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Revelation Introduction #2
Introduction: In our first lesson we talked primarily about how to read Revelation. In this lesson we want to become familiar with the scope of the book and the character of the message. In other words, what are the elaborate scenes of the book and the declarations of God supposed to do for us as listeners?
To give us a foundation for the Revelation message we must refer to Psalm 2.
- Psalm 2 and the Message of Revelation
- In the reading of the Psalm, we immediately see a battle. It is a war between God and the kings and rulers of the earth. The battle is for the souls of men and for ruling over the kingdoms of men. They resist God’s determination to set his Messiah on the throne because he will reign in righteousness.
- This is not a battle between two despots. This is a battle for righteousness and justice. Satan and his beastly rulers are abusers who bring misery on the earth. The weak and the innocent cry out for deliverance, to live in peace and goodness, and to bring some sense and order to the world.
- Psalm 110 begins with the words, “The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool.’” The whole point of the Kingdom of Christ is to crush Satan and his kingdom, which controls the kingdoms of the world. Do you remember Satan’s temptation to Jesus? “The devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, ‘To you I will give all these authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” (Luke 4:5-7).
- Revelation depicts the culmination of this battle.
- Every generation that has lived on the earth has had those who were like those in 6:9-10 crying out, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?”
- 12:7 begins with the words, “Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated…”
- Again in 17:14, “They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called chosen and faithful.”
- Therefore, we will witness and series of judgments that come out of opening the scroll that is in the hand of the one who sits on the throne.
- First, seven seals of the scroll are opened in which a quarter of the earth is affected.
- Upon the opening of the seventh seal, seven trumpets sound in which a third of the earth is affected.
- Then the sounding of the seventh trumpet leads to “seven angels with seven last plagues” carrying bowls of wrath from the throne of God. These do not affect part of the earth, but are complete, final, and unlimited. In this case, when the seventh bowl is poured out, a loud voice comes from the throne saying, “It is done!” (See 16:17-21)
- Following the pouring out of the seventh bowl are depictions of Rome, the world city, as a prostitute with the blood the saints dripping from her mouth. And then a judgment on the kings of the earth who have committed adultery with her and the final end of the beast and the false prophet.
- Ultimate victory is proclaimed twice:
- In 11:17-18. Notice especially the reward of the God’s servants both small and great and “destroying the destroyers of the earth.”
- In 19:1-2. Notice “he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality.”
- Then the beautiful scene when a great multitude gives glory to God because the marriage of the Lamb has come and the saints have made themselves ready to meet him “adorned in fine linen, bright and pure – for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (19:6-8).
- The conclusion is depictions of incredible beauty. The dragon and all who followed him are cast into the lake of fire, after which appears a new heavens and a new earth. The new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven made ready as a bride for her husband. The proclamation is made, “Now the dwelling place of God is with man.” The distinction between heaven and earth has been abolished, and “all the former things have passed away.
- “Things That Must Soon Take Place…The Time Is Near”
- Verses 1-3 give us three clues to understanding the book we have already noticed the first two: (1) this is a revelation, and (2) this is written in signs or symbolic language. Now the third is, these are things that must soon take place and the time is near. Obviously those terms are somewhat relative. How soon? How near? And, are all these things revealed going to happen soon, or are we to see this as the beginning of the judgments of God fulfilling the promises of the prophets?
- To help us understand this, consider:
- Daniel 12:4-13
- Notice that Daniel is twice told that the words of the scroll/book are sealed up until the time of the end. Daniel wants to know more, but he is told it is sealed up until the end.
- Verse 13 assures Daniel he will rest and stand in his allotted place at the end of the days.
- Notice the angel in verses 6-7. He stands above the waters and answer the question of “how long till the end of these wonders?” He raises his right and left hand and swore that it would be for a time, times, and a half a time, until the shattering of the power of the holy people.
- Revelation 10:5-11
- We see the same picture of the angel.
- This time he swears that “there would be no more delay” and “the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets.”
- This time the scroll is not sealed but opened and John is told to eat it.
- Finally, John is told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.”
- Now consider the scope of the time period.
- Daniel’s angel spoke of the “shattering of the holy people” as the “end of all these things,” which in the context of Daniel 12 was the destruction of Jerusalem.
- In connection with this, it is important to note that both to the church at Smyrna and Philadelphia, the present persecution was being waged by Jews. To Philadelphia (3:10), a future persecution is spoken of that “is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.”
- Therefore, In 10:5-11, there are judgments that have been concluded specifically referencing the shattering of the holy people, and then judgments to come concerning “peoples and nations and languages and kings.” These later judgments are pictured on the world city, Rome (17:18).
- Daniel 12:4-13
- Now, how soon is “soon?” Well, judgment on Jerusalem would be very soon. Judgment on Rome would follow, but not as soon – though there would be judgments against her leading up to her final fall. Remember, that Daniel 7 and 9:24-27 foretold not only the destruction of Jerusalem, but also the destruction of the fourth beast – the abomination that makes desolate. To the original reader, it doesn’t matter how soon. It just matters that it is going to happen, and the Lord is not sleeping, he’s is acting. (2 Peter 3:9).
- Final caution: We need to be careful when reading “time markers” in apocalyptic literature.
- Daniel 9:24-27 declares the time of the end (of Jerusalem) will be “70 weeks.” We can look back and know that “weeks” were not literal, but how would the original reader interpreted this?
- Haggai 2:6–9, “Yet once more, in a little while, I will shake the heavens and the earth and the sea and the dry land. And I will shake all nations, so that the treasures of all nations shall come in, and I will fill this house with glory… The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former…” Cf. Hebrews 12:26-29
- We may not like this answer, but instead of trying to figure out exactly when these time markers will be fulfilled, we should instead recognize two messages:
- The turning point is at hand. God is about to act and there is no more delay.
- When it feels like the world is out of control and in complete chaos, God has an orderly timeframe in which he will judge the world and restore all things.
Berry Kercheville