The Book of the Revelation of Jesus The author of this book, which is not called Revelations by the way, is named at the beginning. It was written by John which could refer to the Beloved Disciple who wrote the gospel and the letters of John or it could be a different John - a Messianic Jewish prophet who traveled about and taught in early church. Whichever John it was, he makes clear in the opening paragraph what kind of book he has written.
He calls it first of all a revelation or apocalypse. The greek word is Apokalypsis and it refers to a type of literature very familiar to John's readers from the Hebrew scriptures and from other popular Jewish texts. Apokalypsis recounted a prophet's symbolic dreams and visions that revealed God's heavenly perspective on history and current events so that the present could be viewed in light of history's final outcome.
And John says this apocalypse is a prophecy which means it's a word from God spoken through a prophet to God's people, usually to warn or comfort them in a time of crisis. By calling this book of prophecy, John saying that it stands in the tradition of the biblical prophets and is bringing their message to a climax. And this apocalyptic prophecy was sent to real people that John knew.
The book opens and closes as a circular letter that was sent to seven churches in the ancient Roman province of Asia. Now seven is a meaningful number for John. It's a symbol of completeness based on the seven-day Sabbath cycle in the Old Testament.
And John has woven sevens into every single part of this book. Now with this opening John has given us clear guidance about how he wants us to understand this book. Jewish apocalypse is communicated through symbolic imagery and numbers.
It is not a secret predictive code about the timing of the end of the world rather John is constantly using these symbols that are drawn from the Old Testament and he expects his readers to go discover what the symbols mean by looking up the text he's alluding to. Also the fact that it's a letter means that John is actually addressing the situation of these first century churches. And so while this book has much to say to Christians of later generations, the books meaning must first be anchored in the historical context of John's time, place, and audience.
which brings us into the book's first section Jesus' message to the seven churches John was exiled on the island of Patmos and he saw a vision of the risen Jesus exalted as king of the world. And He was standing among seven burning lights. and John's told this is a symbol of the seven churches in Asia Minor that's been adapted from the book of the Prophet Zechariah.
And Jesus starts addressing the specific problems that face each church Some where apathetic due to wealth and affluence. Others were morally compromised. Their people were still eating ritual meals, and sleeping around, and pagan temples.
But others among the churches remained faithful to Jesus. And they were suffering harassment and even violent persecution. And Jesus warns that things are going to get worse.
A tribulation is upon the churches that will force them to choose between compromise or faithfulness. By John's day the murder of Christians by the Roman Emperor Nero was passed. And the persecution of Christians by Emperor Domitian was likely underway.
And so the temptation was to deny Jesus either to avoid persecution or simply to join the spirit of the Roman age. And Jesus calls them to faithfulness so that they can overcome or literally conquer. And Jesus promises a reward for everyone in these churches who does conquer.
Each reward is drawn directly from the books final vision about the marriage of heaven and earth. And so this opening section it sets up the main plot tension that will drive the storyline in this book. Will Jesus' people endure?
Will they inherit the new world that God has in store? And why is faithfulness to Jesus described as conquering. The rest of the book is John's answer.
After this John has a vision of God's heavenly throne room and he describes it with imagery drawn from many Old Testament prophets. Surrounding God are creatures and elders that represent all creation and human nations and they're giving honor and allegiance to the one true Creator God who is holy holy holy. In God's hand is a scroll that's closed up with seven wax seals.
It symbolizes the message of the Old Testament prophets and the sealed scroll of Daniel's visions. these are all about how God's kingdom will come here fully on earth as in heaven But it turns out no one is able to open the scroll until John hears of someone who can. It's the lion from the tribe of Judah and the root of David he can open it.
These are classic Old Testament desciptions of the Messianic King who would bring God's kingdom through military conquest. Now that's what John hears but then what he turns and sees is not an aggressive lion king but a sacrifice bloody lamb who's alive standing there and ready to open the scroll. Now the symbol of Jesus as the slain lamb, this is crucially important for understanding the book.
John's saying that the Old Testament promise of God's future victorious kingdom was inaugurated through the crucified Messiah. Jesus overcame his enemies by dying for them as the true Passover lamb so that they could be redeemed. Because of the Resurrection Jesus's death on the cross was not a defeat, it was his enthronement it was the way he conquered evil.
And so this vision concludes with the lamb alongside the one sitting on the throne and together they are worshipped as the one true creator and Redeemer and the slain lamb begins to open the scroll. It's a symbol of His divine authority to guide history to its conclusion. Which brings us to the next section of the book the three cycles of sevens seven seals, seven trumpets, and seven bowls.
