This interpretation assumes that the book describes in picture language the major events of history from the time of John to the end of the world. It also assumes that the whole book is arranged in chronological order from beginning to end. All one would have to do then is to figure out what event in past history corresponds with each picture in the book, then he will know about when the final judgment (Chapter 20:11–15) will take place. [1. It is possible to find in almost every century since Christ a prediction that the end of the world would come in that century. All of those predictions have been false. The whole concept is based on false assumptions about Daniel and Revelation.] These are assumptions which are not stated in the book itself. And the idea of using the book to estimate the date of the Second Advent of Christ and the end of the world contradicts the teaching of Jesus that no one knows when the end will be. Jesus said plainly that the end would come when it is not expected, so we must be careful to watch and be ready at all times. “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Mat. 24:36). “Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming” (24:42). “Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (24:44, and 50). “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (25:13). These statements in Matthew make it clear that Jesus will come when he is not expected. We cannot hope to use the Book of Revelation or Daniel to figure out the time of his coming. Some have thought they could figure it out from the Book of Daniel alone. But Jesus knew that book thoroughly, and said he did not know. Who are we to think we can figure it out? That is not the purpose of either Daniel or Revelation.
In each century, new events had occurred since the last prediction, and these new events had to be accounted for in some way. So each reader decided that previous readers had been wrong in their application of events to visions. The later reader then stretched the interpretation of the book over all time up to his own period, and interpreted the visions accordingly.
Popular interpreters of the book use this historicism, and make exciting predictions on the basis of it. The interpreters have studied history enough to become convinced that they had found events which fulfilled their understanding of what the Book of Revelation predicted, and used those events to point to the fulfillment of other passages in the book. [2. For a fuller critique of this and other methods of interpretation, see my article: “Babylon and the New Jerusalem: Interpreting the Book of Revelation” in Listening to the Word of God. Edited by Barry L. Callen (Anderson: Warner Press, Inc. 1990).]
This method of interpretation has made the Book of Revelation appear to be a maze or puzzle which could not be understood by ordinary readers. Only an expert could know enough about both history and symbolism to make sense of the book. The ordinary Christian has been left with two alternatives: Either learn a smattering of history and memorize the application of one expert’s interpretation of visions; or leave the book alone. Thus, the Book of Revelation has been made into a maze or puzzle that is better left to the experts.
This is not what the author of the book intended. He states in the third verse of the first chapter that everyone is blessed who reads the book or hears it read. [3. In the early church it was customary for one person to read aloud to the congregation, just as had been done in the Jewish synagogues. John promised a blessing to the one who reads and the others who listen to the reading of this book.] He did not say that one had to be an expert in history or interpretation to receive a blessing from the book. He did not say that one should puzzle out the meaning of the pictures in the book, as though they were a maze the reader should try to solve.
The author did not state that one who reads the book would know what is going to happen in the future. He did not say that the reader would know when Christ would return. He said the reader will receive a blessing from God. The author wrote the book in order to bless all Christians who read it. What has gone wrong? Why do so many feel that the book is meaningless and worthless, except for those unusually gifted persons who believe they understand it? I want to show, in this brief discussion, how you can receive the promised blessing by reading this book. I will not ask you to explore history, except for the history told in the Bible. This history of God’s dealing with some people is told in the Old Testament. God called the descendants of Abraham to be a separate, holy people through whom he could bring Christ Jesus into the world to save all people from sin. You do not have to know much to receive a blessing from this book. The main thing you need to know is the gospel of Jesus Christ, our Savior from sin.
The message of the Book of Revelation is the same as the message of the rest of the New Testament. John presents the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our Lord is able to save and to keep those who trust in Him. The purpose of Revelation is to emphasize the statement of Jesus in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” Revelation gives form and emphasis to what Paul said about the gospel: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth” (Rom. 1:16).
The heart of the gospel is the power of God in Christ Jesus to save from sin each person who is eager to forsake sin and trust in God. He is able not only to save from sin, but also to keep one safe from sin, in spite of all enemies of holiness (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:31–38)
The Book of Revelation shows in graphic pictures the awful power of sin and the devil, and the greater power of God who has overcome the devil. The Book presents Satan as a defeated enemy, who knows that his time to work is short (Rev. 12:12). He is “allowed” a limited power and time to do as he pleases. He can only do what God allows him to do.
