Revealing Revelation (Chapters 4-9)
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This is part 2
We learned that Revelation is not to be uderstood like the Left Behind series. (Helicopters, rapture of the church separate from Israel, everyone suffering on earth while Christians eating a buffet with Yeshua, etc)
Understand the general before you wrestle over the details. We should think of revelation more like a stereogram - if you looked up clsoe it makes no sense. if you stepped back and refocused, an amazing image appears where the details matter much less because the entirety of the image is what amazes.
Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ (The Revelation of Yeshua the Messiah). apocalypses were a known literature during the 1st century - think Enoch, and others. There are parts of Zech, Daniel, Ezekiel, some of Mat 24, that fall into this genre as well .
Revelation is not only apocalyptic in form, but it is also prophetic. Revelation also identifies itself as a “prophecy” (1:3). (keeping the prophecy, not just foretelling future).
John conveys his apocalyptic prophecy in the form of a letter. It would have been read aloud to the community. An oral letter.
The entire book of Revelation is written to the seven communities. It is not written to us, it is written for us.
It was meant to be read, heard, understood, and obeyed by the original recipients. It is not a code book, though it uses symbolism heavily. For example, Babylon is a symbol for a powerful empire which is the centre of idolatry and persecution of God’s people. Or incense as a symbol for prayers of the kedoshim, the holy ones.
This means that taking the Bible seriously means that we look not just ‘literally’ but we look to rightly interpret the text and understand the symbolism if that is what it calls for. This is a big issue for us and we need to mature on this point. The first place to look for the meaning of the symbol is the Tanach not the newspaper.
We spoke about the symbolism of the numbers 7, 4, 12.
This is of course the irony. Yeshua can either be a source of security or a source of concern. This all depends on what state he will find you when he returns - behold, I come quickly! - then takes on a real sobering tone and becomes a call to righteous living.
the greatest hcallenge is not understanding the book, the greatest challenge is living in accordance with the message of this book.
Message for the Communities:
Persevere. Revelation doesn’t say ‘believe in me and nothing will go wrong’. It says hold firm, endure to the end... overcome. Persevere
Resist Compromises Don’t assimilate and blend into the worldly culture around you.
Worship Him Alone. Declare your allegience to no one else. Do not worship the emperor. Do not worship the government. Do not worship anything other than the Lamb.
Do Not Be Complacent. don’t be like laodecia - luke warm.
Take Courage and Have Hope. blessed are those who are written in the Book of Life.
Interpretive Approaches
How should we interpret the visions that follow - have they taken place or are they all yet to come or are they symbolic and not referring to actual events?
Preterist Approach: events that have happened during John’s writing.
Historical Approach: predicting periods of ‘church history’.
Idealist Approach: symbolic portrayal as to what happens - applies to any time.
Futurist Approach: All of the visions or most of them are still yet to come.
Preterist Approach: most of the events referred to mostly refer to events that have happened during John’s writing.
Historical Approach: Not popular much anymore. Some read revelation as actually predicting periods of ‘church history’ leading up to the modern times. As church history changes and has changed this view has lost steam.
Idealist Approach: Revelation not referring to specific events but should be understood as symbolic portrayal as to what happens - applies to any time as they are symbolic of the struggle of believers and the adversary.
Futurist Approach: All of the visions or most of them are still yet to come.
I see merit in each of these approaches (less in the historical). Revelation seems to me to be a focussed time period on the events of the tribulation time (I do not yet know if I believe in a 7 year tribulation period…more study to do). The language is essentially a gathering of all the Tanach prophetic ideas and language and symbolism concerning the last days rolled into a single revelation that Yeshua provided to John “…to show His servants the things that must soon take place.”
For example:
I saw when the Lamb opened the sixth seal, and there was a great earthquake. The sun became as black as sackcloth made of goat’s hair, and the full moon became like blood.
This is language found early on in the vision series and to me it screams ‘end of days’ and an event that has not happened yet.
Having said that, I’m not overly focussed on the future that I miss the timeless truths that God has in this book - many make that mistake.
Views on prophecy will change and just as they coudln’t discern the precision of the events surrounding Yeshua’s first coming from the prophcies written in the Tanach, so it is my hunch that we can’t discern the events of Yeshua’s second coming with precision. And I do believe that is intentional on the part of God. I believe God doesn’t want the enemy knowing His precise plan.
Heavenly Throne (Chap 4)
After these things I looked, and behold, a door was standing open in heaven. And the first voice, which I had heard speaking with me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.”
