Tag: Revelation

At the end of a harvest, everything in the field is harvested in some form or another.  The outcome a harvest is largely dependent on what identity the thing being harvested holds.  For harvesting, there is the physical act of removing everything from where it is and then the sorting by its identity.  As the elders and angels declare the victory of God over all the world, they mark the beginning of the season of harvest.  The angels herald the coming of the harvest as it passes over all the earth.  First, the wheat are harvested and then the grapes.  While both are harvested, their fates could not be more different, each facing a different outcome than the other.  One thing becomes clear from chapter 14; everyone will face the harvest in some capacity.  Up until this point, God reveals his sovereignty as the King of Heaven, the ruler of creation, and even dictating what the dragon and demons can and cannot do. At the end of human kind, everyone will experience the fullness of God.  Some will experience the fullness of God’s eternal presence and blessing.  Others will experience the fullness of the God’s wrath.  The difference comes from who the son of man claims as His own.

From the earth, the dragon brought forth another beast.  It bore the image of a lamb with the voice of a dragon.  While the first beast sought to draw the worship of the world, the second beast’s mission is similar.  The beast from the land sought only to draw attention to the anti-Christ from the first part of the chapter. The presence of the second beast only affirmed the worship of the first beast by validating its story and existence.  Through the demonstration of spiritual powers, appearing to call down fire from heaven. The vileness of the first beast towards followers of Christ reminded with the second only stirring people to reject the one true God to cause death and destruction as a distraction. Unfortunately, John tells us that many will be deceived by the display of power, assuming that any charismatic display, whatever its message may be, comes from God.  For those who would not be deceived, life wicked become increasingly difficult to sustain their daily life.  Those who follow the beast will receive the mark of the beast from their allegiance that will provide them with the ability to buy and sell, participating in economic transactions, thus limiting the church’s ability to live and survive in the culture that brands them as unfaithful, false, and outcasts of society.  With the presence of the second beast, the false trinity from the dragon will appear to make great strides against the world and against the church.  

From the earth, the dragon brought forth another beast.  It bore the image of a lamb with the voice of a dragon.  While the first beast sought to draw the worship of the world, the second beast’s mission is similar.  The beast from the land sought only to draw attention to the anti-Christ from the first part of the chapter. The presence of the second beast only affirmed the worship of the first beast by validating its story and existence.  Through the demonstration of spiritual powers, appearing to call down fire from heaven. The vileness of the first beast towards followers of Christ reminded with the second only stirring people to reject the one true God to cause death and destruction as a distraction. Unfortunately, John tells us that many will be deceived by the display of power, assuming that any charismatic display, whatever its message may be, comes from God.  For those who would not be deceived, life wicked become increasingly difficult to sustain their daily life.  Those who follow the beast will receive the mark of the beast from their allegiance that will provide them with the ability to buy and sell, participating in economic transactions, thus limiting the church’s ability to live and survive in the culture that brands them as unfaithful, false, and outcasts of society.  With the presence of the second beast, the false trinity from the dragon will appear to make great strides against the world and against the church.  

As the dragon stands on the edge of the sea, the devil begins to summon forth two beasts in chapter 13.  The first comes from the sea (vs. 1-10) and the second comes from the earth (vs. 11-18).  Each are equally frightening but different in their approach.  For both, the purpose of the beasts remains the same; to spread the false gospel that the dragon can provide life and safety to people.  At this point, the dragon knows his days are numbered and that he will ultimately see his demise and end.  Yet, the nature of the dragon seeks destruction for the people.  He deceives others in hopes of bringing the destruction that will befall him to others.

Throughout the bible, we gain the perspective from earth of God’s intervention and rescue plan for mankind.  Throughout the entirety of scripture, God remains the star as He saves those receive Him.  Yet, for the most part, this is told through the perspective of the physical.  In Revelation 12, John is given a glimpse of the spiritual story.  We gain great detail as to the consequences of the devil’s rebellion in heaven, how he came to earth, and ultimately what he will endure.  Some parts of this chapter seem to be almost a flashback of events from the past while others still are to come.  Often times, from the perspective of man, it seems as though the battle is still ranging onward between God and man.  We worry about what we face and that the trials and temptations of the world will be the end of us as the devil  tempts us.  However, we must remember that Satan, for all his accusations, has no reign or power outside of what God allows him to.  The church, no matter what, will be eternally safe against the attacks of Satan as long as the church remains and pursues the One, True Savior.  

