|
Introduction
This is a controversial and difficult book. So
many attempts have been made to unravel its meaning - often with
very strange results!
Now that we have arrived at a place of doubting
the authenticity of the New Testament and have realised that what
we thought was Christianity was Paul's teaching not that of Jesus
it is time to reassess Revelation.
(Note: It would be advisable to read first what
we have about Paul's teaching in Christian are you a follower of
Paul or Christ?, and that of the Recorded Sayings of Jesus, The
Life of Jesus, Was Jesus the Messiah, Daniel ch. 9)
Basic Questions to Ask
Who wrote the book? It is attributed to "John" and
begins with 7 letters to the churches in Asia Minor that "John" seems
to be overseeing. It is assumed this was the apostle John, one
of the twelve, ( who was a young fisherman when Jesus was alive
and was the only disciple to live to old age.) It is also assumed
that this was the same person who wrote the gospel by that name
and the three letters. The doctrine ( and much of the content)
in all these is different from the other gospels. WHY? It is more
like Paul in doctrine. The use of the Lamb, stressing the sacrificial
substitution death, never used in the other gospels is peculiar.
( It could be a play on the fact that a He brew word for "word" is
also a word for a lamb.) It is thought that the gospels were all
written after Paul's letters, so Pauline influence could be there
in all.
The striking difference in Revelation and the
gospel of John is how the number seven dominates. Revelation is
made from groups of seven unfolding from within each other, and
the gospel has seven discourses and seven miracles presented so "they
would believe". The idea that light means understanding and
the use of symbolism is very mystical - Kabbalist. The correlation
with mystical passages in the books of Daniel and Ezekiel is obvious
in Revelation.
So had this simple fisherman from Galilee become
a Jewish mystic over the years?
Was the writer really John the Baptist, whose
parentage was of the priesthood and lived in the desert apart?
This, of course would mean he escaped death and went to live on
Patmos ( someone else having been beheaded in his place).
The Aramaic translation of Revelation says it
was John the Baptist who wrote it.
2. When was it written? Usually it is said to
be in AD95. This is because it is assumed that John was banished
to Patmos during the persecutions under Domitian, but it could
have at the time of those of Nero in the mid 60's. We know the
temple was destroyed in AD70, yet measuring the sanctuary is ordered
in chapter 11 - was this just symbolic? Ezekiel also was involved
in "measuring" ( actually being shown the spiritual abominations
continuing which had caused the desecration) what was a destroyed
building of the temple during the Babylonian exile and the reason
then was that spiritual desecration. Could the writer of Revelation
be saying the same thing i.e. the temple was destroyed because
of desecration? The interesting point is that he does not say it
is because the Jews rejected the Messiah!
If this book was written after the destruction
of the temple then the situation was that the Romans had excluded
all Jews and Christians from a ten mile radius round Jerusalem
which lasted many years. This was a terrible thing and would cause
much heartache. Which brings us to why it was written.
3. Why was revelation written? If ever there was
a need for the Messiah to come and re establish Israel as a Kingdom
again and to rid her of her enemies this was it! It was worse than
captivity abroad - the enemy was in the land and Torah could not
be practised. Rome and particularly the Emperor, was the enemy.
4.What, then did the Jews expect of the Messiah
and his coming? On thinking of this it must be remembered that
the writer is a Jew who believes Jesus came to do away with the
need for sacrifice - he is the Lamb that takes away the sin of
the world.
But, he is different from Paul, because he sees
this being for Jews - Revelation is a very Jewish book and much
of its meaning lost on Gentiles, unless they have learned a great
deal about the Old Testament, especially prophecy, and know something
of Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) It seems this is where Christians
have gone wrong in interpreting the book, together with their belief
about the Messiah having died a substitution sacrificial death
and coming back again .
The plan and purpose of the book.
Bearing all the above points in mind let us try
to re examine the book with fresh eyes.
First of all a quick overview, because once you
start on this book it is very easy to get lost because you cannot "see
the wood for the trees"!
- What Jesus Christ is showing his servants must happen soon
- the time is near.
Has all this happened now that more than 1900
years have passed?
- A statement of faith to the churches: Jesus Christ is the first
born of the dead and ruler of kings. He has freed us from our
sins by his blood and made them a kingdom of priests to serve
God.
- Expectation: he is coming and all will see him. At the end
of the book it twice says he is coming soon. Has he?
- Vision whilst on Patmos. ( It does not say whilst in exile
or prison ; only that it was because of the word of God and testimony
of Jesus Christ - he could have been sent there by God to receive
this vision.) Whilst in the spirit (trance ?)he sees one who
claims to be the first and last, living, but was dead, who holds
the keys of death and Hades (Greek! Why not "sheol"?)
- Instruction to write what he has seen ( the visions?), what
is now ( the letters to the churches?) and what will be ( the
judgements)
- The seven letters to the seven churches in Asia Minor, each
using an aspect of the one in the first vision, with their good
and bad points, rewards and punishments. Although these were
real churches ( said to be a circuit of responsibilities for
John as an elder) it is also said that each one represents the
church in a stage of history. A) apostolic b) persecuted c) compromising
d) embracing paganism e) sleeping f) missionary, g) complacent.
But in each church are true believers who are overcomers who
will be rewarded.
- In chapter four the scene changes from earth to the throne
room of heaven. Here are the four living creatures like those
of Ezekiel, and twenty four elders worshipping. And the one who,
although the lamb, is the Lion of the tribe of Judah ( which
makes it very plain the writer sees him as both sacrificial lamb
and the Davidic messiah.. This is a new concept in Judaism. The
Joseph type of messiah died, but not as a substitute. The Davidic
messiah triumphs over his enemies, See " Was Jesus the Messiah?")
This person is the only one able to open the scroll containing
the judgements.
- The opening of the seven seals of judgements begins. War, famine,
disease, death, martyrdom ( they will be avenged who have died
so, but have to wait until all have been killed), earthquakes,
the sun turns black, the moon turns red, stars fall to earth,
humans hide in cave terrified of the wrath of the lamb and the
face of him who sits on the throne, for the day of their wrath
has come. ( the day of the Lord mentioned in chapter one and
by the prophets.)
- The sealing of the servants of God to keep the safe, who are
plainly Jews. ( Chapter seven) and the vision of a multitude
in heaven from all races standing before the throne and wearing
white, who have come out of great tribulation.
- The seventh seal is opened and the seven trumpets begin to
sound. ( ch. 8) the first six trumpets are plagues resembling
those of Egypt, only with more blood. They,too, are selective
- only affecting one third of everything and everybody. But those
left did not repent.
- In chapter 10 an angel announces that the end has come now
- In ch.11 the writer is told to measure the temple and worshippers,
but not the Gentiles, because they will trample the holy city
for 42 months. The two witness ( who resemble Moses and Elijah
in the style of prophecy give their testimony and then are killed
by the beast from the abyss, and are resurrected. Another earthquake
in the city.
- The final trumpet sounds and ushers in the seven vials of the
wrath of God, and the time for judging the dead and rewarding
the servants of God - prophets and saints and those who reverence
his name. Another earthquake and hailstorm.
- Vision of the woman ( Israel) and the dragon ( the enemies
of Israel)
- The beast from the sea . This is a portrayal of the Gentile
( from the sea) Emperor.
- The beast from the land ( the" land" is usually
the land of Israel) This could be the high priest, who was chosen
and put in power by Rome and not necessarily descended from Aaron.
Many interpreters have seen these beasts as Rome and Rome again
in the form of the Roman Catholic church.
- Vision of the lamb on Zion with the 144,000 virgins ( those
who have kept a pure faith?)
- The harvest of the earth and the seven last plagues with the
wrath of God poured out in totality.
- The enemies of God gather at Armageddon ( a valley in northern
Israel where many battles have taken place in her history) The
description of Babylon ( all false religions) falling suddenly.
