In Heaven there is silence… something is coming. A LOOK BACK: In chapter 6, the first six seals of the book are opened by the Lamb.  In Revelation 7, there is a pause in the opening of the seals to allow the angels to “mark” those who belong to God. These will be the ones will be able to stand in the day of the wrath of the Lamb. SILENCE: The Lamb opens the seventh seal, and John watches as there is silence in heaven for half an hour.  The silence might indicate reverence or awe at what is coming.  Consider the idea of a “moment of silence” because of a catastrophe that has befallen someone. Revealed in the seventh seal, John sees seven angels, each given a trumpet.  Another angel comes to the altar with a golden censer, and he receives incense to offer up with the prayers of the saints upon the altar. The prayers plus incense are offered and ascend up before God (sitting upon His throne).  Remember the saints beneath the altar who died for Christianity and their cry, “How Long!”  God’s answer to those prayers is coming. After offering the incense, the angel fills his censor with fire from the altar casts it into the Earth.  Voices, thundering, lightning, and earthquakes occur.  Always remember, this is vision language of judgment and retribution on the enemies of God.  As this happens, John sees the angels with the trumpets preparing to sound. The first trumpet: The angel …

He who has the mark of God. A LOOK BACK: In chapter 6, the first six seals of the book are opened by the Lamb. With each John is invited to look into the “revelation” the book presents. The sixth seal opens to reveal humanity seeking refuge from “the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb” and a question, “For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” The answer comes in chapter 7. A MARK Whenever there is a battle, there is always concern over friendly-fire. Great care is given by armies to know where all of their men’s location so they never accidentally fire upon their men. There is reassurance in knowing the color of the uniform, the insignia upon a shoulder. A marking to identify the army to which a soldier belongs. God is going to “mark” His people so that they will be “able to stand” in “great day of His wrath.” John sees four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, and they are keeping the wind from blowing, having received power to harm the earth and the sea. God’s judgment is often described by the prophets as coming with the wind. A fifth angel appears holding the “seal of the living God” (imagine the same seal that sealed up the book.) The fifth angel cries out to the other four to wait to bring their destruction until after …

The Scroll Back in chapter 4, John was invited through the open door into the throne room of God.  He entered and saw the majesty of God’s presence and the reverent worship offered to The First and the Last by those around the throne. John now looks back to the throne and in the hand of the one on the throne is a scroll.  The scroll, with writing on the inside and outside, is sealed with seven seals.  Imagine here a wax seal created by the writer of the scroll, only the individual worthy of opening the seals can read the scroll. John stands disheartened and weeps because there is no one found in Heaven, on Earth, or in the grave worthy to open the scroll.  But one of the twenty-four elders spoke to John, “Do not weep. the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and loose its seven seals.” John looks and sees a Lamb standing, but it is “a Lamb as though it had been slain.”  The Lamb has seven horns (perfect might) and seven eyes (perfect knowledge).   The Lamb takes the scroll from the One on the throne.  When he does, the four creatures and twenty-four elders fall down and sing before the Lamb.  When they sing, they each have a harp and a golden bowl filled with incense–this is the prayers of the saints on Earth. The song of the Lamb identifies this Lamb as the Redeemer of all the …

The Throne Room of God John, having delivered Jesus’ message to the churches, is brought deeper into the vision.  He sees an open door in Heaven.  Note that John doesn’t speak of these things as if they are fantasy.  It is a vision, but visions of a real place, albeit a spiritual one. Be careful to understand that the book of Revelation is largely symbolical (it conveys meaning using symbols), but the symbols almost always connect with real people, places, and things. Back to Revelation. Upon being invited “Come up here, and I will show you things which must take place after this,” John enters the door and the very throne room of God.  He sees a throne, and One on the throne (God).  The description that follows is a magnificent throne room that could be unmatched by any earthly king. Interestingly, the one on the throne is never directly described.  Only his “appearance” (vs. 3). Even in the very presence of Jehovah, there are no human words to describe Jehovah himself. In front of the throne: The seven lamps which are the Seven Spirits of God. See the connection to the golden lampstand in the tabernacle (read Exodus 25:31-40; 37:17-24). Around the throne: 24 elders who are righteous rulers together with 4 living creatures.  The creatures are mighty, have the swiftness of flight, and see everything (there is a connection to Ezekiel 1 here). Coming from the throne: lightnings, thundering, voices.  Go read Exodus 19:9-24; 20:18-21.  John sees something …

