Year 0, Day 31: Revelation 22

End of the Cycle of Three Years

Okay, Happy New Year’s Eve.  I will confess that when I put this reading list together I always thought it would be neat to read the last chapter in the Bible knowing that tomorrow I’m going to pick up the Bible again and start way back in the beginning.  There’s just something cool about that.  Or maybe it’s just me.

The River of Life

One of the first images we get in this last chapter of our Christian Bible is of the river of life.  Rivers are often seen as a source of life because they bring fresh water, they are not usually large enough to be threatening, and they are not large enough to be disorienting.  The River of life imagery is all over the Old Testament: Genesis 2:8-16, Ezekiel 47:1-7, Psalm 46:4, Joel 3:18, and Zechariah 14:8. 

It is also thought that the River of Life is a symbolic image of the Holy Spirit.  Notice that throughout this entire chapter the Father and the lamb are mentioned, but seldom is the Holy Spirit depicted.  Since the River of Life flows out of the throne of God and the Lamb, it makes sense that this River of Life is interpreted as the Holy Spirit.

The Tree of Life

Now we move on to the image of the Tree of Life.  John pulls the Tree of Life image from 2 sources: Genesis 3:6 and Ezekiel 47:12.  The variety of fruit may be a reference to the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23.  The fact that the fruit are available all year round may be a symbol of God’s plenteousness.  The leaves are not only for the healing of those inside of the city, but for all nations – all people.

Inside the City

Inside the city something interesting happens.  Those within the city will see God’s face.  In Exodus 33:20-23 we learn that no man can see God and live.  However, since salvation comes through Jesus Christ we can say that through Christ we transcend even our own humanity.  If the inhabitants can see God’s face always, then life becomes true worship of God.  In other words, heaven will be perpetual worship of God – but true worship, that is worship through right living.

The Final Words

And now we turn to the final words.  These final words are curiously disjointed.  The angel speaks, Christ speaks, John speaks, and sometimes there is not much sense to the order of the speaking.  The angel speaks first, and he reminds John that God is the inspiration of the prophets.  The Old and New Testaments are the product of the same God.

The next speaker is Christ, and he reminds us that not only is he coming quickly, but that the best follower of Christ is the “devout student.”  Far too many Christians are devout in “faith” without being a true student of God at all.  Anyone can follow their own thinking or pious human tradition.  But a true follower is by definition submitted to the one they are following.  Far too many of us are “academic students” of God but not all that devout in faith.  Here, Christ tells us that to be proper we need to be both devout in faith and a true student.

The third speaker is the angel, and we have again the warning against angel worship that we had in 19:10.  Curiously, in this text we hear the angel say “Do not seal up the words…”  In the apocalyptic literature before Christ, the works usually end with “Seal up the words of this prophecy…” (See Daniel 8:26, for example).  Christ has changed our relationship with God’s plan in the world.  Yes, there are some things along the way that we have encountered that were shut up, but in Christ we have general access to an understanding of what God is doing in the world.  Thanks be to God for that!

We also hear a curious word from the angel about mankind remaining the same: “Let the evil doer do evil … and the holy still be holy.”  This could be a reiteration of Daniel 12:10 and Ezekiel 3:27.  If this is true then it is saying that in the end it will be too late to change the ways of humanity.  However, it could also be a comment that God does not force people to follow Him.  Those who love God do so by choice.  Those who obey God do so by choice.  Those who deny God likewise do so by choice.

The next speaker is Christ.  He gives us the message of each person receiving rewards of their earning.  This is not to be confused with the reward of salvation, which Christ earns for us.  Salvation is always a gift and it is never based on our works.  However, clearly we will receive the fruit of our works – whether good or bad.

Christ then blesses those who “wash their robes.”  Christ is acknowledging that while God has provided the means to salvation through Jesus Christ, we must appropriate our salvation.  In other words, it is like getting a bath ready for someone else.  We can fill the tub with water and put soap and a washcloth on the edge of the tub.  But the person will only get clean if he gets in and applies the soap to himself.  A person only is cleansed if the humble themselves and submit to the cleaning process.

Christ then bans those outside the city from entering.  The list given in the ban is nearly identical to the list in 21:8.  The major difference here is the addition of the category “dogs.”  In ancient days, dogs were an unclean animal – a scavenger.  The dog is that thing which perpetually returns to disgusting habits. For example, see Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so the fool returns to his folly.”  This addition to the list could be John’s way of indicating the people who always go back to their disgusting behavior.  However, in those days male temple prostitutes were also nicknamed dogs.  In this case, the additional category added here could simply refer to a sexually immoral person.  Since we have the specific mention of sexually immoral already in the list, I tend to lean towards the first interpretation.

Christ then gives us a list of testimonies.  First, He attests to the fact that the prophecy presented here is true.  This is a bookend to the promise given to us in Revelation 1:1.  Then He says that he is the root and offspring of David.  This is John’s attempt at reminding his audience that Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 11:1.  Jesus is the eternal king on David’s promised throne.  The third promise is regarding being the morning star.  This likely refers to Jesus as the light of the world.  The morning star chases away the darkness, sin, and death.

We then move to the famous “come passages,” although we don’t know to whom the words “Come” are spoken.  One way to take these words is the church bidding Christ to come quickly.  Another way to take this passage is as a beckoning for mankind to come to God.  This is especially true when the passage is thought to include the “let him take the free gift…” part.  At the very least, this passage is a reminder for us to be missionaries and bid people to come.

After the “come” passage we receive yet another warning.  This warning should not be taken literally to encompass the book of Revelation.  The warning is about twisting the ideas and teachings within the book, not about altering the specific words contained. (See Galatians 1:8-9)  This warning is commonly used at the end of documents to prevent intentional interpretive alterations.

In the end, we should be impressed how many times John tells us that Christ is coming quickly – 4 times in this chapter alone!  This is a clear indication that John is writing this work as a testimony of hope to a people who are under great persecution.  As a final note, it should be understand that the last word of this document (in the Greek, at least) is Grace.  If there is a word John wants his audience to focus upon in the midst of their trials, it is grace.  Although John could not know it, it is also pretty neat that this word then becomes the final word of our Christian Bible, too.

Year 0, Day 30: Revelation 21

New Jerusalem

Part of this idea of the New Jerusalem can be explained well through an understanding of Plato’s doctrine of forms.  A form – or perhaps a better modern word is idea – is the perfect example of what exists here on this world.  The perfect example is not flawed through sin, human imperfection, or even time.  Thus the New Jerusalem can be thought of as a perfect example of what the Jerusalem of this world strived to achieve but never could. 

The other part of this idea of a New Jerusalem comes out of traditional Judaism.  Isaiah 54:11 speaks of the rebuilding of the torn down Jerusalem.  Isaiah 60:10-20 speaks about a beautiful city whose light is God, whose gates are never shut, and who has no need of a sun or a moon.  Haggai 2:9 speaks of a new city that will be greater than its predecessor.  Ezekiel 48:31-35 speaks of the rebuilt city and its twelve gates.  The New Jerusalem is essentially about faith.  In the Old Testament, Jerusalem was brought low by the Babylonians – but they had faith that it would be rebuilt.  In the days when John wrote this, Rome has dared to destroy Jerusalem and the Christian sees God’s eternal kingdom following the retribution upon Rome.  In the end, sinfulness will have led to the destruction of the world.  But God will then bring about an incorruptible New Jerusalem.