- But this battle never starts because the Rider on the white
horse appears with the armies of God to the shouts in heaven
of Halleluya and destroys all the enemies of God and His people.
- A thousand year reign and imprisonment of the enemy in the
Abyss, who is then released to make war again, but is crushed
and thrown into the lake of fire for ever with the rest of the
enemies.
- The dead are judged.
- The new Jerusalem comes down from heaven. It is interesting
that there is the idea of a heavenly Jerusalem in Kabbalah.
- A new heaven and a new earth with no sea, no night, and no
more curse, and no temple.
- Twice it is said that Jesus is coming soon, and so all these
things were to happen soon.
The writer sees all the terrible things happening
because Satan is very angry and active (ch.12) making the enemies
of Israel very powerful, but that this is also a sign
that the saviour messiah must come soon. The people
of God will be protected and hidden ( other than the martyrs!)
Many will be carried away on the flood from the mouth of the serpent
- as they fled in 66-70AD. And were scattered and hidden in the
world.
Two points of interest here:
- The red dragon could represent the emperor because the dragon
in China was the emperor and the royal colour was red. Rome traded
with China along the Silk road at that time.
- There seem to be two groups of people who will be at risk,
but are God's people and so protected. One are those who keep
the commands of God and are the group in ch. 7 who are obviously
practising Jews from each tribe and a defined number chosen -
12 times a thousand from each tribe, twelve being a significant
number for Israel, because it made up from a pair and ten ( the
pair being Judah for the kings and Levi for the priests and together
for all the ten tribes of the people and ten is the number of
abundance and riches). Is Dan not also a servant of God? ( it
says that yet Dan is missing - why? Is it because a double portion
has been given to Joseph's children, as promised to them in Genesis,
which means the number would be thirteen? When the Israelites
camped in the desert they arranged themselves in a certain way
by points of the compass - probably by the stars, and each tribe
had a banner to mark its spot. Some say these were astrological
signs and that of Dan was an eagle with a serpent. If so this
would perhaps account for his exclusion by a writer who is seeing
the Roman eagle and the emperor dragon as evil. This is just
a guess because there does not seem to be a reason why this tribe
was so much worse than the others. It also raises the point that,
even then, few, except those of Levi or from David, knew their
descent, so the angels must know who to mark!
The other group are obviously Christians and followers
of Paul because they have washed in the blood to be clean of sin.
They are martyred. There is a multitude of these all dressed in
white - they cannot be counted, but the Jews can, it seems.
This, again, raises questions. The early Christian
groups, such as the Ebionites and Nazarites, rejected Paul and
the virgin birth and divinity of Jesus. To them Jesus was a great
teacher, and they were sects of Judaism. Everybody else were in
the sects of Judaism, such as Pharisees, Sadducees, or Essenes,
or they were followers of Pauline Christianity, who had abandoned
the Torah. The only one of the seven letters in Revelation
to a church with contact with Paul is Ephesus ( where he was not
welcome back). This church is commended for its rejection in the
past of those who claim to be apostles, but are not, and rebuked
for leaving the works and love of the past. Why, at this critical
time, no letters to Corinth, Phillipians, Galatia, Rome, Thessalonia
etc.? All the letters have the symbol of the lampstand - actually
a menorah - a very Jewish symbol, for the church.
The letters are very Jewish - would gentiles have
understood the significance of Balaam and Jezabel, the key of David,
the New Jerusalem, (in Kabbalah there is a Jerusalem in heaven
so this idea of it descending from heaven is not peculiar to revelation
or "John".),and the phrase " those who say they
are Jews but are not"?!
There arises then the question: have these letters
been imported from elsewhere? Were they letters from John, the
apostle written after having the vision described in chapter one,
but the rest of the book has been added from another source?
They would have to come with the introduction
and vision of the person whose attributes are so woven into them.
Because of the inconsistencies between the Jewishness and the Pauline
parts where the blood of Christ and the sacrifice having
paid the price etc. questions do have to be asked
about the possibility of additions to the original.
To be fair - the writer is basing what he says
on the words of Jesus recorded in the gospels in Mark 13 v 21-30,
Matthew 24v 29-35 and Luke 21 v 20-28; where Jesus predicts the
destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and terrible signs that
herald the coming of the son of man. The generation that saw the
signs would see the coming of the son of man ( he does not says
it is his return.). So, when the temple was destroyed 40 years
after those words, it would be natural for the expectation of the
Messiah coming to avenge the enemy would be high.
We have the only " prophetic" book
of the New Testament to complete and bring events to an end. The
trumpets sound warnings that men should repent, but like Pharoah,
they do not, so worse follows. As Babylon was responsible for the
exile, and was destroyed by other gentiles, so Rome ( see ch. 16
v29) will be destroyed by her enemies from the east ( see ch. 9,
17 & 18) as part of the wrath of God. The words and visions
are like those of the prophets of the exile - Daniel, Ezekiel and
Zachariah; giving hope of return and salvation from the enemy,
but the difference is that they have not come true. It was hundreds
of years before the Roman Empire collapsed and the gentiles overran
the land of Israel for over 1800 years.
Comments on individual chapters:-
Chapter one: much has already been said.
It seems to be a passage that, together with the seven letters
could stand alone as the message for the churches in Asia minor
overseen by the writer. These churches are seen as lamp-stands
or menorah ( feminine pleural in Hebrew is " menoroth" which
is confirmed by the Aramaic translation which has "minerets".)
Each church has a messenger who is seen as a star in the hand of
the one in the vision.. This are typical Jewish symbols.
Chapters two and three: Each of the seven
letters is in the same format taking a quality of the person in
the vision, usually assumed to be the ascended Jesus, which is
appropriate to that church, and then setting out points for approval
and points for rebuke. There is a distinct resemblance to the format
of the testimonies of each of the twelve sons of Jacob in the Testaments
of the Twelve Patriarchs which is an inter testament document found
amongst the Dead Sea scrolls and thought to have been written by
a Pharisee to support the claim the John Hyracanus was the Messiah
( but the writer does not indicate a substitution death or believe
in original sin) It is obvious on reading this document that the
New testament writers were familiar with it and also Jesus.
To those who do well and overcome there are promises
some of which are easy to understand, such as being given to eat
of the tree of life and ruling with him. But others are more obscure
.What, for instance is the second death? Ch. 2 v 11. It may be
what we think of as hell, the lake of fire that burns eternally,
or Gehennah ( where the rubbish continually burned outside Jerusalem).
This is the place where the demons and Satan and all the wicked
end up. But how is it a second death? The Aramaic has a "recurring" death
giving the idea of it being eternal. Yet oblivion is also connected
with what happens after death!
What does it mean to be given hidden manna and
a white stone with a new name known only to the recipient? Ch2
v 17. It all sounds like belonging to a secret society. Manna is
a portion or food to sustain in the wilderness. The white stone
could be good deeds. The Tibetan Book of the Dead speaks of the
judgement scales with white and black pebbles balancing out good
and bad deeds. The new name speaks of a new identity. In Isaiah
62 Zion is promised a new name.
There has been much speculation about the Nicolaitans.
Ch.2 v6& 15. The Aramaic version has "those who practise
rituals".
"I will give him the morning star".
Ch. 2 v 28. In Judaism the morning star meant the dawning of the
age of the Messiah. A new day began with the first visible star
in the evening.
This could actually be the planet Venus, but to
the Egyptians when the star Sirius was visible as the sun rose
it meant the season for the Nile to flood and bring fertility and
the harvest. The messianic age would begin with a harvest of people
( see ch.14)
To have the Name of God and His city written on
you was to be protected .ch.3 v12
The new Jerusalem coming down from heaven comes
from Kabbalism ( Jewish mysticism). In Kabbalah ( sometimes spelled " Qabbalah")
there is in heavenly places a set of the originals of things important
spiritually, including the temple, the golden altar, the ark, the
Holy city of Jerusalem, the person of the Messiah ( the perfect
man) " the chief of the creation of God" Ch.3 v14..
