword coming out of his mouth. But John was only providing a word picture of what he heard and saw. Jesus himself is the “Word of God,” and as such he is always speaking. The tough part is that I am not always listening. When we are ushered into the realm in which John found himself, that will no longer be a problem. We will be privileged to see and hear the word of our Lord. And we will drink in the wonder and majesty of his omnipotence, his omniscience, his love, forever and forever, never satiated, but always hungry for more of him.
Revelation 2:1-7

Ephesus was a strategic and yet a very tough place for the Body of Christ. Paul met stiff opposition from Demetrius, the silversmith, who saw that Paul’s work was a serious threat to his livelihood – making Artemis idols. A riot ensued and could have been life-threatening for Paul had the city clerk not intervened.
After that, Ephesus became an important waypoint for believers in the Roman world. Aquila and Priscilla went there when persecution in Rome drove them to find asylum. Paul often stopped there on his journeys. While Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote letters to Timothy who was dealing with serious issues in Ephesus. Timothy was bone-tired trying to battle false apostles and prophets who were peddling debilitating philosophies that were warring against the holiness and purity of the ekklesia there. Timothy was on the verge of giving up, so Paul corrected him and encouraged him to press on.
Apparently, Timothy heeded Paul’s “call to arms” and was able to rally the ekklesia there to cast the false teachers out of the fellowship. That’s exactly what we read in this passage.
But focusing on pure unadulterated doctrine has its pitfalls. Once you get your dogma all straightened out, you want to keep it that way. Your energy is expended on that, and you forget what the whole thing is about – Jesus. Your first love! That is just as bad as wrong doctrine. The Ephesians had flip-flopped from libertinism to legalism. And that requires repentance too. Pure, correct, doctrine is not the same as loving Jesus.
After that, Ephesus became an important waypoint for believers in the Roman world. Aquila and Priscilla went there when persecution in Rome drove them to find asylum. Paul often stopped there on his journeys. While Paul was imprisoned in Rome, he wrote letters to Timothy who was dealing with serious issues in Ephesus. Timothy was bone-tired trying to battle false apostles and prophets who were peddling debilitating philosophies that were warring against the holiness and purity of the ekklesia there. Timothy was on the verge of giving up, so Paul corrected him and encouraged him to press on.
Apparently, Timothy heeded Paul’s “call to arms” and was able to rally the ekklesia there to cast the false teachers out of the fellowship. That’s exactly what we read in this passage.
But focusing on pure unadulterated doctrine has its pitfalls. Once you get your dogma all straightened out, you want to keep it that way. Your energy is expended on that, and you forget what the whole thing is about – Jesus. Your first love! That is just as bad as wrong doctrine. The Ephesians had flip-flopped from libertinism to legalism. And that requires repentance too. Pure, correct, doctrine is not the same as loving Jesus.
Revelation 2:8-11
The ekklesia in Smyrna was already suffering persecution, but there will be more to come. They were poor, probably because Domitian, the Roman emperor, had already confiscated their homes and possessions. But their lack of worldly goods has driven them to support each other and to rely so completely on Jesus for everything. And that’s why they are also called rich. Rich in faith. Rich in intimacy with Jesus. Rich in fellowship with each other. Bonds forged in harsh circumstances are ones that last a lifetime.
But Rome is not their only persecutor. The Jews in the empire are tolerated and enjoy an official status as long as they kowtowed to Rome. This was probably after the destruction of Jerusalem, so there were many terrified Jews throughout the empire who venerated the emperor to escape the persecution being poured out on any religion that did not hold Caesar to be divine. Now, of course, these Jews believed that there was only one God, but they bowed to the wishes of the empire in order to live to fight another day.
The non-believing Jews had been persecuting Christians before Rome did, so they are continuing it now, possibly giving credence to their alignment with the empire. The “synagogue of Satan” is looked on today as an antisemitic title, giving permission for some racist factions to hate Jews. But John himself was a Jew as well as all the apostles, so there is no substance, no credibility for using this passage to validate hatred of Jews.
In this passage the Lord even says that those of the synagogue of Satan are not Jews. Why is that? Because they failed the first test of their religion – “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Also remember that Jesus said to the Jewish rulers who were opposing him, “You belong to your father, the devil…” – John 8:44 (NIV)
The synagogue of Satan is another word picture to describe this additional source of persecution for the ekklesia in Smyrna. It wasn’t some specific synagogue that was adorned with pentagrams and sacrificing children to Satan. It was a pejorative label for Jewish persecutors of believers. We will encounter it again in a different city.
But Rome is not their only persecutor. The Jews in the empire are tolerated and enjoy an official status as long as they kowtowed to Rome. This was probably after the destruction of Jerusalem, so there were many terrified Jews throughout the empire who venerated the emperor to escape the persecution being poured out on any religion that did not hold Caesar to be divine. Now, of course, these Jews believed that there was only one God, but they bowed to the wishes of the empire in order to live to fight another day.
The non-believing Jews had been persecuting Christians before Rome did, so they are continuing it now, possibly giving credence to their alignment with the empire. The “synagogue of Satan” is looked on today as an antisemitic title, giving permission for some racist factions to hate Jews. But John himself was a Jew as well as all the apostles, so there is no substance, no credibility for using this passage to validate hatred of Jews.
In this passage the Lord even says that those of the synagogue of Satan are not Jews. Why is that? Because they failed the first test of their religion – “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” Also remember that Jesus said to the Jewish rulers who were opposing him, “You belong to your father, the devil…” – John 8:44 (NIV)
The synagogue of Satan is another word picture to describe this additional source of persecution for the ekklesia in Smyrna. It wasn’t some specific synagogue that was adorned with pentagrams and sacrificing children to Satan. It was a pejorative label for Jewish persecutors of believers. We will encounter it again in a different city.
Revelation 2:8-11 (continued)
We encounter another symbolic number in this passage. In verse 10 the Lord tells the Smyrna believers that they will suffer persecution for 10 days. Ten days doesn’t sound too bad, right? I mean, depending on the severity, one could endure it knowing that it will be over in ten days. After that, everything returns to normal and you have your life back. Hardly worth mentioning, right?
The number 10 meant something different to those who read this book in John’s time. They understood that it was not ten literal days. The number 10 came from a person counting fingers or toes. A child born with too many was odd, not right. A person who lost a finger was at a disadvantage for any manual labor or dexterity. They were incomplete. So completeness was symbolized by the number 10. Even today, we rate many things on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the ultimate score.
The persecution of the Smyrna ekklesia would be a benchmark. Persecution of other ekklesias would be measured and compared to the torment heaped on them. When talking about being mistreated, another ekklesia might say, “We suffered almost as much as the Smyrna believers!”
The number 10 meant something different to those who read this book in John’s time. They understood that it was not ten literal days. The number 10 came from a person counting fingers or toes. A child born with too many was odd, not right. A person who lost a finger was at a disadvantage for any manual labor or dexterity. They were incomplete. So completeness was symbolized by the number 10. Even today, we rate many things on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the ultimate score.
The persecution of the Smyrna ekklesia would be a benchmark. Persecution of other ekklesias would be measured and compared to the torment heaped on them. When talking about being mistreated, another ekklesia might say, “We suffered almost as much as the Smyrna believers!”
Pergamum - Revelation 2:12-17

Pergamum – the city where Satan lives! Why did the Lord say that? The imperial cult was the deification of Caesar as one of Rome’s gods. Pergamum was the first necorate established in Asia Minor. A necorate became a distinction awarded to cities that had built temples to the emperors. (Wikipedia) So here in Pergamum was the seat of emperor worship in Asia Minor.
Antipas was martyred as a result of his treasonous refusal to worship Caesar. Orthodox tradition says that he was roasted alive in a brazen bull where the pagan priests usually put their sacrifices to the idols. Antipas was the icon of the Pergamum ekklesia, representing their absolute refusal to bow the knee in obedience to the imperial cult. In case you haven’t gotten the picture yet, it’s clear that this book was written to invigorate the spirits of the Body of Christ, weary from severe persecution. There is an end in sight and it is a victorious, glorious, eternal celebration!! Jesus is Lord, the King over all kings, and he will ultimately prevail.
Antipas was martyred as a result of his treasonous refusal to worship Caesar. Orthodox tradition says that he was roasted alive in a brazen bull where the pagan priests usually put their sacrifices to the idols. Antipas was the icon of the Pergamum ekklesia, representing their absolute refusal to bow the knee in obedience to the imperial cult. In case you haven’t gotten the picture yet, it’s clear that this book was written to invigorate the spirits of the Body of Christ, weary from severe persecution. There is an end in sight and it is a victorious, glorious, eternal celebration!! Jesus is Lord, the King over all kings, and he will ultimately prevail.
The White Stone - Revelation 2:12-17 (continued)

Though they were the benchmark for persecution for saying “Jesus is Lord” instead of “Caesar is Lord,” the ekklesia in Pergamum tolerated bad characters. The Nicolaitans taught that sexual immorality was okay. You could engage in it and would be guilty for seven days and then your guilt before God was removed. Without repentance. Without confession. Sort of like a statute of limitations. Or like the Old Testament laws that declared a person clean after seven days. The Lord references Balaam as their teacher, an evil prophet who put his own desires ahead of the people of God and enticed them to sin. This same libertine sect is mentioned in 2 Peter and Jude as well as the message to Ephesus in this book of Revelation. We see another facet of the symbol of the sword. The sword will be used to fight against the Nicolaitans.
And now, what about the white stone? Well, Pergamum was a place where white stone was mined. Perhaps it was marble. G. Campbell Morgan says there were several reasons for giving a person a white stone with their name on it:
And now, what about the white stone? Well, Pergamum was a place where white stone was mined. Perhaps it was marble. G. Campbell Morgan says there were several reasons for giving a person a white stone with their name on it:
- A person who was tried and found innocent.
- A freedman carried it to prove his citizenship and to prove he was not a slave.
- A winner of a race.
- A victorious warrior returning from battle.
Thyatira – Revelation 2:18-29

Thyatira, though not a major city, nevertheless sat on a major Roman road. After commending this ekklesia, the Lord rebukes the believers there for their tolerance of Jezebel. I seriously doubt that there was a woman in the fellowship named Jezebel. Instead, the Jezebel of the Old Testament is invoked as a symbol of the cancerous philosophy being tolerated by the folks in Thyatira. It is possible that a woman in the assembly there was the central purveyor of this false doctrine. And, by the way, this is the same philosophy found in Pergamum that had been rooted out in Ephesus. But the manifestation of it in Thyatira was a bit different and the Lord deals with it uniquely. My take is that a woman in the congregation brought the practice of pagan temple prostitution into the fellowship and was practicing it and encouraging it with anyone who would participate. The harsh rebuke from the Lord convinces me of this. She probably claimed special revelation of “deep secrets” in order to make her diabolical teaching more palatable.
So, the lesson here is that the early Church was not idyllic. Naïve notions about the perfect church government model, the ideal church size, the correct doctrinal tenets, are just that – naïve! All local assemblies of believers will have problems. Serious ones! As long as we live in this fallen world, Satan will infiltrate all fellowships and attempt to destroy them. Believers cannot stick their heads in the sand and wait for it to go away. It must be dealt with. The Lord requires it of us.
So, the lesson here is that the early Church was not idyllic. Naïve notions about the perfect church government model, the ideal church size, the correct doctrinal tenets, are just that – naïve! All local assemblies of believers will have problems. Serious ones! As long as we live in this fallen world, Satan will infiltrate all fellowships and attempt to destroy them. Believers cannot stick their heads in the sand and wait for it to go away. It must be dealt with. The Lord requires it of us.
Sardis – Revelation 3:1-6

A lot of commentators like to research the city in which an ekklesia gathered and tie the Lord’s commendations and condemnations to the characteristics of that city. Perhaps there is some validity to that. In the case of Sardis, it was a well-fortified city. As a result, the defenders became complacent, trusting their impenetrable walls. This complacency became their downfall in at least one instance, subjecting them to a devastating surprise attack.
In the Lord’s warning to this ekklesia, he tells them to, “Wake Up!” There are no mentions made about persecution of these believers, so it is probably safe to say that they were not looked down on by the rest of the city. This favorable reputation may have led to the majority becoming comfortable in their lack of devotion to Jesus.
I believe the vast majority of churches, religious institutions, and ekklesias in the western world are like the ekklesia at Sardis. And that is because they are not persecuted. Tolerance by the world system breeds mediocrity in the Body of Christ.
In the Lord’s warning to this ekklesia, he tells them to, “Wake Up!” There are no mentions made about persecution of these believers, so it is probably safe to say that they were not looked down on by the rest of the city. This favorable reputation may have led to the majority becoming comfortable in their lack of devotion to Jesus.
I believe the vast majority of churches, religious institutions, and ekklesias in the western world are like the ekklesia at Sardis. And that is because they are not persecuted. Tolerance by the world system breeds mediocrity in the Body of Christ.
Philadelphia – Revelation 3:7-13

Alright, so, what is the key of David? Why did the Lord use this phrase?
First of all, the key of David is given to Jesus. Some mistakenly think it was given to the Church, perhaps this local ekklesia. Not so! This passage is very clear. Christ is the one who possesses it and opens and shuts doors.
Secondly, the Lord is bringing to the readers’ minds the prophecy in Isaiah 22. It is one about a steward in Hezekiah’s reign, Shebna, who was deposed by God and replaced with Eliakim. Shebna was more concerned with his own legacy and power than with the king’s success whom he served. In the prophecy in Isaiah 22, he is to be removed and replaced with Eliakim on whose shoulders the “key of David” will be placed. And in this prophecy, we find the familiar phrase concerning the doors he can open and shut.
This is a good place to introduce an important fact about both prophecy and apocalyptic literature. So many times, we find that when something is spoken of in prophecy and/or apocalyptic scripture, there will be more than one fulfillment. In addition, it will often mirror a recurring theme or story line found throughout Scripture.
In this case, we see Shebna as the personification of those who are “of the synagogue of Satan.” And Eliakim represents the Lord who now possesses the key of David and the associated power to open and shut doors.
The recurring theme in Scripture begins with Adam. Adam represents Shebna who defaulted on his devotion and intimacy with God in favor of personal gain. Jesus, the second Adam, represents Eliakim who is a faithful steward who looks after the interests of the king and shoulders the key of David.
First of all, the key of David is given to Jesus. Some mistakenly think it was given to the Church, perhaps this local ekklesia. Not so! This passage is very clear. Christ is the one who possesses it and opens and shuts doors.
Secondly, the Lord is bringing to the readers’ minds the prophecy in Isaiah 22. It is one about a steward in Hezekiah’s reign, Shebna, who was deposed by God and replaced with Eliakim. Shebna was more concerned with his own legacy and power than with the king’s success whom he served. In the prophecy in Isaiah 22, he is to be removed and replaced with Eliakim on whose shoulders the “key of David” will be placed. And in this prophecy, we find the familiar phrase concerning the doors he can open and shut.
This is a good place to introduce an important fact about both prophecy and apocalyptic literature. So many times, we find that when something is spoken of in prophecy and/or apocalyptic scripture, there will be more than one fulfillment. In addition, it will often mirror a recurring theme or story line found throughout Scripture.
In this case, we see Shebna as the personification of those who are “of the synagogue of Satan.” And Eliakim represents the Lord who now possesses the key of David and the associated power to open and shut doors.
The recurring theme in Scripture begins with Adam. Adam represents Shebna who defaulted on his devotion and intimacy with God in favor of personal gain. Jesus, the second Adam, represents Eliakim who is a faithful steward who looks after the interests of the king and shoulders the key of David.
Philadelphia and the Open Door – Revelation 3:7-13 (con’t)

What is the open door the Lord has set before this ekklesia? I don’t think anyone can know for sure. But there are some hints from the context that remind me of another story.
The door to the ark was open for Noah and his family and all the creatures of the earth (except fish) to enter. And when it was time for judgment, the Lord shut the door. And however much the drowning unbelievers wanted to enter, they could not. In this passage, the synagogue of Satan is persecuting this ekklesia, scoffing at their pain. In verse 10 we see that this ekklesia will be rescued (like Noah of old) from the tribulation that is coming. I just can’t help seeing the parallels with Noah’s story. The door is open to the beleaguered ekklesia at Philadelphia to enter the protection of our Lord, and the synagogue of Satan cannot shut it. Later the door will be shut to the persecutors when great tribulation comes on the whole world.
The door to the ark was open for Noah and his family and all the creatures of the earth (except fish) to enter. And when it was time for judgment, the Lord shut the door. And however much the drowning unbelievers wanted to enter, they could not. In this passage, the synagogue of Satan is persecuting this ekklesia, scoffing at their pain. In verse 10 we see that this ekklesia will be rescued (like Noah of old) from the tribulation that is coming. I just can’t help seeing the parallels with Noah’s story. The door is open to the beleaguered ekklesia at Philadelphia to enter the protection of our Lord, and the synagogue of Satan cannot shut it. Later the door will be shut to the persecutors when great tribulation comes on the whole world.
Laodicea – Revelation 3:14-22

This is the most preached about ekklesia in all of Revelation. Verse 20 is used in nearly all “Come to Jesus” pitches. And it is an amazing thing to comprehend – that the great “I am,” the creator of the universe, the omnipotent, omniscient, inscrutable son of God, son of man, would desire my company. It is fantastic to dwell on such a thought.
It is equally difficult to understand why someone would refuse to open the door; or even be reluctant to do so! Yes, there will be discipline and repentance. But to be able to commune with God himself, to be able to walk and talk with Jesus, to hear his voice guiding and nudging every moment of every day! Why would anyone hesitate?!
That is the “gold refined in the fire” mentioned in verse 18. Like the Laodiceans, we must all gladly pay any price to possess it. That’s what this whole book is about – the treasure of Jesus himself. All the charts and multi-colored timelines miss the point. Revelation is about Jesus and his story, past, present, and future. He is the focal point of it all. And he desires your company and my company. So, whatever you may glean from this book, it should drive you to Him. We should all come away with a more intimate relationship with our living Lord.
The Throne Scene – Revelation 4

