The Throne–Revelation 4-5

John’s narrative shifts in chapters 4-5 to present a first-hand account of the incredible, heavenly throne of God. It is a necessary shift as this text serves to set up the rest of the book and clearly demonstrate the source and authority of the book. John’s vision here makes it clear that the words he shares about “what is about to take place” among the seven churches comes directly from God.

After accepting the invitation and entering in the open door, John witnesses an amazing scene. As his vision takes him personally to the throne of God, he uses language similar to Isaiah 6; Ezekiel 1; Daniel 7 to describe what he sees. He paints a brilliantly vivid and beautiful picture using precious stones for descriptive purposes, but in essence tells us what we already know, that is, God majesty cannot really be adequately captured and described. But like those before him who were gifted a heavenly glimpse, John does his best and it is stunning. He shares what he sees surrounding the throne:

• 24 elders—possibly representing the twelve tribes of Israel along with the twelve apostles, reflecting the authority in both covenants. It would be natural that they would be present in some way around God’s throne. Sitting themselves on thrones and wearing crowns would be emblematic of their own authority—given to them by God and in subjection to God. Wearing white would symbolize redemptive washing.
• Lightning and thunder—not unusual to accompany the presence of God (Exodus 19:16-20)
• Sevens—more sevens seen in the lamps (perhaps based on the Menorah in the temple—Hebrews 9:2) and in the spirits (completeness–representing the Holy Spirit of God whose presence there would be expected). The lamps along with other parts of John’s depiction also reveal a temple-like quality to the throne scene, which would not be surprising.
• Sea of glass—maybe another allusion to the temple, specifically to the large bronze basin (1 Kings 7:23-26) in which the priests bathed before participating in sacrifices (2 Chronicles 4:6).  It would only follow that the temple would reflect the throne.
• The creatures (not “beasts” but the “Zoan” or “living creatures;” have been referred to as seraphim or cherubim)—These are similar to what both Isaiah (6:2-6) and Ezekiel saw (10:9-14). Each has a different face which may represent a different aspect of God’s creation (many diverse ideas have been suggested as each one’s significance and meaning). Perhaps taken together they are meant to represent the fact that all of God’s creation worship him, but the reality is—we do not know for sure. We do know that they serve as narrators when some of the seals are opened (chapter 6). Their purpose with the six wings covered with eyes is to continually—along with the elders—be present to offer praise to God while acknowledging his authority, holiness and worthiness. This is an essential element of the Revelation. For those in the midst of suffering, this unequivocally illustrates that the origin of John’s letter comes from the very throne of God. It is God, himself, speaking directly into their situation and all that he says and promises is true and trustworthy. But he is not alone in speaking.
• The scroll—Again, in the right hand of God firmly indicating it includes only his words—he originated the message and sealed it seven times (a complete word for all churches). Sealing it indicates not only authorship but ownership, which only he or someone so authorized can open it. So, an angel seeks that someone but initially finding no one who has those kind of credentials or worthiness. This saddens John, because he is aware of the significance of the scroll’s message and the importance of sharing it, but an angel announces that there is in fact, someone else who can open it. What follows and this section of the text is, arguably, the most significant part of the entire letter.
