Chapter Seven: A Time for Testimony (Revelation 10–11)
Key theme: Jesus Christ is Victor
I.THE THINGS WHICH THOU HAST SEEN—chapter 1
John’s vision of the exalted Christ
II.THE THINGS WHICH ARE—chapters 2–3
The messages to the seven churches
III.THE THINGS WHICH SHALL BE HEREAFTER—chapters 4–22
A.The throne in heaven—4–5
B.The Tribulation on earth—6–19
1.The first half—6–9
2.The middle—10–14
3.The last half—15–19
C.The kingdom of Christ—20
D.The new heavens and earth—21–22
(Rev. 1)
(Rev. 2)
(Rev. 3)
(Rev. 4–5)
(Rev. 6–7)
(Rev. 8–9)
(Rev. 10–11)
(Rev. 12–13)
(Rev. 14–16)
(Rev. 17–18)
(Rev. 19–20)
(Rev. 21–22)
Revelation 1
Don’t ever prophesy,” said American humorist Josh Billings, “for if you prophesy wrong, nobody will forget it; and if you prophesy right, nobody will remember it.”
Over the centuries, prophecies have come and gone; yet the book that the Apostle John wrote near the close of the first century is with us still. I can recall reading it as a child and wondering what it was all about. Even today, with many years of concentrated study behind me, I am still fascinated by its message and mysteries.
In Revelation 1, John introduces his book and gives us the data essential for appreciating and understanding this prophecy.
The word translated “revelation” simply means “unveiling.” It gives us our English word apocalypse which, unfortunately, is today a synonym for chaos and catastrophe. The verb simply means “to uncover, to reveal, to make manifest.” In this book, the Holy Spirit pulls back the curtain and gives us the privilege of seeing the glorified Christ in heaven and the fulfillment of His sovereign purposes in the world.
In other words, Revelation is an open book in which God reveals His plans and purposes to His church. When Daniel finished writing his prophecy, he was instructed to “shut up the words, and seal the book” (); but John was given opposite instructions: “Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book” (). Why? Since Calvary, the Resurrection, and the coming of the Holy Spirit, God has ushered in the “last days” () and is fulfilling His hidden purposes in this world. “The time is at hand” (; ).
John’s prophecy is primarily the revelation of Jesus Christ, not the revelation of future events. You must not divorce the Person from the prophecy, for without the Person there could be no fulfillment of the prophecy. “He is not incidental to its action,” wrote Dr. Merrill Tenney. “He is its chief Subject.” In Revelation 1–3, Christ is seen as the exalted Priest-King ministering to the churches. In Revelation 4–5, He is seen in heaven as the glorified Lamb of God, reigning on the throne. In Revelation 6–18, Christ is the Judge of all the earth; and in Revelation 19, He returns to earth as the conquering King of kings. The book closes with the heavenly Bridegroom ushering His bride, the church, into the glorious heavenly city.
Whatever you do as you study this book, get to know your Saviour better.
The Holy Spirit used the Apostle John to give us three kinds of inspired literature: the Gospel of John, the three epistles, and the Book of Revelation. His purposes may be outhned as follows:
Gospel of John
Epistles
Revelation
Life received
Life revealed
Life rewarded
Salvation
Sanctification
Sovereignty
The Prophet
The Priest
The King
John wrote Revelation about A.D. 95, during the reign of the Roman emperor Titus Flavius Domitian. The emperor had demanded that he be worshiped as “Lord and God,” and the refusal of the Christians to obey his edict led to severe persecution. Tradition says that it was Domitian who sent John to the Isle of Patmos, a Roman penal colony off the coast of Asia Minor. This being the location of John’s exile, perhaps it is not surprising that the word sea is found twenty-six times in his book.
During Christ’s earthly ministry, John and his brother James asked Jesus for special places of honor by His throne. The Lord told them that they would have to merit their thrones by sharing in His suffering. James was the first apostle martyred (); John was the last of the Apostles to die, but he suffered on Patmos before his death (see ).
How did the Lord convey the contents of this book to His servant? According to , the Father gave the revelation to the Son, and the Son shared it with the apostle, using “His angel” as intermediary. Sometimes Christ Himself conveyed information to John (); sometimes it was an elder (); and often it was an angel (; ). Sometimes a “voice from heaven” told John what to say and do (). The book came from God to John, no matter what the various means of communication were; and it was all inspired by the Spirit.
The word signified () is important; it means “to show by a sign.” In Revelation, the noun is translated as sign (), wonder (, ), and miracle (). This is the same word used in the Gospel of John for the miracles of Jesus Christ, for His miracles were events that carried a deeper spiritual message than simply the display of power. As you study Revelation, expect to encounter a great deal of symbolism, much of it related to the Old Testament.
Why did John use symbolism? For one thing, this kind of “spiritual code” is understood only by those who know Christ personally. If any Roman officers had tried to use Revelation as evidence against Christians, the book would have been a puzzle and an enigma to them. But an even greater reason is that symbolism is not weakened by time. John was able to draw on the great “images” in God’s revelation and assemble them into an exciting drama that has encouraged persecuted and suffering saints for centuries. However, you must not conclude that John’s use of symbolism indicates that the events described are not real. They are real!
There is a third reason why John used symbolism: symbols not only convey information, but also impart values and arouse emotions. John could have written, “A dictator will rule the world,” but instead he described a beast. The symbol says much more than the mere title of “dictator.” Instead of explaining a world system, John simply introduced “Babylon the Great” and contrasted the “harlot” with the “bride.” The very name “Babylon” would convey deep spiritual truth to readers who knew the Old Testament.
In understanding John’s symbolism, however, we must be careful not to allow our imaginations to run wild. Biblical symbols are consistent with the whole of biblical revelation. Some symbols are explained (; ; ); others are understood from Old Testament symbolism (, ; ); and some symbols are not explained at all (the “white stone” in ). Nearly 300 references to the Old Testament are found in Revelation! This means that we must anchor our interpretations to what God has already revealed, lest we misinterpret this important prophetic book.
While the book was originally sent to seven actual local churches in Asia Minor, John makes it clear that any believer may read and profit from it (). In fact, God promised a special blessing to the one who would read the book and obey its message. (The verb read means “to read out loud.” Revelation was first read aloud in local church meetings.) The Apostle Paul had sent letters to seven churches—Rome, Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica—and now John sent one book to seven different churches. Early in the book, he had a special message from Christ to each church.
John did not send this book of prophecy to the assemblies in order to satisfy their curiosity about the future. God’s people were going through intense persecution and they needed encouragement. As they heard this book, its message would give them strength and hope. But even more, its message would help them examine their own lives (and each local assembly) to determine those areas needing correction. They were not only to hear the Word, but they were also to keep it—that is, guard it as a treasure and practice what it said. The blessing would come, not just by hearing, but even more so by doing (see ).
It is worth noting that there are seven “beatitudes” in ; ; ; ; ; , . The number seven is important in this book because it signifies fullness and completeness. In Revelation, God tells us how He is going to complete His great work and usher in His eternal kingdom. In Revelation, you will find seven seals (), seven trumpets (), seven vials (), seven stars (), and seven lampstands (, ). Other “sevens” in this book will be discussed as we study.
The special messages to each of the seven churches are given in Revelation 2–3. Some students see in these seven churches a “panorama of church history,” from apostolic times (Ephesus) to the apostate days of the twentieth century (Laodicea). While these churches may illustrate various stages in the history of the church, that was probably not the main reason why these particular assemblies were selected. Instead, these letters remind us that the exalted Head of the church knows what is going on in each assembly, and that our relationship to Him and His Word determines the life and ministry of the local body.
Keep in mind that the churches in Asia Minor were facing persecution and it was important that they be rightly related to the Lord and to each other. They are pictured as seven separate lampstands, each giving light in a dark world (; ). The darker the day, the greater the light must shine; unfortunately situations existed in at least five of these assemblies that required correction if their lights were to shine brightly. As you read Revelation 2–3, note that the Lord always reminded them of who He is, and encouraged them to be “overcomers.”
What’s more, the promise of Jesus Christ’s coming should be to all Christians at all times a motivation for obedience and consecration (, ; , ; , ; , , ; see also ). No believer should study prophecy merely to satisfy his curiosity. When Daniel and John received God’s revelations of the future, both fell down as dead men (; ). They were overwhelmed! We need to approach this book as wonderers and worshipers, not as academic students.
“If you don’t stop writing books,” a friend said to me, “you will run out of people to dedicate them to!” I appreciated the compliment, but I did not agree with the sentiment. John had no problem knowing to whom his book should be dedicated! But before he wrote the dedication, he reminded his readers that it was the Triune God who had saved them and would keep them as they faced the fiery trials of suffering.
God the Father is described as the Eternal One (see ; ). All history is part of His eternal plan, including the world’s persecution of the church. Next, the Holy Spirit is seen in His fullness, for there are not seven spirits, but one. The reference here is probably to .
Finally, Jesus Christ is seen in His threefold office as Prophet (faithful Witness), Priest (First-begotten from the dead), and King (Prince of the kings of the earth). First-begotten does not mean “the first one raised from the dead,” but “the highest of those raised from the dead.” Firstborn is a title of honor (see ; , ).
But of the three Persons of the Trinity, it is to Jesus Christ alone that this book is dedicated. The reason? Because of what He has done for His people. To begin with, He loves us (present tense in most manuscripts). This parallels the emphasis in John’s Gospel. He also washed us from our sins, or, as some texts read, freed us from our sins. This parallels the message of John’s epistles (see ). As a grand climax, Christ has made us a kingdom of priests, and this is the emphasis of Revelation. Today, Jesus Christ is a Priest-King like Melchizedek (Heb. 7), and we are seated with Him on His throne ().
In His love, God called Israel to be a kingdom of priests (), but the Jews failed God and their kingdom was taken from them (). Today, God’s people (the church) are His kings and priests (), exercising spiritual authority and serving God in this world.
The overriding theme of the Book of Revelation is the return of Jesus Christ to defeat all evil and to establish His reign. It is definitely a book of victory and His people are seen as “overcomers” (see , , , ; , , ; ; ; ; ). In his first epistle, John also called God’s people “overcomers” (; ; ). Through eyes of unbelief, Jesus Christ and His church are defeated in this world; but through eyes of faith, He and His people are the true victors. As Peter Marshall once said, “It is better to fail in a cause that will ultimately succeed than to succeed in a cause that will ultimately fail.”
The statement in , “Behold, He cometh with clouds,” describes our Lord’s return to the earth, and is amplified in . This is not the same as His return in the air to catch away His people (; ). When He comes to catch away (rapture) His church, He will come “as a thief” (; ) and only those who are born again will see Him (). The event described in will be witnessed by the whole world, and especially by a repentant nation of Israel (see ; ). It will be public, not secret (), and will climax the Tribulation period described in Revelation 6–19.
Godly Bible students have not always agreed as to the order of events leading up to the establishment of God’s eternal kingdom (Rev. 21–22). I personally believe that the next event on God’s calendar is the Rapture, when Christ shall return in the air and take His church to glory. Christ’s promise to the church in indicates that the church will not go through the Tribulation, and this is further supported by Paul in ; . It is significant to me that there is no mention of the word church between and .
After the church is raptured, the events depicted in Revelation 6–19 will occur: the Tribulation, the rise of the “man of sin,” the Great Tribulation (the wrath of God) and the destruction of man-made world government, and then Christ’s return to the earth to set up His kingdom. Daniel indicates that this period of worldwide trouble will last seven years (). Throughout the Book of Revelation, you will find measurements of time that coincide with this seven-year time span (; , ; ).
The titles given to God in make it clear that He is certainly able to work out His divine purposes in human history. Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet; so, God is at the beginning of all things and also at their end. He is the eternal God (see ), unlimited by time. He is also the Almighty, able to do anything. Almighty is a key name for God in Revelation (; ; ; ; , ; , ; ).
God the Father is called “Alpha and Omega” in and ; but the name also is applied to His Son (; ). This is a strong argument for the deity of Christ. Likewise, the title “the first and the last” goes back to Isaiah (; ; ) and is another proof that Jesus is God.
This book was born out of John’s profound spiritual experience while exiled on Patmos.
What John heard (vv. ). On the Lord’s Day, John heard a trumpethke voice behind him. It was Jesus Christ speaking! As far as we know, the apostle had not heard his Lord’s voice since Christ had returned to heaven more than sixty years before. The Lord commissioned John to write this book and to send it to the seven churches He had selected. Later John would hear another trumpethke voice, summoning him to heaven (). (Some students relate this to and see John’s “rapture” as a picture of the rapture of the church.)
What John saw (vv. ). He saw a vision of the glorified Christ. makes clear that we must not interpret this vision literally, for it is made up of symbols. The seven lampstands represent the seven churches that would receive the book. Each local church is the bearer of God’s light in this dark world. Compare this vision with Daniel’s ().
Christ’s garments are those of a Judge-King, One with honor and authority. The white hair symbolizes His eternality, “the Ancient of Days” (, , ). His eyes see all (; ), enabling Him to judge righteously. His feet of burning brass also suggest judgment, since the brazen altar was the place where the fire consumed the sin offering. The Lord had come to judge the churches, and He would also judge the evil world system.
The “sound of many waters” () makes me think of Niagara Falls! Perhaps two ideas are suggested here: (1) Christ gathers together all the “streams of revelation” and is the Father’s “last Word” to man (); (2) He speaks with power and authority and must be heard. The sword from His mouth certainly represents the living Word of God (; ). He fights His enemies by using His Word (; ).
informs us that the seven stars in His hand represent the angels (messengers, see where the Greek word is so translated), or perhaps pastors, of the seven churches. God holds His servants and places them where He wants them to “shine” for Him. In , wise soul winners are compared to shining stars.
The Lord’s shining countenance reminds us of His transfiguration () and also the prophecy of (“the Sun of righteousness [shall] arise”). The sun is a familiar image of God in the Old Testament (), reminding us not only of blessing, but of judgment. The sun can burn as well as bless!
This vision of Christ was totally different in appearance from the Saviour that John knew “in the flesh” when He was ministering on earth. He was not the “gentle Jewish carpenter” that sentimentalists like to sing about. He is the risen, glorified, exalted Son of God, the Priest-King who has the authority to judge all men, beginning with His own people ().
What John did (vv. ). He fell at the Lord’s feet as though he were dead! And this is the apostle who leaned on Jesus’ breast! () A vision of the exalted Christ can only produce awe and fear (). We need this attitude of respect today when so many believers speak and act with undue familiarity toward God. John’s response illustrates what Paul wrote in : “Though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we Him no more.” John no longer “nestled” next to the Lord’s heart, relating to Him as he had done before.