Immediately I was in the Ruach; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One seated on the throne. And the One who was seated was like jasper and carnelian in appearance, and a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads. And out from the throne come flashes of lightning and rumblings and clashes of thunder—and seven torches of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. And before the throne was something like a sea of glass, like crystal.
In the middle of the throne and around it were four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind.
The Worthy Lamb (Chap 5)
And I saw in the right hand of the One seated upon the throne a scroll, written on both the front and the back, sealed with seven seals. I also saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to break its seals?” No one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it. I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it.
Then one of the elders tells me, “Stop weeping! Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed—He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
And in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, I saw a Lamb standing, as having been slain—having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came and took the scroll from the right hand of the One seated on the throne.
Chatpers 4 & 5
God is unmatched in spelndor.
All visions flow from these two chapters.
There is no dualism (Good vs. Evil).
God is Sovereign.
Contrast of Heaven and Earth.
A book about worship / allegiance.
Only the Lamb is worthy.
Have you ever wondered what you would see when you ‘get to heaven’?
I’m sure if we ask the average person in the street, or in a church, or in a messianic synagogue for that matter, I’m sure we wouldn’t hear the answer based on what John sees.
In chapter 4 John has a vision of the heavenly throne room.
John enters through a door in heaven and enters into the presence of One seated on the throne.
There are colours and brilliance - Jasper, carnelian, rainbow, emerald.
God’s heavenly council are there dressed in white with golden crowns.
Loud sounds and visuals with thunder and lightning. this language is reminicent of Israel encamped at Sinai.
These all represent the glory of God and emphasize the point that God is unmatched in spelndor.
The visions in chapters 4 and 5 set the tone for the rest of the book and this vision really extends all the way through revelation.
Why would John weep that no one could open the scrool? Because unless the scroll is unsealed justice cannot be done and the creation cannot be put right.
But the slain Lamb was found of enough worth to unseal the scroll and consumate the end of all things.
This is an extremly important point. The entire Book of Revelation flows from the vision of the heavenly throne room and from there God and the Lamb execute his Judgements in the remainder of the book.
Chapters 4 and 5 are the theological centre of the book
As we read chatpers 4 & 5 we see that God is in control of everything happening in the remaining chapters - he is sovereign.
Pause on this - End Times is one of encouragment because we know God is in control. When chaos is seen around us we can look past the phsyical into the spiritual realm to see things the natural eye can’t see.
Dualism - there is no ‘dualism’ between good and evil. God is sovereign and there is no compeition. You notice Satan isn’t on his throne…he doesn’t have one.
John’s visions jumps back and forth between heaven and earth.
Heaven is the place where all of heaven bows and worships God
Earth does not, it contests God’s sovereignty, especially the roman empire.
So - how will the worship of God in heaven eventually take place on earth? The answer to that question follows in the remaining chapters and visions and judgements.
Revelation is primarily a book about worship - who is worthy of our allegiance? Rome or God?
Chapter 5 answers emphatically that there is only one found worthy - that is the slain lamb - the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of David.
Intro - “Obey for the time is near!”
Warning Messiah’s Body (Chapters 1-4)
Vision of Yeshua
Seven Communities
Warning the Nations (Chapters 4-16)
Heavenly Court 4:1-5:14
Warning Depiction 1- Seven Seals 6:1-7:16
Warning Depcition 2 - Seven Trumpets 8:1-15:8
Woe
Woe
Woe
Warning Depiction 3 - Seven Bowls 16:1-17:2
Verdit & Execution (Chapters 17-21)
Judging Babylon (17:1-18:24)
Vindication of God’s People (19:1-10)
Sentences Carried Out (19:11-21:8)
Inheritance & Restitution (Chapters 21:9-22)
New Jerusalem
Conclusion - “Obey for I am coming soon!”
Chapter 6
Then I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” I looked, and behold, there was a white horse. The one riding on it had a bow, and a crown was given to him. He went out as a conqueror so he might conquer.
Chapter 6 refers to the four horsemen of the apocalypse. White Horse, Red Horse, Black Horse, Pale Green Horse. The text makes clear that the horsemen represent conquest, violence, economic hardship, and death.
Then I heard something like a voice in the midst of the four living creatures saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius—but do no harm to the oil and wine!”
The four horsemen are designed to shatter the illusion that people can find true security in the borders of a nation or empire, in a flourishing economy, or in their own health.
I picked up a news paper only to read about SVB and the banking crisis. Here is another warning from the Lamb. Will we be complacent in our wealth? Inflation is causing that collapse and this is the warning from the economic horseman. This book is so relevant for the body of messiah in every generation!
