Who Are The Two Witnesses?

The Two Witnesses
In Revelation 11, we meet the two witnesses:

Revelation 11:3 & 4 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth.” These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

Who are these striking individuals? Let's look at some of the pros and cons of the most common identifications.

Joshua and Zerubbabel
Pros

• This would be the literal, natural meaning – they are referred to as “men” who prophesy and work wonders.
• In the Greek, the use of the article with the “two witnesses” leans toward the identification of them as individuals.
• The description of olive trees and lampstands in Zechariah 4 are definitely the background for the two witnesses in Revelation 11 and, in Zechariah, they seem to be a picture of faithful Joshua and Zerubbabel.

Cons

• Hebrews 9 says it’s appointed once for man to die and then the judgment.

Moses and Elijah
Pros

• This would be the literal, natural meaning – they are referred to as “men” who prophesy and work wonders.
• In the Greek, the use of the article with the “two witnesses” leans toward the identification of them as individuals.
• The judgments they inflict are like those of Moses and Elijah.
• Malachi says that Elijah would come “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
• They are both related to the transfiguration of Christ in Matthew 17.

Cons

• Hebrews 9 says it’s appointed once for man to die and then the judgment.
• John the Baptist already fulfilled the Malachi prophecy concerning Elijah’s coming.

Elijah and Enoch
Pros

• This would be the literal, natural meaning – they are referred to as “men” who prophesy and work wonders.
• In the Greek, the use of the article with the “two witnesses” leans toward the identification of them as individuals.
• Hebrews 9 says it’s appointed once for man to die and then the judgment, but Elijah was carried away in a fiery chariot and Enoch was “translated.”
• Malachi says that Elijah would come “before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
• The early church was consistent in identifying the witnesses as Elijah and Enoch.
• There is some support for these two in apocryphal works.

Cons

• Hebrews 9 says it’s appointed once for man to die and then the judgment.
• John the Baptist already fulfilled the Malachi prophecy concerning Elijah’s coming.

Symbolic of the faithful, witnessing church
Pros

• The church, after the resurrection, goes out “in the spirit and power of Elijah” and John the Baptist, whose word was “like a lamp that was burning and shining.”
• Churches in Revelation 2 & 3 are called lampstands.
• In Daniel 7, the beast is a kingdom that makes war on the saints, defeating them, not two individuals. The same thing happens here.
• “The witnesses” are seen throughout the world. They never act as individuals, but are always together.
• The olive trees and the lampstands represent the prophetic and priestly functions of Christians in the world
• When Jeremiah spoke the words to Israel, they were fire that consumed the people like wood.

Cons

• The literal, natural meaning would be “men” who prophesy and work wonders.
• In the Greek, the use of the article with the “two witnesses” leans toward the identification of them as individuals.
• The description is too detailed to provide the broad description necessary for a corporate identification.
• Not all Christians suffer martyrdom.

James and Peter witnessing before the fall of Jerusalem in 70AD or Peter and Paul
Pros

• This would be the literal, natural meaning – they are referred to as “men” who prophesy and work wonders.
• In the Greek, the use of the article with the “two witnesses” leans toward the identification of them as individuals.
• Peter and James testified mightily of Jesus before judgment came upon Jerusalem and the Temple, working mighty wonders and converting many.
• When Jeremiah spoke the word to Israel, they were fire that consumed the people like wood.

Cons

• It is hard to reconcile James and Peter to the witnesses’ activities, especially their resurrection after three days.
• The punishments and judgments of the two witnesses seem more appropriate during the great tribulation.

Other identifications throughout Church history

• The witness of Israel and the Church
• Israel and the Word of God as witnesses
• A blending of the symbolic and the specific, two actual evangelists sent to Israel for their conversion in the last days
• The personification or actual representatives of civil and religious authority
• The true church during the 1260 years of the papacy
• The Law and the Prophets
• The Law and the Gospel

Revelation 11 and the Temple

The Temple
What is the temple spoken of in Revelation 11? Is it an end-times temple constructed by faithful Jews in present-day Jerusalem? Or, was it Herod's temple which was destroyed in 70AD? Perhaps it is a picture of God's people. Here are a few (not all) of the pros and cons with each of these understandings.

The Restored End-Times Temple in Jerusalem
Pros

• This would be the literal, natural meaning – we see a literal temple, two real witnesses, in the actual city of Jerusalem, the times are literal, etc..
• The linguistic argument – it is called “the temple” using the same terminology consistently used throughout the Bible
• A third temple is prophesied in Ezekiel 40 – 48 and measured in the same way
• Daniel 9 speaks of the Abomination of Desolation taking place during the tribulation, 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of the lawless one in the temple before the coming of the Lord and Revelation 13 picks up these themes.
• It is located in “the holy city,” Jerusalem
• Israel is established in the Land and plans are under way to restore the Temple according to Ezekiel’s plans
• John draws a distinction between the worshippers at the Temple and Gentiles, so they must be Jewish
• Church Fathers generally related this chapter to the end-times

Cons

• This view does not relate well to chapter 10 and other indications that the message of Revelation is universal
• Those who hold this view admit that some aspects are symbolic – you can’t “measure” worshippers.
• The language in Ezekiel 47 seems to indicate the Temple is figurative, particularly describing a river Ezekiel can swim in flowing out and turning the ocean to fresh water.
• The temple worship was fulfilled in Christ and God now dwells in His church and individual believers.
• A literal temple would reverse the work of Christ in making peace between Jew and Gentile, raising the partition that divided the two (Ephesians 2:11ff)
• A literal temple would, in effect, re-hang the curtain that Christ tore in half, providing entrance into the Holy of Holies at the cross
• A return of a temple for worship would involve a return to the Law and its commands for worship, yet Acts 15 and Galatians seem to reject such worship
• The temple and its worship after the cross represents a rejection of the Messiah and His work at the cross, according to Hebrews

Herod’s Temple Before and During Its Destruction in 70 AD
Pros

• The linguistic argument – it is called “the temple” using the same terminology consistently used throughout the Bible
• The events described in the first two verses and the abomination of desolation, appear to have been fulfilled during the Jewish war ending in 70 AD.
• Jesus predicted these events, almost word for word, in Luke 21:24
• This view takes a literal view of the Temple and Daniel’s prophecy -- it does not project it forward by a non-literal “gap” of 2000 years between the 69th and 70th week of Daniel
• The church inherits the promises of Israel in the NT