All these letters end with " he who is having
an ear - let him hear what the spirit saith to the assemblies" -
so the messages in each are for all to think about.
Chapter four begins a new vision " after
this I saw.".. The writer is called up to visit heaven. Paul,
also claimed to have been up to the third heaven in 2 Cor. 12 and
says that believers are seated in heavenly places with Jesus (
the Messiah) in his letter to the Ephesians ch. 2. . In Kabbalah
there are seven heavens which approach nearer and nearer to the
throne of God. They also represent levels of knowledge spiritually.
So now the scene has changed from earth to heaven.
The writer sees the throne room of heaven with One seated on the
throne and surrounded by four living creatures and twenty four
elders, ( or priests).
Much speculation has been made about these four
living creatures whose functions are to praise God and to summon "John" to
see the " four horse men of the apocalypse" on the breaking
of the first four seals. Some have said the creatures represent
the four gospels, where each emphasises an attribute of Jesus;
a man, (Luke), a lion king ( Matthew), an eagle of swift power(
Mark), an ox calf servant ( John). Or they are seen as representatives
of the whole of creation; as there is a meat eater, a herbivore,
a bird and a human ( too bad about the fish and reptiles then!)
But what about the same creatures in Ezekiel in his visions in
chapters one and ten? Here they are seen in the context of God's
presence leaving the temple in Jerusalem because of the abominations
happening there. In Ezekiel each creature has four faces - a man,
an cherub ( or calf), an eagle and a lion, the hands of a man and
the feet of an ox., their wheels are covered by eyes, and having
six wings and moved by a living spirit. They carry the honour of
God away to the east ( into exile?) Fire is taken from them to
bring judgement on the city; rather like the fire comes from the
censer having the prayers of the saints later in Revelation . Now "John" sees
these same living beings in heaven. Why? What do they mean? If
this writer is thinking Kabbalistically, then they represent in
heaven something that is on earth.
When Israel left Egypt to travel the desert they
were given a plan of marching and camping which kept the tabernacle
( and so the presence of God) in their midst. Each tribe had its
place and a standard to give a rallying point. How did they navigate
and know the position to be in? It must have been by the stars.
By tradition it is said the four tribes with the compass points
had the signs of the Egyptian zodiac with Judah the lion in the
east, Ephraim as Aquarius the man in the west, Reuben the calf
Taurus in the south, and in the north Dan the serpent Scorpio,
which was changed to the eagle as eater of snakes. ( The latter
is important when we get to ch.7 and the list of tribes
where Dan is missing) Here you have these same
creatures encamped around the tabernacle of God. In the Jewish
zodiac it is Issachar who is Leo, Joseph is Aquarius, Simeon is
Taurus, and Naphthali is Scorpio, but these tribes are still in
the same groups using the Egyptian signs it is just a question
of who leads the group.)
Is this just coincidence or is what "John" is
seeing really the nation of Israel round the throne of God, together
with priests ( who were not in the four groups in the camp, but
round the tabernacle between it and the people.)? In 1 Chronicles
24 the priests from Levi were given 24 lots for when they should
be on duty. Again in 1 Chron 25 those to praise and worship in
the temple were divided into 24 lots of 12. So the number 12 and
multiples of it seem to be connected with praise and worship to
God. It signifies what the nation of twelve tribes of Israel is
called to do.
Chapter five. Here is introduced another
person on the throne who is both a lamb as though slain and the
lion of Judah. Only he is able to take the scroll in the hand of
the One on the throne and open it, having redeemed the living creatures
and the 24 elders to God by his blood and made them kings and priests
out of every tribe and tongue and nation,to reign on earth. If
the people of Israel - the tribes were scattered among the nations,
this could be so, and probably include those who had joined them
from among the gentiles. So there is still the idea that the blood
of the lamb has redeemed the Jews. But nowhere does it suggest
that the gentile church is the new Israel.
Chapter six. The lamb opens the seals on
the scroll and a conqueror on a white horse goes forth, and famine,
war, disease, and death follow - as is the usual course of such
events. At the opening of the fifth seal the martyrs cry out for
vengeance, but they must wait until all who must die this way have
done so. So the first five seals really describe what the situation is
at the time he wrote.
From the opening of the sixth seal new things
begin to happen - the moon as blood and sun black as sackcloth,
stars appearing to fall from the sky - all of which was prophesied
by the Old Testament prophets as the signs that the day of the
Lord's anger had arrived. But it also heralded the coming of the
Messiah figure to save the people of Israel; the Jews and restore
the kingdom. See Isaiah ch 13 followed by ch. 14 and 34 for the
parallel, which is followed by ch 35 describing the world as it
will be after that. In the gospels where Jesus speaks of the coming
of the son of man he quotes this passage.
Chapter seven.
Before the seventh seal,which releases the trumpets
with partial plagues, the servants of God have to be protected
by a seal on their foreheads.
A number of such persons is given -144,000. This
is made up from 12,000 of each of the twelve tribes of Israel.
Only it is not because the tribe of Dan is missing.
Why these multiples of twelve and thousands? Are
they to taken to mean literally only those will be protected? As
mention in comments on ch. 4 this number 12 is connected with those
who worship God.
The number twelve in Hebrew is made up from ten
plus two ( actually " a pair") and so twelve tribes would
be the tribe of kings, Judah, plus the tribe of priests, Levi,
plus the ten other tribes ( ten being the number of abundance or
riches.)
Thousands can just mean many, or even, princes.
Rulers, judges, or kings have come from all the tribes at different
times. So the number 12,000 need not be taken literally, but that
God knows who is Israel. ( just as well because few know now, or
even when Revelation was written who came from what tribe any more!)
But as to why Dan is missing is a problem which
has led to all kind of supposition; such as it is because the Anti-Christ
will come from that tribe.
Because Joseph was given a double portion as a
blessing each of his sons Ephraim and Manassah receive a share
and reckoned a s sons of Jacob: see Gen 48 ( for some reason the
writer chooses to call Manassah " Joseph" probably because
he was the elder.) This would make thirteen with Levi in his list.
But why leave out Dan, when Ezekiel does not in his re allotting
of the land? (see end of Ezekiel)
There is a great multitude who cannot be counted
who have come out of the great tribulation standing before the
throne wearing white robes and having palm branches. We are told
the white robes show they have washed in the blood of the lamb.
The palm signifies resurrection life.
If the writer sees what happened in Jerusalem
and the scattering of the Jews - both "orthodox" and
the new sect of Christians, together with their persecution, as
the great tribulation; then this multitude of believers has come
about because of this scattering and tribulation and has spread
the faith so as to produce a multitude.
Chapter eight. Now the seventh seal is
opened to a hushed silence - the trumpet warnings are about to
begin. What comes is at the prayer request of the saints, which
result in a third of everything being burned or polluted with blood..
Interestingly, in verse 7 the Aramaic has " native vegetables" instead
of " green grass" which makes more sense as all kinds
of vegetation is affected.
In verses 10 and 11 the Aramaic has Absinthus,
where we have Wormwood. It means bitter. And the people became
ill and died because of it. This is a puzzle how one "star" or
meteor could bring enough substance to make bitter one third of
the world's fresh water. Perhaps the answer is to connect with
the following verses where there is darkness. This could be a great
volcanic eruption and the "star" is the brilliant glow
followed by ash which contaminates the waters. Could this have
been the eruption of Vesuvius in AD80?
The blood and hail are reminders of the plagues
of Egypt.
Verse 13 - we have a messenger ( angel) flying
in mid- heaven, but he Aramaic has added to that " with a
trail of blood".