Presence of God

John sees God’s dwelling (literally “tabernacle”) and we are said to dwell (literally “to tabernacle”) with God.  In the story of the Exodus, we hear how God set up a tabernacle in order to dwell among His people.  We also hear that we will be God’s people, and God will be our God.  This is a common promise throughout all of the Old Testament.  (See Lev. 26:11-12, Jer. 31:33, Ezek. 37:27, Song of Solomon 6:3)

We also hear God’s promise to make all things new.  This promise is a reiteration of Isaiah 43:18-19.  God claims to be the alpha/beginning and omega/end.  We have encountered this description in Revelation 1:8 and spoke of it there.  This is also much more than a claim about being omnipresent.  Beginning can also be interpreted as a source.  God is the source of all.  End can also be interpreted as goal.  God is the goal of life.  For me, this is the true depth of this name of God.  With such a description it seems as though God should be far off and above us.  However, the next thing we hear is that God will give a drink from the water of life to any who are thirsty.  Not only is God the source and the goal, but he is also approachable.  That is the God who we have gathered around the Word to meet.

Humanity’s Relationship with God

Those who remain faithful will be considered God’s sons.  This is a promise given to many who followed God.  First Abraham, then David (and his offspring), and then of the Messiah.  Now it is made to all those who follow God. 

However, there is also a guarantee of those who are condemned.  The cowards are those who loved an easy life instead of those who stood up for what they believe in.  The unbelieving are those who were presented with God and salvation but whose lives do not demonstrate it.  The polluted are those who allowed themselves to be saturated by the things of the world.  The murderers are those who take judgment into their own hands.  The fornicators are those who allowed sexual sin to corrupt their life.  The sorcerers are those who find ultimate power in places other than God.  The idolaters are those who chose to worship something besides God.  The liars are guilty of not telling the truth as well as actively telling untruths.  These are all activities that displace God – what we call sin.

God’s Servants

There is a subtle message that should be brought out regarding the angel who speaks to John.  Assuming that this angel is not only also one of the angels who brought about the last of the plagues upon the earth but also the same angel who bids John to come and see the harlot in Revelation 17:1, John’s point is that true followers of God do not only do the pleasant tasks of God (or enjoy the hurtful tasks).  Rather, the true servant of God does what God asks regardless of whether the task is pleasant or difficult.  Even if these angels are different the point remains.  God’s work must be done.  It is not always pleasant.  But it is still all God’s work.

There is some debate about the “carried away” that John experiences.  Some think it a reference to rapture.  While it certainly could be, it is far more concrete to simply see it as an analogy to the fact that we cannot see the things of God without some sort of change occurring within us.  We cannot see God or God’s plans without something about us undergoing modification.

The City

So now let’s turn to this New Jerusalem.  The easiest interpretation of the great wall is that it is the insurmountable bulwark of faith.  There are 12 gates, each with the name of a tribe of Israel.  The fact that there are 12 gates – three from each direction – may well imply that there are many paths to God.  God’s people are catholic in that all people are welcome within God. 

I am not trying to say that “all faiths lead to the same God.”  I genuinely believe that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ.  But if one happens to be Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Baptist, etc – or even a mixture of them – then it is possible to find God.  So long a Jesus is the justification, there are indeed many paths to God.

The vision of the angel measuring the city comes from Ezekiel 40:3.  Note that the city is not built in the shape of a square (as many ancient capital cities were) but in a cube.  The cube could be a hint back towards the trinity.  However, it could also be a hint back to the Jewish worship practices.  The altar of burnt offerings, the altar of incenses, and the high-priest’s breastplate are all cubes.  In fact, even the Holy of Holies in the Temple was a perfect cube.  In this understanding, the city itself becomes a symbol of a place of worship – if not the greatest place of worship.

Now let’s talk a bit about the precious gemstones.  As the pearls each made one big gateway, the idea is that there is one large foundation stone between each gateway. 

We cannot know the exact meaning of the stones, but there are some similarities to point out. 

• Eight of the 12 stones are the same as the breastplate of the high priest. 
• The stones may simply be to emphasize the splendor of God’s city in that even the foundation stones are priceless. 
• Interestingly enough this list fits even more precisely with the stones of the Zodiac.  Aries (The Ram) is amethyst, the Taurus (The Bull) is jacinth, Gemini (The Twins) is chrysoprase, Cancer (The Crab) is topaz, Leo (The Lion) is beryl, Virgo (The Virgin) is chrysolite, Libra (The Scales) is carnelian, Scorpio (The Scorpion) is sardonyx, Sagittarius (The Centaur/Archer) is emerald, Capricorn (The Goat) is chalcedony, Aquarius (The Water Carrier) is sapphire, and Pisces (The Fish) is jasper.  Since the zodiac is considered attached to the ancient city of the gods (heavenly city, of course) the point John might be making is that God’s city far surpasses the city of the gods.
• Furthermore, notice that John gives us the precise order of the zodiac but in reverse order.  I think this connection is too obvious to ignore.  John is definitely giving us a commentary on the ancient pantheistic gods in comparison to the one true God.

Notice also that there is no temple mentioned.  There is no need for a temple because as I described before the city is the worship space – the Holy of Holies.  The city needs no light as the light is from God and Christ.  It should be noted that one of the reasons why no sin will exist here is that everything will be seen in the light of God.  Sin cannot exist where it is immediately exposed and defeated.

Finally, the image of the nations gathering at God’s Holy City comes from Isaiah 2:2-4 and Isaiah 11:12.  The Jewish people (and thus all God’s people) should not hate the world and those in it.  All who are willing to come to God are welcome.  The threat at the end of the chapter is very pointed.  It is not the sinner who is barred from God’s city (lest we all be barred).  Rather, it is the unrepentant sinner – the defiant sinner – that is barred from entering the city.

Year 0, Day 29: Revelation 20

Other Worldly Locations

The Abyss should not be confused with Hell.  The Abyss is where the dead were thought to go while they await judgment in the end.  This is also the place where special sinners were sent to await punishment.  In ancient thought, the Abyss was a place where even the demons feared to tread – probably because demons cannot have any great effect upon those who have already died.  We can see an example of this in Luke 8:31 where Jesus is casting out demons from a demoniac and they plead with him to cast them into a herd of pigs and not into the Abyss.  So, it should not surprise us that the angel casts Satan into the Abyss and then seals it so that Satan cannot escape.

There are a few interesting comments to be made here.  First, notice that we are given multiple names for Satan lest we miss who is thrown into the Abyss.  But even more interesting is the effect of Satan being thrown into the Abyss.  Yes, Satan is thrown into the Abyss so that the world would be free from outside temptation for a time.  But the true effect of that is profound.  Before the final end of the world humanity beings will be given a time for which we have no excuse but ourselves.  There will no longer be a devil-made-me-do-it excuse.

