As I’ve stated before, proper interpretation of the book of Revelation must maintain a firm hold on (1) the biblical (especially OT) basis for the imagery, (2) the doctrinal expression of the rest of the NT, and (3) a consistency with the storyline throughout this book that provides interweaving purpose to all the elements. This last point, I think, is where both futurists and idealists often misfire in their interpretations. The futurist demands literal focus but then must separate the supposed literal elements and events from each other since they do not present a consistent, purposeful coalescence. The idealist may be more likely to recognize OT symbolism in certain Revelation elements, but also many times misses the correct Revelational meaning because of failure to connect the symbols together in harmonious progression.
To ensure that we stay on course, let’s quickly review how we arrived at our current place among the trumpets heralding the characteristics of this interadvental age. In Revelation 4 we entered the throne room of God. The scene held several elements associated with authority and judgment. The 24 elders pictured there provided a judicious heavenly assembly that contrasted with the 24 elders of the Sanhedrin who had condemned Christ, judging him not worthy.
God holds a scroll in his hand. A strong angel calls out asking who is worthy to open the scroll. At first, it appears no one will answer. But Christ comes forward to take the scroll. Christ is presented as the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, and as a Lamb that had been slain. That presentation refers to his earthly ministry in his first advent in which he accomplished redemption. From this specific presentation, we understand the time as being just after his ascension to heaven. As he takes the scroll, the 24 elder heavenly Sanhedrin bows before him, acknowledging his worthiness.
Christ’s presentation along with his unique qualification for opening the scroll provides us with the necessary clues to determine what the scroll contains. The scroll must be the plan of God revealing what will occur in this age and the age to come as a result of Christ’s atoning work.
Christ begins to open the scroll by breaking the seals. We note, however, that until the last (7th) seal is broken, the scroll remains closed. Therefore, the action that takes place in the breaking of the first 6 seals is not related to the contents of the scroll. The events of those seals, then, must be transitional events that occur between the old covenants and the New Covenant that Christ established. The transition includes the ending of the old covenants pictured by the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem (which occurred in AD 70) and the apostolic age which founded the church. Seal 1 and the interlude provide pictures of the apostolic mission while the other seals show us the judgment of Jerusalem and close of the old covenant relationship with national Israel.
Once the 7th seal is broken, the scroll is opened. After the scroll is opened, angelic trumpeters come forward to herald God’s plan. We find in the display his judgment on the wickedness of the world. But it is a displeasure that continues through the age rather than immediately wipes out the evil. This displeasure continues because of God’s purpose during this age to gather those into his kingdom who are redeemed by Christ.
In our last study we looked at characteristics of this age that are pictured in the first 5 trumpet blasts. With the 1st we saw hail and fire symbolizing the physical disasters that occur by the hand of the sovereign Lord. Trumpet 2 showed us God’s control and judgment on the governments of the world that do not follow God. The Wormwood bitterness in the sources of drinking water shown by trumpet 3 reminded us of the God-deniers in Romans 1 who, Paul says, believe a lie. From the denial of God, we find in trumpet 4 a world without light—as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:4, the minds of the unbelievers are blinded. With the 5th trumpet, demons come to torment the God-deniers. They come as locusts in overwhelming attack. They come as scorpions in subversive attack. The result is pain and misery.
Now we reach the 6th trumpet. We read in chapter 9 verse 14 that the angels bound in the river Euphrates are released. The Euphrates river marked the far eastern edge of both the Israelite kingdom (1 Kings 4:21) and the Roman Empire. For the Israelites, it metaphorically stood as a boundary between good and evil. But for both it was the boundary that separated the known world from the rest of the world. Both those ideas come into play here as we see evil that God says will be a worldwide characteristic.
Suddenly we are confronted by a huge horde of riders—twice ten thousand times ten thousand. Of course we can calculate this out to 200 million, but that kind of loses the effect. The point is that this is a huge army of people who go on the attack. But who are they attacking? As the scene continues to unfold, we discover that they are riding horses whose mouths issue forth fire, smoke, and sulfur. Torment is in the tails of these horses. Does that sound familiar? Back in trumpet 5 we saw the demons appearing “like horses” (9:7) with “teeth like lions’ teeth (9:8) whose “power…is in their tails” (9:10). The connection is obvious. These demon forces drive unbelieving humankind toward war and violence committed against each other. And we read that as a result, a third of humankind is killed (9:18).
The six trumpets so far have revealed an absolutely dreadful and terrible age of evil. The denying of God spurred on by Satan’s demonic horde produce pain, misery, torment, and death. And the bewildering thing about it all is that even with all this in plain sight of us, the God-deniers continue to rebel against God: “The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts” (9:20-21).