Notice this is the Lambs doing. vs 1. Stop saying ‘satan is attacking me’. I hear this too often. It is the lamb that opens each seal to bring about the events each horseman brings.
No one can hide from the wrath of the lamb. These are warnings of His coming judgment.
Which is why these have a purpose of eliciting repentance yet we see restraints -these depict messiah holding back in his warnings.
Behold, I saw a horse, pale greenish gray. The name of the one riding on it was Death, and Sheol was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword and by famine and by plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.
authority has to be given. There is restraint here. Notice 1/4. Later on we will read 1/3. Some of you are not the best at math so 1/4 is 25% and 1/3 is 33.3% - so we see an intensification in the judgments as we move through Revelation. That is important to understand.
At the 5th seal opening, we see the souls of the martyrs cry out “How Long” Lord. so…How long?
Then a white robe was given to each of them, and they were told to rest a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants was complete—their brothers and sisters who were to be killed as they had been.
I was travelling with a colleague once and I was sharing with her she essentially admitted she can’t believe in God who allows all the suffering in the world. If he is a good God then he should do something about it to stop it. I said, you’re right. he is doing something about it in fact He sent his son to put an end to it. The issues is you don’t agree with his methods of doing something about it. Oh How can the clay tell the potter you’re doing it wrong!
Here we see the difficult call of Revelation - until the number of fellow servants have been killed. We are called to suffer.
How do you see the events around you? As hopeless or hopeful? Revelation teaches us that such events speak to the nearness of restoration and salvation.
Revelation assumes martyrdom but God Loves these people, he gives them a white robe.
The sixth seal is opening in vs 12 and primarily unleashes signs in the heavens.
Before we consider chapt 7 - how many seals were there on the scroll? And how many have been opened? The seventh seal isn’t opened until chapter 8.
And what actually happens at the seventh seal being opened? The openeing of the seventh seal actually leads to the revealing of the seven trumpets. It is almost as if it is a ‘sevenfold’ judgement from the seventh.
This same pattern happens after the seven trumpets, the seventh trumpet is a ‘sevenfold’ into the seven bowls.
Some say that the book of revelation is a using a literary device known as recapitulation. Which essentially means restating and summarizing the same general events to provide a different perspective or emphasis. It would be like taking a picture of the same events from differnt angles.
This would be different from a chronological reading where all the events are understood to be in a sequence.
In either case how one chooses to read it I think what needs to be understood is the increasing intensity that takes place during these visions.
Chapter 7
chapter six ends by asking the question ‘ who can stand during the wrath of God and the lamb’ and chapter 7 answers that question.
When is judgement going to come to earth? When is Messiah going to return? Have you ever asked that question? John gives an answer - Angles hold back their judgment until a seal is given to those deserving in order to protect them from judgment.
Those who are sealed will stand. I believe this is a symbolic seal.
A seal is a mark that protects these believers from God’s coming judgment. This is not to say believers aren’t called to suffer, but it means that our ultimate end is not judgement which is something that can’t be said for the ungodly.
The seal on the forehead is a contrast to the mark of the beast on the forehead. It is a reminder of the tefillin - bind them as a sign upon your arm and they shall be for tefillin between your eyes - what are we supposed to bind and have as tefillin? The commandments of God.
John is saying those who are sealed on their foreheads are those whose eyes are fixed on the commands of God those who have hands that carry out the Torah.
Bind them as a sign on your hand, they are to be as frontlets between your eyes,
My son, keep my words and treasure my mitzvot within you. Keep my mitzvot and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your relative.
The 144,000 come after the question is asked ‘who can stand’. Who are the 144K?
Now I heard the number of those marked with the seal: 144,000 from every tribe of Bnei-Yisrael—
Some expect the 144,000 to be ethnic Jews who convert to Christianity during the great future tribulation.
JW think it is only certain belieers that have achieved a certain status within the JW church.
Here’s a perspective that I borrow parts of it from Daniel Lancaster at FFOZ and one which resonates with me.
These are the ones who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. These are the ones who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These have been redeemed from among mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb.
The 144K are mentioned in Rev 14 and are described further there.
They have not defiled themselves with women, they are virgins.
Then Moses went down from the mountain to the people, consecrated them, and then, they washed their clothing. He said to the people, “Be ready for the third day. Do not draw near your wives.” In the morning of the third day, there was thundering and lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, and the blast of an exceedingly loud shofar. All the people in the camp trembled.