First Resurrection

So now let’s move on to the first resurrection.  According to this passage, there are to be two resurrections.  The first resurrection is only for those who have died in and suffered for their faith.  A special privilege is show to those who are loyal to Christ and willing to sacrifice for Christ.  You can see that in this passage there are two categories of people.  The first are the martyrs (literally those who are beheaded).  These are the people who died for their faith.  The second are those who did not worship the beast.  They might not have physically died for the faith, but they likely have made sacrifices for their faith.  The point is that following God implies sacrifice.  Sometimes the sacrifice is physical.  Other times the sacrifice is emotional, mental, or relational.  I do not know what the hardest kind of sacrifice to make is.

Now here is where we get into the temptation of Chiliasm.  Those who are in Christ will be given the power to judge, and this is a common theme in the NT.  Jesus tells his disciples that they will be judge over the 12 tribes in Matthew 19:28.  Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:2 that the destiny of the saints is to judge the earth.  Taken literally, this can have serious consequences towards pride as discussed in the post about Millennialism/Chiliasm.  Taken figuratively, what this could be saying is that those who assume the position of judging in this world will be judged in the next, while those who are in a position to be judged in this world will be freed of that station in the next.  Personally, I tend to follow the latter explanation as it helps prevent the temptation of taking Chiliasm to a wrong end.

Dealing With Satan and Rebellion Forever

After the establishment of the kingdom, Satan is realized and we reach the climax of judgment.  Satan continues with the work that he had been doing all along.  He goes about gathering others against God.  The attack on the “city that has been loved” is a classic reference in Jewish thought.  Jerusalem is God’s city, and the world coming to attack God would figuratively be coming to gather around Jerusalem.  (This is likely a reference from Daniel 11 and Zechariah 14:1-11)  The reference to Gog and Magog originally comes out of Ezekiel 38 and 39 - a reference that began to be manipulated until Gog and Magog became symbolic of all those who oppose God. 

In the end, it is God who takes care of the fight.  The world comes to attack God and God’s holy people, but it is God who handles the fight.  Fire comes down from heaven and consumes God’s enemies.  Those who oppose God are then thrown into the lake of fire so God’s triumph is complete.  And then we move into judgment.

Notice that God is described as sitting on the brilliant (white) throne.  John is reminding us and his 1^st century audience that God as a judge is pure.  God’s judgment comes to creation first.  The earth and the heavens flee before God and there is no place for them.  They will be discarded.  It is only God who has the right to discard them, because God is the one who created them and laid their foundations.  This follows traditional Jewish teaching found in Psalm 102:25-27 and Isaiah 51:6.  Furthermore, this follows Christian teaching found in Mark 13:31 and 2 Peter 3:10.

After creation is judged, notice that God’s judgment over mankind is over the great and small.  Nobody escapes.  There are two types of books mentioned in this passage.  The first are the books that all the deeds of mankind are mentioned in.  God not only knows all the deeds of mankind but these deeds are also recorded as proof.  (See Daniel 7:10, Enoch 90:20, 2 Baruch 24:1, 4 Ezra 6:20) The second kind of book mentioned is the book of life.  This is likely an analogy to the census records that every ruler kept.  All kings would keep a census so that they knew who their citizens were.  God also keeps a census so that He knows who His people are. (See Exodus 32:32, Psalm 69:28, Isaiah 4:3, Phillipians 4:3, Revelation 3:5, 13:8) 

We should not think that both books are equal in importance in the judgment.  Our deeds are recorded and we will be held accountable for them.  We will absolutely be judged according to our deeds and I’ve got news for us – we will all {me included} be found wanting and lacking.  But ultimately we are judged by the book of life.  Once all of humanity is found lacking we are ultimately judged by whether or not we are God’s citizens.

This is a bit of a scary passage.  It also should be a good bit humbling.  Chiliasm has a serious danger in that it can be subject to pride and greed as we are tempted to anticipate when “we judge” over those who “judged us” in this life.  That is a path that is precarious to navigate.  Only through a true understanding of our own fallen state of depravity can we ultimate come out to the real conclusion that everything received from the hand of God is purely through His grace.  Even the final judgment – being written in the Book of Life – is something that we do not deserve and only have access to it because Christ was offered up by God in the first place.  When we read passages like this, we should find humbleness before the throne first – well before we ever find anticipation of glory.  God’s peace.

Interlude: Millenialism/Chiliasm

Millenialism, or Chiliasm

Here in Revelation 20 we have the foundation of what is called the Millennialism movement (also called Chiliasm, based on the Greek word Chilios which means “thousand”).  This belief is that before the final judgment Christ will reign for a thousand years in a kingdom filled by his saints.  After the 1,000 years there will be a great struggle, final judgment through the great book of life, and great consummation. 

While Millennialism was a very common belief in the early church, this is the only passage within the New Testament where Millennialism is taught at all.  In fact, the origin of this belief is not Christianity, but rather Judaism – especially the period after 100 B.C.  So let’s talk a little history, first.

At first the belief was that God would come and establish His kingdom here on earth forever.  The Messiah would come and the Jewish people would become the leaders within this regime.  We can see this belief in the time of Jesus, when even His disciples wanted Jesus to set up an earthly kingdom. 

As time passed, the belief changed because the Jews thought the world was so incurably evil that God would never come.  So, they thought that it was necessary for there to be a time where the good and the evil were weeded out.  This period became the Millennium, and those not worthy enough to pass through the Millennium would be caught by the final consummation.  This progression can be seen in the Apocalypse of Baruch, Enoch, and 2 Esdras.  There was great discussion about how long this period of purification would be among Jewish rabbis: 40 years (Symbolic of the flood, the Exodus, etc), 100 years, 400 years, 1,000 years, 2,000 years, or even 7,000 years.  The reason that 1,000 years was eventually settled upon is because Psalm 90:4 says that “A thousand years in your sight is but yesterday.”  During this Millennium, it is said that there will be no more disease, no suffering, no pain during childbirth, an even the animals will be friendly to mankind. 

Although there are several early Christian forefathers who followed Chiliasm, there was never the idea that one must follow Chiliasm to be a true follower of Christ.  This idea of Millennialism has always been debated as to whether it is to be interpreted literally or figuratively.  The reason that some early church fathers rejected Chiliasm is because most of the time Chiliasm was taught from a self-serving perspective: often those who teach Chiliasm the strongest are those who want the enjoyment of being set up as a “king” {Under Christ, of course} over those who abused them in this life.  Since the whole thrust of the rest of Christianity focuses us on Christ and not our own personal gain, many early church fathers rejected Millennialism. 

That being said, it should be noted that these Christian spiritual fathers weren’t rejecting Chiliasm as much as they were rejecting the self-serving ideals of the people who taught Chiliasm the loudest.  In fact, Augustine speaks the loudest against Millennialsm – likely because he himself had once been a Millennialist – and his point in that condemnation is that the Millenialists were using their own faith for their own personal gain.  In other words, sin was creeping into their faith.  That is the inherent danger of Chiliasm in any form.

