Revelation 1

 

1:1-3 revelation- an unveiling/disclosure

Of Jesus Christ- by or about Him 

what must soon take place…because the time is near.  Cf. also Rv. 22:6-7, 10, 12, & 20.

Blessed to read, hear and heed (1st of 7 beatitudes in Revelation)

 

1:4-6   seven churches in the province of Asia> see 1:11. within a 50-mile circle in western Turkey

Grace and peace to you…To him…

Q.: How is God described? Jesus? Why might these particular descriptions have been used?

Seven spirits- cf. Zech.4:2, 10

Kings of the earth/land (Gk., ge)= the Promised Land, whole world, dirt, depending on context

A kingdom and priests

1:7- he is coming with the clouds- James 5:8, 1 Ptr. 4:7

 ‘coming’ in 2 senses: Dan.7:13- coming to heaven and enthroned     Is.19:1-coming in judgment    See also Mt. 24:30, 26:64

Every eye will see him- see = Gk., horao, as in perceive, comprehend, realize (as in Mt. 24:30 and 26:64, not blepo as in Mt. 24:2, Rev. 1:2 of physically seeing)

Even those who pierced him; - cf. Ps.22:16, Is.53:5, Zech. 12:10, Jn. 19:34-37, Lk.23:28

And all the peoples of the earth/land will mourn because of him    Zech.12:10-13, Lk.23:28.

1:8- Alpha and Omega, who is, and who was and who is to come, the Almighty

1st and last letters of Greek alphabet; eternal and unchanging; Rev. 22:13 re. Jesus

1:9- on Patmos- why?  Small island off the west coast of Turkey

1:10- on the Lord’s Day- (Sunday; vs. the Emperor’s Day; cf. Acts 20:7, 1 Cor.16:2)

        A loud voice like a trumpet- cf. Ex.19:16.

1:11- a scroll    To 7 churches in the Roman province of Asia

1:12-16  7 lampstands = 7 churches (1:20)

Among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man”- Cf. Dan.7:13, Jesus’ common self-description.

Robe down to feet, sash around his chest- high priestly garments

1:16- out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword (the imperial sword of life and death)  What is the significance that the sword is in his mouth? Cf. Eph.6:17, Heb.4:12, Rev.19:12-15

Compare this description with that of Dan. 7:9, Dan.10:4-6. How are they similar to this vision, how do they differ from it? What is represented by this vision of Jesus? How does this reflect the time and situation of the recipients of Revelation?

1:17-18 In this context what is significant about the three ways in which Jesus describes Himself?

1:19-20  what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later- suggesting a 3-part structure to the book? (intro., letters, visions of the future)

7 stars = 7 angels/messengers/personification of the prevailing spirit in each church?

The key symbols are interpreted for ease of understanding!

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Revelation 2 & 3

Letters to the Seven Churches

They were seven actual churches of that time. Were they also previews of church history? Or characteristic of seven kinds of churches anywhere, any time?

 

Letter to the Church at Ephesus (2:1-7)

2:1 Ephesus- a leading city of the Roman Empire and largest/leading city of Asia

Famous as a sea port and as a pagan religious center (special pride in the Temple of the Greek fertility goddess Artemis/Diana to the Romans, considered one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world)

Eventually the river harbor was clogged by silt, and today ruins are 5 miles from seacoast

Paul lived there for 2 years (Acts 19; 52-55 AD)

2:2-3 What are the strengths of the Ephesian church at that time?

        Note that the mention of the apostles suggests an early dating for Revelation.

2:4-5 What criticisms are directed at them corporately? What consequences are stated if the church fails to heed and repent?

2:6   the Nicolaitans- a heretical group which emphasized spiritual liberty to an extreme, leading to immorality and involvement with idolatrous feasts         Q.: Do we hate sin?

2:7   churches       How does the promise to overcomers fit with the other contents of this letter?

What is the overall structure of this letter?

 

Letter to the Church at Smyrna (2:8-11)

Smyrna- modern Izmir, Turkey; renowned for its beauty destroyed in 600 BC, and rebuilt 400 years later as a planned city- (it was ‘dead’ and came back to life)

The perfume myrrh given to the baby Jesus is the same root word as Smyrna.

It saw itself as “first in Asia”; it was a ‘free city’ like Ephesus, very loyal to Rome, with many temples including one to the goddess Roma. Smyrna had the largest Jewish population in Asia, many who were hostile to Christians. The leader of the church there, Polycarp, was a famous early Christian martyr, who was burned to death in 155 AD.

v.8- First and Last, died and came to life again

v.8- facing afflictions- such as…?

v.9- in poverty-? lower classes? Disinherited and persecuted by Jews

v.9- who say they are Jews but are not- see Rom.2:17, 28-29.

v.10- about to suffer…prison…and… persecution for 10 days- a warning and a promise

 (see Dan.1:12)     10 days = 10 years of Diocletian’s persecution (303-313 AD)?

v.10- the crown of life- The crown was a symbol of Smyrna, given to victors in games, to attendees at pagan banquets, worn when entering the presence of their gods, given at the end of faithful public service, at the funeral of an honored citizen. See Jms.1:12

v.11- not hurt at all by the second death- mentioned again only in Rev.20:6 and 14, 21:8

There are no criticisms of this church!     

 

(Note: There were six false slanders made against the early Christians: cannibals (re. body and blood of Christ in the Lord's Supper), 'love feasts' (church dinners) were orgies, incendiaries (blamed for starting the fire at Rome), politically disloyal, atheists (not one of the known and acccepted religions), destroyers of families.

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Letter to the Church at Pergamum (2:12-17)

Pergamum- Historically, it was the greatest city in Asia, being a capital city for 400 years, first of the Greek Seleucid Empire and then of the Roman province of Asia. Some 65 miles north of Smyrna, it sat high on a hill, with a great altar of Zeus on the hilltop. It was famous for its library of 200,00 parchment scrolls. It was the center for Caesar-worship in the province, and also was devoted to Asclepius, the god of healing (“Asclepius the Savior”), whose emblem was a snake.

v.12- sharp, double-edged sword- (see 1:16)- used by a Roman governor or proconsul who had “the right of the sword”.

v.13- ‘throne of Satan’ (Heb. for accuser)

Antipas- 1st martyr in Asia, according to tradition        my faithful witness> Jesus himself in 3:14 and 11:5.

v.14-15  Criticism: some follow the teaching of Balaam (Numb.22:1-25:2, 31:16; 2 Ptr.2:15) and of the Nicolaitans.- idolatry? Sexual immorality? 

v.16- ‘I will fight against them with the sword of my mouth- Heb.4:12, Eph.6:17

v.17- promises to those who overcome-

        some of the hidden manna= heavenly food? Enjoy blessings of the Messianic Banquet? the Lord’s Supper?  Jewish tradition of Jeremiah and the hidden manna from the Ark of the Covenant (Ex.16:33) (note Mt.16:14; Jn.6:14, 32-33)

white stone- Greek jury sign of acquittal? Greek writer’s search for health, given a secret symbol and new name by Asclepius; honorific decrees of Pergamum stated that a record of its benefactors shall be inscribed on a white stone; an old gladiator allowed to retire with honor was given a stone with SP on it. An amulet with a superstitious inscription on it? A pass for admission to idol temple feasts? Note that ‘white’ in Revelation is “heaven’s color”.