Into this sad and horrific scene, a mighty angel appears. This mighty angel is Christ. We know this from his description. He comes wrapped in a cloud. The cloud accompaniment is often used for God (e.g., pillar that led Israel, God’s presence at the Mount of Transfiguration, Christ’s ascension into the clouds, and his promise to return in the clouds). His face shines as the sun (Rev 1:15; Matthew 17:2). His voice is like a lion roaring (Rev 5:5). And he is crowned with a rainbow. The rainbow is God’s covenant sign that he would not again destroy the world as he did with the flood. At that time, the world was evil—“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). Because of that wickedness, God destroyed. But here now in Revelation we have just been given that same kind of depiction of evil. Christ comes on the scene, and we would think because of the absolute purity of Christ, he will destroy this horrific, evil world. But he doesn’t. He wears the rainbow, remembering his promise to withhold final destruction until the end. This provides the second strong indication that the terror and judgment we find with the trumpets is not the final judgment. The final judgment will come later. The first indication was that only 1/3 of the earth and humanity were harmed in the scenes of these trumpet blasts. In the final judgment, all evil will be destroyed. Now, the second indication that this is not yet the final judgment is the presence of the rainbow crown on Christ.
But Christ does cry out amid this evil, and we are put in mind of Christ’s woes to the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, ending with his lament over Jerusalem, saying, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!” (Matthew 23:37). Here, Christ appears in the midst of this terrible scene of evil, and you can hear the lament in the sound as he cries out with a roar. The 7 thunders respond to his cry. We know thunder is consistently used in Revelation as a symbol of judgment. We know that the number 7 means perfect completion. Therefore, the 7 thunders must be the final complete judgment. That final judgment is the rightful response to Christ’s cry over the evil of the world. But John is told not to write down the 7 thunders. In other words, the time for final judgment is not yet. (This is the third indication that the trumpets do not depict final judgment.)
The next activity is puzzling. We saw the rainbow. We saw that John was to delay writing about final judgment. Yet the very next thing that Christ does is proclaim that “there would be no more delay” (10:6). But remember where we are in the storyline. The scroll has just been opened. The 7 trumpets are heralding the description of this age. This pronouncement of “no more delay” does not occur at the end of time; it occurs as the trumpets are sounding at the beginning of this age. What, then, will not be delayed? The next verse tells us—“the mystery of God would be fulfilled” (10:7). We find then that this pronouncement that there will be no more delay before the mystery of God is fulfilled exactly corresponds with our timeline. Romans 16:25-26 tells us, “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith.” The obedience of faith through the accomplished work of Christ so that all peoples, tribes, tongues, and nations may come to him is that mystery that is no longer delayed. Christ has accomplished the way.
This, then, is the reason that final judgment does not come. Even though the trumpets have declared the horrific description of this age of evil, yet it is in this age that Christ will gather his own—his redeemed. This very truth is illustrated in the next few verses as John is given a little scroll to eat. It is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. The gathering to God is sweet, but it is done in the midst of evil and judgment. The scene parallels Ezekiel’s ministry. Ezekiel was also given a scroll of judgment to eat in Ezekiel 3.
Chapter 11 opens with John being given the command to measure the temple, the altar, and the worshipers. Of course, at this time there was no actual temple in Jerusalem. It had been destroyed in AD 70. The action of measuring is the same kind of demarcation we read of in 7:3 during the seal judgments of Jerusalem. There we heard the angel say, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” In Ezekiel, before Jerusalem’s destruction, the man in white linen was to mark those who belonged to God (Ezekiel 9:4). Here in Revelation, we have the same picture presented. Evil rages; God will judge; but first he marks, seals, measures, identifies his own. In NT usage (after the Gospels), the temple most often refers to the covenant body of the saved. We read of that temple of believers in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 and 2 Corinthians 6:16. We also have already seen it in Revelation as Christ promised the Philadelphians that the one who conquers would be made “a pillar in the temple of my God” (3:12).
The scene immediately shifts to two witnesses. Let’s make sure we keep hold of the storyline. These witnesses, identified immediately after the marking of God’s people, testify of Christ during this age. These witnesses represent you and me and all of God’s people of faith throughout this age. But we have more to solidify this interpretation. Look at the basis of their description found in the rest of Scripture. They are Christ’s olive trees and lampstands—an allusion to Joshua, the high priest, and Zerubbabel, Israel’s leader after the exile. In Zechariah 4, we are made to understand that Zerubbabel and Joshua receive their power (symbolized through the olive tree and lampstand imagery) through God. So do these two Revelation witnesses, and so do we, God’s people of faith. They produce fire, shut up the skies, and call down plagues. Moses and Elijah performed all these miracles through the power of God. It is this same power of God that the two witnesses will wield, and so do we wield the power of God through the message of the Gospel.
Please don’t get hung up by the literal expressions in this chapter of fire and plagues. OT physical events are often used to picture NT spiritual realities. And not only does the OT use imagery, but the NT does as well. Remember Mark 16:18, speaking of us—the redeemed—Christ says, “they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” As Christians, we are not meant to go around playing with snakes and drinking poison. If we can understand Mark’s gospel to be using physical elements to paint a spiritual picture, surely we can understand John in his apocalyptic masterpiece to employ physical elements for his spiritual picture as well.
Verse 7 of chapter 11 tells us of what will occur when these witnesses “finish their testimony.” With this we will begin our next discussion.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Revelation (Part 20) - Chapter 8-9: The Trumpets 6/9/09
The scroll is open. What is revealed is God’s sovereign plan and activity in this age and the age to come as a result of Christ’s old covenant fulfillment, atonement, and New Covenant initiation. The purpose of trumpets is to herald, and so it is fitting that the characteristics of this age are revealed by trumpets.
