The Book of Revelation -- Part 17 -- The Seventh Trumpet

The seventh trumpet ends in climactic fashion as it starts a vision of worship -- all of heaven worships the LORD. The twenty four elders, all the voices of heaven, etc., join in to praise the Lord.

One interesting thing is the mention of the ark in the temple surrounded by acts of power both great and terrible.

The seven trumpet simple ends this phase of the book and open the door to a very different vision.

Next: The Woman, the Dragon and the Man Child.

The Book of Revelation -- Part 16 -- The Two Witnesses

The more I look at this passage the more I am convinced the symbolism is deliberately designed to conceal the identity of the two witness -- we are not supposed to know who they are. What is supposed to be significant is what they do:
1. The prophesy for a great length of time
2. They are called by God the two olive trees and lamp stands that stand before God on the earth.
3. Every time someone tries to stop them they are destroyed by the fire that comes out of their mouth
4. They engage in major prophetic acts that are designed to bring people to repentance but no one does.
5. It is not until they are finished that the Beast is allowed to kill them in Jerusalem
6. They rise from the dead and the whole world see them do so.

It is only after the last action do the people glorify God.

What can you say about this? Not much there is no recorded historical action that fits this vision and no clear answers as to who they are.

What is clear is that these two witnesses are powerful prophets who defy everything to do God's work.

Next: The Seventh Trumpet

The Book of Revelation -- Part 15 -- The Angel and the Little Book

Revelation chapter ten is all about one thing the mighty angel and his little book.
Two significant things happen in this chapter:
1) Seven thunders utter something that john is told not to write because they are for the end. What then becomes interesting is John knows this stuff but no one else will but God and the angels.
2) John is asked to eat the little book in the hand of them mighty angel which he does -- it tastes as sweet to his mouth but bitter in his belly. He is then told to prophesy.

Now the angel is never named but I am sure some have tried --Michael would make sense but ultimately who knows and his name is not as significant as what he holds. The significance of the little book being eaten I partially understand because I am a preacher. Preaching or teaching is always sweet in them mouth but bitter to the belly. God's Word is always good to speak but harder to make a part of your life.

I think this vision has significance to John most of all but to the seven churches it was one of acknowledging John spiritual right to speak and know God's Word.

Next: The Two Witnesses

The Book of Revelation -- Part 14 -- The Sixth Trumpet

If the fifth trumpet was devastating, the sixth is catastrophic in comparison. It is an army like no other released on the rest of mankind -- it destroys one third of mankind by plain old violence. Probably one thing that is mentioned here is the fact that even though this plague was so devastating, people still do not repent of their idolatry but instead continue in it.
I find this not completely amazing becasue the nature of mankind is rebellion, but even after such devistation -- nothing. No change of heart.

Next: The Angel and the Little Scroll

The Book of Revelation -- Part 14 -- The Fifth Trumpet

What gets interesting here is that after four trumpets in rapid succession and taking up only a few verses; suddenly the book focuses at length on a couple trumpets. An additional title is given to them as well -- the first two woes.

The Fifth Trumpet has more speculation and controversy on it than much of the rest of the book -- What the heck are these things? Deformed demons or something that John could only describe in terms he could understand but is seeing something entirely different? Don't know. Don't know how machines could come from the bottomless pit. I also doubt the original hearers would have looked at this as anything other than a supernatural force or event.

What is clear is a) This is very bad -- worse than the previous trumpets. and b) they do something far worse that kill -- they torment with terrible pain for a specific time period -- five months.

Next: The Sixth Trumpet

The Book of Revelation -- Part 13 -- Trumpets One Through Four

When the seventh seal is opened it, seven angels step forward with seven trumpets. Before a single one of them sounds a vial is given to another angel that contains the prayers of the saints that is poured over the altar of God. It is an addition vial to the prayers already before God and it causes these events to start.
1. Trumpet 1 -- Hail and fire that destroys one third of the world's vegetation.
2. Trumpet 2 -- mountain thrown in the ocean -- third of the world's water -- blood
3. Trumpet 3 -- Wormwood star that makes the fresh waters bitter -- people die.
4. Trumpet 4 -- Strikes third of the lights in the sky darkened.

Now there are two notes to make about this:
Firstly, that it is the prayers of the saints that start the ball rolling here.
Secondly, there is still no time table in this from the book itself.

In the end an angel speaks woe about the trumpets still to sound.

