Revelation 7:9-12 Two more stanzas of worship before the throne

Revelation 7:9-12 the scene shifts back to worship before the throne of God in heaven another two stanzas are being sung in this worship service. First an uncountable and ethnically diverse multitude sing. The emphasis is that every people group of mankind is represented here.

Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.

Then the angels and the four living creatures sing.

Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen

Why would they sing that salvation belongs to God and the Lamb? Certainly they must be saying that their salvation is entirely due to Them. The multitude is giving God and the Lamb due credit for saving them. And then the angels and four living creatures recap Rev. 5:12. 

Revelation 7:1-8 144,000 are sealed

Evidently not all believers have been killed at this point. The angels restrain the winds, which would certainly wreak havoc on the earth's climate, although unbelievers would attribute it to anthropogenic global climate change. But further damage to the earth is withheld until the angels with the seal of the living God marks the believers with a seal. What is this seal and what is its significance? Sphragisoman simply means to close or cover up with a seal. 2 Cor 1:22 and Eph 1:13 suggest that this is the Holy Spirit. However since Paul made it clear the believers were already sealed in this way (past tense) this hold on the next phase implies these are new believers, not previously sealed. Perhaps these are Jews who did not previously believe in Jesus, and now are brought to faith in Him, either through the evidence of the preceding events, or through the direct unction of the Holy Spirit on their lives. 

          What does this seal do? The context suggests that the Holy Spirit will protect those sealed from the consequences of the things that God is about to do to the earth. How is this possible? There is certainly no limit to the ability of God to bring cataclysm and yet protect individuals. (Psalm 91:5-10) Perhaps the most straightforward understanding of this passage is that the seal of the Holy Spirit signifies the immersion of these individuals into the Holy Spirit so that they will qualify for this protection. (Psalm 91:1-2) 

          The identification of the 144,000 seems unambiguous in declaring that these are Jews by descent from the original tribes of Israel, although Ephraim appears to have been renamed for his father Joseph.  The only catch is to identify people by tribe in the modern era. But this is not a problem for God. These 144,000 have been uniquely selected by God to be His witnesses on earth during the end times, after the evil on earth thinks they have exterminated all testimony to Jesus by martyring all of those who name His name. And these 144,000 will stand with the unique qualification that the coming judgments from the hand of God will not affect them because they are sealed to God. 

Revelation 6:7-17 Three more judgments

•    Revelation 6:7-8 Opening the fourth seal releases an invitation to death and the grave who are given permission to take a quarter of humankind. There are four avenues of death. The first two are directly related to the previous scourges, war and food scarcity. Epidemics are not previously mentioned, but have been a staple of mankind throughout recorded history. It is only in the last century or so that modern medicine has managed to contain the most deadly plagues. And there are some latent diseases that if became widespread would be terrifyingly deadly. Examples include Ebola, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis C, dengue hemorrhagic fever, Yellow fever, Plague, Cholera, Meningococcal disease, Influenza, African trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis and leishmania/HIV co-infection. Reasons for potentially devastating plagues include modern transportation and migration mobility, and increasingly resistant strains of these diseases. The fourth avenue of death seems unimportant in the modern world. It is hard to see how wild animals could become a major cause of death, since many deadly predators are endangered or approaching extinction. Perhaps this remains to be revealed as the time draws near.

•    Revelation 6:9-11 The fifth seal is a change in direction. The righteous who were slain cry out to God for justice. There is no immediate consequence of this plea to those on the earth; the ominous dread of judgment hangs over their head. (Luke 18:2-8) This is articulated in Rev. 6:17. The white robes are explained in Rev. 7:14. They are given rest until the folly of man has been consummated , that all those who stand for Jesus are killed.

•    Revelation 6:12-17 The sixth seal appears to usher in a thermonuclear war. At least, the events are entirely consistent with it. Granted, this could be a direct judgment of God, but that seems out of place considering that the martyrs had just been told to wait for justice. Immediately after this catastrophic event, everyone on earth, from the highest to the lowest, expresses a terrified fear of certain judgment. Building bomb shelters might provide some protection from nuclear blasts, if they aren't too close, but who can hide from God or His wrath?

Revelation 6:1-6 Three seals are opened, three judgments

Revelation 6:1-17 The seals on the book are now opened. In quick succession the first six seals are opened. The seventh seal is deferred (Rev 8). There seems to be a difference in type between the seal judgments and the trumpet and bowl judgments that come later. The seals being broken seem to imply the release of the consequences of sin. In God's great grace, the book of redemption protected humankind from the fruit of its folly. As God has unsuccessfully pleaded with mankind to forsake sin and worship and follow Him, He now lets it have its way.

          God is fair, and this dynamic plays itself out in every human life. God reveals His glory. The wondrous plan of redemption is laid out, and the choice is open. Whatever individual does not join God at that time, He begins to allow that person to experience the consequences of their sin, in hope that they will repent, or change their mind. And this plays itself out throughout our life as He does not give up until it is time for the final judgment.

          We see six seals opened. The events following are eclectic, but strike at all areas of human endeavor.

•    Revelation 6:1-2 The first seal results in a conqueror going forth on a white horse. One of the living creatures says, "Come," which suggests the divine permission that comes from opening the first seal. Later we shall see Jesus and His armies riding white horses (Rev 19:11-14), but this is not Jesus. The symbolism might be taken to suggest that this conqueror pretends to be righteous, the good guy, as in human culture the man on the white horse often stands for the hero who comes and rescues the afflicted and distressed. All of the great wars of human history have been led by leaders claiming to be great deliverers for their people, or to have, at the very least, a moral justification for conquest. Whether one is looking at Alexander the Great, Attila the Hun, the Crusades, or Adolph Hitler, the facade is the same, and the outcome is always misery for humankind.