The Lord reassured John by touching him and speaking to him (note ; ; , , ). “Fear not!” is a great encouragement for any child of God. We need not fear life, because He is “The Living One.” We need not fear death, because He died and is alive, having conquered death. And we need not fear eternity because He holds the keys of hades (the world of the dead) and of death. The One with the keys is the One who has authority.
At the very beginning of this book, Jesus presented Himself to His people in majestic glory. What the church needs today is a new awareness of Christ and His glory. We need to see Him “high and lifted up” (). There is a dangerous absence of awe and worship in our assemblies today. We are boasting about standing on our own feet, instead of breaking and falling at His feet. For years, Evan Roberts prayed, “Bend me! Bend me!” and when God answered, the great Welsh Revival resulted.
To the best of my knowledge, the Book of Revelation is the only book in the Bible that contains an inspired outhne of the contents. “The things which thou hast seen” refers to the vision in Revelation 1. “The things which are” refers to Revelation 2–3, the special messages to the seven churches. “The things which shall be hereafter” covers the events described in Revelation 4–22. What John heard in substantiates this interpretation.
In review, we can summarize the basic characteristics of this remarkable book as follows:
It is a Christ-centered book. To be sure, all Scripture speaks of the Saviour; but the Book of Revelation especially magnifies the greatness and glory of Jesus Christ. The book is, after all, the revelation of Jesus Christ and not simply the revelation of future events.
It is an “open” book. John was told not to seal the book () because God’s people need the message it contains. Revelation can be understood, despite the fact that it contains mysteries that may never be comprehended until we meet at the throne of God. John sent the book to the seven churches of Asia Minor with the expectation that, when it was read aloud by the messengers, the listening saints would understand enough of its truths so as to be greatly encouraged in their own difficult situations.
It is a book filled with symbols. Biblical symbols are timeless in their message and limitless in their content. For instance, the symbol of “Babylon” originates in Genesis 10–11, and its meaning grows as you trace it through Scripture, climaxing with Revelation 17–18. The same is true of the symbols of “the Lamb” and “the bride.” It is exciting to seek to penetrate deeper into the rich meanings that are conveyed by these symbols.
It is a book of prophecy. This is definitely stated in ; , , ; note also . The letters to the seven churches of Asia Minor dealt with immediate needs in those assemblies, needs that are still with us in churches today; but the rest of the book is devoted almost entirely to prophetic revelations. It was by seeing the victorious Christ presented that the persecuted Christians found encouragement for their difficult task of witnessing. When you have assurance for the future, you have stability in the present. John himself was suffering under the hand of Rome (), so the book was born out of affliction.
It is a book with a blessing. We have already noted the promise in , as well as the six other “beatitudes” scattered throughout the book. It is not enough simply to hear (or read) the book; we must respond to its message from the heart. We must take the message personally and say a believing “Amen!” to what it says. (Note the many “Amens” in the book: , ; ; ; ; ; .)
It is a relevant book. What John wrote about would “shortly come to pass” () because “the time is at hand” (). (note also , , , .) The word shortly does not mean “soon” or “immediately,” but “quickly, swiftly.” God does not measure time as we do (). No one knows when our Lord shall return; but when He begins to open the seals of the scroll (), events will occur with speed and without interruption.
It is a majestic book. Revelation is the book of “the throne,” for the word throne is found forty-six times throughout. This book magnifies the sovereignty of God. Christ is presented in His glory and dominion!
It is a universal book. John saw nations and peoples (; ; ) as part of God’s program. He also saw the throne room of heaven and heard voices from the ends of the universe!
It is a climactic book. Revelation is the climax of the Bible. All that began in Genesis will be completed and fulfilled in keeping with God’s sovereign will. He is “Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (). What God starts, He finishes!
But before visiting the throne room of heaven, we must pause to listen to “the Man among the lampstands” as He reveals the personal needs in our churches and in our own hearts. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!”
Revelation 2
If you have ever moved to a new community and had to select a new church home, you know how difficult it is to examine and evaluate a church and its ministry. Imposing buildings may house dying or dead congregations, while modest structures might belong to virile assemblies on the march for the Lord. The church we think is “rich” may turn out to be poor in God’s sight (), while the “poor” church is actually rich ().
Only the Head of the church, Jesus Christ, can accurately inspect each church and know its true condition, because He sees the internals, not only the externals (). In these special messages to the seven churches in Asia Minor, the Lord gave each assembly an “X ray” of its condition. But He intended for all the churches to read these messages and benefit from them. (Note the plural “churches” in , , , ; , , .)
But the Lord was also speaking to individuals, and this is where you and I come in. “He that hath an ear, let him hear.” Churches are made up of individuals, and it is individuals who determine the spiritual life of the assembly. So, while reading these messages, we must apply them personally as we examine our own hearts.
Finally, we must keep in mind that John was a pastor at heart, seeking to encourage these churches during a difficult time of persecution. Before Christ judges the world, He must judge His own people (; ). A purified church need never fear the attacks of Satan or men. “It is a very remarkable thing,” wrote G. Campbell Morgan, “that the church of Christ persecuted has been the church of Christ pure. The church of Christ patronized has always been the church of Christ impure.”
Ephesus, the Careless Church ()
Each of the seven messages begins with a personal description or designation of Jesus Christ taken from the vision of Christ given in Revelation 1. (In the case of Ephesus, see , , .) The Ephesian assembly had enjoyed some “stellar” leadership—Paul, Timothy, and the Apostle John himself—but the Lord reminded them that He was in control of the ministry, placing the “stars” where He pleased. How easy it is for a church to become proud and forget that pastors and teachers are God’s gifts () who may be taken away at any time. Some churches need to be cautioned to worship the Lord and not their pastor!
Approval (vv. , ). How gracious of the Lord to start with words of commendation! To begin with, this was a serving church, busy doing the works of the Lord. No doubt their weekly schedule was filled with activities. It was also a sacrificing church, for the word labor means “toil to the point of exhaustion.” The Ephesian Christians paid a price to serve the Lord. They were a steadfast assembly, for the word patience carries the meaning of “endurance under trial.” They kept going when the going was tough.
The Ephesian church was a separated people, for they carefully examined the visiting ministers (see ) to see if they were genuine. Paul had warned the Ephesian elders that false teachers would come in from the outside and even arise from within the church (), and John had instructed them to “try the spirits” (). Indeed, Satan has his false ministers and the church must be constantly alert to detect them and reject them (, ).
Ephesian Christians separated themselves not only from false doctrine but also from false deeds (). The word Nicolaitan means “to conquer the people.” Some Bible students believe this was a sect who “lorded it over” the church and robbed the people of their liberty in Christ (see ). They initiated what we know today as “clergy” and “laity,” a false division that is taught nowhere in the New Testament. All God’s people are “kings and priests” (; ) and have equal access to the Father through the blood of Christ (). We shall meet this dangerous sect again when we study the message to the church at Pergamos.
The believers at Ephesus were a suffering people who patiently bore their burdens and toiled without fainting. And they did all of this for His name’s sake! No matter how you examine this congregation, you conclude that it is just about perfect. However, the One among the lampstands saw into their hearts, and He had a different diagnosis from ours.
Accusation (v. ). This busy, separated, sacrificing church really suffered from “heart trouble”—they had abandoned their first love! They displayed “works … labor … and patience” (), but these qualities were not motivated by a love for Christ. (Compare —“work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope.”) What we do for the Lord is important, but so is why we do it!
What is “first love”? It is the devotion to Christ that so often characterizes the new believer: fervent, personal, uninhibited, excited, and openly displayed. It is the “honeymoon love” of the husband and wife (). While it is true that mature married love deepens and grows richer, it is also true that it should never lose the excitement and wonder of those “honeymoon days.” When a husband and wife begin to take each other for granted, and life becomes routine, then the marriage is in danger.
Just think of it: it is possible to serve, sacrifice, and suffer “for My name’s sake” and yet not really love Jesus Christ! The Ephesian believers were so busy maintaining their separation that they were neglecting adoration. Labor is no substitute for love; neither is purity a substitute for passion. The church must have both if it is to please Him.
By reading Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians, you discover at least twenty references to love. You also discover that Paul emphasized the believer’s exalted position “in Christ … in the heavenly places.” But the Ephesian church had fallen and was not living up to its heavenly position in Christ (). It is only as we love Christ fervently that we can serve Him faithfully. Our love for Him must be pure ().
Admonition (vv. ). “First love” can be restored if we follow the three instructions Christ gave. First, we must remember (literally “keep on remembering”) what we have lost and cultivate a desire to regain that close communion once again. Then we must repent—change our minds—and confess our sins to the Lord (). Third, we must repeat the first works, which suggests restoring the original fellowship that was broken by our sin and neglect. For the believer, this means prayer, Bible reading and meditation, obedient service, and worship.
In spite of the privileges it had enjoyed, the church of Ephesus was in danger of losing its light! The church that loses its love will soon lose its light, no matter how doctrinally sound it may be. “I will come” () is not referring to the Lord’s return, but to His coming judgment then and there. The glorious city of Ephesus is today but a heap of stones and no light is shining there.
makes it clear that individual believers within the church may be true to the Lord, no matter what others may do. In these seven messages, the “overcomers” are not a “spiritual elite,” but rather the true believers whose faith has given them victory (). Sinful man was banned from the tree of life (), but in Christ we have eternal abundant life (; ). We enjoy this blessing now, and we shall enjoy it in greater measure in eternity ().
The church of Ephesus was the “careless church,” made up of careless believers who neglected their love for Christ. Are we guilty of the same neglect?
The name Smyrna means “bitter” and is related to the word myrrh. The city remains a functioning community today called Izmir. The assembly at Smyrna was persecuted for the faith, which explains why the Lord emphasized His death and resurrection as He opened His message. No matter what experiences God’s people may have, their Lord identifies with them.
Approval (v. ). The church at Smyrna was not having an easy time of it! The members were persecuted, probably because they refused to compromise and say, “Caesar is Lord.” Smyrna was an important center of the Roman imperial cult, and anyone refusing to acknowledge Caesar as Lord would certainly be excluded from the guilds. This would mean unemployment and poverty. The word used here for poverty means “abject poverty, possessing absolutely nothing.”
A large Jewish community also thrived in Smyrna. The Jews, of course, did not have to patronize the imperial cult since their religion was accepted by Rome; but they certainly would not cooperate with the Christian faith. So, from both Jews and Gentiles, the Christians in Smyrna received slander and suffering.
But they were rich! They lived for eternal values that would never change, riches that could never be taken away. “As poor, yet making many rich” (; ). In fact, their suffering for Christ only increased their riches.
Our struggles are not with flesh and blood, but with the enemy, Satan, who uses people to accomplish his purposes. The Jewish synagogue was actually a synagogue of Satan. A true Jew is not one physically or racially, but spiritually (). Any religious group, Jewish or Gentile, that does not acknowledge Jesus Christ as God’s Son is certainly acting contrary to God’s will.
Admonition (vv. ). No words of accusation are given to the congregation in Smyrna! They may not have enjoyed the approval of men, but they certainly received the praise of God. However, the Lord did give them solemn words of admonition as they faced increased suffering: “Don’t be afraid!”
He assured them that He knew the devil’s plans and was in complete control of the situation. Some of the believers would be imprisoned and tried as traitors to Rome. Yet their tribulation would not be long; in the Bible, ten days signifies “a brief time” (; ). The important thing was faithfulness, standing true to Christ no matter what the government might threaten to do.
The “crown of life” is the winner’s crown awarded at the annual athletic games. Smyrna was a key participant in the games, so this promise would be especially meaningful to believers living there. The Lord reinforced the promise given by James () and assured His people that there was nothing to fear. Because they had trusted Him, they were overcomers—victors in the race of faith ()—and, as overcomers, they had nothing to fear. Even if they were martyred, they would be ushered into glory, wearing crowns! They would never face the awful judgment of the second death, which is the lake of fire (; ).
It costs to be a dedicated Christian, in some places more than others. As end-time pressures increase, persecution will also increase; and God’s people need to be ready (). The world may call us “poor Christians,” but in God’s sight we are rich!
Pergamos, the Compromising Church ()
Called “the greatest city in Asia Minor,” Pergamos had the first temple dedicated to Caesar and was a rabid promoter of the imperial cult. This is probably what is meant by “Satan’s seat” in . The city also had a temple dedicated to Aesculapius, the god of healing, whose insignia was the entwined serpent on the staff. (This is still a medical symbol today.) Satan, of course, is likewise symbolized as the serpent (; ; ).
Approval (v. ). Like their brothers and sisters in Smyrna, the believers in Pergamos had suffered persecution, and one of their men had died for the faith. In spite of intense suffering, this church had remained true to God. They refused to drop incense on the altar and say, “Caesar is Lord.” The Lord’s description of Himself (“He which hath the sharp sword,” ) would surely encourage the people, for the sword was also the symbol of the Roman proconsul. It was more important that the church fear Christ’s sword than the Roman sword ().
Accusation (vv. ). Despite their courageous stand against persecution, the believers in Pergamos were not faultless before the Lord. Satan had not been able to destroy them by coming as the roaring lion (), but he was making inroads as the deceiving serpent. A group of compromising people had infiltrated the church fellowship, and Jesus Christ hated their doctrines and their practices.
These infiltrators are called “Nicolaitans,” whom we met already at Ephesus (). The name means “to rule the people.” What they taught is called “the doctrine of Balaam” (). The Hebrew name Balaam also means “lord of the people” and is probably synonymous with Nicolaitans. Sadly, this group of professed believers “lorded it over” the people and led them astray.
Understanding the story of Balaam helps us interpret this insidious group more accurately (see Num. 22–25). Balaam was a true prophet who prostituted his gifts in order to earn money from King Balak, who hired him to curse the people of Israel. God prevented Balaam from actually cursing the nation—in fact, God turned the curses into blessings!—but Balak still got his money’s worth. How? By following Balaam’s advice and making friends with Israel, and then inviting the Jews to worship and feast at the pagan altars. “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!”
The Jewish men fell right into the trap and many of them became “good neighbors.” They ate meat from idolatrous altars and committed fornication as part of heathen religious rites. Twenty-four thousand people died because of this disobedient act of compromise ().