Chapter nine. The last three trumpets
are called woes because things get much worse - and the last, or
seventh trumpet, has the last plagues which are total, not just
in thirds.
Again as we come to the fifth and sixth trumpets
care is needed because so much has been read into them.
A "star" comes down, who is given the
key to the Abyss to release the unpleasant beings kept in there.
In Jewish thought the Abyss, or Gehennah, is where all the bad
things go for recycling and to be burnt by fire for purification.
Gehennah was an actual place outside the city walls of Jerusalem
where all the rubbish went into a fire always kept burning. In
Kabbalah it is the pit at the bottom of creation where everything
bad goes, including demons.
Out of this pit are released beings resembling
locusts ( like the Egyptian plagues again), but they only attack
people not vegetation. ( compare with Jer.51 v 14 and Joel ch.
1 and 2) They are not given the power to kill people but just to
torment them for 5 months with stings like those of scorpions.
Those marked with the seal of God are protected from them Their
king is the destroyer ( Abbadon in Hebrew or Apollyon on Greek).(the
Aramaic has " the angel of eternal hell fire.")
There seems to be no way of understanding these
other than that the writer is meaning demonic beings. They are
the indescribable described by things he knows about. They are
as devastating and swift as a plague of locusts, and their sting
as agonising as that of a scorpion. They are a fit punishment on
those who have worshipped idols and demons as gods, as was done
in the Roman world.
In other writings not in our old testament are
those such as the Book of Enoch and others in the Dead Sea scrolls
that speak of gods mating with humans to produce giants and other
creatures part human, part animal ( like the centaurs in Greek
mythology). It is possible that this is what "John" has
in mind: that the wickedness of the time would produce such creatures
and be a sign of the terrible judgement to come, as in Genesis
ch. 6.
The sixth trumpet releases four messengers( angels)
bound at the river Euphrates. These have been there waiting for
this exact time in history to be released. Suddenly a vast army
of two hundred million troops appears ( or 2 myriad of myriad.)
The Euphrates was seen as the boundary for Israel,
and her enemies had often come from the east over it. This huge
army sounds like it comes from Asia with typical colours and weapons
of war. The Chinese developed gunpowder and fireworks at a very
early date - perhaps news of it had reached "John" who
thought it must be for such a time as this! ( What's new?!) Their
mission is to kill one third of mankind, but the rest do not repent.
Again there is a comparison with Joel ch. 2 who have the appearance
as of horses, and are doing the Lord's command in invading.
Chapter ten. Now it is time for the seventh
trumpet and a great angle comes to stand with a foot on the sea
and one on the land as though claiming all for God. The land and
sea can also mean both Jew and gentile. He announces that there
will be no more delay before what was predicted by the prophets.
What they predicted was a day of the Lord's vengeance upon His
enemies, e.g. the second half of the second verse of Isaiah 61
( which Luke omits in his account of what Jesus is supposed to
have read in the synagogue). This is in the context of gladness
instead of mourning and praise instead of despair, and the rebuilding
of the ruined places. Also compare with Amos ch. 5 v 18 to end.,
Zephaniah ch.1 v 14 to end, Jer. Ch.6 ( which about the Lord's
anger against Israel but the language is similar).
In this chapter there are the seven thunders which
are saying some things the writer is not allowed to pass on, why
we are not told. These may be what God Himself is saying - compare
with Psalm 81 where the voice of God is likened to thunder.
Chapter eleven. This passage about the
two witnesses has again brought much speculation. If we stick to
the idea that this is all a response to the terrible things inflicted
by Rome and the Emperors upon the Jews, together with the writer's
belief that those things mean the Messiah will return, and he will
be Jesus, who has been rejected by most and killed by the Romans,
then this chapter becomes clear. In the light of Israel's past
history who the two witnesses represent is then obvious.
The chapter begins with "John" being
told to measure the temple and those who worship in it, leaving
out the area around used by the gentiles because they are the ones
treading down for 42 months. As in Ezekiel's time this is a way
of being shown the quality of what was happening there and so suggests
a connection between that and the trampling by gentiles. The period
of 42 months (also the time the beast in ch. 13 and 17 who comes
out of the Abyss) is the same length of time as the 1260 days of
witness by the two prophets. It is then the same as that spoken
of by Daniel which is the times, time and a half time the woman
in ch. 12 is kept in the wilderness.
It is as though the writer wants to express the
same period of time for gentiles with one number, and for Jews
with another.
It must also be significant that this is the period
of Jesus' ministry.
These two witnesses are believers under the Lordship
of Jesus because they are in the city "where their Lord was
crucified." This city must then be Jerusalem yet it is called "Sodom
and Egypt" and so is a place of both great wickedness and
of slavery to a foreign nation.
The witnesses are sources of light standing before
the Lord of the earth. This is a clear reference to Zachariah ch.
4 where this same simile is used of Zerubabbel and Joshua the priest
at the time of the return from exile and rebuilding of the temple.
Their witnessing also resembles that of Elijah
and Moses who both stood before wicked kings ( Ahab in 1 Kings
17 and 18 and Pharoah in Exodus 3 to 14) and demonstrated the power
of the true God over that of their false gods. Elijah used fire
to destroy his enemies ( "2 Kings 1). There is mystery about
both their deaths and what happened to the bodies. These two appeared
at the time of the transfiguration of Jesus on the mountain where
God said to listen to Jesus ( more that them?).
Now we can begin to see what is in the writers
mind: this is what will happen now we have this wicked Emperor
who persecutes and kills the true people of God and has us all
in slavery. He is an idol worshipper who not only worships false
gods but is saying he is the son of a god himself ; in fact another
Christ - the Anti-Christ. God will do what He has done in the past
and so reveal the truth.
This emperor will be allowed to kill the two witnesses
and everyone will gloat and rejoice by putting their bodies on
show. This is so that their resurrection and ascension after the
same time dead as their Lord will be visible to all. Then they
will know!
If he is referring to Peter and Paul, who were
both said to have been killed in Rome, why not say so? Because
they were not put on display and resurrected!
These events all happen before the sounding of
the seventh trumpet ( which is the last seven plagues) and completes
the sixth trumpet woe, which was the killing of a third of mankind
by the hoards from the east.
That the writer fully expected all this to happen
soon in his time is stated several times at the beginning and end
of the book.
But they did not. The Empire continued for hundreds
of years and so did the persecution of both Jew and Christian,
and also the trampling by gentiles of the city of Jerusalem went
on for centuries. This is why so many have tried to make sense
of it all by saying this was a prophecy for a time long after " John" and "soon" means
suddenly. Each age has thought " this is it!". How many
have said this was just the longing and expectation of a man who
was convinced Jesus was the Messiah and would be coming back soon
to deal with the mess!?
Chapter 11 ends with the sanctuary in heaven being
opened and the ark of the covenant seen. Its described as the ark
of the covenant not the law. Although by inference it contains
the 10 words. Here the emphasis is on God's covenant with Israel.
Here again is the idea that there is in heaven what is significant
down here.
This is a reminder of the promises of God to Israel;
all those made to Abraham and to the nation through Moses of the
conditions for them to be able to stay in the land. The land belongs
to God (Lev. 25 v23) and He gives it to whom He pleases, and it
is His pleasure that Israel should dwell there unhindered by oppressors,
as long as they still worship Him.
Chapter twelve. The theme of Israel continues
with a vision in the sky ( heaven and sky are the same in both
Hebrew and Greek) which the first of three signs.
Israel is portrayed as a woman and there are similarities
to the dream Joseph had of his brothers as stars bowing to him
and his parents as the sun and moon. ( Gen. 37) In this dream true
Israel bows down to Joseph. Some think that there is a suffering
messiah who dies for his cause and he is a "Joseph".