The trumpets call some fantastic imagery. Most futurists insist the descriptions depict literal events and actions. And their insistence is one of the reasons why futurists are futurists; since a literal display of these events has not occurred on earth to this point, they reason that these events must still be coming in the future. The events must be literal, so they say, because they were literal events in the OT. The plagues on Egypt prior to Pharoah’s release of Moses and the children of Israel literally occurred, and many of those plagues were similar to the trumpet events. Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah were literally destroyed with hail and fire just as the first trumpet describes.
However, I believe we must interpret the trumpet calls as figurative rather than literal displays, but not because a literal fulfillment of these events is outside the manageability of God or simply because we arbitrarily choose to interpret all things figuratively. Rather, I believe our context calls for a figurative interpretation. Our contextual interpretation thus far has brought us through the transition from the old covenant fulfillment in Christ to the revelation of the mystery of the New Covenant. God has shown that mere physical heritage has not been his intention for relationship with him. Christ’s covenant fulfillment has opened the way for all people, tribes, tongues, and nations to enter the fold of God through faith in him and his atonement. At this point, then, the scroll of God’s plan is being revealed. To assign these trumpets, therefore, to some future time period would be an inconsistent, arbitrary interpretation in which we would have to ignore the progression of revelation so far. We must conclude that these trumpet blasts take place at the beginning rather than at the end of New Covenant revelation.
Christ is the angel at work in the opening verses of chapter 8. The intercessory act of carrying prayers of God’s people to the throne is, by God’s own decree, a priestly function that only Christ will perform. That John portrays him as an angel is not so unusual as might be first assumed. The meaning of the word angel is messenger. Therefore, the term “angel” is not so much an ontological designation (referring to a being) as it is a functional designation (referring to an activity). We find God’s message in the Old Testament often brought by the “angel of the Lord.” And this angel, we must discern, is often a reference to Christ. Consider the following texts.
Gensis 16:7-10 – The “angel of the Lord” comes to Hagar after she has fled from the harsh treatment by Sarai. The angel tells her to return and promises in verse 10, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” This promise is one that only God fulfills. Thus, the angel’s use of “I” tells us that this is a Christophany—an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Genesis 22:11-12 – As Abraham is about to sacrifice his son Isaac on a mountain in Moriah, the “angel of the Lord” stops him saying in verse 12, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” The “me” of this statement indicates that it is God speaking.
Exodus 3:2-6 – As Moses tends his father-in-law’s flock at Horeb, the “angel of the Lord” appears to him in a burning bush. Verse 4 tells us that “God called to him out of the bush.”
Judges 2:1 – The “angel of the Lord” speaks to the people of Israel telling them, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers.” Again, the “I” tells us that it is God who speaks.
Many other examples exist, but these should be sufficient for us to understand that Christ in his pre-incarnate appearances is often referred to as an angel. The Church Fathers often spoke of Christ as an angel. Justin Martyr did so frequently, especially in his discussion of the prophecy in Isaiah 9. Rather than referring to the Hebrew, he employs the Septuagint’s rendering of verse 6: “For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the angel of great counsel….”
We also refer to Christ as the Word made flesh. What is the Word if not the message of God? And the Word made flesh combines the message with the messenger—the angel of God. Therefore, John’s use of angel as a designation of Christ is not at all unjustified or even intentionally obscure. Also interesting is that within the presentation of his vision, John never refers to Christ during his appearance in the vision as Christ or as Jesus. We understand Christ’s presence by other titles, by his description, or by the activity he performs. We will find three references in Revelation to Christ using the designation “angel.” But the description and activity surrounding these incidents assure us that it is of Christ that John writes.
In Revelation 8:7 the first trumpet sounds. The result is hail and fire mixed with blood poured out upon the earth. I believe this is a direct link to verse 5 in which Christ threw fire from the altar to the earth. The link tells us that this is active involvement of judgment by God and Christ in the affairs of humanity. God is not an uninvolved watcher as the deists portray. The sin of humankind is met with God’s wrath in this age just as it had been throughout old covenant times. Remember that the scroll has just been opened and the trumpets are heralding the activity of the entire age. So in this first trumpet we see God’s hand involved in judgment throughout the age—from first advent to second.
We will find that these trumpet blasts are similar to the bowls of wrath poured out in Revelation 16. In fact, they line up almost exactly with similar elements in each. Both the first trumpet and the first bowl affect the earth. The second of each affect the sea. The third pair concern rivers and springs. The fourth involves the sun. The fifth trumpet mentions the abyss while the fifth bowl speaks of the throne of Satan. The sixth pair involves the Euphrates. Finally, the seventh of both employ hail and fire.
But the differences are significant. In the trumpet blasts we are repeatedly told that 1/3 of earth, sea, sun, etc. are affected, while the bowls show complete judgment. The less than complete effect of the trumpet activity aligns perfectly with the contextual storyline. Again, the trumpets provide a description of the activity of this age. Although God does actively work in judgment throughout the age, he is also concerned with the Gospel’s delivery throughout the age in gathering those of faith into his kingdom. Thus, the judgment will not be complete until the end. The references to only 1/3 effect clearly show us this yet partial judgment.
