Revelation 19:11

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” Revelation 19:11 “Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen” Revelation 1:7

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Eating the scroll - Revelation 10:8-11

Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me again, saying, “Go, take the scroll that is open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and told him to give me the little scroll. And he said to me, “Take and eat it; it will make your stomach bitter, but in your mouth it will be sweet as honey.” And I took the little scroll from the hand of the angel and ate it. It was sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it my stomach was made bitter. And I was told, “You must again prophesy about many peoples and nations and languages and kings.” Revelation 10:8-11 ESV

Although the thunders were kept sealed and John was the only prophet to be given insight into there purpose, we can safely assume that everything else included within the scroll is to be revealed to us.

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” Deuteronomy 29:29

God has given us an incredible gift in the book of Revelation. It is a book that we should not neglect as it reveals his sovereignty in the midst of persecution. It was written to a church that was facing the onslaught of a false religion, and today if we are to be more than conquerors we cannot be ignorant of the times that we live. The objections and problems that arise when people speak on Revelation are two fold; there is a tendency to be all sweet and no bitter or all bitter and no sweet. When eating food we take time digesting it and the experience begins initially with our taste buds. Here, John eats the scroll and it is sweet to the taste but within his stomach it is bitter. A true prophet must be able to take the sweet and the bitter. He must be able to move with compassion, declaring truth, rejoicing in God but if his heart is not grieved for the sins of the people then he has not fully digested the word of God. We must be wary of preachers who drive fear and doom into people through this book, but we must also be wary of preachers that remove us from the context of these pages and tell us that we will not face any persecution.

[revelation1911]

The Seven Thunders - Revelation 10:4-7

And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.” And the angel whom I saw standing on the sea and on the land raised his right hand to heaven and swore by him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it, that there would be no more delay, but that in the days of the trumpet call to be sounded by the seventh angel, the mystery of God would be fulfilled, just as he announced to his servants the prophets. (Revelation 10:4-7, ESV)

After hearing the seven thunders, John is about to write them down and is immediately told to seal them up. If he were to write the contents of the prophetic thunders we would likely be reading details of more of God’s dealings with the earth and possibly the further persecution of the saints. It seems that God’s desire to withhold these thunders was for a reason and instead of trying to discern what the contents of the thunders might be, it seems more helpful to ask the question, "why are they sealed up?" I believe the answer is found within the words “no more delay”.  The saints are crying out for justice, the earth is groaning for the revealing of the sons of God and through this angel, God is saying, “no more delay”. My observations of these verses make me wonder if the sealing up relates to the days being cut short, that Jesus proclaimed to his disciples in Mathew 24:22.  The trumpet, the last trumpet, the seventh trumpet is about to be blown and the mystery of God will be fulfilled.

[revelation1911]

The mighty Angel and the little scroll - Revelation 10:1-3

Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire. He had a little scroll open in his hand. And he set his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and called out with a loud voice, like a lion roaring. When he called out, the seven thunders sounded. (Revelation 10:1-3, ESV)

Here we come to another parenthesis which, apart from 11:15-19, continues through to chapter 14. Many commentators identify this angel with Jesus and although there are a number of similarities with the descriptions found in previous chapters, there are also a number of difficulties with this interpretation. The use of the word “another” groups this angel with the others found in previous chapters. Jesus is never described as an angel anywhere else in Revelation or in any other apocalyptic scriptures. The angel swears “by him who lives for ever and ever”. Although Jesus could swear by himself, it seems strange that he would lift his hand to heaven and do so. There is no mention of this angel receiving worship. He is coming down from heaven, which would place this within Christ’s second coming. It seems more probable that this is a high ranking angel who reflects the glory of Christ. All the descriptions point to the authority that is given to the angel by God. His feet are placed upon the sea and the land showing that his authority is standing firm upon the earth. In his hands he holds an open scroll. Thus implying that it’s contents are not to be withheld from John. The voice of the angel is described as being like a lion roaring. This voice is a clear call to the whole earth. A lion can be heard up to 4 miles away and is often heard just before dawn. The roar is used to proclaim territory and also to rally stray members of the pride to return. Our God is a protector of his people and soon he will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem.

“The LORD roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem, and the heavens and the earth quake. But the LORD is a refuge to his people, a stronghold to the people of Israel.” Joel 3:6

[revelation1911]

Revelation 9:12-21 - The sixth trumpet, the four angels released

The four angels released

The first woe has passed; behold, two woes are still to come.

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions' heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound.