• The Lion and the Lamb. A wonderful paradox is next presented to John. Upon the angel’s announcement, he looks and sees the triumphant “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (see Genesis 49:9) and the “Root of David” (see Isaiah 11:1). These are messianic terms describe a military conqueror—certainly the kind of might needed to overcome such powerful evil embodied by the Roman Empire. Someone of such stature would indeed be expected to have the authority to open the seals on the scroll. But before this impressive figure moves to retrieve the scroll, the lion turns into the lamb—a lamb looking as if he had been slain—meaning covered with blood. This presents the exact opposite image then that of the lion—not might, but meekness; not power, but defeat; not a conqueror, but the conquered. How could a slain lamb be worthy to open the scroll? How could those intensely suffering oppression be comforted and assured of ultimate victory if a lamb, instead of a lion was leading them? That is the wonderful paradox we all recognize as Jesus Christ and it is the absolute key to understanding the message of hope and victory in Revelation. It is not the mighty lion that will overcome opposition by brute force, it is the Lamb of God sacrificed on our behalf that will prevail (Isaiah 53:7). It was not the Lion who decisively retrieved the scroll but the Lamb. This is consistent with everything Jesus taught, lived and stands for—and the message John’s audience needed to know and believe. Neither they nor we will overcome the opposition present in the “rulers,” in the “powers of this dark world” and “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12) by matching them blow-by blow, but rather through the testimony of Jesus and the blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). The message out of this paradox is essential to comprehend. Heaven possesses the might of the Lion but chooses to express it in the blood of the Lamb—both embodied by Christ who leads not with might but with sacrifice and thus expects the same from his followers (a turning of the cheek, loving your enemies, going the extra-mile approach, which the enemy with all the tools of evil at his disposal cannot match, understand or defeat). So, the message within the scroll belongs to Christ also. Not only is he speaking it, he lived it—the Living Word. The paradox messages to John’s audience that it is Christ’s way that will bring down the persecutors—strength through sacrifice—so hold on and be faithful even in the midst of the worst. The Lamb is depicted as having seven horns and spirits—likely indicating that he possesses both the authority (horns) and Spirit of God in full measure—certainly qualifying him in every way to open the scroll.
• The affirmation. Assuredly the audience in heaven understood it this way as the elders, and the creatures offered him sacrifices and praise (bowls, harps); followed by being joined with an innumerable host singing praise to honor his worthiness and acknowledging the redemptive scope of his sacrifice along with promise to all in his kingdom (“reign on earth”—how the book ends). This is followed by a universal affirmation of the same. The Lamb is worthy to open the seals. Like the Father, the Lamb has all power, honor and glory. He is worthy of worship. The message of the scroll also originates in him and represents his will.