The first trumpet, therefore, emphasizes God’s judgment through this age on the earth. Of course, God is not punishing the land and trees, but rather he is using violence in nature to show his wrath. I believe that this judgment indicates the desolation throughout this age caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, lightning, storms, mudslides, etc. These are the “natural disasters” that have hit the earth and been responsible for countless lives lost. God is sovereign. God controls all things. An earthquake does not occur, and God says, “Oops! Didn’t see that coming.” God knows, and God controls.
The language is judgmental, but the language is also physical. So there is both a figurative and a literal element in the fulfillment of this picture. The hail and fire represent God’s wrath and judgment, but they do so in the literal sense of physical or natural disasters on the earth. This first trumpet, then, with its emphasis on harming the earth, seems to indicate the destruction that occurs throughout this age from these natural causes.
The second trumpet judgment provides us with an image full of heavily used symbols. As a figure, mountains are almost always used to represent kingdoms. And a burning mountain?—that is a kingdom being judged. Jeremiah 51:25 provides a complementary image. Speaking of Babylon, God says, “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the Lord, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.” Because these trumpets are heralding the characteristics of this age, I think this second trumpet represents God’s judgment on any government that defies him. And we have seen kingdoms, empires, and nations rise and fall throughout this age.
I also think that there may be a more specific intended meaning with regard to Rome. Rome was the empire in control of the world during the time of the writing of Revelation. The overthrow of this empire was indicated in Revelation 6:11. The message of this mountain may be a reference to Rome’s overthrow. The sea usually pictures people. The devastating effects of Rome’s fall plunged the world into the “dark ages.” But death and destruction associated with the figurative sea turning to blood, I believe, has fulfillment throughout this age, not just in Rome’s collapse.
The first two trumpets are direct acts of God acting in wrath against the sin of the world through the means of natural disaster and overthrow of governments. As we move to the third and fourth trumpets, we will see consequences of individual sin through the twisting and rejection of the truth of God.
As the third trumpet blows, a star falls “from heaven, blazing as a torch” (8:10). Both the star and the water of this verse have symbolic meanings of truth. The fall of the star and the bitterness caused in the water reflect a twisting or perversion of the truth. The water pictured in this scene (rivers and springs) provides the source of drinking water. The result is that people die when drinking the bitter water. The idea presented is that God’s truth is perverted and then taken in (accepted) by those who reject God. Paul presents the same idea in Romans 1. There he tells us of those who reject the knowledge God gives of himself: “Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22). And further, “God gave them up…because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:24-25). Amos 5:7 presents this same idea of the perversion of truth likened to the bitterness of wormwood: “O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!”
The presentation of the fourth trumpet follows close on the heels of the third. In the fourth, a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened. The Bible often uses the contrast of light and darkness in relation to truth and error.
1 Samuel 2:9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness.”
Psalm 18:28 “For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”
Psalm 82:5 “They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness.”
Again in Romans 1, Paul connects the ideas of the third and fourth trumpets as he says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
These two trumpets show the denial of God evidenced in this age in which people through deception, twisting, and rejection lose sight of God
In the first two trumpets we saw God’s direct hand in judgment through his control of physical or natural disasters and the rise and fall of governments. The next two trumpets emphasized the sin of turning from God in perversion of truth. All of these are characteristics of this age. Evil is intensified in the next two trumpets as the spiritual forces of darkness join in the attack.
As the fifth trumpet sounds, we see a star fallen from heaven who is given a key to the bottomless pit. This fallen star most likely is Satan. Twice in the Gospels we are told that Satan falls or is cast out of heaven (Luke 10:17-18 and John 12:31-32). This star also controls the bottomless pit or abyss which we know again from the Gospels is the dwelling place of demons (Luke 8:27-31).
As Satan opens the abyss, a demon horde, described as locusts and scorpions, come pouring out. Locusts and scorpions were terrible pests of the 1st century. Locusts swept through fields, eating and destroying. The result was devastating to those whose livelihood depended on their crops. Scorpions also were feared, and beds and sandals were always checked. These two creatures represent the overwhelming, direct assault (locusts) that the dark spiritual forces (demons) of this world employ as well as the indirect misdirection (scorpions) through truth perversion into errant philosophy and religious reconstruction.
These locusts are told not to harm the vegetation. This is mentioned to ensure that we understand these locusts are not like normal locusts that feed on the plants. These are a demonic horde that comes to torment people. Their torment lasts for 5 months. Five months is the length of time both of the typical harvest period (June – October) and of the lifespan of the desert locust. Thus, we are told that this torment lasts throughout this age of gathering for the kingdom.
The trumpets call some fantastic imagery. Most futurists insist the descriptions depict literal events and actions. And their insistence is one of the reasons why futurists are futurists; since a literal display of these events has not occurred on earth to this point, they reason that these events must still be coming in the future. The events must be literal, so they say, because they were literal events in the OT. The plagues on Egypt prior to Pharoah’s release of Moses and the children of Israel literally occurred, and many of those plagues were similar to the trumpet events. Likewise, Sodom and Gomorrah were literally destroyed with hail and fire just as the first trumpet describes.
