Revelation 11

In the Bible the measuring of something can be understood as protecting that which is measured. Here the temple is measured and thus the people of God gathered there will be protected and able to survive the persecutions. Again we read that the persecution will last a short, indefinite period of time: 42 months, 1260 days all refer to 3 ½ years.

When Moses and Elijah appeared with Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration it was a representation that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Law (Moses) and the Prophets (Elijah.) I believe the two witnesses in chapter eleven are Moses and Elijah. I understand the witnesses in the context that the preservation of the teachings of Jesus (Moses & Elijah) is the responsibility of the church, which is being persecuted by evil. Accordingly, the church is being challenged to remain faithful to her witness of God’s revelation in Christ Jesus, even in the midst of severe persecution.

The message of the seven trumpets is that God is active in the judgment against evil; because the evil is so harsh God will shorten the time of persecution; the church is called to remain pure and faithful; already God and Christ are ruling over the world even though the final battle has not been fought; even so, the victory of God’s judgment of evil is certain. So certain that Handel includes the song of chapter eleven in his Messiah:

Hallelujah:

for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.

The kingdom of this world

has become the kingdom of our Lord,

and of His Christ;

and He shall reign

for ever and ever.

King of Kings,

and Lord of Lords.

Hallelujah!

What does today’s reading

reveal to you about God?

What does it reveal to you about yourself?

Think about what God wants you to do

or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change

anything in your life?

10-Oct-11     Rev. 12:1-18

Revelation 10

In our culture we live in a very linear way; all calendars and watches. We want results and we want them in a ‘New York instant.’ I mention this because much of the difficulty in understanding, and thus appreciating, the Book of Revelation comes from trying to apply modern Western logic and literary style to the Book.

Revelation is two-thousand years old apocalyptic literature and to understand it we must always approach it from this perspective. The four Gospels all tell the story of Jesus’ birth, ministry, death and resurrection, each from a different perspective. In much the same way the cycles of seals, and trumpets, and bowls (chs. 15-16) are self-contained visions of God’s response to the evil in the world and the persecution of the people of God.

The thunders in chapter ten are another cycle of judgment. In apocalyptic writings there is often a place where God shortens the time of suffering for the sake of the people of God. (Mark 13:20)  The message of the seven thunders is not written down by John. In this setting if the message is not written then it will not come to pass, thus shortening the time of suffering.

John’s eating of the scroll is reminiscent of Ezekiel 2-3 and makes the point that while the announcement of God’s judgment of evil may be pleasing, the reality of judgment is always bitter, no matter how well deserved.

What does today’s reading

reveal to you about God?

What does it reveal to you about yourself?

Think about what God wants you to do

or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change

anything in your life?

9-Oct-11       Rev. 11:1-19

Revelation 9

The fifth trumpet unleashes the Destroyer, the leader of devouring locusts. In the Old Testament Locusts are frequently used as a symbol of hard times or invading armies. (Joel 1 & 2) Although the number five is not an apocalyptic number it can be understood here as referring to a partial judgment because the real time for locus to appear was known to be during five months of spring and summer.

Some interpreters yield to the temptation to look for hidden meanings in the intricate descriptions of the locusts (and other aspects of John’s visions). I believe that path takes you away from understanding the vision as apocalyptic – visions relating to evil and the judgment of God -- to the allegorical – where the meaning of each and every thing and event must be known in order to understand the scene.

If you do not go down the pathway toward allegory and stand back and look at John’s vision you can see that persecution of the people of God originates from the spiritual powers of evil. However, these forces of evil do not have unlimited powers nor is the time for such persecution unlimited. Further, the description of the Destroyer indicates evil has but one point of entry into the world; human beings.

The sixth trumpet continues the vision of spiritual forces perpetrating evil upon the world, including the people of God. It is a partial judgment and John points to why God’s ultimate and final judgment has not yet come. God’s delay allows time for the human persecutors to repent.

Another interlude follows the sixth trumpet and while the reader may be overwhelmed with the out-of-this-world visions of John, never-the-less, his message can be understood. Evil is self-destructive. Even so, God is present and His judgment is at work. Yes, the people of God suffer, but God will not allow His people to be ultimately destroyed. Why? Perhaps John is preparing the reader to understand that the witness of God’s people in the face of persecution is vitally important to God’s final victory over the forces of evil.

My friend is a pastor and is going through a period of persecution. The dirty tricks of his persecutor seem to never end. The persecutor’s tactics range from hundreds of emails, to fraudulently using the pastor’s name to subscribe to scores of magazines, registering him for cruises, requesting salesman to come to his home and falsifying county records to make it appear as though he has a criminal record. Recently the persecutor has expanded his tactics to include the pastor’s wife and children.

The legal authorities say they can do nothing to help my friend. He has been sorely tempted to take matters into his own hands. But, he knows to do so would hand his enemy the victory. My friend knows that the witness of God’s people in the face of persecution is vitally important to God’s final victory over the forces of evil.

What does today’s reading

reveal to you about God?

What does it reveal to you about yourself?

Think about what God wants you to do

or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change

anything in your life?

8-Oct-11       Rev. 10:1-11

Revelation 8

As I read chapter eight I sense the interlude of chapter seven is continuing through the first five verses. Before I comment on the interlude, I first want to consider the four trumpets of verses six through thirteen.

Remember, my perspective is that each of these cycles of seven are complete visions to help the church through their time of persecution. They are not continuous or progressive; each cycle is a stand-alone vision. In the first four trumpets John uses the plagues of Exodus 7-12 to describe his vision. John, and his first readers, understood that God was the Lord of all creation. They sincerely believed what some people (especially insurance companies) say today when there is a great natural calamity; it was an act of God. Accordingly the visions of John reflect God’s judgment through God intervening in the natural flow of nature. The use of the measure 1/3 indicates that the judgment is partial.

Now the interlude. Here John sees how incredibly precious to God are the prayers of His people. All activity in Heaven stops as the prayers, mixed with incense, ascend to God. Throughout the Bible the forces of nature are used as metaphors for God’s activity, God’s might and power. Verse five indicates that God not only hears the prayers of His people; He also responds to those prayers.

I sense great passion in God’s response to the prayers of His people. I am quite embarrassed that my prayers so often lack passion. There are circumstances in my life for which I know I am helpless. There are situations in my life for which there is most certainly an urgent need; why then do my prayers lack the passion of that urgency? Today, I will commit myself to very seriously considering the three questions that follow these daily mediations. God wants to change something in my life and I want to be fully in line with God’s will for my life.

What does today’s reading

reveal to you about God?

What does it reveal to you about yourself?

Think about what God wants you to do

or remember about this passage.

Does God want you to change

anything in your life?

7-Oct-11       Rev. 9:1-21