December 22, 2016
John’s prophecy tells of a figure that will recover from a “mortal wound” (Rev. 13:3), that will unite the world in worshiping him. This individual is sometimes called the Beast or the Antichrist. He is a counterfeit christ sent by Satan to deceive the world during the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation. Yet, those whose names are written in the Lamb’s “Book of Life” will not worship him, for they know and follow the true Christ. How do you keep from being deceived by a counterfeit? By knowing and believing in the genuine article.
December 20, 2016
Who are these two “prophets” (witnesses)? As a rule, the Old Testament is best understood through the lens of the New Testament. But an understanding of the book of Revelation often requires a reversal of this approach, as it is filled with Old Testament imagery and reference. The description of the “two prophets” is a clear allusion to the “two olive trees” found in Zechariah 4. There, the angel told Zechariah that these two are “the anointed ones who stand beside the Lord of the whole earth” (Zech. 4:14). Those with a historical view of Revelation have named various heroes of the faith in the early church as the identity of the two witnesses. But holding to a futurist view of Revelation, I believe that these two witnesses are yet to come. Their identity is not named, yet their description brings to mind the ministries of Moses and Elijah. Certainly, they are the two who stood with the Lord on the Mount of Transfiguration. Perhaps, they will be the ones who stand for Him again in the future at the end of days.
December 18, 2016
Six of the seven trumpets have been blown, yet humanity “did not repent.” If God’s singular purpose during the Great Tribulation would be to judge humanity’s sin, then a single, swift flood like in the days of Noah would suffice. But God’s activity is aimed at repentance. He wants to bring the remnant of His people to repentance and saving faith. The means may seem harsh, but they reveal the depth of sin bound up in human hearts. Even after six trumpets of judgment, the “rest of mankind” continues wallowing in sin and false worship. The horror of this segment of Revelation is not God’s judgments, but humanity’s lack of repentance.
December 17, 2016
Seven is a significant number in the Bible. The Bible opens in Genesis with the seven days of creation and it begins to draw to a close with the seven trumpets of judgment in Revelation. The number seven signifies completion. The apostle John wrote of seven signs and seven “I AM” statements in his gospel, and in his vision on the Isle of Patmos he was commissioned to write to seven churches, symbolized by seven lampstands. He saw seven stars, seven seals, seven vials, seven plagues… and here, he saw “seven angels” who were given “seven trumpets.” The trumpet is a unique instrument, sounding a loud, piercing tone that demands attention. It is a symbol of considerable consequence in the Bible. It was used to sound an alarm of war, a call to assemble, or a command to march. Yet here, it announces the release of seven plagues or judgments upon the earth. These seven trumpets are not blown simultaneously, but sequentially, giving fallen humanity time to repent, just as the ten plagues of Egypt were given in ever-increasing sequence to call Pharaoh to repentance. This Day when the seven angels will be given seven trumpets has not yet come. It is still future. It stands as both a prophetic warning to sinners and a promise to the saints, whose prayers ever rise like “incense” (Rev. 8:3-4) before God’s heavenly throne.
December 12, 2016
“You are lukewarm!” These words were given by Jesus to the apostle John to pass on to the church at Laodicea. The ruins of this ancient city are located in the Western part of modern day Turkey. It’s geographic location gives insight to the words of Jesus. Located in the fertile Lycus valley between the cities of Colossae and Hierapolis, the wealthy city of Laodicea was the financial headquarters for the whole area and the political center for the district. Yet, the city was dependent on external sources for water. The Laodiceans built aqueducts to carry water from the nearby hot springs at Hierapolis and the refreshing cold waters at Colossae, but by the time the water arrived at Laodicea it was “lukewarm.” The water from the hot springs of Hierapolis was known for its therapeutic value and the ice cold waters of Colossae, for its refreshing taste for drinking. But the water at Laodicea was good for neither. So, what was Jesus saying to the church at Laodicea when He accused them of being “lukewarm?” He was telling them that their works were useless, good for nothing, because they lacked spiritual power. This was not about their salvation, as some have suggested, but about their lack of spiritual zeal. They were depending on their own wealth and power to live. They thought themselves “rich,” but Jesus called them “poor” (Rev.3:17). A church that depends on worldly wealth and influence, rather than the Spirit’s power, is at risk of being “spit out” of Christ’s mouth! Today, there is no church nor city in Laodicea, only ruins.
December 30, 2015
John saw a city of pure gold “descending out of heaven from God.” This city is the New Jerusalem, a city not made by human hands (2 Cor. 5:1). This city is the Church, the Bride of the Lamb come down from heaven to a new earth. This is the “Father’s house” where Jesus ascended to “prepare a place for us” (John 14:2-3). There will be no “death, sorrow, nor crying” from pain in this city, for God will “wipe away every tear” and “make all things new.” The eternal destiny for those who believe in Jesus is not an existence on some immaterial, ethereal plane, but one where believers with resurrected, glorified bodies may dwell. It is a city prepared for those whose name is written in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.”
December 28, 2015
The angel instructed John to write concerning the “blessing” that awaited those who responded to the invitation to attend the Lamb’s wedding supper. This “Lamb” is Christ and the bride is the church (Eph. 5:32). The word translated “called” is a Greek perfect passive participle, which literally means, “having been called/invited.” In other words, the invitations have already gone out and only those who “RSVP’d” their attendance will be present. Not everyone will respond to this invitation in the positive and having sent their “regrets,” they will not “taste” (Luke 14:24) of this blessed banquet. Have you responded to Christ’s wedding invitation yet?
December 27, 2015
John saw a vision of Babylon’s fall. Surely this was symbolic of a future event, since it had fallen to the Persians 500 years before John wrote. The vision described the fall of Babylon as affecting the world’s economic system. The fall was to take place in less than an hour. Cities don’t usually fall in one hour, but the modern economy can crash in minutes. We might take this as a warning to “come out” of dependence on the world’s economy and instead put our dependence on God. Be careful about being caught up in the idolatry of materialism and greed. Instead, “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven” (Matt. 6:20). How do we “come out” of Babylon and “lay up” wealth in heaven? Decide to live on less, so you can give more. It is through giving that we invest in heaven.
December 21, 2015
Here’s a passage that I’ve never seen on a Christmas card. Yet, when John the Revelator was caught up into heaven, he saw the birth of Christ from heaven’s perspective. Who is the woman? It’s not Mary nor the Church, but Israel (See Joseph’s dream in Gen. 37:9. The sun and moon are his parents and the stars, his brothers. This describes Jacob/Israel and his wife and 12 sons). Remember, those that would understand the book of Revelation, must first recognize its Old Testament imagery. Revelation is the last book of the Bible for a reason. We need to read and seek to understand the first 65 books before trying to grasp the last one. John’s revelation reminds us that the first Christmas was a cosmic event, filled with spiritual warfare and drama. His book pulls back the curtain of heaven and lets us see Christmas from God’s perspective.
December 12, 2015
The letter to the church of Philadelphia is the only one of the seven that contained a commendation without any correction from Jesus. This little church was in the smallest of the seven cities addressed in Revelation. It didn’t have the population nor resources of the churches in the larger cities, but it did have spiritual power (“a little strength”), a commitment to God’s Word (“kept my word”), and Christ-centered faith (“not denied My name”). Jesus not only commended them, He gave them an “open door” of ministry effectiveness, so that the gospel went out from this little church to the surrounding world for centuries. God loves to do big things with little people.