However, I believe we must interpret the trumpet calls as figurative rather than literal displays, but not because a literal fulfillment of these events is outside the manageability of God or simply because we arbitrarily choose to interpret all things figuratively. Rather, I believe our context calls for a figurative interpretation. Our contextual interpretation thus far has brought us through the transition from the old covenant fulfillment in Christ to the revelation of the mystery of the New Covenant. God has shown that mere physical heritage has not been his intention for relationship with him. Christ’s covenant fulfillment has opened the way for all people, tribes, tongues, and nations to enter the fold of God through faith in him and his atonement. At this point, then, the scroll of God’s plan is being revealed. To assign these trumpets, therefore, to some future time period would be an inconsistent, arbitrary interpretation in which we would have to ignore the progression of revelation so far. We must conclude that these trumpet blasts take place at the beginning rather than at the end of New Covenant revelation.
Christ is the angel at work in the opening verses of chapter 8. The intercessory act of carrying prayers of God’s people to the throne is, by God’s own decree, a priestly function that only Christ will perform. That John portrays him as an angel is not so unusual as might be first assumed. The meaning of the word angel is messenger. Therefore, the term “angel” is not so much an ontological designation (referring to a being) as it is a functional designation (referring to an activity). We find God’s message in the Old Testament often brought by the “angel of the Lord.” And this angel, we must discern, is often a reference to Christ. Consider the following texts.
Gensis 16:7-10 – The “angel of the Lord” comes to Hagar after she has fled from the harsh treatment by Sarai. The angel tells her to return and promises in verse 10, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.” This promise is one that only God fulfills. Thus, the angel’s use of “I” tells us that this is a Christophany—an appearance of the pre-incarnate Christ.
Genesis 22:11-12 – As Abraham is about to sacrifice his son Isaac on a mountain in Moriah, the “angel of the Lord” stops him saying in verse 12, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” The “me” of this statement indicates that it is God speaking.
Exodus 3:2-6 – As Moses tends his father-in-law’s flock at Horeb, the “angel of the Lord” appears to him in a burning bush. Verse 4 tells us that “God called to him out of the bush.”
Judges 2:1 – The “angel of the Lord” speaks to the people of Israel telling them, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers.” Again, the “I” tells us that it is God who speaks.
Many other examples exist, but these should be sufficient for us to understand that Christ in his pre-incarnate appearances is often referred to as an angel. The Church Fathers often spoke of Christ as an angel. Justin Martyr did so frequently, especially in his discussion of the prophecy in Isaiah 9. Rather than referring to the Hebrew, he employs the Septuagint’s rendering of verse 6: “For a child is born to us, and a son is given to us, whose government is upon his shoulder: and his name is called the angel of great counsel….”
We also refer to Christ as the Word made flesh. What is the Word if not the message of God? And the Word made flesh combines the message with the messenger—the angel of God. Therefore, John’s use of angel as a designation of Christ is not at all unjustified or even intentionally obscure. Also interesting is that within the presentation of his vision, John never refers to Christ during his appearance in the vision as Christ or as Jesus. We understand Christ’s presence by other titles, by his description, or by the activity he performs. We will find three references in Revelation to Christ using the designation “angel.” But the description and activity surrounding these incidents assure us that it is of Christ that John writes.
In Revelation 8:7 the first trumpet sounds. The result is hail and fire mixed with blood poured out upon the earth. I believe this is a direct link to verse 5 in which Christ threw fire from the altar to the earth. The link tells us that this is active involvement of judgment by God and Christ in the affairs of humanity. God is not an uninvolved watcher as the deists portray. The sin of humankind is met with God’s wrath in this age just as it had been throughout old covenant times. Remember that the scroll has just been opened and the trumpets are heralding the activity of the entire age. So in this first trumpet we see God’s hand involved in judgment throughout the age—from first advent to second.
We will find that these trumpet blasts are similar to the bowls of wrath poured out in Revelation 16. In fact, they line up almost exactly with similar elements in each. Both the first trumpet and the first bowl affect the earth. The second of each affect the sea. The third pair concern rivers and springs. The fourth involves the sun. The fifth trumpet mentions the abyss while the fifth bowl speaks of the throne of Satan. The sixth pair involves the Euphrates. Finally, the seventh of both employ hail and fire.
But the differences are significant. In the trumpet blasts we are repeatedly told that 1/3 of earth, sea, sun, etc. are affected, while the bowls show complete judgment. The less than complete effect of the trumpet activity aligns perfectly with the contextual storyline. Again, the trumpets provide a description of the activity of this age. Although God does actively work in judgment throughout the age, he is also concerned with the Gospel’s delivery throughout the age in gathering those of faith into his kingdom. Thus, the judgment will not be complete until the end. The references to only 1/3 effect clearly show us this yet partial judgment.
The first trumpet, therefore, emphasizes God’s judgment through this age on the earth. Of course, God is not punishing the land and trees, but rather he is using violence in nature to show his wrath. I believe that this judgment indicates the desolation throughout this age caused by earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, tornadoes, lightning, storms, mudslides, etc. These are the “natural disasters” that have hit the earth and been responsible for countless lives lost. God is sovereign. God controls all things. An earthquake does not occur, and God says, “Oops! Didn’t see that coming.” God knows, and God controls.