Cons

• This view rests heavily on a dating of the Book of Revelation before 70 AD, against tradition and the majority of NT scholarship
• It results in an inconsistent hermeneutic, shifting from literal in verse 2 to symbolic in verse 3
• The temple was completely destroyed in 70 AD, not just trampled
• Paul and other NT writers continue to make a distinction between Jews and Gentiles
• This view does not relate well to chapter 10 and other indications that the message of Revelation is universal
• Church Fathers generally related this chapter to the end-times

A Figurative Description of Jewish Believers, Whose Salvation Is Secure Through the Tribulation
Pros

• Romans 11 speaks of an end-times remnant of Jews coming into the church after the fullness of the gentiles.
• The Temple and the “Holy City” in chapter 11, together with the picture of Ezekiel’s end-time temple are a natural picture of Jewish believers, whose salvation is secured through the Tribulation and trampling of the Gentiles (Luke 24)
• Zechariah prophesied this would take place in Chapter 2 & 3
• The Temple is consistently applied to the church throughout the NT letters – both Jewish and Gentile believers
• John draws a distinction between the worshippers at the Temple and Gentiles, so they must be Jewish
• Church Fathers generally related this chapter to the end-times

Cons

• The passage nowhere says these are Jewish believers.
• This would violate the literal, natural meaning of “temple”
• The “temple” speaks of a literal building more consistently and more often throughout the Bible than as symbolic of the church or individual Christians
• A third temple is prophesied in Ezekiel 40 – 48 and measured in the same way
• The Abomination of Desolation is spoken of as a real event involving the Temple.
• This view does not relate well to chapter 10 and other indications that the message of Revelation is universal
• It is located in “the holy city,” Jerusalem

A Figurative Description of the Faithful Church and The Apostate Church
Pros

• The church is called the Temple of God and members are “living stones,” as well as “priests” who offer sacrifice – both Jew and Greek
• The Temple is consistently applied to the church throughout the NT letters
• God measures out His people for protection and though apostates will “trample the outer courts of the visible church,” the “gates of hell will not prevail against it.”
• The letter is written to actual churches in the first century, who are promised that they will be “pillars” in God’s Temple in the new Jerusalem
• They will be persecuted and martyred: a consistent theme in Revelation
• Whenever John uses the word “Gentiles” in Revelation, it is always speaking of those in rebellion to God and he even groups unbelieving ethnic Jews in that category
• Church Fathers generally related these events to the end-times

Cons

• This would violate the literal, natural meaning of the passage in Revelation 11
• The “temple” speaks of a literal building more consistently and more often throughout the Bible than as symbolic of the church or individual Christians
• A third temple is prophesied in Ezekiel 40 – 48 and measured in the same way
• Daniel 9 speaks of the Abomination of Desolation taking place during the tribulation, 2 Thessalonians 2 speaks of the lawless one in the temple before the coming of the Lord and Revelation 13 picks up these themes.
• The Temple is located in “the holy city,” Jerusalem
• Paul and other NT writers continue to make a distinction between Jews and Gentiles

The Little Apocalypse

In Chapter 10, John sees an angel holding a bibliridion -- a small book or booklet. This was in the day when scrolls were common and small books of flat pages pasted together were just coming into use, so "a small scroll" is an appropriate translation. Some call it the little apocalypse, because it appears to contain much the same message as the entire Revelation. John writes:

Revelation 10:8-11 Then the voice that I had heard from heaven spoke to me once more: “Go, take the scroll that lies open in the hand of the angel who is standing on the sea and on the land.” So I went to the angel and asked him to give me the little scroll. He said to me, “Take it and eat it. It will turn your stomach sour, but in your mouth it will be as sweet as honey.” I took the little scroll from the angel’s hand and ate it. It tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth, but when I had eaten it, my stomach turned sour. Then I was told, “You must prophesy again about many peoples, nations, languages and kings.”

Each week, we conclude our study by asking ourselves, "what will be my response as a disciple of Jesus?" In these few verses there is a powerful message for every believer who desires to overcome the world and be a faithful witness of Jesus. We bring a message of grace to the world, but that message is contrasted against the backdrop of God's holiness and justice, which will one day be seen in judgment on the "earthdwellers" -- those who are bound up with the world and it's deadly philosophies, pleasures and idolatry.

We hold out the Word of God to people who are perishing and we can only do that effectively if we love his Word better than food and, in the words of the angel, devour it ourselves. John Owen said it like this:

If the word do not dwell with power in us, it will not pass with power from us.

When we take in the Bible, it is sweet to the taste and some portions, like the judgments of the Revelation, go to our inward parts and cause us deep anguish and pain for the judgment that awaits those who reject God, including many of our friends and family. This is a sour, bitter pill to swallow. But without it, the gospel or good news, may be lost among the thousands of Pollyanna-ish prescriptions and self-help techniques on the market, promising health, wealth and happiness to a hurting world:

...until we learn how to wound consciences, we shall have no wounds to bind with Gospel bandages.

Walter Chantry

We cannot wound consciences unless we are wounded daily by reminders in the Bible that our loved ones are perishing, even though they are anesthetized and may not feel any pangs of conscience or pain. We are not merely messsage boys, but witnesses of the risen Lamb, Who takes away the sins of the world. If our message is to be believed, it must be seasoned with both sorrow and joy, pleasure and pain, passion and humility. We begin by devouring God's Word.

Back To The Land

Recent events in Israel and Lebanon have Evangelical Christians abuzz for a number of reasons. But, when it comes to eschatology, inquiring minds want to know. Is the current Jewish state of Israel the fulfillment of prophecy? Did God promise to return His people to the land in the last days. This is a good question and I've assembled some thoughts on the subject. I'll be throwing around some specialized terms, so be sure to use the resources I've linked in the right column if you're unsure about labels such as futurist, preterist, dispensationalist, etc..

Most dispensationalists such as John Walvoord, Thomas Ice and Dwight Pentecost would expect to see Israel returned to the land, fulfilling God's promise to Abraham:

Genesis 15:18 - 21 On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates,the land of the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

Thomas Ice sees this regathering as proof of God's faithfulness to His people and the means God will use to prepare a believing remnant of Jews:

...in the mean time, the current regathering of Israel in unbelief is for the purpose of putting God's covenant people through the fire of tribulation, which will result in the salvation of the remnant.