I remember reading Revelation when I was younger and being so glad when I got past all that “message to the churches” stuff. Now I could break out all the charts and timelines and try to figure out what it all meant for me. It never occurred to me at the time that John’s vision was given to him to meet the desperate needs of his readers, the ekklesias in Asia Minor, that were facing persecution at every turn. They really needed to know that an almighty God was their protector and, whatever trials and troubles they encountered, he would ultimately prevail.
And so, to set the stage for this, John is ushered into the throne room in heaven. The scene before him is nearly impossible to describe. His attempts to do so remind me of a psychedelic drug trip or an out-of-this-world work of art. John uses the symbolism of his day to splash the scene on the canvas. Or what might be equally true, is that the scene was laid out before him using the numbers, icons, and colors of John’s time to help him digest something he was incapable of perceiving in the physical world using only our five senses.
And so, to set the stage for this, John is ushered into the throne room in heaven. The scene before him is nearly impossible to describe. His attempts to do so remind me of a psychedelic drug trip or an out-of-this-world work of art. John uses the symbolism of his day to splash the scene on the canvas. Or what might be equally true, is that the scene was laid out before him using the numbers, icons, and colors of John’s time to help him digest something he was incapable of perceiving in the physical world using only our five senses.
The Father - Revelation 4 (con’t)

The first thing we encounter in this scene is a door standing open in heaven. Remember the Key of David and that Jesus opens a door that cannot be shut and vice versa. He introduced this in the message to the ekklesia at Philadelphia. Jesus has opened this door to the presence of the Father. When he died on the cross, the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom, signifying our access to God without the need for any other mediator than Jesus himself.
In this chapter we have the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son, is not introduced until Chapter 5. God the Father is seated on the throne. The Holy Spirit is present as the seven lamps in front of the throne. John tells us that these are the seven-fold Spirit of God.
Let’s take a look at John’s description of God the Father. He had the appearance of jasper and ruby. “Although the term jasper is now restricted to opaque quartz, the ancient iaspis (jasper) was a stone of considerable translucency…” “The jasper of antiquity was in many cases distinctly green…” (Wikipedia). Of course, rubies are red stones. So, what John perceives on the throne, he describes using the metaphor of precious stones, both green and red.
The color green symbolizes life and regeneration. From God springs all forms of life in the universe. In addition, it speaks of resurrection, something only God can bring about. “For many early cultures, the color green symbolized growth, rebirth, and regeneration through it’s association to nature…” (jsirglog.com)
Jasper and rubies were both highly valued precious stones. Like the rainbow that encircled the throne, jasper contained many colors, but in a random way. And in ancient days, it was dominated by the color green, much like the rainbow that encircled the throne contained many colors but shone like an emerald. Rubies were the most precious of stones and associated with power and passion.
I cannot list every characteristic associated with these two precious stones that John uses to describe the appearance of the One who sat on the throne – the Father. But what is happening is something that we will all experience when we pass from this physical world and are ushered into eternity. John saw not only the outward appearance of God, but he also saw who God was – his attributes, his character, his essence, if you will. When you and I see a person walking down the street, we see their physical appearance, but know nothing about them; their character; their reputation; their proclivities; their work ethic; their driving motivations; on and on. Our knowledge of them is severely limited to the light, shadows, and colors reflecting from the spectral dimension. And it often takes considerable time and interaction for us to really learn who a person is. The truth is, we hardly even know ourselves as well as we should. But one day, when we are ushered into eternity, we will no longer be restricted in this way. In heaven, when we see someone, we will see more than just a form, we will perceive everything about them, their very essence – immediately!
1 Corinthians 13:12 puts it this way, “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears, and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!” (The Message)
There are some today who claim to be able to discern things about a person they don’t know. These people claim that all of us have an aura, and they would have us believe they can see it. Based on the colors of an aura, they claim to be able to know characteristics about that person. Whether such abilities exist or not, I cannot say. But that is not the point. The interesting part about it is that every one of us would like to have that ability. And I believe it is a desire placed in us by our Maker, one that will be fulfilled when we break the bonds of this fallen world and are ushered into the dimensions of eternity when time is no more. And I believe that is what John was experiencing in the Spirt. That’s why God the Father has the appearance of jasper and ruby with a rainbow encircling him that shone like an emerald in John’s vision.
In this chapter we have the presence of the Father and the Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Son, is not introduced until Chapter 5. God the Father is seated on the throne. The Holy Spirit is present as the seven lamps in front of the throne. John tells us that these are the seven-fold Spirit of God.
Let’s take a look at John’s description of God the Father. He had the appearance of jasper and ruby. “Although the term jasper is now restricted to opaque quartz, the ancient iaspis (jasper) was a stone of considerable translucency…” “The jasper of antiquity was in many cases distinctly green…” (Wikipedia). Of course, rubies are red stones. So, what John perceives on the throne, he describes using the metaphor of precious stones, both green and red.
The color green symbolizes life and regeneration. From God springs all forms of life in the universe. In addition, it speaks of resurrection, something only God can bring about. “For many early cultures, the color green symbolized growth, rebirth, and regeneration through it’s association to nature…” (jsirglog.com)
Jasper and rubies were both highly valued precious stones. Like the rainbow that encircled the throne, jasper contained many colors, but in a random way. And in ancient days, it was dominated by the color green, much like the rainbow that encircled the throne contained many colors but shone like an emerald. Rubies were the most precious of stones and associated with power and passion.
I cannot list every characteristic associated with these two precious stones that John uses to describe the appearance of the One who sat on the throne – the Father. But what is happening is something that we will all experience when we pass from this physical world and are ushered into eternity. John saw not only the outward appearance of God, but he also saw who God was – his attributes, his character, his essence, if you will. When you and I see a person walking down the street, we see their physical appearance, but know nothing about them; their character; their reputation; their proclivities; their work ethic; their driving motivations; on and on. Our knowledge of them is severely limited to the light, shadows, and colors reflecting from the spectral dimension. And it often takes considerable time and interaction for us to really learn who a person is. The truth is, we hardly even know ourselves as well as we should. But one day, when we are ushered into eternity, we will no longer be restricted in this way. In heaven, when we see someone, we will see more than just a form, we will perceive everything about them, their very essence – immediately!
1 Corinthians 13:12 puts it this way, “We don’t yet see things clearly. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long before the weather clears, and the sun shines bright! We’ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!” (The Message)
There are some today who claim to be able to discern things about a person they don’t know. These people claim that all of us have an aura, and they would have us believe they can see it. Based on the colors of an aura, they claim to be able to know characteristics about that person. Whether such abilities exist or not, I cannot say. But that is not the point. The interesting part about it is that every one of us would like to have that ability. And I believe it is a desire placed in us by our Maker, one that will be fulfilled when we break the bonds of this fallen world and are ushered into the dimensions of eternity when time is no more. And I believe that is what John was experiencing in the Spirt. That’s why God the Father has the appearance of jasper and ruby with a rainbow encircling him that shone like an emerald in John’s vision.
24 Elders – Revelation 4 (con’t)

Next, we encounter the 24 thrones and the 24 elders surrounding the throne. My take on this (and many agree) is that these are representative of the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12 apostles. That does not mean that the elders ARE the 12 sons of Jacob and the 12 apostles. (Although, in Matthew 19:28 Jesus tells the Twelve that they will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. But, of course, Judas was one of the Twelve, but he would not be on one of the thrones since he did not pass into heaven at his death. Instead, another was chosen to take his place.) But they are icons, if you will, of both the Old Testament and the New. They represent the revelation of Jesus both before God became a man and afterward.
At any rate, these 24 elders are assembled to witness the saga that is about to unfold. And they represent the time before Christ’s incarnation and the time afterward.
At any rate, these 24 elders are assembled to witness the saga that is about to unfold. And they represent the time before Christ’s incarnation and the time afterward.
The Sea of Glass – Revelation 4 (con’t)

The next icon in this throne room scene is the sea of glass in front of the throne. It is also mentioned later on in Revelation. I see two distinct, yet interrelated, concepts represented by the sea of glass that is clear as crystal. 1) Cleansing, and 2) God’s absolute control over chaos.
Let’s look at cleansing first. Before the tabernacle, and later the temple, stood a brazen laver filled with water for the priests to cleanse themselves while ministering there. In the same way, all of us who are believers are baptized to indicate our cleansing by the blood of Christ and our passage from our old lives to our new life in Christ. In the same way, Noah passed through the water, leaving the old world behind and was brought safely to a new world, cleansed from the past. Moses also passed through the water of the Nile where so many of his generation were drowned, to a life of safety in Pharoah’s house. Later, he and the Israelite slaves passed safely through the Red Sea from bondage to freedom. After their sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites passed through the Jordan River to a new life in the promised land.
Woven through this tapestry of cleansing and baptism is the control of the sea by almighty God. See how God buoyed Noah in the ark while using the fury and power of water to destroy evil. The same occurs when Moses and the Israelites pass through the sea that very quickly thereafter swallows their enemies. And finally, the scene where Jesus himself walks serenely on the raging Sea of Galilee that threatens to entomb his disciples. Thereafter, he speaks, and the sea becomes calm as glass.
Hence, in this scene, the sea is like glass, clear as crystal. The most feared force of nature sits in absolute subjection to Him who sits on the throne, a simple tool in His hand to bring about both cleansing and judgment.
Let’s look at cleansing first. Before the tabernacle, and later the temple, stood a brazen laver filled with water for the priests to cleanse themselves while ministering there. In the same way, all of us who are believers are baptized to indicate our cleansing by the blood of Christ and our passage from our old lives to our new life in Christ. In the same way, Noah passed through the water, leaving the old world behind and was brought safely to a new world, cleansed from the past. Moses also passed through the water of the Nile where so many of his generation were drowned, to a life of safety in Pharoah’s house. Later, he and the Israelite slaves passed safely through the Red Sea from bondage to freedom. After their sojourn in the wilderness, the Israelites passed through the Jordan River to a new life in the promised land.
Woven through this tapestry of cleansing and baptism is the control of the sea by almighty God. See how God buoyed Noah in the ark while using the fury and power of water to destroy evil. The same occurs when Moses and the Israelites pass through the sea that very quickly thereafter swallows their enemies. And finally, the scene where Jesus himself walks serenely on the raging Sea of Galilee that threatens to entomb his disciples. Thereafter, he speaks, and the sea becomes calm as glass.
Hence, in this scene, the sea is like glass, clear as crystal. The most feared force of nature sits in absolute subjection to Him who sits on the throne, a simple tool in His hand to bring about both cleansing and judgment.
The Four Living Creatures – Revelation 4 (con’t)

The four living creatures are a really confusing sight to behold! To begin with, what in the world are they?! Okay, I guess I should say that they are totally out of this world. I mean, has anyone ever seen anything resembling them? Well actually, yes! Ezekiel saw something which he described in very similar terms. Isaiah also encountered these creatures in a vision. Isaiah called them seraphim and Ezekiel called them cherubim. So, it is quite clear that these living creatures are, in fact, angels. And they have a very special mission – to extol the majesty and holiness of God in his presence continually.
But you ask, how could any creature keep that up continuously? Wouldn’t it get boring after a while? Wouldn’t that be exhausting? But there is no “time” in eternity. There is only now. Past, present and future all exist simultaneously in eternity. So, there’s that.
Joni Eareckson Tada in her book, Heaven: Your Real Home, does a great job of describing what we would experience in heaven. On earth we get filled up, we get tired, we need a break, even from fantastic experiences. Not so in heaven. We can worship God without end there, and never get tired of it. We can enjoy chocolate cake and ice cream with each mouthful as delectable as the one before. We can talk and enjoy the presence of each other without end, as if we’d just reunited with old friends after a long separation. “I’m bored,” said no one in heaven – EVER!
Now let’s imagine that you are one of theses angels assigned to be in the closest proximity to God at all times. Here is God the Father, cascading his love, his wisdom, his essence to you all the time. You are awash in all that he is. And you are constantly and forever being blown away by something new about him that you never knew before. And every moment you’re experiencing his love in new and unfathomable depths and in ways you had never previously known. And there is no end to the discovery and the depths of his love. You see, God is inscrutable! There is no figuring him out! You would not be able to keep from exclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
Almost immediately, the twenty-four elders also become infected by the intoxicating tsunami of His love and the shockingly new knowledge the Father exudes and they strip off their gold crowns, stumble off their thrones in absolute amazement and fall down before the Father saying, “You are worthy!”
But you ask, how could any creature keep that up continuously? Wouldn’t it get boring after a while? Wouldn’t that be exhausting? But there is no “time” in eternity. There is only now. Past, present and future all exist simultaneously in eternity. So, there’s that.
Joni Eareckson Tada in her book, Heaven: Your Real Home, does a great job of describing what we would experience in heaven. On earth we get filled up, we get tired, we need a break, even from fantastic experiences. Not so in heaven. We can worship God without end there, and never get tired of it. We can enjoy chocolate cake and ice cream with each mouthful as delectable as the one before. We can talk and enjoy the presence of each other without end, as if we’d just reunited with old friends after a long separation. “I’m bored,” said no one in heaven – EVER!
Now let’s imagine that you are one of theses angels assigned to be in the closest proximity to God at all times. Here is God the Father, cascading his love, his wisdom, his essence to you all the time. You are awash in all that he is. And you are constantly and forever being blown away by something new about him that you never knew before. And every moment you’re experiencing his love in new and unfathomable depths and in ways you had never previously known. And there is no end to the discovery and the depths of his love. You see, God is inscrutable! There is no figuring him out! You would not be able to keep from exclaiming, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”
Almost immediately, the twenty-four elders also become infected by the intoxicating tsunami of His love and the shockingly new knowledge the Father exudes and they strip off their gold crowns, stumble off their thrones in absolute amazement and fall down before the Father saying, “You are worthy!”
More On the Four Living Creatures – Revelation 4 (con’t)

So now, I think we have figured out why they do what they do. But we still haven’t addressed their bizarre appearance. We must remember, once again, that John is perceiving more than just their form. He is also experiencing their essence, almost everything about them. This is something we cannot do in our limited world of five senses and linear time constraints. To know someone as completely as possible, I have to spend a lifetime with them. And even then, there are things I will not understand. But here John gets the full download instantly. And so, he is trying with the best of his ability to convey to his readers the essence of these very special angels.
I think the key to understanding them is right there staring us in the face. Yes, I believe they were angels, but John (and Ezekiel) calls them living creatures. These four living creatures represent, in my opinion, the entire God-adoring creation that is always and forever bringing honor and glory to the Creator. Specifically, I’m speaking of the animal kingdom. Okay, maybe not spiders and snakes! The face of the lion represents all wild animals, the face of the ox, all tame animals, the face of the eagle, all birds, and the face of a man, all human life.
In the garden, God gave Adam dominion over his creation. And man was the apex, the focal point of creation. But the animals were not created just for man’s pleasure. They were created by God and for HIS pleasure. People often ask, “Will there be animals in heaven?” I think I can unequivocally say, “Yes!” And as in our fallen world, they will forever be calling us to worship and praise our God. This scene indicates that they will be very close to the Father, even in the midst of his throne.
I think the key to understanding them is right there staring us in the face. Yes, I believe they were angels, but John (and Ezekiel) calls them living creatures. These four living creatures represent, in my opinion, the entire God-adoring creation that is always and forever bringing honor and glory to the Creator. Specifically, I’m speaking of the animal kingdom. Okay, maybe not spiders and snakes! The face of the lion represents all wild animals, the face of the ox, all tame animals, the face of the eagle, all birds, and the face of a man, all human life.
In the garden, God gave Adam dominion over his creation. And man was the apex, the focal point of creation. But the animals were not created just for man’s pleasure. They were created by God and for HIS pleasure. People often ask, “Will there be animals in heaven?” I think I can unequivocally say, “Yes!” And as in our fallen world, they will forever be calling us to worship and praise our God. This scene indicates that they will be very close to the Father, even in the midst of his throne.
Even More on the Four Living Creatures – Revelation 4 (con’t)

These four living creatures also had eyes on them – everywhere! I think almost every commentator would agree that this speaks of their constant vigilance. There is nothing that escapes their attention. You cannot sneak up on them. The element of surprise is a foreign concept to these angels. For some reason God has conferred on them his ability to see all that is going on. I do not understand why that is, but John describes this aspect of their essence by saying that they have eyes all around.
Each of them also has six wings. Swiftness has always been associated with winged creatures. In Isaiah’s vision they also had six wings. Ezekiel’s had four. The sense here is that these creatures are exceedingly swift, having not one pair of wings, but three.
This morning, I witnessed a common occurrence in nature. A hawk was sitting in the trees, moving from one perch to another. Accompanying this bird of prey was a very agitated band of blue jays and other smaller birds trying to annoy this hawk so he would move on. Whenever he switched perches, they would move with him, being careful to stay out of the reach of his deadly talons. They constantly were crying out with alarming calls to one another. And they were flitting about in a frenzied dance to warn the others and to tantalize the predator. These smaller birds were extremely attentive to every move the hawk made and called out to one another in response.
In a similar way, these living creatures were so enamored by the majesty and glory of the Father, so enraptured by his endless and unfathomable love, that they were extremely attentive to His every word, his every move. And when they perceived the Father initiating a word or an action, they were very swift to call out to one another, and anyone else listening, absolutely unable to resist praising him for his majesty and glory.
Do you hear them calling out? I hear them in the call of the whippoorwills in the night air. I see them in the graceful deer and her fawn as they move across my lawn. I sense their swiftness when a fox effortlessly lopes among the trees, or a hummingbird flits from one flower to another. And I see the glory of the Father reflected in the face of every person I meet, his image stamped on them, even if they are not aware of Him. Let’s join with the twenty-four elders in response to these creatures and give him honor and glory and praise today.
Each of them also has six wings. Swiftness has always been associated with winged creatures. In Isaiah’s vision they also had six wings. Ezekiel’s had four. The sense here is that these creatures are exceedingly swift, having not one pair of wings, but three.
This morning, I witnessed a common occurrence in nature. A hawk was sitting in the trees, moving from one perch to another. Accompanying this bird of prey was a very agitated band of blue jays and other smaller birds trying to annoy this hawk so he would move on. Whenever he switched perches, they would move with him, being careful to stay out of the reach of his deadly talons. They constantly were crying out with alarming calls to one another. And they were flitting about in a frenzied dance to warn the others and to tantalize the predator. These smaller birds were extremely attentive to every move the hawk made and called out to one another in response.
In a similar way, these living creatures were so enamored by the majesty and glory of the Father, so enraptured by his endless and unfathomable love, that they were extremely attentive to His every word, his every move. And when they perceived the Father initiating a word or an action, they were very swift to call out to one another, and anyone else listening, absolutely unable to resist praising him for his majesty and glory.
Do you hear them calling out? I hear them in the call of the whippoorwills in the night air. I see them in the graceful deer and her fawn as they move across my lawn. I sense their swiftness when a fox effortlessly lopes among the trees, or a hummingbird flits from one flower to another. And I see the glory of the Father reflected in the face of every person I meet, his image stamped on them, even if they are not aware of Him. Let’s join with the twenty-four elders in response to these creatures and give him honor and glory and praise today.
Who is Worthy? - Revelation 5