And each cycle depicts God's kingdom and justice coming here on earth as in heaven. Now some people think that the three sets of seven divine judgment represent a literal linear sequence of events that either happened in the past or could be happening now or are yet to happen in the future when Jesus returns. But notice how John has woven all the sevens together so the final seven bowls come out of the seventh trumpet and the seventh seal.
and the seven trumpets emerge from the seventh seal They're like nesting dolls - each seventh contained to the next seven. Also notice how each of the series of seven culminates in the final judgment and they have matching conclusions. So it's more likely that John is using each set of seven to depict the same period of time between Jesus's resurrection and future returned from three different perspectives.
So the slain lamb begins to open the scrolls first four seals and John sees four horsemen. It's an image from the book of Zechariah chapter one. And they symbolize times of war, conquest, famine, and death.
In other words a tragically average day in human history. Then the fifth seal depicts the murdered Christian martyrs before God's heavenly throne. And the cry of their innocent blood rises up before God like smoke from the altar of incense.
And they're told to rest because more Christians are yet to die. We're not told why but we are told that it won't last forever the sixth seal is God's ultimate response to their cry. He brings the great day of the Lord that was described in Isaiah and Joel.
And the people of the earth cry out 'Who is able to stand? ! ' And then all of a sudden John pauses the action with an intermission to answer that question John sees an angel with a signet ring coming to place a mark of protection on God's servants who are enduring all this hardship and he hears the number of those who are sealed - a hundred and forty-four thousand.
It's a military census like the one in the Book of Numbers chapter one. There are twelve thousand from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Now pay attention.
The number of this army is what John heard. Just like he heard about the conquering lion of Judah. But in both cases what he then turned and saw was the surprising fulfillment of those military images in Jesus the slain lamb.
So when he sees this messianic army of God's kingdom. It's made up of people from all nations fulfilling God's ancient promise to Abraham. It's this multi-ethnic army of the Lamb who can stand before God because they've been redeemed by the lamb's blood.
And now they are called the conquerer not by killing their enemies but by suffering and bearing witness just like the lamb. After this the seventh and final seal is broken but before the scroll is open the seven warning trumpets emerge and fire is taken from the incense altar it symbolizes the cry of the martyrs and it's cast onto the earth bringing the day of the Lord to its completion. Now with the seven trumpets John backs up and he retells the story again.
This time with images from the Exodus story. So the first five trumpet blasts replay the plague sent upon Egypt and then the sixth trumpet releases the four horsemen that came from the first four seals. But then John tells us that despite all these plagues the nations did not repent just like pharaoh didn't in the Exodus story.
So it seems that God's judgment alone will not bring people to humble repentance before him then John pauses the action again with another intermission. An angel brings the unsealed scroll that was opened by the lamb. And just like Ezekiel John is told to eat the scroll and then proclaim its message to the nations.
Finally the lamb scroll is open and now we will discover how God's kingdom will come here on earth. The scrolls content is spelled out in two symbolic visions. First John sees God's temple and the martyrs by the altar and he's told to measure and set them apart.
And it's an image of protection taken from Zechariah chapter 2. But then the outer courts in the city are excluded and they get trampled down by the nations. Now some think that this refers literally to a destruction of Jerusalem that happened in the past or will happen in the future.
But more likely John's following the tradition of Jesus and the apostles who all use the new temple as a symbol for God's new covenant people. In that case, this is an image about how Jesus' followers may suffer persecution by the nations but this external defeat cannot take away their victory through the lamb. This idea gets expanded in the scrolls' second vision.
God appoints two witnesses as prophetic representatives to the nations. And once again some people think this refers literally two prophets who will appear one day in the future. But John calls them lampstands which is one of his clear symbols for the churches.
So this vision is more likely about the prophetic role of Jesus' followers who are to take up the mantle of Moses and Elijah and call idolatrous nations and rulers to turn back to the one true God. But then all of a sudden a horrible beast appears, let the reader remember Daniel chapter 7, and the beast conquers the witnesses and kills them. But then God brings them back to life and vindicates the witnesses before their persecutors and the end result is that many among the nations finally do repent and give glory to the Creator God in the day of the Lord.
Now, stop. Think about the story so far. God's warning judgments through the seals and through the trumpets did not generate repentance among the nations just like the Exodus plagues only hardened Pharaoh's heart.
But the lamb, He conquered his enemies by loving them, dying for them. And now the message of the lamb's scroll reveals the mission of his army, the church. God's kingdom will be revealed when the nations see the church imitating the loving sacrifice of the Lamb not killing their enemies but dying for them.
It is God's mercy shown through Jesus' followers that will bring the nations to repentance. And this surprising claim is the message of the open scroll that John has placed at the exact center of the entire book. After this the last trumpet sounds and the nations are shaken as God's kingdom comes here on earth as it is in heaven.
So now we know how the church will bear witness to the nations and inherit the new creation but who was that terrible beast that waged war on God's people? And how will the whole story turn out? John will tell us in the second half of the Book of the Revelation.