New name- see Is.62:2, 65:15, and the examples of new status: cf. Abram/Abraham, Jacob/Israel

 

Letter to the Church at Thyatira (2:18-29)

Thyatira- In Roman eyes, the least important of the seven cities, a commercial city along the main road from Pergamum to Sardis. It was known for its dyeing industry and trade in woolen goods. Lydia of Acts 16:14, a seller of purple fabrics, was from here. Thaytira was home to many powerful trade guilds, which would have common meals, often held at temples with food that had been offered to the gods, and which often included drunken debauchery.

v.18- eyes like blazing fire and feet like burnished bronze- 1:14-15, Dan.10:6

v.19- what traits are affirmed?     externally the church looks good, but…

v.20- Jezebel- can be translated “your wife Jezebel”; cf. 1 Kings 16:31, 21:31- Queen, worshiper of Baal                           vs. food offered to idols- Acts 15:29, 1 Cor.8-10

v. 21-23   I will (take action)! On her and those who commit adultery with her, her ‘children’

v. 23- He who searches hearts and minds…repay according to your deeds. ?

v. 24- Satan’s so-called deep secrets  Later Gnosticism taught that in order to defeat Satan one had to enter his stronghold, experience evil deeply.

v.25- hold on until I come

v.26  him who overcomes- all true born again believers (see 1 John 2:13-14; 4:4; 5:4-5; Rev.21:7)

-authority over the nations    Lk.5:24, Dan.7:27

v.27- rule them with an iron scepter; dash to pieces like pottery – see Ps.2:9, Jer.19:11    Mt.18:18 –bind/loose              iron = strength        rule = shepherd

Q.- How do we rule as His people, use His authority in us?

v.28- give him the morning star- see Rev.22:16, Num.24:17-19

Compare the church at Ephesus with that of Thyatira. In what way were they opposites regarding love and judging? In the churches we have examined so far, what are the threats facing them? What form do these threats take? From inside or outside the church? 

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Letter to the Church at Sardis (3:1-6)

Sardis- modern Sart; the ancient capital of the Lydian Empire, famed for its gold wealth; a center of the woolen trade. A main idol was a death-goddess. Complacency and false sense of security twice led to it being conquered.                    No positives about this church!

3:1- ‘Seven spirits of God, and the seven stars’- re. 7-fold spirit and angels of 7 churches (see Rev.1:20, Is.11:2)                 See background of Zech.4:1-6                Spiritually dead, though an appearance/reputation of life.

3:2- ‘Wake up’ = Watch! Apparently untroubled by heresy, no opposition from outside due to compromise? Watch? See 1 Ptr.5:8, Mt.26:41, 1 Thess.5:6, Mk.13:37, Acts 20:29-36.

        ‘like a thief’- Mt.24:42-44, 2 Ptr.3:10, 1 Thess.5:2

3:3- Remember, obey, repent (lit., keep on remembering and obeying, repentance point)

3:4- unsoiled garments- James 1:27

White garments- to approach a pagan temple; re. baptismal vows?

‘walk with me’ cf. Enoch in Gen.5:24

3:5  A 3-fold promise: ‘dressed in white’ (for festive banquet- Eccles.9:8), victors wear all white for Roman triumph parade, resurrection life?)

‘never blot out his name’ (Moses- Ex.32:32-33; Ps.69:28; Dan.12:1; Php.4:3; Re. 20:15, 21:27;

kings kept a register of their citizens    ‘acknowledge before my Father’- Mt.10:32-33, Lk.12:8-9

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Letter to the Church at Philadelphia (3:7-13)

Philadelphia- the youngest of the 7 cities; the gateway to the high central plateau of Asia Minor; founded to spread the Greek language and culture in nearby Lydia and Phrygia; on the edge of a great volcanic plain of fertile land; famous for grapes and wine; a relatively small population; on the route of the imperial postal service; “a city full of earthquakes” with many frequent tremors; after a 17 AD earthquake Emperor Tiberius gave generous aid, so the city was renamed ‘Neocaesarea’. It was a free Christian city until the 14th century, and the last place in that region with a significant population of Christians under Muslim rule.

v. 7- Jesus’ self-description- ‘holy’ (6:10, 15:4) ‘true’-there are 2 Greek words for true (true, not false OR real, not unreal, as here)         ‘key of David’-symbol of royal authority- see Is.22:15-25>father= 9:6, Mt.16:19

Situation is similar to the Smyrna church

v.8- ‘an open door’= for missionary activity? (1 Cor.16:9, 2 Cor.2:12, Col.4:3, Acts 14:27)

Jesus Himself? (Jn.10:7-90; door of prayer?; door to heaven?

v.9- not true Jews (Jn.8:39 & 44, Rom.2:28, 2 Cor.11:14-15)  30 years later Ignatius wrote a letter to this church concerning the powerful Jewish presence there

‘I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge’ see Is.60:14, 45:14, 49:23

v.10- Note: 'the whole world’= Gk., oikoumene= Roman Empire, as in Lk.2:1, Acts 11:28, 19:27, 24:5

‘who live on the earth’= Gk.ge- routinely used in the Septuagint Greek Old Testament regarding the Promised Land.

Some Futurists suggest that this speaks of a Rapture; Preterists see the turmoil and civil war in the Roman Empire when Nero dies as the testing of the Jews who saw these events as God fighting for them and bolstered their fight for independence.

‘keep you ‘ – this can be: keep you from OR keep you through

v.11- ‘I am coming soon.’- in destruction of Temple and judgment on that generation of Jews OR still future?

v.12 Promises- ‘make a pillar in Temple of God, never leave it (Gal.2:9)- security? vs. earthquakes? vs. being expelled from the synagogue?

‘write on him the name of my God’- on death of honored pagan priest a new pillar was erected with his name on it.   A Roman slave was branded with his owner’s initials   Nu.6:22-27  Rev.19:12

‘New Jersualem’-Rev.21:2

Historicsts see this representing the great era of evangelism and missions of 18th & 19th centuries

 

Letter to the Church at Laodicea (3:14-22)

Laodicea- This letter is unique- other 6 are in pairs; includes an invitation; the only church with no good said about it!  Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis were 3 cities close together. Colossae had a great stream of pure, cold water/Hierapolis was famous for its healing hot springs

Laodicea started as a crossroads garrison city, and prospered in times of peace; was a very wealthy banking center, famous for its woolen goods from a special breed of soft-wool long-haired sheep; had a celebrated medical school, specializing in eye diseases-even did cataract surgery!

One problem: the water supply was an aqueduct to bring water from 6 miles away, not good quality; had a large wealthy and influential Jewish population; destroyed by a great earthquake in 60 AD and rebuilt by themselves- rich and independent

Paul’s letter to the Colossians was passed on to them (Col. 4:16); Paul never went there?

v.14  Jesus’ self-description- unique as being not from Rev.1

‘Amen’ = ‘so be it’, guaranteed true    rare as a title   cf. Rev.3:7, Is.65:16, Col.1:15-18, 2 Cor.1:20; 25X in John as ‘truly, truly’                ‘ruler’ or ‘source’ (see Jn.1:3, Co.1:15-18)

v.15- ‘lukewarm’- neither pure cold water or healing hot springs

v.17- self-satisfied, complacent, indifferent, didn’t see its spiritual problem

‘poor’ though a banking center         ‘blind’ though eye surgeons and ointments        ‘naked’ though woolen clothes (nakedness was seen as a terrible humiliation)

v.18- ‘buy…from me’ Christ will meet each need 

‘gold refined in the fire’- see 1 Ptr.1:7, Job 23:10

v.19- a rebuke in love (see Prov.3:12 but here uses Gk. phileo ) 

‘discipline’- hope to change (to leave alone would be final punishment)

v.20- ‘at the door’- as Judge (Jms 5:9 or Lover (Song of S.5:2-6)

‘eat with him’- the evening dinner meal after work is done, can linger in fellowship

v.21- ‘sit with me on my throne’- like a couch

Historicists see this church as representing the lukewarm church of today or coming soon

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Revelation 4

The Throne in Heaven

 

4:1-2 Voice like a trumpet- 1:10-20 = Jesus

 ‘in the spirit’? (as in 1:10)

v.2- Heaven- cf. 1 Tim.6:16, Ps.104:2              Other examples of Heaven opened- Ezek.1, Is.6

(God’s throne in Heaven- mentioned 47X in Revelation 9 also 1 Ki.22:19, Ps. 47:8)

v.3- jasper = diamond?/brightness            carnelian =  blood red            emerald = green

These 3 stones are mentioned in other ancient writings as very precious stones.

v.4- 24 elders? 24 courses of priests? (cf.Ez.8:16-18, 11:1)  12 apostles and 12 tribes? Representing all believers?