The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:12-21, ESV)

When the sixth trumpet is blown a voice proceeds from the golden alter. The golden alter is the place of powerful intercession that is constantly before God. The cries of the saints mixed with the intercession of Christ and the blood of atonement brings forth the command to release angels that have been bound by God. Jesus has the power to bind and release, this was noted even while he walked the earth. Demons would tremble knowing that they could be sent to the abyss at the word of the Messiah. In old testament literature the Euphrates was significant, for beyond this river to the east was the Assyrians, the empire who conquered Babylon and carried Judah into captivity. By turning the readers view to the Euphrates, he is emotively suggesting what is about to be released. It’s worth pointing out that the progression from a Locust plague to a human army can also be found in Deuteronomy 28 and Joel 1 and 2. The horrific purpose of these four angels being released is to kill 1 third of the earth. The greek word used here for mounted troups is στρατευμάτων which is often used for armies. This would make more sense as there are four angels controlling a multitude of two hundred million. Some commentators refer to these troops as demonic while others suggest that they are human. Whoever they are, the demonic powers are still behind this mass killing of 1 third of the earth. The colours used to describe these soldiers are synonymous with hell and give us a stark reminder of what faces those who reject the grace of God (cf. 14:10, 19:20, 20:10, 21:8). Horses are often used to describe the military prowess and strength of a nation but here these horses are given heads like a lion, tails like serpents and they breath out fire and sulphurous smoke. The emphasis here is upon the speed, strength and viciousness of these troops. Whereas the fifth trumpet tortured men, the sixth trumpet brings forth torment and death. The plagues that ensue are meant to turn men to repentance. After thousands of years of being patient with men who continue to rebel and reject God's love, a love that did everything possible to save and rescue us, even sending his son to die for our sins, now his grace must establish justice for his son and for his name sake. We must stand faithful to the cause of Christ.

“The book of revelation is pulling back the mask of beauty that evil wears, and underneath that mask is exposed the perverse and destructive reality of what tempts us, Stand and fight for your life” James M. Hamilton Jr

[revelation1911]

Revelation 9:1-11 The fifth trumpet, the first woe

Introduction Before the last three trumpets are blown a word of warning comes to the earth. In biblical writing a common method to emphasize, is to use repetition. The psalms frequently use this literary method, an example being Psalm 40: 2 referring to the miry pit.  The use of a triple repetition is not so common and is used to emphasise the sheer magnitude of what is being described. When the angels behold God they cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy”, a triple emphasis that declares the magnificence of God’s holiness.  Here, the writer is emphasising his point and preparing the reader of the dreadfulness of what proceeds; “Woe, Woe, Woe”. The original Greek being οὐαί which is a word uttered in grief or denunciation. Jesus uses this word when speaking of Chorazin in Matthew 11. The unlocking of the abyss

And the fifth angel blew his trumpet, and I saw a star fallen from heaven to earth, and he was given the key to the shaft of the bottomless pit. He opened the shaft of the bottomless pit, and from the shaft rose smoke like the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the air were darkened with the smoke from the shaft. Then from the smoke came locusts on the earth, and they were given power like the power of scorpions of the earth. They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. They were allowed to torment them for five months, but not to kill them, and their torment was like the torment of a scorpion when it stings someone. And in those days people will seek death and will not find it. They will long to die, but death will flee from them.

In appearance the locusts were like horses prepared for battle: on their heads were what looked like crowns of gold; their faces were like human faces, their hair like women's hair, and their teeth like lions' teeth; they had breastplates like breastplates of iron, and the noise of their wings was like the noise of many chariots with horses rushing into battle. They have tails and stings like scorpions, and their power to hurt people for five months is in their tails. They have as king over them the angel of the bottomless pit. His name in Hebrew is Abaddon, and in Greek he is called Apollyon. (Revelation 9:1-11, ESV)

The people of the earth have no desire for the true light of the world. In the fourth trumpet a third of the celestial light has been darkened and now with the fifth, God is handing the people over to the powers of darkness for 5 months.  The reality of what the powers of darkness can offer us is evident within these verses; utter destruction and pain.

Here we have an angelic being and what he releases is assigned to torment those who live upon the earth; “those who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads”.  We cannot emphatically conclude that this angel is Satan but what he unleashes from the pit seems to be of demonic origin and is descriptive of what is found in Joel 2:4 where it describes an army that causes destruction upon the earth before the coming of the Lord.

In other NT verses ‘The Abyss’ is referred to as a place of imprisonment for demons and where the Devil will be bound for a thousand years. (cf. Luke 8:31, Rev 20:3). Satan’s home is not in the heart of the earth nor is it in heaven. He is the prince of the power of the air because he is a wanderer, a cast out angel who can make no claim upon heaven or earth.  All things were made through Jesus, and without him was not any thing made that was made (cf John 1:3). Therefore even the devil and his fallen angels are the possession and creation of Christ. We are wrong to think that the battle is in anyway a fight that holds victory to Satan. He was utterly defeated even before he tempted Adam and Eve in the garden. God uses Satan to bring forth his will upon the earth and he is merely a pawn until the fulfilment of all of the prophecies concerning God’s Son are fulfilled. The fact that they are given 5 months is a clear indication that these demonic hoards must submit to the word of God.

The language used in the verses are descriptive and not to be taken literally. The words “appearance” and “like” make this clear. What we can glean from these verses are that this demonic hoard is vast in numbers, destructive in it’s nature and will cause such incredible pain to the earth's inhabitants that they will “seek death and will not find it”. People are foolish to believe that they can worship Satan and gain something. The irony of this situation shows us that while God is protecting his followers, Satan is physically and mentally tormenting his. Behind the idols that the people bow down to is a devil who is destroying them. Sin may taste sweet to begin with but if we refuse to turn towards God, sin will destroy us.