Why did this bit of ancient history apply to the believers at Pergamos? Because a group in that church said, “There is nothing wrong with being friendly to Rome. What harm is there in putting a pinch of incense on the altar and affirming your loyalty to Caesar?” Antipas refused to compromise and was martyred; but others took the “easy way” and cooperated with Rome.
It is unlikely that “things sacrificed to idols” is the same problem Paul dealt with in 1 Corinthians 8 and 10. The accusation here left no room for personal choice as did Paul. The Lord accused the Christians in Pergamos of sinning, of committing “spiritual fornication” by saying, “Caesar is Lord.” Of course, this compromise made them welcome in the Roman guilds and protected them from Roman persecution, but it cost them their testimony and their crown.
Believers today also face the temptation to achieve personal advancement by ungodly compromise. The name Pergamos means “married,” reminding us that each local church is “engaged to Christ” and must be kept pure (). We shall see later in Revelation that this present world system is pictured as a defiled harlot, while the church is presented as a pure bride. The congregation or the individual Christian that compromises with the world just to avoid suffering or achieve success is committing “spiritual adultery” and being unfaithful to the Lord.
Admonition (vv. ). Antipas had felt the sword of Rome, but the church at Pergamos would feel the sword of Christ—the Word ()—if they did not repent. This is not a reference to our Lord’s return but to a present judgment that comes to a church when it is disobedient to the Word of God. The Lord had presented Himself as “He which hath the sharp sword” (), so the church could not have been ignorant of its danger.
As with the previous churches, the closing appeal is to the individual: “He that hath an ear … To him that overcometh” (, italics added). God fed the Israelites with manna during their wilderness travels, and a pot of the manna was placed in the ark of the covenant (; ). Instead of eating “things sacrificed to idols” (), the believers in Pergamos needed to feast on God’s holy food, the bread of life found in Jesus Christ through the Word (; ). The ark of the covenant was the throne of God (; ; ; all NASB), in contrast to Satan’s throne which held authority in Pergamos ().
In those days, a white stone was put into a vessel by a judge to vote acquittal for a person on trial. It was also used like a “ticket” to gain admission to a feast. Both would certainly apply to the believer in a spiritual sense: he has been declared righteous through faith in Christ, and he feasts with Christ today () and will feast with Him in glory ().
Thyatira, the Corrupted Church ()
The longest message was sent to the church in the smallest city! Thyatira was a military town as well as a commercial center with many trade guilds. Wherever guilds were found, idolatry and immorality—the two great enemies of the early church—were almost always present too.
The city boasted a special temple to Apollo, the “sun god,” which explains why the Lord introduced Himself as “the Son of God” (the only time in Revelation this title is used). John had to deliver a message of severe warning and judgment to this congregation, which explains the description of the Lord’s eyes and feet.
Approval (v. ). The believers in Thyatira were a busy lot! They were involved in sacrificial ministry for the sake of others. What’s more, their works were increasing and characterized by faith, love, and patience; so the church was not guilty of mere “religious activity.”
Accusation (vv. ). Alas, the Lord found much to expose and condemn in the assembly at Thyatira. No amount of loving and sacrificial works can compensate for tolerance of evil. The church was permitting a false prophetess to influence the people and lead them into compromise. It is not likely that this woman was actually called “Jezebel,” since such an infamous name would not be given to a child. The name is symbolic: Jezebel was the idolatrous queen who enticed Israel to add Baal worship to their religious ceremonies (see 1 Kings 16–19). The seductive teaching of Jezebel was similar to the “doctrine of Balaam” that the Lord condemned in the church of Pergamos (). She taught believers how to compromise with the Roman religion and the practices of the guilds, so that Christians would not lose their jobs or their lives.
It is interesting to contrast the churches at Ephesus and Thyatira. The Ephesian church was weakening in its love, yet faithful to judge false teachers; while the people in the assembly at Thyatira were growing in their love, but too tolerant of false doctrine. Both extremes must be avoided in the church. “Speaking the truth in love” is the biblical balance (). Unloving orthodoxy and loving compromise are both hateful to God.
Not only was the church at Thyatira tolerant of evil, but it was proud and unwilling to repent. The Lord gave the false prophetess time to repent, yet she refused. Now He was giving her followers opportunity to repent. His eyes of fire had searched out their thoughts and motives, and He would make no mistake.
In fact, the Lord threatened to use this assembly as a solemn example to “all the churches” not to tolerate evil. Jezebel and her children (followers) would be sentenced to tribulation and death! Idolatry and compromise are, in the Bible, pictured as fornication and unfaithfulness to the marriage vows (; ). Jezebel’s bed of sin would become a bed of sickness! To kill with death means “to kill with pestilence” (see NASB). God would judge the false prophetess and her followers once and for all.
Admonition (vv. ). Not everyone in the assembly was unfaithful to the Lord, and He had a special word for them. They had separated themselves from the false doctrine and compromising practices of Jezebel and her followers, which Christ denounces as “the depths of Satan” (note the contrast in ). The Lord had no special demands to make; He simply wanted them to hold fast in their resistance to evil. “Till I come” refers to Christ’s return for His people, at which time He will reward them for their faithfulness (see ; ; , , ). This is the first mention in Revelation of the Lord’s coming for the church, the event we commonly call the Rapture (see ). In contrast, the reference in is to Christ’s return to earth in judgment, to defeat His enemies and establish His kingdom (see ).
The believers in Thyatira are promised authority over the nations, which probably refers to the fact that God’s people will live and reign with Christ (see ). When the Lord sets up His kingdom on earth, it will be a righteous kingdom with perfect justice. He will rule with a rod of iron (). Rebellious men will be like clay pots, easily broken to pieces!
Jesus Christ is “the Bright and Morning Star” (). The promise in suggests that God’s people shall be so closely identified with Christ that He will “belong” to them! But perhaps there is also an allusion here to Satan, who wanted the kingdom for himself and who offered the world’s kingdoms to Christ if He would worship him but once (). In , Satan is named Lucifer, which in Hebrew means “brightness, bright star.” The compromising people in Thyatira were following “the depths of Satan,” which would lead to darkness and death. God’s overcomers, on the other hand, would share the Morning Star!
As you review these first four messages to the churches, you can see the dangers that still exist for the people of God. Like Ephesus, we can be zealous and orthodox, but at the same time lose our devotion to Christ. Or, like Thyatira, our love can be increasing yet lacking in the kind of discernment that is necessary to keep the church pure (see ). Like Pergamos and Thyatira, we may be so tolerant of evil that we grieve the Lord and invite His judgment.
Would we have selected Smyrna as the most spiritual church of the four? Probably not, yet the Lord did! We need to remind ourselves not to judge God’s people by wrong standards, because only the Lord can see the heart (see ).
God’s exhortation to these churches (except Smyrna) is, “Repent! Change your minds!” It is not only lost sinners who need to repent, but also disobedient Christians. If we do not repent and deal with sin in our lives and in our assemblies, the Lord may judge us and remove our lampstand (). How tragic it is when a local church gradually abandons the faith and loses its witness for Christ!
“He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches!”
Revelation 3
We are still listening to what the Holy Spirit has to say to the churches; for these messages from Christ belong to our day as well as to the first century. Churches are people, and human nature has not changed. So, as we continue our study, we must not look on these letters as ancient relics. On the contrary, they are mirrors in which we see ourselves!
Ancient Sardis, the capital of Lydia, was a most important city. It lay about fifty miles east of Ephesus at the junction of five main roads; so it was a center for trade. It was also a military center, for it was located on an almost inaccessible plateau. The acropolis of Sardis was about 1,500 feet above the main roads, and it formed an impregnable fortress. The main religion in the city was the worship of Artemis, one of the “nature cults” that built on the idea of death and rebirth.
Sardis was also known for its manufacture of woolen garments, a fact that has bearing on Christ’s message to the church. Sad to say, the city at that time was but a shadow of its former splendor; and the church, unfortunately, had become like the city—it was alive in name only.
The message to Sardis is a warning to all “great churches” that are living on past glory. Dr. Vance Havner has frequently reminded us that spiritual ministries often go through four stages: a man, a movement, a machine, and then a monument. Sardis was at the “monument” stage, but there was still hope!
There was hope because Christ was the Head of the church and He was able to bring new life. He described Himself as the one possessing the seven Spirits and the seven stars. There is only one Holy Spirit (), but the number seven demonstrates fullness and completeness. The Holy Spirit gives life to the church, and life is exactly what the people at Sardis needed. The sevenfold Spirit of God is pictured as seven burning lamps () and as seven all-seeing eyes ().
All of the church’s man-made programs can never bring life, any more than a circus can resurrect a corpse. The church was born when the Spirit of God descended on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), and its life comes from the Spirit. When the Spirit is grieved, the church begins to lose life and power. When sin is confessed and church members get right with God and with each other, then the Spirit infuses new life—revival!
Christ also controls the seven stars, the messengers of the churches (), referring most likely to the pastors. Sometimes it is a pastor’s fault that a church is dying, and the Lord of the church must remove the star and put another in his place.
There are no words of commendation to the believers at Sardis. Nor did the Lord point out any doctrinal problems that required correction. Neither is there any mention of opposition or persecution. The church would have been better off had there been some suffering, for it had grown comfortable and content and was living on its past reputation. There was reputation without reality, form without force. Like the city itself, the church at Sardis gloried in past splendor, but ignored present decay.
In fact, even what they did have was about to die! Why? Because the believers had gone to sleep. Twice in its long history, the citadel at Sardis had been captured, each time because sentries had failed to do their jobs faithfully. It is when the church’s leaders and members get accustomed to their blessings and complacent about their ministry that the enemy finds his way in.
The impression is that the assembly in Sardis was not aggressive in its witness to the city. There was no persecution because there was no invasion of the enemy’s territory. No friction usually means no motion! The unsaved in Sardis saw the church as a respectable group of people who were neither dangerous nor desirable. They were decent people with a dying witness and a decaying ministry.
Our Lord’s counsel to the church began with, “Be watchful! Wake up!” (see ) The “sentries” were asleep! The first step toward renewal in a dying church is honest awareness that something is wrong. When an organism is alive, there is growth, repair, reproduction, and power; if these elements are lacking in a church, then that church is either dying or already dead.
The Lord warned the Ephesian saints that He would come and remove their lampstand if they did not repent (). He warned the church at Pergamos that He would come and make war with the sword of the Spirit (). If the believers at Sardis did not follow His orders, He would come as a thief, when they least expected Him; and this would mean judgment.
However, a remnant of dedicated people often exists in even a dying church. The Christians at Sardis had life, even though it was feeble. They were working, even though their works were not all that they could have been. The Lord admonished them to strengthen what remained and not to give up because the church was weak. Where there is life, there is hope!
What was different about this dedicated remnant? They had not defiled their garments (). There is some evidence from antiquity that temple worshipers were not permitted to approach their gods and goddesses wearing dirty garments. The remnant in the church at Sardis had not compromised with the pagan society around them, nor had they grown comfortable and complacent. It was this devoted spiritual remnant that held the future of the church’s ministry.
“Wake up! Be watchful! Repent! Remember the Word you have received and obey it!” This is the formula for revival. It is good to guard our spiritual heritage, but we must not embalm it. It is not enough to be true to the faith and have a great history. That faith must produce life and works.
The promise in (“clothed in white raiment”) would have been especially meaningful to people who lived in a city where woolen garments were manufactured. And the statement about the names being blotted out would also be significant to people in the Roman Empire, where citizenship was vitally important (see ).
Is there a warning here that a true believer might lose his salvation? I don’t think so. It would appear that God’s “Book of Life” contains the names of all the living, the wicked as well as the righteous (). and suggest that the names of the saved are written in the book from the foundation of the world—that is, before they had done anything good or bad. By God’s grace, they have been chosen in Christ before the beginning of time (; see also ).
Jesus told His disciples to rejoice because their names were “written in heaven” (). The Greek verb is in the perfect tense, which means it can be translated (as Kenneth Wuest does in his Expanded Translation), “your names have been written in heaven and are on permanent record up there.” It is not likely that Jesus would contradict Himself in this important matter!
If the names of believers (the elect) are written from the foundation of the world, and if God knows all things, why would He enter the name of somebody who would one day fall and have to be removed from the book? We are enrolled in heaven because we have been born again (), and no matter how disobedient a child may be, he or she cannot be “unborn.”
As unbelievers die, their names are removed from the book; thus, at the final judgment, the book contains only the names of believers (). It then becomes “the Lamb’s Book of Life” (), because only those saved by the Lord Jesus Christ have their names in it. All the others have been blotted out, something God would never do for any true child of God (see ; ). It is a book of life, and lost sinners are dead ().
The warning here is that we not grow comfortable in our churches, lest we find ourselves slowly dying. The encouragement is that no church is beyond hope as long as there is a remnant in it, willing to strengthen the things that remain.
Philadelphia, the Faithful Church ()
As most people know, Philadelphia means “love of the brethren.” Certainly, brotherly love is an important mark of the Christian. We are “taught of God to love one another” (): by God the Father (), God the Son (), and God the Spirit (). But it is not enough to love God and our fellow believers; we must also love a lost world and seek to reach unbelievers with the Good News of the Cross. This church had a vision to reach a lost world, and God set before them an open door.
Philadelphia was situated in a strategic place on the main route of the Imperial Post from Rome to the East, and thus was called “the gateway to the East.” It was also called “little Athens” because of the many temples in the city. The church was certainly located in a place of tremendous opportunity.
The only major problem with the location was that the area was prone to earthquakes. Philadelphia sat on a geological fault, and in 17 B.C. it was destroyed by a severe earthquake that also destroyed Sardis and ten other cities. Afterward, some of the citizens refused to move back into the city and remained in the surrounding countryside, which they called “the burnt land.” There did not seem to be much security in the city of brotherly love!
Jesus Christ presented Himself to the church at Philadelphia as “He that is holy.” This is tantamount to declaring that He is God, which, of course, He is. Jesus Christ is holy in His character, His words, His actions, and His purposes. As the Holy One, He is uniquely set apart from everything else, and nothing can be compared to Him.
But He is also the One who is true—that is, genuine. He is the original, not a copy; the authentic God and not a manufactured one. There were hundreds of false gods and goddesses in those days (), but only Jesus Christ could rightfully claim to be the true God.
It is worth noting that when the martyrs in heaven addressed the Lord, they called Him “holy and true” (). Their argument was that, because He was holy, He had to judge sin, and because He was true, He had to vindicate His people who had been wickedly slain.