The events of these two chapters do set the stage for the remainder of the letter. John’s original recipients had to know without question that this was God’s revelation to them. All of heaven was aware of and acting upon their plight. Jesus, himself, modeled the solution while guaranteeing the promise of ultimate triumph. It would not be easy, but it would be worth it. And it did happen. The Lamb’s approach eventually did take down an empire. It still offers us our only hope and provides our only path to eternal victory. The heavenly paradox remains.

Revelation is Relevent

The Revelation of Jesus at the very end of the Bible is an amazing part of the divine literature. Sharing a message of hope and victory, it often remains somewhat shrouded in mystery due to literary style. Yet when unpacked, its message is everlasting and ever relevant to our contemporary Christian journey. Hopefully as we spend the next twelve Wednesdays surveying the book, this will become clearer. But before we can engage the text, we need to spend time with some imperative introductory information about the book.

• First, it is Revelation, not Revelations.
• It was written by a man named John (1:1, 4, 9; 22:8). Most likely this was the apostle John who also wrote other parts of the New Testament—writing from exile on the Isle of Patmos, which is a Greek island off the coast of Turkey.
• It is an apocalypse (revelation) (1:1). It fits into that category of Jewish literature (see Ezekiel and Daniel in the Old Testament along with non-biblical books such as 1 Enoch). This is why the letter relies heavily on symbolic visions. These visions “reveal a heavenly perspective on history in light of a final outcome.” Original readers would have been familiar with this style and it would have been expected by John that they would research other such apocalyptic literature to discover what the signs and symbols meant in historical context. It is also possible that this style was chosen to shield the message from non-believers who posed threats to the faith. Being so far removed from the original context of this letter and being much less familiar with its literary style has created numerous and various interpretations of the Revelation.
• It is also a prophecy (1:3). It is God’s Word being spoken by his prophet (preacher; proclaimer) to deliver a word from the Lord firstly to the people of that time and place, bringing OT prophecy to a climax.
• It was sent originally to seven churches scattered in parts of Asia Minor (1:4). This is most significant to know in processing and understanding the message of the book. Too often the original context of Revelation is cast aside in a mad rush to extrapolate its meaning for the current generation, but we must not fall into that trap. Just like every other NT letter, Revelation has a context, a setting and a purpose for its time and its original audience. John states as much—that the message he received from God, which he was passing on in the letter was about “what must soon take place” (1:1). It is essential then that we ground our study in that—what was taking place then and there, before we start making applications of text to here and now. Those applications are definitely there, but can only properly be understood through first understanding the situation of the first recipients. To be sure, Revelation is not some secret code that when found and unlocked reveals the ending of the world. Certainly, the apocalyptic style presents challenges to us so distant from the original setting, but for John to write a letter addressed to his contemporaries only to bypass them in order to deliver a coded message to people centuries later makes no sense nor is consistent with biblical teaching.
• It was most likely written around 91-96 during the reign of Caesar Domitian. External evidence reveals this being a time of intense and widespread persecution of Christians throughout the Roman empire. Internally, the book certainly demonstrates the presence of systematic persecution and all that accompanied it. To be sure dating can be inexact and other dates have been suggested for the book—based on other interpretational approaches. But some of the earliest church historians (Irenaeus, 120-202; Clement of Alexandria 193; Victorinus 303) hold to this date and historically it fits best.
• Its theme is about hope and victory; about complete and forever vindication for the people of God. The prophecy is clear—God’s people will overcome the cruelty, power, and evil schemes perpetrated by the “dragon” (Satan) and his allies then (Rome) and now (in whatever form they come) along with death itself–to prevail and live in the New Jerusalem in the presence of God and the Lamb forever. With this knowledge, promise and perspective to fortify, even martyrdom cannot be weaponized by the enemy to defeat God’s people. God will avenge; Christ will reign; all other powers will be cast away; God’s people will not just endure, but flourish. This is the incredible, encouraging, theme and message of the Revelation. In the ongoing struggle (war) that rages between forces of darkness and light, God’s people, while potentially enduring suffering will eventually and always overcome—a message ever relevant for every generation.
• It is about Sevens. Seven is highly important number to John and he uses it freely throughout the letter—seven lampstands, seven stars, seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls—just to name some. Seven is a symbol of completeness, its significance stemming from the seven-day cycle of the Old Testament. It was necessary for John’s readers to understand that his message represents God’s complete story of hearing their pleas, acting upon them in the world, and ultimately rescuing them from their plight. There are other symbolic numbers and images sprinkled throughout the letter as well, but seven is one John most leans on to frame his message.
• It is about interpreting. Several different interpreting approaches have been applied to the book, which frame the way in which it is understood. Among the most common are the Futurist (events included are to happen immediately before the second coming of Christ); the Continuous Historical (prophecies of the book are about the church ongoing in history); the Preterist (dates it before the fall of Jerusalem in 70 and limits the message to that setting) and the Historical Background (holds that it was written primarily for its original audience, speaking first into their context, while also presenting an everlasting message for every generation). The latter is the approach of this study.

As next we dive into the text, again, it is imperative to remember that there were living, faithful Christians in John’s day dying for the sake of the gospel—represented in the seven churches. The thrust of the message of this book was directed to them—addressing their needs, sufferings, challenges, fears, hopes, and pleas. To wrench the book out of this context is simply a mistake and will not lead to a proper understanding of the powerful truths contained in it.

Unpacking the symbolic visions and usages of various signs by John will not always be easy and maybe even not completely satisfactory, but again, all attempts must be consistent to the entirety of biblical teaching and to that time and place first or we will miss the message.

But know that Revelation can be understood—along with and beside the rest of the Bible. Its overall message is a continuation and in some regards a completion of the message of the entire Scripture. God simply would not conclude his overall revelation to us with one that we are unable to know. Revelation is and remains relevant!