The King who is over this locust like army is called Abbadon or Apollyon, meaning the destroyer. Other commentators suggest this King to be Satan but we cannot be certain. The peoples rejection of life and light will give them the taste of death and darkness, a place that is void of love.

“Is your steadfast love declared in the grave, or your faithfulness in Abaddon? Are your wonders known in the darkness, or your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness?” (Psalm 88:11-12, ESV)

[revelation1911]

And they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying,

“Great and amazing are your deeds,

O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3-4, ESV)

[revelation1911]

The third and fourth trumpets

Third Trumpet

The third angel blew his trumpet, and a great star fell from heaven, blazing like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water. The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many people died from the water, because it had been made bitter. (Revelation 8:10-11, ESV)

With the blowing of the third trumpet, a third of the fresh waters are turned bitter by a falling star named Wormwood. The Greek word star refers to a celestial object other that the moon or sun. Wormwood is the English translation for the Greek apsinthos referring to the Artemisia absinthium, a shrub with bitter leaves that is mentioned eight times in the Old Testament and is often associated with spiritual adultery and it’s fruit of injustice. When our hearts continually turn away from God, a selfish root grows within us that ultimately manifests itself in acts of injustice.

Beware lest there be among you a man or woman or clan or tribe whose heart is turning away today from the Lord our God to go and serve the gods of those nations. Beware lest there be among you a root bearing poisonous and bitter fruit, (Deuteronomy 29:18, ESV)

see also Proverbs 5:4 and Amos 6:12

Water is the most important resource a man needs for survival. The Israelites learned this lesson quickly after coming out of Egypt. Faced with the bitter waters in the wilderness of Marah, Moses intercedes for the people and God delivers them. A branch is cast into the waters, turning the water sweet.

Jesus is the only branch that can heal the waters of bitterness. While man attempts to build his own kingdom without Christ the fruit can only be bitterness. The world continues to drink of it’s own poison while there in front of their eyes a branch brings forth a sweet water than will never dry up and will quench our deepest needs (cf. John 4:14, 7:37; Zech 6:12).

There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1, ESV)

    The fourth trumpet

The fourth angel blew his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, and a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of their light might be darkened, and a third of the day might be kept from shining, and likewise a third of the night. (Rev 8:12, ESV)

Here again we find similarities to the Exodus account where the plague brought darkness over Egypt while Yahweh judged the idolatry of  the sun god, Re, who was symbolized by Pharaoh himself. This mockery of an idol was an affront to the true light, bringing nothing but an empty darkness upon the souls of men. In contrast Jesus came as the light of the world and the longer the people reject this light, the darker everything becomes and they inevitably bring judgement upon themselves.

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (John 3:19, ESV)

The prophets associated these signs with the day of the Lord as did Jesus in the gospels. Prophetic scripture is often cyclical and repeats itself over and over until God’s word is completed. The prophetic declaration of the darkening of the celestial and earthly regions will one day find its fulfilment when Jesus comes in the clouds of heaven.

“But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. (Mark 13:24-26, ESV)

[revelation1911]

The first and second Trumpets

The First Trumpet

The first angel blew his trumpet, and there followed hail and fire, mixed with blood, and these were thrown upon the earth. And a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all green grass was burned up. (Revelation 8:7, ESV)

These trumpet judgements are packed with the language of the “last days”

“And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. (Joel 2:30, ESV)

The first Trumpet brings forth hail and fire mixed with blood to burn up a third of the earth, a third of the trees and all the green grass. This is reminiscent of the seventh plague that fell upon the Egyptians. The plague in Exodus was limited and here again God shows his restraint by setting boundaries on these judgements.

Johnson in his commentary speaks of the devastation of the earth by burning being an ancient strategy of war (1). Here it is God’s intention to bring devastation upon the earth before he will directly judge it’s inhabitants, hoping that the people will turn from their evil ways. We are all dependent upon the ecology that God provides in the earth, dependent on plants for food but also for the oxygen that we breathe.

Second Trumpet

The second angel blew his trumpet, and something like a great mountain, burning with fire, was thrown into the sea, and a third of the sea became blood. A third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed. (Revelation 8:8-9, ESV)

Ancient Egypt placed much of their worship upon the false gods of the Nile. Hapi, Khnum and Osiris were seen to be responsible for the flooding and the subsequent prosperity that came through the Nile. Today we are told that our “so called” evolutionary ancestors came from the sea, and our prosperity from the trading through the seas, whether it be oil or other manufactured goods. As the lust for money grows deeper, the wickedness and treachery to obtain it will increase. Like the plague in Exodus 7:14-25 God’s judgement upon the sea will strike at the heart of the earth's trade resources.

We cannot be certain what this flaming mountain will be, whether it is a giant meteor or an asteroid but we can be certain that man is powerless to prevent this event and as it strikes the ocean the creatures will die and the ships will be destroyed by the impact, or from the tsunami that will likely occur.