Ice sees modern Israel as vindication of the position long held by dispensationalists, before there was ever hope of seeing it fulfilled in their lifetimes:

The arrival of the modern state of Israel on the world scene in 1948 was a big boon to the premillennial understanding of the Bible. This vindicates- in history- our biblical belief that God has a future plan for the land of Israel and the Jewish people.

R. Scott Clark, a preterist and amillennialst sees things a bit differently:

Therefore, the premise that God's intent has been to establish a permanent or millennial, national, Jewish people has it exactly backward. Our Dispensationalist brothers confuse what is temporary with what is permanent, and what is permanent with what is temporary. It is the teaching of God's Word that Jesus is the true Israel of God, that his incarnation, obedience, death and resurrection was not a by-product of Israel's rejection of the offer of an earthly kingdom, but the fulfillment of God's plan from all eternity.

Then, you have someone like George Eldon Ladd who has been characterized as a preterist/futurist and holds to an historic premillennial scheme. He believes that God has preserved Israel as a people and looks forward to a remnant being saved in the last days. Whether that involves a gathering into the land or not, remains an open question to Ladd.

Therefore the popular Dispensational position that Israel is the "clock of prophecy" is misguided. Possibly the modern return of Israel to Palestine is a part of God's purpose for Israel, but the New Testament sheds no light on this problem. However, the preservation of Israel as a people through the centuries is a sign that God has not cast off his people Israel.

Finally, John Piper comes with what I would characterize as the classic historic premillennial understanding of the issue:

The promises made to Abraham, including the promise of the Land, will be inherited as an everlasting gift only by true, spiritual Israel, not disobedient, unbelieving Israel... Throughout the history of Israel, covenant breaking and disobedience and idolatry disqualified Israel from the present divine right to the Land. (See also Daniel 9:4-7; Psalm 78:54-61.) Be careful not to infer from this that Gentile nations (like Arabs) have the right to molest Israel. God's judgments on Israel do not sanction human sin against Israel. Israel still has human rights among nations even when she forfeits her present divine right to the Land. Remember that nations which gloated over her divine discipline were punished by God (Isaiah 10:5-13; Joel 3:2). So the promise to Abraham that his descendants will inherit the Land does not mean that all Jews inherit that promise. It will come finally to the true Israel, the Israel that keeps covenant and obeys her God.

For further reading, check out these links:

John Owen and a Reformed Perspective on the Jewish People

What do you do with a future National Israel in the Bible?

Charles H. Spurgeon and the Nation of Israel

Why are the Jewish People Special?

An Open Letter to Evangelicals and Other Interested Parties:The People of God, the Land of Israel, and the Impartiality of the Gospel

Quality Resources

Okay, so Salem Kirban's Guide To Survival isn't the best place to go for the straight dope on Revelation, but it does have some really cool '60s photographs and charts.

This week I scored Robert L. Thomas' Revelation 1-7: An Exegetical Commentary for only $17!!! It was an Amazon.com warehouse clearance item, becaus it had a small crease on the back cover. I also came across a very reasonbly priced first edtion (1966) of G.B. Caird's The Revelation of St. John the Divine, a volume in the Haper's New Testament Commentaries. Caird is one of the "go to guys" from the last generation. Thomas is the dispensational commentary to have, now that John Walvoord's gone to be with the Lord.

So, what do I think? I haven't had enough time to peruse Caird's work yet, so I'll review it later. But, I think I'm ready to give Thomas a brief treatment.

Thomas' commentary is very good and he is strong on the Greek text. Taken along with Aune's critical commentary, Beale's exhaustive treatment of the OT (particularly Daniel) and Mounce's discussion of apocalyptic, the serious student of Revelation will receive a well rounded education (especially if you spice it up with David Chilton's preterist perspective -- a free PDF download).

Thomas is dispensational and takes a literal approach (as far as possible), but he’s much more thorough than Walvoord. Walvoord's commentary is a good little one and, though I am not a dispensationalist, he has provided me with an abundance of pithy quotes and anecdotes, which have enriched our Tuesday night Bible study.

But, back to Thomas… He engages the major views and has read widely on the subject. His commentary was published before Beale and Aune, so there’s a regrettable absence of interaction with their work. The introduction runs about 45 pages and will give you a good foundation, written in an engaging style, without becoming too technical.

My only critique is that he sometimes comes across as “cranky” and will dismiss some views without much discussion. This is something I’ve noticed lately in even some serious dispensational commentators and I don’t know quite what to make of it. On the other hand, Thomas is no “hack” and does not engage in any of the popular speculation and “tabloid exegesis” concerning the rapture, the beast and the antichrist. A fine example is his treatment of Revelation 13:18 and the identifying mark of the beast, 666. Thomas does a great job of condensing a lot of technical background material into a concise, easy to follow discussion and I agree with his conclusion:

The better part of wisdom is to be content that the identification is not yet available, but will be when the future false Christ ascends to his throne. pg. 185

This is a fine two volume commentary. Get it!

Hard Hearts

I think these verses are some of the saddest, most sobering in the entire Bible:

The rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood — idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. Revelation 9:20 & 21

This is mankind's response to the unleashing of the horde of demonic locusts out of the Abyss in Revelation 9, attacking those who have not been sealed by God for His supernatural protection. Their commander is Abaddon (Hebrew) or Apollyon (Greek) and they have been given power to torment men for five months.

Some express amazement when they read these verses, while others click their tongues and shake their heads at the utter stupidity of resisting God's judgment and continuing on their course of idolatry. Some Christians seem to think that they are somehow different... that they are morally superior to these end times fist-shakers. Not me. I am sadly aware of who or what I am. I share Paul's attitude:

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:15 - 17

You see, God says:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? Jeremiah 17:9

So, if I'm a hard-hearted fist-shaker by nature, a sinner from birth... what changed? How will I escape the wrath of God? Well, I know that I put my faith in Jesus and I'm living for Him. But, there's more... You see, God was acting on my behalf behind the scenes, just like He said He would:

I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart. Jeremiah 24:7

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19

The difference is God's saving grace:

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

I'm standing firm, because:

...it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 1:21 & 22

The Seals, the Trumpets and the Bowls

What is the relationship among the seals, trumpets, and bowls? Do they follow one another in sequence, do they overlap or do they follow any sequence at all? This is a question that many have wrestled with and the different answers to this question span all methods of interpretation.