‘white’= pure        ‘crowns’? (see 2Tim.4:8, Jms.1:12, 1 Ptr.5:4; Mt.19:27-29 in this context?)

v.5- ‘lightning…rumblings…thunder’  see Ez.1:13; also, Mt. Sinai in Ex.19:16-19 at start of Old Covenant law/people, and Heb.12:18-27 re. New Covenant

7 lamps = 7 spirits of God (or 7-fold Spirit, i.e., the perfect Holy Spirit)

v.6- ‘looked like a sea of glass’ see Ez.1:22 mentioned later in Rev.15:2      see also 1 Ki.7:23-26; 2 Chron.4:6

‘four living creatures’- see Ez.1:10, 10:1-22   Also, 2 cherubs (pl., cherubim) over the Ark of the Covenant mercy seat

v.7- lion, ox, face like a man, eagle   Each is greatest in its own sphere; together they could represent all things of creation with the ‘breath of life’.

Other possible associations-

Early church leader Irenaeus in 170 AD:

Lion- king of wild beasts, leader, royal power    

Ox- representing priestly sacrifices?

Man- in God’s image, incarnation?

Eagle- represents the Holy Spirit?

        Also- 4 Gospels: John-lion, Luke-ox, Matt.-man, Mark-eagle

        Also- 4 covenants: w. Adam, Noah, Moses, Jesus

But Augustine suggests: Mt.-lion (of Judah), Mk.-man, Lk.-ox (starts w. Zechariah the priest, includes prodigal son fatted calf), John-eagle (flies highest> highest/most sublime thoughts)

v.8- ‘six wings and covered with eyes’    all creation praising God continually?

What about God are they highlighting?               Holy    Almighty         Eternally ‘I am’

v.9-11 – ‘whenever’

‘him who lives forever and ever’

‘lay their crowns before the throne’ = complete submission (Romans demand of conquered peoples to worship the image of Emperor)

- ‘give glory, honor, and thanks’- for what?  See v.11.

What is missing from this scene?  (note the parallel with the meaning of YHWH in Gen.4:26> Ex.3:13-15, 6:3-7)

 

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Revelation 5

The Scroll and the Lamb

 

A judicial courtroom scene? 3 concentric circles?

A combination of imperial ceremonial court and heavenly Messiah imagery

5:1 scroll/roll-  see parallels in Ezek.2:3-3:3 and Dan.12:4-9, also Rev.10:2, 8-11

‘writing on both sides’ = complete? See Ezek.2:9

‘sealed with seven seals’- fastened with threads and then sealed at the knots; under Roman law a will was sealed with seals of 7 witnesses; need to open all 7 before reading/implementing the will?           7 seals can also reflect the fullness of covenant judgments.

What is this scroll?...

A divine judgment in response to all the righteous blood that had been shed (Mt.23:32-35)?

God’s ‘last will and testament’ formally beginning the New Covenant through Jesus?

The ‘title deed’ to the whole earth; its redemption price having been paid?

God’s certificate of divorce, breaking the Old Covenant with Israel, since the new and better Covenant had come (cf. Israel as a harlot; Dt.24:1-3; Jer.3:8; Hosea; Isa.50:1; Mt.5:31)?

5:2-4- ‘who is worthy?’  why does John weep? ‘to open or look inside’- only Jesus knows the secret things, and is able to reveal them and then act

5:5- ‘one of the elders’- Judah?! ‘the Lion of the tribe of Judah’- see Gen.49:9 blessing

‘Root of David’- see Is.11:1, 10                ‘has triumphed’- How?

5:6- Lion = lamb   Jesus as lamb 29X in Rev.; also Jn.1:29, 36; Acts 8:32; Isa.53:7; 1 Ptr.1:19

‘looking as if it had been slain’      ‘standing in the center of the throne’= one with God

‘7 horns’= all-powerful (cf., Dt.33:17, Ps.75:4-5, Ps.18:2, Jer.48:25)

‘7 eyes’ = 7 ‘spirits of God’/fullness of God’s Spirit’s seeing presence everywhere (cf.Zech.4:10)

5:7-8 “right hand”-of power         sitting = judging, standing = ready for action

Worship of the Lamb        each had a harp> singing and musical instruments in Heaven! (Ps.33:2, 98:5, 147:7)          ‘bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.’- (cf.Ps.141:2)

Begins 3 waves of praise:

1) All animals and all of God’s OT & NT people join in worship of the Lamb

         2) all of heaven joins in

         3) all of creation      

5:9- ‘a new song’- fulfilling Is.42:1-10     ‘new’- not neos-new in time, but kainos- new in quality

Worthy to take the scroll and open it.

5:10- ‘kingdom and priests’ OR ‘kingdom of priests’

‘they will reign on the earth’= when? In millennial kingdom or even now? (cf. Rev.2:26, Jer.1:10; Dan.7:18, 22, 27; Mt.28:18, 16:19, 18:18; Lk.9:1-6; Acts 1:8; 1 Ptr.2:9)

A key question: What is the nature of His Kingdom, His reign? Of our reign? (see Jn.18:36, 16:33, Mt.12:28; Eph.6:10-12)

5:11-12 Worthy to receive… a 7-fold doxology    ‘power’- (1 Cor.1:24)  ‘wealth’ (Eph.3:8)

‘wisdom’-(1 Cor.1:24)       ‘strength’- (Lk.11:22)  ‘honor’- (Phil.2:11)  ‘glory’-(Jn.1:14)  ‘praise’

5:13-14- now Jesus at center of the universe  ‘every creature’ (Is.43:20), Ps.19:1, Ps.148

‘in heaven’ = angels? stars? birds?   ‘under the earth’- in Sheol?

One song of praise and worship to the One on the throne and the Lamb.  

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Revelation 6

The Seals

Introductory thoughts:

-2 Main Options: Preterist (1st century fulfillment) or Futurist (still future fulfillment)

-What is “literal”? What is symbolic?

-7 seals, 7 trumpets, 7 bowls of wrath: In sequence? Same events but seen with different focus?

-7 seals all are opened to generally reveal what is about to happen beginning in chapter 8?

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6:1-2  ‘come’ (as in ‘come forth’) or ‘come and see’ (instruction to John)

Horses were war animals (See Zech.1:8-21, 6:1-8, 11)

‘White horse’- white horses pulled the chariots of the Roman general in a Triumph parade

‘Bow’- a symbol of military power (cf. P.46:9, Jer.51:56, Hos.1:5) Note: In 62 AD a Roman army surrendered to the Parthians, who rode white horses and were famous bowmen!

 ‘given a crown’- given authority to conquer. How? Dan.7:14? Gospel spread? spiritual warfare?

 Who is the rider of the white horse? Jesus? Antichrist? Symbolic of God’s conquering of His enemies? Using the Roman army? (see Mt.22:6-7 as parallel?)

6:3-4 ‘red horse’ = war and killing

‘take peace from the earth/land and to make men slay each other’- Jewish rebellion ended the Pax Romana; see Lk.19:41-44   See Josephus re. war against Romans and Jews fighting among themselves.

6:5-6 ‘black horse’- famine, indicated by ‘scales’- eat bread by weight (see Lev.26:26, Ezek.4:16)  ‘wheat/barley…days’ wages’- a day’s wage only buys enough food for one person for a day-  inflation 10X; these foods were burned by opposing Jewish factions during the siege of Jerusalem.