•    Revelation 6:3-4 The second seal with the second "Come" implies divine permission for the red horse and its rider to take peace from the earth. This implies that the first conqueror had successfully conquered without bloody wars. Perhaps as Hitler successfully occupied the Rhineland, annexed Austria, the Sudetenland, and Czechoslovakia without significant battles. War really began in earnest when German armies attacked Poland, which refused to submit to German annexation. This passage suggests that a different conqueror will go out but his conquests will come with much bloodshed.  A great sword suggests a lot of killing.

•    Revelation 6:5-6 The third seal and the subsequent invitation brings an even larger disaster. Scales suggest commerce, and the voice from the center of the four living creatures suggests price fixing, or perhaps simply ruinously high prices for basic necessities, although luxuries like wine and oil are unaffected. Whether these high prices are the result of climatological catastrophes like drought, or economic catastrophes produced by terrible economic policies is probably less important. Global climate change could turn vast fields of crops into desert. Or governmental economic folly could simply destroy the market and the productivity of individuals, as for example, through collectivization of farms, or confiscatory taxation or inflation. Why the voice that suggests divine pricing?  Perhaps it is merely an artifice of drama, or perhaps it suggests that God, who had so frequently provided generously for those who acknowledge Him, simply turns the tables and allows the original curse (Genesis 3:17-19) to fall unchecked on the ground.

At this point we need to catch our breath. We don't know over what time period these events occur. But the question we want to ponder is what this means for God's dealing with individuals before the end times. For the person to whom God has invited and been spurned, He now begins a process of revealing what that decision really results in. First, the individual appears to have great success, in almost effortless success in their life. The next step is that is real damage in the process of pursuing their life, in the cost to others ... injured or ruined lives, betrayal, and so forth. Then there is economic hardship; it isn't going as planned and economic survival is at risk. There is no statement that economics or business are evil in and of themselves, but pursued apart from relationship with God, they are cursed, in the same sense that Adam's farming was in Genesis 3. And this is the curse, that on our own we are just not savvy enough to understand the spiritual dimensions of our endeavors, and they will ultimately fail. Ready to repent?

          In the four panel series of paintings titles the Voyage of Life, Thomas Cole depicts youth and manhood showing this dynamic. In youth, a young man sees a shining city in the distance and sets off in pursuit of it, evidently leaving his guardian angel behind. He is going on this quest on his own. In manhood, he is approaching rapids and is fervently praying, while an angel is observing from a distance. Perhaps he has reached the point of repentance as he is encountering the reality of life on his own terms.

Revelation 5:11-14 Every created thing joins in worship

Revelation 5:11-14 The song grows as the angels join in. This third declaration of the Lamb's worthiness ascribes seven dimensions of existence that the Lamb is worthy to receive. We might wonder - Jesus is already fully God, so how can He receive these things? Doesn't He already have them? The answer is, in the life of each individual, does Jesus have authority? Does He have our riches? Do we really believe He has wisdom for our life? Is He worthy to use force in our life as He sees fit? Do we truly honor Him? Do we truly give glory to Him? Do we truly bless Him? The angels, the seraphim, and the twenty four elders say that He is worthy of all these things.

          Then every created thing joins in this chorus, not to ascribe worthiness, but to respond to it. They yield to it, and give Him blessing, honor, glory, and power. This is voluntary submission, insofar as it affects their own existence and lifestyle.

          In our own life, it should be a natural response, once we recognize the worthiness of Jesus, to join in this chorus. Recapping Revelation 4-5, the theme is worship of God, and Jesus' worthiness to reign because of His completed work on Calvary, the redemption of humankind. We have seen seraphim, angel choirs, elders, and the redeemed of humanity. All sing the same song. We should sing with them.

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” Sung by the four living creatures. (Rev 4:8)

“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” Sung by the 24 elders. (Rev 4:11)

“Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth.” Sung by the four living creatures and the 24 elders together. (Rev 5:9-10)

“Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” Sung by the four living creatures and the 24 elders together with the angels. (Rev 5:12)

“To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” Sung by every living creature. (Rev 5:13

There are three "holy's" followed by three "worthy's". This is followed by every living creature, as far as it is in their power, blessing, honoring, glorifying, and ultimately submitting to the Father and the Son. 

Revelation 5:1-10 The Lamb is worth to open the book

Revelation 5:1-4 The book  and its seven seals are explained later on. In the theatre of heaven, the uniqueness of Jesus' qualification is emphasized by asking the question. One has to be worthy to break the seals and open this book. No man and no angel is worthy. John lamented much because of this.

Revelation 5:5-10 The  Lion of the tribe of Judah, who is also the Lamb who was slain, is worthy. Although He took the form of man, He is God. He has seven horns and seven eyes. When He takes the book, which only He can open, the four living creatures and twenty four elders break into a new song, explaining the reason for His worthiness.

          How is the Lion also a Lamb? The mixture of metaphors highlights the uniqueness of Christ. He is at the top of the food chain, but voluntarily chose to become the sacrifice lamb, prey for the evil that opposes God, because in doing so He could rescue mankind from the folly and the penalty of our sin. This is portrayed very well in the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, when Aslan explains why he will surrender to the witch, in order to rescue the traitor Edmund.

          What do seven horns and seven eyes symbolize? The seven spirits of God, discussed earlier, that are sent into all the earth. In this way, we see the unity of the Trinity. Horns typify authority, and eyes, as we saw earlier with the four living creatures, speak of seeing all that happens on the earth, everywhere, all the time.