Next: The Fifth Trumpet

The Book of Revelation -- Part 12 -- The Seventh Seal

OK. I am ready for Revelation Again. Revelation 8:1-2
The only thing that can really be said about the Seventh Seal is that it ends the opening of the Scroll and initiates two things -- Silence for a half hour and trumpets are distributed to angels for the next act. It does not really say what these things mean it just says they are done.

Next: Trumpets One Through Four.

Is Hell Justified? -- Part 8 -- Tough Question #2 -- God's Justice and Damnation.

The real issue involving Hell is twofold when it comes to God.

1. How can a God who is just not punish the wicked and do away with evil?

2. How can a God who is love punish people for all eternity for some thing they did in only a short time?

I want to use this post to deal with the first problem.

There are many people who look at this evil world and wonder where the justice is. The cold reality is many time people do thing that are wicked and evil and get away with it. They don't just do small things either. There are the mass murders, rapists and serial killers of the world and for many people the thought is that god will put it all right when it comes to His justice. The simple belief for many Christians is that even if a person escapes justice in this world, they will not escape the justice of God. Hell is part of this belief in justice, in particular that the punishment will fit the crime. I think it becomes morally unsatisfying if a mass murderer, like Hitler, simply gets winked out of existence.

This is one of the problems with the annihilation theory -- it simply stands by itself with no way of God meeting out true justice. It may ultimately be bad for the person who is annihilated but what of the victims and their satisfaction. God is very clear about the 'eye for and eye' thing as a standard of justice -- He wrote it. And what of the martyrs in Revelation who cry out for vengeance for their blood? Simply put annihilation just does not answer the problem of justice -- of the punishment fitting the crime. It seems too light a punishment for evil.

This is where those who believe in torment have a case -- people who are wicked face real pain for what they have done and satisfaction is given for the victims of their sins. The only problem is what about the love of God and the standard of justice being 'eye for eye' is that at what point is it gone past equality and into the realm of torture. But that is the subject of the next post.

Next: God's Love and Damnation.

The Bible and Nakedness -- Part 12 -- The Rest of the New Testament

Now once we leave the Gospels and Acts it only takes till Romans 8:35 to get to a reference on nakedness -- it is a reference that nothing can separate us from the love of God -- not even nakedness. Now I am going to tell you this is one of the most significant verses I have seen on the subject of nakedness but I am going to tell you why in a later post -- just know this that if you are standing in the shower naked, the love of God is still there.

The next reference to nakedness is 2 Corinthians 5:3 which is in the context of taking off this mortal body so that we may put on the eternal one -- so we will not be found naked anymore. Does that mean part of new body will be clothed -- I doubt it -- but with the same of sin gone so will the shame of nakedness be gone. While we wear our white robes in 'heaven' we will doubtless not be ashamed; but also, if we were to take them off we would not be ashamed either -- sin is gone.

You have to get to James 2:15 where it makes reference to a brother or sister being without clothing and that faith would be demonstrated in giving them clothes to cover them.

In Revelation there are actually several stops -- 3:17-18 both mention nakedness -- in verse 17 it is about the reality of the state of the church of Laodicia -- they were naked -- exposed, vulnerable and shameful. Verse 18 tells them the cure -- buy clothing from God.

Revelation 16:15 has a parenthetical blessing to those who keep their clothes so that god will not see their shame -- now in this case I think the clothing is symbolic of righteousness which has been mentioned before in the book of revelation.

Finally in Revelation 17:16 there is a promise by God to the Whore of Babylon -- that He will strip her naked and leave her desolate. Another symbolic use of naked that she will have nothing left.

Well that is all i could find in reference to the Bible but I want to continue this series to by making a few observations and drawing a painful conclusion.

Next: Biblically -- What is Nakedness?

Is Hell Justified? -- Part 5 -- The Nature of Hell

OK. Given all the biblical considerations Boyd presents, I would have to say that his case is good that most of the teaching on final judgment indicates a finality -- death, destruction and perish. The only problem I see is you have to get rid of the 'parable' Jesus teaches in Luke 16:19-31 which I don't actually believe is a parable. That said is there a way to reconcile the two pictures? Does the picture of the Bible leads us to torture or annihilation?

Why not both?

The Luke account is very much a description of what the Jews view of Sheol or the grave that the Jewish people had for centuries, including before Christ. The concept is place of waiting where the justice of God is brought about on a person. The shocking thing to the Jew who heard Jesus' story is that the rich man (supposedly blessed by God) and the Lazarus are flipped. They would have taught and believed it would be the other way around. Contrary to the beliefs of one commenter on this blog the concept of Sheol appears very early in the Bible -- the first writer to use it was in the book of Job which is the oldest written tradition period. This way before the Greeks even existed as a nation.