‘do not damage the oil and the wine’- olive and grape roots go deeper; oil and wine as luxury vs. bread? Oil and wine were used in Temple worship.

6:7-8 ‘pale horse’ = Death (body drained of blood?)                         ‘1/4th of the earth/land’

‘kill by sword, famine, and plague, and by the wild beats of the earth/land’- see Dt.28 curses, Ezek.14:21-23 regarding the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians.

6:9-11 ‘under the altar’- using the Temple sacrifice imagery, the blood of the Lamb had been poured out at the base of the altar, covering the martyrs (see Ex.29:12, Lev.4:7).

‘until you judge the inhabitants of the earth/land and avenge our blood?’…’wait a little while longer’- see Mt.23:32-38, Lk.18:6-8   ‘white robe’= purified; see Rev.7:13-14

6:12-14 ‘a great earthquake’= national upheavals? Symbol of God’s actions of judgment (Is.29:5-6 vs. Jerusalem; Joel 2:1-11, 3:16 and Nah.1:5 vs. Assyria)? Or re. Covenant change (see Hag.2:6-9; Hebrews)? Actual earthquake (cf.Mt.27:51-54)?- one was in 62-63 AD

‘sun turned black’- imagery re. judgment on Babylon (Is.13:10); Egypt (Ezek.32:7-10); Israel (Amos 8:9); OT nations, including Edom (Is.34:4). Note the parallels in Mt. 24:29 and Acts 2:20-21.

‘moon turned blood red’- a ‘blood moon’ lunar eclipse occurred in 59 AD

‘stars in the sky fell to the earth/land’- Haley’s Comet was seen in 66 AD. “Shooting stars”?

Also, see Is.34:4 re. all neighboring nations then including Edom; Mt.24:29-34.

‘sky/heaven receded like a scroll’- Is.34:4, 13:13; Ps5-26

‘every mountain and island was removed from its place’-see Is.40:3-5>Lk.3:4-6; Dan.2:44-45; Is.2:2-3 (re. the Kingdom of Christ conquering all other kingdoms); Nah.1:5; Jer.4:24; Mic.1:4- Israel; literally re. the work of Roman military engineers in conquering the Jews?         

6:15-17- ‘kings of the earth/land’- cf. Ps.2:1-2>Acts 4:25-27 re. local leaders

‘hid in caves’- see Hos.10:8; Is.2:10, 19-21>Lk.23:28-31 + Josephus’ account of 70 AD

‘wrath of the Lamb’! - Mal.3:1-2, 4:5-6> Lk.3:7, Acts 6:14, 1 Thess.2:14-16

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Revelation 7

144,000 Sealed

 

v.1- ‘After this’- The 1st 6 seals = early stages of the Jewish War prior to the Roman siege of Jerusalem?

‘four corners of the earth/land’-Ezek.7:2, 15 + Rev.20:8-9

‘holding back the four winds of the earth’- winds of God’s wrath: cf. Jer.49:36-37, Zech.6:5

v.2- ‘a seal of the living God’- The seal shows possession? Confirms a finished work? Protected from God’s wrath? See Rev.9:4, 14:1, 22:4   (Why ‘living’?)

‘angel coming up from the east’- symbolic re. dawn of new day? magi came from the east

v.3- wait to bring God’s judgment/wrath until believers are sealed- See Ezek:9 regarding true believers being marked before the Babylonians were allowed by God to destroy Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple in 586 BC.  What kind of mark would this have been? A physical mark? Spiritual, known to God and the spiritual realm? How and why might the ‘seal’ in Revelation have been different?

‘land…sea…trees’- world-wide or localized?

vs.4-8 ‘144,000 from all the tribes of Israel’- In Revelation are the rounded thousands symbolic? 

144,000 = 12 X 12 X 1000 

See Rev. 14:1-5 (Note that they are described as ‘first fruits’ in 14:4) = 1st-century Christians? 1st century Jewish-Christians? While Acts focuses on Peter and Paul, all of the other Apostles are known to have devoted themselves to preaching the gospel to the descendants of the12 tribes of Israel everywhere. Could the 144,000 actually include the fruits of their efforts?

Note: The tribe of Judah is listed first. The tribe of Dan is missing- perhaps because of its early connection with idolatry (cf. Judg.18:30)

 

The Great Multitude in White Robes

vs.9-10  ‘After this’- after all have been sealed      now including the Gentile believers

‘from every nation, tribe, people and language’- cf. Acts 2:5-11

‘wearing white robes’ = purified? victorious?

‘holding palm branches’- see Mt.21:8, rejoicing in God’s salvation through the death of the Lamb

vs.11-12 Who is worshipping here? The angels? Note that their worship is not a factor of  salvation for them.

vs.13-14 ‘the great tribulation’ = see Mt.24:21, Mk.13:19 = in the 1st century or still future?     

‘Robes washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb’- Rev.6:9-‘under the altar’

vs.15-16 ‘in his temple’- in heaven; the word used for ‘temple’ in Rev. denotes the inner place of God’s presence     ‘spread his tent over them’- claim them for Himself

 v.16- see Is.49:10

Note: All kinds of people can serve in God’s temple in heaven.

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Revelation 8

The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer

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8:1    ½ hour= Zechariah in Lk.1:8- daily incense offering with prayer (Lev. 16:12-13; 10:1-2)

8:5-7  fire judgment- Dt.13:12-18 re. an apostate city as “hormah”- Josh.6 re. Jericho; Canaanites; a priest’s adulterous daughter to be burned; Jdgs 20:40, 48; Sodom and Gomorrah; Jerusalem 1st burned on the same date by Babylonians

hail- Ex.9:23, Ezek.13:11-15

8:8  a huge mountain- Israel in Ex.15:17, this mountain of Mt.21:21?!;

sea turned to blood- Ex.7:20; Sea of Galilee-see Josephus’ account (Wars 3:10:9; 6:1:1)

8:10-11  Wormwood/bitterness-  re. Israel’s apostasy-see Dt.29:18, Jer.23:15, 9:15; Lam.3:15, 19; Ex.15:25 reversed!

8:12  cf. Is.13:9-11,19 re. Babylon; Is.24:19-23, 34:4-5 re. Edom/nations; Amos 5:8 re. Israel, Ezek. 32:7-8 re. Egypt, Joel 2>Acts 2

8:13- earth/land; Eagle/vulture- same Heb. and Gk. words are translated either way in Scripture

cf. Dt.28:26, 49 in covenant curses, then Hosea 8:1. Also, Jer.4:13, 7:33-34, 16:4, 19:7, 34:18-20 and Lam. 4:14 re. Jerusalem, Hosea 8:1; also Ezek.39:17-20 re. Gog and Magog in Rev. 20. Also see Mt.24:28.

 

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Revelation 9 

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9:3- locusts – see Joel vs. unfaithful Israel!; a demonic hoard (led by Satan-9:11) seen with spiritual eyes as in 2 Ki.2:11,  6:17; if re. demonized humans, Josephus talks of rebel leader Simon’s mob of 40,000 as locusts

5 months- the period of the siege of Jerusalem from May>Sept. 70, or the beginning of the Jewish revolt in May-Sept. 66 during 5 months of terror by Procurator Gessius Florus

9:16- 2 hundred million= locusts of 9:7? (i.e., should v. 16 be part of the following paragraph instead? )- see Dt.28:48-65 covenant curse.

9:20-21 rest of mankind= then and since? Or the Gentile-Roman world? Or the remainder of Jews of that time?

