Splitting the Stories
Again
we have an interruption as we progress through a list of 7 things. Remember with the seals we had the story of
the undoing of the seventh seal split away from the other six. Now we have the seventh trumpet split apart
from the other six. I think there is
something significant about what seems to be an intentional reoccurring
story-telling technique. At the very
least this likely is a reminder to the belief that seven implies
completion. As an example, remember that
in Genesis creation was not complete until the seventh day. Yet at the same time, the seventh day is
completely different – separate – from the other six.
Interlude of the Scroll
So
let’s get on with this interlude. The
angel with the little scroll is described in such a way as to make us think
that he is coming straight from God.
Here’s some scripture to remind us what I mean by that statement.
- Psalm 104:3 claims that God makes the clouds his chariot.
- Exodus 24:15ff tells us that God speaks to Moses from out of the cloud.
- Ezekiel 1:28 claims that God’s radiance is like rainbows around him.
- Matthew 17:2 – at the time of the Transfiguration – we hear that Jesus’ face shines as the sun.
- Joel 3:16 describes the voice of God as a lion’s roar.
With
all of these references, there are some who teach and believe that this angel
is actually Christ himself. Looking just
within the book of Revelation, the images given here regarding the angel’s feet
and face do seem similar to those spoken about Christ in Revelation 1:15-16. In the Old Testament, we are accustomed to
hearing stories of angels of the Lord and attributing some of those stories as
pictures of Jesus {the ones in Daniel,
for example}. However, since John
does not specifically write that it is Christ, or the lamb, we cannot and
should not assume that this is a picture of Christ.
As
with the end of Daniel, I do find myself struggling with the fact that we are
not told the message of the little scroll.
I hate it when we are told “and I was forbidden to tell the
message.” In general, I hate secrets and
surprises anyway, so this portion of scripture frustrates me. But in the end, I must trust that God knows
better than I do. It is possible that
like Paul in 2 Cor. 12:4, John heard things that he simply could not put into
words. It is likely that God does not
want this part of the Apocalypse revealed to humanity. Or, it could have been a specific revelation
that was meant only for John. It could
also be that God knows that humanity could not understand what God has planned
without seeing it actually happen. All
of these are legitimate reasons for me to think that it is time for me to move
beyond myself and understand that God is in control. I need not understand everything. That is why we get faith.
We
move ahead into the telling of the bitter and sweet scroll. John is twice told to take the scroll, even
after he asks for it. The implied
meaning here is that although God’s grace is free, mankind also must take
it. Jesus died for our sins, but God
expects us to respond. The gift is
offered to all, but only those who truly take it receive it.
In
a way, this story seems to mirror Ezekiel 3:1-3. What is the meaning behind the bitterness and
the sweetness? John may be telling us
that the scroll is sweet and bitter as a reflection of what it means to bear
God’s word. It is nice to be chosen by
God, but often the message being born is hard and filled with difficulties. John may be reminding Christians that to
follow God is both sweet and bitter. It
is sweet to know that God loves and forgives us. But if we are truly obeying, we should also
taste bitterness as we identify sin within our life and want to change who we
are to be more like Christ.
However,
if the focus is placed on Christ again we can see another possible
interpretation. Christ’s death is both
bitter and sweet. If you have any doubt about that, read the crucifixion
story. God’s grace coming to mankind is
a wonderful thing. However, Jesus’ death
is gut-wrenching and emotionally disturbing.
Given the stories yet to come in Revelation, a Christ-centered approach
to this passage makes a great deal of sense.
In this light, this passage can once again be seen as speaking truth to
the future, to the present, and retelling truth known from the past.
Interlude of Measurements
After
this interlude with the angel, we move on to another interlude regarding the measurement
of the Temple. These two verses derive
most of their inspiration from Ezekiel 40:1-6, although Zechariah 2:1 no doubt had
a part in the inspiration. Measuring
typically has a part in proclaiming ownership.
We measure things that belong to us and things that we desire. God is telling John that what he is about to
measure is important to Him.
Also
notice that John is told to exclude the court of the Gentiles. For reference, see Ezekiel 40. By excluding the court of Gentiles, John is
being told to measure the part of the temple that is special to His chosen
people. The Gentiles are said to trample
on the temple area for 42 months (or 1,260 days – a time, times and a half of a
time). This is likely a reference to the
history of Antiochus Epiphanes, who was in power over Jerusalem from June 168
B.C. to December 165 B.C. When the
Maccabean revolt kicked Antiochus Epiphanes IV out of Jerusalem, there was a
great celebration (still commemorated today as Hanukah). Here again we see truth being told about the
past, to the present, and included into the future.