At the same time, I cannot ignore Boyd and others like him, including many from the early church that say to end something is to end something. They have a point and their reasoning is sound.

Then I see this verse in Revelation 20:14 -- "Then death and Hades were thrown in the lake of fire..."

This indicates two things:

1) These are two separate places: Hades/Sheol is some place separate from the lake of fire.

2) That even Hades (if the lake of fire represents the final destruction, death and perishing Boyd hits on) will to have its end.

So what if Hades/Sheol is the place where the good are blessed and the bad suffer for the lives they lived as represented by Luke 16 but the lake of fire is the final end off all things evil after judgment?

Now I am going to be blunt here -- this satisfies my sense of justice. Is it right for someone like say a Hitler or Attila the Hun to just be disintegrated without suffering something for their crimes? To me it would be fitting for them to suffer every death they ever caused over and over again until the final judgment. Shouldn't the man who burned so many Jews as well as other be burned himself? At the same time, Uncle Larry who was a great guy, never hurt a fly or told a lie, but never accepted Jesus and died in his sins -- what should he suffer?

My working theory is that Sheol is not so much a place of torture but a place of justice being served and inequalities being balanced. Look at Abraham's words to the rich man: "Child, remember that during your life you received your good things; and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here' and you are in agony." I want you to notice the reasoning for why each man is in the place he is in -- one received good in his lifetime but the other bad. Now in Hades/Sheol the situation is reversed by God to make things right. It is not about the book of life or the lamb of God, like the lake of fire in Revelation, but what each person did and received in this life. It is these things that determine what happens in Sheol.

I think I can live with a temporary place of God dispensing justice. The thing I have a hard time with is listening to our loved ones for all eternity cry out in pain for something they did in a short amount of time. It also seems inconsistent with the love of God if someone truly repents -- which they may do in Hades/Sheol -- but God does not honor it. Is Hades also a refiners fire of sorts as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3 as well as a place of an another chance for salvation before judgment? One of my professors, Jerry Walls in his Book Hell the Logic of Damnation explores this possibility and at the time I took his class on the problem of evil, I had to admit he made some good points. He theorized that some people would rather go to Hell -- "Better to rule in hell than serve in heaven" i.e. Paradise Lost by Milton. Is this getting too close to the doctrine of Purgatory? Maybe, but then again, what exactly is Sheol/Hades? Perhaps some would prefer to be annihilated as opposed to serving God?

Maybe Dante had a few things right?

Next: The Purpose of Hell

The Book of Revelation -- Part 11 -- The Great Multitude

Revelation 7:9-17. Now if you are looking at the future of things I suppose you could see it as a future scene in heaven around the throne -- but why can't it be a current scene?

If I was writing to seven churches --- some good, some bad, some ugly I think this picture of the saints around the throne in worship would inspire them all regardless of what time this is. Now I know some make a big deal of the phrase -- "these are they that have come out of great tribulation", but I want to note that, it does not say THE great tribulation -- it says great tribulation which can and has happened at many times and places in the history of the world, not just here in the book of Revelation.

Otherwise the passage speaks for itself. it is who is worshiping around the throne and we could be one of them someday.

Next: The Seventh Seal.

Is Hell Justified? -- Part 2 -- Greg Boyd and Eternal Punishment -- Video 1

The context for this part of the discussion watch Greg Boyd in this video

Luke 16:19-31 provided the backdrop of the discussion. Now I think this story does not actually recount what heaven and hell are like but it is a reinforcement of the Jewish idea of Sheol or the grave. The waiting place for final judgment. It has some marked differences from the idea of eternal fire in Revelation. Here the people are placed in waiting placed and punished or rewarded based on what their life was like on earth. In Revelation, this idea does not appear at all but their the eternal fire has a finality to it based on whoever is in the Lamb's book of life. So Boyd gets off a little wrong in my opinion because I don't believe this story is dealing with the final state after final judgment but a holding place in waiting for final judgment. However he does an excellent job of presenting the problem with traditional thinking on eternal punishment.

Boyd brings up the standard questions in objection to eternal punishment:
1. How can we enjoy heaven when right down the road are people being tortured in flame that I may love and am called to love?
2. How is eternal punishment consistent with the theme that God's anger lasts only for a moment but his love and mercy lasts forever?
3. How is eternal punishment consistent with the teaching God is love?
4. How is eternal punishment consistent with the Bible's teaching regarding God's final victory?