          Having established the essential character and nature of this one who is uniquely worthy, John describes the act of His taking the book from the hand of God the Father.  This act triggers another stanza of worship, which focuses on the reason for the unique worthiness of the Lamb to take and unseal this book.

          When we later see the contents of this book, we may be puzzled by this reaction. For the book contains the terrifying judgments that will be poured out on the earth in preparation for the second coming of Christ to the earth. Why is the Lamb worthy to open it? It is because He was slain and purchased with His blood people from every part of humankind, to become a kingdom of priests to the one true God. Only He can compassionately administer the justice that God's holiness demands, so that if anyone can be rescued from the consequence and power of sin, it is He that can do it. And the people He has rescued will share in the administration of His kingdom because they have partaken of Him. So the book being opened imminently is cause for worship because it will bring this to pass upon the earth.

          The cost of the coming judgments in human terms will be staggering. The closest Old Testament parallel is recorded in Jeremiah and Ezekiel, in which chapter after chapter documents the outpouring of God's wrath on Jerusalem for the sins of Israel. Now this same wrath will be poured out on all mankind. But the elders and seraphim sing, celebrating the worthiness of the Lamb. No one sang when Jerusalem was destroyed, except Lamentation. The difference is that this judgment will prepare the way for the administration of God's kingdom on the earth. Jesus brought God's kingdom to the earth (Mark 1:15), but people could not see it (John 3:3-5). We must be born again to even see and recognizes it, but the worldly ways of mankind must be judged and removed in order for us to live it. The reign of the redeemed upon the earth is indeed cause for celebration.

          This dynamic is present in the life of each individual believer. We are so immersed in the world system that we have great difficulty in allowing our redeemed self actually rule in our own life. (Romans 7:14-25) God's judgment on the things in our life, those sinful and fleshly things in rebellion against the law of God, must be strong enough to destroy their power. In Christ, thru the power of the Holy Spirit, we are freed from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:2-4) But if we are unable to experience this freedom from sin in any other way, God's delivering grace is so intense that He will take care of this through a terrible and powerful judgment. Then we, too, will sing the song of the redeemed.

Revelation 4:5-11 Worthy are You, our Lord and our God

Revelation 4:5-11 This section describes John's vision of thunder and lightning, the seven spirits of God, a sea of glass, and the four living creatures. These can be compared to previous visions but the more important question is, what do all these things mean. We could simply accept them as being the way the throne of God is. But why would God reveal them to John? There must be significance for us to merit inclusion in Scripture.

          Thunder and lightning are natural phenomena that arise in storms due to differential electrical charging caused by updrafts and downdrafts and wind shear, in which electrical charges carried by water droplets are mechanically transported. When there is a strong enough electrical field created by this charge stratification, to exceed the breakdown field strength in air, there is a discharge. The phenomenon of lightning is particularly striking because the stroke travels via a detonation wave through the atmosphere. In this phenomenon, the field strength is almost but not quite at breakdown level along the path. At one point it is exceeded, triggering a spark. As this spark fires, it generates additional ions in a plasma, which has a lower breakdown strength and, at the same time, the equipotentials redistribute to make the field strength even stronger. This creates a channel for the continuation and strengthening of the spark until the full path between the separated charges has been bridged. At that point, the voltages and charges are equalized and the lightning bolt ends. This all takes place in milliseconds, giving observers the illusion that it is instantaneous. But it carries enormous power.

          What does thunder and lightning coming out from the throne of God signify? Certainly, power beyond the ability of man to control.  Lightning was also part of the tableau on the mountain on which Moses received the law. (Exodus 19:16) Perhaps it is also a representation of the enormous differential between God and man. When He bridges this gap, the energetic discharge is enormous, and would normally be disastrous for man, just as a lightning strike in nature is. (Hebrews 12:18-21)

          The seven spirits of God were previously discussed (Rev 3:1), but in this context, there are seven lamps of fire rather than the fire seen around and below the waist of the figure like a  man on the throne that Ezekiel recorded. (Ezekiel 1:27) Glowing metal suggests the intensity of God's purity, and the surrounding fire that this purity consumes all impurities. (See also Luke 3:17, Hebrews 10:27) But lamps of fire bring light, not destruction.

          The sea of glass like crystal parallels Ezekiel 1:22. The metaphors suggests both transparency and smoothness. There is nothing hidden in heaven. As God is seated on a throne above the crystal sea, His glory is visible to all below. As the eyes of the cherubim and the whirling wheels portray, God sees everything, everywhere, all the time. He has veiled His Godhood in flesh in Jesus, but the reality is that God's glory is immanent. He sees us, and the blinders shall soon be taken from our eyes so that we will see Him. The implications of this will be developed later in Revelation, although there is a hint of it in Isaiah 6:5.

          The four living creatures, or cherubim, revisit the visions of Isaiah and Ezekiel. (Isaiah 6:2-5, Ezekiel 1:5-11, 10:2-8,19-22)  Although the passages closely parallel each other, there are differences in description and in what is included.

•      Only Ezekiel mentions the whirling wheels (Ezekiel 1:15-20; 10:2, 6, 9-13, 16-17); neither Isaiah nor John mentions them.