 

As we have done this study, I have been struck by how many of the passages telling of a coming judgment/destruction are rooted in Dt. 28 covenant curses and in OT prophetic passages re. God’s judgment on faithless Israel/Judah/Jerusalem (Is.1-5, 28-32, Amos 2-5, Ezek.1-24, Dt.28, Hosea, Micah, Hab.1, Jer.1-45, Lam.), rather than the prophetic passages dealing with God’s judgments on others, such as Egypt, Babylon, Assyria, Moab, Edom, etc. (Is.13-23, 33-34, Amos 1-2, Nahum, Hab.2, Ezek.25-32, Obadiah, Jer.46-51). Virtually all the OT allusions in Rev. 6-9 are clearly mined from the former passages, rather than the latter, seeming to reinforce the idea that the judgment portrayed here was on the Jews of that generation. (Likewise, the writer of Hebrews includes many indications that the writer was writing while the Temple was still standing, and clearly portrays the approaching end of the Old Covenant forms (8:13, 9:8-10, 26, 10:1,3,11-13, 25-30, 37, 12:26-27).

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Revelation 10 

 The Angel and the Little Scroll

 

v.1-4  mighty angel- the description suggests this is Jesus (see Rev. chapter 1)

v.2- little book/scroll =remainder of Revelation?

Christ Jesus with one foot each on sea and land-  sea = the Gentiles in many OT poetic passages (cf. Ps.65:7-8, Isa.5:30, 17:12-13, Jer.6:23, and Lk.21:25

v.3-4 “seven thunders”- re. storm of God’s ultimate final/perfect judgment still in future? So it is guaranteed (spoken and “sealed up”), yet for a later time (“do not write it down”); see Dan.8:26, 12:9, Rev.1:11, 19

“loud voice”- see Ps. 29; I think this points to a final consummation, and judgment of those living then, someday.

v.6- “There will be no more delay”- re. Rev.6:10?!

v.7- “the mystery of God will be accomplished”- what is this mystery?-see Eph 3:3-9 re. removing all barriers to uniting Jew and Gentile believers as God’s family through Christ.        See also Rom.16:25, 11:25, I Tim.3:16, Eph.1:9, 6:19, Col.1:25-27, 2:2.

“as he announced to his servants the prophets”- see Lk.21:22

v.8-10- little book/scroll- see Ezek.3:1-3,14 re. woes vs. Israel, also Ps.19:10, 119:103, Jer.15:16

“tasted sweet as honey”- Ezel.3:1-3, Ps.119:103; but “my stomach turned sour”- my speculation is that for hearers then, the news through Chap. 9 would be sweet news of God’s judgment on their persecutors the Jews, but that the prophesies about to be told in the following chapters would be sour news, “harder to stomach” as also promising further persecution by the Beast (Rome)

v.11- “prophesy again”= new dimension of prophesies; new focus includes apostate Israel, persecuted believers, and

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Revelation 11 

The Two Witnesses

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v.1- ‘go and measure’  present tense = Temple still standing as John writes?

v.2- “42 months/3 and ½ years/1260 days”- see Dan. 7:25 re. Antiochus and Dan. 9:27

“measure”- see Ezek.40-47, Lam.2:7-8, Amos 7:6-9 re. measuring for preservation or for destruction

v.2- “outer court” = apostate Israel?= see Is.1:12; Gentiles trample- see Lk. 21:24,  Idumeans (Edomites) were invited into Jerusalem during the Jewish civil war and became one of 3 rampaging, warring factions in the city.

Note- between the 6th and 7th seals the believers were preserved; here between 6th and 7th trumpets we have chapters 10 and 11 (sealing up 7 thunder words, measuring the Temple)

“3 and ½ years” = length of Jewish civil war/rebellion against Rome (spring 67 to Aug.70)

                         = Nero’s persecution of Christians (Nov.64-June 68)

v.3-6 “2 witnesses/olive trees/lampstands”- see Zech.4 re. plumb-line and 2 olive trees> high priest Joshua and civil leader Zerubbabel; Moses and Elijah (as in Transfiguration)? Representing the Law and Prophets that pointed to Christ and these events? James and Peter (as the two key leaders among early Jewish Christians)? Peter and Paul, with Rome understood as the “Great City where also their Lord was crucified”? two unknown persons? Josephus mentions a man who preached woes upon Jerusalem for the duration of the war until finally killed by a flying Roman siege stone.

v.7- “the Beast that comes up from the Abyss”= Roman Empire, suggested by Dan.7:3-8, 16-25

v.8- “lie in the street” = unburied bodies during the civil war and siege as recounted by Josephus

“Egypt”- re. Jerusalem- suggested in reverse plagues of Rev.8:6-12, 16:2-12

“Sodom”- re. Jerusalem see Is.1:10, 3:9, Jer. 23:14, Dt.32:32, Ezek.23

vs.13-14- “1/10th” = tithe? Re. early siege by Cestius? Temple area = 1/10th of Jerusalem?

“7000” killed- reverse of Elijah in 1 Kings 19:18? Josephus tells of a great earthquake in Jerusalem at this time in which 8500 die, and that 10,000 died when the Romans conquered the city and destroyed the Temple.

“2nd woe” (of three)- 1st=demonic hordes of civil war; 2nd=’natural’ disasters; 3rd will be the Roman army

 

The Seventh Trumpet

vs.15-19- re. completion of transition from Old Covenant to New Covenant? Establishing the 5th/eternal kingdom, Kingdom of God, of Dan. 2 and 7 in the time of the 4th empire (Rome)

v.16- “24 elders”-see Rev. 4 re. Old Covenant saints;

“begun to reign”- re. judgment on apostate Israel/destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple as replaced by something new and better

v.18- “the nations were angry; and your wrath has come”- angry at Jews and instruments of God’s wrath against that generation that rejected Christ. (Josephus also tells of massacres of Jews in other cities when they revolt against Rome)

“The time has come for judging the dead”….final judgment of Old Covenant-era peoples- see Mt.23:35-36

 “and for destroying those who destroy/corrupt the earth/land”- re. apostate Israel

v.19- ‘the ark of the covenant’ see Is.29:5-6, Ex.19:16ff.

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Revelation 12

The Woman and the Dragon

  

vs.1-2- ‘a great and wondrous sign’- a momentous event (birth of Christ)

pregnant woman = v.5 her child is Christ, ruling/shepherding the nations as in Ps.2:6-9, Rev.2:27, 19:15  The woman is the faithful remnant of Jews; the bride of YHWH from whom Jesus came, the seed of the woman (Gen.3:15), and who received Him as Messiah.

(Note: Studies of the stars, as understood by the zodiac system of that time, suggest this particular description may have pointed to the actual day of Jesus’ birth.)

Sun- Ps.89:36; moon-Ezra 3:5, Neh.10:33, Ps. 81:3; 12 stars re. Joseph’s dream in Gen.37:9

vs.3-4  dragon= v.9-the devil/Satan/that ancient serpent

-7 crowned heads and 10 horns = Roman Empire   The ‘7 heads’= combines all 4 kingdoms of Dan.7, reflecting the time of Israel being dominated by other powers until Christ was enthroned in the fullness of time. see Rev.17:3, 9-16. The Roman Empire was divided into 10 imperial provinces headed by a king of some kind; also, the ‘7 heads’ can refer to the sequence of Roman Emperors, where Nero would have been the 6th head of the Roman Empire

v.4- ‘1/3rd of the stars’ flung from sky to earth’? see 6:13, 8:12, Also see Dan.8:10-12, 12:3  and Gen.12:3, 15:5, 37:9 re. stars symbolizing people

v.5- ‘a male child’…’rule all the nations with an iron scepter'- Ps.2:9- Jesus

'snatched up to God and to his throne’ (not just to heaven!) = Ascension? (Note: No mention here of earthly ministry of Christ!)

v.6 - 1260 days = length of the Jewish revolt; the faithful remnant which received Jesus as the Christ and obeyed Him, Jewish Christians, fled to Pella across the Jordan River for safety soon after the Jewish revolt began (after the initial short siege of Jerusalem by the Romans- Lk.21:20-21)

vs.7-9  ‘war in heaven’- Physical battle or moral/spiritual battle of atonement? -see Jn.21:31, Col.2:15, Heb.2:14-15