And now, in this chapter, God the Son is introduced. And he shares the throne with Father, and the seven-fold Spirit of God is indicated by seven eyes. Again we see the prominence of the perfect number seven.
After reading this chapter, I hardly know where to start. George Frideric Handel must have felt the same way when he composed the last chorus in his seminal work, “The Messiah.” The last chorus, “Worthy Is the Lamb,” uses the text from Revelation 5:12-14.
Imagine hearing this chapter for the first time as a believer in the seven churches. Everything you’ve been going through would fade into the background as you see the Lamb of God in the midst of the throne. The reader identifies with John who is wracked with sobs when no one can be found worthy to open the scroll. And then when the Lamb steps up and is declared worthy, all heaven and earth explodes with praise. Hear it in Handel’s Messiah. Or if you prefer contemporary worship, listen to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sing “Worthy is the Lamb.”
- Seven horns speaks of the incomparable power of the Lamb.
- Seven seals indicates perfect unbreakable security of the seals.
- Seven eyes speaks of the seven-fold Spirit of God on the Lamb.
After reading this chapter, I hardly know where to start. George Frideric Handel must have felt the same way when he composed the last chorus in his seminal work, “The Messiah.” The last chorus, “Worthy Is the Lamb,” uses the text from Revelation 5:12-14.
Imagine hearing this chapter for the first time as a believer in the seven churches. Everything you’ve been going through would fade into the background as you see the Lamb of God in the midst of the throne. The reader identifies with John who is wracked with sobs when no one can be found worthy to open the scroll. And then when the Lamb steps up and is declared worthy, all heaven and earth explodes with praise. Hear it in Handel’s Messiah. Or if you prefer contemporary worship, listen to the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir sing “Worthy is the Lamb.”
The Lamb – Revelation 5 (con’t)

There is no mistaking that the Lamb in this scene is Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God, and Son of Man. He was the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. He appeared to have been slain and yet is alive, standing at the center of the throne. He has seven horns, or so it appeared to John, indicating his perfect and incomparable power, and seven eyes indicating his perfect unity with the seven-fold Spirit of God. The twenty-four elders refer to the Lamb as the Lion of the tribe of Judah and the Root of David.
Those beleaguered believers in Asia Minor who read this or hear it for the first time must have been elated as they heard John describing their beloved Savior. Yes, he was slain as a lamb in the slaughter, and yet now he is alive and triumphant. And he is the only person in all of heaven and earth who is worthy! This lamb approaches the throne and takes the scroll from the right hand of the Father. And when that happens, all heaven and earth explode with thunderous praise and worship. It begins first with a massive chorus of angels; more than one can count. The thousand times ten thousand doesn’t mean literally 100 million. It indicates that there is an innumerable host of angels. Then they are joined by every creature from God’s creation, animals, birds, fish, whales, etc. The entire created universe joins in. And lastly, the four living creatures join in followed by the twenty-four elders.
I’m looking forward to that scene! I’m anticipating the rapture of that event. And I’m going to start today. That event is already, but not yet. Jesus has already triumphed and stands in the midst of the throne. Seeing through a poor mirror we can faintly catch a glimpse of it all and can give him glory and praise in our own limited capacity today. But one day (here I am speaking in terms of time again) we will join this indescribable celebration and see everything completely and without the veil of this fallen world.
Those beleaguered believers in Asia Minor who read this or hear it for the first time must have been elated as they heard John describing their beloved Savior. Yes, he was slain as a lamb in the slaughter, and yet now he is alive and triumphant. And he is the only person in all of heaven and earth who is worthy! This lamb approaches the throne and takes the scroll from the right hand of the Father. And when that happens, all heaven and earth explode with thunderous praise and worship. It begins first with a massive chorus of angels; more than one can count. The thousand times ten thousand doesn’t mean literally 100 million. It indicates that there is an innumerable host of angels. Then they are joined by every creature from God’s creation, animals, birds, fish, whales, etc. The entire created universe joins in. And lastly, the four living creatures join in followed by the twenty-four elders.
I’m looking forward to that scene! I’m anticipating the rapture of that event. And I’m going to start today. That event is already, but not yet. Jesus has already triumphed and stands in the midst of the throne. Seeing through a poor mirror we can faintly catch a glimpse of it all and can give him glory and praise in our own limited capacity today. But one day (here I am speaking in terms of time again) we will join this indescribable celebration and see everything completely and without the veil of this fallen world.
The Scroll – Revelation 5 (con’t)

What is this scroll with the seven seals? There is writing on both sides, but you will notice that no one ever reads from it. Instead, the whole saga of Revelation, the play that is about to unfold, is triggered by the Lamb opening the seals.
I think this is a good place to talk about the bigger picture of John’s vision, specifically the way it is laid out. The scroll itself contains the story that is played out before the throne room audience. The story is presented like one peeling an onion.
First, we have the seven seals. Upon opening the seventh seal, we have seven trumpets. After the blast of the seventh trumpet, we have seven bowls of God’s wrath. Following all this, we have the final judgment succeeded by the new heaven and new earth that restores the tree of life and the river of Eden and the fulfillment of God’s original purposes seen in Genesis 1 and 2.
All of these sevens are a way to tell the story of judgment and the triumph of the Lamb over his enemies. This reminds me of fractals. As you peel the onion, you find the same story being told in a new way with descriptions that enlighten the mind of the hearer. When we read Revelation with this paradigm, all the charts and timelines become trivial, and Jesus takes center stage where he belongs. You see, it’s all about Him! Christ is all!
I think this is a good place to talk about the bigger picture of John’s vision, specifically the way it is laid out. The scroll itself contains the story that is played out before the throne room audience. The story is presented like one peeling an onion.
First, we have the seven seals. Upon opening the seventh seal, we have seven trumpets. After the blast of the seventh trumpet, we have seven bowls of God’s wrath. Following all this, we have the final judgment succeeded by the new heaven and new earth that restores the tree of life and the river of Eden and the fulfillment of God’s original purposes seen in Genesis 1 and 2.
All of these sevens are a way to tell the story of judgment and the triumph of the Lamb over his enemies. This reminds me of fractals. As you peel the onion, you find the same story being told in a new way with descriptions that enlighten the mind of the hearer. When we read Revelation with this paradigm, all the charts and timelines become trivial, and Jesus takes center stage where he belongs. You see, it’s all about Him! Christ is all!
The Seals – Revelation 6

In this chapter, the Lamb begins opening the seven seals on the scroll. The last verse in this chapter sums up what the six seals being opened are all about – a great day of wrath has come!
The first four seals are preceded by each of the four living creatures calling to John, “Come!” Each of these are riders going out on horses.
So, the message in these first four seals is that war will abound, people will kill each other in unprecedented numbers, famine and starvation will abound. There is an indication here that a significant part of the earth will succumb to death by all these as well as plagues and wild beasts. It’s not a pretty picture. Judgment is about to come on the earth.
The fifth seal is different. Here we see the souls of the martyrs crying out to God for vengeance. And they are instructed to wait a little longer.
With the sixth seal we see the heavens and the earth shaken and the mighty ones in the earth crying out to die when faced with God’s wrath. It’s apocalyptic! But it’s not the final scene. Death and the grave have power on only a fourth of the earth. ¼ here is another symbolic number signifying that the judgment is partial, not final. We’ve seen this act play out many times before.
See Noah being persecuted and ridiculed as he constructed the ark. Hear him cry out like the martyrs under the altar, “How long, O Lord?!” And then the day of judgment comes and the mighty cry out for a quick death in the face of the judgments of the sixth seal. It’s apocalyptic!
See Abraham as he pleads for the righteous living in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. See the vexation of Lot’s righteous soul as he witnesses the wickedness all around him. God heeds Abraham’s cry and rescues Lot and his family while raining death and destruction on his neighbors and the cities of the plains of Sodom. It’s apocalyptic!
See the Israelites languishing in slavery in Egypt crying out to God for deliverance. Watch as the Almighty sends plague after plague on their oppressors until the Red Sea at last provides deliverance for God’s people and judgment on Pharoah and his army. It’s apocalyptic!
See the prophets in the Old Testament crying out to the great I Am to vindicate their message in the face of a lost and hostile people, once the apple of God’s eye, but now prostituting themselves to false gods. And the pagan hoards come and slaughter them, destroy Jerusalem, and drag their best and brightest into exile. It’s apocalyptic!
And it happens again shortly after John’s vision when the beleaguered believers flee Jerusalem when the Romans burn Jerusalem and plow it under, never to be the Holy City again for thousands of years. It’s apocalyptic!
Likewise, the seven churches of Revelation are crying out to the Lamb, “How long, O Lord?!” And the answer is like all the answers in ages past. The time is soon coming when the world will be judged, and the saints will be rescued. But it is not the final judgment. There is a final day coming.
The first four seals are preceded by each of the four living creatures calling to John, “Come!” Each of these are riders going out on horses.
- A conquering rider on a white horse.
- A rider on a red horse who could incite people to kill each other.
- A rider with a pair of scales on a black horse who will measure paltry amounts of food to starving people.
- A rider named Death (followed by the Grave) is on a pale horse who has power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine, plague, and wild beasts.
So, the message in these first four seals is that war will abound, people will kill each other in unprecedented numbers, famine and starvation will abound. There is an indication here that a significant part of the earth will succumb to death by all these as well as plagues and wild beasts. It’s not a pretty picture. Judgment is about to come on the earth.
The fifth seal is different. Here we see the souls of the martyrs crying out to God for vengeance. And they are instructed to wait a little longer.
With the sixth seal we see the heavens and the earth shaken and the mighty ones in the earth crying out to die when faced with God’s wrath. It’s apocalyptic! But it’s not the final scene. Death and the grave have power on only a fourth of the earth. ¼ here is another symbolic number signifying that the judgment is partial, not final. We’ve seen this act play out many times before.
See Noah being persecuted and ridiculed as he constructed the ark. Hear him cry out like the martyrs under the altar, “How long, O Lord?!” And then the day of judgment comes and the mighty cry out for a quick death in the face of the judgments of the sixth seal. It’s apocalyptic!
See Abraham as he pleads for the righteous living in the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. See the vexation of Lot’s righteous soul as he witnesses the wickedness all around him. God heeds Abraham’s cry and rescues Lot and his family while raining death and destruction on his neighbors and the cities of the plains of Sodom. It’s apocalyptic!
See the Israelites languishing in slavery in Egypt crying out to God for deliverance. Watch as the Almighty sends plague after plague on their oppressors until the Red Sea at last provides deliverance for God’s people and judgment on Pharoah and his army. It’s apocalyptic!
See the prophets in the Old Testament crying out to the great I Am to vindicate their message in the face of a lost and hostile people, once the apple of God’s eye, but now prostituting themselves to false gods. And the pagan hoards come and slaughter them, destroy Jerusalem, and drag their best and brightest into exile. It’s apocalyptic!
And it happens again shortly after John’s vision when the beleaguered believers flee Jerusalem when the Romans burn Jerusalem and plow it under, never to be the Holy City again for thousands of years. It’s apocalyptic!
Likewise, the seven churches of Revelation are crying out to the Lamb, “How long, O Lord?!” And the answer is like all the answers in ages past. The time is soon coming when the world will be judged, and the saints will be rescued. But it is not the final judgment. There is a final day coming.
The 144,000 – Revelation 7:1-8

This passage has been debated over and over in the past century or so. Some believe it is the number of Jewish believers who will be saved during the Tribulation. Others believe it is the number of super-elite who will occupy the highest heaven (vs. the lower heavens). I subscribe to neither of these.
Two things. First of all, what is this passage about? It is written concerning those who will be “sealed” so that they are protected from the catastrophes that are about to take place. These will be safe during the apocalypse.
Secondly, these numbers are symbolic. Even the concept of the tribes of Israel is symbolic. Two numbers are prominent – the number 12 and the number 1000. And the multiplication of these numbers is also a significant symbol. As I mentioned earlier, there were twelve sons of Jacob, twelve tribes of Israel, and Jesus had twelve disciples whom he chose to pour his life into.
1000 is the complete number. 12 times 1000 is the complete number of the chosen ones. Israel was chosen to reveal God to the world. The 12 disciples were chosen to carry the life of Jesus to their world. 12 X 12 X 1000 signifies God’s complete revelation through his chosen ones on earth.
The twelve tribes of Israel painstakingly enumerated here are meant to remind us of the previous apocalyptic deliverance of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In the last plague, each household of the Israelite slaves was marked, sealed, if you will. When the death angel saw the seal on the door of a house, he passed over it. Every other house in Egypt lost the first born. Death reigned all around those who were sealed, but they were not touched. Each of the twelve tribes lost no one. They remained complete.
And so, this passage lets us know that when the four angels release the winds of catastrophe, those sealed, chosen ones from every tribe of Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be safe from destruction. Israel here speaks of all those whom God has chosen – all believers. Galatians 3:29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” John was sending this to the seven churches in Asia Minor, all of them made up of both Jew and Gentile believers. And this beautiful characterization of them as the complete congregation of God’s chosen ones, sealed with his protection, is awesome to behold.
Two things. First of all, what is this passage about? It is written concerning those who will be “sealed” so that they are protected from the catastrophes that are about to take place. These will be safe during the apocalypse.
Secondly, these numbers are symbolic. Even the concept of the tribes of Israel is symbolic. Two numbers are prominent – the number 12 and the number 1000. And the multiplication of these numbers is also a significant symbol. As I mentioned earlier, there were twelve sons of Jacob, twelve tribes of Israel, and Jesus had twelve disciples whom he chose to pour his life into.
1000 is the complete number. 12 times 1000 is the complete number of the chosen ones. Israel was chosen to reveal God to the world. The 12 disciples were chosen to carry the life of Jesus to their world. 12 X 12 X 1000 signifies God’s complete revelation through his chosen ones on earth.
The twelve tribes of Israel painstakingly enumerated here are meant to remind us of the previous apocalyptic deliverance of Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In the last plague, each household of the Israelite slaves was marked, sealed, if you will. When the death angel saw the seal on the door of a house, he passed over it. Every other house in Egypt lost the first born. Death reigned all around those who were sealed, but they were not touched. Each of the twelve tribes lost no one. They remained complete.
And so, this passage lets us know that when the four angels release the winds of catastrophe, those sealed, chosen ones from every tribe of Israel, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be safe from destruction. Israel here speaks of all those whom God has chosen – all believers. Galatians 3:29 says, “If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” John was sending this to the seven churches in Asia Minor, all of them made up of both Jew and Gentile believers. And this beautiful characterization of them as the complete congregation of God’s chosen ones, sealed with his protection, is awesome to behold.
The White-Robed Multitude – Revelation 7:9-17

Now John’s attention is brought back to the throne room. He sees a vast multitude that no one can count dressed in white robes, holding palm branches, standing before the throne and the Lamb. And they are shouting accolades to the Lamb and to God the Father for the salvation they have been granted. Their shouts unleash another tsunami of adoration from the angels, the living creatures and the twenty-four elders.
One of the elders explains to John who this multitude is. Quite simply, these are those believers who have come through great tribulation. I believe these are the same ones who were sealed in the first part of this chapter. Described as 144,000 who were sealed before tribulation, they are now a countless throng in white robes standing before the throne after tribulation.
And the message to John’s readers is that as God’s chosen ones, they will be sealed from destruction during very desperate apocalyptic times. But they are not the only ones. There will be other tribes of believers, God’s chosen ones, who will also be sealed from destruction during tribulation, both in their day and time and in other times as well, including the final hour when this world is judged. And none of them will be destroyed. The number of them will be complete.
And then they will be with their Savior forever, serving him day and night, sheltered in his presence. They will never suffer hunger or thirst. The Lamb will be their shepherd, leading them to springs of living water, and God will personally wipe the tears from their eyes. Imagine the joy this brought to the seven churches! And this passage is for all generations of believers who have experienced apocalyptic times.
One of the elders explains to John who this multitude is. Quite simply, these are those believers who have come through great tribulation. I believe these are the same ones who were sealed in the first part of this chapter. Described as 144,000 who were sealed before tribulation, they are now a countless throng in white robes standing before the throne after tribulation.
And the message to John’s readers is that as God’s chosen ones, they will be sealed from destruction during very desperate apocalyptic times. But they are not the only ones. There will be other tribes of believers, God’s chosen ones, who will also be sealed from destruction during tribulation, both in their day and time and in other times as well, including the final hour when this world is judged. And none of them will be destroyed. The number of them will be complete.
And then they will be with their Savior forever, serving him day and night, sheltered in his presence. They will never suffer hunger or thirst. The Lamb will be their shepherd, leading them to springs of living water, and God will personally wipe the tears from their eyes. Imagine the joy this brought to the seven churches! And this passage is for all generations of believers who have experienced apocalyptic times.
The Seventh Seal – Revelation 8:1-5

The seventh seal is now opened. And then nothing. No praises. No pageantry. The twenty-four elders are motionless on their thrones. The wings of the living creatures are folded. The multitude that no one can count stands frozen. Absolute silence.
John waits in breathless anticipation. It’s obvious to him that the play is changing. A new act is about to come on stage. Finally, after a very long suspense-filled respite, a new sequence begins to unfold.
Seven angels are given seven trumpets. The story of the seven seals is finished and the saga of the seven trumpets is about to begin. But first we have another angel with a golden censer who offers up incense and the prayers of the saints. And this smoke goes up before God from the altar in front of the throne. The import of this is to assure John’s readers that their prayers are indeed a sweet-smelling aroma to God. They are a precious bouquet to him. And they move him to respond.
Do you know that God feels that way about your prayers. It may feel at times as if heaven is silent. You may sense that God is making you wait an inordinate amount of time. But what you may perceive as lead skies and dead silence is really the breathless anticipation of all those around the throne as they watch God savor the perfume of your prayers.
But the waiting is soon over. The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire and hurls it onto the earth. And the earth responds with foreboding thunder and rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake. Another round of judgment is about to unfold with the sound of the seven trumpets.
John waits in breathless anticipation. It’s obvious to him that the play is changing. A new act is about to come on stage. Finally, after a very long suspense-filled respite, a new sequence begins to unfold.
Seven angels are given seven trumpets. The story of the seven seals is finished and the saga of the seven trumpets is about to begin. But first we have another angel with a golden censer who offers up incense and the prayers of the saints. And this smoke goes up before God from the altar in front of the throne. The import of this is to assure John’s readers that their prayers are indeed a sweet-smelling aroma to God. They are a precious bouquet to him. And they move him to respond.
Do you know that God feels that way about your prayers. It may feel at times as if heaven is silent. You may sense that God is making you wait an inordinate amount of time. But what you may perceive as lead skies and dead silence is really the breathless anticipation of all those around the throne as they watch God savor the perfume of your prayers.
But the waiting is soon over. The angel takes the censer, fills it with fire and hurls it onto the earth. And the earth responds with foreboding thunder and rumblings, lightning, and an earthquake. Another round of judgment is about to unfold with the sound of the seven trumpets.
The First Four Trumpets – Revelation 8:6-13