This language is very similar to what John is suggesting. Just as Israel was at the mountain of God, having sung their song of Moses in chapter 15, their salvaiton song, as they watched the Egyptians fall into the depth of the sea, So Yeshua stands on mt Zion and His covenant consummation, where the people of Israel sing a new song.
They stand undefiled and pure expecting the presence of the God of heaven and earth, they stand as kedoshim and preists.
But they don’t simply stand physically pure, they stand spiritually pure - they have not been seduced by idolatry hence they are ‘virgins’.
this is remnant language - the remnant of Israel will be saved.
This is why i believe 12,000 is used. It is symbloic, not literal, but symbolic amplification of the complete redemtpion of the remnant of Israel, a remnant of Jewish people.
so Perhaps this relates to Paul’s statement - all Israel will be saved.
After these things I looked, and behold, a vast multitude that no one could count—from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues—was standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands
in contrast to those who can be counted, the 144K, here we have a vast multitude that can’t be numbered.
Palm brnahces remind us of vicotry, of messianic triumph, of Israel being restored - they remind of sukkot.
And as we read further down we see that these kedoshim have been washed white and serve God in the temple where they are sheltered by God - again - tabernacle or sukkot imagery.
Sukkot was of course the time when our forefathers wandered in the wildenerness after our redemption from egypt without need for a walled city beause God was our shelter and protection and provider.
this is the hope of restoration that Yeshua is revealing to us through His Revelation to John.
Chapter 8
Seventh seal is opened and you would expect the final contents to be read - Judgment - …but instead this seal opens to trumpets.
This pictures further warnings by the Lamb given to undeserved mankind, but the seven trumpet warnings are more intense than the seals.
Once again the wrath from heaven is being inflicted upon the earth - angels throwing fire to the earth, blazing mountains thrown into the sea, the light of the heavens from the sun, moon and stars darkened and thus the earth is darkened.
What you also need to take careful note of is the amount of the earth affected. With the four horsement in chapter 6 at the openeing of the seals it was 1/4 of the earth being affected with each seal opening.
Behold, I saw a horse, pale greenish gray. The name of the one riding on it was Death, and Sheol was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill by sword and by famine and by plague and by the wild beasts of the earth.
With the trumpets it is 1/3 of the earth being affected with each trumpet. This points to escalation and intestification.
The first trumpeted, and there was hail and fire mixed with blood, and they were thrown upon the earth. A third of the earth burned up, a third of the trees burned up, and all the green grass burned up.
Revelation’s visions are intensifying as you move through and thus the point is that an ultimate judgement is around the corner. This chapter also draws heavily on Exodus imagery.
God doesn’t wipe everyone out at this tpoint, but he affects their surroundings and circumstances to demonstrate their need to repent.
are these past or future? I think both. they are warnings that God gives throughout the ages.
The apostles thought they were in the last days…and that was 2000 years ago…how much more should we think, and more importantly, live, like we are in the last days.
impact to vegetation, economic crisis, plague, despair. These are the symbolic meanings of the trumpet events.
Then I looked, and I heard an eagle crying out with a loud voice as it flew high in the sky, saying, “Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpets the three angels are about to sound!”
Chapter 9
Then the fifth angel trumpeted, and I saw a star that had fallen from heaven to earth. The key to the bottomless pit was given to him. He opened the pit, and smoke rose from the pit like the smoke of a gigantic furnace. The sun and the air were darkened by the smoke from the pit.
this demonic activity is pictured as the first of 3 woes that fall between the fifth and 7th trumpets.
Woe 1
• Things intensify in chapter 9 with the introduction of demonic forces. when an angel “symboilzed by a star” is sent to open the bottomless pit . This pit represents spiritual darkness and demonic powers. This is where the angels are held - you’ll recall this language in a previous message I gave on Peter and elements of Jude included. Wickedness Won’t Prevail.
• the locusts represnt demonic powers who are not allowed to touch those sealed, and their king is Abbadon which means destoryer.
It’s unfortunate that the left behind style teaching suggests these are helicopters or other modern day weaponry. The audience hearing this would not have understood that and that is a common but misguided way of reading the text.
The demonic activity is smbolysed by locusts. Have you ever seen a swarm of locusts? It is like a devestating moving cloud that, although not harmful to humans, it blackens the sky and when it is gone, the entire harvest is gone and thus the future lies in peril.
Why locust imagery? Locusts are innumerable and unstoppable when they attack - you simply hide and return whe they have passed through. No plants remain unscathed when they are completed.
Notice though that these are not real locusts. They represent something. Notice that the target of their desire is not plant life but humans. The picture is that demonic life will be released and torment humans.