We will now take a brief look at the whole Book of Revelation to point out the meaning of some of the high spots in it. This will not give a detailed interpretation of the book, but will seek to show in general how the book deals with the reality of the gospel in a series of picture-visions. Some of these pictures seem grotesque and horrifying to us. The first readers were more familiar with pictures of this type, because the literary form of the book is that of apocalyptic. This literary form had been common in Jewish writing for several centuries. Other examples of this type of writing can be seen in the visions of Ezekiel and Daniel. There are some basic differences between these biblical books and Jewish apocalypses, [4. One difference is that John identifies himself by name; while apocalypses were pseudonymous. Moffatt lists many other differences (Expositors Greek New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Pub. Co. IV, 296).] but the types of pictures and symbols are the same. They seem strange to us, yet were more easily appreciated and understood by readers of the first century. They will seem a little less strange to us if we compare them with our modern political cartoons. We see nothing peculiar in these cartoons of elephants and donkeys. Nor do we need to be told what they mean. The first three verses are a title, with indication of the author and purpose. As we have seen, the third verse also pronounces a blessing on each person who reads the book aloud to others, and on those who hear it read.
Verses four to seven introduce the whole book as a letter to the churches. It is specifically addressed to seven of the churches of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), where Paul had first taken the gospel. Nevertheless, it is truly a message for the church of all ages. It is especially helpful for Christians who are being persecuted, or who are in trouble of some kind. However, it can be a great encouragement to any Christian anywhere.
Verse 8 is one of the two places in Revelation in which God is the speaker (see also 21:5). Here he calls himself “The Alpha and the Omega.” As Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last, God declares that he is the beginning of all things and the end. All is in his hands. God is the One “Who is, Who was, and Who will be” as in 1:4. He says he is the “Lord God Almighty.” [5. This phrase is used of God 101 times in the Greek Old Testament and nine times in Revelation (1:8; 4:8; 11:17; 15:3; 16:7, 14; 19:6, 15; 21:22). It is used only once in the rest of the New Testament (2 Cor. 6:18).
This is one of the ways John emphasizes God’s power.]
As we look at the whole Book of Revelation, we shall divide it into five parts of unequal length based on the four major visions of Christ. We will divide the second long vision into two parts. The first vision is in the first chapter, after a stimulating introduction to the book. Verses 9 to 11 give the setting of the vision. John was on the Island of Patmos, where he had been sent as punishment for preaching the gospel of Christ.
The persecution of Christians grew out of the fact that Christianity is exclusive. Christians cannot worship idols of any kind, so the Romans called the Christians atheists. The Romans did not care what god you worshiped, so long as you also worshiped their gods and put nothing above the Roman government. This persecution was not at this time universal in the Empire, but was serious at this time in at least part of what was called “Asia Minor.” Those who were being persecuted needed encouragement such as John gives. In every century, the book has spoken most clearly to those Christians who were suffering opposition or persecution.
Vision 1 (1:10–3:22)
The first vision is of the risen Christ, He appears in 1:10–18 as our great High Priest (as Christ is called in Hebrews 3–4), standing in the midst of the church. We are told in the last two verses of the chapter that the lampstands among which Christ stands represent the churches, or congregations to whom the letter is addressed. This is clearly the risen, glorified Christ, with all the power and glory of the Trinity. His white hair symbolizes wisdom, and his clear vision is seen in his “eyes as a flame of fire.” Comparing his feet to purified brass shows his strength. The sword from his mouth indicates the power of the word of God (cf. Heb. 4:12). His face shone as bright as the noonday sun, just as Paul saw on his way to Damascus. The fact that this is the risen Lord is also seen in the way he describes himself to John: “I am the first and the last, and the living one; I died, and behold I am alive for evermore” (1:17b–18a). He has conquered death and now holds the “keys of hell and of death.” What a blessing this was to John and is to us. We may worry about the future of the church when we see its problems and temptations. The church has for 2,000 years been constantly growing and facing new challenges. Some of the changes we have seen come to the church are good, and some are not. People make mistakes of judgment. Some even sin and fall away. Some try to lead us in ways that may lead to serious trouble. A local congregation may not know how to make the most of its opportunities. In many countries today the church is fighting for its very life. Some governments turn against the church, and make it most difficult for the church to exist, much less do its work effectively.