Notes: 1. Johnson, Dennis E. Triumph of the Lamb

[revelation1911]

The seven Trumpets introduction - Revelation 8:6

Now the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to blow them. (Rev 8:6 ESV)

The seven trumpets

The seven trumpets will declare a cry that deliverance is coming soon and a clear warning that God's wrath is beginning to be unleashed upon the earth. Preceding these trumpets were the birth pains described by Jesus in Matthew 24. The sixth seal is a transition into the seventh which is the final seal that opens up the scroll.

When God takes action, the earth will know. In his sovereign power God allows the world to go their own way and their striving will bring forth neither justice nor peace upon the earth. As God brought judgement upon Egypt to deliver his people and answer their cry for help, likewise I believe the same will happen again when God will come to deliver his people from the tyranny of the lawless one. The similarity with God's dealings with Pharaoh is not insignificant. It is there to encourage us, and remind us, that our Saviour is coming and that his mercy towards us will outshine anything that seeks to destroy his kingdom. All the false gods and idols of self made ideologies will be shown to be worthless against the hand of almighty God.

We see idolatry as an ancient ritual that had it’s beginnings in Babel and one that is far from the modern mind. However, modern thinking still clings to ancient idols. The names might have changed but ultimately when we stop trusting in Yahweh we will always place our trust elsewhere and begin to make gods from our own imagination. As Pharaoh refused to humble himself, so the people of the earth will refuse to repent. You might ask why? The problem is pride, the ugliest of all sins. These people have so hardened their hearts, refusing every merciful act of God, and now these trumpets act as a last and final warning.  They have rejected the Fathers love, the Sons sacrifice and lastly the Holy Spirit’s conviction.

I have often been puzzled by the words of Jesus concerning the unforgivable sin found in Matthew 12:31-32. When we reject everything that God offers us there is nothing left to save us from his wrath. The unforgivable sina is to continually harden our hearts from the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, leaving us without hope. Let us humble ourselves allowing the Holy Spirit to work within our lives.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says,“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:7-11, ESV)

The first four trumpets are collective, begin in the celestial regions and are placed upon the earth. This is familiar to the biblical narrative found in the exodus. God is dealing with the very things that man places his trust in. They are natural disasters but at the same time have supernatural origins. The last three are not just warnings but “woes” or in today's language; “curses”. Our God is a warrior Preceding the Exodus, Moses sings a song that will once again be sung by the saints of God (cf. Rev 15:3). Within the full song the Lord is declared to be a warrior.



“The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is his name.” Exodus 15:3

When the trumpets are blown we see a clear shift in God’s dealings with the earth.  It’s not that he has somehow changed his personality but rather he is revealing a side of himself that is not often seen. Our God is slow to anger and abounding in love but that doesn't mean that he is absent of anger or that his love is tainted by anger. The anger of God is fully righteous and is submerged in his love. His love does not ignore injustice. Instead he shows restraint, believing that people will turn and take hold of his love and kindness. Here a point is reached where over 2000 years of rejection and hatred towards the Son and the sacrifice will come to an end. We must be careful in how we read these passages. This is a rare moment for a specific time in history, where we see the anger of the Lord, but even here we see restraint.

God has set eternity into the hearts of man and our hearts can only be satisfied by the one thing that is truly eternal, the one who has no beginning and no end. Some place their trust in politics, the work of their hands, science, etc. None of these are wrong in themselves but when we embrace these while rejecting God they become idols of the heart. From the blasting of each trumpet call, comes forth God’s judgement upon these idols and they will be shown to be utterly futile and like Belshazzar they will be weighed and found wanting (cf. Dan 5:27).

Notes: a. If you are worried that you might have committed the unforgivable sin it's a sure sign that you haven't. To feel any remorse for your sin and desire to know Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Pharisses had no desire to humble themselves and continually hardened their hearts to the work of Christ."Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:18).

[revelation1911]

Revelation 8:1-5 - The prayers of the saints

When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake. (Revelation 8:1-5, ESV)

We now come to the last of the seven seals.

God is about to hallow his name upon the earth and the prayers of his saints will be mixed with the fire from his alter.

There is an eerie calm before the storm. It is not unlike the silence in a court hearing where the people wait for the judge's verdict. We might think that our prayers are inconsequential but to God they are immensely precious. I love the way Leon Morris describes this event.

The saints appear insignificant to men at large. But in the sight of God they matter. Even great cosmic cataclysms are held back on their account. And the praises of the angels give way to silence so that the saints may be heard (The Revelation of John, p. 119).

The prayers of the generations, the cries for “your kingdom come” and the numerous requests for God to vindicate and bring forth justice is about to begin. The saints throughout the ages have cried like the psalmist “How Long”.

They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” (Rev 6:10)

God's delay is due to his compassion (cf. 2 Peter 3:9).  The nations of the earth are raging at God and his people, and amid the angry accusations, God's ear is turned to the cry of his people. He is about give volume to these prayers while silencing the voice of the nations.

"there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake."

"Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is near" (Zeph 1:7 ESV)

To those who see Jesus through rose tinted glasses, only looking to his love while neglecting his holiness and righteousness these verses can become troublesome to their theology. Jesus is the opener of the seals, showing that he not only brings salvation to those who believe but also brings judgement on those who continue to follow after wickedness.

Jesus warns us that “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold”. Compassion is easy when it is for those who seek help but when it is for those who reject our efforts it becomes much more difficult. Just look at how the disciples deal with this rejection.

And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, “Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” (Luke 9:54 ESV)

How we deal with the worlds rejection to the gospel is vital. Daily we have to make a choice to follow the way of grace. The way of grace is a very narrow road and veering off it can be catastrophic. Grace is walked out through Son-ship, it flourishes when we understand God's fatherhood over our lives. Rejecting God's fatherhood brings with it two main choices; the way of legalism or the way of license. Both throw off fatherhood.

Legalism

The heart that follows legalism throws off the Fathers love. it is easily offended and will often demand punishment while ignoring the need for mercy and forgiveness. When we veer towards legalism we can be tempted by vengeance. Vengeance is an action that we have no right to operate in. Only a holy God, one who is without fault, has the right to vengeance.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19 ESV)

License

The heart of license rejects God's fatherhood by throwing off his discipline, presuming that people can do whatever they want without being held to account.  Often believing that God will overlook sin because he is full of love.

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31, ESV)

The "prayers of the saints" are the prayers for God's glory to manifest through his justice. Much of that justice will come through his mercy, where people turn to Jesus and escape wrath. Sadly some will refuse to trust in the blood of the Lamb (cf. Rev 16:9, Exodus 12;13). Often mercy operates alongside judgement. An example being Nebuchadnezzar, who was mercefully judged by God, humbled and then restored. But the greatest example of mercy is the found in the cross of Jesus where he took upon himself God's judgement that was meant for us.

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (james 2:13 ESV)

[revelation1911]

Revelation 7 - Part 2 - Possess or regress?

In my previous post I spoke of the significance of Judah being the first tribe being sealed within the 144,000. Now I want to look at the significance of Dan being left out of the numbers. To understand, we need to look at the Danites history and what became of them. After the death of Joshua each tribe was called to go forth and take possession of the inheritance that was allotted to them.

After the death of Joshua, the people of Israel inquired of the LORD, “Who shall go up first for us against the Canaanites, to fight against them?” The LORD said, “Judah shall go up; behold, I have given the land into his hand.” (Judges 1:1-2 ESV) 


As we see the first is Judah and they laid hold of their inheritance . Everything seems to be good so far, but unfortunately the chapter ends with the Danites being pressed back into the hill country.

The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. (Judges 1:34 ESV)

The land that was allotted to the Danites contained the Shephelah (the lowlands). Their inheritance, although small, was a place of huge significance. The Shephelah was a fertile region controlled by the Amorites. It was also a crossroads of commerce and culture connecting Rome and Egypt with the Persian, Babylonian and Assyrian empires. The battle that the Danites faced was a tough fight but one that was vital to protect the interests of the people. Unfortunately since the Danites are pressed into the hills they could not use the fertile land for agriculture. They go hungry, feel insecure and ultimately they feel humiliated. There is no word of them enquiring of God and instead their insecurities feed their flesh.

In those days there was no king in Israel. And in those days the tribe of the people of Dan was seeking for itself an inheritance to dwell in, for until then no inheritance among the tribes of Israel had fallen to them. (Judges 18:1 ESV)

In the midst of our battles we are often faced with the same temptations as the Danites. The problems that arose should have drew them to seek after Yahweh but instead they were seeking for themselves, and they go north beyond the sea of Galilee, far away from the will of God. Instead, they look away from their allotted inheritance and look to what their flesh can obtain. It doesn’t end well for the Danites and even though they gain what they desire, their self obtained success births a self deluded idolatrous tribe, consumed by three main areas of temptation: self provision, self protection and self exaltation. These are the same temptations that Satan brought to Jesus in the wilderness but our messiah overcame them all, because unlike the Danites, he knew his sonship and his place with the father. Satan could offer him nothing but lies. (cf. Matt 4:1-11) The Danites rejected Yahweh, their father in heaven who could have provided for them, protected them and gave them power. In the midst of temptation what do we cling to, where do we run and who’s word will we believe? Ultimately the Danites cast off the fatherhood of God and from out-with the will of God, they brought an inroad for the devils lies and regrettably they are eventually lost in exile. Later in the gospels, Jesus takes his disciples northward to the land that Dan had once possesed. He brings them to a place called Caesaria Phillipi. A region that had become the heartland of the worship of Pan and many other cults. The people who came to Caesaria Phillipi believed that within a cave was a gate to the underworld. Jesus faces the evils brought forth from the Danites rebellion head on here. This is the place where Jesus asks his disciples, “who do you say I am?”. Peter replies “You are the Christ, the son of the living God”. The Danite heart looks to it’s own strengths for solutions and ends up believing that a inanimate object can prosper them. The church is never built upon man’s strength or by fighting the devil with the devils weapons. The church is built upon the truth that Jesus, the Lamb from the tribe of Judah, the Christ, the Son of the living God will build his church and the gates of hades will not prevail against it. The Danites could not be listed here within the 144,000 because this is about a people protected under the fathers hand, who have not bowed down to idols but have kept themselves pure, where God’s spirit seals and works through to bring forth a multitude.