As I watched these points being brought up I can see myself asking the same questions. The issues here are well presented and will serve as the basis for his and our further discussion.

Next: Greg Boyd Video 2

The Book of Revelation -- Part 10 -- Interlude and 144,000 sealed.

The Vision of the Lamb opening the Seals is interrupted because the final seal on the scroll will usher in a great woe and there is a need for a few actions to take place first. Nothing is to be harmed until the chosen of God are sealed.

The next thing that happens is the sealing of 144,000 Jews -- note to you Jehovah's witnesses it says those of the tribes of Israel not of the Jehovah's witnesses. One weird thing -- the half tribe of Manasseh (part of the line of Joseph) is listed but Ephraim is not but replaced with the tribe of Joseph. I wonder if John considered them the same. The other weird thing -- the tribe of Dan is completely missing. The purpose of the sealing of these Jews is protection from the wrath of God to follow.

To the original readers it would have indicated that god has not forgotten his people and that he would protect them.

Next: The Great Multitude

Religious Pefection vs. Passion for God

Revelation 2:1-7
The church at Ephesus had a problem. They didn't know they had a problem but they had one anyway. Jesus himself pointed out that they were truly the masters of the truth. The knew the truth, they practiced the truth and they even discovered those who presented falsehood and showed them false. But one thing cause Christ to tell them that if they didn't repent they would lose their place before him -- they had left their first love.

Ephesus was a church that had it all right -- they were religiously perfect. Their failure was the simple fact that the passion for Christ had over time wained. Jesus exhorted them to return to what they did at first. To have the same passion they did at the beginning.

There is a point we sometimes cross -- it is the point when we are doing things out of religious habit and not out of love for Christ. The change is subtle and slow to come upon us. We often do not notice it coming upon us and then all of a sudden we know there is something wrong.

It is like the married couple that does everything right but somewhere they lose their way. The communicate, they are in agreement on their direction in life, they even spend regular time together. But one night, they are sitting alone together and realize the painful distance that has developed between them. That is what Jesus is talking about -- that feeling of distance brought upon by the pursuit of religious perfection instead passion for God.

May we all learn a lesson from this -- passion for God is primary -- it is the love of God with all our strength, with all our mind, with all our soul, with all of our heart that is more important than all else.

The Book of Revelation -- Part 9 -- Seals Five and Six are Broken

As the Book of Revelation continues two more seals are broken.

The Fifth Seal is actually a promise of vengeance by The Lamb for the martyrs. They cry out for vengeance for their deaths and the Lamb Promises it to them. To be honest this idea of God is love is put to the test here as the lamb seems to be offering no quarter to those who killed his saints but instead tells the martyrs to wait until there are more of them. More killed for Christ and joining them at the throne. I suppose any one of the seven churches undergoing persecution would have been comforted by this thought. In fact it is probably for their benefit it is written.

The Sixth Seal is summed up in one word. Fear. What the seal does is cause darkness, earthquake and signs in the heavens. It reminds us of the great power God has to inform us of his judgments and that his wrath is always their for the disobedient. The churches with problems would have taken note that this Lamb thus speaking to others could speak the same way to them.

Both seals demonstrate the justice of God that is coming. Those wronged will be avenged and those that are in the wrong should fear the Just One and his wrath. Lessons that the world should learn again and again even today.

Next -- Interlude and 144,000 Sealed

The Book of Revelation -- Part 8 -- The Seals are Opened -- The Four Horsemen

Now I want to make a few observations about traditional evangelical interpretations here: 1) there is nothing in the beginning of chapter 6 that says -- 'The Great Tribulation Starts Here" All that really happens is that the Worthy Lamb before God's eternal throne begins to break seals on the scroll. Many say a new vision starts here because of the words and 'then I saw' but the fact remains that this is still part of the vision of the Lamb breaking seals. It does lead to John seeing something outside of God's throne. The Four Horsemen.

The Four Horsemen of Revelation have long fascinated people and conjured up all kinds of art and literature. They even have been the nicknames of certain sports and military groups over the centuries including a stable of wrasslers from the old WCW. The text however does not indicate a timetable -- that is each one of these is released every half year at the beginning of The Great Tribulation. In fact, it does not really say this is a future event. Christ, the Worthy Lamb is the one doing the releasing by breaking each seal. This shows his authority over the horsemen. he controls both their release and their actions. But what are they?