As in the previous act where four seals were removed from the scroll in rapid succession, so here we see four trumpets sounding one after the other. The first four seals were depictions of war with horses and riders assigned to bring death and destruction to mankind.
The first four trumpets in this passage are all about natural disasters – although certainly not common. The first one is reminiscent of the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah where fiery hail rained down on it in complete and absolute destruction.
The second trumpet reminds one of volcanic activity that boils the ocean, destroying a lot of marine life and commerce.
The third trumpet reminds one of a meteor crashing into the earth and bringing on a cataclysm of ecological proportions.
The fourth trumpet reminds one of the resulting atmospheric response of a meteor striking the earth or a sufficiently large volcano, or a series of them. In A.D. 536, a series of volcanoes and/or meteorite or comet strikes produced a multi-year change in climate year-round. In A.D. 538, Cassiodorus described it this way:
In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted in Indonesia. “Pumice stones of up to 8 inches in diameter started to rain down.” This eruption also affected the environment globally. A persistent “dry fog” was observed in the northeastern United States. In the summer of 1816, many Northern Hemisphere countries endured the Year Without a Summer, and saw frost and snow in New York, Maine, and Vermont in June. -- Wikipedia
In both the first four seals and the first four trumpets, John reports that all was not affected or destroyed, only a fourth with the seals and a third with the trumpets. These fractional numbers indicate that this is only partial and is not the final act of destruction of the earth.
Jesus talked about these partial events in Matthew 24:7-8: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” – NIV
And so, the first four seals with the riders and horses speak of war, death and human destruction and the first four trumpets speak of natural catastrophic events. But both are different ways of describing the same events that Jesus warned about. But they are only the beginning. Paul put it this way in Romans 8:22, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor.” – NIV
We cannot be certain as to the time when John received this vision, but two events reminiscent of the four seals and four trumpets occurred in about the same time frame. The first was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and the second was the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Both of these events were partial cataclysms, and John’s readers would certainly have been impacted by them. And John’s vision lets them know that, despite their persecutions and tribulations, God is in control, and they will be delivered. But this is not the final act. The end is not yet.
We have seen the earth groaning since then as well. The great world wars, the genocidal campaigns, the earthquakes and volcanic events all remind us that there is something transient about our circumstances. One day, there will be a final cataclysm, and our Savior will carry us safely through it.
The first four trumpets in this passage are all about natural disasters – although certainly not common. The first one is reminiscent of the judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah where fiery hail rained down on it in complete and absolute destruction.
The second trumpet reminds one of volcanic activity that boils the ocean, destroying a lot of marine life and commerce.
The third trumpet reminds one of a meteor crashing into the earth and bringing on a cataclysm of ecological proportions.
The fourth trumpet reminds one of the resulting atmospheric response of a meteor striking the earth or a sufficiently large volcano, or a series of them. In A.D. 536, a series of volcanoes and/or meteorite or comet strikes produced a multi-year change in climate year-round. In A.D. 538, Cassiodorus described it this way:
- “The sun’s rays were weak, and they appeared a ‘bluish’ color.
- “At noon, no shadows from people were visible on the ground.
- “The heat from the sun was feeble.
- “The moon, even when full, was ‘empty of splendour.’
- “’A winter without storms, a spring without mildness, and a summer without heat.’
- “Prolonged frost and unseasonable drought.
- “’The seasons seem to be all jumbled up together.’” -- Wikipedia
In 1815, Mount Tambora erupted in Indonesia. “Pumice stones of up to 8 inches in diameter started to rain down.” This eruption also affected the environment globally. A persistent “dry fog” was observed in the northeastern United States. In the summer of 1816, many Northern Hemisphere countries endured the Year Without a Summer, and saw frost and snow in New York, Maine, and Vermont in June. -- Wikipedia
In both the first four seals and the first four trumpets, John reports that all was not affected or destroyed, only a fourth with the seals and a third with the trumpets. These fractional numbers indicate that this is only partial and is not the final act of destruction of the earth.
Jesus talked about these partial events in Matthew 24:7-8: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” – NIV
And so, the first four seals with the riders and horses speak of war, death and human destruction and the first four trumpets speak of natural catastrophic events. But both are different ways of describing the same events that Jesus warned about. But they are only the beginning. Paul put it this way in Romans 8:22, “We know that the whole creation has been groaning together as it suffers together the pains of labor.” – NIV
We cannot be certain as to the time when John received this vision, but two events reminiscent of the four seals and four trumpets occurred in about the same time frame. The first was the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, and the second was the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Both of these events were partial cataclysms, and John’s readers would certainly have been impacted by them. And John’s vision lets them know that, despite their persecutions and tribulations, God is in control, and they will be delivered. But this is not the final act. The end is not yet.
We have seen the earth groaning since then as well. The great world wars, the genocidal campaigns, the earthquakes and volcanic events all remind us that there is something transient about our circumstances. One day, there will be a final cataclysm, and our Savior will carry us safely through it.
The Fifth Trumpet – Revelation 9:1-11

With the fifth trumpet, the scene changes somewhat. It still has the appearance of a natural plague of locusts, but there is nothing natural about it. This plague lasts for five months. One should not take this literally; instead, it is another symbolic indicator that this is temporary and limited. 5 is ½ the complete number, 10. So this is not the final judgment. But those who have not been sealed will feel like it’s forever.
Unlike the first four trumpets, this plague does not affect nature itself, grass, trees, wildlife, etc. Instead, it is focused exclusively on those without the seal of God. This plague of cartoon-like locusts emanates from the Abyss and is led by Satan himself.
There is all kinds of speculation about what these Marvel comic book locusts might be. Some think John was describing helicopters. Likewise, modern technology might suggest drone swarms. But all these weapons of war are deployed to kill mankind, not just torture them. The imagery we see is not, I believe, that of a physical locust, but of something less tangible. There is a miraculous twist to it, as no one is allowed to die. It seems to me that persons so tortured would find ways to end it all, but as with Job of old, Satan is not allowed to take the lives of the poor, hapless throngs.
I believe this is not some military campaign with helicopters or drones, but rather something far more insidious. It is the rottenness of self-indulgence in a hedonistic culture. It is characterized by unbridled passion, unrestrained excess. I’ve seen it in the tortured posture of a homeless man strung out on drugs. It is described in the agonizing journals of mass shooters who want to end it all but want to take everyone with them. I’ve witnessed the face of it in the mindless, joyless, silence at a row of brightly lit casino “one-armed bandits,” the zombie-like players robotically feeding coins and pulling levers. We’ve all witnessed this torture in the failed marriages of our world where partners have walked away after they’ve sucked the life out of each other in a wicked spiral of psychological greed.
For John’s readers, this torture played itself out in the Roman populace as they became more and more obsessed with the entertainment and blood lust of the gladiatorial games. As the desire for more pleasure and free food accelerated, Rome descended into a decadent sewer and was subsequently conquered by outside forces.
Paul describes this plague in Romans 1:28-32: "Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." – NIV
I remember many years ago watching the move, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.” I have never felt so depressed. It was like descending into hell, watching this couple torture each other psychologically. That is what this plague reminds me of. This scenario plays out in the final act of the rise and fall of every empire, every culture, and every society.
Unlike the first four trumpets, this plague does not affect nature itself, grass, trees, wildlife, etc. Instead, it is focused exclusively on those without the seal of God. This plague of cartoon-like locusts emanates from the Abyss and is led by Satan himself.
There is all kinds of speculation about what these Marvel comic book locusts might be. Some think John was describing helicopters. Likewise, modern technology might suggest drone swarms. But all these weapons of war are deployed to kill mankind, not just torture them. The imagery we see is not, I believe, that of a physical locust, but of something less tangible. There is a miraculous twist to it, as no one is allowed to die. It seems to me that persons so tortured would find ways to end it all, but as with Job of old, Satan is not allowed to take the lives of the poor, hapless throngs.
I believe this is not some military campaign with helicopters or drones, but rather something far more insidious. It is the rottenness of self-indulgence in a hedonistic culture. It is characterized by unbridled passion, unrestrained excess. I’ve seen it in the tortured posture of a homeless man strung out on drugs. It is described in the agonizing journals of mass shooters who want to end it all but want to take everyone with them. I’ve witnessed the face of it in the mindless, joyless, silence at a row of brightly lit casino “one-armed bandits,” the zombie-like players robotically feeding coins and pulling levers. We’ve all witnessed this torture in the failed marriages of our world where partners have walked away after they’ve sucked the life out of each other in a wicked spiral of psychological greed.
For John’s readers, this torture played itself out in the Roman populace as they became more and more obsessed with the entertainment and blood lust of the gladiatorial games. As the desire for more pleasure and free food accelerated, Rome descended into a decadent sewer and was subsequently conquered by outside forces.
Paul describes this plague in Romans 1:28-32: "Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." – NIV
I remember many years ago watching the move, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.” I have never felt so depressed. It was like descending into hell, watching this couple torture each other psychologically. That is what this plague reminds me of. This scenario plays out in the final act of the rise and fall of every empire, every culture, and every society.
The Sixth Trumpet – Revelation 9:12-21

This trumpet sounding ushers in a series of constantly morphing images not unlike how my dreams often progress. First, four angels are released from the Euphrates River to kill a third of mankind. Then they transmogrify into a massive army of mounted troops. Following that, the mounted troops fade into the background as the horses on which they are riding emerge as the lethal tools of war, belching fire, smoke, and sulfur while lashing their snake-like tails to inflict further injury. Finally, the entire scene is described as plagues rather than an army.
This trumpet sounding paints a picture that is an amalgamation of both war and natural disasters. The mounted troops speak of war. In the time when John wrote this, Rome had an ongoing power struggle with the Parthians and the boundary between the two was at the Euphrates. The Parthians never conquered Rome but were able to keep Rome from expanding into their part of the world. Hence the angels from the Euphrates River and the partial death and destruction indicated by the fraction 1/3.
I’ve already talked about the eruption of Vesuvius which emitted fire, smoke, and sulfur, like all volcanoes do. The devastation wiped out the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplantis, Stabiae, and other settlements. Even more intriguing is that Vesuvius was considered a divinity at the time of the AD 79 eruption and was depicted as a serpent in the frescoes of many household shrines in Pompeii. – Wikipedia. I don’t think it is hard to see the similarities between these events and the sounding of the sixth trumpet for the readers of this book who were suffering persecution under the thumb of the Roman empire.
The end is not yet, and though those who are sealed are affected by these events, they are not destroyed. And that’s hope and assurance to John’s readers and to us.
This trumpet sounding paints a picture that is an amalgamation of both war and natural disasters. The mounted troops speak of war. In the time when John wrote this, Rome had an ongoing power struggle with the Parthians and the boundary between the two was at the Euphrates. The Parthians never conquered Rome but were able to keep Rome from expanding into their part of the world. Hence the angels from the Euphrates River and the partial death and destruction indicated by the fraction 1/3.
I’ve already talked about the eruption of Vesuvius which emitted fire, smoke, and sulfur, like all volcanoes do. The devastation wiped out the cities of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Oplantis, Stabiae, and other settlements. Even more intriguing is that Vesuvius was considered a divinity at the time of the AD 79 eruption and was depicted as a serpent in the frescoes of many household shrines in Pompeii. – Wikipedia. I don’t think it is hard to see the similarities between these events and the sounding of the sixth trumpet for the readers of this book who were suffering persecution under the thumb of the Roman empire.
The end is not yet, and though those who are sealed are affected by these events, they are not destroyed. And that’s hope and assurance to John’s readers and to us.
Introduction of the Mystery – Revelation 10

The scene changes once more and John sees a mighty angel holding a little scroll. There are no seals on this scroll; instead, it is open in his hand. When the angel spoke, seven thunders rumbled, but John was forbidden to write down the visions they represented. The mighty angel then announced that with the sound of the seventh trumpet, all delays would be over. Furthermore, the mystery of God will be accomplished. I will discuss this mystery in a future blog. It is the point, the culmination, the apex of both Revelation and the story of God and his creation.
Revelation is full of the stories of salvation, and they are incredible to hear and behold. But that is not the mystery. Satan has been warring against God and his creation since the beginning of time. God will eventually win the war and banish Satan to the bottomless pit. But that is not the mystery. When God brings an end to the groanings of this world and makes everything new again, it will be a fantastic victory. But that is not the mystery. Stay tuned.
Revelation is full of the stories of salvation, and they are incredible to hear and behold. But that is not the mystery. Satan has been warring against God and his creation since the beginning of time. God will eventually win the war and banish Satan to the bottomless pit. But that is not the mystery. When God brings an end to the groanings of this world and makes everything new again, it will be a fantastic victory. But that is not the mystery. Stay tuned.
The Little Scroll – Revelation 10 (con’t)

Now John is instructed to take the open scroll from the mighty angel. When John asks for it, the angel tells him that it will be sweet to the taste but will give him a sour stomach. Eating scrolls is not my idea of a tasty snack, but then, this is like a dream and nonsensical things happen in dreams. Sure enough, it tastes sweet but upsets his stomach. What in the world is this about?!
The key to understanding it is in the last verse. It’s about John prophesying. But it’s not the kind of prophesying that goes on today among most believers. Today it’s more like reading fortune cookies. I’ve never read a script from these little Asian desserts that told me something bad was about to happen. Likewise, I’ve never heard a prophecy, or been given one from God, that is negative. What John will have to say will be words from God, hence they are sweet in his mouth. But the message will not be good news, and the hearers will not have good vibes after receiving it, hence it is sour in the stomach.
Ezekiel had a similar vision in which he ate a scroll that was sweet to his mouth but made him nauseous afterward. He also had to prophesy gloom and doom to his hearers, but being close enough to God to receive his innermost thoughts is always a privilege and sweet to the spirit.
The key to understanding it is in the last verse. It’s about John prophesying. But it’s not the kind of prophesying that goes on today among most believers. Today it’s more like reading fortune cookies. I’ve never read a script from these little Asian desserts that told me something bad was about to happen. Likewise, I’ve never heard a prophecy, or been given one from God, that is negative. What John will have to say will be words from God, hence they are sweet in his mouth. But the message will not be good news, and the hearers will not have good vibes after receiving it, hence it is sour in the stomach.
Ezekiel had a similar vision in which he ate a scroll that was sweet to his mouth but made him nauseous afterward. He also had to prophesy gloom and doom to his hearers, but being close enough to God to receive his innermost thoughts is always a privilege and sweet to the spirit.
Measuring the Temple – Revelation 11:1-14

Having been commissioned to prophesy by eating the little scroll, John is now recruited to “measure” the temple. And the altar. And its worshipers. But not the outer court.
Why measure the temple? What will that information provide? And why measure the worshipers? Did he measure their height? Their girth? There weight? And why exclude the outer court? So what if it is going to be trampled, you can still measure it first. Last of all, why didn’t John provide the information he had gained from his assessment with the reed?
The key to understanding the point of this exercise is found in that bit about not measuring the outer court. Many scholars believe that this measuring exercise was a symbol of providing protection. Hence, those within the temple will be protected from the “trampling” by the gentiles.
We must understand that this is all symbolic. John will not be measuring a physical temple, a tangible altar. Those within the temple, the worshipers, the Israel of God, the chosen people, whether Jews or Gentile, will be protected from the mayhem in the outer court. The “gentiles” trampling the outer court are also symbolic of all those, whether Jew or gentile, who are unbelievers and who war against the Lamb.
The forty-two months are also not a literal time span. 42 months is 3 ½ years or about 1260 days. This symbolic time span of 3 ½ years is half the perfect number 7. It indicates an indefinite period of time during which the “gentiles” will have the upper hand and during which God’s people can find refuge in the presence of God – in the temple.
This scene served to assure John’s readers, in yet another dramatic way, that, although terrible things are going to be taking place around them, they are part of the worshipers within the temple, protected from what is taking place in the outer court.
The same is true for us today. We must not wring our hands in despair at the world that is “going to hell in a handbasket” all around us. When we feel under attack by the cultural forces of this world that are defended by the gates of hell, we are not to despair. We have been measured for protection. The woes that John has been commissioned to describe will not destroy us or the Lamb.
Why measure the temple? What will that information provide? And why measure the worshipers? Did he measure their height? Their girth? There weight? And why exclude the outer court? So what if it is going to be trampled, you can still measure it first. Last of all, why didn’t John provide the information he had gained from his assessment with the reed?
The key to understanding the point of this exercise is found in that bit about not measuring the outer court. Many scholars believe that this measuring exercise was a symbol of providing protection. Hence, those within the temple will be protected from the “trampling” by the gentiles.
We must understand that this is all symbolic. John will not be measuring a physical temple, a tangible altar. Those within the temple, the worshipers, the Israel of God, the chosen people, whether Jews or Gentile, will be protected from the mayhem in the outer court. The “gentiles” trampling the outer court are also symbolic of all those, whether Jew or gentile, who are unbelievers and who war against the Lamb.
The forty-two months are also not a literal time span. 42 months is 3 ½ years or about 1260 days. This symbolic time span of 3 ½ years is half the perfect number 7. It indicates an indefinite period of time during which the “gentiles” will have the upper hand and during which God’s people can find refuge in the presence of God – in the temple.
This scene served to assure John’s readers, in yet another dramatic way, that, although terrible things are going to be taking place around them, they are part of the worshipers within the temple, protected from what is taking place in the outer court.
The same is true for us today. We must not wring our hands in despair at the world that is “going to hell in a handbasket” all around us. When we feel under attack by the cultural forces of this world that are defended by the gates of hell, we are not to despair. We have been measured for protection. The woes that John has been commissioned to describe will not destroy us or the Lamb.
The Two Witnesses – Revelation 11:1-14 (con’t)