In conclusion, Millennialism (or Chiliasm) is certainly not dead within the church.  It is not even necessarily a wrong teaching within the church.  But it is a teaching that has never been universally accepted.  And it is a teaching that if it is taught should be taught carefully so that Christ is always at the center of the teaching and any personal gain is not based on our own righteousness.  

Year 0, Day 28: Revelation 19

Mourning turns to Joy

I am struck by the joy of the beginning of this chapter, and yet how it is mixed with such a horrible time of judgment at the end.  I suppose at the very least this is the struggle of faith within me.  I look longingly forward to the day when I and those in Christ with me will be made alive again in Christ and brought into the fullness of His glory. But humanly I also mourn the loss of those people who on that day will realize only too late that they were wrong.  It is such an exciting moment in one sense, but such a terrifying moment in a completely other sense.  Anyway, let’s get on with Revelation 19, shall we?

First Alleluia

Here we get several “Alleluias.”  Alleluia literally means “Praise God.”  The focus of this first Alleluia is on praising God because salvation, glory, and power belong to Him.

• Salvation is important because it should evoke our gratitude towards God. 
• Glory is important because it should evoke our reverence towards God. 
• Power is important because God’s power comes through his love and thus evokes our trust in God. 

True praise and worship of God should always include gratitude, reverence, and trust as a reflection of God’s salvation, glory, and power.  Now there’s a thought that I should have more often.  I wonder how often my worship – much less the corporate worship in which I participate – truly involves gratitude, reverence, and trust as much as it should?

In the first Alleluia God is praised because his judgment is right and true.  In this light, judgment should be understood as the inescapable consequence of sin.  This brings us back to my opening paragraph of this blog.  God is capable as a judge for three reasons.

• First, God is the only one who sees the innermost parts of a person. 
• Second, God is the only one who can judge with purity of mind and without prejudice.
• Third, God is the only one with the right wisdom to find an appropriate judgment and apply it. 

God is also praised for other reasons.  He is praised for judging the great prostitute.  Her great sin is corrupting others.  It is one thing to sin, but it is another thing to teach others and entwine them in sin.  He is praised a third time because through the judgment is the promise that God does not abandon his own.  In summary, John’s point is that between God and Rome – or in a more general sense, God and sin, God will outlast and get the last word.

Second and Third Alleluias

We move to the second and third Alleluias.  The second Alleluia reiterates the first: God is praised because the smoke from the great city will rise forever.  In other words, Rome will be destroyed and never rise again.  The Biblical reference that John likely draws from is Isaiah 34:9-10. 

After the angelic praise, the elders and the living creatures join in.  Since the elders likely represent the combination of the 12 patriarchs and the 12 apostles while the 4 living creatures represent nature, this can be seen as the church and nature coming together to praise God.  Also, notice that John incorporates all levels of service from the small to the great.  In this we can see that the ultimate way to follow God’s ways are: follow God, testify to his character (grace, love, mercy, power, salvation, etc), and choose God above all else.

Fourth Alleluia

The fourth Alleluia is thought of as the chorus of the redeemed, who are the bride of Christ and bought with His blood.  The marriage metaphor is legitimate for several reasons.  The best marriages are based on true love, intimate relationships, filled with joy, and based on fidelity.  When these are present in a marriage, the marriage thrives.  When these are present between us and God, faith thrives. 

This Alleluia gives God a specific title: Almighty {literally “pantokrator” in the Greek}.  Pantokrator is a word that means “the one who controls all things.”  This is a fitting title for John to lift up and remind the people to whom he writes – a people who are living in persecution and looking for relief.  This title demonstrates that in God we can have faith and confidence.  When the world rises up against us, it is good to remember that even those who rise up against us are still within God’s even larger realm of influence.

Notice that in this fourth Alleluia that the bride of Christ is dressed in fine linen.  The colors of the clothing of the righteous should be contrasted with that of the harlot from the last chapter.  The bride of Christ is seen in terms of holiness and purity while the harlot is described in colors signifying wealth, power, and nobility.  Especially in today’s world this contrast should not get lost.  Wealth, power, and nobility are nothing in God’s eyes when compared with holiness and purity.

Worship

After the alleluias, John’s impulse is to worship the guide but he is forbidden to do so.  Worship is for God alone.  This may seem like a small issue, but it is a significant issue for Christianity.  When we revere something besides God, we essentially establish an intermediary between us and God.  Essentially what we do is supplant Jesus.  When we worship an angel (or another human being) what we actually do is to remove Jesus from His place of power as our intermediary.  It is through Jesus that we are saved and our worship should reflect this. 

Furthermore, in ancient times there was another issue.  The ancient world was filled with societies that had many gods.  The Roman Empire often made a point to include the gods of other nations into their own so that the conquered people would have an easier time merging into Roman society.  Thus, Christians were always fighting the impulse of new converts to make their former gods into angels so that they could continue to worship them in addition to the Christian God. 

This might seem strange to our modern ear, but we do the same thing all the time.  Rather than obey the call of God to forsake the things of the world, we try to include them so that we can avoid forsaking what we enjoy while still our earthly pleasures.  That will never lead us to the ways of God.  Yes, we don’t have to become ascetics living in the desert – but neither should we allow our faith to become so filled with the world that we can’t see God anymore.

Rider on the White Horse

Now let’s turn to the conquering Christ.  This is one of the favored stories in the Bible.  The White Horse is a sign of a conquering general.  Roman soldiers rode in victory parades upon white horses. 

• The rider is faithful and true.  Faithful means that he is able to be trusted.  True means both that his words are true as well as that he is real. 
• The rider is able to make war while remaining righteous.  Christ will not pervert justice – as many who among humanity who make war have a tendency to do. 
• The rider’s eyes blaze with fire.  This image has already been given to us in Revelation 1 and 2 and it stands for Christ’s victorious power. 
• The rider wears many crowns.  While it may seem strange for us today, in ancient days a conquering emperor would wear the crowns of the areas that they conquered.  Thus, this description of Christ indicates that he is victorious over many things – one might even say all things. 
• He has a name that only He knows.  This is most likely a testimony to the Hebrew belief that to know the name of another was to have power over them.  Thus, since nobody knows the rider’s name nothing holds any power over the rider. 
• The rider’s robe “has been dipped” in blood.  Literally the word for dipped is the word we translate in other places as “baptized.”  Also notice the tense of the verb: another perfect passive.  Not only is the robe baptized in blood, but it is baptized in blood by God’s own doing.

The question is whose blood?  If it is Christ’s blood, then this is a clear passage about of the plan of salvation.  Christ conquered death and hell through His blood, now He can conquer the world.  However, that is not the only source of blood in this passage.  If it is the blood of His enemies, this is a clear symbol of the conquering power of Christ. That is to say that in this story Christ is not the “Slain One” but rather the “Slayer.”  If this is the case, then John is borrowing from Isaiah 63:1-3.  Either interpretation can be justified.  Both interpretations give us different paths for contemplation.