Michael = Jesus? Or Field Commander of the Lord’s armies? See Jude 9, Dan. 10:13-21, 12:1

‘lost their place in heaven’- Satan still can do evil, tempt/seduce, persecute and deceive, but he has lost the ability/right to come into God’s presence and accuse believers (Job 1:6-9, 2:1-6; Zech.3:1-2, Ps.109:6; Lk.22:31; but Rom.8:33-34), and his deceiving is now limited by the Temple’s destruction, showing that a new, better,  and final way to God has been made by Jesus.

vs.10-12 - a declaration to the heavens

‘the accuser’- ‘Satan’ means adversary/accuser- no Job scenario for those who are in Christ!

v.11- ‘overcame by the blood of the Lamb...by the word of their testimony’  ‘did not love their lives’

vs.12 – now is referred to as ‘the devil’- deceiver/ tempter; note that his time is short

v.13-16- cf. Ex.19:4 on wings of eagles, re. Exodus from Egypt

Jewish Christians are protected from the fury of the invading Roman army

v.14- ‘time, times, and half a time’- the duration of the Jewish-Roman war

v.15-16- the earth stops the river…by opening its mouth- cf. Numb.16:30-33 re. Korah’s rebellion; Note: Was the Jordan River at flood stage and did one of the periodic earthquake-triggered landslides temporarily stop its flow so the Jewish Christians could escape?

v.17- rest of her offspring- Jewish and Gentile believers throughout the Roman Empire who now experience persecution from the Romans. See Dan.7:21-27.

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Revelation 13

The Beast Out of the Sea  

 

v.1- the Beast w. 10 horns and 7 heads, and 10 crowns, coming out of the sea = The Beast of Dan.7- re. Roman Empire. This Beast is both the Roman Empire generally and an individual Emperor (Nero) who personified the Empire.

The sea symbolized the world of the Gentiles (Dan.7:2-3). Also, ‘coming out of the sea’ would be from the perspective of John in Patmos and of Israel.

Ten horns with crowns = 10 rulers over the 10 Roman provinces? 

7 heads = 7 Roman emperors? (note 17:9-10 = both 7 mountains and 7 kings)

(Roman Emperors: Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Gaius Caligula, Claudius, Nero, the year of 3 claimants to be Emperor, then Vespasian)

v.2- The characteristics of the four animals/kingdoms of Dan. 7 are combined in this Beast.

the lion’s mouth- see 2 Tim.4:17 re. Paul being delivered from the mouth of the lion- Roman Empire

v.3, 12- one of the heads seemed fatally wounded- A myth that grew up in the later 1st Century and 2nd century was of “Nero Redivivus” (Nero returned from death); see also Rev.17:8-11 which fits Nero. Simplest explanation is that the myth was an outgrowth from this passage, though wrongly applied to Nero as a person rather than to the Roman Empire as an institution, as it was originally meant- (When Nero died without an heir to the throne, civil war resulted throughout the Empire, with chaos and 3 emperor claimants in one year until Vespasian restores order, becomes Emperor, and revives the Empire.)

v.4-6 ‘worshiped the dragon and the beast' - blasphemous, adulterous worship of the Roman gods, and the emperors who accepted homage as divus/divine, deus/god, and theos/god; even the Jews refused Christ as King and claimed “no king but Caesar” (Jn.19:15); worship also was done in the Rom.12:1-2 sense. Nero saw himself as the god Apollo, had coins minted declaring him ‘savior of the world’.

v.5-8 The Beast has a blasphemous character and demands worship.

42 months = Nero’s persecution of Christians, from mid-Nov. 64 to his suicide in June 68, killing ‘an immense number’, ‘a vast multitude of the elect’, including Paul and Peter

v.10- quote from Jer.15:2 re. impending judgment on Jerusalem through the Babylonians.

A reference to Nero’s death by the sword? His use of the sword to kill many, including Paul?

 

The Beast Out of the Earth 

v.11- another beast, out of the land/earth, w. 2 horns like a lamb, but demonic

If 2 people, re. High Priest and Roman Governor over the Jews, who explicitly or implicitly accept the Emperor cult, respectively. Gessius Florus was the Roman governor whose tyranny and sacrilege led to the Jewish revolt. Another possibility- the cult of emperor worship generally.

v.13- miraculous signs- re. Jewish false prophets? See Acts 8:9ff, 13:6ff, 19:13ff, Mt. 7:22

v.14- beast wounded by sword but lived- Nero stabbed himself but the Empire continued to live.

v.15- give breath to the image of the 1st beast- ventriloquism was commonly used re. idols in those days.

‘all who refused to worship the image’

vs.16-17- mark of the beast- Throughout the Roman period, trade was firmly in the hands of the Romans and was the backbone of the empire. Any threat to their trade monopoly was looked upon very seriously. Traders were licensed and received a mark on their forehead and right hand; this would be especially significant if it applied even to buyers, sellers and money-changers in the Jewish Temple precincts. Also this may reflect a Jewish economic boycott of Christians.

v.18- 666- both Jews and Greeks practiced numerology; Nero’s name translated into Hebrew results in 666, so its inference would be meaningless to Greeks but discernible easily to any Christians knowing Hebrew. Also, an early textual variant of 616 arrives at Nero through using the Latin form of his name.

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Revelation 14

The Lamb and the 144,000  

 

v.1- the Lamb = Jesus; Mt. Zion = Jerusalem (though perhaps best seen in context in relation to the heavenly Jerusalem, as in Heb.12:22-24, Gal.4:26; also see Psalm 2, espec.v.6)

144,000- same as ‘sealed’ in chapter 7, re. faithful remnant of all Old Covenant with 144,000 as symbolic fullness? or as real total number!? Or are Jewish Christians of the 1st century only?

Paralleled here again to encourage the persecuted church, which no longer will be persecuted by both Jews and Romans? They are to be perfected as in Heb.11:39-40?

v.2- rushing waters- = voice of Jesus in 1:15; voice like thunder = Jesus in 6:1; harpists-see 5:8 and 15:2

v.3- a new song- see 5:9; only the redeemed can sing it

vs.4-5- not defiled with women- re. spiritual adultery (as in Ex.34:15, Dt.31:16, Jdgs.2:17, 8:27 & 33, Ho.9:1) throughout the Old Covenant period?, or following the Harlot/spiritual prostitute which will be discussed in chaps 17 & 18?, or re. any adulterous worship of false gods/goddesses as faithful followers of Christ?

Offered as first-fruits- see Jms.1:18      hard to understand as 1st-fruits if this all is still future!

 

The Three Angels (14:6-13)

v.6-11- 3 angels with 3 messages: (followed by 3 angels of symbolic actions regarding the land)

1st angel- vs.6-7- proclaim gospel in the hour of impending judgment; see Lk.3:7-18-good news!; Mt. 24:14, Acts 2:38-40 with warning; Acts 14:15, 17:24-31 re. starting point for the sharing Gospel with the Gentiles

2nd angel- v.8- Fallen is Babylon the Great- What is ‘Babylon’? (Rome? Jerusalem? Actual Babylon?) Lots of things point to earthly, apostate Jerusalem as the answer. Seems to be the same as “the great city” of Rev.11:8 (where their Lord was crucified). Other evidence for this will come in following chapters. See also Ps.48:1-6 re. city of the Great King. See “Babylon” in 1 Ptr.5:13, where Peter, Silas, and Mark are living, suggesting a 1st Century symbolic identity, since in 1st century the literal Babylon was only an irrelevant small village.  Rome as ‘Babylon’? (Better to see Rome as the Beast that 1st supports the Jewish leadership but then ultimately destroys Jerusalem and the Temple.)