The Dead, The Faithful, the Sickening To Sardis: An assembly with a false reputation.  They think they are a living body of Christ, but Jesus pronounced them dead.  Christians among them are still alive, but without repentance, He is coming with unexpected judgment.  Those whose garments are unsoiled will receive their reward. Promise: To the overcomer – white robes, a name in the Book of Life & their name confessed by Christ (cf. Mat. 10:32). To Philadelphia: An assembly with an open door that no man could shut. Neither humanity nor spiritual beings can overcome the purposes and actions of God.  This church is going through the wringer.  More persecution is coming, but the faithful have a crown awaiting. Promise: To the overcomer – become a pillar in the Temple of God & names written on him. To Laodicea: An assembly that makes God sick.  Apathy reigns in this church.  Prosperity physically, and wretchedness spiritually.  They have an eye affliction; they are blind, deceived by wealth and oblivious to the truth.  Christ is rebuking them, will they repent? He is knocking, will they open? Promise: To the overcomer – a seat with Christ on the throne for the overcomer like Him. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Next week: The Throne Room of God.

The Double-Edged Sword Comes Forth A double-edged sword is a description given to the speaking of the word of God from the mouth of Jesus Christ (“The First and the Last …he who lives, and was dead, and… am alive forevermore” – 1:17-18). When Jesus speaks, there will be a separation, an action–an attack against all that is unholy, and protection for all that is holy.  He will speak to the messengers (angels) of the churches, and His words will divide, instruct, rebuke, correct, admonish, and commend. To Ephesus: An “assembly” (church) that labored, endured, and couldn’t stand evil just like their Heavenly Father.  They held to sound doctrine and true apostolic authority.  They had fought without giving up… but, they had lost the most important thing, the reason for doing it all.  Their first love–the Father.  They needed to repent, to return to the first works of Christianity, to return to the love of God (but not cease their other labors.) Promise: To the overcomer – eternal food (cf. John 4:10, 13). To Smyrna: An assembly of the poor, but rich in spiritual things. The “poor church” is defenseless, but God defends them. The “poor church” will suffer, but God will not fail to notice their persecution. The “poor church” will be thrown in prison, and some will die, but God has their reward waiting. Promise: To the overcomer – no second death (cf. 1:18; 2:8). To Pergamos: An assembly dwelling in the stronghold of Satan, in the bowels …

In biblical literature, there is a term that has come forth from the very essence of the book of Revelation, and that is “apocalyptic literature.”  (Note: the word revelation “apocolypsis” is where the english word Apocalypse comes from).  Apocalyptic literature uses figurative language where objects and numbers are often to be understood symbolically instead of literally or physically. Some of those in Revelation are 6, 7, 12, and 1000. The scope of these articles do not allow an in-depth analysis of these terms, but here’s an overview of a few significant numbers in Revelation.  Notice just the use of the number 7: 7 Churches, 7 Spirits, 7 golden candlesticks, 7 stars, 7 lamps, 7 seals, 7 horns, 7 eyes, 7 angels, 7 trumpets, 7 thunders, 7 (thousand) people, 7 heads, 7 crowns, 7 last plagues, 7 golden vials, 7 mountains, 7 kings. When we look into the text, we get this indication: 7 is a number indicating fullness, completeness, or perfection (often connected to God). 6 is the number that falls short of 7, it is incomplete, imperfect (often the number of “man”). 12 is a number indicating authorized religion.  12 patriarchs of the old testament, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles. Multiples of a significant number are used to indicate a thorough or completeness of that symbol’s concept.  A single 6 indicates coming short of perfection (falling short of God), but 666 indicates complete failure, an entirely fallen state, the essence of disobedient sinful mankind. 1000 is often multiplied …

The New Testament book entitled “The Apocalypse (disclosure, manifestation, revelation) of Jesus Christ.”  John will record the visions God reveals to him as commanded.  These are matters of spiritual and physical significance, but events that “must shortly take place…for the time was near.” He writes to the seven churches of Asia Minor but does not originate the letter.  It is from “The One Who Is and Who Was and Who Is To Come,” from the seven Spirits, and from Jesus Christ.  The Godhead is present, and the Godhead has a message for the church. At the beginning of Revelation, there are a few statements about Christ that matter to the rest of the letter.  Faithful witness: His witness is true, and it is reliable in good times and bad.  Firstborn from the dead: the one who has been through Death, through Hades (the grave), and is alive again as the victor.  Ruler over the kings of the earth: the church is going endure persecution from the kings of this planet, but Jesus is ultimately in charge. John reassures the Christians he is their companion in trouble, in the Kingdom, and the endurance of Jesus Christ (i.e., cost of faithfulness).  He describes the beginning of the vision, the command to write, and the voice coming from inside the midst of the churches (or accurately, their spiritual representation as lampstands). This moment is opportune to point out that John uses “figures” to represent concepts, people, places, things, etc. in the book of …