A brief outline of our study—the weekly topic/texts will be: The Seven Churches 2-3; The Throne 4-5; Opening the Seals 6-7; The Seventh Seal 8-9:12; The Final Trumpets 9:13-11; The Woman and the Dragon 12; The Beasts and the Lamb 13-14; Seven Plagues and Seven Bowls 15-16; Babylon the Great 17-18; The Wedding and the Rider 19-20; New Jerusalem 21-22.

You Belong

The Ephesian church was troubled from the start (see Acts 19) and continued to experience challenges both typical and atypical to infant New Testament churches (see 1 & 2 Timothy and Revelation 2:1-7). The apostle Paul invested three years personally ministering to this group—developing a close, special relationship with them, while also foreseeing some of their future problems (see Acts 20:13-38).

One problem in particular was the challenge of harmonious assimilation for all into the new concept of a multi-ethnic faith community that the church was. This community in Ephesus was largely made up on non-Jews, but the long shadow of God’s covenant relationship with the Jews remained. The non-Jews were having a difficult time accepting their placement within the church due to not previously enjoying that covenant relationship—exacerbated, no doubt, by many Jews who had the same difficulty for them for the same reasons. So Paul speaks to this; speaks to placement and position for all in God’s community.

Chosenness (1:3-14)

Paul uses language such as “chosen,” “predestined,” “adopted,” and “included” to underscore his point about placement—about how God specifically planned for non-Jews to join the Jews in covenant with him. Furthermore this was God’s decision before creation—to one day create a multi-ethnic faith community, which was brought about by Christ and sealed by the Spirit. It was to be a community that would mirror the unity of God himself. Everyone within this community would become “God’s possession.” History did not matter, in that; God’s adoption now trumped it. The non-Jews in Ephesus had the same access to the promises and blessings of God as the Jews, who came to God in faith through Christ. They were chosen. They belonged.

God is Able. You are Able (1:15-2:10)

Next Paul speaks about power and empowerment. The city of Ephesus was an epicenter of religion in ancient Rome, where in most superstition and magic played a major role. Lots of gods to possess, impress, appease and appeal to for favors, but for the Ephesian Christians that was supposed to be all over. Christ supplanted and exposed all of that through the power of his resurrection—the same power available to the Ephesian Christians to enable them to live out their placement in the kingdom (something Paul would explore more in 4:17-5:33). No need to return to the “ways of the world” along with behavior related to that. Their life in Christ was alive with power beyond what they could imagine (3:20-21). Being placed thusly and empowered accordingly, God had specific plans for them as his “workmanship.” God was able and so were they.

Peaceful Reconciliation (2:11-122)

In this section Paul reinforces the idea of placement, while also emphasizing the need for peace, harmony and unity in the new multi-ethnic faith community. His words also speak directly to identity. Formerly the non-Jews were excluded from the covenant—“foreigners” is the term he uses. But Christ changed that. He demolished the barriers of separation inherent with the Law in order to create this new community—the church. Hostility should no longer be the defining force between the Jew and non-Jew in this community. Instead peace and reconciliation should. This would call for new thinking about identity. No one is an alien, stranger or foreigner anymore. Everyone who comes to Christ in faith belongs as “citizens”. Paul imagines it as a kind of new temple with Christ as head and foundation—with all others being an integral, connected part of the building. For this to be realized, Jews would have to no longer primarily self-identify as Jews. The same would be true for non-Jews. Their primary identity would be as citizens of God’s kingdom–Christians. This then would allow the hostility to end and a united community of peace and harmony to emerge emphasizing reconciliation instead of hatred and division. Truly a place of belonging! Paul would urge even more specifically this kind of unity in 4:1-6 appealing to them to “make every effort” to bring it about.