We are told that the rider’s name is the Word of God.  This harkens us back to the opening words of the Gospel of John.  However, the meaning here is much more rich than a simple reference to the beginning of John’s Gospel.  Words bring life to ideas.  Thus, to call Jesus the Word of God is to literally say that Jesus is the plan of God brought to real life.  Jesus is the embodiment of God’s plan for the world.  Now there is a simple thought that cannot be spoken often enough.

This conquering Christ is the embodiment of the avenging wrath of God.  The armies of Heaven follow him.  The contrast between this stage of God’s plan and the scene in the Garden of Gethsemane are too great to miss.  In the Garden, when Christ came to die for our sake and conquer sin and death, Christ conquers without need of armed resistance.  In fact, Christ is abandoned and goes about the task alone.  Now, when Christ comes to conquer the world he brings a whole host of heaven with him.

As for the enemies of Christ, this grim picture is a retelling of Ezekiel 39:17-19. The point of this portion of the story is to demonstrate that all the enemies of God will be defeated and only Christ will remain absolutely powerful.  While the beast and those who follow are condemned, notice that nothing as of yet has been said of Satan – the great dragon – himself.

So today we have learned a few things.  Christ will rule.  Amen, come Lord Jesus.  Though I fear judgment myself and I fear the judgment of those in this world about whom I care – come Lord Jesus.  Only in you will the process of judgment be righteous and endurable.

Year 0, Day 27: Revelation 18

Understanding the Basis for Revelation 18

Here at last we have come to the final revelation of God’s perspective on the world.  This is certainly not the final judgment – the ultimate judgment of Satan and those with him is yet to come.  But here we have the culmination of God’s judgment upon humanity.

Doom Songs are common in the OT {See Isaiah 13:19-22, Isaiah 34:11-15, Jeremiah 50:39, and Zephaniah 2:13-15 as examples}.  These songs do not have much in common with traditional Christian views on compassion and forgiveness.  However, they do have much in common with the heart of a persecuted victim.  That is precisely why John would include this doom song here in this work.  He desires to use a traditionally Jewish form of bringing hope to a people under persecution.

The Message of the Angels

There is some debate as to whether or not this first angel is Christ.  Clearly, this angel can be seen as the “light of the world” but in no place does John refer to him as Christ.  The message of the angel is that Babylon is the home of all things that are outside of God’s creation.  The message is clear: sin leads to being unclean which leads to inviting other things in to our life as well.

The second angel calls out to those who still follow God.  Symbolically, this is God calling his people out of a sinful world so that they do not get mixed up in the sin and led away from God.  This could also be God calling His people out of Babylon so they might be spared from the final judgment that God sends upon her.  God does not want His people to suffer more than they already have.  Christians are most often referred to as God’s Holy Ones.  Remember that Holy means separated, this is a reminder to us that when we follow God we are separate from the world.  We are in, but not of, the world.

Note that the call to pay back Babylon in Revelation 18:6-8 is not a call given to mankind.  We are not the arbiters of God’s wrath.  Vengeance belongs to God alone.  On a deeper level, this passage portrays a very Hebrew belief about reward and punishment that we often hear in the New Testament.  We can read that “we reap what we sow” in Matthew 7:2. We can also see in Exodus 22:4-9 that the consequence for sin is often repayment of what was lost in double. 

Additionally this passage gives a message about pride.  Pride is usually considered the deadliest of the seven deadly sins.  Here we can see that Babylon is first and foremost guilty of pride.  Her pride leads her into many other sins.  In many cases, this concept of pride can be called Hubris, which is a Greek word for arrogance.  Hubris is ultimately pride taken to its greatest level: that one has no need for another, even God.

Lament of the Kings

After the call to pay back Babylon – John’s Rome – we have the lament of the kings.  Rome is often thought of as the seat of opulence.  Never again has so much wealth been concentrated in one small place.  The leaders and governors surrounding Rome lament because not even her wealth and pride could ultimately save her from her sinfulness.  This is a message that should ring true to us today.  Regardless of the name of the city, who form of opulence can save us from the consequences of our sin?

Also note that the kings stand far off and watch.  They do nothing to help her as she ruins herself in sinfulness.  They are not bound to her – only reveling in the luxury that she provided.  If that message doesn’t also ring true into today’s world, I don’t know what does.  How rare is it to find a person who is more than a “fair-weather friend?”  How many people are friends so long as they can ride our coattails but when the gravy train dries up they are off to bigger and better things?

The Lament of the Merchants

The lament of the merchants that follows is purely selfish in nature.  They are not lamenting over Rome as much as they are lamenting over their own inability to increase their own wealth.  Pride often leads to greed.  They are mourning their inability to take advantage of their fellow mankind and turn a profit.

Of all the valuable items listed in this passage, the two at the end have special meaning.  It could be here that John is speaking of bodies and souls in terms of slavery.  Rome sold many slaves in its marketplaces (The Roman Empire often had as many as 60,000,000 slaves within it at any given time with as many as 10,000 slaves sold across the Empire on any given day).  John may well be making an analogy to slavery as a spiritual bondage of Rome as Rome leads them away from God.

Verse 20 gives us a perspective of rejoicing in the midst of the lament. As was stated in the beginning, this is not the voice of the compassionate Christian.  Rather, this is the voice of the persecuted and the oppressed.  This is a voice that we find in the Old Testament: Deuteronomy 32:43 and Jeremiah 51:48 as examples.  How can we justify this voice in the midst of the final irrevocable judgment of Babylon?  The joy expressed is regarding the faithfulness in God that God is just and His judgments are righteous.

Desolation of Babylon

The last verses of this chapter give us a description of the final desolation of Babylon.  The act of throwing a millstone into water is symbolic.  Justas water can swallow up large objects and cover them over as though they never existed, so God will do (and has done) to ancient Rome.  Most of the common aspects of life will be wiped away forever: 

• music,
• jobs,
• preparation of food,
• lights (hope),
• marriages (life).

This desolation comes because the people were so selfishly focused on their own material things that they gave no consideration to God or their fellow mankind.  Although God may have buried Rome under layers of history, certainly Rome’s legacy continues to live on.  To this day people continue to selfishly pursue their own desires and give such little consideration to mankind around them.

Year 0, Day 26: Revelation 17

Identity of the Woman

Revelation 17 draws us more clearly into God’s perspective on the world and its judgment.  Here we get a glimpse of the woman on the beast who sits upon the waters.  When we consider the woman to be Babylon, this image makes quite a bit of sense.  Babylon was build upon the river Euphrates, and it is common in the Old Testament to refer to Babylon as “you who dwell by many waters.”  {See Jeremiah 51:13 as an example.}  John is no doubt referring to this Old Testament tradition as he writes the followers in Asia Minor. 