Let’s start with a short synopsis of the two witnesses. They prophesy for 1260 days (about 3 ½ years). People who try to harm them are destroyed by fire coming out of their mouths. The witnesses have great power to speak natural disasters into existence. At the end of the 1260 days, the beast from the Abyss kills them and they lie in public view for 3 ½ days. The fallen world rejoices. Then God breaths life into the witnesses and they come back, and the fallen world is terror stricken. They are taken into heaven followed by a tremendous earthquake that causes any survivors to praise God.
First of all, let’s look at the symbolic numbers. Two symbolizes strength. The Law of Moses declared that the testimony of two witnesses is true. Jesus validated his authority by invoking the witness of the Father. “…I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself, my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” – John 8:16-18 (NIV). So, the symbol here for the number two is strength and veracity. We’ve already established the symbolism of 3 ½ in the last post. It is an indefinite period of time, half the perfect number of 7.
Do you see any parallels in this vision and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? It’s unmistakable! Even the ascension! John’s readers undoubtedly saw the same parallels when they read it. And the message for them was that they would be witnesses as well.
Elijah and Elisha were Old Testament versions of this story. Remember when Elijah prayed and it stopped raining for 3 ½ years? This was the power that God gave him over the evil King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. When rain fell again, Elijah realized an incredible victory in which fire fell from heaven, and he disposed of all the prophets of Baal. Jezebel was furious over this and set out to kill Elijah, so much so that he had to go into hiding. It was almost as if he were dead. But God protected him so that he was able to prophesy again. He went to heaven in a chariot of fire.
So, you see, the story of the two witnesses was not something new, but the retelling of an old story that has occurred many times in the past and will continue to be reenacted both in the lives of John’s readers and in our lives as well.
“Two witnesses” does not mean two people will emerge in the last days to preach and demonstrate God’s power; although that could certainly happen. Note that the two witnesses are the same ones referred to in Zechariah’s vision described as two olive branches that pour oil into the reservoir for the lampstand. (See Zechariah 4). So, John is not introducing a new concept, but one that all Jews were familiar with. Jewish believers could easily explain this to Gentile believers who were not steeped in Jewish history.
The concept of two witnesses was introduced by Jesus when he sent his disciples out to preach the Kingdom. He gave them power to heal the sick and perform other signs. If they entered a town that refused to receive them, they were to knock the dust from their sandals as a testimony against that town.
When Paul set out on his missionary journeys, we have no record of him doing a solo act. He always traveled with another companion. Jesus was introducing his disciples to the paradigm of the ekklesia, the Kingdom of God. It was never meant to be a solo act. The two witnesses ARE the ekklesia. Jesus modeled it in his life and ministry. He said, “I only do what the Father tells me.” “I and the Father are one.” If we are to be effective, we must be in unity with one another. Then the world will know we are Christians. And if two of you agree about anything, you can ask for it, and it will be done. (Matthew 18:19). Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there. (Matthew 18:20).
We need each other, just as Jesus needed the Father. We cannot effectively convey the message of the Kingdom; we cannot realize the power of God among us unless we are in fellowship with other believers. And I am not talking about going to a building, watching a worship show and listening to a sermon. Those things are not bad in and of themselves. But too many believers sit in a pew, staring at the backs of other believers and leave with the feeling that they have all been alone together. Social distancing showed up in church buildings long before COVID-19. Those making an impact on the fallen world, those able to channel the power of God in the lives of others, will not be lone rangers. Heck, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto as his companion! “Two are better than one…a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
So, to sum it up, the two witnesses are the ekklesia, the body of all believers, united as one, with the power and witness of the Holy Spirit, and the reenactment of the ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord.
First of all, let’s look at the symbolic numbers. Two symbolizes strength. The Law of Moses declared that the testimony of two witnesses is true. Jesus validated his authority by invoking the witness of the Father. “…I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself, my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” – John 8:16-18 (NIV). So, the symbol here for the number two is strength and veracity. We’ve already established the symbolism of 3 ½ in the last post. It is an indefinite period of time, half the perfect number of 7.
Do you see any parallels in this vision and the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus? It’s unmistakable! Even the ascension! John’s readers undoubtedly saw the same parallels when they read it. And the message for them was that they would be witnesses as well.
Elijah and Elisha were Old Testament versions of this story. Remember when Elijah prayed and it stopped raining for 3 ½ years? This was the power that God gave him over the evil King Ahab and his wife Jezebel. When rain fell again, Elijah realized an incredible victory in which fire fell from heaven, and he disposed of all the prophets of Baal. Jezebel was furious over this and set out to kill Elijah, so much so that he had to go into hiding. It was almost as if he were dead. But God protected him so that he was able to prophesy again. He went to heaven in a chariot of fire.
So, you see, the story of the two witnesses was not something new, but the retelling of an old story that has occurred many times in the past and will continue to be reenacted both in the lives of John’s readers and in our lives as well.
“Two witnesses” does not mean two people will emerge in the last days to preach and demonstrate God’s power; although that could certainly happen. Note that the two witnesses are the same ones referred to in Zechariah’s vision described as two olive branches that pour oil into the reservoir for the lampstand. (See Zechariah 4). So, John is not introducing a new concept, but one that all Jews were familiar with. Jewish believers could easily explain this to Gentile believers who were not steeped in Jewish history.
The concept of two witnesses was introduced by Jesus when he sent his disciples out to preach the Kingdom. He gave them power to heal the sick and perform other signs. If they entered a town that refused to receive them, they were to knock the dust from their sandals as a testimony against that town.
When Paul set out on his missionary journeys, we have no record of him doing a solo act. He always traveled with another companion. Jesus was introducing his disciples to the paradigm of the ekklesia, the Kingdom of God. It was never meant to be a solo act. The two witnesses ARE the ekklesia. Jesus modeled it in his life and ministry. He said, “I only do what the Father tells me.” “I and the Father are one.” If we are to be effective, we must be in unity with one another. Then the world will know we are Christians. And if two of you agree about anything, you can ask for it, and it will be done. (Matthew 18:19). Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there. (Matthew 18:20).
We need each other, just as Jesus needed the Father. We cannot effectively convey the message of the Kingdom; we cannot realize the power of God among us unless we are in fellowship with other believers. And I am not talking about going to a building, watching a worship show and listening to a sermon. Those things are not bad in and of themselves. But too many believers sit in a pew, staring at the backs of other believers and leave with the feeling that they have all been alone together. Social distancing showed up in church buildings long before COVID-19. Those making an impact on the fallen world, those able to channel the power of God in the lives of others, will not be lone rangers. Heck, even the Lone Ranger had Tonto as his companion! “Two are better than one…a cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12).
So, to sum it up, the two witnesses are the ekklesia, the body of all believers, united as one, with the power and witness of the Holy Spirit, and the reenactment of the ministry, death, and resurrection of our Lord.
The Seventh Trumpet – Revelation 11:15-19

The seventh trumpet is the last. If this were a rock concert, the warm-up bands, the wannabees, have finished their gigs. The main event is about to take the stage. The performer everyone has paid to see is about to step up to the mic.
A loud voice in heaven announces the next event and the twenty-four elders once again abandon their thrones in awe and wonder, prostrating themselves before God and praising him for what they perceive is about to transpire.
John’s readers’ hearts beat with anticipation. Their eyes are wide with wonder, and they clap their hands with joy. Suddenly the curtain rises, and they see the spiritual temple in heaven and the Ark of the Covenant. The drama of all the ages is about to begin. The heavens ignite with joy and the clouds call out to one another in thunderous antiphonal choruses. The earth dances with glee and its winds churn out icy confetti in a rapturous gala unequalled in all of history.
A loud voice in heaven announces the next event and the twenty-four elders once again abandon their thrones in awe and wonder, prostrating themselves before God and praising him for what they perceive is about to transpire.
John’s readers’ hearts beat with anticipation. Their eyes are wide with wonder, and they clap their hands with joy. Suddenly the curtain rises, and they see the spiritual temple in heaven and the Ark of the Covenant. The drama of all the ages is about to begin. The heavens ignite with joy and the clouds call out to one another in thunderous antiphonal choruses. The earth dances with glee and its winds churn out icy confetti in a rapturous gala unequalled in all of history.
The Woman, the Child and the Dragon – Revelation 12

It is clear that the dragon is Satan. It is clear that the child born of her is Jesus, the Christ. What is not clear is who the woman is. And the story line is a bit confusing.
Let’s work with the story line. Remember that this is a vision that tells a story that is recursive throughout history but also has specific meaning and application to John’s readers, and to all of us later on.
Satan’s war against heaven has been going on since he rebelled and desired to be equal with God. And so he has tried to foil every plan God has executed. God’s plan for the earth is that Adam and Eve would have offspring to fill the earth and that God would pour his love and life into them in order to expand the limits of his love and fellowship, that he would live among them and share all that he has with them and that they would reflect His love back to Him throughout all eternity.
Such a plan filled Satan with jealous rage. And so, he becomes a snake in the grass and entices the woman to sin. Adam joins her and Satan begins to taste victory. But heaven fights back, and Satan finds out that the woman will have offspring, and He will war against Satan.
Eve has a son, Cain, whom she hopes will be the promised Savior. Satan wars against Cain who ends up killing his own brother and is subsequently banished, but not killed.
Abraham is called by God to father a great nation by his wife Sarah. Sarah is beautiful and a king in the area desires her. To save his hide, Abraham passes her off as his sister and the king takes her. But God protects her and returns her to Abraham. Satan is after this woman who will be the mother of a great nation through whom the Savior will be born.
Abraham’s son, Isaac, also passed off his wife, Rebekah, as his sister to protect himself. Again, God protected her, and she became the mother of Jacob whom God later named Israel. And Jacob had twelve sons whom we see here represented as twelve stars.
Out of Israel will come the man child who will rule the nations and finally usher in the Kingdom of God. So, Satan wars against Israel, enticing them to idolatry. They are conquered many times and finally exiled. But a few remain faithful to God, a remnant. They return from exile and become a nation again but are conquered by the Romans. But Israel is still the woman who is about to give birth.
When Jesus is born, the wicked Roman King Herod attempts to kill the child born of the woman, Mary. But God warns Joseph about the plot and the holy family escapes to Egypt until the danger passes. Herod then goes after the other male children in Bethlehem.
In the prime of his life, Jesus is executed, and the dragon celebrates. But the man child is only whisked away for a few days and then rises from the dead. At Pentecost, a new woman arrives on the scene. She is the Israel of God, made up of all believers, both Jew and Gentile. The twelve apostles are the twelve stars of this woman. Unable to extinguish the Son of Man, the dragon turns his attention to the rest of the offspring. And that’s where John’s readers come in. They are the ones being hunted and persecuted. The Romans are doing it, but the dragon is the architect, the impetus, behind all that is occurring.
And so it will be as long as the dragon is allowed to be on the earth. All pogroms against believers are the instrument of the dragon to war against the Kingdom of God. Wherever Christians are persecuted, the dragon is pulling the strings.
Let’s work with the story line. Remember that this is a vision that tells a story that is recursive throughout history but also has specific meaning and application to John’s readers, and to all of us later on.
Satan’s war against heaven has been going on since he rebelled and desired to be equal with God. And so he has tried to foil every plan God has executed. God’s plan for the earth is that Adam and Eve would have offspring to fill the earth and that God would pour his love and life into them in order to expand the limits of his love and fellowship, that he would live among them and share all that he has with them and that they would reflect His love back to Him throughout all eternity.
Such a plan filled Satan with jealous rage. And so, he becomes a snake in the grass and entices the woman to sin. Adam joins her and Satan begins to taste victory. But heaven fights back, and Satan finds out that the woman will have offspring, and He will war against Satan.
Eve has a son, Cain, whom she hopes will be the promised Savior. Satan wars against Cain who ends up killing his own brother and is subsequently banished, but not killed.
Abraham is called by God to father a great nation by his wife Sarah. Sarah is beautiful and a king in the area desires her. To save his hide, Abraham passes her off as his sister and the king takes her. But God protects her and returns her to Abraham. Satan is after this woman who will be the mother of a great nation through whom the Savior will be born.
Abraham’s son, Isaac, also passed off his wife, Rebekah, as his sister to protect himself. Again, God protected her, and she became the mother of Jacob whom God later named Israel. And Jacob had twelve sons whom we see here represented as twelve stars.
Out of Israel will come the man child who will rule the nations and finally usher in the Kingdom of God. So, Satan wars against Israel, enticing them to idolatry. They are conquered many times and finally exiled. But a few remain faithful to God, a remnant. They return from exile and become a nation again but are conquered by the Romans. But Israel is still the woman who is about to give birth.
When Jesus is born, the wicked Roman King Herod attempts to kill the child born of the woman, Mary. But God warns Joseph about the plot and the holy family escapes to Egypt until the danger passes. Herod then goes after the other male children in Bethlehem.
In the prime of his life, Jesus is executed, and the dragon celebrates. But the man child is only whisked away for a few days and then rises from the dead. At Pentecost, a new woman arrives on the scene. She is the Israel of God, made up of all believers, both Jew and Gentile. The twelve apostles are the twelve stars of this woman. Unable to extinguish the Son of Man, the dragon turns his attention to the rest of the offspring. And that’s where John’s readers come in. They are the ones being hunted and persecuted. The Romans are doing it, but the dragon is the architect, the impetus, behind all that is occurring.
And so it will be as long as the dragon is allowed to be on the earth. All pogroms against believers are the instrument of the dragon to war against the Kingdom of God. Wherever Christians are persecuted, the dragon is pulling the strings.
The Beast – Revelation 13:1-10

The scene in chapter 12 emphasizes that Satan himself, the great dragon, is the driving force behind all the wars against God’s chosen people throughout history and in the future. This scene in chapter 13 drills down to show that the kings and kingdoms of this world that war against God’s people are also puppets of the dragon.
In Old Testament times we remember many of these beasts, most notably Nebuchadnezzar and the Persian empire. Many Israelites were exiled to the capital city of Babylon. We will see later on that Babylon is the icon of all kingdoms that war against God’s people. See the great statue that Nebuchadnezzar made of himself and demanded worship from all his subjects.
So too, John’s readers were also being required to worship the Roman emperor. And in order to survive, people had to worship this beast. But John’s readers refused to do so. Some were imprisoned and some were killed.
There are beasts all down through history and they demand worship and allegiance. None of them tolerate the worship of God and first allegiance to Jesus, the King of kings. See the bloody slaughter by the communists in Russia, China, North Korea, and Cambodia. See Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, and Pol Pot. All of these are reincarnations, if you will, of the beast described in this chapter. They demand allegiance and tolerate no other religion except in some hollow form they approve.
At the end of all things, a beast will arise that, again, demands allegiance and worship, if you will. Those whose life is hidden in Christ, those through whom Christ lives, will be persecuted and hounded. The beast may not be a specific person, but an ideology, a culture, a cabal that desires to be hidden. But they/she/he/it will demand absolute compliance to the “party line.” We see this rearing its ugly head in our day, but it is not forever. Jesus is biding his time to walk onto the stage at the end of the play.
In Old Testament times we remember many of these beasts, most notably Nebuchadnezzar and the Persian empire. Many Israelites were exiled to the capital city of Babylon. We will see later on that Babylon is the icon of all kingdoms that war against God’s people. See the great statue that Nebuchadnezzar made of himself and demanded worship from all his subjects.
So too, John’s readers were also being required to worship the Roman emperor. And in order to survive, people had to worship this beast. But John’s readers refused to do so. Some were imprisoned and some were killed.
There are beasts all down through history and they demand worship and allegiance. None of them tolerate the worship of God and first allegiance to Jesus, the King of kings. See the bloody slaughter by the communists in Russia, China, North Korea, and Cambodia. See Lenin, Stalin, Mao Zedong, Ho Chi Minh, and Pol Pot. All of these are reincarnations, if you will, of the beast described in this chapter. They demand allegiance and tolerate no other religion except in some hollow form they approve.
At the end of all things, a beast will arise that, again, demands allegiance and worship, if you will. Those whose life is hidden in Christ, those through whom Christ lives, will be persecuted and hounded. The beast may not be a specific person, but an ideology, a culture, a cabal that desires to be hidden. But they/she/he/it will demand absolute compliance to the “party line.” We see this rearing its ugly head in our day, but it is not forever. Jesus is biding his time to walk onto the stage at the end of the play.
The Second Beast – Revelation 13:11-18

When John saw this vision, the emperor, Domitian, was not satisfied with the custom of emperor deification after death. He wanted to be worshipped while he was still alive and ruling Rome. He had statues set up all over the empire to make it easier for his subjects to pay him divine homage. For John’s readers, Domitian was the beast.
Like almost all tyrants, Domitian’s governors and officials throughout the empire enforced his will on the people. And so, these powerful government entities were charged with erecting images of Domitian and demanding that all citizens worship the emperor at these shrines. This cabal of kingdom power was the second beast for John’s readers.
Every beast that has ever reared its head throughout history has aways had a second beast to do its bidding. Think “brown shirts” for Adolf Hitler; the Red Guard for Chairman Mao; the Secret Police for Stalin. Wherever you find the beast of tyranny you will see the second beast enforcing adulation for the first beast. The same will be true at the end of it all.
Like almost all tyrants, Domitian’s governors and officials throughout the empire enforced his will on the people. And so, these powerful government entities were charged with erecting images of Domitian and demanding that all citizens worship the emperor at these shrines. This cabal of kingdom power was the second beast for John’s readers.
Every beast that has ever reared its head throughout history has aways had a second beast to do its bidding. Think “brown shirts” for Adolf Hitler; the Red Guard for Chairman Mao; the Secret Police for Stalin. Wherever you find the beast of tyranny you will see the second beast enforcing adulation for the first beast. The same will be true at the end of it all.
666 – Revelation 13:11-18 (con't)

For as long as I can remember and certainly many centuries before that, people have been trying to decipher this number, the mark of the beast. All kinds of cryptic contortions have been employed to create a match to the name of some wicked tyrant. Some have even matched it to the Roman church and the papacy. All these exercises miss the point – the number itself.
The number 6 is short of the perfect number, 7, the number often associated with God. In our vernacular it is one fry short of happy meal; one brick short of a full load; one card shy of a full deck; its elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top; its driveway doesn’t go all the way to the road. It is weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Three 6’s only raises this lacking to the greatest degree. Then, as now, 666 indicates great evil. It is a tattoo on nihilists, Satanists, and mass killers. John is simply giving his readers a description of the beast who is persecuting them and letting them know that the emperor is being controlled by the dragon, Satan himself.
There is a paranoia about that one might inadvertently receive the mark of the beast and thus be numbered with the damned. John’s readers were not tricked into receiving a mark on their hand or forehead. They knew full well the import of being tattooed per the emperor’s mandate. And John is warning them against compromising in order to provide for their families.
In our day, the mark is a cultural, an ideological, mark. And the beast it represents is also the puppet of the dragon. Align yourself with the diabolical notions of the day or you will lose your job or your business. The choice is a real one and we need to lose any paranoia about tattoos and embedded microchips and instead face the tough issues and refuse to go along blithely with the crowd, even if it means not being able to put food on the table. That is exactly the choice John’s readers faced.
The number 6 is short of the perfect number, 7, the number often associated with God. In our vernacular it is one fry short of happy meal; one brick short of a full load; one card shy of a full deck; its elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top; its driveway doesn’t go all the way to the road. It is weighed in the balance and found wanting.
Three 6’s only raises this lacking to the greatest degree. Then, as now, 666 indicates great evil. It is a tattoo on nihilists, Satanists, and mass killers. John is simply giving his readers a description of the beast who is persecuting them and letting them know that the emperor is being controlled by the dragon, Satan himself.
There is a paranoia about that one might inadvertently receive the mark of the beast and thus be numbered with the damned. John’s readers were not tricked into receiving a mark on their hand or forehead. They knew full well the import of being tattooed per the emperor’s mandate. And John is warning them against compromising in order to provide for their families.
In our day, the mark is a cultural, an ideological, mark. And the beast it represents is also the puppet of the dragon. Align yourself with the diabolical notions of the day or you will lose your job or your business. The choice is a real one and we need to lose any paranoia about tattoos and embedded microchips and instead face the tough issues and refuse to go along blithely with the crowd, even if it means not being able to put food on the table. That is exactly the choice John’s readers faced.
144,000 Revisited – Revelation 14:1-5