The language is judgmental, but the language is also physical. So there is both a figurative and a literal element in the fulfillment of this picture. The hail and fire represent God’s wrath and judgment, but they do so in the literal sense of physical or natural disasters on the earth. This first trumpet, then, with its emphasis on harming the earth, seems to indicate the destruction that occurs throughout this age from these natural causes.
The second trumpet judgment provides us with an image full of heavily used symbols. As a figure, mountains are almost always used to represent kingdoms. And a burning mountain?—that is a kingdom being judged. Jeremiah 51:25 provides a complementary image. Speaking of Babylon, God says, “Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, declares the Lord, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain.” Because these trumpets are heralding the characteristics of this age, I think this second trumpet represents God’s judgment on any government that defies him. And we have seen kingdoms, empires, and nations rise and fall throughout this age.
I also think that there may be a more specific intended meaning with regard to Rome. Rome was the empire in control of the world during the time of the writing of Revelation. The overthrow of this empire was indicated in Revelation 6:11. The message of this mountain may be a reference to Rome’s overthrow. The sea usually pictures people. The devastating effects of Rome’s fall plunged the world into the “dark ages.” But death and destruction associated with the figurative sea turning to blood, I believe, has fulfillment throughout this age, not just in Rome’s collapse.
The first two trumpets are direct acts of God acting in wrath against the sin of the world through the means of natural disaster and overthrow of governments. As we move to the third and fourth trumpets, we will see consequences of individual sin through the twisting and rejection of the truth of God.
As the third trumpet blows, a star falls “from heaven, blazing as a torch” (8:10). Both the star and the water of this verse have symbolic meanings of truth. The fall of the star and the bitterness caused in the water reflect a twisting or perversion of the truth. The water pictured in this scene (rivers and springs) provides the source of drinking water. The result is that people die when drinking the bitter water. The idea presented is that God’s truth is perverted and then taken in (accepted) by those who reject God. Paul presents the same idea in Romans 1. There he tells us of those who reject the knowledge God gives of himself: “Claiming to be wise, they became fools” (Romans 1:22). And further, “God gave them up…because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:24-25). Amos 5:7 presents this same idea of the perversion of truth likened to the bitterness of wormwood: “O you who turn justice to wormwood and cast down righteousness to the earth!”
The presentation of the fourth trumpet follows close on the heels of the third. In the fourth, a third of the sun, moon, and stars are darkened. The Bible often uses the contrast of light and darkness in relation to truth and error.
1 Samuel 2:9 “He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness.”
Psalm 18:28 “For it is you who light my lamp; the Lord my God lightens my darkness.”
Psalm 82:5 “They have neither knowledge nor understanding, they walk about in darkness.”
Again in Romans 1, Paul connects the ideas of the third and fourth trumpets as he says, “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
These two trumpets show the denial of God evidenced in this age in which people through deception, twisting, and rejection lose sight of God
In the first two trumpets we saw God’s direct hand in judgment through his control of physical or natural disasters and the rise and fall of governments. The next two trumpets emphasized the sin of turning from God in perversion of truth. All of these are characteristics of this age. Evil is intensified in the next two trumpets as the spiritual forces of darkness join in the attack.
As the fifth trumpet sounds, we see a star fallen from heaven who is given a key to the bottomless pit. This fallen star most likely is Satan. Twice in the Gospels we are told that Satan falls or is cast out of heaven (Luke 10:17-18 and John 12:31-32). This star also controls the bottomless pit or abyss which we know again from the Gospels is the dwelling place of demons (Luke 8:27-31).
As Satan opens the abyss, a demon horde, described as locusts and scorpions, come pouring out. Locusts and scorpions were terrible pests of the 1st century. Locusts swept through fields, eating and destroying. The result was devastating to those whose livelihood depended on their crops. Scorpions also were feared, and beds and sandals were always checked. These two creatures represent the overwhelming, direct assault (locusts) that the dark spiritual forces (demons) of this world employ as well as the indirect misdirection (scorpions) through truth perversion into errant philosophy and religious reconstruction.
These locusts are told not to harm the vegetation. This is mentioned to ensure that we understand these locusts are not like normal locusts that feed on the plants. These are a demonic horde that comes to torment people. Their torment lasts for 5 months. Five months is the length of time both of the typical harvest period (June – October) and of the lifespan of the desert locust. Thus, we are told that this torment lasts throughout this age of gathering for the kingdom.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Revelation (Part 19) - Chapter 7: The 144,000 6/2/09
At this point, after the sixth seal has been opened and the judgment has gone forth, an interlude follows. In this scene at the beginning of chapter 7, John sees four angels holding back the four winds. These angels appear to be prepared to bring about judgment. Therefore, although the picture here follows the previous picture of judgment, the action taking place occurred just prior to the previous judgment. This shows us clearly that although the seals appear to be opened sequentially, their action is not necessarily a sequential series of judgments, but rather merely different perspectives for what is going on. Surely we saw that already in the first four seals where the horsemen did not bring about apostolic activity, war, famine, and death at separate times, but rather all together.