There are three options… ( I should learn by now to say, "at least...")

1. They are sequential, just as they appear in Revelation.
2. The seals, trumpets and bowls conclude at the same point in time, so that each group of seven takes us back to the beginning of the previous seven, describing the same events using different symbols or pictures.
   
3. The seven trumpets describe the judgments of the seventh seal, and the seven bowls describe the judgments of the seventh trumpet

I take the view that the events follow chronologically… with the sixth seal of chapter 6, taking us into the period of the outpouring of God’s wrath that is enacted in the trumpet and bowl judgments (6:12-17).

1. The sixth seal brings us into the period of God’s wrath on the “earthdwellers” who have not been sealed… those who worship the beast -- pagans
2. But, the sixth seal does not cover the second coming of Christ (6:12-17).
3. The seventh seal introduces the trumpet judgments, which are carried out until the seventh trumpet brings us the bowls. (11:15-18).
4. The seventh bowl brings us to the consummation and return of Christ.

Once we have that question answered, another arises and that is, "Are the events described in the seals, trumpets and bowls literal or figurative?"

I like the way Alan Johnson frames the discussion in The Expositor's Bible Commentary on Revelation:

The second problem concerns the literalness of the events described under each trumpet. The important but hard question is not literal versus nonliteral but what did John intend? Some things may need to be understood more literally and others quite symbolically. pg 95

What do you think? How do the seals, trumpets and bowls relate to one another and are the events described literal, figurative or a combination? How did you arrive at your conclusions?

The Seventy Weeks of Daniel 9

I just added a link to the side bar to a nifty PDF by G.P. Hugenberger, pastor of the historic Park Street Church in Boston. The Seventy "Weeks" Prophecy of Daniel 9: A Comparison of Major Views is just that: a comparison of the three major views of Daniel's Seventy Weeks, including some simple diagrams. It's not too long and not too short, but just right. I hope you find it helpful.

The Prayers of the Saints or Be Careful How You Pray

How consistent and effectual are your prayers? Do your prayers even matter? After all, God will do as He pleases anyway. Do you ever wonder if God even hears you when you pray, because you approach Him so half-heartedly? In Revelation 8, we encounter a scene that should hit us like a splash of cold water in our faces and sober us up to the reality that our prayers are powerful, crucial to the execution of God's plan, impacting the world in which we live.

Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all the saints, on the golden altar before the throne. The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of the saints, went up before God from the angel’s hand. Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
Revelation 8:3 – 5

This event follows the silence in heaven, but precedes the sounding of the first four of the seven trumpets, apparently signifying that what follows, the judgments upon “those who dwell upon the earth,” represent the Lord’s answer to “the prayers of all the saints!”

I think this raises some serious considerations for us, as we pray for the hallowing of our Father’s name, the coming of His Kingdom and the accomplishment of His will, in and through us.

• First, let us take note that, although the trumpet judgments are administered by angels, it is the Lamb Himself Who opens the seals and gives them the authority to carry out His decrees. The fire from the altar, hurled upon the earth is the result of the prayers of all the saints going up before God. This judgment comes from God in answer to the prayers of His people, to avenge their suffering.
  
• This "payback" upon the earth dwellers is carried out by an angel, but doesn’t Bible tell us that we are not to take vengeance? Romans 12:19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
• That seems clear enough, but what about praying for vengeance or that God will demonstrate His glory in pouring out wrath upon rebellious mankind? Although we are not permitted to take vengeance ourselves, we find in the Word a number of positive examples, encouraging us to pray not only for the repentance and salvation of those who persecute us, but that justice will also be done, God’s name vindicated and that His enemies will be put under His feet.
• They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” Revelation 6:10
• Pour out your wrath on the nations that do not acknowledge you, on the kingdoms that do not call on your name; for they have devoured Jacob and destroyed his homeland. Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need. Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants. Psalms 79:6 - 10
• The altar is before the throne and the incense cloud of the saints’ prayers rises into his presence – it’s a sweet aroma – they are acceptable prayers, pleasing to God (Psalm 141:2). Yes, sometimes we are to pray for God’s glory to be displayed in His wrath, avenging the suffering of His people and this is pleasing to Him.
• For those of us, following Christ through the thick of the battle, this should encourage us to know that our prayers are not overlooked, set aside or forgotten -- God will speedily demonstrate that we are His people and vindicate Himself completely as the One Who is loving, merciful, longsuffering, compassionate, as well as just, severe and righteous. Our suffering, as well as our persistent prayers play a part in hallowing God’s name before the entire world!
• All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you. 2 Thessalonians 1:5 - 10
  

In conclusion, as a disciple of Jesus, do you ever pray that the suffering of God’s people be avenged? Do you even remember to "hallow His name" or pray for the coming of the Kingdom? Be careful how you pray.

Silent Before the Judge

And when He broke the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Revelation 8:1

Speculation abounds concerning the "half an hour" of silence before the trumpets begin to sound judgment and woe upon the "earth dwellers" in chapters 8 and following. But, the Bible is not silent on the issue. Consider the significance of the following passages and then see if you can relate them to what God has in store for a world that rejects Christ and troubles His people:

The wicked go down to silence.
Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I call upon Thee; Let the wicked be put to shame, let them be silent in Sheol. Psalms 31:17

Babylon's judgment brought her to silence.
“Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans. For you shall no longer be called tender and delicate. “Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, strip off the skirt, Uncover the leg, cross the rivers. “Your nakedness will be uncovered, Your shame also will be exposed; I will take vengeance and will not spare a man.” Our Redeemer, the LORD of hosts is His name, The Holy One of Israel. “Sit silently, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you will no more be called The queen of kingdoms. Isaiah 47:1 - 5

Israel, ripe for judgment, is cast forth in the silence of death.
Thus the Lord GOD showed me, and behold, there was a basket of summer fruit. And He said, “What do you see, Amos?” And I said, “A basket of summer fruit.” Then the LORD said to me, “The end has come for My people Israel. I will spare them no longer. “The songs of the palace will turn to wailing in that day,” declares the Lord GOD. “Many will be the corpses; in every place they will cast them forth in silence.” Amos 8:1 - 3

Be silent before the day of the Lord.
Be silent before the Lord GOD! For the day of the LORD is near, For the LORD has prepared a sacrifice, He has consecrated His guests. Zephaniah 1:7

The Lord of Revelation is in His Temple
“But the LORD is in His holy temple. Let all the earth be silent before Him.” Habakkuk 2:20

The Lord will judge the earth from His Temple
“Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD; for He is aroused from His holy habitation.” Zechariah 2:13

God is in His Temple, ready to unleash terrible judgments and the heavenly host is silent in the presence of His wrath. No one dares utter a sound; not one objection or motion is introduced before the Judge. Only silent anticipation of the horror and destruction which is about to be hurled upon the earth, in response to the prayers of the martyrs:

And when He broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, wilt Thou refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, should be completed also. Revelation 6:9 - 11

Silence In Heaven

Sssshhhh... it's almost here.