And this demonic life is described in terms and descriptions that elicit terror - scorpions, locusts, horses prepared for battle, etc. That is the prupose of the symbolic imagery. To strike fear in the hearers.
Here we see there is benefit in being sealed. Some of the plagues coming won’t hurt us.
Another thing to note is the use of the Tanach in Revelation. As I read Revelation it seems to me that John is combing through all the end time passages and putting them all into one series of events as if to say ‘the Day of the Lord is supremly terrifying for the wicked’. Imagine all the end time texts rolled into one and that is what we have with Revelation. Daniel, Ezekiel, Isaiah, Exodus, Zechariah etc.
This chapter is highly aligned with Joel.
Hear this, elders! Give ear, all inhabitants of the land. Has this ever happened in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell your children about it— your children to their children, their children to another generation. What the locust left, the swarming locust has eaten, and what the swarming locust left, the canker-worm has eaten, and what the canker-worm left, the caterpillar has eaten.
Blow the shofar in Zion! Sound an alarm on My holy mountain! Let all living in the land tremble— for the day of Adonai is coming— surely it is near! A day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, as blackness spreads over the mountains. A great and mighty people— from antiquity there was never anything like it, nor after it ever again from generation to generation.
A fire devours before them and behind them flame blazes up. Like the Garden of Eden is the land before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness. Nothing at all ever escapes them. Their appearance is like the appearance of horses— they gallop like war horses.
Woe 2
Sixth trumpet represents the second woe. Where the first woe resulted in torment of the unsealed, the second woe represents the death of the unsealed.
We have a very high number of 200M given. I don’t think we are meant to count this and try to find a country that has 200M military people. It is probably a high number, similar to us saying ‘a gazillion’. In fact, I don’t think it is human military activity being referred to.
Four angles are depicted as bound at the great river Euphrates.
The sixth angel trumpeted, and I heard a single voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God. It said to the sixth angel, the one holding the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.”
Are these good angels? No, the fact that they are being released tells us they are bad angels.
the angels of God, having seen the daughters of humans, that they were beautiful, took for themselves women from all whom they picked out.
I have spoken before about this passsage in Genesis. To learn more go back and listen to my message called Wickedness Won’t Prevail. The widespread thought during the first cenutry was that these ‘angels of God’ or ‘sons of God’ in the MT are wicked divine beings that sinned and are now bound under the earth until the judgement day. I wonder if these are the knees ‘under the earth’ that will bow to Yeshua - you might recall that phrase from our liturgy in Philipians.
that at the name of Yeshua every knee should bow, in heaven and on the earth and under the earth,
And the angels—who did not keep their own position of authority but deserted their proper place—He has kept in everlasting shackles under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great Day.
The very events in Genesis that led to the flood, here in Rev 9 John is saying these angels will aflict the world again and lead to another judgment and subsequent binding of Satan.
He seized the dragon—the ancient serpent, who is the devil and satan—and bound him for a thousand years. He also threw him into the abyss and locked and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed. After these things, he must be released for a short while.
The point for us is that the end times will be one filled with demonic activity on earth and I believe this is all a result of the activity of the Lamb in the heaven. That is the key - the demonic acitivy is a result of the judgment and Lamb establishing his kingdom on earth.
as in the days of Noah so shall it be - demonic activity will abound on earth and it will result in the ungodly being taken away, or swept away. The ones who are taken are the ungodly ebcause they are taken to the judgment. Only Noah and his family remained to give Glory to God.
But the rest of mankind, those not killed by these plagues, did not repent and turn away from the works of their hands—they would not stop worshiping demons and the idols of gold and silver and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.
When God finally judges, will he not be shown to be righteous? This is another very important point of Revelation. God is likewise ‘on trial’ in this book. What I mean is Mankind is provided time to repent from a longsuffering God but they stubbornly refuse just like Pharoah hardned his heart. God only allows the demonic activity to extend to a point 1/3 not 100% - God has placed limitations - so in one sense it is a jdugement but it is really a warning before the final judgement.
When the final judge renders judgment He will be shown to have been the righteous judge. The decision will be proven righteous and just.
If we take this back to the audience of the letter - the 7 churches or ekklesia - This now allows them to see that the temptation to compromise and worship and be involved in the idolatrous practices of Rome is not neutral it is not harmless but instead behind it lies the insidious attempt by Satan and his demons to destroy and harm God’s people and indeed the entire earth.
This is also the message to us - do not compromise, be pure, give allegience to the Lamb alone.