[revelation1911]

Revelation Chapter 7 - Part One

Normally I add the verses that I am commenting on but I am going to ask that you read the whole of chapter 7 before we continue.

This is a seriously difficult passage to interpret and there are numerous opinions out there concerning these verses.   Here is some of the main areas of contention: who are the 144,000, why are the tribes listed in such an unusual order, what is their purpose, why is the tribe of Dan missing and who are the great multitude.

Firstly, let’s be absolutely clear, we can try very hard to answer all these questions while at the same time missing the underlying point of what is being said here and that is why I want to tackle this passage as a whole.

So lets begin...

The sixth seal takes us to the fulfilment of much of what Jesus prophesied in Matthew 24 and what we see in chapter 7 is not so much what comes next but rather it is an interlude.

The four angels are being restrained from bringing forth calamity and another angel comes forth from the rising sun.  John is situated in Patmos, so the rising sun is from the east towards the land of Israel. This is an important detail because it points us to where the 144,000 people are from. The seal is a mark that comes from God, showing that his protection is upon these people. This is made clear later in 9:4 “They were told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads.” *1

Importantly, there is a connection between the verses 1-8 and the following verses of this chapter that should not be missed. I suggest that they are not the same race of people but they are united in purpose. I believe this speaks of the “one new man” when Jew and Gentile will be together for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I understand that there is a remnant of believers amongst the Jews today but a time will come when the gospel will become very clear  and their minds will no longer be darkened.

To help us, let’s step back and follow God’s promise to Abraham and the “sons of Israel”.

In Genesis 11 the earth is once again facing judgement for their pride and defiance towards God, and because of this he confuses the language of the people and scatters them throughout the earth. After the scattering comes hope from a simple verse that doesn’t seem to say much but has huge significance. “These are the generations of Shem”.

Later on in chapter 12 God speaks to one of the generations of Shem; namely Abraham.

Now the LORD said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3 ESV)

This blessing and promise flows through Abraham's descendants; from Abraham to Issac in Genesis 26:4 , to Jacob in Genesis 28:14, 35:11. The key here is that Abraham's blessing was not just for him; he was blessed to be a blessing to “All nations” and “all the families”. But it doesn’t stop here. The promise flows through the son’s that make up the twelve tribes and we come to a remarkable prophecy found in Genesis 49:8-12 concerning Judah.

   “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;         your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;         your father's sons shall bow down before you.     Judah is a lion's cub;         from the prey, my son, you have gone up.     He stooped down; he crouched as a lion         and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?     The scepter shall not depart from Judah,         nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,     until tribute comes to him;         and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples. (Genesis 49:8-10 ESV)

When we return and look at Revelation 7 we see God’s heart for the nations of the earth in his promise that came through Abraham and was ultimately brought into sure fulfilment by the Lion of the tribe of Judah. That is why the first tribe that is mentioned in Revelation 7 is Judah, because as Genesis 49:10 tells us the obedience of the peoples (nations) will belong to him.

We see that God’s plan is to bring the people back into unity and of one voice breaking the curse of Babel through the cross of Christ. The gospel will bring forth “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages”.

Footnotes: 1. Notice how the mark of the beast offers the people of the earth a false sense of security, in earthly terms, but ultimately this mark can provide no eternal security. Unlike God's seal which marks them for redemption. (cf Rev 14:3)

[revelation1911]

And one of the elders said to me, “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5

[revelation1911]

The Sixth Seal - Revelation 6:12-17

When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood, and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale. The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place. Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”     (Revelation 6:12-17 ESV)

The breaking of the sixth seal brings forth an earthquake of unparalleled magnitude. When God comes to establish his justice and reveal his holiness earthquakes are a common occurrence.

Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. (Exodus 19:18 ESV)

This great shaking and “rolling up” of the sky is found in numerous Old Testament prophecies concerning the coming of God’s judgement and the establishment of his reign upon the Earth (cf. Matt 24:7, Joel 2:2, 10, 30-31, Isa 13:6-13). This sixth seal is the last and final warning to the earth where the combination of earthly and celestial phenomena cannot be explained away by science and logic. Every one will be sure on that day who is behind this great shaking; the Lamb of God.

Everything will be shaken so that only the unshakable will remain (cf. Heb 12:26-27, Haggai 2:6). The previous judgements of war, famine, death and martyrdom have come mostly through the hands of men. The sixth seal is different, in that men have no part to play. This is God’s supernatural upheaval to prepare the earth for the Lamb who has conquered. Although the people recognize where these events have come from (“the wrath of the Lamb”) they neither humble themselves or repent before God. It seems, their pride has so blinded them that they cannot see the way to escape. Instead like Adam and Eve in their original state of sin they look for a way to hide from God. If only they allowed God to clothe them in the righteousness that comes through his Son. The people will try and hide in vain. All of society will be confronted with the reality of God’s holiness; royalty, military, the highest of academics and famous of this world, the rich, those that have influence and even those who are slaves. Before God and without Christ we all stand guilty as charged. For thousands of years men have looked into the night sky and questioned and pondered over the thought of our existence and the reality of a creator God. Some have looked and believed, while others foolishly make theories that the heavens have happened by chance. In one day we will look into the sky and see that God alone holds all things together in his hand.