Not only is He holy and true, but He has the authority to open and close doors. The background of this imagery is . Assyria had invaded Judah (as Isaiah had warned), but the Jewish leaders were trusting Egypt, not God, to deliver the nation. One of the treacherous leaders was a man named Shebna who had used his office, not for the good of the people, but for his own private gain. God saw to it that Shebna was removed from office and that a faithful man, Eliakim, was put in his place and given the keys of authority. Eliakim was a picture of Jesus Christ, a dependable administrator of the affairs of God’s people. Jesus Christ also has the keys of hades and of death ().
In the New Testament, an “open door” speaks of opportunity for ministry (; ; ; ). Christ is the Lord of the harvest and the Head of the church, and it is He who determines where and when His people shall serve (see ). He gave the church at Philadelphia a great opportunity for ministry.
But could they take advantage of it? There were at least two obstacles to overcome, the first being their own lack of strength (). Apparently, this was not a large or a strong church; however, it was a faithful one. They were true to God’s Word and unafraid to bear His name. suggests that they had endured some special testing and had proved faithful.
It is not the size or strength of a church that determines its ministry, but faith in the call and command of the Lord. “God’s commandments are God’s enablements.” If Jesus Christ gave them an open door, then He would see to it that they were able to walk through it! Martin Luther put it perfectly in his well-known hymn:
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing.
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing.
The second obstacle was the opposition of the Jews in the city (). This was really the opposition of Satan, for we do not battle against flesh and blood (). These people may have been Jews in the flesh, but they were not “true Israel” in the New Testament sense (). Jewish people certainly have a great heritage, but it is no guarantee of salvation (; ).
How were these Jews opposing the church at Philadelphia? For one thing, by excluding Jewish believers from the synagogue. Another weapon was probably false accusation, for this is the way the unbelieving Jews often attacked Paul. Satan is the accuser and he uses even religious people to assist him (). It is not easy to witness for Christ when the leading people in the community are spreading lies about you. The church at Smyrna faced the same kind of opposition ().
The believers in Philadelphia were in a similar situation to that of Paul when he wrote —there were both opportunities and obstacles! Unbelief sees the obstacles, but faith sees the opportunities! And since the Lord holds the keys, He is in control of the outcome! So what do we have to fear? Nobody can close the doors as long as He keeps them open. Fear, unbelief, and delay have caused the church to miss many God-given opportunities.
The Saviour gave three wonderful and encouraging promises to this church. First, He would take care of their enemies (). One day, these people would have to acknowledge that the Christians were right! (see ; ) If we take care of God’s work, He will take care of our battles.
Second, He would keep them from Tribulation (). This is surely a reference to the time of Tribulation that John described in Revelation 6–19, “the time of Jacob’s trouble.” This is not speaking about some local trial, because it involves “them that dwell on the earth” (see ; ; ; ; , , ; ; , ). The immediate reference would be to the official Roman persecutions that would come, but the ultimate reference is to the Tribulation that will encompass the earth before Jesus Christ returns to establish His kingdom. In many Bible scholars’ understanding, is a promise that the church will not go through the Tribulation, but will be taken to heaven before it begins (see 1 Thes. 4:13–5:11). The admonition, “Behold, I come quickly,” would strengthen this view.
The third promise to the Philadelphians is that God would honor them (). The symbolism in this verse would be especially meaningful to people who lived in constant danger of earthquakes: the stability of the pillar, no need to go out or to flee, a heavenly city that nothing could destroy. Ancient cities often honored great leaders by erecting pillars with their names inscribed on them. God’s pillars are not made of stone, because there is no temple in the heavenly city (). His pillars are faithful people who bear His name for His glory ().
In a very real sense, the church today is like the Philadelphian church, for God has set before us many open doors of opportunity. If He opens the doors, we must work; if He shuts the doors, we must wait. Above all, we must be faithful to Him and see the opportunities, not the obstacles. If we miss our opportunities, we lose our rewards (crowns), and this means being ashamed before Him when He comes ().
Laodicea, the Foolish Church ()
As with some of the previous churches, the Lord adapted His words to something significant about the city in which the assembly was located. In this case, Laodicea was known for its wealth and its manufacture of a special eye salve, as well as of a glossy black wool cloth. It also was located near Hieropolis, where there were famous hot springs, and Colossae, known for its pure, cold water.
The Lord presented Himself as “the Amen,” which is an Old Testament title for God (see , where the word truth is the Hebrew word amen). He is the truth and speaks the truth, because He is “the faithful and true Witness” (). The Lord was about to tell this church the truth about its spiritual condition; unfortunately, they would not believe His diagnosis.
“Why is it that new Christians create problems in the church?” a young pastor once asked me.
“They don’t create problems,” I replied. “They reveal them. The problems have always been there, but we’ve gotten used to them. New Christians are like children in the home: they tell the truth about things!”
The Laodicean church was blind to its own needs and unwilling to face the truth. Yet honesty is the beginning of true blessing, as we admit what we are, confess our sins, and receive from God all that we need. If we want God’s best for our lives and churches, we must be honest with God and let God be honest with us.
“The beginning of the creation of God” () does not suggest that Jesus was created, and therefore not eternal God. The word translated beginning means “source, origin” (see ; , ).
The Lord demonstrated four areas of need in the church at Laodicea.
They had lost their vigor (vv. ). In the Christian life, there are three “spiritual temperatures”: a burning heart, on fire for God (), a cold heart (), and a lukewarm heart (). The lukewarm Christian is comfortable, complacent, and does not realize his need. If he were cold, at least he would feel it! Both the cold water from Colossae and the hot water from Hieropolis would be lukewarm by the time it was piped to Laodicea.
As believers in Jesus Christ, we have every reason to be “fervent in spirit” (). Fervent prayer is also vital (). It was as the Emmaus disciples listened to the Word that their hearts were warmed. No wonder Paul commanded that his letter to Colossae be sent to the Laodicean church! ()
We enjoy a beverage that is either hot or cold, but one that is tepid is flat and stale. That’s why the waitress keeps adding hot coffee or fresh iced tea to our cups and glasses. The second law of thermodynamics requires that a “closed system” eventually moderates so that no more energy is being produced. Unless something is added from the outside, the system decays and dies. Without added fuel, the hot water in the boiler becomes cool; without electricity, the refrigerant in the freezer becomes warm.
The church cannot be a “closed system.” Jesus said, “Without Me ye can do nothing” (). The Laodicean church was independent, self-satisfied, and secure. “We have need of nothing!” But all the while, their spiritual power had been decaying; their material wealth and glowing statistics were but shrouds hiding a rotting corpse. Their Lord was outside the church, trying to get in ().
They had lost their values (vv. ). The church at Smyrna thought itself poor, when it was really rich (); the Laodiceans boasted that they were rich, when in fact they were poor. Perhaps we have here a hint of why this church declined spiritually: they had become proud of their ministry and had begun to measure things by human standards instead of by spiritual values. They were, in the eyes of the Lord, “wretched, and miserable, and poor.”
Laodicea was a wealthy city and a banking center. Perhaps some of the spirit of the marketplace crept into the church so that their values became twisted. Why is it that so many church bulletins and letterheads show pictures of buildings? Are these the things that are most important to us? The board at the Laodicean church could proudly show you the latest annual report with its impressive statistics; yet Jesus said He was about to vomit them out of His mouth!
The solution? Pay the price to get true “gold tried in the fire.” This suggests that the church needed some persecution; they were too comfortable (). Nothing makes God’s people examine their priorities faster than suffering!
They had lost their vision (v. ). The Laodiceans were “blind.” They could not see reality. They were living in a fool’s paradise, proud of a church that was about to be rejected. The Apostle Peter teaches that when a believer is not growing in the Lord, his spiritual vision is affected (). “Diet” has bearing on the condition of one’s eyes, in a spiritual sense as well as a physical one.
These people could not see themselves as they really were. Nor could they see their Lord as He stood outside the door of the church. Nor could they see the open doors of opportunity. They were so wrapped up in building their own kingdom that they had become lukewarm in their concern for a lost world.
The solution? Apply the heavenly eye salve! The city of Laodicea was noted for its eye salve, but the kind of medication the saints needed was not available in the apothecary shop. The eye is one of the body’s most sensitive areas, and only the Great Physician can “operate” on it and make it what it ought to be. As He did with the man whose account is told in John 9, He might even irritate before He illuminates! But we must submit to His treatment, and then maintain good spiritual “health habits” so that our vision grows keener.
They had lost their vesture (vv. ). Like the emperor in Hans Christian Andersen’s story, these Christians thought they were clothed in splendor when they were really naked! To be naked meant to be defeated and humiliated (; ). The Laodiceans could go to the market and purchase fine woolen garments, but that would not meet their real need. They needed the white garments of God’s righteousness and grace. According to , we should be clothed in “fine linen, clean and white,” and this symbolizes “the righteous acts of the saints” (NASB). Salvation means that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us, put to our account; but sanctification means that His righteousness is imparted to us, made a part of our character and conduct.
There is no divine commendation given to this church. Of course, the Laodiceans were busy commending themselves! They thought they were glorifying God, when in reality they were disgracing His name just as though they had been walking around naked.
The Lord closed this letter with three special statements:
First, an explanation: “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” (). He still loved these lukewarm saints, even though their love for Him had grown cold. He planned to chasten them as proof of His love (; ). God permits churches to go through times of trial so that they might become what He wants them to become.
Second, an exhortation: “Be zealous therefore, and repent” (). The church at Laodicea had to repent of their pride and humble themselves before the Lord. They had to “stir up that inner fire” (, PH) and cultivate a burning heart.
Finally, an invitation (). We often use these verses to lead lost people to Christ, but the basic application is to the believer. The Lord was outside the Laodicean church! He spoke to the individual—“if any man”—and not to the whole congregation. He appealed to a small remnant in Sardis (), and now He appeals to the individual. God can do great things in a church, even through one dedicated individual.
Christ was not impatient. “I have taken My stand” is the sense of the verb. He “knocks” through circumstances and He calls through His Word. For what is He appealing? Fellowship and communion, the people’s desire to abide in Him. The Laodiceans were an independent church that had need of nothing, but they were not abiding in Christ and drawing their power from Him. They had a “successful program” but it was not fruit that comes from abiding in Christ ().
Note that when we invite Him in, the supper room becomes a throne room! It is through communion with Christ that we find victory and become overcomers indeed.
The letters to the seven churches are God’s X rays, given to us so that we might examine our own lives and ministries. Judgment is going to come to this world, but it first begins at God’s house (). In these letters we find encouragement as well as rebuke.
May the Lord help us to hear what the Spirit is saying today to the church, and to the individuals in the churches!
Revelation 4–5
True spiritual worship is perhaps one of the greatest needs in our individual lives and in our churches. There is a constant emphasis today on witnessing for Christ and working for Christ, but not enough is said about worshiping Him. To worship means “to ascribe worth” (see ; ). It means to use all that we are and have to praise God for all that He is and does.
Heaven is a place of worship, and God’s people shall worship Him throughout all eternity. Perhaps it would be good for us to get in practice now! A study of Revelation 4–5 will certainly help us better understand how to worship God and give Him the glory that He deserves.
If is God’s inspired outhne of this book, then Revelation 4 ushers us into the third division: “the things which shall be hereafter.” In fact, that is exactly what God said to John when He summoned him to heaven! It would appear that, in this experience, John illustrates what will happen to God’s people when the Church Age has run its course: heaven will open; there will be a voice and the sound of a trumpet; and the saints will be caught up to heaven (; ). Then, God’s judgment of the earth can begin.
But before God pours out His wrath, He gives us a glimpse into glory and permits us to hear the worshiping creatures in heaven as they praise God. Two aspects of their worship are presented for our instruction and imitation.
They Worship the Creator (Rev. 4)
The key word in this chapter is throne; it is used fourteen times. In fact, this is a key word in the entire book, appearing forty-six times. No matter what may happen on earth, God is on His throne and is in complete control. Various teachers interpret Revelation in different ways, but all agree that John is emphasizing the glory and sovereignty of God. What an encouragement that would be to the suffering saints of John’s day and of every age in history.
Using the throne as the focal point, we can easily understand the arrangement of this exciting chapter.
On the throne—Almighty God (vv. ). This is God the Father, since the Son approaches the throne in , and the Spirit is pictured before the throne in . There is no possible way for human words to describe what God is like in His essence. John can only use comparisons. Jasper is a clear gem (see ) and the sardine is red. The Lord is robed in light, according to and . Both the jasper and the sardius (sardine) were found in the breastplate of the high priest ().
Around the throne—a rainbow (v. ). This rainbow was a complete circle, not merely an arc, for in heaven all things are completed. The rainbow reminds us of God’s covenant with Noah (), symbolic of His promise that He would never again destroy the earth with a flood. God’s covenant, as we shall see, was not only with Noah, but with all of His creation.
Judgment is about to fall, but the rainbow reminds us that God is merciful, even when He judges (). Usually, a rainbow appears after the storm; but here, we see it before the storm.
Around the throne—elders and living creatures (vv. , ). The rainbow was around the throne vertically, while these heavenly beings were around the throne horizontally. They are, as it were, the king’s court.
Who are these twenty-four elders seated on thrones? It is unlikely that they are angels, because angels are not numbered (), crowned, or enthroned. Besides, in , the elders are distinguished from the angels (see also ). The crowns they wear are the “victor’s crowns” (the Greek word stephanos; see ); and we have no evidence that angels receive rewards.
These elders probably symbolize the people of God in heaven, enthroned and rewarded. There were twenty-four courses of priests in the Old Testament temple (, ; see also ). God’s people are “kings and priests” (), reigning and serving with Christ. Note especially their praise (). When Daniel () saw the thrones set up (not “cast down” as in the King James Version), they were empty; but when John saw them, they had been filled. Since there were twelve tribes of Israel and twelve Apostles, perhaps the number twenty-four symbolizes the completion of God’s people.
The white robes and palm branches speak of victory (see ). These are the “overcomers” who have conquered because of their faith in Christ ().
Also around the throne, John saw four “living creatures” (“beasts” in the King James Version) who were nearer to God than the angels and the elders. They resemble the cherubim that the Prophet Ezekiel saw (; ), but their praise () reminds us of the seraphim of Isaiah 6. I believe that these special creatures symbolize God’s creation and are related to God’s covenant with Noah (). The faces of the living creatures parallel God’s statement in —His covenant is with Noah (the face of the man), the fowl (the face of the eagle), the cattle (the face of the calf), and the beasts of the earth (the face of the lion).