Continuing in this interlude following the opening and image presentation of the sixth seal, another angel calls out to the four that are holding back the winds of judgment, telling them that they should not harm the earth (land) until the people of God are sealed. This scene mirrors the one in Ezekiel 9. A seal would be given to mark those who had faith in God. In Ezekiel 9, the seal/mark was the Hebrew letter tau—in other words, the sign of the cross. Here in Revelation 7, the seal is the cross, or what the cross represents—salvation through faith in Christ’s redemption.
We are told that 144,000 are sealed from among the tribes of Israel. Many amillennialists believe this number to be figuratively speaking of the total number of the saved throughout this age. They believe so because they understand the opening of the scroll seals to represent the entire age from first advent to second. However, if, as we have discussed, the seal judgments are specifically in regard to the desolation of Israel, the sense of the 144,000 is made clearer. These 144,000 represent the saved (those of faith) of national Israel through all its old covenant history. What is being revealed here is encouragement to know that those who were of faith from the old covenant system will be kept by God as he promised. Christ’s atonement effected their salvation just as it has for all those subsequent to his coming.
For those who strain at the details, we may wonder at the listing of the 12 tribes in verses 5 through 8. Levi is included (which ought to give us 13 tribes). But Dan is left out. Some have theorized that Dan’s rejection is due to that tribe’s particular sin of idolatry noted in Judges 18. That reason would seem odd to me considering that every one of the tribes participated in idolatry. I am not so certain that we are to try to derive meaning from Dan’s omission. Other slight oddities also exist in this list. The order of the tribes listed is an order not found anywhere else in Scripture. And they are not ordered according to birth, mother, population, Exodus marching or camping order, or any other order that I can think of. Additionally, Joseph is included as one of the tribes, supposedly named instead of Joseph’s son, Ephraim, while Joseph’s other son, Manasseh, is included. Perhaps these changes to the familiar are meant simply to separate this list from the familiar. After all, these here sealed are those of faith. The same tribes exist for those who did not have faith and were judged by God for their lack. The differences may then be only to shake our thoughts into understanding that this is a special group—only those of faith.
Additionally, since the meaning of the name Dan is judge, perhaps Dan is left out because these 144,000 make up those who will not be judged by God through the desolation pictured in the opening seals.
But this transition period of the breaking of the seals to the scroll is not only about judgment on the nation of Israel. It is also the establishment of the New Covenant. We saw the white horse gallop forth with Gospel conquest through apostolic activity after the first seal was broken. After presentation of the 144,000, the saved of Israel, we learn of “a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (7:9-10). Notice the contrast in verse 9. Unlike the 144,000, these are from every tribe of the earth, obviously representing all those of faith that Christ has redeemed. And thus, the transition purpose is fulfilled—the judgment on national Israel and the gathering together into one group the saved of the Jews and the saved of the Gentiles. Verse 14 tells us as much. The elder explains that these are those “coming out of the great tribulation.” Coming out of the tribulation does not mean that they lived during it and survived or that they were killed during it for the sake of Christ. The tribulation (the judgment on Jerusalem and the nation of Israel) produced or made way for the New Covenant. Therefore, in that sense, these saved through the New Covenant came out of the transition—the tribulation. Verses 15 through 17 (the end of the chapter) provide the blessing of the New Covenant. They describe the glory of the eternal relationship we now have with God.
The seventh seal is broken in verse 1 of chapter 8. And immediately upon its break, silence occurs in heaven for half an hour. Some commentators have surmised that the silence preludes the trumpets, and indeed that may be part of the purpose. Remember the main action of the storyline. Christ, the only one worthy, is opening the scroll that will reveal God’s New Covenant plan that will be in force until Christ returns. And in this plan is the ultimate judgment on all evil, including Satan, his demons, and all his earthly followers. With the breaking of seals 1 through 6, the scroll remained closed—still sealed. But with the breaking of the 7th seal, the scroll opens. Thus, the transition is complete.
But I think the silence is significant because these seals show the end of God’s relationship with national Israel. God is turning away from the nation—now and forever—because of their rejection (as a nation) of Christ. The silence is an awful silence. God is never to speak to them as his people again as a nation. The half hour pause here is to depict that and to reflect on that.
And now the scroll is open. Now seven angels appear before God and are given seven trumpets to herald the opened scroll’s revelation. But first an angel comes to the heavenly altar to bring the prayers of the saints to God. This angel must be Christ. Hebrews explains very carefully that because of Christ’s atonement there is no other intercessor or mediator between us and God. An angel does not intercede for us but rather we speak directly to our God. Thus, it must be Christ that carries our prayers. The scene shows Christ bringing prayers to God by means of the altar, and then taking from that same altar fire to be hurled upon the earth. Notice the judgment language that ends verse 5: “and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
This same progression of prayer to God and God’s resulting judgment is pictured in the Old Testament in one of David’s psalms. Psalm 18:6 tells us that David presented his prayer to God: “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” Then judgment is pictured from God in the same kind of judgment language we have found in Revelation: “Then the earth reeled and rocked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry” (7); “The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire” (13). What Christ has shown us in the opening verses of Revelation 8 prepare us for the sounding of the trumpets.