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.

Isaiah 40:26 (ESV)

The sixth seal closes with the question “who can stand?” The answer is to be found in the following chapter when God seals the 144,000.

[revelation1911]

The Fifth Seal - Revelation 6:9-11

When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. They cried out with a loud voice, "O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.

Revelation 6:9-11 (ESV)

After false Christ's, wars, famines, pestilence and death, a scapegoat for the failings caused by the worlds rejection of Christ is needed. Persecution against Christians will rise, but so will the cry of the martyrs blood. God is on the cusp of his vengeance but the martyrs will have to wait "a little longer".

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.     Romans 12:19-21 (ESV)

Within Revelation we are often faced with questions that drastically challenge our thinking. Before us in these verses, we are faced with the uncomfortable reality of martyrdom. Within western Christianity it can easily be said that this is an irrelevant subject, for we have the freedom to practice our faith without the fear of death. These verses therefor are not likely to be preached or discussed much amongst western Christians. But does that mean today, we have little to learn from the subject of martyrdom?

A man when he suffereth for Christ, is set upon a hill, upon a stage, as in a theatre, to play a part for God in the world. John Bunyan

Are we called to embrace the reality of possible martyrdom? It's important to realise that this was the question that faced the first century Christians. Church history suggests that out of all the disciples only John died of old age, all the others died a martyrs death. Today around the world our brothers and sisters face this same question and many are following Christ even when faced with the reality of death and torture. The previous century saw more martyrs than every century before it combined. We must be careful not to just think in terms of numbers because those that die are real people, some with families left behind. If statistics are to be believed then the conservative estimation of 150,000 Christians that die every year for their faith hits me hard, as it's almost exactly the same amount of people that live in the city I come from. It's a reality I find impossible to comprehend. (1. see footnotes) When the early disciples were told to deny themselves, take up their cross, lose their lives, they took these words seriously. For them it was counting the cost, even unto death. These are remarkable words from the book of acts that show the apostles attitude towards suffering.

and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name. And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.

Acts 5:40-42 (ESV)

As the gospel advances throughout the nations, persecution will also arise. Our adversary is nearing the end of his days and at some point he will be cast out of heaven along with his angels. His time will no longer be spent accusing Gods chosen and instead his anger will rage against the offspring of Abraham (cf. Rev 12:7-17). His anger and outrage cannot silence the gospel and it's in these times we need to cry out to God for more boldness.

"And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony", the crux of this verse is in the last part and without it we empty much of its meaning; "for they loved not their lives even unto death". This verse is an encouragement to those who suffer for their faith, to hold on, because even if they die, they are more than conquerors. Our trust in his blood and our faithfulness to testify of his work in our lives will see us conquer the very thing that the enemy attacks us with but we must also be willing to  follow the way of Matthew16:24-26. Remembering that death has no hold on the blood covered saints. (cf. Matthew 24:9-14, Rev 7). It only takes a brief moment of watching the news to see that along with true martyrdom, the false has arisen. Terrorism is a perverse and twisted ideology that brings suffering and bloodshed to those who fall victim to its vile hatred. There is no place in the gospel for us to fight with the sword and those who do so will be judged by that sword.

But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.

1 Peter 4:15-16 (ESV)

If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

1 Corinthians 13:3 (ESV)

Suffering that is self inflicted and not as a result of love will gain nothing. In the words of John Piper:

"Christian martyrs do not pursue death, they pursue love"

Let us be challenged by the blood of the martyrs that cry out to God for justice, and ask ourselves; are we willing to lay down our lives in pursuit of our love for Christ and to say as Paul once said "To live is for Christ and to die is gain"?

Footnotes: 1. For more on statistics the Persecuted Church Weblog has a well written article on this subject. http://persecutedchurch.blogspot.co.uk/2009/04/limits-of-statistics.html

[revelation1911]

The third & fourth seals - Revelation 6:5-8

Third Seal

When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” (Revelation 6:5-6 ESV)

After many wars have broken out, there is a natural progression into earthly calamities. Most likely caused by what has gone before. One of the consequences of war is often famine and what we find in the third seal is a black horse, the black colour of flesh that is malnourished. These famines are also prophesied by Jesus in Matthew 24:7. A quart of wheat is merely enough to feed a person for a day and a denarius is an average daily wage. Barley is cheaper but is much lower nutritionally thus we see that people will struggle to feed their families with a healthy diet. Death from famine isn’t always due to no food but can be due to a lack of nutritional food that can sustain the body and help to fight of infections. For some reason the oil and wine are protected. Some commentators believe that oil and wine are luxuries of the rich and therefore only the poor will be effected but this is reading too much from the text. Fourth Seal