These creatures signify the wisdom of God (“full of eyes”) and proclaim the holiness of God. They are heavenly reminders that God has a covenant with His creation and that He rules His creation from His throne. The presence of the emerald rainbow further enhances this image, since the rainbow was given as the sign of the creation covenant. No matter what terrible judgments may fall on God’s earth, He will be faithful to keep His Word. Men may curse Him during the judgments (, , ), but nature will praise Him and magnify His holiness.
The cherubim described in Ezekiel 1 seem to have a part in the providential workings of God in the world, pictured by the “wheels within the wheels.” God uses the forces of nature to accomplish His will (Ps. 148), and all nature praises and thanks Him.
Some students see in the four faces described () an illustration of the fourfold picture of Christ given in the Gospel accounts. Matthew is the royal Gospel of the King, illustrated by the lion. Mark emphasizes the servant aspect of the Lord’s ministry (the calf). Luke presents Christ as the compassionate Son of man. John magnifies the deity of Christ, the Son of God (the eagle).
Finally, the name used by these creatures, “Lord God Almighty,” emphasizes the power of God. As mentioned in chapter 1, the name Almighty is used nine times in Revelation. The only other such usage in the New Testament is , but it is found at least thirty-one times in Job, a book that magnifies the power of God in nature.
Out of the throne—storm signals (v. ). “And from the throne proceed flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder” (NASB). These are indications of a coming storm and reminders of God’s awesome power (see , ; ). These “storm signals” will be repeated during the time of judgment, always proceeding from the throne and temple of God (; ; ). God has indeed prepared His throne for judgment (; note also ).
Our world does not like to think of God as a God of judgment. They prefer to look at the rainbow around the throne and ignore the lightning and thunder out of the throne. He certainly is a God of grace, but His grace reigns through righteousness (). This was made clear at the cross where God manifested both His love for sinners and His wrath against sin.
Before the throne—lamps and a sea (vv. ). The seven lamps connote completeness and symbolize the Holy Spirit of God (; note also ). John also seems to suggest in Revelation that the “heavenly sanctuary” follows the pattern of the earthly tabernacle and temple (see ). The parallels are as follows:
Earthly temple
Heavenly sanctuary
Holy of holies
The throne of God
Seven-branched candlestick
Seven lamps of fire before the throne
Bronze laver
Sea of glass
Cherubin over the mercy seat
Four living creatures around the throne
Priests
Elders (kings and priests)
Brazen altar
Incense altar
Ark of the covenant
There is no temple in heaven in a material sense. All of heaven is God’s sanctuary for those who serve before His holy throne (). However, John indicates in that there is a special “sanctuary” of God (note also ). In the eternal state, there will be no temple ().
A pure crystal sea symbolizes God’s holiness, and the mingled fire speaks of His holy judgment. The crystal “firmament” in Ezekiel’s vision also comes to mind (); it was the foundation for God’s throne. We shall meet this “sea of glass” again in Revelation 15 where it is connected with Israel’s victory over Egypt.
Praise to the throne (vv. ). Whenever the living creatures glorified God, the elders would fall before the throne and praise Him. The Book of Revelation is filled with hymns of praise (, ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ). The emphasis on praise is significant when you remember that John wrote this book to encourage people who were going through suffering and persecution!
The theme of this hymn is God the Creator, while in Revelation 5 the elders praise God the Redeemer. The praise in Revelation 4 is given to the Father on the throne, while in Revelation 5 it is directed to the Son (the Lamb) before the throne. The closing hymn () is expressed to both, another proof of the deity of Jesus Christ.
If the twenty-four elders typify the people of God in heaven, then we must ask, “Why should God’s people praise God the Creator?” If the heavens are declaring the glory of God, why shouldn’t God’s heavenly people join the chorus? Creation bears constant witness to the power, wisdom, and glory of God (Ps. 19). Acknowledging the Creator is the first step toward trusting the Redeemer (see ; ). “All things were created by Him [Christ] and for Him … and by Him all things consist [hold together]” ().
But sinful man worships and serves the creature rather than the Creator, and this is idolatry (). Furthermore, sinful man has polluted and destroyed God’s wonderful creation; and he is going to pay for it (see ). Creation is for God’s praise and pleasure, and man has no right to usurp that which rightfully belongs to God. Man plunged creation into sin, so that God’s good creation () is today a groaning creation (); but because of Christ’s work on the cross, it will one day be delivered and become a glorious creation ().
It is unfortunate that the church today often neglects to worship the God of creation. The real answer to the ecological problem is not financial or legal, but spiritual. It is only when man acknowledges the Creator and begins to use creation to God’s glory that the problems will be solved.
They Worship the Redeemer (Rev. 5)
The focus of attention now shifts to a seven-sealed scroll in the hand of God. The scroll could not be read because it was rolled up and sealed (like a Roman will) with seven seals. John could see writing on both sides of the scroll, which meant that nothing more could be added. What was written was completed and final.
The scroll represents Christ’s “title deed” to all that the Father promised Him because of His sacrifice on the cross. “Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen [nations] for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession” (). Jesus Christ is the “Heir of all things” (). He is our beloved “Kinsman-Redeemer” who was willing to give His life to set us free from bondage and to restore our lost inheritance (see ; the Book of Ruth; ).
As Christ removed the seals, various dramatic events took place. The seventh seal introduced the seven trumpet judgments (). Then, when the seventh trumpet had blown, the great day of God’s wrath was announced, ushering in the “vial [bowl] judgments” that brought to a climax the wrath of God (; ). It is possible that the trumpet judgments were written on one side of the scroll and the bowl judgments on the other.
A title deed or will can be opened only by the appointed heir, and this is Jesus Christ. No one in all the universe could be found worthy enough to break the seals. No wonder John wept, for he realized that God’s glorious redemption plan for mankind could never be completed until the scroll was opened. The redeemer had to be near of kin, willing to redeem, and able to redeem. Jesus Christ meets all of the qualifications. He became flesh, so He is our Kinsman. He loves us and is willing to redeem; and He paid the price, so He is able to redeem.
Now we are able to enter into the worship experience described in the remainder of Revelation 5. And we’ll discover four compelling reasons why we worship Jesus Christ.
Because of who He is (vv. ). Three unique titles are given to our Lord to describe who He is. First, He is the Lion of the tribe of Judah. The reference here is to , where Jacob prophetically gave the scepter to Judah and made it the tribe of the kings. (God never meant for Saul to establish a dynasty, because he came from the tribe of Benjamin. God used him to discipline Israel because the people asked for a king; then He gave them David from the tribe of Judah.)
The image of “the lion” speaks of dignity, sovereignty, courage, and victory. Jesus Christ is the only living Jew who can prove His kingship from the genealogical records. “Son of David” was a title often used when He was ministering on earth (see Matt. 1).
But He is also the Root of David, which means He brought David (and David’s line) into existence. As far as His humanity is concerned, Jesus had His roots in David (, ); but as far as His deity is concerned, Jesus is the Root of David. This speaks, of course, of our Lord’s eternality; He is indeed the “Ancient of Days.” How the Messiah could both be David’s Lord and David’s son was a problem Jesus presented to the Pharisees, and they could not (or would not) answer Him ().
When John turned to see, he saw not a lion but a lamb! Jesus Christ is called “the Lamb” at least twenty-eight times in the Book of Revelation (the Greek word used means “a little pet lamb”) and the emphasis is not hard to miss. God’s wrath is “the wrath of the Lamb” (). Cleansing is by “the blood of the Lamb” (). The church is “the bride of the Lamb” (; ).
The theme of “the Lamb” is an important one throughout Scripture, for it presents the person and work of Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. The Old Testament question, “Where is the lamb?” () was answered by John the Baptist who cried, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (). The choirs of heaven sing, “Worthy is the Lamb!” ().
The description of the Lamb (), if produced literally by an artist, would provide a grotesque picture; but when understood symbolically, conveys spiritual truth. Since seven is the number of perfection, we have here perfect power (seven horns), perfect wisdom (seven eyes), and perfect presence (seven Spirits in all the earth). The theologians would call these qualities omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence; and all three are attributes of God. The Lamb is God the Son, Christ Jesus!
We worship Jesus Christ because of who He is. But there is a second reason why we worship Him.
Because of where He is (v. ). To begin with, Jesus is in heaven. He is not in the manger, in Jerusalem, on the cross, or in the tomb. He is ascended and exalted in heaven. What an encouragement this is to suffering Christians, to know that their Saviour has defeated every enemy and is now controlling events from glory! He too suffered, but God turned His suffering into glory.
But where is Christ in heaven? He is in the midst. The Lamb is the center of all that transpires in heaven. All creation centers in Him (the four living creatures), as do all of God’s people (the elders). The angels around the throne encircle the Saviour and praise Him.
He is also at the throne. Some sentimental Christian poetry and hymnody dethrones our Saviour and emphasizes only His earthly life. These poems and songs glamorize “the gentle Carpenter” or “the humble Teacher,” but they fail to exalt the risen Lord! We do not worship a Babe in a manger or a corpse on a cross. We worship the living, reigning Lamb of God who is in the midst of all in heaven.
Because of what He does (vv. ). When the Lamb came and took the scroll (see ), the weeping ended and the praising began. God’s people and the representatives of God’s creation joined their voices in a new song of praise. Note that praise and prayer were united, for incense is a picture of prayer rising to the throne of God (; ). We shall meet the “incense prayers” of the saints again (; ).
What kind of song did they sing? To begin with, it was a worship hymn, for they said, “Thou art worthy!” To worship means “to ascribe worth,” and Jesus alone is worthy. When I was in the pastorate, I tried to open each morning worship service with a hymn that lifted the congregation’s minds and hearts upward to the Lord Jesus Christ. Too many contemporary songs are “I” centered rather than “Christ” centered. They so emphasize the believer’s experience that they almost ignore the Lord’s glory. Certainly there is a place for that kind of song, but nothing can compare with adoring Christ in spiritual worship.
But this song was also a Gospel song! “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us [some texts read them] by Thy blood.” The word translated slain means “violently slain” (). Heaven sings about the Cross and the blood! I read about a denomination that revised its official hymnal and removed all songs about the blood of Christ. That hymnal could never be used in heaven, because there they glorify the Lamb slain for the sins of the world.
In Genesis 22, a ram was substituted for Isaac, a picture of Christ giving His life for the individual (see ). At Passover, the lamb was slain for each family (). Isaiah states that Jesus died for the nation of Israel (; see also ). John affirms that the Lamb died for the whole world! () The more you meditate on the power and scope of Christ’s work on the cross, the more humbled and worshipful you become. This song was also a missionary song. Sinners were redeemed “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (). Kindred refers to a common ancestor and tongue to a common language. People means a common race, and nation a common rule or government. God loves a whole world () and His desire is that the message of redemption be taken to a whole world ().
Perhaps you heard about the Christian who was against foreign missions but somehow happened to attend a missionary rally. When they passed the offering plate, he told the usher, “I don’t believe in missions!” “Then take something out,” said the usher. “It’s for the heathen.”
This heavenly hymn was also a devotional hymn, for it announced our unique position in Christ as “a kingdom of priests.” Like Melchizedek of old, believers are kings and priests (; Heb. 7; ). The veil of the temple was torn when Jesus died, and the way is opened to God (). We “reign in life” as we yield to Christ and allow His Spirit to work in us ().
Finally, this song was a prophetic hymn: “We shall reign on the earth” (). When Jesus Christ returns to earth, He will establish His righteous kingdom for 1,000 years; and we shall reign with Him (). The prayers of the saints, “Thy kingdom come!” will then be fulfilled. Creation shall then be set free from bondage to sin (; ), and Christ shall reign in justice and power.
What a marvelous hymn! How rich would be our worship if only we would blend all these truths in honoring Him!
Because of what He has (vv. ). In this closing burst of praise, all the angels and every creature in the universe joined together to worship the Redeemer. What a cascade of harmony John heard! In this hymn, they stated those things that Jesus Christ deserved to receive because of His sacrificial death on the cross. When He was on earth, people did not ascribe these things to Him; for many of these things He deliberately laid aside in His humiliation.
He was born in weakness and He died in weakness; but He is the recipient of all power. He became the poorest of the poor (), and yet He owns all the riches of heaven and earth. Men laughed at Him and called Him a fool; yet He is the very wisdom of God (; ).
He shared in the sinless weaknesses of humanity as He hungered, thirsted, and became weary. Today in glory, He possesses all strength. On earth, He experienced humiliation and shame as sinners ridiculed and reviled Him. They laughed at His kingship and attired Him in a mock robe, crown, and scepter. But all of that is changed now! He has received all honor and glory!
And blessing! He became a curse for us on the cross (), so that we can never be under the curse of the broken Law. (Some translations read “praise” instead of “blessing,” but the Greek word carries both meanings.) He is worthy of all praise!
The worship service climaxed with all of the universe praising the Lamb of God and the Father seated on the throne!
And there was even a loud “Amen!” from the four living creatures! In heaven, we are permitted to say “Amen!”
Keep in mind that all of this praise centered on the Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer. It is not Christ the Teacher, but Christ the Saviour, who is the theme of their worship. While an unconverted person could praise the Creator, he certainly could not sincerely praise the Redeemer.
All of heaven’s praise came because the Lamb took the scroll from the Father’s hand. God’s great eternal plan would now be fulfilled and creation would be set free from the bondage of sin and death. One day the Lamb will break the seals and put in motion events that will eventually lead to His coming to earth and the establishment of His kingdom.
As you share in these heavenly worship services, do you find your own heart saying “Amen!” to what they have sung? You may believe in Christ as the Creator, but have you trusted Him as your Redeemer?
If not, will you do so right now?
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me” ().
Revelation 6–7
The worship described in Revelation 4–5 is preparation for the wrath described in Revelation 6–19. It seems strange to us that worship and judgment should go together, but this is because we do not fully understand either the holiness of God or the sinfulness of man. Nor do we grasp the total picture of what God wants to accomplish and how the forces of evil have opposed Him. God is long-suffering, but eventually He must judge sin and vindicate His servants.
According to , seven years are assigned to Israel in God’s prophetic calendar, beginning with the signing of an agreement with the world dictator (the Antichrist), and ending with Christ’s return to earth to judge evil and establish His kingdom. It is this period that is described in Revelation 6–19. By referring to John’s outhne (Rev. 1), you will see that his description is in three parts: the first three and a half years (Rev. 6–9), the events at the middle of the period (Rev. 10–14), and the last three and a half years (Rev. 15–19).