( see the apocryphal book of 2Esdras ( Ezra) ch. 7 v 28-30
The woman gives birth to a male child who is about
to rule the nations, but like Pharoah and Herod the dragon emperor
wants him dead. The child is snatched up to heaven and the woman
escapes to the wilderness. She is carried on eagles wings - compare
with Exodus ch. 19 v4 where God says He carried Israel out if Egypt
on eagles wings and brought them to Himself.
This first part of the chapter describes the
time of Jesus 'birth, death, and ascension.
The dragon emperor is possessed by the adversary
; who is thrown out of the sky to earth by the angel Michael, who,
according to Daniel ch. 12 v1, is the angel who fights for Israel.
This is the second sign.
This dragon resembles the beasts in Daniel, having
seven heads with crowns ( and so are empires that have been the
adversaries of Israel) and ten horns, or powers. These grow on
a body made up from the animals with the characteristics of the
animals representing different empires in Daniel 7. ( see ch. 13
below). These evil empires are seen as trying to destroy Israel
and prevent the coming of the Messiah who will rule them all.
This dragon wants to eat the child and so kill
it. It is interesting that the Diary of Perpetua, a young Christian
woman who was sent into the arena to be killed by a gladiator,
tells of her vision of a ladder up to heaven with a dragon at its
foot waiting to eat any trying to go up. This is dated AD202; so
she probably knew of Revelation.
Now there are terrible times as this demonic being
has been thrown down to earth, and there is a flood of Anti-Semitism
and persecution of the seed of Israel who have the testimony of
Jesus ( Ebionites and Nazarites who were both Jews and Christians.)
This describes the time in which the writer lived.
Chapter thirteen. Now " John" stands
on the shore between sea and land. To have a better understanding
of this chapter one needs to grasp that the sea is the gentiles
and the land is Israel to a Jew.
He sees a beast rising from the sea of gentiles.
On this the crowns are on the horns again and the seven heads are
forms of blasphemies. One of these has "died" and been "resurrected".
This would signify Babylon now in to form of Rome. Anyone who has
seen or read "I,Claudius" by Robert Graves will know
what Rome was like then and how the royal families behaved, and
what was believed about the gods and the emperors. Most emperors
were promoted to be gods when they died, but some announced they
were gods whilst still ruling.
In the Aramaic version the beast is a demon, yet
is a man whose number is 666 signifying a man, not a god. This
would be the Emperor, possibly Nero if the book was written early,
or Domitian if written in 95AD as most people think.
The dragon gives this beast/demon its authority.
This suggests that the whole represents the imperial powers who
have been the adversaries of Israel. They are also forms of blasphemies
against God. One form has seemed to die and come alive again. Taken
in context this would be Babylon who took Judah into exile and
appearing again as Rome or Nero come back as Domitian!
The writer sees this as a battle between the evil
forces controlling the imperial powers and their Emperors and the
hosts of God lead by Michael.
Everyone is under the power of this evil empire
and must bow to the Emperor, but not the Christians ( those written
in the book of the lamb), and this costs them their lives, but
still they are the victorious ones in the power of the blood of
the lamb ( see ch.12 v 10 & 11.)
The lamb has been there from the foundation of
the world as though slain. This way of seeing the Messiah in the
heavens as always there is from Kabbalah.( Jewish mysticism) but
with the addition of the Christian view that he is a sacrifice.
The gospel of John has John the Baptist saying " Look, the
lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."
The beast from the land has two horns and speaks
with the power and authority of the first beast. This would be
the high priest who was chosen and controlled by Rome at this time,
and often not of the families descended from Aaron. The two horns,
or powers, would be his secular power in administering the law,
and his religious power in the running of the temple and its ceremonies.
He is leading those in the land astray ( the lost sheep of Israel
spoken of by Jesus) He seems able to perform magical tricks such
as bringing down fire from heaven to convince the doubting. This
would be a significant sign as fire fell on the sacrifice when
the tabernacle began to function, and at the time Solomon dedicated
the temple, and onto Elijah's sacrifice on Carmel to prove who
was God.
This means all mankind are being controlled by
an Emperor who thinks he is god. Those not bowing to the Babylonish
beast must die. As when the king of Babylon made a statue to which
all must bow and pray in Daniel's time which later became praying
to him( Dan. Ch 3 & 6), now a statue is made or the Emperor
and all must worship it.
The mark everyone had to receive was like that
given to slaves. It was the mark or brand of their master - in
this case it meant everyone was a slave to the Emperor.
The time is limited for all this to 42 months
so the saints must just be patient and endure.
Chapter fourteen. The scene changes to
a contrast: from the blasphemies of the previous chapter to that
of purity before God. The lamb is standing on Mount Zion with 144,00
male virgins who do not lie. They have the mark of God on them.
These marks are symbolic of to whom people belong.
It is not clear if these are meant to be the
same 144,000 as in chapter 7, but the number 0f 12 x 12 x 1000
means many worshippers. They are clearly Christians as they follow
the lamb and sing a new song before the throne and the assembled
symbols of Israel ( the four living creatures and the twenty four
elders, or priests.) In fact the Aramaic has " glorifying
the New Testament" instead of singing a new song. They are
the first fruits to God - i.e. the best. The Aramaic has " mankind's
finest". The idea that Christianity is superior to Judaism
is emerging here.
Whether they are literally virgins is also not
clear. It could just mean pure in their total allegiance to God
and the lamb in contrast to those who follow the beast and the
harlot who rides him described in chapter 17. If they really are
virgins it could mean the writer thinks the way of the Essenes
in celibacy is what is required. Certainly Paul thought the unmarried
state better, which led to celibate orders in the church. ( I Cor.
7 v1 & 25)
Now an angel flies in the air crying out the gospel
and warning those on earth to worship God the Creator because the
time of judgement has come.
Another angel cries " Fallen, fallen is Babylon
the great who made all the nations drink of the maddening wine
of her adulteries."
A third angel cries " if anyone worships
the beast or receives his mark they will receive the wine of the
wrath of God." Which is what the rest of the book is about
up to chapter 21. Because of the symbol of a cup of the wine of
wrath what happens to the worshippers of the beast is likened to
a harvest of grapes which is trodden producing rivers of bloody
wine. Compare with Jer. 25 v 15 onwards. Also Joel ch.3.
Chapter fifteen. The third sign ( there
were two in chapter 12 of the woman who is Israel, and the dragon
who possesses the Emperor,) is the release of the last plagues.
Before the throne of God stand those who have
been victorious over the beast and they sing both the song of Moses
( Ex. 15 and Deut. 32) and the new song of the lamb. This suggests
those there are both Jews and Christians. Does the writer believe
both can be saved as long as they worship the God of Israel or
that one must follow both Moses and Jesus? As Jesus is the lamb
does he think one should keep the Torah, but that the sacrifice
of Jesus has replaced animal sacrifice now that the temple is gone?
The Passover lamb was not to deal with sin but to mark those who
were of Israel and to be passed over by the angel of death ( Ex.12 & 13)
It was only eaten by the circumcised and was to be like a sign
on their hand and a reminder on their forehead that they were brought
out of slavery by the Lord.
In John's gospel they do not eat the Passover
meal and there is no institution of the ceremony of bread and wine.
Jesus dies at the time of the killing of the Passover lambs on
the day of preparation.( Ch. 13 - 19)
The angels come forth from the tabernacle of the
testimony ( the ark of the covenant) with the last plagues of the
wrath of God. These are total in their effect. Those on earth are
given nothing but blood to drink as they shed the blood of the
saints. Those who belong to God are now safe in heaven, it seems,
having been killed already by the beast.
There is scorching sun, darkness and pestilence,
but still men will not repent.
Then the sixth angel pours out his bowl on the
Euphrates and the way is made again for the kings from the east
to come.