•      John and Isaiah mention six wings (Isaiah 6:2, Rev 4:7); Ezekiel describes four wings (Ezekiel 1:6,11; 10:21)

•      Isaiah and John both describe the song "Holy, holy, holy" sung by the cherubim. (Isaiah 6:3, Rev. 4:8)

•      The faces of the cherubim vary. Isaiah says the faces were covered by wings, but does not describe them. Ezekiel 1:10 describes them as being of a man, a lion, a bull, and an eagle. Ezekiel 10:14 describes them as being a cherub, a man, a lion, and an eagle. John compares them to a lion, a calf, a man, and an eagle. (Rev 4:7)

•      Both John and Ezekiel describe the eyes of the cherubim, covering them all over. (Ezekiel 1:18, 10:12; Rev 4:6)

The living creatures have been variously interpreted, including comparing the animals to Daniel's vision of the various world empires (Daniel 7:4-7), or the four writers of the gospels. It would seem that the four beasts in Daniel's dream are in sharp contrast, really the antithesis of the four living creatures that surround God's throne. Another interpretation seems plausible. The symbolism surrounding the throne of God ought to convey aspects of His nature and character. The emphasis on life (zoa) in the living creatures parallels God's role as the author of life. He is the fountainhead from which all life springs, both biological and spiritual. Jesus spoke of the rivers of living water which would flow out of the innermost being of those who come to Him. (John 7:38)

          The four faces might symbolize different aspects of God's revelation to, and dealings with mankind.

•    Jesus is often called the lion of the tribe of Judah (cf Genesis 49:9), but the devil is also compared to a lion (1 Peter 5:8). In most mentions in the Bible, however, the lion is a feared predator. In popular culture, the lion is often referred to as the king of the beasts, perhaps because the lion is the protector of its pride just as a king would protect his kingdom, or perhaps because the lion is at the top of the food chain. The only threat to lions (apart from mankind, who was given dominion over the animals) is other lions.

•    The calf, or bull, was the primary sacrifice commanded by God in the Levitical system of worship, to be offered on the altar (Leviticus 4 & 16). In this way, God in Christ was the offering for sin.

•    Of course, God became incarnate in Christ, taking on human flesh and living as a man.

•    The eagle is used in several different ways in Scripture; Ezekiel 17 presents the parable of two eagles and a vine. Several passages refer to eagles' wings as a metaphor for flight or deliverance (Exodus 19:4, Deut. 13:11, 2 Sam 1:23, Job 39:27-30, Proverbs 23:5, Isaiah 40:31, Jer 4:13, 49:22, Rev. 12:14). The eagle is untamed and powerful. His nest is on high places, reached only by flight. For all practical purposes, the eagle dwells in the heavens and only interacts with mankind when he chooses, and on his terms.

The eyes of the living creatures speak of God's awareness of everything that goes on, everywhere, all the time. Nothing is hidden from His sight.

          The living creatures never cease to cry holy, holy, holy (hagios, hagios, hagios). The derivation of holiness from the Greek word for "awful" suggests that, in human terms, God's quality of being pure is unbearable to fallen humans. We may admire it or even seek it, but the living creatures warn us (with a tripled superlative) that we cannot bear it. God the Father is holy. God the Son is holy. God the Holy Spirit is holy. And they remind us that His existence and presence is inescapable - He was, He now is, and He is coming. Who among us can be blasé when this wholly holy God is present in our lives? And how can we be comfortable with the sure certainty that He is coming with even greater revelation and power than we have experienced so far?

          The response of the 24 elders who represent us is worship of God for His wondrous act of creation. God is worthy to receive glory, honor, and power. Why? Because He created all things for His own pleasure, and they continue to exist. And they are good. 

Revelation 4:1-4 "Come up here"

Revelation 4:1-4 John is in spirit, although he was already in spirit (Rev 1:10); to see the scene in heaven must have been part of a much stronger experience than hearing the voice and seeing Jesus. The voice like a trumpet is perhaps that of an angel, as they are oft depicted holding a trumpet and are God's heralds. First John sees the throne, and the One who sat on it was compared to two precious gems, jasper and sardius, and a rainbow compared to a third gem, an emerald. John offers no other description of that One who sits on the throne, although Isaiah, Daniel, and Ezekiel had offered other details. (Isaiah 6:1-7; Ezekiel 1:4-28; 10:1-22; Daniel 7:9-10 & 13-14)  John identifies 24 elders who wear crowns and white robes.

          The appearance of God the Father seated on the throne is perhaps irrelevant except as it pertains to symbolizing His nature and character.  Precious gems speak of the incredible value of the intrinsic nature of God the Father.  Both jasper and emerald are part of the holy garments that were decreed for the high priest (Exodus 28:15-20). Sardius is an orangish-red quartz most likely similar to a ruby, also mentioned in Exodus. Emerald is of course green, and jasper is as well, although jasper can take other shades.  Curiously all these gems are also part of the original covering of the anointed cherub who covered in the Garden of Eden. (Ezekiel 28:13-14) This was of course a description of Lucifer, the light-bearer, before he fell.  Lucifer lost all Godlike attributes of his nature when he fell and became Satan, the accuser. Red and green remind us of Christmas, but God's eternal character is symbolized by red and green gems surrounded by a green rainbow. Perhaps this speaks of biological life (green of chlorophyll and red of blood) and spiritual life (a green rainbow hinting that life in the Holy Spirit is more transferred like Cherenkov radiation than reproductive like plants or flesh & blood).

          The 24 elders crowned and wearing white must stand for the company of the redeemed, although we see the vast multitude standing before the throne later. (Rev 19:6) Crowns symbolize authority, and white cleanliness or purity, so jointly these symbols tell us that the redeemed have authority to be pure. Restated, the Lord has given them power to overcome all sin so that they can stand faultless before the throne. 