An Army of 144, 000

One of the greatest pleasures in my recent study of the Revelation has been to discover some of the lesser known, yet Biblically rich ideas out there. These are the conclusions of commentators I had not seen in popular treatments of eschatology. One of these is Richard Bauckham’s identification of the 144, 000 as an army, which Greg Beale sees waging “ironic holy war.” The Book of Revelation pp 422 – 426 Does that sound a little dramatic; perhaps a little weird? If so, perhaps it seems strange only because of our predisposition to popular treatments of the end times, rather than thorough study of the Scriptures. Beale explains the concept of ironic holy war:

In the context of Revelation, this military force in 7:4 – 8 conquers its enemy ironically in the same way in which the Lamb has ironically conquered at the cross: by maintaining their faith through suffering, the soldiers overcome the devil. Consequently, they are those who “follow the Lamb wherever He goes (14:4).” In particular, 7:4 – 8 portrays an army ready to fight, and 7:14 interprets the manner of their fighting; they conquer in no other way than that of the Lamb, by persevering in the midst of suffering. The Book of Revelation pp 422 – 426

So, what are reasons some conclude the 144, 000 are an army?

1. The portrayal of God’s people as an army fits nicely with the theme of Revelation, in which the overcomers are those who win military victory in the war between the Lamb and satan.
2. The reason for a census in the Old Testament was to determine fighting strength (Numbers 1:3, 18, 20; 26: 2, 4; 1 Chronicles 27:23; 2 Samuel 24:1 – 9)
3. The males of military age were counted
4. The phrase “from the tribe of” echoes Numbers 1:21 & 23
5. The 144, 000 are male virgins (Revelation 14:1 – 4)
6. The use of thousands may also have a military connotation (David Chilton, “Israel as it was meant to be, in all its perfection, symmetry, and completeness; the holy Army of God, mustered for battle according to her thousands. 1 Chronicles 4 –7; Numbers 10:2 – 4, 35 – 36; 31:1 – 5 Days of Vengeance pp 203 - 212)
7. The washing of their robes is reminiscent of the ritual of purification after warfare (Numbers 31:21 –24)

Convinced? I’m not completely, but it seems to be grounded more solidly than some of the other ideas out there and it actually enhances or gives a richer understanding to the view I hold; "John is using symbolic language to communicate the complete number of God’s people… In the end, God resolves everything completely and brings the complete number of His people (the New Jerusalem, the Bride) to complete glory."

And, The 144, 000 Are…

Then I saw another angel coming up from the east, having the seal of the living God. He called out in a loud voice to the four angels who had been given power to harm the land and the sea: “Do not harm the land or the sea or the trees until we put a seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God.” Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. Revelation 7:2 – 4 (NIV)

When we consider the 144, 000 servants of God, there are two primary identifications.

They are literally Jewish Christians
The primary reasons for taking this passage at face value fall under the the lexical argument:

1. The passage states that the 144, 000 come out of Israel… they are a remnant chosen out of the totality of Israel.
2. The normal usage of the term “Israel” in the New Testament always refers to the physical or literal descendents of Jacob. References to a “spiritual Israel” are few and disputed.
3. Reference to twelve tribes naturally refer to historic Israel and this group would literally fulfill Paul’s words concerning “all Israel” in Romans 11. It seems a bit “over the top” to divide the number into tribes and name them, if the idea is simply to communicate the notion of “completeness” through this symbolic group (see below).

John is using symbolic language to communicate the complete number of God’s people

1. Paul himself made a distinction between the true, spiritual Jew and the physical descendants of Abraham (Romans 2:28-29; 9:8) and John also makes this distinction in the letters to the seven churches (Revelation 2:9; 3:9).
2. Promises to the victors in the seven churches of Asia are fulfillments of OT promises given to Israel and the Jews in Philadelphia are cast in the same light as the pagan nations that Israel would subdue (3:9 cross Isaiah 60:14, 45:14, 49:23).
3. In Revelation 21:9-12, the believers are called the “bride, the wife of the Lamb and identified with the New Jerusalem -- on its twelve gates are inscribed the “names of the twelve tribes of Israel.”
4. The followers of Christ are identified as “Abraham’s seed” (Galatians 3:29), as “the true circumcision” (Philippians 3:3) and as the “Israel of God” (Gal 6:16, but this is disputed)… James addresses his epistle to the “12 tribes scattered” and Peter addresses his letters to the diaspora.
5. Peter also describes the church (Jew and Gentile) as a “holy priesthood,” “chosen people,” “a royal priesthood” and a “holy nation”.

Under these two headings, commentators diverge into some very different identifications of who, what, where and when the 144, 000 are sealed. I will survey my stack of commentaries, identify some of these opinions and, then, conclude with the bottom line; God’s faithfulness to His people

Literal Jewish Christians

• The prevailing dispensationalist understanding of this group is that the Church was raptured in Chapter 4 of Revelation, that this passage is to be taken literally, that these are ethnic Jewish Christians, taken from tribal Israel, who are evangelizing during the seven year tribulation. Though there may be slight differences, this would be the understanding of John Walvoord, Robert L. Thomas, Hal Lindsey, J. Vernon McGee, Arno Gaebelein, Charles Ryrie, Donald Barnhouse and J.A. Seiss.
• Walter Scott takes the 144, 000 as literal Jewish believers, sealed to participate in the millennial reign of Christ.
• Matthew Henry, though a historicist, sees the 144, 000 as literal Jews, believing in Christ, preserved through the destruction of Jerusalem in the first century.
• Preterists generally think these are Jewish Christians, sealed for deliverance from the destruction of the Temple and Jerusalem in 70 A.D. I think they would say the number indicates completeness (symbolic), but nevertheless a “remnant of Israel through the tribulation.” Perhaps this is one of the few places the preterist agrees with the dispensationalist, the difference being that one sees the tribulation at the beginning, the other at the end. A variant of this idea would be David Chilton, who sees them as an army of believers in the first century (more on that in a later post).