When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider’s name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. (Revelation 6:7-8 ESV)

When life exits the body the skin turns pale.The pale horse and it’s rider speaks of death, which is partly the result of the previous riders. Swords are still being used to slay each other, famine is ever increasing and now pestilence and wild beasts are added to this woeful prophecy. The mention of Death and Hades is a stark reminder of what the future holds for those who refuse to repent and seek the mercy and forgiveness that is found in Christ alone. Hades is a place for the unrepentant. Hades will eventually be thrown into hell. The contrast for the believer is striking for Hades does not follow us. When we die we will be with Jesus in paradise. (cf. Luke 23:43, Rev 20:13,14) James M Hamilton makes a great point concerning these judgements.

“Those who do not worship the real God and his King are handed over by God to false gods and false kings, and the consequences that result from these megalomaniacs and ruler cults are God’s judgement against those who have rejected him…”

“God wants people to see what happens when humans reject the rightful King, the Lord’s Messiah, Jesus, and replace him with some chump who looks good and speaks well.”

This principle can be seen throughout the bible, from Israel crying out for a King and gaining Saul to the people of the world refusing to worship the creator and being given over to there own evil desires (cf. Romans 1:18-30).

Lastly, it's worth noting that although the rider of the pale hose has power over a fourth of the earth the scripture does not say that a fourth will be killed

[revelation1911]

The Second Seal - Revelation 6:3-4

When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword.

Revelation 6:3-4 (ESV)

The second seal - global war Once again we see God's sovereign hand. The rider is given permission to take peace and he is given a sword. There is only one rider that can bring true peace and that is Jesus, the one called “Faithful and True”. The false messiah might conquer and bring regional peace but ultimately war will break out all around him. Jesus warns us “you will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but do not be alarmed”.

The idea that the Antichrist will rule over the whole world is unfounded. By reading into certain scriptures and ignoring others, many commentators and “end time” teachers have missed the obvious. If the Antichrist has global dominion, how can he be at war with other nations? I can see his influence and power might be global but his rule will be geo-specific.

I believe that this understanding is fundamental, especially in terms of intercession. We must be careful and resist a defeatist attitude that is dishonouring to God and his promises. When we understand that the Antichrist's rule is limited, we can begin to rise in faith and prayer, believing that when our nation stands before God it will not be counted amongst the conquered aggressors to the "Glorious Land" (Israel) but many will be saved.

He shall judge between the nations, and shall decide disputes for many peoples; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. (Isaiah 2:4 ESV)

The Antichrist’s empire will consist of ten nations (cf. Daniel 7:7, 24-25, Revelation 13:1, 17:3, 17:7, 17:12, 17:16) Daniel 11 clearly states that he will invade many countries including the land of Israel (Glorious Land) but that he will not conquer every nation.

At the time of the end, the king of the south shall attack him, but the king of the north shall rush upon him like a whirlwind, with chariots and horsemen, and with many ships. And he shall come into countries and shall overflow and pass through. He shall come into the glorious land. And tens of thousands shall fall, but these shall be delivered out of his hand: Edom and Moab and the main part of the Ammonites. He shall stretch out his hand against the countries, and the land of Egypt shall not escape. He shall become ruler of the treasures of gold and of silver, and all the precious things of Egypt, and the Libyans and the Cushites shall follow in his train. But news from the east and the north shall alarm him, and he shall go out with great fury to destroy and devote many to destruction. And he shall pitch his palatial tents between the sea and the glorious holy mountain. Yet he shall come to his end, with none to help him.     (Daniel 11:40-45 ESV)

Edom, Moab and the main part of the Ammonites will be delivered. This is empire building but it is most definitely not a global empire. The idea that the Antichrist will miraculously bring world peace is totally unscriptural. From these verses we can conclude that the Antichrist will be at war, even until the very end (cf. Dan 9:26). He will have significant power (cf. Rev 13:4) but only Jesus will rule the whole earth. Many commentators turn to Daniel 7:23 as proof text that the Antichrist will have global dominion. If we believe this to mean the whole inhabited earth, then we must also believe that third empire described in Daniel 2:39 also ruled over the entire earth. On the contrary, history clearly shows us that though Alexander the Great's Grecian empire was vast, it was still limited in it's geographical rule.

The use of hyperbole in eastern culture and within the scriptures is common and our western mindsets need to be aware of this when interpreting (cf. Luke 2:1, Daniel 5:18-19) The whole earth in Aramaic is Kol ‘ara’, which is a large but limited section of land. Here’s a quote from Gleason L. Archer Jr

The whole earth (Kol ‘ara’) refers, not to all known parts of the inhabited earth, but rather (as in general OT usage) to the entire territory of the Near and Middle East that in any way relates to the Holy Land. The word ‘ara’ (and it’s Hebrew equivalent ères) does not necessarily mean globe in the sense of “the entire inhabited globe” but depending on context might mean a single country ( ères yisra’el is “the land of Israel”) or a larger geographical unit, such as “territory”or “region.”