Against the backdrop of the Dragon and the Beast who are wreaking havoc on God’s people and his creation, John’s vision now returns to the throne room. Here again we see the Lamb, the four living creatures, the twenty-four elders, and the 144,000. And a new song was sung by them. The orchestral accompaniment is awe inspiring. John describes it as harpists playing harps and yet it is like the roar of rushing waters and loud peals of thunder. This is music we’ve never heard on earth!
Let’s revisit the 144,000. As I stated earlier, 144,000 is a number describing those who have been redeemed, not a head count. Also, from the context, they are all men, if one takes a literal approach. I’m referring to the verse (4) which says they have not defiled themselves with women.
All kinds of nonsense emerges if one takes a literal approach to this passage. Are we to suppose that women are the source of defilement? Are all believers to be celibate? Are all believers men?! See how quickly this approach falls apart! Not to mention the preceding chapter where a woman is a leading character in the eternal saga!
Many of the idolatrous worship practices in John’s time involved temple prostitutes. Old Testament prophets likened Israel’s chasing after other gods as harlotry. The book of Hosea takes this theme and involves the prophet in play-acting it in his own marriage, describing the promiscuity of God’s people with foreign gods and God’s own longsuffering and yearning to bring them back.
So, this glorious band of believers described as 144,000 and as virgins, stand in stark contrast to the Beast’s minions who defile themselves with temple prostitutes. They have the name of God and the Lamb written on their foreheads, not the mark of the Beast.
Let’s revisit the 144,000. As I stated earlier, 144,000 is a number describing those who have been redeemed, not a head count. Also, from the context, they are all men, if one takes a literal approach. I’m referring to the verse (4) which says they have not defiled themselves with women.
All kinds of nonsense emerges if one takes a literal approach to this passage. Are we to suppose that women are the source of defilement? Are all believers to be celibate? Are all believers men?! See how quickly this approach falls apart! Not to mention the preceding chapter where a woman is a leading character in the eternal saga!
Many of the idolatrous worship practices in John’s time involved temple prostitutes. Old Testament prophets likened Israel’s chasing after other gods as harlotry. The book of Hosea takes this theme and involves the prophet in play-acting it in his own marriage, describing the promiscuity of God’s people with foreign gods and God’s own longsuffering and yearning to bring them back.
So, this glorious band of believers described as 144,000 and as virgins, stand in stark contrast to the Beast’s minions who defile themselves with temple prostitutes. They have the name of God and the Lamb written on their foreheads, not the mark of the Beast.
The Three Angels – Revelation 14:6-13

These three angels announce the final act in the play. You will notice through the rest of John’s vision, the indefinite time symbolized by 3 ½ days or years, 1260 days, 42 months, are never used again. The time for partial judgments, limited suffering, etc., is done. References to a third of this or a fourth of that are also over.
The first angel has the eternal gospel, but instead of giving good news, he announces that the hour of judgment is come.
The second angel announces the fall of Babylon, that ancient capital that symbolizes not only Rome for John’s readers, but all man’s empires that are in enmity with God’s people. The angel speaks of this as if it has already been done. So certain is this collapse, that John’s readers can heave a huge sigh of relief, knowing that the Beast, Domitian, and Rome will finally be conquered. This brings to mind what Jesus said to his disciples – “whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven.” It originates with God, so the certainty of it is 100%, as if it already occurred.
The third angel announces the awful eternity reserved for those who reject the gospel and instead are marked by compliance to the Beast. Their punishment is not for 3 ½ days or even 3 ½ years, but forever and ever.
Lastly, a voice from heaven calls down blessings on those who have died while clinging with a death grip to the Lamb, marked by his name and singing a new song that no one with the Beast’s name could learn.
The first angel has the eternal gospel, but instead of giving good news, he announces that the hour of judgment is come.
The second angel announces the fall of Babylon, that ancient capital that symbolizes not only Rome for John’s readers, but all man’s empires that are in enmity with God’s people. The angel speaks of this as if it has already been done. So certain is this collapse, that John’s readers can heave a huge sigh of relief, knowing that the Beast, Domitian, and Rome will finally be conquered. This brings to mind what Jesus said to his disciples – “whatever you bind on earth will have already been bound in heaven.” It originates with God, so the certainty of it is 100%, as if it already occurred.
The third angel announces the awful eternity reserved for those who reject the gospel and instead are marked by compliance to the Beast. Their punishment is not for 3 ½ days or even 3 ½ years, but forever and ever.
Lastly, a voice from heaven calls down blessings on those who have died while clinging with a death grip to the Lamb, marked by his name and singing a new song that no one with the Beast’s name could learn.
Grapes of Wrath - Revelation 14:14-20

I said at the beginning of this that it is a revelation of Jesus Christ. This passage is also a revelation of a side of Jesus that many reject. They are excited about a Messiah who comes to die for the sins of the world and to show mercy to all. This passage introduces him as the judge of the earth, and the executor of punishment for those who align themselves with Satan and the Beast.
There are two variations of this depicted in this passage. The first is fairly straight forward. It unmistakably identifies Jesus, the Son of Man, as the one reaping the harvest. The sense of the reaping indicates judgment.
The second variation is much more graphic. Grapes are harvested from the vine of the earth and thrown into a winepress that represents the wrath and indignation of God. Out of the winepress flows a tsunami of blood that is as high as the bridles on horses and flows out 1600 stadia. There have been many attempts to figure out a literal fulfillment of this. That misses the point of the vision. This deluge of blood indicates the finality of God’s judgment and how drastic it is.
John’s readers knew of a recent event that probably came to mind when they read it, specifically the wars, revolts, and conquest of Israel by Vespasian and his son Titus. This conquest was prophesied by Jesus to his disciples. Tired of Roman occupation and crushing taxation, more than one faction of Jews rose up in rebellion and routed some of the Roman military. Nero tasked Vespasian with crushing this rebellion. He began in the northern areas of Israel and the rebels eventually ended up in Jerusalem. By that time, Nero was dead, Vespasian established himself as the new emperor and left the conquest of Israel to his son Titus. Conquering as he went, Titus was left to take the last rebel stronghold, Jerusalem. Some estimate the Roman trek in this bloody conquest stretched for about 1600 stadia. The attack on Jerusalem was initially repelled and the Romans dug a trench around the city and besieged it, crucifying any who attempted to leave on the ramparts in full view of those in Jerusalem. Prior to the siege, rebel factions in the city fought each other in a nasty civil war. At some point the more zealous faction burned most of the food supply so there would be no option except to fight the Romans.
When the Romans finally breached the walls, the blood bath that followed was epic. Josephus reported one million were besieged in the city while other historians put the number at 600,000. Civil war, starvation, battling the Romans and pestilence took a terrible toll. The Romans captured and enslaved around 97,000, using many of the stronger ones in gladiatorial games. The conquest ended when the Romans attacked Masada where any rebels who had escaped were holed up. When they took Masada, they found all but a handful had committed suicide rather than suffer defeat by the Romans. This fresh in their minds, his readers could easily identify with John’s description of the winepress of God’s wrath.
For them it gave assurance that the Son of Man, Jesus the Christ, would set things straight and with absolute finality. Rome would be dealt with.
For us, it assures us that, no matter how hopeless things look, Jesus, the judge of the earth will set things straight at the end of it all. That’s what judgement is all about – setting things straight, returning the creation to what it was at the beginning. And that involves purging the creation of that great dragon, Satan, and the Beasts who represent him, and all those who align themselves with him.
There are two variations of this depicted in this passage. The first is fairly straight forward. It unmistakably identifies Jesus, the Son of Man, as the one reaping the harvest. The sense of the reaping indicates judgment.
The second variation is much more graphic. Grapes are harvested from the vine of the earth and thrown into a winepress that represents the wrath and indignation of God. Out of the winepress flows a tsunami of blood that is as high as the bridles on horses and flows out 1600 stadia. There have been many attempts to figure out a literal fulfillment of this. That misses the point of the vision. This deluge of blood indicates the finality of God’s judgment and how drastic it is.
John’s readers knew of a recent event that probably came to mind when they read it, specifically the wars, revolts, and conquest of Israel by Vespasian and his son Titus. This conquest was prophesied by Jesus to his disciples. Tired of Roman occupation and crushing taxation, more than one faction of Jews rose up in rebellion and routed some of the Roman military. Nero tasked Vespasian with crushing this rebellion. He began in the northern areas of Israel and the rebels eventually ended up in Jerusalem. By that time, Nero was dead, Vespasian established himself as the new emperor and left the conquest of Israel to his son Titus. Conquering as he went, Titus was left to take the last rebel stronghold, Jerusalem. Some estimate the Roman trek in this bloody conquest stretched for about 1600 stadia. The attack on Jerusalem was initially repelled and the Romans dug a trench around the city and besieged it, crucifying any who attempted to leave on the ramparts in full view of those in Jerusalem. Prior to the siege, rebel factions in the city fought each other in a nasty civil war. At some point the more zealous faction burned most of the food supply so there would be no option except to fight the Romans.
When the Romans finally breached the walls, the blood bath that followed was epic. Josephus reported one million were besieged in the city while other historians put the number at 600,000. Civil war, starvation, battling the Romans and pestilence took a terrible toll. The Romans captured and enslaved around 97,000, using many of the stronger ones in gladiatorial games. The conquest ended when the Romans attacked Masada where any rebels who had escaped were holed up. When they took Masada, they found all but a handful had committed suicide rather than suffer defeat by the Romans. This fresh in their minds, his readers could easily identify with John’s description of the winepress of God’s wrath.
For them it gave assurance that the Son of Man, Jesus the Christ, would set things straight and with absolute finality. Rome would be dealt with.
For us, it assures us that, no matter how hopeless things look, Jesus, the judge of the earth will set things straight at the end of it all. That’s what judgement is all about – setting things straight, returning the creation to what it was at the beginning. And that involves purging the creation of that great dragon, Satan, and the Beasts who represent him, and all those who align themselves with him.
Sea of Glass Revisited - Revelation 15

Many read Revelation and attempt to understand it as a sequence of events, a time-linear story. This muddies the water causing insurmountable confusion. Rather, John’s vision is more akin to looking at an artifact that one has never seen before, turning it over, looking at it from different perspectives and describing what one observes.
The last chapter did this in describing the final judgment of God. This chapter is an interlude between observations of the final judgment of the earth. For John’s readers the earth was the Roman empire. At the end of it all we will see the same sort of events and scenarios play out.
You will also notice that between new acts in the play, John returns to the throne room and there are renewed accolades declaring the majesty and glory of God and the Lamb. That’s what this chapter is.
In this interlude before the last seven bowls of wrath, the last seven plagues, we again see the sea of glass, this time glowing with fire, and standing beside it the congregation of those who had been victorious over the Beast and its image and its number.
John’s readers comprehended this and could picture themselves as the ones standing on this sea of glass in the comforting presence of God and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. The sea of glass reflects the fiery conflagration of the events on earth, symbolizing the end of it all. As I noted earlier, the sea represents death, and the glassy surface symbolizes that the Lamb has conquered death in the same way that Jesus spoke to the frothing Sea of Galilee and it became like glass. Likewise, John’s readers stood serenely on the sea of glass and offered up glory and honor to the Lord God Almighty.
The last chapter did this in describing the final judgment of God. This chapter is an interlude between observations of the final judgment of the earth. For John’s readers the earth was the Roman empire. At the end of it all we will see the same sort of events and scenarios play out.
You will also notice that between new acts in the play, John returns to the throne room and there are renewed accolades declaring the majesty and glory of God and the Lamb. That’s what this chapter is.
In this interlude before the last seven bowls of wrath, the last seven plagues, we again see the sea of glass, this time glowing with fire, and standing beside it the congregation of those who had been victorious over the Beast and its image and its number.
John’s readers comprehended this and could picture themselves as the ones standing on this sea of glass in the comforting presence of God and singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. The sea of glass reflects the fiery conflagration of the events on earth, symbolizing the end of it all. As I noted earlier, the sea represents death, and the glassy surface symbolizes that the Lamb has conquered death in the same way that Jesus spoke to the frothing Sea of Galilee and it became like glass. Likewise, John’s readers stood serenely on the sea of glass and offered up glory and honor to the Lord God Almighty.
The Seven Bowls of Wrath – Revelation 16

Unlike the previous sequence of sevens, the seventh bowl of wrath is not an introduction to another seven. These are the last plagues. In many ways, the first five remind us of the ten plagues poured out on Egypt when Moses pled for the freedom of the Israelites.
When the sixth bowl of wrath is poured out, the Euphrates was dried up. John says it happened to prepare the way for the kings from the east. As I noted earlier, the Euphrates was the boundary between the Roman Empire and the Parthians east of it. Wiping out the boundary indicates that Rome will be fighting these kingdoms in its struggle to survive.
With the seventh bowl, Babylon the Great falls and is split into three parts. It is said that Rome’s demise was because of three things: 1) natural calamities, 2) internal rottenness, 3) external invasion. All of these are portrayed in the seven plagues of John’s vision in this chapter.
John’s readers can take heart that the persecutions being laid on them by Rome will be avenged. The emperor will fall. Rome will fall. Those who have been faithful will be rewarded.
Jesus warned that similar events will occur in the last days when he returns to set things right. In a last desperate attempt to retain his dominion over the fallen world, Satan will pull out all the stops. But his doom is already forecast in this vision. It is as if it has already happened. Like John’s first century readers, we can take heart that the Lord Jesus will prevail.
When the sixth bowl of wrath is poured out, the Euphrates was dried up. John says it happened to prepare the way for the kings from the east. As I noted earlier, the Euphrates was the boundary between the Roman Empire and the Parthians east of it. Wiping out the boundary indicates that Rome will be fighting these kingdoms in its struggle to survive.
With the seventh bowl, Babylon the Great falls and is split into three parts. It is said that Rome’s demise was because of three things: 1) natural calamities, 2) internal rottenness, 3) external invasion. All of these are portrayed in the seven plagues of John’s vision in this chapter.
John’s readers can take heart that the persecutions being laid on them by Rome will be avenged. The emperor will fall. Rome will fall. Those who have been faithful will be rewarded.
Jesus warned that similar events will occur in the last days when he returns to set things right. In a last desperate attempt to retain his dominion over the fallen world, Satan will pull out all the stops. But his doom is already forecast in this vision. It is as if it has already happened. Like John’s first century readers, we can take heart that the Lord Jesus will prevail.
Babylon, the Great Prostitute – Revelation 17

I want to highlight a few things from this chapter that will help in understanding it and the entire vision that John saw.
Babylon is an icon. For Jewish believers, it is a “lead pipe cinch” to figure out that when John says “Babylon,” he is referring to Rome. At the time of John’s vision, Rome was all the things attributed to Babylon in this chapter.
I could give many more examples of this throughout history, but you get the point. At the end of it all, we will see the same story played out. Undoubtedly you can see signs of the emergence of the Scarlet Woman, the Great Prostitute, in the events of our world today. That’s why John says in verse 8, “The beast which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.” In other words, John is telling his readers that this story will play out many times.
Babylon is an icon. For Jewish believers, it is a “lead pipe cinch” to figure out that when John says “Babylon,” he is referring to Rome. At the time of John’s vision, Rome was all the things attributed to Babylon in this chapter.
- Rome was situated on seven hills.
- The kings of the earth kowtowed to Rome in order to survive.
- The inhabitants of the earth were all partaking of whatever Rome dished out - culture, religion, money, language, etc.
- Rome was drunk with the blood of the martyrs.
- Rome eventually fell.
I could give many more examples of this throughout history, but you get the point. At the end of it all, we will see the same story played out. Undoubtedly you can see signs of the emergence of the Scarlet Woman, the Great Prostitute, in the events of our world today. That’s why John says in verse 8, “The beast which you saw, once was, now is not, and yet will come out of the Abyss and go to its destruction.” In other words, John is telling his readers that this story will play out many times.
Lament For Babylon - Revelation 18

This whole chapter weaves a tapestry of lament over the fall of Babylon. Rome, like Babylon of old, commanded allegiance from the kingdoms of the known world. Rich with plunder from its conquests and taxation of its subjects, Rome was an architectural wonder, an economic powerhouse, and a military juggernaut. Its culture, religions, and language were exported to every corner of the known world. But it was also drunk with the blood of the martyrs.
The lament experienced by the inhabitants of the earth in this chapter paints a vivid picture of the magnitude of Rome’s beauty and power, as well as the depth of its corruption by the Beast. The beleaguered Christians in Asia Minor felt powerless in the face of such a mighty kingdom.
The great lament in this chapter lets them know that the unstoppable Roman empire will fall. Even though it had not yet happened, the scene John experienced here presents it as past tense.
Like many great cities down through history, it came to an end. One need only visit Rome to document its demise and realize what a great city it was. One can stand in the ruins of the Coliseum in Rome where Christians were fed to lions and slaughtered by gladiators for the entertainment of the emperor and his doting subjects. It stands as a monument to the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Rome no longer rules the world, its language, Latin, the most structured language in history, is no more. It is still studied and used for rituals, but no peoples use it for commerce or conversation.
And so it will be for any nation or kingdom that sets itself up in opposition to God and aligns itself with the Great Dragon. Recent examples include Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Awash in the blood of martyrs, they were brought down quickly when God decided the time was right. The same will be true for China and any other nation that wars against the Body of Christ.
The lament experienced by the inhabitants of the earth in this chapter paints a vivid picture of the magnitude of Rome’s beauty and power, as well as the depth of its corruption by the Beast. The beleaguered Christians in Asia Minor felt powerless in the face of such a mighty kingdom.
The great lament in this chapter lets them know that the unstoppable Roman empire will fall. Even though it had not yet happened, the scene John experienced here presents it as past tense.
Like many great cities down through history, it came to an end. One need only visit Rome to document its demise and realize what a great city it was. One can stand in the ruins of the Coliseum in Rome where Christians were fed to lions and slaughtered by gladiators for the entertainment of the emperor and his doting subjects. It stands as a monument to the everlasting kingdom of heaven. Rome no longer rules the world, its language, Latin, the most structured language in history, is no more. It is still studied and used for rituals, but no peoples use it for commerce or conversation.
And so it will be for any nation or kingdom that sets itself up in opposition to God and aligns itself with the Great Dragon. Recent examples include Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Awash in the blood of martyrs, they were brought down quickly when God decided the time was right. The same will be true for China and any other nation that wars against the Body of Christ.
Revelation 19:1-11 – The Bride of Christ