The Complete Number of God’s People

• Albert Barnes, the historicist, sees this number as symbolic of “the Israel of God,” preserved through the time of the Roman empire.
• Preterists and idealists often see the 144, 000 (12, 000 X 12) as symbolic of completeness.
• Futurists such as George Eldon Ladd, Robert Mounce and Alan F. Johnson would view this as a symbolic number representing the complete number of Christians, both Jewish and Gentile, sealed to endure the great tribulation.
• James Ramsey, a postmillennialist, sees the 144, 000 as Mounce and Ladd, yet preserved throughout history.

As of this week, I throw my hat in with Ladd, Mounce and Johnson, citing many of the reasons under the heading above, “John is using symbolic language to communicate the complete number of God’s people,” yet I would put a lot of weight on the notion of completeness of God’s people, communicated through the number 12. For example, 12 tribes, 12 apostles, “a woman… with twelve stars on her head, [New Jerusalem, the bride]…high wall with twelve gates… twelve angels at the gates… On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel… The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb… The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl… On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.” In the end, God resolves everything completely and brings the complete number of His people (the New Jerusalem, the Bride) to complete glory.

The bottom line for the 144, 000, whoever they are, is that God will preserve His people through whatever trials they face, whenever they face them. That would be encouraging to the believers in the seven churches, throughout time or through a future tribulation, the great one.

But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. All men will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. By standing firm you will gain life. Luke 21:14 - 19 (NIV)

Welcome and Weigh In

If this is your first time here, welcome! Here are some posts from the past... feel free to comment on them and hopefully there will be some spirited, yet edifying, discussion. If some good natured sparring takes place, I will direct readers back to it no matter how long ago I posted the original topic:

• Where Are You Coming From? What is your interest in the Book of Revelation and what interpretive method or millennial scheme do you favor?
• How Soon is Soon? When John says these things must soon take place, does that mean the generation he was writing to, a later generation or some time in the distant future?
• Sea of Glass, a reflection upon the vision recorded in Revelation 4.
• What About the Four Creatures? Do they represent Israel in the wilderness, a composite of God's creation or something else?
• How Does The Rider of The First Horse Become Antichrist? How do some futurists arrive at that conclusion and what are some other possibilities?
  

Well, there you have it for starters. We are entering chapter 7 this week, so this may be a good time to discuss the 144,000. I'm sure everyone will agree on who they are (Bo wrote with a grin). I just posted some resources yesterday, as well as some mini-book reviews and you can see them below.

Thanks to John V. Lawing for his cartoon, which appears in The New Millennium Manual: A Once and Future Guide. This book is fun and very informative, tracing the history of Christian chiliasm and eschatology. It was published to counter some of the "millennial madness," foisted upon the public during the ramp up to Y2K. The bad news is that Jesus didn't come when the clock struck midnight, but the good news is that you can now pick up this book for as little as 28¢ at amazon.com!

Resources

Matt asked about resources, so I thought I would populate the right column with some links to helpful articles, charts and information. One fellow has done a good job of compiling just about every book out there. I will also write some mini-reviews of books I have read or am reading.

Before we get into commentaries, let's start here with Contemporary Options in Eschatology by Millard Erickson. This is a classic textbook at the undergraduate level (Bible institute or college) and probably the best place to start. Erickson does a good job of surveying the most popular views of the millennium out there, concluding each chapter with an evaluation highlighting their respective negative and positive aspects. This book goes in and out of print often and is now out of print. You can usually find it used for about $2-4! By the way, the author is so fair and objective, I'll bet you can't figure out which position he holds.

Revelation Four Views: A Parallel Commentary edited by Steve Gregg
This is not a commentary per se, but a great side-by-side comparison of some of the more popular commentaries from the past, arranged in a way that gives the reader a quick orientation to the range of interpretations of each passage in Revelation. It is laid out under the four major interpretive methods: Historicist, Preterist, Futurist and Spiritual (Idealist). The book begins with 47 pages of bibliography and introduction, designed as a "starter" for students willing to take a more serious look at the Apocalypse. The book was published before a number of the best commentaries and studies were available (Beale, Thomas, Aune and more), but I doubt they would have added much value to Gregg's purpose in editing this book. It is designed to "get you into the ballpark," to introduce you to the breadth of Evangelical scholarship in a manageable and easy-to-use format. And, he succeeds.

NICNT The Book of Revelation by Robert Mounce
I think this commentary is the most widely recognized work on Revelation, because it is "just right." It's not too long or academic, yet he leaves very little out that isn't absolutely critical to the understanding of the Apocalypse. There is plenty to satisfy both the student or the teacher. Mounce is a futurist, who employs the Grammatico-Historical method of interpretation and is an historic premillennialist (confused? see the chart under "Eschatology Links" in the side column of the blog). His work is very accessible. His method of interpretation often times is similar to the preterist or amillennialist, but he sees a literal interpretation of Revelation 20. Pros: Mounce is strong on the background apocalyptic plays in the Revelation, he's pleasant to read, addresses/engages most of the major issues and provides a solid foundation for the student. Cons: Although a newer edition was recently published, it wasn't a very thorough update. The only complaints about the book would be due to the aim of the commentary series and not the fault of the writer. It is written to the middle... students and pastors, as opposed to the academic/expert on one hand or the novice on the other. One last interesting tidbit. Ned Stonehouse's life passion was the Book of Revelation and he was slated to write the commentary for the NICNT. He died suddenly and Robert Mounce was tapped to pick up the project. Mounce was the president of a college at the time, had very little time to prepare and had never published a major work. But, God worked through him in his "first time out" to produce one of the most popular commentaries of all time, which remains a standard.

An Exegetical Commentary Revelation (2 Volumes) by Robert L. Thomas
I just purchased the second volume of this huge commentary, so I've only read bits and citations by others. Thomas takes a futurist view, the grammatico-historical approach to interpretation and holds to a pre-tribulational rapture of the church, before a literal millennial reign of Christ. Thomas' strong suit is his thorough-going treatment of the Greek text and he engages the major currents in modern thought on the Apocalypse. Thomas is considered a classical dispensationalist, taking the baton from John Walvoord as their chief scholar. I really haven't been exposed enough to comment on the pros and cons, but this commentary comes highly regarded by people on all sides and that's saying a lot.