Evil spirits that resemble frogs go out from the
dragon ( satan), the beast ( the Emperor) and the false prophet
( the high priest) hopping from one to another to gather all the
kings of the earth to come for battle at Armageddon. (Compare with
Joel ch. 3 . where the scene is actually the valley of Jehosophat
which is south of Jerusalem, but the valley of Meggedo is some
way north. Also in 2Chron. 18 where a lying spirit in the mouth
of prophets is used to lure the king of the northern kingdom Israel
to his death. )
It is not to fight against each other: God will
fight with them, but what do they think they are coming for? This
is clear they never get round to fighting each other when you come
to chapter 19 when the rider on the white horse appears and deals
with them all.
If people had read it all properly we would never
had been frightened by all the scare mongering about Armageddon
- a battle that never happens between men. It is God we should
fear.
This gathering of the kings is followed by earthquakes
which split Jerusalem ( compare with Zechariah 14 where the Lord's
feet touch Mount of Olives) and terrible hail ( like Ex. 9)
Chapter seventeen. The writer is now taken
to watch the punishment of the prostitute who sits on many waters,
and yet is in the wilderness, and has committed adultery with the
kings of the earth. This refers to Rome who sits on the Mediterranean
but is in the spiritual wilderness which is outside the land of
Israel. With other gentile nations she worships idols and gets
her power from alliances with kings. She commits adultery because
she does not worship the God of Israel who is the God of all flesh
( see Jer.32 v27). She rides the red beast with the seven heads
and ten horns that is covered with blasphemies. She is richly dressed
and ornamented. She personifies all false religions.
She has a cup, too, filled with abominations of
which, she drinks of the blood of the saints and those who bore
testimony to Jesus ( Jews and Christians). She, too, has something
written on her forehead, signifying to what she belongs : Mystery
Babylon, mother of prostitutes, and of the abominations of the
earth.
The seven heads of the beast are the seven hills
of Rome, but also seven kings, or Emperors. One is ( at the time
of writing) and one is to come who is one of the seven coming again
to make an eighth. Nero ( committed suicide in Ad68), who persecuted
and killed Christians was the fifth Emperor, and the seventh was
Titus (AD 79-81 and during his reign Vesuvius erupted, Rome had
a devastating fire and the plague.), son of Vespasian, and the
one who attacked Jerusalem when many Jews were killed, and the
eighth was Domitian, also son of Vespasian, (AD 81-96). He was
a killer of both Jews and Christians. So, no doubt "John" saw
him as another Nero. This is why most people think this book was
written in the rule of Domitian between AD 81 and 96 and after
the eruption of Vesuvius, and the fire and plague of Rome. If written
then it is purely telling history and looking to the coming of
the Messiah. If written in the reign of Nero then it is prophetic,
but only to immediate events of the next thirty years.; not for
our day.
Later events show that it did not end with the "eighth".
There were at least three other Emperors who killed Christians;
Trajan, Decius, and Diocletian.
The Romans had generally tolerated Judaism as
an old established religion and made an exception for them not
to have to make sacrifices to the gods or the Emperor. They were
not prepared to do the same for this new upstart Christianity.
They were not allowed to opt out of making sacrifices on pain of
death, and because they would not co-operate it became a crime
to be a Christian.
Far from Rome suddenly being destroyed the bad
times dragged on for another 200 years until the time of Constantine,
when Christianity became acceptable and a kind of symbiosis came
about. Pagan and Christian worship existed together. The strange
thing is that then the Roman Empire became the kingdom of God,
in a way.
That later became the Holy Roman Empire under
Charlemagne, and then Rome became the centre for Roman Catholicism.
The ten horns are ten kings who will have a time
to reign at the time of the persecution of the saints. They are
the kings who come to make war with the lamb, but they also make
war against Rome, having turned on her in rebellion. Quite how
this fits with history is not easy to see. Some say it is the ten
areas of government of the Empire. But the collapse of Rome was
more due to the inability to hold the outer borders against the
barbarians than internal rebellion. It seems the writer expected
it to be justice that her conquests should turn against her like
fickle lovers of a prostitute.
Some have tried to make the ten out of other Empires,
such as the EEC( but now there are more than ten with more joining
it does not work anymore.) The EEC is not a revived Roman Empire
- there are countries in it that were not part of it such as Ireland,
and others, such as the north Africans, Syria and Israel, not in
it.
Perhaps the answer is in Daniel ch. 7 where the
symbolism of this beast originates in the context of the judgement
of nations by One seated on a throne dressed in white with white
hair.
Daniel has a vision of four beasts who are representing
Empires who have oppressed Israel. The first is that of Babylon
( a lion), followed by the Medes and Persians ( a bear), followed
by Greece ( a leopard) and the fourth is different - it is not
a known animal. It has iron teeth and ten horns. Another horn comes
up amongst the ten and uproots three of them. This then leaves
eight; seven plus the one. This horn is more imposing than the
others and speaks boastfully. It wages war against the saints until
the Ancient of Days pronounced judgement in favour of the saints
and they possessed the kingdom and the land ( Israel) for ever.
This horn rises to power by subduing three of
the kings and during his reign will oppress the saints and change
the set times ( the feasts?) and the law. This will continue for
a time, times and half a time ( said to mean three and a half years
or 42 months or 1260 days !) In some respects this resembles what
Antiochus Epiphanes did which lasted three and a half years. But
he would come into the Greek animal and the kingdom did not pass
to the saints in Israel then because gentile rule continued.
So "John" is seeing this horn as for
his day and so a Roman.
Keeping to the theory that all is either present
or past in Revelation The most likely candidate would be Julius
Caesar. He was the first Caesar and after removing the other two
in the triumvirate ruling Rome in 50 BC ( Pompey and Crassus) he
pronounced himself dictator and so began the line of dictator Emperors
called Caesar.
He was renowned for his great oratory ( "mouth" see
Dan. 7 v 8). He was murdered in 44BC. After him was another triumvirate
with Octavian ( later Augustus, the Emperor at the time of Jesus'
birth.) and Mark Anthony, and Marcus Lepidus. So those three -
the previous form of government, the triumvirate plus Julius Caesar
and the seven Emperors to "John's" time make the ten.
Julius Caesar came up amongst the first three and removed them
by replacing them with the power of the dictator Caesar Emperors,
which were the persecutors of Christians. ( Dan. 7 v 20).
It was during the first triumvirate that Pompey
took Jerusalem and entered the Holy of Holies in BC63. It was under
the rule of Julius Caesar the first foreign kings were appointed
in Israel : Phasael in Jerusalem and Herod in Galilee.
All this raises questions as to the date of writing
of the book of Daniel. It is either a book of the most amazingly
detailed prophecy about events after the Babylonian exile, or it
was written much later in 1st century BC. This was a
time of messianic fervour and expectation that God would send the
messiah and end the times of gentile oppression.
Chapter eighteen. This chapter is quite
straightforward describing the fall of Babylon ( Rome) and the
payment twofold, suddenly, of all she has done to the people of
God. The people of God are warned to leave so they do not receive
all that will happen to her.
Chapter nineteen. The multitude in heaven
rejoices that the blood of the saints has been avenged.
Now they rejoice over the wedding of the lamb
and the bride ( in the Aramaic it is "wife "or woman
- which are the same word in both Aramaic and Hebrew.)
We have that she has made herself ready and been
given white linen to wear which is the righteous act of the saints.
But the Aramaic has " the bride, or wife, loves him, and the
fine linen is the blessings she receives."
The writer is told that the testimony of Jesus
is the spirit of prophecy. ( Young's has " of the prophecy" which
makes is specific to the book of Revelation not other books in
the old testament as well.)
Now the writer sees a vision of heaven opened
again and the rider on the white horse appears as conqueror and
king of kings and lord of lords leading the armies of heaven also
dressed in white and also riding white horses as conquerors. He
wears a robe soaked in blood. His other name is the word of God.