No matter what problems the church may face, our Lord is able to take care of it as long as the world stands. What a blessing it is for us to know that Christ has not left the church to its own devices. John saw Christ standing among the lampstands, and is told (vs. 20) that they represent the individual congregations. Christ is standing in the midst of the church, and knows what to do to protect it. With our Savior in our midst to keep us safe, we have no need to fear anything or anyone. As Christ has conquered sin and death, so we can conquer in his name.
John now writes a note to each of the seven churches, as Christ had commanded. Each of the notes is built on the same literary pattern, but each is suited to the condition and nature of a particular church. In each note, Jesus begins with a title ascribed to him in the first vision, and then says, “I know …” He praises each congregation (except one) for something. He has criticism and warning for all except two of them. In each one, he gives a promise of a blessing for each person who overcomes. These seven churches are illustrative of the church in every age. The messages to these churches speak to the church everywhere and all the time. There are some specific lessons we can learn from a study of these messages.
First, we can see that God knows each congregation in detail. He knows what is right with the people and what is wrong with them. He can give us the direction we need. He can tell us what we need to do to please him more. If we are in trouble, he says, “I know your suffering.” If we are not what we ought to be, he says, “I know what you claim to be, but …” It is good to know that God knows us and our nature.
Second, we can see that God cares about us. He cares about our spiritual situation. He cares about our suffering. He cares about our needs. He knows and cares about each of us individually, and neglects no one.
Third, Christians are individually responsible for our relationship with God. God will reward each Christian as that person deserves. He treats us as individuals, not as members of a winning or losing church. We are responsible for trying to help the church be what it should, but we are not responsible for the church as a whole.
Congregations, under the guidance of their pastor, should seek to grow more Christlike. A church needs to be aware of what it is and what it should seek to be. Thus a wise and caring pastor is invaluable and should be followed. An individual can be faithful regardless of the rest of the church. Even in the church in which God could find nothing to approve, he gave a promise to the person in it who overcomes. Each of us can be an overcomer and win a reward, no matter what the congregation is like.
Vision 2, Christ and Christians Rev. 4:1–11:19
After the vision of Christ in the midst of the churches, John is called to come up higher for a broader view. As though in answer to his unspoken question, “Who is in charge here in this world”, he is shown the throne in heaven. The One who is sitting on the throne is not named. Yet it is clear that God is the one on the throne. The throne is described in words similar to those used by Ezekiel (Ezek. 1:22–28). [6. The thrones of God, Christ and the saints are in heaven, and are mentioned more than forty times in the book. This is one of the ways John emphasizes the power of God and victory of the saints.] Both are seeking to present the glory and power of the Lord to our minds.
This vision of the throne of God in heaven is basic to the purpose of the book. We need to understand that God is on the throne of the universe. It often seems to us that evil is everywhere. We may come to feel that God is not with us at all, as we see the wickedness and suffering of the world. We need the prophetic vision that God is in charge. [7. The Book of Revelation can help us see God’s protecting power all around us, just as Elisha’s servant was able to see it as Elisha prayed for him (2 Kings 6:15–17).] He is permitting evil in the world he made, but only for a time. Eventually, God will determine the end of all things, and will do what is right.
God on the throne is central to this vision. All creation centers in him. Two songs are sung to God on the throne. The first is: “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty.” This is the same song Isaiah heard sung to God on the throne. The second song praises God as Creator (vs. 11). Both songs express the power of God. The phrase “Lord God Almighty” occurs ten times in Revelation, and only once elsewhere in the New Testament. [8. It is found more than 100 times in the Septuagint of the Old Testament.] This stress on the power of God is characteristic of Revelation and is central to the message of the book. The chief point of the book is that God’s power will prevail in the end over all the powers of evil. This emphasis is plain in the vision of God in heaven, with all the universe worshipping him.