NIGTC The Book of Revelation by G.K. Beale
This is far and away my favorite commentary on Revelation, so far. It is very technical and will challenge any reader, yet Beale's style makes for a pleasant read if you skip the references and citations. He says a lot in a few words and the book is gigantic with 1245 pages. He covers it all. Beale presents an amillennial view from an eclectic interpretation. He describes his approach as a "Redemptive-Historical Form of Modified Idealism," but the reader will note a distinct preterist bent. Beale is renowned for his knowledge of John's use of the Book of Daniel and Old Testament passages in the Revelation -- you won't find better. This book is not stuffy, though. I find myself awestruck and in a "worshipping frame of mind" often, as I am reading. Pros: 177 pages of introduction covering date, genre, interpretation of symbolism, text, structure and theolgy, including helpful charts and outlines. Beale has an amazing grasp of Revelation and shows more insight into the message of Revelation than other commentaries I've read. The layout of the book is logical and the author sometimes will insert a few pages of explanation of important concepts within the commentary, but they are easily identifiable and can be skipped over if the reader wants to follow the flow of the work. Or, if you're like me, you will be instructed and refreshed by these brief "sidebars." Cons: None really, except that the size and scope of the work may scare some off. That would be a shame, because it makes an excellent reference -- you don't have to read it in one sitting.

Expositor's Bible Commentary Revelation by Alan F. Johnson
Now we come to the smaller commentaries and this one is a great place to start. It is now a single volume of the Expositor's Bible Commentary, so the interpretive approach follows the Grammatico-Historical method, following a futurist scheme. Johnson covers everything you need to know, interacts with the most common views/theories and presents some very profound, yet concise, non-sensational insights into each symbol or "word picture" in the Revelation. Pros: Since it is now a single volume paperback, this one is a bargain. You can find it for $5 used to $15 new. There is a decent bibliography and one of the best discussions of interpretive schemes you can find in a couple of pages. It is only 207 pages, but packs a lot in. Cons: The only negatives are not the fault of the author, but due to the scope of the commentary. There are very few considerations of textual issues, but most readers would not be interested in such minutiae.

I'm running out of steam, but I hope to cover these later:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ by John Walvoord

A Commentary on the Revelation of John by George Eldon Ladd

Days of Vengeance by David Chilton

The Pre-Wrath Rapture of the Church by Marvin Rosenthal

The Last Things by George Eldon Ladd

Just for fun:

The new Millennium Manual by Clouse, Hosack and Pierard

How Does The Rider of the First Horse Become Antichrist?

Last night, Paul L. posed the question "How do those who think the first rider in chapter 5 of Revelation arrive at the conclusion he's the antichrist, in light of the fact that the rider is simply identified as "its rider'?" (paraphrased)

This an excellent question and I think John Walvoord gives us the short answer:

It is inevitable that any exposition of Revelation must have presuppositions based upon a study of the entire Word of God and involving the question as to whether prophecy should be interpreted with the same degree of literalness as other portions of Scripture... The ultimate decision depends upon what evidence is considered decisive. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 123 & 135

However, commentators do not fall out in predictable categories on this passage. Historicists generally identify the rider on the white horse with the ascendancy of Rome to the pinnacle of its power, with the exceptions of a few who take a preterist view (that it applies to the Roman conquest of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.). Idealists generally see this conqueror as the Lord and His gospel going forth throughout the known world and Steve Gregg quotes Biederwolf to the effect that, "Almost all scholars down to A.D 150 took the image as a symbol of the preached gospel and its success." George Eldon Ladd, a historic premillennialist and futurist, (somewhat surprisingly) adopts this view as well.

So, how do futurists such as Walvoord, Ice, Ryrie and LaHaye arrive at the rider being antichrist? They would place this rider in the great tribulation, following the rapture of the church in Revelation 4 and link him to conquest through "counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders" by the man of lawlessness (2 Thessalonians 2:5 -12). Walvoord weighs out the various options and concludes that:

"A more plausible explanation is that the rider of the white horse is none other than the 'prince that shall come' of Daniel 9:26, who is to head up the revived Roman Empire and ultimately become the world ruler... He is Satan's masterpiece and the counterfeit of all that Christ is or claims to be. He is therefore cast in the role of a conqueror..." The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 126

On the other hand, Mounce, Johnson and Salisbury :-) are futurists who would see the rider as the personification of "forces opposed to Christians"or government/rule by pagans in the last days (between Christ's resurrection and the parousia). Ironically, it is the amillennialist Greg Beale who sees the rider as the personification of judgment upon the world and persecution of the people of God. He provides a few pages of exegesis and ends with this summation:

Therefore, the first rider represents a satanic force attempting to defeat and oppress believers spiritually through deception, persecution, or both (so 11:7; 13:7). The image of the rider may include reference to (1) the antichrist, (2) governments that persectute Christians, or (3) the devil's servants in general... The portrayal is intended by John as a parody of Christ's righteousness and victory in 19:11-16: Satan's attempts to be victorious are but feeble imitations of Christ, worthy only for ridicule (as in, e.g. 11:7; 13:1-13). Such attempts are doomed to failure from the beginning because they are ultimately decreed by God to contribute to the establishment of his kingdom and glory (cf. 17:17). The Book of Revelation 377

One final observation from a futurist point of view: Is it not possible that the identification of the rider as a malevolent force or person be a picture of recurring judgments against disobedient Israel in 70 A.D. and a Christ rejecting world throughout history or just prior to a great cataclysm or during "the tribulation, the great one?"

A Fresh Start

Well, I finally got most of the posts from my old blog stripped out, the template has been shaped up and there are now some resources linked in the right column. Last night, 2-7-2006, we spent most of our Bible study talking about hermeneutics or the science of Biblical interpretation and how it relates to the study of Revelation. So, I will be posting to the blog more regularly from here on out.

There are a number of good resources for understanding the book of Revelation. Steve Gregg's Revelation: Four Views has a helpful introduction for the layman (regular folks like us). Robert Mounce's introduction in the NICNT Commentary on The Book of Revelation will take you a little further and contains a nice little section on apocalyptic literature, which is a must for serious study. If you are really feeling ambitious, Greg Beale's bibliography and introduction fill the first 177 pages of his NIGTC commentary on Revelation.