What is so significant about the middle of the Tribulation? That is when the Antichrist breaks his covenant with Israel and becomes their persecutor instead of their protector ().
As you study these fourteen action-filled chapters, keep in mind that John wrote to encourage God’s people in every age of history. He was not only writing prophecy that would be fulfilled in the end times; but he was also writing great theology and dramatically revealing the character of God and the principles of His kingdom. These chapters describe the cosmic conflict between God and Satan, the New Jerusalem and Babylon; and no matter what “key” a student may use to unlock Revelation, he cannot help but see the exalted King of kings as He vindicates His people and gives victory to His overcomers.
Since the church never knows when Christ will return, each generation must live in expectancy of His coming. Therefore the Book of Revelation must be able to communicate truth to each generation, not just to the people who will be alive when these events occur. Verses like ; ; and , all indicate the timelessness of John’s message. This also explains why the apostle used so much symbolism, for symbols never lose their meaning. In every era of its history, the church has had to contend with Babylon (compare with Jer. 50–51) and Antichrist (see ). Revelation 6–19 is merely the climax of this conflict.
In Revelation 6–7, John characterized the opening days of the Tribulation as a time of retribution, response, and redemption.
In this section, John recorded the opening of the first four seals; and as each seal was opened, one of the four living creatures summoned a rider on a horse. (“Come and see” should read, “Come!”) In other words, events take place on earth because of the sovereign direction of God in heaven.
The horse imagery is probably related to the vision described in . Horses represent God’s activity on earth, the forces He uses to accomplish His divine purposes. The center of His program is Israel, particularly the city of Jerusalem. (Jerusalem is mentioned thirty-nine times in Zech.) God has a covenant purpose for Israel, and that purpose will be fulfilled just as He promised.
Now, let’s try to identify these horses and their riders.
Antichrist (vv. ). Daniel states that there is a “prince that shall come,” who will make a covenant with Israel to protect her from her enemies (). In other words, the future world dictator begins his career as a peacemaker! He will go from victory to victory and finally control the whole world.
Some have suggested that the rider on the white horse is actually a symbol of the “conquering Christ” who today is defeating the forces of evil in the world. They point to as proof, but the only similarity is the presence of a white horse. If this rider is indeed Jesus Christ, it seems strange that He should be named at the end of the book and not at the beginning!
We would expect the Antichrist to resemble the Christ, because Antichrist is Satan’s great imitation! Even the Jews (who ought to know the Scriptures) will be deceived by him (; ). This great deceiver will come as a peaceful leader, holding a bow but no arrows! (Our Lord’s weapon is a sword; .) Antichrist will solve the world’s problems and be received as the Great Liberator.
The word for crown in is stephanos, which means “the victor’s crown.” The crown that Jesus Christ wears is diadema, “the kingly crown” (). Antichrist could never wear the diadem, because it belongs only to the Son of God.
Certainly, there is a sense in which Jesus Christ is conquering today, as He releases people from the bondage of sin and Satan (; ). But this conquest began with His victory on the cross and certainly did not have to wait for the opening of a seal! We shall note later that the sequence of events in Revelation 6 closely parallels the sequence given by our Lord in His Olivet discourse; and the first item mentioned is the appearance of false Christs ().
War (vv. ). Antichrist’s conquest begins in peace, but soon he exchanges the empty bow for a sword. The color red is often associated with terror and death: the red dragon (), the red beast (). It is a picture of wanton bloodshed. War has been a part of man’s experience since Cain killed Abel, so this image would speak to believers in every age, reminding them that God is ultimately in control, even though He is not responsible for the lawless deeds of men and nations.
Famine (vv. ). The color black is often connected with famine (; ). Famine and war go together. A shortage of food will always drive up prices and force the government to ration what is available. “To eat bread by weight” is a Jewish phrase indicating that food is scarce (). A penny (denarius) a day was a standard wage for laborers () but, of course, it had much greater buying power than the common penny does today. A “measure” of wheat was about two pints, sufficient for the daily needs of one person. Ordinarily, a person could buy eight to twelve measures for a penny, and much more of barley, which was the cheaper grain.
However, during the Tribulation, a man will have to work all day just to secure food for himself! There will be nothing for his family! At the same time, the rich will be enjoying plenty of oil and wine. No wonder Antichrist will eventually be able to control the economy () as he promises to feed the hungry masses.
Death (vv. ). John saw two personages: Death riding a pale horse and hades (the realm of the dead) following him. Christ has the keys of death and hades (), and both will one day be cast into hell (). Death claims the body while hades claims the soul of the dead (). John saw these enemies going forth to claim their prey, armed with weapons of the sword, hunger, pestilence (death), and wild beasts. In ancient times, hunger, pestilence, and the ravages of beasts would be expected to accompany war (note also ; ; ).
Conquering tyrants who bring the world war, famine, and pestilence are certainly nothing new. Suffering people from the days of the Roman Empire to the most recent war can easily recognize anticipations of these four dreaded horsemen. This is why the Book of Revelation has been a source of encouragement to suffering believers throughout history. As they see the Lamb opening the seals, they realize that God is in control and that His purposes will be accomplished.
John recorded two responses to the opening of the seals, one in heaven and the other on earth.
The martyrs (vv. ). When the Old Testament priest presented an animal sacrifice, the victim’s blood was poured out at the base of the brazen altar (, , , ). In Old Testament imagery, blood represents life (). So, here in Revelation, the souls of the martyrs “under the altar” indicates that their lives were given sacrificially to the glory of God. The Apostle Paul had the same idea in mind when he wrote and .
The Greek word martus, which gives us our English word martyr, simply means “a witness” (see ; ). These saints were slain by the enemy because of their witness to the truth of God and the message of Jesus Christ. The forces of Antichrist do not accept the truth, because Satan wants them to be deceived and accept his lies (see ; ; also ).
Since their murderers are still alive on earth, these martyrs are apparently from the early part of the Tribulation. But they represent all who have laid down their lives for Jesus Christ and the cause of God’s truth, and they are an encouragement to all today who may be called to follow them. They assure us that the souls of the martyrs are in heaven, awaiting the resurrection (), and that they are at rest, robed in heavenly glory.
But is it “Christian” for these martyred saints to pray for vengeance on their murderers? After all, both Jesus and Stephen prayed that God would forgive those who killed them. I have no doubt that, when they were slain on earth, these martyrs also prayed for their slayers; and this is the right thing to do (, ).
The great question, however, was not whether their enemies would be judged, but when. “How long, O Lord?” has been the cry of God’s suffering people throughout the ages (see ; ; ; also ). The saints in heaven know that God will eventually judge sin and establish righteousness in the earth, but they do not know God’s exact schedule. It is not personal revenge that they seek, but vindication of God’s holiness and the establishment of God’s justice. Every believer today who sincerely prays, “Thy kingdom come!” is echoing their petition.
God made clear to these martyrs that their sacrifice was an appointment, not an accident; and that others would join them. Even in the death of His people, God is in control (); so there is nothing to fear.
Many others would be slain for their faith before the Lord would return and establish His kingdom (see ; ; ; and ). Then as today, it appears that the enemy is winning; but God will have the last word. Even in our “enlightened” twentieth century, multiplied thousands of true believers have laid down their lives for Christ; certainly they will receive the crown of life ().
The earth-dwellers (vv. ). The martyrs cried, “Avenge us!” but the unbelievers on earth will cry, “Hide us!” The opening of the sixth seal will produce worldwide convulsions and catastrophes, including the first of three great earthquakes (; ; ). All of nature will be affected: the sun, moon, and stars, as well as the heavens, the mountains, and the islands. Compare this scene with and as well as with and .
Even though John wrote using symbolic language, these verses describe a scene that would frighten even the most courageous person. People will try to hide from the face of God and from the face of the Lamb! Imagine wanting to hide from a lamb! I once heard Dr. Vance Havner say that the day would come when the most expensive piece of real estate would be a hole in the ground, and he was right.
We will see more of “the wrath of God” as we progress through Revelation (; ; ; ). We will also encounter the wrath of Satan () and the wrath of the nations as they oppose God (). If men and women will not yield to the love of God, and be changed by the grace of God, then there is no way for them to escape the wrath of God.
Rank and wealth will not deliver anyone in that terrible day. John’s list included kings, captains, and slaves, the rich and the poor. “Who shall be able to stand?”
The phrase “wrath of the Lamb” seems a paradox. “Wrath of the lion” would be more consistent. We are so accustomed to emphasizing the meekness and gentleness of Christ () that we forget His holiness and justice. The same Christ who welcomed the children also drove the merchants from the temple. God’s wrath is not like a child’s temper tantrum or punishment meted out by an impatient parent. God’s wrath is the evidence of His holy love for all that is right and His holy hatred for all that is evil. Only a soft and sentimental person would want to worship a God who did not deal justly with evil in the world.
Furthermore, the people mentioned here are impenitent. They refuse to submit to God’s will. They would rather hide from God in fear (remember Adam and Eve?) than run to Him in faith. They are proof that judgment by itself does not change the human heart. Not only will men seek to hide from God, but they will blaspheme Him as well! (, , )
But is there any hope for believers during this terrible time of judgment? And what about God’s special people, the Jews, who made a covenant with the Antichrist? Certainly people will trust the Lord even after the church is taken to heaven, but how will they manage? We turn to Revelation 7 for some of the answers.
But before considering John’s third theme in this section—redemption—we must note the parallels that exist between Christ’s prophetic words recorded in Matthew 24 and what John wrote in Revelation 6. The following summary outhne makes this clear.
Matthew 24
Revelation 6
Martyrs under the altar (vv. )
introduces the preaching of the Gospel of the kingdom throughout the whole world, and this may well be where Revelation 7 fits in. God may use the sealed 144,000 Jews to share His Word with the world, resulting in the salvation of multitudes.
It is important that we contrast the two groups of people described in this chapter.
Jews
Gentiles from all nations
Numbered—144,000
Not numbered, nor could be
Sealed on earth
Standing in heaven before God
While we are not told explicitly in Scripture that the 144,000 Jews are God’s special witnesses, and that the Gentile host is saved through their ministry, this appears to be a logical deduction; otherwise, why are they associated in this chapter? The parallel with also indicates that the 144,000 will witness for the Lord during the Tribulation.
The sealed Jews (vv. ). Angels are associated with the forces of nature: the wind (), fire (), and water (). Stopping the winds implies a “lull before the storm.” God controls all of nature. During the day of His wrath, He will use the forces of nature to judge mankind. The phrase “four corners of the earth” is no more “unscientific” here than it is in or the daily newspaper.
In Scripture, a seal indicates ownership and protection. Today, God’s people are sealed by the Holy Spirit (). This is God’s guarantee that we are saved and safe, and that He will one day take us to heaven. The 144,000 Jews will receive the Father’s name as their seal (), in contrast to the “mark of the beast” that Antichrist will give those who follow him (; ; ; ).
This seal will protect these chosen Jews from the judgments that will “hurt the earth and the sea” (), and occur when the first four angels blow their trumpets (Rev. 8). The judgments are intensified when the horrible locusts are released from the pit (). Protected from these awesome judgments, the 144,000 will be able to do their work and glorify the Lord.
In every age, God has had His faithful remnant. Elijah thought he was alone, but God had 7,000 who were yet faithful to Him (). The sealing described in Revelation 7 certainly has its background in , where the faithful were sealed before God’s judgment fell. So, while these 144,000 Jews are an elect people in the last days with a special task from God, they also symbolize God’s faithful elect in every age of history.
The number 144,000 is significant because it signifies perfection and completeness (144=×). Some see here the completeness of all God’s people: the twelve tribes of Israel (Old Testament saints) and the twelve Apostles (New Testament saints). This may be a good application of this passage, but it is not the basic interpretation; for we are told that these 144,000 are all Jews, and even their tribes are named.
A man once told me he was one of the 144,000; so I asked him, “To which tribe do you belong, and can you prove it?” Of course, he could not prove it, no more than a Jew today can prove the tribe from which he or she descended. The genealogical records have all been destroyed. Even the fact that ten of the tribes were taken by the Assyrians and “lost” is no problem to God. He knows His people and their whereabouts (see ; ; ).
This is not to say that our literal interpretation of this passage is not without problems. Why is Levi included when it had no inheritance with the other tribes? (; ) Why is Joseph named but not his son Ephraim, who is usually connected with his brother Manasseh? Finally, why is the tribe of Dan omitted here and yet included in Ezekiel’s list for the apportionment of the land? () Many suggestions have been made, but we do not know the answers. Even if we interpreted this passage in a spiritual sense (i.e., Israel is the church), we would be no more certain. We must permit God to know “the secret things,” and not allow our ignorance of them to hinder us from obeying what we do know ().
The saved Gentiles (vv. ). You cannot read the Book of Revelation without developing a global outlook, for the emphasis is on what God does for people in the whole world. The Lamb died to redeem people “out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation” (). The great multitudes pictured here came from “all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues” (). “Go ye into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature” was our Lord’s mandate ().
There is no doubt as to who this multitude is, because one of the elders explained it to John (): they are Gentiles who have been saved through faith in Christ during the Tribulation. (We will meet this same group again in Rev. 14.) While today, in most parts of the world, it is relatively easy to confess Christ, this will not be the case during the Tribulation, at least during the last half of it. Then, unless persons wear the “mark of the beast,” they will not be able to buy or sell; and this would leave them without even life’s bare necessities. indicates that they suffered hunger (see ), thirst (see ), and lack of shelter. (On the heat of the sun, see .)
The fact that they are standing before the throne and not seated around it indicates that these people are not identified with the twenty-four elders. In fact, John himself did not know who they were! If they had been Old Testament believers, or the church, John would have recognized them. That the elder had to tell John who they were suggests that they are a special people, which, indeed, they are.
Of course, in the heavenly city (Rev. 21–22), all distinctions will cease and we shall all simply be the people of God in glory. But while God is working out His program in human history, distinctions still exist between the Jews, the Gentiles, the church, and the Tribulation saints.
John gave a beautiful description of these people.
First, they were accepted, for they stood before God’s throne and the Lamb. No doubt they had been rejected on earth for they stood for truth at a time when lies were popular and Satan was in charge. Their white robes and palms symbolize victory: they were true overcomers! The Jews used palm branches at their Feast of Tabernacles (), which was a special time of national rejoicing.
Then, they were joyful. They sang praises to the Father and to the Lamb; and their worship was joined by all those who surrounded the throne.