John knew that the persecuted church was wondering who is really in charge of the world. We wonder, too, when it looks as though God has forgotten us, or has lost control of the political power. Does God have a plan for final conquest?
With this question in mind, John now sees that God holds a scroll in his right hand. Surely, this scroll contains the plan of God. What is that plan? The scroll is sealed, and John heard a mighty angel asking if anyone in heaven or earth was worthy to open the seals and reveal God’s plan. When no one came forth, John wept. It was important for him and for the whole church to know that God had a winning plan.
John was told that “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David” can open the seals of the scroll. Both of these are Old Testament expressions pointing to the Messiah (Gen. 49:9; Isa. 11:1, 10). But when he looked, he saw a lamb. It had been killed, but it was standing. Jesus was not the military leader who had been expected. He conquered by dying and rising again. In response, the same worship given to God on the throne is offered to the Lamb, Jesus Christ (5:9–10, just as in 4:11).
In Chapter 6, six of the seven seals are opened. The first four reveal the situation in which the church lives in the world: Conquest, war, famine and death. Christians who had died for their faith in Christ now call for God to do something about all this evil and suffering. We join with them in this call for justice (as the prophet cried out in Habakkuk 1:2–4). They each received a white robe (6:11, as promised in 3:5) and were told to wait patiently for the right time. The sixth seal brings us up to the events leading to the end, but the end is not yet revealed.
Chapter seven shows two related scenes. First is the sealing of the Christians so that they will be able to stand against all enemies (7:1–8). Second is the resulting victory of the innumerable saints as they sing praises to God and to the Lamb for eternal salvation. Their white robes represent the holiness of those who have overcome in the blood of the Lamb.
After this interlude, John sees in a vision seven angels with seven trumpets. As each angel blows his trumpet punishment comes to the enemies of the church, so that some of them are destroyed. [9. Note the similarity of these punishments with some of the plagues on Egypt in the time of Moses] Yet, as in Jeremiah 5:3, those who were not destroyed did not repent of their evil ways, but continued in their opposition to God (9:20–21). God does not kill all evil people, as he is eager for all to come to repentance (Rom. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). After this, as in the case of the seals, after the sixth trumpet, there is an interlude before the final trumpet brings the end (10:1–11:14).
In the second part of this interlude (11:1–14), John sees enemies trampling over the “holy city” for a short time. The city is the people of God, and the short time is identified in three different ways: forty-two months, three years and a half, and twelve hundred and sixty days. All three mean the same length of time. The time is short when compared with eternal victory. The fluidity of symbols is shown in many places. Here it can be recognized in the two lampstands, two olive trees, or two witnesses (Chap 11). One witness is like Elijah, and the other is like Moses. Their murder signifies the rebellion of the people against the will of God, which was revealed by Moses and the prophets.
The two witnesses who are slain lie in the streets of “the great city which is allegorically called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified” (11:8). This is one of the two special cities that are found in Revelation. This city is ironically called “great” as Nebuchadnezzar had called Babylon, which he boasted of building (Dan. 4:30). It is human achievement and human pride. It is rebellion against God’s will. It signifies sin and all its works. It is called “Sodom” because of that city’s sinfulness. It is called “Egypt” as that is where the people of God were enslaved so long. It is called “Babylon” as that city also enslaved the people of God (16:19; 18:2, 10, 21). It is sometimes described in terms which apply to Rome (17:10). [10. “Babylon speaks about modern America as much as about ancient Rome.” Cf. Robert W. Wall, Revelation (New International Biblical Commentary. Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. 1991), p.14.] This city is from below; Jerusalem, as we shall see, is always the city “coming down out of heaven, from God” (3:12; 21:2, 10). The chief characteristic of Jerusalem is that it comes from above. Its source is God. In this it is to be distinguished from the city built by human ingenuity.