But it would not be easy. Generations of suspicion, prejudice and hatred would have to be overcome. These feelings ran deep and the transformation into self-identifying primarily as a Christian—even before ethnicity—would take time. And this not just in Ephesus, but in almost every New Testament church. Yet it was completely necessary if the church was going to make an impact.

The Good News that they preached—centered of course on Jesus—included reconciliation; becoming part of a community where the old ways of thinking, identifying and behaving were replaced by a new paradigm. Here everyone–regardless of race, background, social status, gender was welcome to follow Jesus equally together with the same access to the Father through the Spirit. Former identities would be replaced and redefined through Jesus. Cultural pressure points and social conditioning that brought division would be overcome by the grace of Jesus lived out in the community. Everything would change—all relationships—between Jews and non-Jews; slave and free; men and women; husband and wife; children and parents. Destructive personal behavior would be put away and be replaced by healthy, others-centered actions. People would be “made new in the attitude of your minds” in order to “put on a new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” (4:23).

This was God’s plan. To this they were chosen. Through Christ they belonged completely without reservation. He empowered them in this process and through his Spirit to be able to actually live reconciliation out and create this community of peace and harmony. And what a witness it would be! It would literally change the world.

A Witness Still Needed

The parallels between Ephesus and us are numerous. We continue to live in a world intent on hostility, where peace and reconciliation are drowned out in other, louder, destructive and hate-filled voices. The challenge of self-identifying first and primarily as citizens of the kingdom remains especially when we are pulled to identify in so many other ways. It often runs headlong into cultural conventional thinking. But the call remains—we are to be made new, completely, not partially new. While the world seeks to divide, our message and actions are about reconciliation, peace and acceptance. We cannot afford to “follow the ways of the world”—allowing that to set our agendas. We must make “every effort” to maintain unity. We must be a welcoming force–inviting aliens, strangers and foreigners to discover the blessings of citizenship in Christ. We have to be open for the power of God to work within us in ways we cannot ask or imagine. What a transforming force this beautiful multi-ethnic, welcoming, united faith community can still be! I think you would agree that there is a huge need for this in our current climate. I pray we are up for this wonderful challenge.

Meet Will

Serving as preaching intern this summer at Levy is Will Brannen. Will will be a junior at Harding University in Searcy, AR studying Bible and ministry. He is from Houston, TX. He and his family worship at the Bammel Church of Christ.

I have known Will since 2003 when my family and I moved to work with the Gateway congregation in Pensacola, FL. Will and his family were living there then.

Will has an amazing God story to share about his life. He had a heart transplant as an infant and is a two-time cancer survivor. He plans to tell us a little more about that soon at Levy.

In spending dedicated time with Will–studying text; talking ministry and preaching; visiting people–I am deeply impressed by Will’s desire to serve God, his genuineness and his maturity.

I am thankful that Will is with us for six weeks and I urge everyone at Levy to pray for him, encourage him and support him in his pursuit of a life of ministry.

The Least of These

Over the last few months I have been preaching from the kingdom parables in the gospel of Matthew. These stories along with Christ’s other teachings and personal ministry reveal the nature and values of “the kingdom of heaven.” To me as I read the entire story as it unfolds in Matthew, the kingdom was on the mind of Jesus from the very beginning of his teaching ministry (the Sermon on the Mount in chapters 5-7) until his last public teaching before his arrest (chapters 24-25).

As I understand it, the kingdom of God has an “already here/but not yet” aspect to it. The kingdom is here Jesus taught—among us and in us, but not in it fullest state. We still get to anticipate, yearn for, and look forward to it. To me, the best way to understand the kingdom is like this:

• It is where God is/rules. Wherever the reign of God can be seen, his kingdom is present.
• It is within us. So Jesus stated in Luke 17:21. When God rules within us his kingdom then is evident in us.
• It is from another place. So Jesus stated in John 18:36. This speaks to the values of the kingdom. This is what Jesus began sharing in the Sermon and throughout his ministry. These kingdom values are usually at odds with those of our world.
• The kingdom focus is on the least of these. This was among what Matthew last recorded Jesus saying before his arrest in a section we know as “The Sheep and the Goats” or the great judgment scene. Found here is a major way that kingdom values differ from the world.