Two Witnesses
As
a part of this “measuring the temple” process, we are introduced to the two witnesses. Jewish tradition holds that God will not send
calamity without sending a person (usually a prophet) to warn the people. Examples of this are the flood, Jonah, and
the exile into Babylon. This is seen
Malachi 3:1 especially.
As
to the identity of these particular witnesses, some say that the two witnesses
are the Law and the Prophets. This would
imply a purely figurative interpretation, but it would fit in with the Word of
God where it often says “the Law and the Prophets testify.”
Others
say that a more literal interpretation of this passage would be Moses and
Elijah. This theory is proposed because
Moses is the lawgiver and Elijah is known as the chief of all prophets. Furthermore, it was Moses and Elijah who
appeared on the mountain with Jesus at the Transfiguration in Mark 9:4. As further evidence, Elijah is given the
ability to call down fire from heaven in 2 Kings 1:9ff in addition to having the ability to withhold rain from the
earth in 1 Kings 17:1. Moses is given
the ability to bring about plagues of all kinds as well as turn water into
blood in Exodus 7:1ff.
As
for other possible interpretations, there are two much more unlikely
positions. Some say that the two
witnesses are Enoch and Elijah simply because they are the only two people who
did not die before being taken up to be with God. (Genesis 5:24 and 2 Kings
2:11) The fourth possibility is that the
two witnesses may be the Old and the New Testament; however this is highly unlikely
as John’s Apocalypse predates the formation of the New Testament by several
centuries. This last possibility – like
the first – would require a completely figurative understanding of this
passage.
The
witnesses die at a location that is spiritually referred to as Sodom and Egypt
– and is most likely Jerusalem since that is where Christ was crucified. Sodom is the Biblical analogy for pride and a
willingness to walk away from God’s ways.
Egypt is the Biblical analogy for bondage, slavery, and desiring to be
oppressed by sin. So we can see that
even the Holy City of God will be a place for bondage and walking away from
God’s ways – pretty much like it was in the days of Jesus. Here again we see a prophecy to John’s
contemporaries speak truth in such a way that the past is remembered and the
future is enlightened.
Next
we turn to the resurrection of these witnesses.
The resurrection of the witnesses is at God’s hand and through God’s
spirit. John’s point is that those who
are willing to die for Christ can also live in the guarantee of being raised by
God in the same manner that Christ was raised.
This would be a great message of hope to John’s contemporaries in their
persecution at the hands of the Roman Empire!
Additionally, the death and resurrection of the witnesses brings about
great praise towards God - eventually.
John is reminding both his contemporaries and us that sometimes only
with great sacrifice on our part can we truly make other people realize their
own need for repentance. This is why it
is often said that the best way of perpetuating a person’s message is to martyr
them.
Seventh Trumpet
In
conclusion, let us finally turn to this seventh trumpet: the last of the
woes. In many respects, Revelation 11:15
follows Martin Luther’s teaching regarding the Two Kingdoms. In a basic understanding, the Kingdom of God
began when Jesus came to this world (Read John the Baptizer’s proclamation that
the kingdom of Heaven “has drawn near”).
However, the kingdom of this world is still largely present. The kingdom of this world became the kingdom
of God, although not yet fully at this present time. Again notice that John’s words here in
Revelation teach through highlighting the story of Christ.
In
a greater understanding, this picture that John is presenting is also a final
glimpse of worship in heaven. In that
sense, the present age would be cast away and only the kingdom of God would
remain. Then the Ark of the Covenant is also
truly revealed.
Like
the worship, this revelation of the Ark may be split into two
understandings. First, John’s point
about the Ark of the Covenant being revealed to all is analogous to what we
call the Priesthood of all Believers. In
Judiasm, only the great high priests were able to be in God’s presence and the
Ark of the Covenant. If the Ark is
revealed to all, then John’s point may well be that we are all high priests. However, John may also be giving us an
understanding of God’s presence in heaven.
John may well be saying that God is open to all people in heaven. He is fully and completely disclosed in
heaven in spite of how we may occasionally feel distant from God from time to
time.
In
the end, this is still a message of hope.
God is full and complete. There
will come a time when we realize what God is.
But until that time we can rest in the belief that God has called us all
to be priests in Jesus Christ. He has called
us to sacrifice, but the sacrifice will be worth it. He has called us to a special relationship
that has both bitter and sweet elements.
But rest assured that He has called us.
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