This is the lamb messiah seen by "John" coming to do
vengeance on the enemies of God and His people with eyes of blazing
fire and a sword from his mouth. He will rule with a rod of iron
( see ch. 12) and treads the winepress of the wrath of God ( see
ch.14).
The beast and the kings of the earth come to make
war with him NOT each other. The beast and the false prophet i.e.
the Emperor and the high priest are overcome and thrown into the
lake of fire. Everyone else is killed by the sword from the mouth
of the rider on the white horse i.e. the word of God kills them,
or sentences them to death. Compare with Jeremiah ch.34, Joel ch.3
and 2Chron 20.
It is interesting to compare the battle in Revelation
with that in the War scroll found among the Dead sea scrolls (
can be viewed on very extensive and useful sight called The Bible
Non-canonical books). This War scroll describes battles between
the sons of light, led by the archangel Michael and the high priest
and the levites, against the sons of darkness, led by Belial (
another name for the devil or Satan) who are from Edom, Moab, Ammon,
Kittem, Philistia, and those from beyond the Euphrates.
The battle takes place in seven phases with much
use of trumpets.
The sons of light win and this is said to end
evil.
Chapter twenty. Now we have the reign on
earth of the Messiah for a 1000 years, whilst the adversary is
kept chained up back in the abyss. Those who had died because of
their testimony to the Messiah reigned with him, after being resurrected.
These were referred to in ch. 2 as the fifth seal as asking how
long they had to wait to be avenged.
As the rest of the dead did not come to life until
the 1000 years were ended they can only be reigning over any left
alive in the world after Armageddon. To rule the nations was promised
to overcomers in ch. 2 v 26 in the letter to Thyatira.
At the end of the 1000 years satan ( the adversary),
who is the dragon, is released from his prison. This is the first
time "satan" is used ( or the devil) in this book since
ch.2 ( not even used in ch.9 12 or 13!). Which suggests that this
passage from 20 v 7 to v10 is an addition.
He goes out across the world and gathers the
nations of gentiles to come against the city where the saints dwell
on earth ( presumably Jerusalem).
All human beings there are killed by fire that
comes down from heaven.
The adversary is sent to join the beast and the
false prophet in the lake of fire, to be tormented there for ever.
The next scene is the day of judgement before
the throne. The dead are brought from the sea - which could mean
gentile nations, and from death and Hades ( the Greek term for
the Hebrew Sheol .) then would come the Jews. It seems unnecessary
to say both; as by definition you have to be dead to be in Hades
surely.
All the dead are judged by what is recorded in
various books about their deeds.
Everyone not recorded in the book of life is thrown
in the lake of fire. It does not say here what kind of people they
are, or who it is that is in the book of life and so escapes this
fate. But in the next chapter it seems those who overcome escape
( for a definition of an overcomer we need to look at 1John5v 4-5 " For
everyone born of God has overcome the world. This is the victory
that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes
the world? Only he who believes Jesus is the son of God." These
are the ones to whom the promises are made in the letters in ch.2
and 3. Those condemned to the lake of fire are listed in ch21 also.
They are the fearful and unsteadfast ( unbelieving), the vile,
murderers, the sexually immoral (whoremongers) those who practise
magic arts, idolaters, and all liars. In ch. 22 all these are said
to be outside the heavenly city. Well, in the absence of any definition,
that would seem to exclude Moses and David as murderers and Abraham
for lying about Sarah. We must be expected to assume that the old
testament saints would have believed Jesus was the son of
God! A question is - does "the son of God" mean the Jewish
Messiah or the Christian God incarnate - they are not necessarily
the same thing! The studies on this site suggest they would not
believe he was either and so by this writer's reckoning would be
excluded and sent to the lake of fire.
Death and Hades were cast into lake of fire also.
To be in this lake of fire is the second death.
Chapter twenty one and twenty two. Now
we have "John's" vision of a new heaven and a new earth,
the old having "fled from the One on the throne". There
is no longer any sea. Whether this is literal, or a way of saying
there will no longer be gentiles to oppose the people of God called
Israel, is not clear.
This chapter parallels Isaiah 65 v 17-19 - "the
former things are not remembered, be glad and rejoice for ever
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy";
but that passage goes onto speak of what is the wonderful place
it will be in the holy mountain as though it is the literal Jerusalem.
Now the Holy city that has been in heaven with
God comes down so that God can dwell with men. We have already
mentioned the city in heaven I n Kabbalah, but compare with 2Esdras
ch. 7 v 26 " the city now invisible shall appear.."
It is seen as a bride beautifully dressed for
her husband. ( the Aramaic has " as pleasing as a rightful
wife for her husband.")
The tabernacle of Moses was so that God could
dwell amongst His people. (see Exodus ch.25 v 8
Israel was seen as the wife of God, who often
played the adulteress with other gods and so angering her jealous
husband. ( see the books of Hosea ch. 1-3, and Isaiah 54 v6&7
and Ezekiel ch.16).
The metaphor of the bride as a city is confusing.
Here we have a cube shaped city with sides of 1,400 miles long
( the land of Israel measures about 150 by 40 miles so it would
not fit there, so whether "John" was standing on mount
Zion or mount Hermon to view it makes little difference!
This city has a high wall and twelve gates arranged
as the tribes were in the wilderness of groups of three on each
side.
The foundations of the wall is decorated with
the precious stones of the twelve apostles ( which twelve: is Paul
to replace Judas, or Matthias?) It is interesting that if the book
is written in the context of the persecution of Christians that
precious stones are formed under pressure and heat.
The gates have the names of the twelve tribes
( no names given: is Joseph counted as one this time so that the
Levites have a gate, or maybe they do not have a gate as they already
are inside? But the problem with that is there is no temple in
the city in which they can minister!) The gates are each made of
a single pearl. Why a pearl? A pearl is formed in a living creature
to cover the irritation of the piece of grit ( earth). There are
several words that can be used in Hebrew for pearl, and two of
them come from root words for separation. One is "bdellium" and
comes from word for separated, chosen, or shut out. This, then,
would be a play on words in Hebrew in connection with the gates.
This suggests the book was written originally in Hebrew, or Aramaic,
not Greek; where there seems to be no such connection.
In the temple scroll among the Dead Sea scrolls
is a description of a temple, presumed to be before that of Herod,
and more like that of Ezekiel. It has twelve gates of three on
each side each for a tribe; but the name are not as in Ezekiel,
nor are they arranged as in Numbers ch.2. They include Dan and
have Joseph ( Ephraim and Manasseh together)
These gates in Revelation, however, are never
shut. There is no night time as there is no sun and moon, because
the lamb and God are the light for it ( and the temple for it).
At a time when the temple and Jerusalem were in
effect gone and out of bounds for both Jew and Christian this would
be encouraging to know!
But it is more than that: it is the bride/wife
of the lamb and only those written in his book of life are in it.(see
ch 3 v5 - they at Sardis are promised, if they are overcomers they
will wear white ( signifying either deeds or blessings according
to which version you read - see ch.19), and never have their names
erased from the book of life. (Compare with Exodus 32 v 32 and
33).
It is not a literal city, but the people of God
who are also followers of the lamb and Jews. (This explains how
someone can be promised to be a pillar in the temple of God for
ever in ch. 3 in the letter to Philadelphia when the temple no
longer existed and there would be none in this city.)
It is cube shaped so that all are equally near
to the centre which is the throne of God with the water of life
issuing forth, and the tree of life with its twelve lots of fruit
and leaves for the healing and health of the nations.
All the sinners are excluded. 22v15 says, " outside
are all dogs ( a euphemism for homosexual men) witches, prostitutes
and murderers., and idols makers, and every lying hypocrite."