3rd angel- vs.9-12- re. Christian conflict now with Roman authority’s claims to their allegiance.

v.10-‘cup of his wrath’- see Jer.25:15, 51:7, Job 21:20, Ps.75:8, Is.51:17 - wine was given to a condemned criminal- Mk.15:23       

v.11- smoke rises forever- see parallel in Jude 7, Is.34:9-10 re. Edom

v.13- ‘from now on’-why? Re. OT/NT change? See possible parallels in Heb.9:8, 1 Cor.15:23, 51; 1 Thess.4:13-17. - somehow re. Holy Spirit enabling immediate access to Heaven for dead believers from then on?   ‘for their deeds will follow them’- What could this mean?

 

The Harvest of the Earth (14:14-20)

v.14- ‘one like a son of man’ Jesus, as in 1:13, Dan.7:13-14- now enthroned with golden victory wreath crown and a sickle.

vs.15-16- The Temple (in Heaven, apparently)- reaps the harvest of the earth/land- harvest of wheat symbolizing believers? see parallel in Mt.24:31-34 when you see...this generation, Mt.13:30.

vs.17-20- gather grapes for the winepress of God’s wrath- see Lam.1:15 re. earlier destruction of Jerusalem; the earth/land‘s vine’- re. Israel in Is.5:1-7, Jer.2:20-21, Ps.80:8-19; Ezek.17:1-10

outside the city- which city? Fits re. Jerusalem and destruction of the Promised Land and siege of the city.

Also see Jn.19:20, Heb.13:11-13.      1600 stadia/180 miles = length of the Promised Land north to south.

Josephus notes bloodshed in Jerusalem and unburied decaying bodies, plus Sea of Galilee and Jordan River flowing red with blood from battles.

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Revelation 15

Seven Angels with Seven Plagues

 

Now a 5th Vision begins.

v.1- 7 last plagues, completing God’s wrath (on Jerusalem and that generation of Jews)- see 6:15-17 re. wrath of the Lamb

v.2- ‘sea of glass’-see notes on 4:6, and Ezek.1:22

now ‘mixed with fire’- fire as sign of judgment- see Mt.3:12, Heb.12:29

‘those who had been victorious over the beast…’ - Christians of that time

v.3- they ‘sang the song of Moses’ (Does this refer to Ex.15:1-18 or, more likely, to Dt.31:16-32:44!) ‘and the song of the Lamb’ (see 5:9-14, 14:3)  

v.4- ‘all nations will come and worship before you’- the expansion of God’s Kingdom rule continues as the gospel goes to all the Gentile world

‘for your righteous acts have been revealed’- How revealed? God’s judgment on the rebellious 1st century Jews and destruction of the Temple finally reveals that a new and better way has been made through Christ Jesus. (cf. Lk.17:30, 1Cor.1:7, 1 Ptr.1:7 & 13, Heb.8:13-9:10)

v.5- ‘the tabernacle of the Testimony’- focus on the place where the tablets of the Law of Moses were kept (as in 11:19 reference to the ark of the covenant)- pointing to the end of the Old Covenant?

vs.5-7-  7 angels as royal priests (linen and golden sashes)!

v.7- ‘one of the four living creatures’ see 4:6-8   which one?

v.8- ‘filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power’- as when the Tabernacle was originally dedicated (Ex.40:34-35), and when the later Temple was dedicated (1 Ki.8:10-11). No one could enter the Temple (in Heaven) until the 7 plagues were completed. Also, filled with smoke in Is.6:4-when Isaiah experiences heaven, is overwhelmed by his sense of his sin, is cleansed, and is commissioned.

How to understand this?

Note: After these 7 bowls of wrath happen in chapter 16, there is no longer a mention of the Temple (on earth or in heaven), until 21:22-23 which says there is no longer a Temple.

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Revelation 16

The Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath (16:1-21)      3X7

v.1- earth/land

v.1ff- 7 bowls of God’s wrath parallel, and see synonymous with the 7 trumpets of 8:2-11:15

Trumpet #1- plagues poured on the land> Bowl #1- same

v.2- ugly and painful sores- from disease resulting from unburied bodies, contaminated water supply, etc.

Trumpet #2- re. the sea, which becomes as blood> Bowl #2- same

v.3- the sea- here re. Sea of Galilee;  blood of dead men-clotted, pooled, putrefying; see the Sea of Galilee battle account from Josephus (Wars 3:10:9; + 6:1:1); “living thing”- lit., living soul, re. humans only?

Trumpet #3- re. the rivers and springs of water> Bowl #3- same

v.6- 'shed the blood of saints and prophets' points to Jerusalem, see Mt.23:31-37, Lk.13:33-34, Acts 7:51-52, 2 Chron.36:15-16

Trumpet #4- re. sun, moon, and stars>  Bowl #4- re. sun  (drought?)

Trumpet #5- re. abyss is opened (the seat of the beast); men are tormented>  Bowl #5- poured on the throne of the beast; men are tormented   Which beast? 13:1 or 13:11? Context perhaps suggests the latter beast, thus re. Jerusalem as the throne

Trumpet #6- angels are loosed at Euphrates; cavalry hordes are mustered for battle>  Bowl #6- poured on the Euphrates; kings are gathered for battle

v.13- the false prophet? = 2nd lesser beast? (see 13:13)

v.14- world =Gk., oikumene, re. Roman Empire and its sub-kingdoms, and the various parts of its army

v.15- come like a thief- see Mt.24:43-51

Trumpet #7- catastrophe and judgment, including voices proclaiming the kingdom as established, and terrible natural phenomena>  Bowl #7- poured into the air, “It is done!”; catastrophe/judgment with terrible natural phenomena

v.16- Note that Armageddon is the gathering place, not necessarily the place of battle; Armageddon probably means “Mount of Megiddo”; town of Megiddo is on the east side of this mountain, otherwise known as Mt. Carmel. Josephus records that the various parts of the Roman army were gathered near Caesarea in the 10-mile-wide plane west of this mountain, within sight of the mountain, prior to advancing on Jerusalem and destroying it in 70 AD. Some armies came from the northern and eastern parts of the empire near the Euphrates and would have come through the pass past Mt. Megiddo as they approached that place on the main highway of that time

v.20- every island and mountain- see Is.59:18, 64:1-4; Ezek.26:15-18; Micah 1:1-4; Rev.6:14 re. islands = individuals, mountains = leaders?

 see notes w. chapter 14 re. Babylon’s identity as apostate Jerusalem, and 100-pound hailstones

vs. 18-21 see Rev. 14 notes re. identity of Babylon

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Revelation 17 

The Woman on the Beast

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Who is “the great prostitute” Babylon here?

      Lots of things point to earthly Jerusalem which rejected Jesus and persecuted His followers in the 1st century as the answer. “Babylon” here seems to be the same as “the great city” of Rev.11:8 (where their Lord was crucified) and 16:19 (where the split into 3 parts refers to 3 warring factions in the city during the Jewish civil war/revolt). See also Ps.48:1-6 re. Jerusalem as ‘City of the Great King’.

      There are 3 possibilities in the 1st century for the “Babylon” in I Peter 5:13 and in Revelation:  (1) the literal Babylon (but only an irrelevant small village in the 1st century); (2) symbolically as Rome (but better to see Rome as the Beast that 1st supports the Harlot, but then ultimately fights against and destroys the Harlot, as described in Rev.17:15-16); or (3) symbolically as idolatrous adultery of apostate Jerusalem which has rejected Jesus.

      Some other evidence that suggests this last answer is as follows.

Rev.16:21 re. giant hailstones seems to match Josephus’ comment about Roman siege missiles in 70 AD.