Throughout the whole of this chapter, many times and numbers are given.  It is very likely that these are not indicative of the literal time but rather as an indication of completeness and representing God.  Furthermore, as John references the temple, it is the opinion of this author that this does not necessitate a physical rebuilding of the temple.  The temple refers to the people of God and the true believers who find their identity in the body of Christ.  In the Old Testament, the temple represented the place where the priests would intercede for mankind to God.  Now, with the coming of Jesus Christ and the sending of the Holy Spirit, we as the body of Christ represent the intercession of God to the world and identifying with Christ in His death, burial and resurrection. In this chapter, you see the believers begin to feel the persecution of the world.  For part of this, the people of God will be spared and for others, true believers will feel the unabated persecution.  Throughout this chapter, though, we see that God does not abandon His people.  No matter what the world does to those who believe, God will protect those who worship Him and belong in Jesus Christ.

Stop for a moment and consider what John has witnessed so far.  John has witnessed the throne room of heaven, seen the beginnings of heaven’s collision with earth, and watched as God poured out judgment on the world.  He has witnessed natural disasters beyond explanation and seen heavenly creatures roam throughout the earth.  With six of the seven trumpets having resounded their blasts, a brief interlude begins resembling the interlude between the breaking of the seven seals.  For all of the wonders that John has seen, though, at this point, it is almost as if there is still time and hope for the people of the world.

In the first four trumpets, the earth endured the punishment for the sin with a third of the world being wiped out from the first four trumpets.  The earth felt the effects of sin which cannot withstand God’s judgment.  Through the initial actions of Adam and Eve and our continued sin, we subject the earth to the judgment of God that undoubtedly will not go unnoticed by the people.  After these trumpets, the angel delivered a solemn warning of what was to come; woe to those who dwell on the earth.  For the next two trumpets, mankind receives the beginning of their judgment for their sin and rebellion.  God takes the issue of sin extremely serious.  Sin is unholy rebellion against the things of God and goes against our intended creation of how God made the world to function.  Hence, the first act of God to repair the effects of sin came in the form of sending Jesus Christ to die as the lamb of God to take away the sins of the world.  Now, the land of God stands in judgment over the world for those who do not find their identity in Him.  With the sounding of the fifth and sixth trumpet, those who persist to follow other gods will find themselves experiencing the fullness of God’s judgment but they are not outside of the reach of the hand of Jesus Christ to provide grace.  

At the end of Revelation 7, the patriarchs of the Old Testament, the multitudes, the angels, the creatures and everyone else worships the Lord as the invasion of Heaven to earth continues.  There is a taste of heaven that the world receives (and shudders as it does so).  The judgment of God is being poured out as the seals on the scroll are being opened.  Previously, there was an extended pause after the sixth scroll and now the judgment continues.  The Lamb of God, the Lion of the tribe of Judah opens the seventh scroll.  Yet, for all the raucousness of the previous seals, heaven falls strangely silent.  Events unfold and an angel ministers at the altar, dealing with the prayers of the saints before the throne.  There is a mixture of prayers of the people and the offerings of the heavenly beings.  The holiness of God and the prayers of the people unite in one and are returned to earth.  The prayer we have all been taught by Christ Himself plays itself out in this moment; “your kingdom comes, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…”

Between the 6th and 7th seal being open, there is a brief pause.  Up until this point, the believers have felt the effects (albeit not the consequences) of the judgment being poured out on the world.  Then, with the return of the martyrs and the persistent denial from the world of the Lordship of Christ while seeing clearly His omnipotent hand, creation pauses and the scene shifts.  John’s vision makes it clear that the judgment will be ramping up in intensity and in consequence.  The nearer to the end of time that humanity approaches, the more adverse the effects.  After all, sin is permitted to remain for the sake of saving as many persons ensnared by its alluring grasp.  Thus, as sin continues, its effects on the world continue and the punishment becomes more and more deserved with each passing day.  In fact, the judgment of God has already started, pouring out the first seals by the hand of the Lamb of God.