Third, they were rewarded. They had the privilege of being before God’s throne and of serving Him. When God’s people get to heaven, there will be work to do! We shall be able to serve Him perfectly! The Lamb will shepherd us and satisfy us with every good thing (see ; ).
The opening of the seventh seal will introduce the seven “trumpet judgments” (Rev. 8–11) and the wrath of God will increase both in intensity and scope. But before that occurs, we are assured that in His wrath, God will remember mercy (). Despite the wrath of God and the terror inspired by Satan and his helpers, multitudes will be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ. No matter what the age or dispensation, God’s way of salvation has always been the same: faith in Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God.
Sad to say, however, multitudes during that time will also reject the Saviour and trust “the beast.” But are there not people today who prefer Satan to Christ and this world to the world to come? They are just as condemned as the Tribulation sinners who receive the “mark of the beast.”
If you have never trusted the Saviour, do so now.
If you have trusted Him, then share the Good News of salvation with others that they might be delivered from the wrath to come.
Revelation 8–9
The seal judgments now over, the trumpet judgments are about to begin. These will be followed by the bowl (vial) judgments, culminating in the destruction of Babylon and Christ’s return to earth. Note that from the seals to the trumpets to the bowls, the judgments increase in their intensity. Note also that the trumpet and the bowl judgments touch on the same areas, as the following summary illustrates:
The Trumpets
The Judgment
The Bowls
The earth
The sea
The rivers
The heavens
Mankind—torment
An army
Angry nations
The trumpet judgments are released during the first half of the Tribulation, and the bowl judgments during the last half, which is also called “the wrath of God” (; ). The trumpet judgments parallel the plagues that God sent on the land of Egypt. And why not? After all, the whole world will be saying, as did Pharaoh, “Who is the Lord that we should serve Him?”
The opening of the seventh seal, and the blowing of the first six trumpets, brought about three dramatic results.
This preparation involves two factors: silence () and supplication ().
The hosts in heaven had just worshiped the Father and the Lamb with a tremendous volume of praise (). But when the Lamb opened the seventh seal, heaven was silent for about thirty minutes. John does not tell us what caused the silence, but several possibilities exist. The scroll had now been opened completely, and perhaps even turned over; and all of heaven could see God’s glorious plan unfolding. Perhaps the heavenly hosts were simply awestruck at what they saw.
Certainly, this silence was “the lull before the storm,” for God’s intensified judgments were about to be hurled to the earth. “Hold thy peace at the presence of the Lord God: for the day of the Lord is at hand” (; note also vv. , especially v. , “A day of the trumpet”). “Be silent, O all flesh, before the Lord: for He is raised up out of His holy habitation” (). “The Lord is in His holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before Him” ().
During this silence, the seven angels were given trumpets, significant to John, because he was a Jew and understood the place of trumpets in Israel’s national life. According to Numbers 10, trumpets had three important uses: they called the people together (); they announced war (); and they announced special times (). The trumpet sounded at Mount Sinai when the Law was given (), and trumpets were blown when the king was anointed and enthroned (, ). Of course, everyone familiar with the Old Testament would remember the trumpets at the conquest of Jericho ().
The voice of the Lord Jesus Christ sounded to John like a trumpet (). The voice of a trumpet summoned John to heaven (), and some relate this to the promise of the Rapture of the church given in . Sounding seven trumpets certainly would announce a declaration of war, as well as the fact that God’s anointed King was enthroned in glory and about to judge His enemies (). As trumpets declared defeat to Jericho, they will ultimately bring defeat to Babylon.
The awesome silence was followed by the actions of a special angel at the golden altar in heaven (see ; ; ). In the tabernacle and temple, the golden altar stood before the veil and was used for burning incense (). This was the ministry Zacharias was performing when the angel told him that he and Elizabeth would have a son (). Burning incense on this altar was a picture of prayer ascending to God ().
The “prayers of the saints” () are not the prayers of a special group of people in heaven who have arrived at “sainthood.” To begin with, all God’s children are saints—set apart for God—through faith in Jesus Christ (; , ; ). And there is no definite teaching in the Scriptures that people in heaven pray for believers on earth, or that we can direct our prayers to God through them. We pray to the Father through the Son, for He alone is worthy (). For centuries, God’s people have been praying, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done!” and now those prayers are about to be answered. Likewise, the Tribulation martyrs prayed for God to vindicate them (), a common plea of David in the Psalms (see Pss. 7; 26; 35; 52; 55; and 58 for example). These “imprecatory psalms” are not expressions of selfish personal vengeance, but rather cries for God to uphold His holy Law and vindicate His people.
On the great Day of Atonement, the high priest would put incense on the coals in the censer and, with the blood of the sacrifice, enter the holy of holies (). But in this scene, the angel put the incense on the altar (presented the prayers before God) and then cast the coals from the altar to the earth! The parallel in Ezekiel 10 indicates that this symbolized God’s judgment; and the effects described in substantiate this view. A storm is about to begin! (see ; ; )
Like it or not, the prayers of God’s people are involved in the judgments that He sends. The throne and the altar are related. The purpose of prayer, it has often been said, is not to get man’s will done in heaven, but to get God’s will done on earth—even if that will involves judgment. True prayer is serious business, so we had better not move the altar too far from the throne!
The first four trumpet judgments are “natural” in that they affect the land, the saltwater, the fresh water, and the heavenly bodies. The fifth and sixth judgments involve the release of demonic forces that first torment, and then kill. The last of the trumpet judgments () creates a crisis among all the nations of the world.
Desolation on earth (v. ). “Hail and fire mingled with blood” reminds us of the seventh plague that God sent against Egypt (). The Prophet Joel also promised “blood and fire” in the last days (). Since this is a supernatural judgment, it is not necessary to try to explain how hail, fire, and blood become mingled. “Fire” could refer to the lightning of a severe electrical storm.
The target for this judgment is green vegetation, the trees and the grass, one third of which is burned up. One can well imagine how this would affect not only the balance of nature, but also the food supply. The Greek word for trees usually means “fruit trees”; and the destruction of pasture lands would devastate the meat and milk industries.
Desolation in the seas (vv. ). Turning water into blood reminds us of the first Egyptian plague (). Note that John did not say that an actual burning mountain was cast out of heaven, but that the fiery object was like a great mountain. A triple judgment resulted: a third part of the saltwater turned to blood, a third part of the marine life died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. This will be an ecological and an economic disaster of unprecedented proportions.
Considering that the oceans occupy about three fourths of the earth’s surface, you can imagine the extent of this judgment. The pollution of the water and the death of so many creatures would greatly affect the balance of life in the oceans, and this would undoubtedly lead to further insoluble problems. As of January 1, 1981 there were 24,867 ocean-going merchant ships registered. Imagine the shock waves that would hit the shipping industry if 8,289 valuable ships were suddenly destroyed! And what about their cargoes!
Some interpreters take “the sea” to mean the Mediterranean Sea. However, this would make a relatively small impact on the world, since the Mediterranean covers only 969,100 square miles and averages just 5,000 feet deep. It is likely that all the major bodies of saltwater are included in this judgment.
Desolation in the fresh water (vv. ). God’s wrath next reaches inland and touches the rivers and fountains of water (wells and sources of the rivers), making the fresh water taste bitter like wormwood. The National Geographic Society lists about 100 principal rivers in the world, ranging in length from the Amazon (4,000 miles long) to the Rio de la Plata (150 miles long). The U.S. Geological Survey reports thirty large rivers in the United States, beginning with the mighty Mississippi (3,710 miles long). One third of these rivers, and their sources, will become so bitterly polluted that drinking their water could produce death.
God has His stars numbered and named (). It is likely that this fallen star is molten and that, as it nears the earth, it begins to disintegrate and fall into the various bodies of water. If a star actually struck the earth, our globe would be destroyed; so this star must “come apart” as it enters the atmosphere. Of course, this event is a divinely controlled judgment; therefore, we must not try to limit it by the known laws of science.
The word translated “wormwood” gives us our English word absinthe, which is a popular liqueur in some countries of the world. The word means “undrinkable,” and in the Old Testament was synonymous with sorrow and great calamity. Jeremiah, “the Weeping Prophet,” often used it (; ; , ), and so did Amos (, “those who turn justice into wormwood,” NASB). Moses warned that idolatry would bring sorrow to Israel, like a root producing wormwood (). Solomon warned that immorality might seem pleasant, but in the end, it produces bitterness like wormwood ().
If the people who drink from these waters are in danger of dying, what must happen to the fish and other creatures that live in these waters? And what would happen to the vegetation near these rivers? If the ecologists are worried about the deadly consequences of water pollution today, what will they think when the third trumpet blows?
There is no direct parallel here to any of the plagues of Egypt. However, after the Exodus, Israel encountered bitter waters at Marah (which means “bitter”) and Moses had to purify the water supply (). But no supernatural purification will be available during the Tribulation.
Desolation in the heavens (vv. ). The judgments from the first three trumpets affected only a third part of the land and waters, but this fourth judgment affects the entire world. Why? Because it gets to the very source of the earth’s life and energy, the sun. With one third less sunlight on the earth, there will be one third less energy available to support the life systems of man and nature.
This judgment parallels the ninth plague in Egypt (), which lasted three days. “The Day of the Lord is darkness, and not light” (). Think of the vast changes in temperatures that will occur and how these will affect human health and food growth.
It is possible that this particular judgment is temporary, for the fourth bowl judgment will reverse it, and the sun’s power will be intensified (). Then, at the close of the Tribulation, the sun and moon will be darkened again to announce the Saviour’s return (; see also ).
“Blow ye the trumpet in Zion,” said the Prophet Joel, “for the Day of the Lord cometh … a day of darkness and of gloominess” (). Darkness, indeed! Not only will nature suffer loss, but human nature will take advantage of the long darkness and no doubt indulge in crime and wickedness. “Everyone that doeth evil hateth the light” ().
At this point, a remarkable messenger will appear in the sky, proclaiming woe to the earth’s inhabitants. Most manuscripts have “eagle” here instead of “angel,” but either one would certainly get people’s attention! Could this be the eaglelike living creature that John saw worshiping before the throne? () Will God send it on this special mission? We cannot say for sure, but it is a possibility.
The three “woes” in refer to the judgments yet to come when the remaining three angels blow their trumpets. It is as though the messenger cried, “If you think this has been terrible, just wait! The worst is yet to come!”
The phrase “inhabiters of the earth” (or “them that dwell on the earth”) is found twelve times in Revelation (; ; ; [twice]; ; , , ; ; , ). It means much more than “people who live on the earth,” for that is where all living people reside. Instead, it refers to a kind of people: those who live for the earth and the things of the earth. These are just the opposite of people who have their citizenship in heaven (). John described this worldly sort well in his first epistle (), and later in this prophecy he again makes it clear that “earth-dwellers” are not born again ().
At the beginning of human history, heaven and earth were united because our first parents honored God and obeyed His will. Satan tempted them to focus on the earth; they disobeyed God; and ever since, a great gulf has been fixed between heaven and earth. This chasm was bridged when the Son of God came to earth and died for the sins of the world.
The late Dr. Wilbur M. Smith, who made the Book of Revelation his special study, once wrote: “It is probable that, apart from the exact identification of Babylon in Revelation 17 and 18, the meaning of the two judgments in this chapter represents the most difficult major problem in the Revelation” (Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p. 1509). Revelation 9 describes two frightening armies that are liberated at just the right time and permitted to judge mankind.
The army from the pit (vv. ). The “bottomless pit” is literally “the pit of the abyss.” Luke makes it clear that this “pit” is the abode of the demons (), and John states that Satan will be temporarily “jailed” there during our Lord’s reign on the earth (). The Antichrist (i.e., “the beast”) will ascend out of this pit (; ). It is not the lake of fire, for that is the final “prison” for Satan and all who follow him (), but part of that hidden underworld under the Lord’s authority. Today, the fearsome army described here is already incarcerated, waiting for the hour of liberation.
This fallen star is a person, the king over the beings in the pit (). He does not have complete authority, for the key to the pit had to be given to him before he could loose his army. This “star” is probably Satan and the army, his demons (). One of the names for Satan is Lucifer, which means “brightness”; he also is compared to the “morning star” (). Jesus said to His disciples, “I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven” ().
When the pit was opened, smoke emerged as though the door of a furnace had been loosened. Jesus compared hell to a furnace of fire (, ), an image that ought to make people stop and think before they jest about it. The smoke polluted the air and darkened the sun, which had already been darkened when the fourth trumpet sounded.
But it is what came out of the smoke that truly terrorized mankind: an army of demons, compared to locusts. The eighth plague in Egypt was a devastating swarm of locusts (). People who have never encountered these insects have little idea of the damage they can do. When God wanted to judge His people, He would sometimes send locusts to devour the harvests (, ; Joel 2).
These are not literal locusts, because locusts do not have scorpionlike stings in their tails. These creatures do not devour the green vegetation; in fact, they are prohibited from doing so. This demonic army is given the assignment of tormenting all who have not been protected by the seal of God. The 144,000 men from the tribes of Israel would therefore escape this painful judgment (). In fact, it is likely that all who have trusted the Lord will be sealed in some special way and protected from torment.
The normal lifespan of the locust is about five months (May to September), and this is the length of time that the judgment will last. These demons will sting people and thus create such pain that their victims will actually want to die, but death will flee from them ().
Reading the detailed description of these creatures, we realize that John is not writing about ordinary locusts. Yet, despite its obvious symbolism, it aptly portrays a powerful enemy armed for battle. With bodies like horses but faces like men, the demons’ heads are crowned and covered with long hair. They have teeth like those of lions, and their skin is like a coat of mail. When they fly, the noise is like an army of chariots rushing by. It is unnecessary to try to “spiritualize” these symbols, or to interpret them in light of modern means of warfare. John is heaping image upon image to force us to feel the horror of this judgment.
Real locusts do not have a king (), but this army follows the rule of Satan, the angel of the bottomless pit. His name is “Destroyer.” “The thief [Satan] cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (). Real locusts are pervasive destroyers, but this army only tortures those who do not belong to the Lord.
As God’s people, we can be thankful that Jesus Christ holds the keys of hell and death () and exercises divine authority even over Satan. God has His timetable for all these events, and nothing will happen too soon or too late (; note also ).
The army from the east (vv. ). It was at the golden altar of incense that the angel offered the prayers of the saints (); now from this same altar a voice speaks, commanding that four angels be loosed. These angels are apparently wicked, because no holy angel would be bound. Each angel is in charge of part of the vast army that follows them at their liberation, an army of 200 million beings! The army is released at a precise time, for a special purpose: to kill (not just torment) a third of the world’s population. Since a fourth of mankind has already been killed (), this means that half of the world’s population will be dead by the time the sixth trumpet judgment is completed.