Revelation 3:14-22 To Laodicea: Buy gold refined by fire

Revelation 3:14-22 Jesus' words to the Laodiceans are perhaps the most troubling because they could apply to any of us. We can readily tell if we fall into gross sin; heresy is usually apparent; idolatry can be recognized; but losing our first love, the zeal of our love for God, of becoming lukewarm, is difficult to overcome. Everything seems ok. But the perennial problem of worldly success and affluence is the loss of focus on spiritual things. If the world we live in is comfortable and secure, we almost believe we don't need God. That is, we don't need God to save us. We don't see our true spiritual condition. Jesus describes it here. We are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, and we don't even know it. Jesus' advice: buy gold refined by fire, white garments, and eye salve. Otherwise, He will vomit us out of His mouth.

          How do we buy these things? The coin of the spiritual realm is sacrificial love and suffering. This is not to say that we should seek out suffering. But opportunities for sacrificial love abound; they will seek us out. The Lord will arrange them. We simply need to respond. These things that The Lord brings to us will cost us comfort and security. We will feel like fools for giving away our treasure to the poor who will squander it and aren't even grateful. We may be ridiculed for rejecting material gain and suffering needlessly. That is the purpose of sacrificial love and suffering The Lord brings us. We can only gain spiritual treasure (Matthew 6:19-20) when we realize that we are totally dependent on Christ for everything that really matters, and act on that realization (John 15:5). If we arrange our lives so that we are secure and comfortable, then we have gone precisely the wrong direction. Jesus promises to reprove and discipline those He loves. If His reproof and discipline are absent from our lives, we have cause to worry.

          Jesus' advice to repent is followed by an explanation of how this is possible. He hasn't given up on the Laodiceans, he is knocking at their door. This spiritual door has often been called the door of the heart, but it might also be understood as the door to a person's life, which would be a person's will; His voice speaking to us, inviting us to make a decision of the will. He promises to come in when invited (but not otherwise). The Lord's Supper speaks symbolically of the consummation of this relationship. But it is clear that the Laodiceans to whom He speaks, even if they practice the ordinance, do not practice it in faith and so it is an empty ritual.

          The final promise of sitting with Christ on His throne parallels other promises relating to the kingdom of God. This is still a possibility for those Laodiceans who repent. 

Revelation 3:7-13 To Philadelphia: Hold on

Revelation 3:7-13 Jesus introduces Himself as holy and true, and then states that He has the key of David, with which to open and shut doors with finality. This seems a reference to Isaiah 22:22, in the middle of a prophecy in which the unrighteous steward (Shebna) is warned that he will be judged, removed, and replaced with a faithful steward (Eliakim) who will carry out the Master's will. In this context, Jesus identifies Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of that faithful steward. Jesus will do all of the things that He talked about faithful stewards doing in His parables. More than that, He will open doors for His charges, as is noted in verse 8. It is important to understand that when He opens a door, He intends for His people to go through it. He encourages them by stating that no one can shut it. He praises them because they have a little power, and have held true to His word and His name; that is the reason He opened this door for them.

          In Philadelphia there is no throne of Satan as there was in Pergamum. Instead, Jesus will vindicate the Christians in Philadelphia against those who lie, claiming to be Jews, but in reality serve Satan.  Jesus will make them know that He loves the Christians. The nature of this lie is probably bound up in false religion. Throughout the history of the Jews, there has been a consistent struggle over who speaks for YHWH. Moses and the prophets were constantly trying to explain to the Jews what God really said and what He did not say. Under the new covenant, the true Jews are those who receive Christ. But worshipping Satan is more than just refusing to accept Christ. The point of subsequent chapters is that at the end of history, there is no middle ground. Those who reject Christ have chosen Satan's way. If they were lied to or deceived, when the Truth becomes known, they must choose Him, or else they have rejected Him. The middle ground, of honest uncertainty or having been misled, is gone. Jesus will make His love for His people known. To reject His love because it is overwhelming is to reject Him. Francis Thompson (The Hound of Heaven) eloquently lays out this challenge, but in the end a choice will be made.

          Jesus promises to keep the faithful from the hour of testing. That hour is delineated in various passages and is the main subject of the Revelation. This promise is probably the strongest case for a pre-trib rapture of the saints. It does not mean that believers through the ages have been kept from trials and tribulations. On the contrary, persecution has been common since the time of Christ. But the hour of testing is when God's wrath will also be released, and He will keep His children from that.

          Jesus uses metaphors that will be familiar, such as crowns, pillars, His name, and the new Jerusalem. He alludes to His new name. Perhaps this is the name mentioned in Rev. 19:12 because we already know the names in Rev. 19:13 & 16. He advises the Philadelphians to hold fast and no one will take their crown. If a crown symbolizes authority in the kingdom of God, then it is reserved for those who put on Christ, who become like Him and cling to Him. Many  claim spiritual revelation and assert a claim to speak for God with authority. But it is Christlikeness that is God's prerequisite.

Revelation 3:1-6 To Sardis: Do living deeds born of the Spirit of God

Revelation 3:1-6 Jesus identifies Himself with seven spirits of God and seven stars. The stars represent the messengers to the churches. (Revelation 1:20) There might be some confusion about the Holy Spirit and the seven spirits of God.  (See also Revelation 4:5 & 5:6) The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and God is one. But the manifestation of the spirit takes many dimensions. Most likely this symbolism should be interpreted in light of Isaiah 11:2: "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord." In Isaiah 11, this is spoken prophetically of Christ. Therefore, what Jesus says to this church is bound up with these attributes: wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of The Lord.