Continuing in this interlude following the opening and image presentation of the sixth seal, another angel calls out to the four that are holding back the winds of judgment, telling them that they should not harm the earth (land) until the people of God are sealed. This scene mirrors the one in Ezekiel 9. A seal would be given to mark those who had faith in God. In Ezekiel 9, the seal/mark was the Hebrew letter tau—in other words, the sign of the cross. Here in Revelation 7, the seal is the cross, or what the cross represents—salvation through faith in Christ’s redemption.
We are told that 144,000 are sealed from among the tribes of Israel. Many amillennialists believe this number to be figuratively speaking of the total number of the saved throughout this age. They believe so because they understand the opening of the scroll seals to represent the entire age from first advent to second. However, if, as we have discussed, the seal judgments are specifically in regard to the desolation of Israel, the sense of the 144,000 is made clearer. These 144,000 represent the saved (those of faith) of national Israel through all its old covenant history. What is being revealed here is encouragement to know that those who were of faith from the old covenant system will be kept by God as he promised. Christ’s atonement effected their salvation just as it has for all those subsequent to his coming.
For those who strain at the details, we may wonder at the listing of the 12 tribes in verses 5 through 8. Levi is included (which ought to give us 13 tribes). But Dan is left out. Some have theorized that Dan’s rejection is due to that tribe’s particular sin of idolatry noted in Judges 18. That reason would seem odd to me considering that every one of the tribes participated in idolatry. I am not so certain that we are to try to derive meaning from Dan’s omission. Other slight oddities also exist in this list. The order of the tribes listed is an order not found anywhere else in Scripture. And they are not ordered according to birth, mother, population, Exodus marching or camping order, or any other order that I can think of. Additionally, Joseph is included as one of the tribes, supposedly named instead of Joseph’s son, Ephraim, while Joseph’s other son, Manasseh, is included. Perhaps these changes to the familiar are meant simply to separate this list from the familiar. After all, these here sealed are those of faith. The same tribes exist for those who did not have faith and were judged by God for their lack. The differences may then be only to shake our thoughts into understanding that this is a special group—only those of faith.
Additionally, since the meaning of the name Dan is judge, perhaps Dan is left out because these 144,000 make up those who will not be judged by God through the desolation pictured in the opening seals.
But this transition period of the breaking of the seals to the scroll is not only about judgment on the nation of Israel. It is also the establishment of the New Covenant. We saw the white horse gallop forth with Gospel conquest through apostolic activity after the first seal was broken. After presentation of the 144,000, the saved of Israel, we learn of “a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (7:9-10). Notice the contrast in verse 9. Unlike the 144,000, these are from every tribe of the earth, obviously representing all those of faith that Christ has redeemed. And thus, the transition purpose is fulfilled—the judgment on national Israel and the gathering together into one group the saved of the Jews and the saved of the Gentiles. Verse 14 tells us as much. The elder explains that these are those “coming out of the great tribulation.” Coming out of the tribulation does not mean that they lived during it and survived or that they were killed during it for the sake of Christ. The tribulation (the judgment on Jerusalem and the nation of Israel) produced or made way for the New Covenant. Therefore, in that sense, these saved through the New Covenant came out of the transition—the tribulation. Verses 15 through 17 (the end of the chapter) provide the blessing of the New Covenant. They describe the glory of the eternal relationship we now have with God.
The seventh seal is broken in verse 1 of chapter 8. And immediately upon its break, silence occurs in heaven for half an hour. Some commentators have surmised that the silence preludes the trumpets, and indeed that may be part of the purpose. Remember the main action of the storyline. Christ, the only one worthy, is opening the scroll that will reveal God’s New Covenant plan that will be in force until Christ returns. And in this plan is the ultimate judgment on all evil, including Satan, his demons, and all his earthly followers. With the breaking of seals 1 through 6, the scroll remained closed—still sealed. But with the breaking of the 7th seal, the scroll opens. Thus, the transition is complete.
But I think the silence is significant because these seals show the end of God’s relationship with national Israel. God is turning away from the nation—now and forever—because of their rejection (as a nation) of Christ. The silence is an awful silence. God is never to speak to them as his people again as a nation. The half hour pause here is to depict that and to reflect on that.
And now the scroll is open. Now seven angels appear before God and are given seven trumpets to herald the opened scroll’s revelation. But first an angel comes to the heavenly altar to bring the prayers of the saints to God. This angel must be Christ. Hebrews explains very carefully that because of Christ’s atonement there is no other intercessor or mediator between us and God. An angel does not intercede for us but rather we speak directly to our God. Thus, it must be Christ that carries our prayers. The scene shows Christ bringing prayers to God by means of the altar, and then taking from that same altar fire to be hurled upon the earth. Notice the judgment language that ends verse 5: “and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
This same progression of prayer to God and God’s resulting judgment is pictured in the Old Testament in one of David’s psalms. Psalm 18:6 tells us that David presented his prayer to God: “In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I cried for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” Then judgment is pictured from God in the same kind of judgment language we have found in Revelation: “Then the earth reeled and rocked, the foundations also of the mountains trembled and quaked, because he was angry” (7); “The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered his voice, hailstones and coals of fire” (13). What Christ has shown us in the opening verses of Revelation 8 prepare us for the sounding of the trumpets.
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