The last chapter was all about the fallen world mourning the destruction of its most monumental achievement. This passage is heaven’s response to that. It reminds me of the emotions at the end of the Superbowl. One team and its fans leave the field in dejection, many of whom are weeping. The other team and its fans are beyond elation, engaging in the mother of all celebrations.
This passage documents a celebration unequaled since the beginning of time. Handel caught a glimpse of this when he composed the Hallelujah Chorus. After completing this piece, Handel exclaimed, “I did think I saw heaven open, and saw the very face of God.”
Against the backdrop of the last chapter where the Scarlet Woman, the great prostitute, goes a-whoring with the nations of the world, we see the wedding supper of the Lamb. His bride is that body of believers from every nation and tribe who have made themselves ready. The bride has been described several ways so far in this vision. She is described as 144,000 who are the sealed servants of God. She is the great multitude in white robes standing before the throne and the Lamb who have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb and have his name written on their foreheads. The bride is those who are standing beside the sea of glass who have been victorious over the Beast and who sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb.
God’s original intent from before the foundation of the world was that his Son would have a bride. As the Father and the Son exist in a trinity of love with the Spirit, so the Father ordained from before time that the love of the Father and Son would be expanded by including a bride for the Son and he would forever pour the love of the Father into his bride, and she would reflect that love back to the Son. Thus, the unfathomable ocean of the love found in the Trinity would be poured out on the community of believers and expanded as the bride of Christ. This is part of the mystery that Paul tells us about in Ephesians 5:25-32.
This passage documents a celebration unequaled since the beginning of time. Handel caught a glimpse of this when he composed the Hallelujah Chorus. After completing this piece, Handel exclaimed, “I did think I saw heaven open, and saw the very face of God.”
Against the backdrop of the last chapter where the Scarlet Woman, the great prostitute, goes a-whoring with the nations of the world, we see the wedding supper of the Lamb. His bride is that body of believers from every nation and tribe who have made themselves ready. The bride has been described several ways so far in this vision. She is described as 144,000 who are the sealed servants of God. She is the great multitude in white robes standing before the throne and the Lamb who have washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb and have his name written on their foreheads. The bride is those who are standing beside the sea of glass who have been victorious over the Beast and who sing the song of Moses and of the Lamb.
God’s original intent from before the foundation of the world was that his Son would have a bride. As the Father and the Son exist in a trinity of love with the Spirit, so the Father ordained from before time that the love of the Father and Son would be expanded by including a bride for the Son and he would forever pour the love of the Father into his bride, and she would reflect that love back to the Son. Thus, the unfathomable ocean of the love found in the Trinity would be poured out on the community of believers and expanded as the bride of Christ. This is part of the mystery that Paul tells us about in Ephesians 5:25-32.
Rider on a White Horse - Revelation 19:11-21

If you are a pacifist, this chapter will be a hard pill to swallow, as will a great deal of John’s vision. The rider on the white horse is easily identified as Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Word, the God-Man. And verse eleven says that he wages war. And he leads an army. With a sharp sword. You catch my drift?
This scene is another facet of the victory over Satan who is and was oppressing the believers. The last chapter was a lament over the fall of the city that was the center of the empire. This scene focuses on conquering the Beast and the false prophet who were rulers of this evil kingdom.
Do not suppose that this is describing an earthly battle where Jesus physically rides a white horse with a sword coming out of his mouth. Rather this is John’s attempt to describe a heavenly, eternity bound, version. Every war on earth has a heavenly counterpart. What we see on earth is initiated in the spiritual realm. The great Dragon is the force behind every war, the impetus behind tyrannical governments, the motivation behind every murder. God and Satan are at war, and it breaks out in the physical realm that we experience.
Ultimately every Beast, every false prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire. On earth we will see them deposed, killed, dethroned, and exposed for their diabolical connection to the Dragon. In the eternity-based reality, they will succumb to the Lake of Fire.
This gave great hope to the believers in Asia Minor. It gives great hope, as well, to believers all over our world who are being imprisoned, tortured, executed, and persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus. And on that day, at the end of it all, we too will rejoice when the Beast and the false prophet in the final battle will finally and forever be dealt with.
This scene is another facet of the victory over Satan who is and was oppressing the believers. The last chapter was a lament over the fall of the city that was the center of the empire. This scene focuses on conquering the Beast and the false prophet who were rulers of this evil kingdom.
Do not suppose that this is describing an earthly battle where Jesus physically rides a white horse with a sword coming out of his mouth. Rather this is John’s attempt to describe a heavenly, eternity bound, version. Every war on earth has a heavenly counterpart. What we see on earth is initiated in the spiritual realm. The great Dragon is the force behind every war, the impetus behind tyrannical governments, the motivation behind every murder. God and Satan are at war, and it breaks out in the physical realm that we experience.
Ultimately every Beast, every false prophet will be cast into the Lake of Fire. On earth we will see them deposed, killed, dethroned, and exposed for their diabolical connection to the Dragon. In the eternity-based reality, they will succumb to the Lake of Fire.
This gave great hope to the believers in Asia Minor. It gives great hope, as well, to believers all over our world who are being imprisoned, tortured, executed, and persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus. And on that day, at the end of it all, we too will rejoice when the Beast and the false prophet in the final battle will finally and forever be dealt with.
The Millenium – Revelation 20:1-6
This passage introduces one of the most controversial subjects associated with eschatology in the modern church age. The arguments are ignited by taking literal approaches to understanding what John was describing in this other-worldly vision. And it is exacerbated by convolving the second coming of Christ with John’s vision. Revelation is an apocalyptic style of literature, while most of the Scriptures about the second coming of Christ are not.
There are three aspects involved in all the theories of the Millenium:
The second coming of Christ, commonly called the Rapture, is not explicitly part of John’s vision. It is, however, found in the non-apocalyptic scriptures. So, this will be an actual event as described in Acts and in the writings of Paul and other apostles.
Tribulation is found all through Revelation but not the “Great Tribulation” as is often defined in some dogmas. That said, a significant time of suffering often precedes a great move of God. Think the deliverance from Egypt for the Israelites. There were ten plagues against their oppressors and a miraculous exodus through the Red Sea. I could give many examples throughout history. So, yes, there will be tribulation, and certainly before the consummation of all things.
The reign of Christ for 1,000 years is called the Millenium. As I’ve stated earlier, the numbers in John’s vision are used as ways to describe something, not a literal count of people, years, or days. The number 1000 is the number 10 multiplied by itself twice. It’s the number of completion. So, the reign of Christ will be complete, not temporary. My take is that it means forever. “He shall reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 11:15.
All the different ideas about the Millenium deal with the sequence of these three aspects. We’ll spend some time on this passage taking a look at these.
There are three aspects involved in all the theories of the Millenium:
- The second coming of Christ
- A great tribulation
- A thousand-year reign of Christ
The second coming of Christ, commonly called the Rapture, is not explicitly part of John’s vision. It is, however, found in the non-apocalyptic scriptures. So, this will be an actual event as described in Acts and in the writings of Paul and other apostles.
Tribulation is found all through Revelation but not the “Great Tribulation” as is often defined in some dogmas. That said, a significant time of suffering often precedes a great move of God. Think the deliverance from Egypt for the Israelites. There were ten plagues against their oppressors and a miraculous exodus through the Red Sea. I could give many examples throughout history. So, yes, there will be tribulation, and certainly before the consummation of all things.
The reign of Christ for 1,000 years is called the Millenium. As I’ve stated earlier, the numbers in John’s vision are used as ways to describe something, not a literal count of people, years, or days. The number 1000 is the number 10 multiplied by itself twice. It’s the number of completion. So, the reign of Christ will be complete, not temporary. My take is that it means forever. “He shall reign forever and ever.” – Revelation 11:15.
All the different ideas about the Millenium deal with the sequence of these three aspects. We’ll spend some time on this passage taking a look at these.
Amillennialism - Revelation 20:1-6 (con’t)

Amillennialists say that the Millennium is not a physical reign of Christ but a spiritual reign. It is the already/but not yet idea whereby the spiritual Millennium is occurring at the present time. Christ reigns supreme as depicted in Revelation with the martyrs, the 144,000, the throng in white robes with him in the throne room.
At the end of all things, He will return, Satan will be defeated for the last time and cast into the Lake of Fire. The old heaven and earth will pass away, and the new heaven and earth will be established.
There is something to be said for this viewpoint. Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this world. It is also a view held by Christians in the first few centuries and was the view held by Augustine.
At the end of all things, He will return, Satan will be defeated for the last time and cast into the Lake of Fire. The old heaven and earth will pass away, and the new heaven and earth will be established.
There is something to be said for this viewpoint. Jesus said that his kingdom was not of this world. It is also a view held by Christians in the first few centuries and was the view held by Augustine.
Postmillennialism – Revelation 20:1-6 (con’t)
This view of the Millenium holds that there is no literal 1,000 years, but rather a very long time. During this time Christians will influence the world and its political systems more and more until the entire world is Christianized. After Christians have established the Kingdom on earth, then Christ will return. No tribulation.
There are lots of problems with this view, least of which is the obvious historical evidence to the contrary. Christ is the centerpiece of all history, and his gospel has spread throughout the entire world. But any time Christians attempt to mix the Kingdom of God with the political systems of this world, it turns out badly. I am not talking about being the salt of the earth. I’m talking about trying to establish theocracies or put clerics in positions of great power in governmental authority.
Last of all, its storyline is at odds with every other sequence of events in history. Every story in Biblical history (or even in non-Biblical) has the same basic plot. There is a battle between good and evil. At the point where things are really bad and it looks like good will be annihilated, God steps in, rescues his people from the impending doom and wipes out evil.
Postmillennialism has no such story line. It is the pipe dream of intellectuals who ignore the obvious and believe that people in this fallen world are basically good. They focus on the capability within every fallen human whereby God, in his mercy and grace, grants them the option of choosing good over evil. But our natural tendency is to do and think only evil continually as the people were described in the time of Noah. Hence, I see no path to a Christian utopia in this fallen world. It’s never happened yet, and it never will.
There are lots of problems with this view, least of which is the obvious historical evidence to the contrary. Christ is the centerpiece of all history, and his gospel has spread throughout the entire world. But any time Christians attempt to mix the Kingdom of God with the political systems of this world, it turns out badly. I am not talking about being the salt of the earth. I’m talking about trying to establish theocracies or put clerics in positions of great power in governmental authority.
Last of all, its storyline is at odds with every other sequence of events in history. Every story in Biblical history (or even in non-Biblical) has the same basic plot. There is a battle between good and evil. At the point where things are really bad and it looks like good will be annihilated, God steps in, rescues his people from the impending doom and wipes out evil.
Postmillennialism has no such story line. It is the pipe dream of intellectuals who ignore the obvious and believe that people in this fallen world are basically good. They focus on the capability within every fallen human whereby God, in his mercy and grace, grants them the option of choosing good over evil. But our natural tendency is to do and think only evil continually as the people were described in the time of Noah. Hence, I see no path to a Christian utopia in this fallen world. It’s never happened yet, and it never will.
Premillennialism – Revelation 20:1-6 (con’t)
This view of the millennium tries to take a literal approach to this passage. Christ will return as was promised and will set up a physical kingdom in this fallen world. He will rule over all the earth, and it will be a utopia. At the end of it, there is a great battle where Jesus defeats Satan for the last time and then the earth is destroyed and replaced with a new earth and the judgment takes place.
There are several variants to this dealing with when Christ will return. And it is centered around the Great Tribulation. The Pre-Trib folks say He will return before the Great Tribulation. The Mid-Tribs say he will return in the middle, and the Post-Tribs believe it will be at the end. All these believe in a literal seven years of tribulation as has not been seen since the foundation of the world. The Beast and the false prophets arise during this seven years of chaos. Christ’s return is focused on rapturing all believers, living or dead. Then when the Millennium begins, they will reign with him physically as servants in the kingdom.
The premillennial dogma is fairly modern and was not something John’s readers would have found comforting if they understood it the way we do today. That’s because it deals with events that would occur centuries after they were dead and gone.
There are some glimpses of veracity in premillennialism. It at least matches the pattern of the travail and then miraculous rescue of God’s people found throughout history. Its problems arise with trying to figure out a literal interpretation of apocalyptic literature, something John never intended. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. One always finds something that just doesn’t make sense.
There are several variants to this dealing with when Christ will return. And it is centered around the Great Tribulation. The Pre-Trib folks say He will return before the Great Tribulation. The Mid-Tribs say he will return in the middle, and the Post-Tribs believe it will be at the end. All these believe in a literal seven years of tribulation as has not been seen since the foundation of the world. The Beast and the false prophets arise during this seven years of chaos. Christ’s return is focused on rapturing all believers, living or dead. Then when the Millennium begins, they will reign with him physically as servants in the kingdom.
The premillennial dogma is fairly modern and was not something John’s readers would have found comforting if they understood it the way we do today. That’s because it deals with events that would occur centuries after they were dead and gone.
There are some glimpses of veracity in premillennialism. It at least matches the pattern of the travail and then miraculous rescue of God’s people found throughout history. Its problems arise with trying to figure out a literal interpretation of apocalyptic literature, something John never intended. It’s like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole. One always finds something that just doesn’t make sense.
A New/Old Approach – Revelation 20:1-6 (con’t)

What does this passage mean to John’s readers? What comfort does it give them?
They are the ones who will rise from the dead and reign with Him in heaven for a “thousand years.” For them, the war is over. For them, Satan is bound. He cannot “deceive the nations.” What could this mean – deceive the nations?
The Beast and false prophet have already been thrown into the Lake of Fire. They’ve been annihilated. But the Dragon is only in the Abyss, chained up but not gone. Some say that this “deceiving the nations” refers to emperor worship. Satan will not be able to deceive the nations into bowing down to a king and worshipping as they did with the Beast. That paradigm is gone forever. I suppose that is one possible explanation of this passage. It would have meaning to John’s readers and bring them comfort.
As we look back through history and see the ways believers have been persecuted and martyred, we cannot very well identify with this interpretation. Satan always rears his ugly head and comes up with some other diabolical scheme. And the cycle repeats itself. The throne room of heaven continues to be populated by more and more who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The Dragon is released for a little while and deceives the nations again. But in the end, John lets his readers know that the Dragon will ultimately and finally be defeated once and for all and will join the Beast and the false prophet in the Lake of Fire.
This is the point in the vision where the consummation of all things begins to take shape.
They are the ones who will rise from the dead and reign with Him in heaven for a “thousand years.” For them, the war is over. For them, Satan is bound. He cannot “deceive the nations.” What could this mean – deceive the nations?
The Beast and false prophet have already been thrown into the Lake of Fire. They’ve been annihilated. But the Dragon is only in the Abyss, chained up but not gone. Some say that this “deceiving the nations” refers to emperor worship. Satan will not be able to deceive the nations into bowing down to a king and worshipping as they did with the Beast. That paradigm is gone forever. I suppose that is one possible explanation of this passage. It would have meaning to John’s readers and bring them comfort.
As we look back through history and see the ways believers have been persecuted and martyred, we cannot very well identify with this interpretation. Satan always rears his ugly head and comes up with some other diabolical scheme. And the cycle repeats itself. The throne room of heaven continues to be populated by more and more who have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. The Dragon is released for a little while and deceives the nations again. But in the end, John lets his readers know that the Dragon will ultimately and finally be defeated once and for all and will join the Beast and the false prophet in the Lake of Fire.
This is the point in the vision where the consummation of all things begins to take shape.
Millennial Postscript – Revelation 20:1-6

All these ideas about the interpretation of the 1000 years in this passage have some validity, some more than others. The one thing that we must not do is create a new tribe based on the “correct” beliefs about end times. If you love Jesus and he is the driving force, the “be all, end all” in your life, then we are brothers and sisters in Christ. And if your beliefs about the millennium and the second coming enhance your relationship with Christ and your fellow believers, and it inspires awe and wonder for the Lamb who sits on the throne, then we are on the same journey. But if you wield your beliefs about the end times like a weapon, dividing the Body of Christ and birthing schisms, then you are deceiving yourself and you have missed the entire reason for the book of Revelation. I stand by my assertion at the beginning of this study; it is a revelation of Jesus Christ, it is His story, not primarily a prophetic book about future events.
Let’s face it; no matter what you or I believe about the Millennium, we will undoubtedly be wrong about some aspect of it. Maybe even about a vast majority of it. And so, I would rather not be pigeon-holed as an adherent of any one of the many variations. I would just embrace the things that make sense in bringing honor and glory to our Lord and comfort to those under persecution. That’s what this book is all about.
Let’s face it; no matter what you or I believe about the Millennium, we will undoubtedly be wrong about some aspect of it. Maybe even about a vast majority of it. And so, I would rather not be pigeon-holed as an adherent of any one of the many variations. I would just embrace the things that make sense in bringing honor and glory to our Lord and comfort to those under persecution. That’s what this book is all about.
The Final Battle - Revelation 20:7-10