22v3 in many versions says " there will be
no more curse" which is a reference back to Genesis ch. 3,
where the ground is cursed so that it is hard to work it and get
food from it. ( Also the serpent was cursed). But the Aramaic has "nothing
will ever wither". This suggests that all will revert back
to the state in the garden of Eden, as promised in the letter to
Ephesus in ch. 2.
Now the writer is reminded that these things will
soon take place, and twice " behold I am coming soon" " I
am the Alpha and Omega ( Aleph and Tau in the Aramaic), the First
and the Last and the beginning and the end." These are titles
of God Himself, yet it seems to be Jesus who is speaking, and sending
this testimony for the churches. The book demonstrates this with
the similarities at the beginning and the end passages, and this
book is placed at the end of Bibles to show it represents the end
of things as Genesis is the beginning.
He says he is the root and offspring of David
and the bright morning star ( which was the dawning of the Messianic
age in Judaic thought.) At the end of the letter to Thyatira in
ch. 2 the morning star is promised to overcomers.
The book ends with warnings to those who would
add or subtract from it. If you add you will receive of the plagues
described in it. If you subtract your share in the tree of life
and the holy city will be taken from you.
Does the writer know that Christian documents
have already been tampered with to feel the necessity for such
a warning?
Conclusions: Why have Christians of the
generations following its writing taken this book so seriously
when it was obvious by then that these things did not happen "soon"?
The test of prophecy is whether it comes true ( Deut. 18 v 18 to
end).
When the canon of scripture was assembled in 387AD
at Carthage ( made necessary by the persecution of Diocletian)
the criteria used to decide what to keep and what to reject was
whether the work had apostolic origins and so on a level with the
old testament prophets, the mark of the Holy Spirit and /or words
of Christ. (Luke had been with Paul and "Mark" was said
to really be of Peter.)
The eastern churches, however, did not accept
it as part of the canon until centuries later and the Greek churches
have never!
So many theories have been put forward to try
to make it relevant to the events of the time in which people lived.
It was supposed to be the French revolution, it was the first world
war, it was supposed to be the EEC. etc. Many books written in
our life time - perhaps in the seventies and eighties look really
silly when read now. The world has changed so fast.
The most logical way is to see it as a book written
to answer the problems of its time at the end of the first century
when there was no longer a temple for worship and sacrifice, and
no access to Jerusalem for either Jew or Christian. There was severe
persecution and death sometimes for Christians. The need for a
Christian Messiah to return and deal with the situation was great.
Jesus fits that in the mind of the writer.
But as that has not happened after 1900 years
the book is seriously compromised.
It illustrates the pitfall of thinking anything
using the name of Jesus is worthwhile.
The book also makes extensive use of the old testament
scriptures, but so did the adversary in tempting Jesus.
Even though it is Kabbalist in style those expert
in Jewish mysticism do not think it is even a good example.
The style is similar, and the language and doctrine
to the gospel of "John" and also the letters of "John" and
most people think they were written by the same writer, with Revelation
being written before the gospel. This would explain why there is
no exposition in the gospel of what will happen at the time of
the end, as in the three synoptic gospels,: it is all there in
Revelation.
The remark at the end of the gospel by Jesus to
Peter about the disciple who leaned on the breast of Jesus at the
supper possibly remaining alive until Jesus returned, whilst he
( Peter) would follow Jesus - possibly meaning he would also be
crucified, has made people think the writer was the young disciple
John who outlived the others and wrote his gospel much later and
the Revelation, expecting now he was very old that the return of
Jesus must be imminent. Jesus had said the generation that saw
the beginning of these things would see the end. ( Mark 13v30,
Matt. 24 v34, Luke 21v32)
The writer makes extensive use if the old testament
prophets. He uses Daniel for the beasts, Ezekiel for the visions
of the throne room, Zechariah for the two witnesses, and Isaiah
for the picture of the relationship between God and His people
and how he avenges them( Rev. ch.11, 12, 14,19, 21 and22) . He
takes large chunks of Isaiah ch. 60 -66. "Arise, shine for
your light has come..see darkness cover the earth and the peoples,
but the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you, and
nations will come to your light,. your gates will always stand
open.. So that men may bring you the wealth of nations. you will
call your walls salvation and your gates praise. The sun will no
more be your light by day nor will the brightness of the moon shine
on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God
will be your glory.. and your days of sorrow will end. Then will
all your people be righteous and they will possess your land for
ever...God has clothed me with the robe of righteousness as a bridegroom
adorns his head like a priest and as a bride adorns herself with
her jewels.
You will be called by a new name...as a bridegroom
rejoices over his bride so will your God rejoice over you.. Say
to the daughter of Zion, see your saviour.Who comes, see, his reward
is with him.. they will be called the redeemed of the Lord.
Who comes from Edom ( red)... why are your garments
red like those of one treading the wine press? I trampled them
in my anger and their blood spattered my garments. for the day
of vengeance was in my heart.. I trampled the nations in my anger
and in my wrath I made them drunk and poured out their blood on
the ground.....For a little while your people possessed your holy
place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary..even
Zion is a desert and Jerusalem a desolation... the Sovereign Lord
will put you ( the enemies of Zion) to death, but to His servants
He will give a new name..Behold I create a new heaven and a new
earth, the former things will not be remembered.. I will create
Jerusalem to be a delight..the sound of weeping will be heard in
it no more... Be fore she goes into labour she gives birth, before
the pains come upon her she delivers a son...no sooner is Zion
in labour than she gives birth.. See the Lord is coming with fire,
and His chariots are like the whirlwind. With fire and with His
sword the Lord will execute judgement upon all men and many will
be those slain by the Lord.. I will set a sign among them and send
some of those who survive to the nations. They will proclaim My
Name and glory to the nations, they will bring all your brothers
from the nations to My holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering
to the Lord. all mankind will come and bow down before me. and
they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled
against me, their worm shall not die, nor will their fire be quenched."
The difference between Revelation and Isaiah is
that Isaiah is speaking of a literal earthly Jerusalem.
The writer of Revelation has called upon other
writings too - he knows many of the texts in the Dead Sea scrolls.
He also uses the book of 2 Esdras, which is an apocryphal book.
In ch. 11 of that book the writer has a vision of a three headed
eagle with twelve wings rising from the sea which is obviously
the Roman empire.
For example 2Esdras ch.13 v 25 onwards:" the
man you saw rising from the depths of the sea is he whom the Most
High has held in readiness though the ages; he will himself deliver
the world he has made.. breath, fire and storm pouring from the
mouth. so that without weapon he destroys the hordes. He will take
his stand on the summit of Zion, and Zion will come into sight
before all men complete and fully built. And when the time comes
for him to destroy the nations assembled against him, he will protect
his people who are left." It is interesting that here it is
the "messiah" figure comes from the sea!
2 Esdras 15 v 29 "How terrible the sight
of what is coming from the east. Hordes of dragons from Arabia
will sally forth with countless chariots."
2 Esdras ch 2 v42. "I Ezra saw on mount Zion
a crowd too large to count all singing hymns of praise to the Lord
In the middle stood a very tall young man, who was setting a crown
on the head of each. I asked the angel; who are these, he replied:
these are those who have laid aside their mortal dress, and put
on the immortal, those who acknowledges the name of God.. the young
man is the son of God, whom they acknowledged in this mortal life."
2Esdras ch. 4 v 33-37 "I asked; how long
do we have to wait?, when will the harvest begin, and when will
we receive our reward/ the angel replied: As soon as the number
like yourself is complete". Ch 6 v20-23 ."then I will
perform these signs: the books shall be opened in the sight of
heaven.. There shall be a loud trumpet blast! "
So, it seems, there is very little in Revelation
that is new, so why is it called a "revelation"?
Revelation is an interesting book, but not one
to get excited about as we come to the year two thousand, which
not the anniversary of the birth of Jesus anyway!
next section : Bethlehem
|