See also 17:1ff, 15- many waters = people, nations, languages, multitudes- re. Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire (see Acts 2:5-11), who were in almost all ways a law unto themselves.

v.2- kings and inhabitants of the earth/land (the Promised Land/Beautiful land of Ezek.20:6,  Daniel 8:9 and 11:41, Ps.2:1-2 (as in Acts 4:26-27). Also in Rev.6:15, 17:18, 18:3,9.

v.3-5  a woman is sitting on the scarlet beast (but separate from it; see vs.15-16)- Jewish religious and civil  leadership was supported by and willingly subservient to the Roman authority (they didn’t want revolt!)

v.5- ‘mother of prostitutes’- apostate idolatrous Jerusalem fits this identity best, using an image used by prophets such as Hosea, Jeremiah, and Isaiah against Judah/Israel and Jerusalem. Cf. Lam.1:1

v.6- ‘drunk with the blood of the saints’- see Lk.13:33-34, 11:49-50.

Jerusalem as Harlot with purple and scarlet, gold- see Jer.4:30, 13:27; Ezek.16 and 23, Is.57:3-12.

v.8- ‘from the creation of the world’ (Gk. kosmos)

vs.7-11  seven heads/hills/kings = Rome’s famous 7 hills, and the Roman Empire is the beast (as in the 4th beast of Daniel 7), as well as the individual kings who personify the Empire

‘7 kings. 5 have fallen’ = Julius, Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius?

6th one is = Nero; one who ‘has not yet come …he must remain for a little while’ = Galba’s 7 month reign. Then skipping over the chaos of the brief claims and contested reigns of Otho and Vitellius in the “Year of the Three Emperors” to ‘an 8th king’-Vespasian, who is accepted as Emperor by everyone, restores order in the Empire, and continues the repression of the Jewish revolt

v.12-14   10 horns = rulers of the 10 Roman provinces who join in the persecution of Christians under Nero and then provide soldiers for the conquering of Jerusalem

‘the Lamb will overcome them’- see Rev.12:11

vs.15-16- the Roman ‘beast’ will hate, destroy and burn the Prostitute/Jerusalem-  see the parallel in Ezek. 16:15-41          They will be accomplishing God’s purposes.

v.18- the great city that rules over the kings of the earth/land- Jerusalem

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Revelation 18

The Fall of Babylon

 

v.2- demonized Jerusalem; predicted by Jesus in Mt.12:38-45; literally true as desolate after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans

v.3- kings and merchants of the earth/land- if taken in the broader sense of earth, see Rom. 2:17-24 regarding the bad witness of the Jews among the Gentiles, and 1 Kings 10:24 and Ezra 1:4-7; if in the more limited sense of ‘the Land’, Jerusalem obviously dominated Judea and the life of Jews throughout the Roman Empire

v. 3- adultery with her- see Ezek.16:14-15, 28-30, 23:12-21 re. Jerusalem

v.4- believers are called to come out of her (which they did while the Jewish rebels were controlling Jerusalem before the Roman siege began); v.4- ‘come out’- see Isa.48:20, Jer.50:8, 51:6-8 and 45-50, and Lk.21:20-23, Mt.24:15-18, Mk.13:14-16

v.5- ‘sins...to heaven’- as with Sodom     

v.5 Here God remembers the Old Testament sins. In contrast, in Jer. 31:34 one of the promises of the New Covenant is that “I will forgive their wickedness and remember their sins no more.” 

v.6- paid back double (regarding being burned twice, by Babylonians in 586 BC and by Romans in 70 AD, or “fully” as in Is.40:2); the blessings of a 1st-born son, and now punishments for leading the people into sin, were a double portion. See also Jer.16:18, 17:18

v.8 and 18-consumed by fire (this fits the destruction of Jerusalem better than Rome)

vs.9-20   3 sets of woes, with parallel language, by kings, merchants, and shipping industry

vs. 11-13- Jerusalem, one of the great cities of the Roman world, was a center of trade and commerce- 118 individual articles imported into Jerusalem have been identified in ancient Jewish writings; many of those were used routinely in the Temple. Josephus speaks of the great treasures (‘the priceless productions of many nations’) from Jerusalem which were displayed in the Roman Triumph parade.

v.21- see Jer.51:63-64 regarding the similar judgment of earlier Babylon; note Jesus’ words in Mk.9:42

vs.20 & 24- God has now avenged the deaths of the saints, apostles and prophets killed on the earth/land, as promised in Rev. 6:10-11, and ultimately from Dt.32:43. See also the Mt.23:31-38 promise by Jesus regarding the Jews of that generation.

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Revelation 19

Hallelujah!

 

The heavenly/spiritual perspective on these events!

vs.1-8  4 Hallelujahs (‘Praise YHWH!”, a word only here in the New Testament); note the parallels with 11:15-19 at the close of the first of the 2 major sections of Revelation. (cf., loud voices from heaven; a declaration of the reign of God commencing; 24 elders fall down and worship; the avenging of the blood of God’s servants is announced; God’s servants who fear Him, both small and great; thunder). In 11:19 this leads to the opening of the Temple in Heaven, revealing the Ark of the Covenant; here leads to the wedding supper of the Lamb.

v.2- God’s judgment on the great prostitute: condemned to death for her adultery, for corrupting others, and for murdering God’s servants

v.3- ‘smoke’ forever- cf. Is.34:9-10 regarding Edom

v.6- sound of ‘a great multitude…rushing waters…loud peals of thunder’

v.7- ‘rejoice and be glad’- Mt.5:12, Ps.97:1

‘wedding of the Lamb has come’- the day of doom for the Great Prostitute is the wedding day of the Lamb, God’s new bride. The church is the Bride made ready (Eph.5:25-27, 2 Cor.11:2-3, 1 Thess.5:23).

Elements of a Jewish wedding in that day: (and related to the Church as the Bride of Christ):

1. choosing a bride -Jn.15:16

2. paying the bride-price -1 Ptr.1:18-19, 1 Cor.7:23, 6:19-20

3. the betrothal contract is made (involving a binding vow and a blessing; considered as husband and wife, though no sexual intimacy at this point; divorce would be needed to break it; considered as adultery if unfaithful) -Ex.16:8, 2 Cor. 11:2

4. drinking the cup of the marriage covenant –the Lord’s Supper

5. gifts are given to the bride        -the Holy Spirit

6. groom goes to prepare their home -Mt.9:15, Jn.14:2

7. bride prepares herself with help of bridesmaids - in Mt.25:1-13 they are the apostles!

8. return of the bridegroom for his bride

9. procession to their new home, consummation of the marriage

10. marriage celebration banquet -Mt.22:1-10, Jesus’ Parable of the Wedding Banquet

For the Church, what was the bride-price? When was the betrothal period? What had to happen before the consummation of the marriage and wedding banquet for God and His new Bride?

 

The Rider on the White Horse

vs.11-18- see parallel in Mt. 24:29-30 words of Jesus re. coming judgment on that generation

v.11- on ‘a white horse’- a conquering Roman general would ride a white horse in the Triumph parade

v.12- ‘many (royal) crowns’- King of Kings

‘a name written on him that no one knows but he himself’? YHWH? Lord? We know by the Holy Spirit?

v.14- ‘armies of heaven’- see Mt.26:53 and Josephus’ account of supernatural signs

vs. 13-14- He is covered in blood, yet they are in white?- He is the One who fights for us? Is.63:1-3

vs.15 re. Jesus fights the spiritual battle by the Gospel and the Truth of God’s Word in the power of the Spirit through His followers? Ps.2:9, Isa.11:1-4, Heb.4:12-13; Eph.6:17  (but in v.20 the sword kills)

vs.17-18- another supper! Fulfilling the Covenant curses of Dt.28:26, 49, Ezek.39:17-20

Israel as a corpse, defiled with no one to bury it and keep animals away- Mt.24:28, Gen.15:11, Dt.28:26

v.19-21- further war against Jesus and His followers after 70 AD?;  2 thrown into the fire- Nero and Gessius Florus? (Florus was the evil Roman procurator whose actions precipitated the Jewish revolt.) Both died violent deaths. (Or re. the later end of the Roman Empire ‘beast’?)