But, perhaps the place to start is with R.C. Sproul's Knowing Scripture or Gordon Fee's How To Read The Bible For All It's Worth.

What About The Four Creatures?

In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” Revelation 4:6b – 8

Jim and Kevin wondered if the faces of the four creatures might relate to Israel somehow or if that idea, which they remembered hearing before, really had any validity. Again, what do we know? We see simile again; the first creature was like a lion. But, what significance can we see in them? Well, we saw the relation to the common thread running through chapter 4 and that is God receiving glory in all of creation. So, what about the appearance of the four creatures and their relation to Israel in the wilderness? Actually, Beale finds a source in the Targums and provides an application here:

The tribes of Israel were divided into four groups in the wilderness, and each group was located at one of the four directions of the compass, with the sanctuary in the middle of the camp. According to Targ. Pal. Num. 2 each group had a standard with the colors of the stones representing their tribes on the priest’s breastplate and with an insignia on it: a lion, a stag (originally an ox), a man, and a serpent (which later tradition changed to an eagle). Later Jewish tradition affirmed that this configuration was intended to reflect the arrangement of the four guardian angels around the divine throne… it could suggest further that the living creatures in Rev. 4:8ff represent humanity, especially the worship of the ideal community of God. The Book of Revelation pg. 331

On the identification of the creatures with the four gospels, George Eldon Ladd gives us a brief synopsis for those who may want to track these down:

From early times, these four creatures have been thought to represent the four gospels. Irenaeus… thought that the lion represented John, the ox Luke, the man Matthew, and the Eagle Mark. Victorinus… followed by Jerome … changed the order. The lion was Matthew, the man Mark, the ox Luke, and the eagle John. Such interpretations are interesting… A Commentary of the Revelation of John pp. 77 & 78

John Walvoord gives us a very good discussion on the four creatures in The Revelation of Jesus Christ pp.108 – 112 and comes to virtually the same conclusion as Beale, Alan Johnson and Robert Mounce; the creatures are angelic or heavenly beings, reflecting God’s majesty, “fullness of life and power.”

Sea Of Glass

Tonight, at our study in Revelation we discussed thoroughly the thrust of chapter 4, which we concluded was the centrality of God in His universe and the promise that in heaven and soon (we hope) on earth, all creation will fulfill it’s purpose in glorifying God and bringing Him praise.

Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. Revelation 4:6

Some of us were captivated by the imagery of the sea of glass and Paul took us to Ezekiel chapter 1, the most likely background for John’s image. Jen began musing on this and wondered if there was a connection between the sea of glass in chapter 4, the crystal expanse in Ezekiel 1 and the sea spoken of in Revelation 15, where the victors stand on the shore of the sea of “glass mixed with fire.” Then, she went to the “river of the water of life" in chapter 22. She wondered if she was coming up with a novel concept or if someone else had followed these lines. I quote Greg Beale, who is so thorough:

The “sea” is also associated with the idea of evil. Caird has argued that here it connotes cosmic evil, since it often has such a nuance in the OT and sometimes elsewhere in Revelation (see Rev. 13:1; 21:; and especially 15:2, as well as “abyss” in 11:7). This speculation receives support from the modeling of these chapters on Daniel 7, and the scenes of Daniel 7 and Ezekiel 1 have integral literary links, the former usually seen as dependent on the latter… In view of the Daniel and Exodus [24:9-1] imagery, there is then a hint that John sees the chaotic powers of the sea as calmed by divine sovereignty. Rev. 5:5ff reveals that Christ’s overcoming through his death and resurrection is what defeated the power of evil and so calmed Satan’s watery, tumultuous abode. 4:6 gives a picture of the stilling of the hellish waters from the heavenly perspective, though the devil displays his wrath even more furiously on earth because he has been decisively defeated in heaven… The lamb’s “overcoming” has also paved the way for the saint’s “overcoming” of the beast at the same sea, as pictured in 15:2-4. When John later says that “there is no longer any sea” (21:1), he means that all evil on the earth will be not only defeated but also eradicated when Christ’s kingdom is established consummately on earth. In fact, the “sea of glass like a crystal before the throne” in 4:6 may be an intentional contrast with “a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne” in 22:1. The sea as the source of satanic evil opposing God’s throne has been eliminated and replaced by the river of redemption, which has its source in the throne. The Book of Revelation, pp 327 & 328

That sounds almost exactly the way Jen articulated it to me. So, if you are tuning in, you are not alone Jen. In fact, you are running with one of the foremost authorities on Revelation, on John’s use of Daniel in Revelation and on apocalyptic literature. Not bad.

What do most seem to agree on with great certainty? That we are seeing a simile here… the sea is like glass. It certainly conveys the glory and majesty of the presence of God and is related somehow to His sovereignty over creation (4:6 – 11). It also has something to say about His ability to see all and manage His creation.

Let me take a moment to say that this is just the sort of thing I wanted to open this discussion up for. A worthwhile topic was brought up, which was beyond the scope and time constraints of our study. It involves a number of opinions from various sources and Beale even refers to this line of thought as “speculation,” even though he cites some pretty compelling (if circumstantial) reasons. But, these kinds of topics can be rich, rewarding and build up the Body of Christ, if done with thoughtfulness and love. So, feel free to comment here.

Next, I think I’ll track down those references to the faces of the four beasts and their relation to the tribes of Israel traveling through the wilderness.

Laodicea

John Stott, commenting on Revelation 3:18 - 20:

But it is not merely for supper that Christ enters the human soul. It is also to exercise sovereignty. If he comes in to bestow his salvation, he comes in also to receive our submission. His entry is an occupation. He comes in to take control. No room may be locked against him. He has conquered us. He is the master of the house. His flag flies from our roof. This is what it means to be committed to Christ, and to be wholehearted in our allegiance to him. It is to surrender without conditions to his lordship. It is to seek his will in his word and promptly to obey it. It is not just attending religious services twice a Sunday or even every day, let alone on the major festivals. It is not just leading a decent life or believing certain articles of the creed. No, it is first to repent, turning decisively from everything we know to be wrong, and then to open the door to Jesus Christ, asking him to come in. It is getting our gold, our clothes, and our eye salve from him. It is being personally and unconditionally committed to him. It is putting him first and seeking his pleasure in every department of life, public and private. Nothing less will do.

What Christ Thinks Of The Church, pp. 121 & 122