Each Horseman represents a force or power that does certain things.
1. The Rider on the White Horse is a conqueror. If he is the Anti-Christ, John does not say so and I find that strange seeing John has spoken of the Anti Christ before in his epistles. The power released is the desire to conquer the add on to conquests.
2. The Rider on the Red Horse is one that takes peace and brings war. He represents the forces of War the forces that cause people to desire to kill one another.
3. The Rider on the Black Horse is one that brings hunger and famine. He represents the forces that bring famine -- injustice, greed and the forces of nature beyond control.
4. The Rider of the Ashen Horse is actually given a name -- Death. Hades -- the grave -- follows in his wake. His power is killing people -- by murder, hunger, war, disease, and beasts of the field. His dominion is set as a forth of the earth. I would like to note that is is incorrect to say that he kills a fourth of the earth's population -- what is said is that his is given authority over a fourth of the earth to act.

I would like to make a few observations at this point:
1) All of these forces are alive and well on planet earth --RIGHT NOW!!!
2) The picture of Christ opening the seals and releasing them indicates His taking authority is over them.

My thoughts are these things is that they have already taken place and these forces are released right now and under the authority of the Lamb. They are already at work in our world and moving. They are however, under the authority of Christ. As we look at the other seals I think this theme plays out as well.

To those of the seven churches suffering under some of these forces it would be good to understand they are in Christ's control and to those at ease it would put fear into them to take action.

Next: The Seals are Broken -- Seals Five Through Seven

The Book of Revelation -- Part 7 -- The Worthy Lamb

Revelation chapter 5 is a continuation of the vision that starts in chapter 4 but the focus then turns to Christ -- the Worthy Lamb.

The vision starts with a scroll with seven seals. As each seal is broken it would reveal more of the contents of the scroll. If we were reading this for the first time we would not know what the contents would reveal. The scroll is in God's hand and he is looking for someone worthy to open it. Nobody is found to do this and John weeps about it.

This brings up an interesting question of when this happens. I don't think it is a future event based on John's involvement -- this vision seems to be an actual event in heaven with John witnessing it and having real responses to it at that moment. The vision also has no future tense to the events. It is not necessary for this to be the case because the issue is the worthiness off the Lamb.

What ultimately happens is the lion of the Tribe of Judah is declared the worthy one -- the Lamb and He takes the scroll then the whole of heaven worships Him.

As turn to the original readers all of them would be struck by one thing -- the Christ that everyone of them was supposed to be worshiping was the only one worthy of worship. The other thing is that those that worship him have been exalted. No matter which of the seven churches they were in they would have been in awe of who their Lord was and who they the should have been giving their full devotion to in the first place. The vision makes it exclusive to one being in all the universe who is worthy and deserving of their full devotion and worship.

Next: The Seals are Opened -- The Four Horsemen

The Book of Revelation -- Part 6 -- The Throne of God

Boy oh , boy. Have you ever looked up charts concerning the book of Revelation? There are quite a few including ones I have seen all my life where the various dispensational views of the future are superimposed over the actual contents but I did find one that was just the contents which is seen below. What makes this one different is there is no interpretive model put on it at all it is quite simply the book diagrammed out. I love it.


Now on to chapter 4. There is line in the first verse that sets all this futuristic looking up: "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things" Now I have no doubt that the book of Revelation, based on this line has something to do with the future. The problem is does anyone notice how vague and nebulous this line is about the future. It only says: 'what must take place after these things.' No time frame is given. Other versions say 'what must shortly come to pass." Shortly is never defined.


Here is an approach based on the fact that the book itself never defines a time or times at all; it just puts things into visions as an order based on those visions:


1. Given that over 1900 years have passed since its writing it is quite possible that the 'shortly' may have taken place in some of the visions and they have already taken place.


2. It is also conceivable that some of the visions have not taken place because they are conditional on other events taking place. There is an order to the book but ... there is no mention in the book itself that that order is to be shoved into a seven year time period called the Great Tribulation (by the way this is another phrase, like 'seven years' that is not in the book).


3. It is also conceivable that many of the visions are constant, that is they are being fulfilled all the time -- past, present and future.


4. Looking at the chart above the visions may be more of a guide to interpretation along with what the seven churches would have understood about the book than anything else.


Chapter 4 is the first half of a vision concerning the throne of God and the scroll with seven seals. To be honest it is a very now vision and John speaks of himself as if he is participating in the now. I believe this vision of which chapter 4 is the first half falls under the constant fulfillment -- it is fulfilled at all times. It is a vision of the eternal and ever constant throne of God that has not changed ever.