However, when we consider this woman to be Rome this image seems to make significantly much less sense.  Rome sits among mountains and great hills, not waterways.  However, in verse 15 we understand that the water is symbolic for many people, tribes, and nations.  In this context, it makes sense to see the woman as Rome since Rome had conquered many lands and cultures.  While not literally, spiritually this woman can be seen as Rome and her ways.  Here the Holy Spirit is using John to reinterpret Scripture and bring it into a new meaning.

Sins of the Woman

The woman is said to have committed fornication with the kings of the earth.  Speaking in terms of prostitution/fornication was a common analogy in the ancient religious belief systems – and I think it is an analogy that we have unfortunately lost in our modern culture.  God is often portrayed as a spiritual “lover.”  In the Bible we often speak of God as the bridegroom of Israel and/or the church.  Thus, physical sexual sin becomes an analogy for all spiritual sin. In fact, we can often say that turning against God (i.e. sinning) is akin to turning our love and affection elsewhere.  I think it is good for us to occasionally remember that we are spiritually adulterous when we allow our hearts to go into sin and lust after things that are not God.

 

We’ll get to the beast a bit later, but for now it is enough to say that the woman’s place upon the beast identifies the beast with the Roman Empire.  She is also dressed in purple, the color of royalty, and crimson, the color of blood and sacrifice.  Her gemstones are a representation of wealth.  Putting all of this together we have a woman dressed in such a way as to demonstrate her power, authority, and seductiveness.  Humanity is seduced by her offerings of power, wealth, and control – seduced away from God.

In fact, the woman is said to have a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominations of all kinds.  This is an image from Jeremiah 51:7.  John is transforming the image originally given as Babylon into an image about Rome in order to say that Rome is seducing people away from God and that they will go mad with power, authority, etc.

The Woman’s Name

Here is perhaps the most interesting point of this whole chapter.  When we get to the name upon her forehead, the original Greek tells us that the name was “having been written.”  If you notice the tense of the verb you’ll notice it is a perfect passive word – implying that God is the author of the inscription.  God cannot be fooled by the woman, He has seen her for what she is and she has identified her for those who also wish to see her as He sees her.

The woman is said to be drunk with the blood of God’s favored people.  This is a pretty clear reference to the persecutions happening to the followers of Jesus at the hands of the Emperor cult.  However, this does more than paint Rome as a persecutor.  The woman is said to be getting drunk.  This shows intoxication with the act.  It is not merely an act, but an act that is enjoyed and an act which implies a gradual loss of control over the act.  Rome is portrayed as an entity that is enjoying the persecution of Jesus’ followers.  I think that this is true of all things that pull us away from God even today.  The things – or worse, people – that pull us away from God derive satisfaction from becoming the center of our life.

The Woman’s Destruction

The last thing to be said about the prostitute is that she will be destroyed by the ten kings.  Note that these kings come out of the Beast.  This is to say that Rome will be destroyed from the inside.  It can be taken as a greater condemnation that sin corrupts and destroys itself.  In other words, things built upon sinful thoughts and behaviors cannot stand.  Those who turn away from God and pursue their own desires will eventually be destroyed by those very same desires.  Pursuits away from God are self-destructive.

The Beast

Now let’s turn to this beast.  The meaning of the Beast is difficult to pin down as it seems to shift from position to position.  The beast is said to be full of blasphemous names.  These names could be a symbol of the many gods found within the Roman Empire – or at the very least the many pursuits within the empire that lead away from God! 

The beast has seven heads and ten horns, which is a symbol already explained in the blog on Revelation 13.  The seven heads is said to be a reference to the fact that Rome was built on seven hills.  However, in the riddle of v. 9-11 we receive an indication of a deeper second meaning of the seven heads.  The five who are dead are likely the five emperors who have been in charge of Rome.  They are: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero.  The one who followed the five is Vespatian, who reigned for a long time and brought stability to Rome.  The seventh one is described as having not yet come but persisting for only a short time when he comes.  This would match up with Titus, who reigned for only 3 years after Vespatian.  The beast is said to be an eighth king, but we have elsewhere in Revelation identified the beast with being an antichrist.  The King who came after Titus is Domitian, who reinstated the Emperor cult and brought persecution to a whole new level.  That would qualify as an antichrist in my book.

The only problem with this interpretation is that we know John wrote in the time of Domitian.  However, this chronology presented makes the vision seem like John wrote this during Vespatian’s time.  This could be explained by the fact that John had the vision earlier in life and is just now writing the letter.  Or, John could be writing it in a way so as to divide up the kings into groups and trace the destructive downward spiral of the Roman Emperor as a type of history lesson.  Whatever the case, we can see John’s point: the leaders will play their part in bringing the destruction of the prostitute and they will slowly produce a self-destructive pattern while doing it.

The Beast’s Characteristics

The beast is here described as one who “was, is not, but will be.”  A few blogs earlier I made mention to the Nero Redivivus belief that Nero would be reborn.  This would seem to be a reference to that time period.  More importantly, this beast is going to confound the people on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life.  This is essentially saying that the only way to keep ourselves from being confused and swept away by the passions of this world is to keep ourselves focused on Christ and God.  John is encouraging the people underneath persecution to stay true to God’s Word and the teachings about Christ.  Only in them is truth found.  I think that’s pretty good advice even today.

The only major unexplained reference is the ten horns.  It is likely that the ten horns represent some sort of internal government within the Roman Empire such as satraps.  It could also represent ten areas of the known world which refused to be beaten into submission to Rome.  However, this is largely a symbol that is lost on today’s readers.

The Ensuing War

What we can say about the war that ensues is that the Lamb will be victorious and that God’s faithful and chosen ones will share in His glorious victory.  Furthermore, in v. 17 we see that in destroying the woman the ten kings assume that they are working on their own desires and for their own unified purpose.  Yet, they ultimately serve God even if they do not acknowledge it.  This not only reminds of the self-destructive nature of human sinfulness, but it also reminds us that nothing is outside of God’s domain in working His plan within this world.

Year 0, Day 25: Revelation 15-16

The Set-up

Revelation 15 is primarily about setting up the seven angels of Revelation 16.  So let’s see what we can learn about these angels.  Certainly the number seven is symbolic as a sign of God’s perfect plan.  The number seven has been with us almost entirely through this study of Revelation.  Of course, this is also the third set of seven (seven seals, seven trumpets, seven bowls).  Remember that three is the number that points us to God.  Therefore, three groups of seven would certainly imply a greater emphasis on the divinity elements of the story.  In a sense, this is a representation of God’s holy number – 777. 

The fact that these angels come out of the temple is saying that they come from God to do God’s bidding.  We also know that the temple of God is known to be where the laws (God’s righteousness) dwell.  It is possible to conclude that they come with the specific message that nobody who goes against God’s laws can ever hope to stand righteously.  Those who go against God’s law will have to deal one way or another with coming face-to-face with God’s wrath.

These angels are clothed as though ready for service in the temple.  Remember that the white robes represent purity, especially in terms of priestly behavior.  White linen also represents royalty and their ability to rule – especially in judgment over the world.  The golden belt around the chest of the angel is significant of the great high priest who leads the Jews in worship.  Again, we see that the dress is meant to signify someone who does a great religious act in God’s name.