Are we to identify this as a literal army of men, moving in conquest across the globe? Probably not. For one thing, the emphasis in this paragraph is not on the riders, but on the horses. The description cannot fit war-horses as we know them or, for that matter, modern warfare equipment, such as tanks. To assert that this is a literal army, and to point to some nation (such as China) that claims to have 200 million soldiers, is to miss the message John is seeking to convey.
The deadly power of these horses is in their mouths and tails, not in their legs. Fire, smoke, and brimstone issue from their mouths, and their tails are like biting serpents. They can attack men from the front as well as from the rear.
I take it that this is another demonic army, headed by four fallen angels; and that all of them are today bound by the Lord, unable to act until God gives them permission. Why they are bound at the Euphrates River is not explained, though that area is the cradle of civilization (), not to mention one of the boundaries for Israel ().
One would think that the combination of five months of torment and then death (from fire, smoke, and brimstone) would bring men and women to their knees in repentance; but such is not the case. These judgments are not remedial but retributive: God is upholding His holy Law and vindicating His suffering people (see ). Even a casual reading of reveals the awful wickedness of mankind, even in the midst of God’s judgments. The most frightening thing about Revelation 9 is not the judgments that God sends but the sins that men persist in committing even while God is judging them.
Consider the sins that men and women will be committing:
Demon worship, which goes hand-in-hand with idolatry (see ), will be the leading sin. Satan will be at work (always under the permissive will of God), and Satan has always wanted to be worshiped (; ). A great deal of “religion” will be practiced at this time, but it will be false religion. People will worship the works of their own hands, which could well include the buildings they construct, the machines they make, and the cities they build, as well as their idols.
Here are dead sinners worshiping dead gods! (see Ps. 115) Their gods will not be able to protect or deliver them, yet these people will continue to reject the true God and worship Satan and idols!
Murder and theft will also be rife in those days. So will various kinds of sexual immorality. The word translated “sorcery” is the Greek word pharmakia, which means “the use of drugs.” Drugs are often used in pagan religious rites and demon worship. As we see the expansion of today’s “drug culture,” we have no problem envisioning a whole society given over to these demonic practices.
Mankind will be breaking the first two Mosaic commandments by making and worshiping idols. In their murders, they will violate the sixth commandment, and in their thefts, the eighth. By their fornication, they will break the seventh commandment. It will be an age of lawlessness with “every man doing that which is right in his own eyes” (see ).
But God is working out His plan; and neither the sins of mankind nor the schemes of Satan will hinder Him from accomplishing His will.
We have come now to the midpoint of the Tribulation (Rev. 10–14), a time during which some important events must take place. Thus far, we have covered about three-and-a-half years of this seven-year period (). During this time, Antichrist began his career as a peacemaker and a special friend to Israel; but now, his true character will be revealed. He will become a peace-breaker and a persecutor of the people of God.
Things will not look bright for God’s people during this middle stage of the prophetic journey, but they will still be overcomers through the power of the King of kings and Lord of lords!
Revelation 10–11
Revelation 10–14 describes the events that will occur at the middle of the seven-year Tribulation. This explains John’s repeated mention of the three-and-a-half-year time segment in one form or another (; , ; ). At the beginning of this period, the Antichrist began to make his conquest by promising to protect the Jews and assist in their rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. But after three-and-a-half-years, he will break his agreement, invade the temple, and begin to persecute the Jewish people.
However depressing the events of this middle segment of the Tribulation may be, God is not without His witness to the world. In Revelation 10–11 are three important testimonies: from a mighty angel (), from the two special witnesses (), and from the elders in heaven ().
The Testimony of the Mighty Angel ()
More than sixty references to angels are made in Revelation. They are God’s army sent to accomplish His purposes on earth. Believers today seldom think about these servants (), but one day in heaven we shall learn about all they did for us here.
The description of the angel (vv. ). This angel amazes us, for he has some of the characteristics that belong especially to the Lord Jesus Christ. John had seen and heard a “strong angel” (), and the same Greek word is here translated “mighty.” All angels excel in strength (), but apparently some have greater power and authority than others.
We first saw the rainbow around the throne of God (); now it sits like a crown on the head of this messenger. The rainbow was God’s sign to mankind that He would never again destroy the world with a flood. Even in wrath, God remembers His mercy (). Whoever this angel is, he has the authority of God’s throne given to him.
God is often identified with clouds. God led Israel by a glorious cloud (), and dark clouds covered Sinai when the Law was given (). When God appeared to Moses, it was in a cloud of glory (; ). “[He] maketh the clouds His chariot” (). A cloud received Jesus when He ascended to heaven (); and, when He returns, it will be with clouds ().
The fact that the angel’s face is “as the sun” corresponds to the description of Jesus Christ in ; his feet correspond to the Lord’s description in . His voice like a lion suggests . This being could well be our Lord Jesus Christ, appearing to John as a kingly angel. Jesus often appeared in the Old Testament as “the Angel of the Lord” (; ; , ; ). This was a temporary manifestation for a special purpose, not a permanent incarnation.
Two other characteristics would suggest identifying the angel as Jesus Christ: the book in his hand and the awesome posture that he assumed. The little book contains the rest of the prophetic message that John will deliver. Since our Lord was the only One worthy to take the scroll and break the seals (), it might well be concluded that He is the only One worthy to give His servant the rest of the message.
The angel’s posture is that of a conqueror taking possession of his territory. He is claiming the whole world (see ). Of course, only the victorious Saviour could make such a claim. The Antichrist will soon complete his conquest and force the whole world to submit to his control. But before that happens, the Saviour will claim the world for Himself, the inheritance that His Father promised Him (). Satan roars like a lion to frighten his prey (), but the Lion of Judah roars to announce victory (see ; ).
We are not told why John was forbidden to write what the seven thunders uttered, the only “sealed” thing in an otherwise “unsealed” book (see ; ). God’s voice is often compared to thunder (Ps. 29; ; ; ). It is useless for us to speculate when God chooses to veil His truth ().
The declaration of the angel (vv. ). This declaration fills us with awe, not only because of what the angel declares, but also because of the way he declares it. It is a solemn scene, with his hand lifted to heaven as though he were under oath.
But if this angel is our Lord Jesus Christ, why would He take an oath? In order to affirm the solemnity and certainty of the words spoken. God put Himself “under oath” when He made His covenant with Abraham () and when He declared His Son to be High Priest (). He also took an oath when He promised David that the Christ would come from his family ().
The emphasis in is on God the Creator. Various judgments have already been felt by the heavens, the earth, and the sea; and more judgments are to come. The word that is translated “time” actually means “delay.” God has been delaying His judgments so that lost sinners will have time to repent (); now, however, He will accelerate His judgments and accomplish His purposes.
Recall that the martyred saints in heaven were concerned about God’s seeming delay in avenging their deaths (). “How long, O Lord, how long?” has been the cry of God’s suffering people from age to age. God’s seeming delay in fulfilling His promises has given the scoffers opportunity to deny God’s Word and question His sincerity (see 2 Peter 3). God’s Word is true and His timing, perfect. This means comfort to saints—but judgment to sinners.
In the Bible, a mystery is a “sacred secret,” a truth hidden to those outside but revealed to God’s people by His Word (). The “mystery of God” has to do with the age-old problem of evil in the world. Why is there both moral and natural evil in the world? Why doesn’t God do something about it? Of course, the Christian knows that God did “do something about it” at Calvary when Jesus Christ was made sin and experienced divine wrath for a sinful world. We also know that God is permitting evil to increase until the world is ripe for judgment (; ). Since God has already paid the price for sin, He is free to delay His judgment, and He cannot be accused of injustice or unconcern.
The signal for this mystery’s completion is the sounding of the seventh trumpet (). The last half of the Tribulation begins when the angels start to pour out the bowls, in which “is filled up [completed] the wrath of God” ().
The directions that the angel gave to John () should remind us of our responsibility to assimilate the Word of God and make it a part of the inner man. It was not enough for John to see the book or even know its contents and purpose. He had to receive it into his inner being.
God’s Word is compared to food: bread (), milk (), meat (), and honey (). The Prophets Jeremiah () and Ezekiel (Ezek. 2:9–3:4) knew what it was to “eat” the Word before they could share it with others. The Word must always “become flesh” () before it can be given to those who need it. Woe unto that preacher or teacher who merely echoes God’s Word and does not incarnate it, making it a living part of his very being.
God will not thrust His Word into our mouths and force us to receive it. He hands it to us and we must take it. Nor can He change the effects the Word will have in our lives: there will be both sorrow and joy, bitterness and sweetness. God’s Word contains sweet promises and assurances, but it also contains bitter warnings and prophecies of judgment. The Christian bears witness of both life and death (). The faithful minister will declare all of God’s counsel (). He will not dilute the message of God simply to please his listeners ().
The angel commissioned John to prophesy again; his work was not yet completed. He must declare God’s prophetic truth concerning (not “before”) many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings (). The word nations usually refers to the Gentile nations. John will have much to say about the nations of the world as he presents the rest of this prophecy.
The Testimony of the Two Witnesses ()
The ministry of the witnesses (vv. ). The place is Jerusalem and the time is the first half of the Tribulation. Israel is worshiping again at its restored temple, built under the protection of the Antichrist, whose true character has not yet been revealed. To spiritualize and make the temple refer to the church creates a number of serious problems. For one thing, how could John measure an invisible body of people, even if the church were still on earth? If the temple is the church, then who are the worshipers and what is the altar? And since the church unites Jews and Gentiles in one body (), why are the Gentiles segregated in this temple? It seems wisest to interpret this temple as an actual building in the holy city of Jerusalem (, ; ).
John’s measurement of the temple is a symbolic action. To measure something means to claim it for yourself. When we sold our house in Chicago, the new owners brought in an architect to measure various areas and recommend possible changes. Had the architect shown up previous to the buyers’ commitment, we would have thrown him out. The Lord was saying through John, “I own this city and this temple, and I claim both for Myself!” The Old Testament background is found in Ezekiel 40–41 and .
What John did was especially significant because the Gentiles had taken over Jerusalem. Antichrist had broken his agreement with Israel () and now he was about to use the temple for his own diabolical purposes (). All of this will be elaborated in Revelation 13. “Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles,” said Jesus, “until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled” (). The “times of the Gentiles” began in 606 B.C. when Babylon began to devastate Judah and Jerusalem, and it will continue until Jesus Christ returns to deliver the Holy City and redeem Israel (Zech. 14).
Note that the two witnesses minister during the first half of the Tribulation (; 1,260 days). Jerusalem is then overrun by the Gentiles for forty-two months, the last half of the Tribulation.
Their witness is related to Israel and the temple. How tragic that the power of God and the Word of God will be outside the temple and not within as in former ages. Like the temple that Jesus left, this new house will be desolate (see ). These two men are specifically called prophets (, ), and I take this to mean prophetic ministry in the Old Testament sense, calling the nations to repent and return to the true God of Israel.
Not only do these witnesses declare God’s words, but they also do God’s works and perform miracles of judgment, reminding us of both Moses and Elijah (; ; ). Some students cite as evidence that one of the witnesses may be Elijah, but Jesus applied that prophecy to John the Baptist (). John the Baptist, however, denied that he was Elijah returned to earth (, ; see also ). This confusion may be explained in part by realizing that throughout Israel’s history, God sent special messengers—“Elijahs”—to call His people to repentance; so in this sense, Malachi’s prophecy will be fulfilled by the witnesses.
Instead of relating the ministry of the witnesses to Moses and Elijah, the angel who spoke to John connected their ministry with Zerubbabel and Joshua the high priest (Zech. 4). These two men helped to reestablish Israel in Palestine and to rebuild the temple. It was a discouraging task, and the Gentiles made it even more difficult; but God provided the special power they needed to get the work done. This truth is an encouragement to God’s servants in all ages, for the work of the Lord is never easy.
The martyrdom of the witnesses (vv. ). This comes only when they have finished their testimony. God’s obedient servants are immortal until their work is done. “The beast” (Antichrist) is now in power and wants to take over the temple; but he cannot succeed until the two witnesses are out of the way. God will permit him to slay them, for no one will be able to make war against “the beast” and win ().
The witnesses will not even be permitted decent burial (see ). But even this indecency will be used by God to bear witness to mankind. No doubt the TV cameras in Jerusalem will transmit the scene to people around the world, and the news analysts will discuss its significance. The earth-dwellers will rejoice at their enemies’ removal and will celebrate a “satanic Christmas” by sending gifts to one another. It thus would appear that the power of the two witnesses will not be limited to Jerusalem, but that they will be able to cause things to happen in other parts of the world.
These two prophets will definitely have a relationship with Israel; and the world, for the most part, has not approved of the nation Israel. In the middle of the Tribulation, “the beast” will turn against Israel and begin to persecute the Jews. The two witnesses will not be around to protect the nation and a frightening anti-Semitic movement will ensue.
Jerusalem is called a “great city” (); and from a human viewpoint, this is a true statement. But God looks at men and nations from a spiritual viewpoint. To Him, Jerusalem will be considered as polluted and worldly as Sodom and as rebellious and proud as Egypt.
The resurrection of the witnesses (vv. ). Miraculously, the two witnesses are not only raised from the dead, but caught up into heaven! God rescues them from their enemies and gives a solemn witness to the watching world. The world’s great joy suddenly becomes great fear. (Note the word great in Rev. 11, repeated eight times.)
Are we to interpret the three-and-a-half days literally? Or does the phrase simply mean “after a short time”? It seems too specific to mean that. Does it symbolize a longer period, say three-and-a-half years? It is not likely that two dead bodies would be kept lying in a city street for more than three years. Perhaps this is a picture of a rapture of all the saints in the midst of the Tribulation, and the three-and-a-half years covers the first half of the period. If so, then what is symbolized by the death of the two witnesses? This interpretation solves one problem only to create another.
These days appear to be literal days, just as the forty-two months in are literal months. The Bible does not explain why this length of time was chosen and it is useless for us to speculate.
Our Lord’s friends watched Him ascend to heaven (), but the witnesses’ enemies will see them resurrected and will be shaken with fear. Their fear will increase when a great earthquake occurs, killing 7,000 men and destroying a tenth part of Jerusalem. A great earthquake occurred when the sixth seal was opened (), and there will be a greater one when the seventh vial is poured out ().