1. God is always there sitting on his throne

2. The four angelic beasts are always there saying 'holy ,holy, holy'

3. The four and twenty elder are there even now and worship and serve God at all times as well


Bring back our seven churches into the mix, why would this vision of god's throne be significant to them?
To all the seven churches it would have reminded of the eternal sovereign God who is on his throne. The mighty Roman Empire they lived in suddenly becomes a pale shadow of nothing in comparison to this vision of glory and power and holiness.

1. Ephesus sees who should be their first love
2. Smyrna sees the source of all strength in tribulation
3. Pergamum sees a higher throne than Satan's where Christ has said they live and a motivation to throw off all that is unholy for the sake of the holiness of God
4. Thyatira sees the source of the authority they should be serving not the authority of Jezebel that they should remove from themselves
5. Sardis sees why they should rise from the dead to serve the living God
6. Philadelphia sees the one who has opened the door for them that no one can shut.
7. Laodicea see who it is they should be coming to for gold, eye salve and clothing instead of trusting in their own strength and abilities.


In short all of them should see the god who is High and lifted up and to whom they owe their absolute allegiance. That is a message not only for the future but for the now that even we need to hear.

Next: The Worthy Lamb

The Book of Revelation -- Part 5 -- The Need of the Seven Churches for This Book

I think most people who have read the book of Revelation are familiar with the seven churches. The question I have is their role in interpretation of the book of Revelation. I think there is a very real possibility that the visions contained in this book are things they understood much better than us. In a very real way, the book of Revelation is a letter to them.

If this is the case than the needs, desires and situations of these seven churches should influence interpretation of the book as a whole after chapter three is over How would they have interpreted it? What significance did it have for them? Modern interpreters often forget who this book is addressed to and the role they could have in interpretation.

Each of the churches has something they need: Whether they are praised or rebuked by Christ; in some cases both, they all had some need that was met by the book in later pages. Jesus isn't just addressing them here and then forgetting them as he starts chapter 4. He is giving them the information and knowledge they need about Him so they can overcome the problems He has pointed out to them.

1. Ephesus has a need to find a way to rediscover their first love, is there something that follows in the book that tells them how to or motivates the to do this?
2. Smyrna needs encouragement in the face of persecution and a lack of resources, does one of the passages do this?
3. Pergamum needs both encouragement to hold fast and motivation to turn from their idolatry in repentance, do the visions that follow help them with both objectives?
4. Thyatira needs to hold fast to what they do well and cast the Jezebel woman from their midst, is there a passage that tells them how or gives them motivation to do so?
5. Sardis needs revival and to take the remnant left and multiply it, is there a way to do this shown in the book of Revelation?
6. Philadelphia needs to hold fast to what they have and go through the door no man can shut, does the book tell them how and encourage them?
7. Laodecia needs to be a church that stops being useless to God because it relies on worldly wealth and knowledge instead of what can be obtained from God, is there motivation and instruction how to do so in the book of Revelation?

The one thing I want to remember as I look at the rest of the book is not to forget who it was written to originally. It may be that all the seven symbolism in the rest of the book directly ties back to the seven churches. I cannot overlook the possibility.

Next: The Throne of God

The Book of Revelation -- Part 4 -- The Powerful Vision of Christ.

Oddly enough I think the vision of Christ that is found in chapter 1 verses 9-20 have interpretive significance but not in the fact they closely resemble the ones in Daniel. To take this book by itself the vision stands as a very interesting revelation of Christ. John is in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and he hears a powerful voice when he turns around he sees Christ:

1. Christ is powerful in word
2. Christ's appearance in radiant, powerful and central.
3. Christ is commanding and sovereign
4. Christ is light with no darkness at all
5. Christ is in the middle of the churches in question

When Jesus speaks of himself he adds:
1. He is the first and the last
2. He is the beginning and the end.
3. He is the living one
4. He was dead
5. He is alive forevermore
6. He holds the keys of hades

What really though should stick in our mind is the fact that Jesus interprets two symbols for us in this vision: the stars are the messengers and the lamp stands are the churches. What I am pointing out to us here is when the book gives us the meaning of a symbol then we do not have to speculate or guess we need to just accept it.

I am usually not given to overly emotional interpretations but this vision of Christ is so powerful I quake in my own boots and I was not there. Throughout the book of Revelation this is ultimately the vision of Christ we get -- the worthy powerful one who bring all things right. Christ who controls eternal life and death. This is the vision we need to keep as we look at all the others. Its power dominates all else. We should quake as we turn the pages that follow.

Next: The Need of the Seven Churches for this Book