The following scene about the Victors of Christ (v. 2-4) is meant to remind us of the scene of Revelation 4:6 when the four living creatures are first introduced.  The sea of glass presented in Rev. 4:6 is now is mixed with fire.  Fire is typically a symbol of judgment, and John uses this change in scenery to prepare the listeners for the judgment to come.  The victors of Christ are routinely interpreted as martyrs.  The message being said here is that although they died in life, through the lamb they were able to overcome the beast and all those with him.  The real victory in life is not to judiciously preserve one’s life but to face the worst that evil brings your way and to be faithful to God – even to death.  True victory does not always include being alive when the war is over.

Finally, let’s talk about the temple.  The glory of God is a familiar analogy in the Old Testament. 

• Isaiah 6:4 uses the image of smoke as does the story of the exodus in Exodus 13:21.  The idea of nobody being able to endure the temple when God’s presence completely fills it is also common to the Old Testament.
• Exodus 40:34-35 states that Moses could not enter the tabernacle when God first filled it.  1 Kings 8:10-11 states that when Solomon’s temple was dedicated that the priests could not minister within it when God came to dwell inside. 

There are three possible meanings for this passage.  Some suggest that this is an image for the fact that God’s plans are clouded from mankind.  Others suggest that this is simply an analogy that no human being is capable of approaching the glory and righteousness of God.  However, the fact that the Bible states that nobody could approach the temple until the bowls and plagues had been used likely implies that the message is really that humankind cannot interfere with God’s plans.  When God does finally decide to judge the world, we can do nothing but receive the judgment.  By that time, the time for action and repentance will have passed us by.  That is a stark message to hear on Christmas day, but it is a true message.  Unto us a child has been born.  But there is a time limit with respect to how long any of us have to hear the call to repentance, too.

True Judgment

So now let’s move on to Revelation 16.  Here we have the seven terrors of God’s bowl judgments.  There is a remarkable difference between the bowl judgments and the trumpet/seal judgments.  In the bowl judgments there is no limitation on the amount of destruction handed out.  As we discovered in Revelation 15, God’s limit has been reached.  Judgment has now come in full.

The first plague is the plague of ulcerous sores.  The words used to describe the results of this plague are the same as in the Exodus story.  The message is clear: those who disobey God can expect pain in judgment.

 

The second and the third terror turns the seas and rivers to blood, and everything died.  This is also reminiscent to the Exodus story.  Note that like the Exodus and the Nile River, everything within the water dies.  God’s judgments continue to be thorough if nothing else.

The fourth terror is the sun’s ability to scorch the earth.  Scorching is reminiscent of fire, and we know that fire represents judgment/condemnation for the unrighteous and judgment/purification for the righteous.

The fifth terror is the terror of darkness.  This is reminiscent of the Exodus story.  Furthermore, the contrast between the fourth and fifth judgments should not be ignored.  At this point, note that those to whom the judgments of God fall upon now curse God and they do not repent.  As we approach the end of the world and as God’s power becomes even more apparent, the hearts of humanity grow even more cold and unrepentant.

The sixth terror is reminiscent of the parting of the waters of the Red Sea.  Again, the symbolism of retelling the Exodus story shouldn’t be missed.  God’s control over water is a clear sign of His power, especially in the Old Testament.  We know of the Exodus story.  In 1 Kings 18:16-46 we have the story of Elijah and the priests of Ba’al. 

It is also possible that John is tapping into history.  When the Persians came to Babylon to conquer it (and free the captive Hebrew people to allow them to return to Jerusalem) the defense of Babylon was impenetrable.  However, the river Euphrates ran right through the city, and Cyrus (King of Persia) developed an innovative plan to divert the waters of the Euphrates away from Babylon.  The riverbed dried up, and the Persians had an easy access route into the city.  If John has this historical story in mind, he is tapping into the story about the judgment of Babylon in order to remind his listeners that God will deliver them out of their captivity.  God can penetrate even the best defenses of the enemy.

At this point we have another “break” in the progression of the bowl judgments just like we had a break in the progression of trumpets/seals before the seventh one.  Now we find the three evil spirits. 

• From a linguistic perspective, there is a play on words here.  The word for spirit is “pneuma,” which can also mean breath.  Thus, to say that an evil spirit came out of the mouth of the dragon, beast, and false prophet is also to say that they breathed out an evil breath. 
• The spirits are in the form of frogs, which should immediately remind us about the plagues of the Exodus.  Frogs are not designated as clean animals, thus they should be seen as a symbolically destructive sign.  Frogs are continuously croaking.  In the ancient world, the frog was an analogy to a person who talked often but never really had anything important to say.  Even in our fairy tales, princes are turned into frogs as a punishment to become “meaningless.”  Not only are these spirits an evil influence, but they are a meaningless evil influence. 
• Also, frogs have often been seen as the allies of dark forces.  They have often been connected to witchcraft and dark arts.  Thus, these spirits are symbolically evil, meaningless influences that are connected to the enemies of God. 

The evil spirits go out into the earth and gather the people together for a final battle against God.  This is the place in the Bible where the concept of Armageddon (City of Megiddo) or Har-mageddon (Mountain of Megiddo) comes in.  Megiddo is a mountain on the road between Damascus and Egypt, and it is a place where many battles have been waged.  Thus, it would be familiar to the ancient world as a symbol of battle and conflict.  As judgment comes, not only will mankind’s hearts be hardened but they will begin to believe that they can even battle against God directly.  We are such a depraved race without the call of Christ to repentance and renewal of the Holy Spirit!

As the seventh bowl is poured out, all nature seems to rebel against humanity.  Earthquakes destroy mankind’s symbol of glory.  Cities collapse.  Islands and mountains rebel against mankind.  Hail reigns down onto humanity.  In the final bowl of judgment, mankind stands alone in the path of God’s wrath and is doomed.  God’s power is so dominant that we can do nothing but stand in God’s awe and be judged.

This is a tough day of reading in juxtaposition of the fact that today is Christmas.  But it is still a very appropriate reading.  The reality is that without Christ all of us are guilty and deserve to experience God’s wrath in the form of judgments.  But thanks be to God that we have Christ who has made the way to avoid the full wrath of God!  Turn and repent while we can!  Turn to God, confess our imperfection, and follow Christ.

Year 0, Day 24: Revelation 14

Little Christs

Revelation 14 begins with the passage that I like to call the “Little Christs.”  Of course, I am not meaning to imply that they serve as the messiah – but rather that they imitate the Messiah.  This is at the heart of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.  We are not to become Christ, we are to be like Christ.

We do have the same number – and thus the same symbolic meanings – here with the 144,000 followers as we did when they were first mentioned back in chapter 7 – so I will let you refer back to that blog for that information.  They are marked with the sign of God, and this is in clear juxtaposition of the mark of the beast that we heard about in the prior chapter.  Remember that markings can mean any of the following: ownership, devotion, security, loyalty, dependence, and safety.  Taking a mark is not a bad thing – as Paul says we are either slaves to God or a slave to sin.  The problem comes when we as humans take a mark that isn’t God’s mark!  Also note that the verb tense of the marking is perfect passive, which is absolutely significant.  John’s point in choosing that tense is that God is the one who marks his own.  God marks us, we don’t mark ourselves with God.