          The Sardis church had many deeds, whether good or bad Jesus didn't say, but that they were incomplete before God suggests that they were godly deeds. However, they were dead, even though they bore the name of the living Jesus. There are some things that remain but are about to die, that Jesus tells them to strengthen. They are directed to repent and remember the things they heard. In view of Rev. 2:4-5, we might infer that this is a similar shortcoming and that they should remember the good news and keep and strengthen their love for Christ, and repent of allowing their love to grow cold. Works are good and are evidence of faith (James 2:14-26) but they must not be allowed to supplant our love-relationship with Christ as the basis of our life and salvation.

          Jesus warns that He will come like a thief. This metaphor was used in several New Testament passages: Matt 24:43-44, Luke 12:39-40, I Thessalonians 5:2-4, II Peter 3:10. The day of The Lord, the day the Master of the household will return, will come without warning to those who are not watching and waiting for Him. Clearly, since Jesus gives this warning, it is possible for those who receive this letter to repent, and Jesus gives them a promise, in fact three promises: white, unsoiled garments in which to walk with Him; their name not to be erased from the Lamb's book of life (Rev. 13:8, 17:8, 20:12, 20:15, 21:27); and that Jesus will own his name before the Father and the angels.

          Jesus says that the hearing ear will hear the Spirit's voice. This implies effort on the part of the church members to hear; what might this mean? Implicitly, it means that the deeds they are doing are not enough. They need to do deeds that are imbued with wisdom, understanding, counsel, strength, knowledge and fear of The Lord: traits of the sevenfold Spirit of God. Perhaps this really means they need to spend time waiting on The Lord, to hear His voice and to receive of His nature and character, so that their deeds will not be dead works, but born of the Spirit.

Revelation 2:18-29 To Thyatira: Do not tolerate prophets of immorality

Revelation 2:18-29 Lydia, whom Paul met and converted in Philippi, was from Thyatira. However, that seems irrelevant to this passage.

          Feet of brass or bronze are described in Revelation 1:15 & Daniel 10:6. Revelation 1:14 & 19:12 and Daniel 10:6 also mention eyes like fire. The vision of The Lord was given to Daniel after he had fasted and sought The Lord for three weeks. Following this vision, Daniel was given an astounding panoramic vision of future history from his own time all the way to the end times. 

          The infamous Jezebel was the wife of King Ahab, whose life is recorded in I Kings 18-21. Symbolically there was a woman in the church in Thyatira who taught the Christians there the grossest of sins. In particular, she taught them to commit immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. Paul had dealt with this latter issue in I Corinthians 8 & 10. Indeed I Corinthians 5:1 suggests that the church at Thyatira had fallen into the same errors as the church at Corinth. Paul had been very straightforward with the Corinthians about the consequences of tolerating immorality. Jesus in this passage provides a similar warning of the consequences. In Corinth several were sick and some had died as a result of God's allowing them to experience the consequence of their sin while partaking of the sacraments of the church. (I Corinthians 11:30) Eating things sacrificed to idols seems to have been a pagan blasphemy against the Lord's Supper. It appears to have been saying, in effect, that the sacrifices to idols were sufficient to propitiate the so-called gods, and that the unique quality of the Lord's Supper, showing the Lord's death (as the sufficient and final offering for sin), is ineffective or insufficient.

          There seems to be an inescapable tension between grace and holiness in the church. It is hard for us to grasp how God's love and holiness can be reconciled in His character, and even harder to understand how that plays out in the lives of His people. God's feet are brass, speaking of judgment, rather than being beautiful, which would have spoken of the bearers of good news. (Isaiah 52:7) And since Jesus knows that we will not be able to bear His presence in eternity unless we are like Him, His eyes glow with the fire of purification to burn up the chaff in the lives of His people. (John 3:17) Those who are sold out to Satan and attempt to lead His people away from Him will experience nothing but judgment. Perhaps believers who follow this "Jezebel" will repent from a bed of sickness. Pain has a marvelous capability to cut through all of the stuff of this world to focus our hearts and minds on those things that truly matter. So Jesus' warning here provides a way of dealing with the consequences of brazen sin. As C. S. Lewis put it, pain is God's megaphone, to rouse a deaf world. (The Problem of Pain)

          Jesus also addresses those who do not follow Jezebel, exhorting them to hold fast to what they have. He first makes the point that their works, their deeds, their many deeds, do not give them a pass for tolerating Jezebel's activities in their church. But ... He makes staggering promises to those who overcome (the temptation to join Jezebel, or perhaps the temptation to tolerate her activities). The one who overcomes will have authority to rule the nations. Perhaps this is because enduring pain and withstanding temptation makes the believer strong. And thereby prepares him or her to rule the nations with a rod of iron. Revelation 22:16 suggests that He will give them Himself as part of this promise.

Revelation 2:12-17 To Pergamum: All-out war against carnal indulgence

Revelation 2:12-17 It is a challenge to understand what Jesus meant when He said that Satan's throne was in Pergamum, and that he dwelt there. Perhaps we should not look for an explanation in the recorded history and culture. Satan's kingdom, like God's kingdom, is not necessarily visible to the eye, nor perceived by those who are not sensitive to spiritual things. Satan's throne could easily have been his locus of authority in his kingdom but had little to do with Roman rule or Greek culture. Perhaps it was revealed a bit in the martyrdom of Antipas, Jesus' faithful witness. Jesus commends them for holding fast His name and faith in that day, but immediately turns to warning them against the Nicolaitan heresy, which He compares to Balaam's teaching.