And now, at last, Satan, the Great Dragon, is dealt with forever. At the end of all things, Satan will rise once again to “deceive the nations.” In this passage John invokes the names of God and Magog.
Every Jewish believer who saw these names immediately recalled the apocalyptic prophecies of Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39. They were able to share these prophecies with their gentile brothers and explain the significance. The final battle that John saw in his vision is reminiscent of the same battle that Ezekiel describes against Gog and Magog.
Gog refers to a ruler and Magog the place where he ruled. The picture we see is of a conqueror and his allies who will appear to be unstoppable as seen both in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as well as in John’s vision. This picture is perfect for describing the final battle against the Great Dragon. Ezekiel presents it as being against Israel and John presents it as being against the Israel of God, all believers, both Jew and gentile.
The battle that John tells us about is not a protracted engagement. In one fell swoop, fire comes from heaven and devours them. It’s over before it starts. It’s as if God allows them to all assemble in one place so that judgment can be executed on them all at one time.
Following that, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire where the Beast and false prophet have already been deposited. And that is forever and ever. Evil has been dealt with for the last time. This is the beginning of the last judgment. And that brings closure and great comfort both to John’s readers and to us as well.
Every Jewish believer who saw these names immediately recalled the apocalyptic prophecies of Ezekiel in chapters 38 and 39. They were able to share these prophecies with their gentile brothers and explain the significance. The final battle that John saw in his vision is reminiscent of the same battle that Ezekiel describes against Gog and Magog.
Gog refers to a ruler and Magog the place where he ruled. The picture we see is of a conqueror and his allies who will appear to be unstoppable as seen both in Ezekiel 38 and 39 as well as in John’s vision. This picture is perfect for describing the final battle against the Great Dragon. Ezekiel presents it as being against Israel and John presents it as being against the Israel of God, all believers, both Jew and gentile.
The battle that John tells us about is not a protracted engagement. In one fell swoop, fire comes from heaven and devours them. It’s over before it starts. It’s as if God allows them to all assemble in one place so that judgment can be executed on them all at one time.
Following that, Satan is cast into the Lake of Fire where the Beast and false prophet have already been deposited. And that is forever and ever. Evil has been dealt with for the last time. This is the beginning of the last judgment. And that brings closure and great comfort both to John’s readers and to us as well.
Great White Throne Judgment – Revelation 20:11-15

At the end of all things, the consummation of the fallen world, there will be a day of reckoning. John describes in apocalyptic style the same judgment that Jesus described using parables. The fallen earth and heaven passes away and all souls are held accountable. All that does not have the life of God, that has not been regenerated by the indwelling presence of Jesus, will be destroyed. This is a terrible prospect, but a necessary one. Jesus cannot and will not attempt to rule over a fallen world. That would just be a continuation of the battle with the Dragon who, once conquered, will reappear in a different form to deceive and destroy. So, all vestiges of his world must be cleansed in the Lake of Fire.
Let me tell you my take on what will transpire at this judgment. To put it on a personal level, all of us stand before the judge and in the Book will be recorded all the things we have done and thought. Each of us will be horrified when we see it all against the backdrop of the absolute holiness of God himself. You and I have reviewed the actions of some around us who have serious blind spots. And they truly are unaware of these things that are glaring deficiencies. But we are not cognizant of our own blind spots. When we stand before the judgment, we will become painfully aware of them. In despair and humiliation, we will fall sobbing in hopeless contrition at the revelation of our own lacking. Our own culpability will seem just as heinous as the blind spots of those around us.
But then, the Book of Life will be opened. And Jesus will call out my name. Imagine my rapturous joy and relief when he declares that he has already paid the price for me. I have been redeemed! Oh, the glory of that moment! Words cannot describe it! He has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat!
Let me tell you my take on what will transpire at this judgment. To put it on a personal level, all of us stand before the judge and in the Book will be recorded all the things we have done and thought. Each of us will be horrified when we see it all against the backdrop of the absolute holiness of God himself. You and I have reviewed the actions of some around us who have serious blind spots. And they truly are unaware of these things that are glaring deficiencies. But we are not cognizant of our own blind spots. When we stand before the judgment, we will become painfully aware of them. In despair and humiliation, we will fall sobbing in hopeless contrition at the revelation of our own lacking. Our own culpability will seem just as heinous as the blind spots of those around us.
But then, the Book of Life will be opened. And Jesus will call out my name. Imagine my rapturous joy and relief when he declares that he has already paid the price for me. I have been redeemed! Oh, the glory of that moment! Words cannot describe it! He has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat!
A New Beginning – Revelation 21:1-8

It is a wonderful thing that we find the book of Revelation as the last one in our Bible. These last two chapters are the other bookend to the first bookend found in Genesis 1 and 2. Everything in between is the story of the loss and redemption of Paradise.
God’s original intent at creation was to have a dwelling place. It is described in various ways because God’s dwelling is not something we can fully comprehend in our finite world. He describes it as a holy city, a bride, a people, among other things. That’s why he describes the new Jerusalem as a bride.
We also see in this passage that there is no more sea. Why not? Isn’t the ocean a beautiful thing? It was looked upon as a symbol of death in John’s time. You cannot drink from it as one drinks from the River of Life. You cannot tame it. Only Jesus exercised absolute authority over the sea. That’s why his disciples were so astounded by his power to calm the raging sea. Death and the grave had been thrown into the Lake of Fire, so naturally there was no more sea in John’s vision.
God’s original intent at creation was to have a dwelling place. It is described in various ways because God’s dwelling is not something we can fully comprehend in our finite world. He describes it as a holy city, a bride, a people, among other things. That’s why he describes the new Jerusalem as a bride.
We also see in this passage that there is no more sea. Why not? Isn’t the ocean a beautiful thing? It was looked upon as a symbol of death in John’s time. You cannot drink from it as one drinks from the River of Life. You cannot tame it. Only Jesus exercised absolute authority over the sea. That’s why his disciples were so astounded by his power to calm the raging sea. Death and the grave had been thrown into the Lake of Fire, so naturally there was no more sea in John’s vision.
The Bride - Revelation 21:9-27

This passage is absolutely spectacular! All the prior visions in this book show the mighty power of God to redeem and conquer. But this passage brings us to the reason for creation in the first place. Everything else in Revelation is just the story of God redeeming and achieving everything he had planned at the beginning. He has always desired to dwell with us; not us singularly so much as us corporately. That was his original intent when he created Adam and Eve.
The themes that wind their way throughout history bely what God has been striving for, fighting for, building, all along.
He wants a house. Think tabernacles and temples. He wants a bride for His Son. Follow the pageantry of the patriarchs finding wives and the parables of Jewish weddings that Jesus used to help us understand the Kingdom of God. He wants brothers and sisters, a family. When God created Adam he decided to give him a wife. But he did not create her out of thin air or dust as he had created Adam. Instead, he took part of Adam and formed (built) Eve from him. That’s why Adam says, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” Just as Eve was formed out of Adam’s side, so also the second Adam, Jesus, had his side pierced and out of it flowed blood and water. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit. As a human is born following a gush of amniotic fluid, each of us who believe are born after the gush of water from Jesus’ side. And the family of God came to life with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This family, this chosen people, are the Bride of Christ. And He dwells in them. What God intended in the beginning has now been consummated and perfected.
He wants a city. Jerusalem had been the place in which he desired to dwell, the place where the Jewish temple was built. But that was just a shadow of the city he had in mind. And again, this city is His Bride. You and I together are the Bride. Likewise, you and I together are the city. You and I together are the New Jerusalem. More on that next time.
The themes that wind their way throughout history bely what God has been striving for, fighting for, building, all along.
He wants a house. Think tabernacles and temples. He wants a bride for His Son. Follow the pageantry of the patriarchs finding wives and the parables of Jewish weddings that Jesus used to help us understand the Kingdom of God. He wants brothers and sisters, a family. When God created Adam he decided to give him a wife. But he did not create her out of thin air or dust as he had created Adam. Instead, he took part of Adam and formed (built) Eve from him. That’s why Adam says, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh…” Just as Eve was formed out of Adam’s side, so also the second Adam, Jesus, had his side pierced and out of it flowed blood and water. Jesus told Nicodemus that one must be born of water and the Spirit. As a human is born following a gush of amniotic fluid, each of us who believe are born after the gush of water from Jesus’ side. And the family of God came to life with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This family, this chosen people, are the Bride of Christ. And He dwells in them. What God intended in the beginning has now been consummated and perfected.
He wants a city. Jerusalem had been the place in which he desired to dwell, the place where the Jewish temple was built. But that was just a shadow of the city he had in mind. And again, this city is His Bride. You and I together are the Bride. Likewise, you and I together are the city. You and I together are the New Jerusalem. More on that next time.
The New Jerusalem – Revelation 21:9-27 (con’t)

Let’s talk more about the city, the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ. If you don’t believe that John’s vision was full of symbolism rather than literal, physical stuff, this passage should convince you. One of the angels tells John to come and see the Bride, the wife of the Lamb. When John gets to a very high mountain, he instead sees a city coming down out of heaven. So, which is it, a woman or a city? It’s both!
Everyone agrees that the Bride of Christ is the body of all believers. And yet the body of all believers is also the Body of Christ. How can that be? As Eve was taken out of Adam, so you and I as believers were taken out of the body of Jesus when his side was pierced. Eve was flesh of Adam’s flesh. And we, the body of believers, are of the same spirit as Jesus. We are born of the Spirit! Jesus and all of us as believers are one. And yet we are his Bride just as Eve was Adam’s bride and yet part of his body.
But we are also the New Jerusalem. You see, as believers, you and I are living stones. All of us together are the city itself.
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." -- Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)
In fact, this whole second chapter of Ephesians talks in depth about this building and how it is constructed of both Jew and Gentile believers.
John’s vision describes this city, this dwelling place of God, his Bride, as having twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. But it also had twelve foundations on which are the names of the twelve apostles. All of history is wrapped up in this magnificent city in which God dwells. It is a perfect cube of 12,000 stadia. Don’t try to figure out what that is in feet, meters, or miles. That destroys the symbolism. The number 12 times the complete number 10 times itself three times, is the point. It’s a description, not a dimension. The same is true for the thickness of the wall around the city, 144 cubits – 12 X 12: the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
God’s intent from before sin entered the world has been accomplished. The Son has a Bride. God has a dwelling place. The Lamb has many brothers and sisters. God has a family. The New Jerusalem is made up of living stones, who are the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the people of God. They are all the same thing, just described in multiple ways. Throughout the limitless expanse of eternity God will pour his love into his Son and the Son will pour God’s love into his Bride and his Bride will reflect it back to him, an unending dance that has been the driving force for creation and the reason for our world. God’s unfathomable love has been expanded, and yet it still overflows, cascading over the new community that now has joined with the Trinity through the obedience of the Son. THIS, is the mystery that I referenced earlier.
Everyone agrees that the Bride of Christ is the body of all believers. And yet the body of all believers is also the Body of Christ. How can that be? As Eve was taken out of Adam, so you and I as believers were taken out of the body of Jesus when his side was pierced. Eve was flesh of Adam’s flesh. And we, the body of believers, are of the same spirit as Jesus. We are born of the Spirit! Jesus and all of us as believers are one. And yet we are his Bride just as Eve was Adam’s bride and yet part of his body.
But we are also the New Jerusalem. You see, as believers, you and I are living stones. All of us together are the city itself.
"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit." -- Ephesians 2:19-22 (NIV)
In fact, this whole second chapter of Ephesians talks in depth about this building and how it is constructed of both Jew and Gentile believers.
John’s vision describes this city, this dwelling place of God, his Bride, as having twelve gates with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. But it also had twelve foundations on which are the names of the twelve apostles. All of history is wrapped up in this magnificent city in which God dwells. It is a perfect cube of 12,000 stadia. Don’t try to figure out what that is in feet, meters, or miles. That destroys the symbolism. The number 12 times the complete number 10 times itself three times, is the point. It’s a description, not a dimension. The same is true for the thickness of the wall around the city, 144 cubits – 12 X 12: the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
God’s intent from before sin entered the world has been accomplished. The Son has a Bride. God has a dwelling place. The Lamb has many brothers and sisters. God has a family. The New Jerusalem is made up of living stones, who are the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ, the people of God. They are all the same thing, just described in multiple ways. Throughout the limitless expanse of eternity God will pour his love into his Son and the Son will pour God’s love into his Bride and his Bride will reflect it back to him, an unending dance that has been the driving force for creation and the reason for our world. God’s unfathomable love has been expanded, and yet it still overflows, cascading over the new community that now has joined with the Trinity through the obedience of the Son. THIS, is the mystery that I referenced earlier.
The Original Purpose Fulfilled – Revelation 22:1-5

And now, the grand finale of this incredible vision! What do we see here? The same thing that was recorded in Genesis 1 and 2, that idyllic time before sin entered the world. There is no curse in this landscape. There is the River of Life again. God’s offspring, his people, walk and talk with him again. But it’s even more glorious now! Adam was to be the first of many brethren who would populate the earth and walk and talk with God. They would be his dwelling place. The kaleidoscope of their personalities and abilities would all fit together perfectly as they live for each other and for the Father and Son.
But sin entered the world and the war with Satan as described in much of Revelation ensued. But this did not dissuade the Father and the Son from moving forward with their purpose. Now, at last, because of the love of the Father for his Son and for his people, and his desire to expand his love, there is a new earth where God dwells in his people, the Bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, the family of God. All believers, the living stones, all perfectly fitted together, make up this dwelling place for the Trinity. And so it will be throughout unending eternity.
As I read this passage, I cannot help but recall the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well in Samaria. He asked her for a drink and then offered her living water, water so satisfying that she would never thirst again. Here in this part of John’s vision we find the source of that water, a river flowing from the throne right down the middle of the street. Eden is restored. No angels with flaming swords block the entrance. The curse is gone.
And with that, the vision is complete. What Satan had obscured with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the veil of sin that made it nearly impossible to perceive God, that seemed it would separate us from the love of God, is no more. The Lamb sacrificed himself because of his overpowering love in order to redeem us. Now those who have his name written on their foreheads will dwell with him and he in them, world without end. God’s original purpose has been accomplished!
But sin entered the world and the war with Satan as described in much of Revelation ensued. But this did not dissuade the Father and the Son from moving forward with their purpose. Now, at last, because of the love of the Father for his Son and for his people, and his desire to expand his love, there is a new earth where God dwells in his people, the Bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, the family of God. All believers, the living stones, all perfectly fitted together, make up this dwelling place for the Trinity. And so it will be throughout unending eternity.
As I read this passage, I cannot help but recall the conversation Jesus had with the woman at the well in Samaria. He asked her for a drink and then offered her living water, water so satisfying that she would never thirst again. Here in this part of John’s vision we find the source of that water, a river flowing from the throne right down the middle of the street. Eden is restored. No angels with flaming swords block the entrance. The curse is gone.
And with that, the vision is complete. What Satan had obscured with the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the veil of sin that made it nearly impossible to perceive God, that seemed it would separate us from the love of God, is no more. The Lamb sacrificed himself because of his overpowering love in order to redeem us. Now those who have his name written on their foreheads will dwell with him and he in them, world without end. God’s original purpose has been accomplished!
End of the Pageant - Revelation 22:6-10

The vision is complete. The pageant is ended. Now the angel who walked John through this kaleidoscope of vantage points gives some final words. He assures John that this is not just some dream that his own mind has manufactured, amalgamating thoughts and experiences of his own lifetime into a string of morphing people and events. No, what he has experienced is from God and is to be delivered to God’s people. Deliverance for the suffering believers in Asia Minor is imminent!
When the angel quotes Jesus he says, “Look, I am coming soon!” Although Jesus will one day return in the same way he ascended, these words meant something different for John’s readers. By this he meant that He would quickly deliver them from their tribulation. He intends to rescue them. The rest of this passage bears this out. Verse 11 indicates that it’s too late for any change or repentance. The time for judgment and deliverance is NOW!
It reminds me of God’s deliverance for the children of Israel from Pharoah. Once the time came for their exodus from Egypt, it was too late for Pharoah. The Bible tells us that God hardened Pharoah’s heart. Hear this echoed in verse 11: “Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong.”
And so it will also be at the end of all things, when Jesus returns in the flesh and gathers his elect from the four winds. The time for repentance will be over. “Let the holy person continue to be holy.”
When the angel quotes Jesus he says, “Look, I am coming soon!” Although Jesus will one day return in the same way he ascended, these words meant something different for John’s readers. By this he meant that He would quickly deliver them from their tribulation. He intends to rescue them. The rest of this passage bears this out. Verse 11 indicates that it’s too late for any change or repentance. The time for judgment and deliverance is NOW!
It reminds me of God’s deliverance for the children of Israel from Pharoah. Once the time came for their exodus from Egypt, it was too late for Pharoah. The Bible tells us that God hardened Pharoah’s heart. Hear this echoed in verse 11: “Let the one who does wrong continue to do wrong.”
And so it will also be at the end of all things, when Jesus returns in the flesh and gathers his elect from the four winds. The time for repentance will be over. “Let the holy person continue to be holy.”
The Promise Fulfilled - Revelation 22:12-16
Jesus here gives one final benediction to John for his readers. Look at the many ways he describes himself.
- Alpha and Omega, the first and last, the beginning and the end. This is so appropriate for the last words in the book that has been placed last in our Bible. Jesus started it all in Genesis, and here he is at the end of it all. As I said earlier, he has accomplished his purpose for creation.
- Root and offspring of David, the bright morning star. As the Root of David, He indicates that He is the beginning. Jesus established David as the king of Israel. He was at the beginning of the eternal kingdom of David. But He is the Offspring as well. He came from David’s lineage. He is the last of David’s lineage and is now the King forever. The Beginning and the End.
COME! - Revelation 22:17-21

The last part of this book contains a poison pill. John warns the readers not to add or redact any portion of the vision. That’s because apocalyptic works were common in John’s time. Some readers would modify a piece of this literature and pass it on. The original work could be improved to make it more interesting or provide hope for some current crisis. In order to set his vision apart from these other pop-culture, multi-authored fantasies, John provides a strong warning.
With this passage we wrap up this incredible book, the last one in our Bible. John’s vision is a revelation of Jesus, the Christ. It tells his story in a way that is a shocking departure from “just the facts.” It combines art, fantasy, and reality, presenting it from many different vantage points. That’s because it emanates from multi-dimensional eternity, describing Him and His story so that those with child-like faith can understand His magnificence.
To those who have listened and seen His glory in this vision, He bids them, “Come.” To those who wish to partake of the water of life, who desire to walk and talk with Him, He says, “Come.” Like the woman at the well, He lays bare all our sins and shortcomings but offers this living water anyway. And once we have accepted his invitation to “Come,” nothing will ever be the same again.
With this passage we wrap up this incredible book, the last one in our Bible. John’s vision is a revelation of Jesus, the Christ. It tells his story in a way that is a shocking departure from “just the facts.” It combines art, fantasy, and reality, presenting it from many different vantage points. That’s because it emanates from multi-dimensional eternity, describing Him and His story so that those with child-like faith can understand His magnificence.
To those who have listened and seen His glory in this vision, He bids them, “Come.” To those who wish to partake of the water of life, who desire to walk and talk with Him, He says, “Come.” Like the woman at the well, He lays bare all our sins and shortcomings but offers this living water anyway. And once we have accepted his invitation to “Come,” nothing will ever be the same again.