These little Christs sing with a very unique voice.  Their voice is like great water, which reminds us of the power of God’s own voice as described in scripture elsewhere.  Their voice is like a great thunder, which further reminds us of the easily recognizable nature of God’s voice.  Their voice is like a harpist singing as they play on their harp.  In this description we are intended to think of beauty and melody: many voices coming together to work together to speak as one flowing – yet possibly also changing voice. 

These martyrs sing a song that only those in the lamb can learn.  It is often true that when following God we must be willing to do certain things in order to learn truths about God.  Only those who are humble can learn about God great provision.  Only those who are generous can truly understand God’s graciousness.  Only those who forgive can understand forgiveness and repentance.  Only those who meet the qualification of being in this group can learn the song of the lamb.

Of course, these 144,000 little Christs show us a process of growth.  These are people who lived their life following Jesus and were marked accordingly.  They no doubt sinned – as we all sin – but they followed God and kept his commandments and grew.  Add to this explanation that the verb tense of the “purchasing” is also perfect passive.  It is God who purchases us and redeems us.  God has been redeeming his people in the past, present, and will continue to redeem them into the future.

So what about the “virginity” of these 144,000?  Is this a literal, figurative, or spiritual description?  It is possible that this is a metaphor to literal purity in terms of sexual relations.  After all, there are places in Paul’s writings that tell us that sexual virginity is preferred but marriage is allowed for the sake of those who would otherwise be tempted into sin.  In this case, John is calling them people who have not had sexual relations at all, ever. 

The virginity could be a metaphor for spiritual purity.  The Old Testament often describes the Hebrew people as an adulterous nation, having spiritual affairs with the gods and beliefs of other nations.  The problem with this line of thinking is that the verse doesn’t read like an analogy, it reads more like a literal description is intended.  In either case, we should certainly be aware of our relational decisions in life – both literal and spiritual relations.

Also note that these little Christs are an imitation of Christ in that they are a sacrifice of first fruits.  They are the cream of the crop, so to speak.  This could mean that they are the best Christians to have ever lived, or it could be an analogy that a Christian is the best that the world has to offer to God.  They told no lies.  They are not false people.  They spoke what they believe and stood up for it.  They are blameless, without blemish.  This does not mean they never sinned – for all humans have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  They are now blameless.  Again we see a reference to Revelation 7 and the white robes worn by the 144,000 there.  If nothing else, this passage lifts a high bar and sets high expectations for Christians.  Do we want to be the “cream of the crop?”  If so, then we can see how that looks when lived out here in this passage.

The Three Angels

So let’s turn to these angels.  The first angel gives us a message of warning.  Remember the Hebrew belief that God does not act in punishment without first giving a warning.  The message of the angel is eternal.  The angel calls for people to fear God.  Of course, we should fear a God that can literally smite us at any time if He desires.  However, there is more to fear than just the negative fear of punishment.  Fear also has a quality of awe and amazement to it.  We should be in awe of what God can do – both through love and wrath. 

The angel calls for us to worship the creator.  It is a reminder of who it is that is the source of life.  Here is yet another reason to be in fear and awe of God.  It reminds me of the old joke about the scientist who believes he can create and God tells him, “No, this is my dirt.  Go make your own out of nothing.”  We should fear and love God for who He is, for what He has done, and for what He can and will do.

The second angel proclaims the fall of Babylon.  This passage likely derives its inspiration from Isaiah 21:9 and Jeremiah 51:7-8.  From a purely historical perspective, this is a prediction of the fall of the Roman Empire.  The book of Revelation enjoys comparing Rome to Babylon as well as enumerating upon the many ethical, moral, and spiritual faults of Roman lifestyle.  In this passage, the imagery is like a prostitute luring a man into fornication.  Babylon is the great symbol for tempting God’s people away from God, much like a prostitute makes herself and her activity more appealing than anything else in a person’s life at the current time.  Humans are full of strong passions, and John is saying that there are forces in the world that are quite intentional about luring us away from God.

The third angel gives us a message about the unfaithful versus the faithful.  At stake in this passage is the ultimate challenge of Joshua 24:15, “Choose this day whom you will serve.”  You can only have one mark upon you, and it is either the mark of the beast and his desires or the mark of God and His ways.  Those who choose the ways of the beast over God get a cup of wrath that “has been mixed” – yet another perfect passive verb, thus implying the mixing is being done by God – to the fullest strength of God’s wrath.  God will not ultimately temper His wrath against those who ultimately choose anything over and above him.

The ultimate consequence is that they “will be tormented.”  Note the tense of the verb: future.  This is a stern warning from John that the future judgment will be harsh for those who do not choose God.  Of course, it is also a message of hope for those who do choose God, and thus sacrifice, in this life.  The torment is said to happen in the presence of a powerful angel and the lamb himself.  In many respects this echoes the story of the rich man and Lazarus found in Luke 16:19-31.  The torment of the people who choose the beast will increase even into the time after judgment (the era of eras).  This image is largely drawn from the image in Isaiah 34:8-10 and it should give us a stern moment of contemplation to make sure that we have indeed chosen the ways of God and not the ways of the beast.

We also have the message to the faithful.  Those who die in Christ are blessed.  We are called to faithful endurance in Christ.  Again, note the tense of the verb soothing/resting (depending on the translation): future.  We are promised that our soothing will continue even after death and that our loyalty and works (IE character) will follow us into the time of judgment.  In a life where some things are quite intentional about separating us from God and God’s ways, the promise of loyalty, rest, faithfulness, and life is given to those who remain in Christ to the end.

Last we turn to the harvest.  The images here likely have roots in Joel 3:13, Daniel 7:13-14, Lamentations 1:15, and Isaiah 63:3.  The winepress is a traditional image for judgment.  The grapes are put into an upper chamber where force is applied, often in the form of feet.  The bottom of the chamber has a trough that runs into a lower chamber, which is where the juice would go.  The fact that the winepress is treaded upon outside the city likely indicates that it is to be used for the ones who are still spiritually Gentiles.  The Gentiles were not allowed into the temple, thus they are thought of as the excluded ones.

As we look at the harvesting itself, note that the one like the son of man reaps the harvest, while an angel reaps the grapes to be treaded upon in wrath.  This may be that Christ is the one who reaps those who are in God while an angel reaps those who are to be judged by God.  It is neat to think of Christ Himself coming and personally selecting the ones who have followed Him and endured to the end.  That is an image that will give me comfort tonight and the nights to come.

God’s peace to you.  Although this an unusual passage to read Christmas Eve, it fits.  Remember that this is the night that we commemorate the fact that God put His plan of salvation into action.  Jesus came as an infant to die on the cross for our sake.  Choose Christ’s ways and you choose life.  Be marked by God, and Christ will come and harvest you in the end.