“THE LAST WILL BE FIRST”

As Matthew presents Jesus, we hear him say these words more than once and we witness him practice them. Sure there is the backstory of the Jewish establishment’s rejection of his Messiahship—the “first” in God’s story refusing to embrace God’s Son while reacting as the invitation goes out to the “last” folks they ever expected to be in a kingdom celebration (or wedding feast as Jesus imagines it in Matthew 22:1-14). But there is more to the story than just proving a point to hard hearted Jews.

The kingdom of God really is about the least of these. I love the way Jesus replied to some disciples of John the Baptist who came asking if Jesus was, in fact, the true Messiah  (Matthew 11:4). His answer was about the least of these. It was about how the lame could walk, the blind could see, the deaf could hear, lepers were healed, the poor hearing good news. Interesting.

You can see this all throughout Christ’s ministry—stopping to listen to blind Bartimaeus, healing lepers, feeding thousands, making time for little children, offering hope to an adulterous woman, casting out demons in people others had completely given up on. This was Jesus reaching out unashamedly to the forgotten, the devalued, the fringe, the ignored, the neglected, the last–and incredibly making them first on his mind, in his heart and in his kingdom.

Remember his disciples squabbling about who would be the greatest in his kingdom? This is so like most of us—seeking the edge, maneuvering for position, wanting to be number one—first! Matthew shared this unflattering episode in 20:20-28. Once more Jesus made it crystal clear that in his kingdom this type of ego stroking would not occur. It was about being last, he told them, not first. Or as he framed it in another conversation–giving up of ourselves; our self-will and ego in order to gain much more in him.

Do we get it? It is all about the least of these. Once Jesus said that if we harm or injure one of his little ones—specifically little children in the context of Matthew 18:1-15—that it would be better for us to have a millstone (read very heavy weight) strapped to our neck and cast into the sea. Not sure how much plainer it can get than that.

It is about justice, mercy, grace, empowerment, forgiveness, hope, compassion, healing and love—demonstrated to those who frequently do not receive much of it. This is what Jesus came to deliver. This is what his kingdom in its present form is to emphasize. And when the kingdom comes in its fullest—forgotten folks like poor, sick Lazarus will enjoy an eternal place at God’s table. The last will be first.

THIS HAS CHANGED ME

On a personal level this “least of these” emphasis has changed me. First, I can relate to it. Honestly, I often feel like one of the “least of these.” This has more to do with believing Satan’s lies than Christ’s teaching, but it is a real struggle for me at times. Quite often I assess my life and feel like a failure on different levels—wondering if my life has made any real, lasting difference; questioning if my attempts at preaching really matter in the big picture; wondering if I have helped or hurt my family; at times feeling lonely and afraid–just out on the fringe. I do realize and acknowledge that these thoughts come from my enemy who wants to “steal, kill and destroy” me, but they are honest emotions. And it is good to know that when I am thus struggling that Christ is there. This is the “when I am weak, he is strong” promise of 2 Corinthians 12:10–which is simply another way of restating his kingdom focus.

It has also changed me in how I look at others. How often have I brushed aside the Bartimeaus’s of the world in my rush to pursue my own ends—my own place at the chief seat in the kingdom? How often have I ignored the last? Had no time for the least of these? How many times have I been so focused on the winners, while denigrating the losers that I lost sight of the real purpose of my life within the kingdom of God?

God forgive me. I have come to realize that those I have called “the losers” are exactly who Christ valued–the least of these.

The evidence is just too overwhelming. Read again Matthew’s story of Jesus. It is right there—repeatedly. In God’s kingdom:

Whoever wants to become great among you must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must become your slave. 

It really is about the least of these.