          A brief review: Numbers 22-24 records the unsuccessful effort of the Moabite  kings to hire Balaam to curse Israel. Numbers 25 records that immediately after Balaam blessed Israel, the Israelites began to be seduced by the Midianite women, and to join them in their pagan worship. This led to a plague on Israel as the Lord judged those who did this. Later, in Numbers 31, we learn that Balaam was killed along with the Midianite kings, which sort of implies he was living among them. What this passage in Revelation adds is that Balaam, after failing to curse Israel for hire, told the Midianites that God's blessing would be removed, and they would be cursed by Him, if they became participants in idolatrous immorality and sacrificed to idols. In other words, he could not curse them with supernatural power, but he so desired the wages offered by Balak that he used his understanding of spiritual things to help devise a worldly plan to defeat Israel and frustrate God's plan for Israel.

          Jesus compares this to the Nicolaitan heresy. What is the connection between Satan dwelling there and the practice of brazen indulgence? Jesus obviously knew that the church needed spiritual power to overcome evil, and that immorality drained that power out of the church.

          How does this relate to us? The doctrine of grace stands in direct opposition to the concept of works. We cannot earn our salvation; the unmerited favor of God is a free gift. (Ephesians 2:9) But it is a misrepresentation of grace to use it to justify or permit a lifestyle of sin. The point of God's favor is that He saves us from sin, but not just from judgment for it. He delivers us from its power. In fact, He supernaturally empowers His people to overcome sin. The Nicolaitan heresy attempts to disregard and contravene this dimension of salvation. And Jesus hates it.

          Jesus warns that He will make war against those who do not repent with the sword of His mouth. (See also Ephesians 5:17, Revelation 1:16 & 19:15,  and Hebrews 4:12) This would be the word coming from the word. As both the incarnation of God in flesh, and as the things spoken by God, the Nicolaitan heresy as described is the enemy of God. And people who embrace it become God's enemies. We shall see later in Revelation the final end of God's enemies. (Revelation 20:11-15) It is the very essence of God, His nature and character, that fleshly indulgence wars against (Galatians 5:17).

          What of the new name written on the white stone, and the hidden manna? We have earthly names given by our parents that are used by others to address and identify us. God has a name for us that only He knows. When God gave names to people in the Scripture, for example renaming Abram to Abraham, Jacob to Israel, or gave names before birth to John the Baptist and Jesus, these names conveyed the essence of that person's nature and calling. And so we can infer that those who overcome (the devil, false teaching, fleshly indulgence) will be recognized and called by God according to the role that God has prepared for them. The hidden manna speaks of food that the unspiritual do not know anything about. (See John 4:32-34) It is doing the Father's will, and being about His business. The significance of the white stone is left as an exercise for the reader.

          The Pergamites were living in a spiritual battleground. As are we all. But the modern world seems to exacerbate the conflict. There is no place for noncombatants in this era.

Revelation 2:8-11 To Smyrna believers: persevere!

Revelation 2:8-11 Jesus' words to Smyrnan believers are entirely encouragement to persevere in the face of tribulation (thlipsis) which Jesus mentions twice. Jesus also brings up their poverty but states that they are rich. (Quite a contrast to the church in Laodicea, Rev. 3:17)  He then goes on to say that those who claim they are Jews are actually a synagogue of Satan. Perhaps these were people seeking to claim the authority of Moses for the purpose of misleading others to advance Satan's agenda. This seems to be tied to the tribulation that the Smyrnan Christians were experiencing. Certainly Paul faced the opposition of the Jews in Psidian Antioch (Acts 13:44) and many other cities as recorded in Acts.

          There are many ways to blaspheme God. Certainly doing evil and claiming that He commands it, or that it is done in His name, is one. Were those of the synagogue in Smyrna who claimed to be Jews but actually served Satan deliberately misrepresenting themselves, or were they themselves deceived? One aspect of this is question how people individually respond to the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit speaks to each individual concerning sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:8 et seq) The devil disguises himself as an angel of light and attempts to deceive. (2 Cor. 11:14) How do we know which is which? The best approach seems to be in the broader view of which this is one aspect, which is, how does our interior being, our soul, align with the nature and character of God? God's nature and character were described in Rev. 1:13-18. If we share that character or desire to share it, the Holy Spirit will guide us. If we are self-centered in any one of several dimensions (narcissistic, self-righteous, or seeking self-gratification) then Satan will use those attributes to guide us along to do his bidding. If we make any aspect of our own life our god, then ultimately we worship and serve Satan.

          Jesus' warning of ten days of imprisonment and tribulation seems primarily to encourage the Smyrnan Christians to hope for the eternal reward, against which this finite trial will become a memory. He promises to give them a crown of life. In view of the next statement about the second death, (see also Rev. 20:6 & 14; 21:8) the implication is that the tribulation they will endure for ten days will result in physical death but eternal life. How can we not fear suffering and painful death? By putting our faith totally in Jesus, and abandoning all earthly values. He identifies the certainty of the prize with His own death and resurrection. It is by identification with Him in that suffering that they will attain eternal life, with no fear of the second death.

          In the modern world, those privileged to live in "the West", or first-world democracies, very seldom face tribulation of this type for faith in Christ. Our identification with Christ takes on different forms, as is addressed by Christ in some of the later letters. Although, as later chapters reveal, this tribulation will be the common lot of God's people during the time immediately preceding the visible return of Jesus.

Revelation 2:1-7 To the Ephesians: Love God passionately

Revelation 2-3 The letters to the churches address specific characteristics of churches with advice directly from Jesus. There may be some information on these seven churches in first-century Asia other than the words recorded here, but we will focus on what Jesus says. So the most likely application to us is to try to assess if these specific characteristics apply to us. If the shoe fits, wear it.

Revelation 2:1-7 We have a letter from Paul to the Ephesians, perhaps written considerably earlier. Here, Jesus identifies Himself with the stars and the lamp stands of Rev 1:17-20. He commends them for their works, and for their discernment of false apostles, and for their endurance for His name's sake. And after a reproof, He commends them again on the same theme.

          Correctly discerning accurate doctrine was extremely important during the first century because the canon of Scripture had not yet been formalized. Good and evil are easier to recognize because of the innate sense that we have, built into every person (not just Christians!) of right and wrong. But Christian doctrine is more than right and wrong, it involves propositions about the nature and character of God, about specifics that transcend ordinary categories of right and wrong, including the incarnation and the atonement. And yet, discernment of accurate doctrine concerning Christ is not just a matter of logic, starting with the Scriptures, and correct reasoning. Since the Ephesians to whom these words are addressed did not have the starting point, there was a different avenue by which they could determine which apostles were true and which were false. This can be found in John 14:21 & 26. So Jesus' commendation has the effect of recognizing that they were sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

          The heresy of the Nicolaitans is generally thought to be as described by the early church fathers.

"The Nicolaitanes are the followers of that Nicolas who was one of the seven first ordained to the diaconate by the apostles. They lead lives of unrestrained indulgence. The character of these men is very plainly pointed out in the Apocalypse of John, [when they are represented] as teaching that it is a matter of indifference to practice adultery, and to eat things sacrificed to idols." [Irenaeus, Adversus haereses, i. 26, §3]

It may not have been hard to recognize that it was against the nature of the new life in Christ to practice unrestrained indulgence, but it nonetheless took some measure of fortitude, self-control, and self-discipline to resist the temptation that such a life poses, and the heresy that would have justified it.

          This challenge is no less present today, except that it is the world system that practices unrestrained licentiousness. To have a theology that compromises with that world system would be the same heresy as that of Nicolas. To be in the world but not of the world, to be a light to the world and a city set on a hilltop requires believers to be recognizably different from the world.

          In the middle of these commendations, Jesus identifies a problem. The Ephesians had left their first love. To love God means many different things. The Bible presents and develops the metaphor of the relationship between a husband and wife to exemplify the relationship of Christ to the church, and this is reiterated in Revelation 21:2. This lament by Christ may be interpreted (not the only possible interpretation) that when they were new believers, the Ephesians loved Jesus like a wife loves her husband when they are newlyweds, but as that love aged, it became cold. He wants them to love Him like they did at first, with the devotion and enthusiasm for their relationship that is as intense as a new bride. The reference to eating of the tree of life is repeated in Revelation 22:2, which immediately follows the dazzling description of the new Jerusalem, the bride of Christ, in Revelation 21:10-27. So the Ephesians are advised to turn away from their coldness of heart and love Christ with a fervency that will reincorporate them into that amazing bride of Christ.

          How hard it is to maintain this level of desire over decades of relationship! Whether one is talking about marriage or a love relationship with Christ, the challenge of familiarity is the loss of excitement. We can intellectually accept the proposition that God is amazing and the opportunity to experience His presence should always invoke the wonder and awe. But after a while we get used to His Presence. I have no idea how this plays out in heaven, for all eternity. In this life, we need to continually do what we can, which is to seek a fresh revelation of God for our entire life. God is so incomprehensibly complex that we could not exhaust the discovery of new things about Him, at least in this life. One hopes that these new things that He reveals will lead us to continually be excited and passionate about knowing Him and being with Him. Perhaps our passion should continually result simply from our appreciation of His nature and character, but most of us do not seem to be wired that way. We need to make the commitment (and keep it) to continually seek Him out of understanding of these things, until we reach that condition of the passion of first love. It may be that this is, in itself, the fruit of the tree of life. In other words, we cannot eat of the tree of life in God's paradise unless we have passionate love for God, because that is what it is.

Revelation 1:17-20 Fear not!

Revelation 1:17-20 John's reaction to seeing Jesus in His glory was similar to that of prophets and apostles. Moses was warned (Exodus 33:20). Isaiah was undone at the sight (Isaiah 6:5). Daniel lost his strength and fell on the ground (Daniel 10:8-9). Peter was terrified and lost his wits. (Mark 9:5-6) This may seem strange after having known Jesus in the flesh. But even on the Mount of Transfiguration the disciples immediately went from easy familiarity to terror when they saw Jesus in His glory.

          These passages suggest that we probably cannot grasp fully the totality of Jesus' glory while we are still in this life. We may have experiences where we sense His presence, through the Holy Spirit, and in this some measure of His love and holiness. But the totality of the reality of the splendor of His glory (doxan) is impossible to experience (Exodus 33:20) until we see Him face to face, (I Corinthians 13:9-12), and that only when we are like Him (1 John 3:2). The challenge is, when we get a foretaste of the sense of His glory, does it draw us to Him or scare us away from Him?

          Jesus' response is "Fear not!" (Me Phobou) He then gives John reasons for not fearing. These reasons may seem like a non sequitur. John is terrified on seeing the glory of Jesus. Jesus' response would seem to respond to fear of the great tribulations that John will see in the coming chapters. That is, the revelation of Jesus' power and victory seems to address the fear of the things that the world and the devil would do to believers. However, there is an aspect of Jesus' statements that also addresses John's fear of Jesus' revealed divinity and glory. This is in the same way that Paul addresses his readers in Romans 8:31-34: God's very character. God's love and holiness make Him the most trustworthy being in existence. His love and holiness were demonstrated in that He died and rose from the dead, and in doing so rescued humankind from the power and penalty of sin. We need not fear His holiness, because it is indivisibly merged with His love. They cannot be separated because divinity is a single quality. Jesus does not have to wrestle with moral dilemmas. Aquinas would have simply said that God is simple.