Finally, the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and the eternal victory of God over sin is announced. There is no record of battle, and no account is given of the way the victory is won. John simply heard the announcement of victory, and the worship of the elders, praising God for victory (11:15–18). The lightning, thunder and earthquake, reminiscent of Sinai, announced the presence of the Lord God Almighty.
Vision 2 Continued 12:1–16:21
This is still part of the second vision, but this is such a long vision that it makes sense to divide it here at the midpoint of the book. Here at the center of the book, the vision takes us back to the beginning of Christianity, and, some think, to the beginning of creation. The woman who appears has been called Mary, Israel, or the church. There has been much discussion of her identity. It is simplest to say that she is the people of God. The child she bore is Jesus Christ. After he was caught up into heaven, the people of God experienced persecution and trouble. John sees that this trouble and suffering is only for a short time, as is shown again by his reference to 1260 days (three and one-half years).
John also shows the reason for this suffering on earth (12:8–17). He shows that it comes from the opposition of the devil, or Satan. He was not allowed to oppose God in heaven, but was confined to earth, where he opposes God’s people. We do not have to think of a literal war being fought around the holy throne of God in heaven. What John is saying is that Satan has been cast down from his high authority, and knows that he is defeated. He is allowed to work here on earth, but knows that his time is limited in even this (12:12). We do not find anywhere in the Bible a clear revelation of the origin of Satan, and it is best not to speculate about the details. Since God created all things, we know that he created Satan. But since God does not create sin, we know that Satan must have been originally good. This much we can know, but anything more is speculation. What John tells us about Satan agrees with the little that Jesus said (Mark 3:22; Luke 10:17–21; 11:20–22; John 12:31). Paul’s statement in Colossians 2:15 is another such reference to the fall of Satan, defeated by divine power.
Verses 10–11 show that the real point of this brief account is that Christians can rejoice in the victory of Christ over Satan. Christians can have the victory over sin and evil through Jesus Christ, who has authority over Satan. This passage is not only in the center of the Book of Revelation, but it is also central to the message of the book. We can see this again in Chapter 20, but for now we can determine three points John makes here. These are the message of the book.
a. Our struggle against evil is part of a spiritual war against forces of evil, just as Paul made clear in Ephesians 6:12.
b. This war is not eternal, and there is no doubt about the outcome. God has all power and all authority, and will fight with us against evil. Christ won eternal victory at the cross and offers salvation to all (Rom. 3:21–26; 8:33; Eph. 3:10; 4:8).
c. Satan is a defeated enemy, and knows that he is defeated and has only a limited time to do anything (Rev. 12:12). Knowing this, he works more furiously. In agreement with this message, 1 John 3:8 states, “He who commits sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.”
A Beast From Below
Chapter 13 describes how Satan, after being cast down, works through whatever forces he can control. As Satan is described as a great dragon these forces are described as two fearsome beasts coming up from below. One comes up from the sea, and the other rises out of the earth. In contrast with the city of Jerusalem, which comes down from above, these come up from below. They are man-made organizations, while God creates the church. The dragon and the two beasts make up a satanic imitation of the divine Trinity.
The devil and those through whom he works do not appear as attractive and seductive persons. John is allowed to see them in their true nature, with all the horrible distortion of sin and evil. They wear crowns, and claim to rule the whole world, as the devil told Jesus (Mat. 4:8–9). But Jesus said that Satan is a liar (John 8:44). So John sees him as totally unattractive, as are his assistants—the two beasts of Chapter 13. The devil and his first beast have multiple heads, as evil always divides and confuses. They are frightening to us, but easily conquered by the Lamb.
The first beast is described as a combination of the four beasts in Daniel 7:3–7, which Daniel explained were four kingdoms. This can lead us to conclude that John is not speaking of a particular kingdom or rule, but of satanically inspired human rule of all kinds and of all ages. The wounded head of the beast, which had been healed, makes the beast a parody of Christ, who had been put to death and rose again. The beast speaks blasphemy against God and the saints who are in heaven. He “is allowed” to make war on the saints and to conquer them if he can. The beast has no power in himself, but “authority was given it.” The beasts, like Satan, can only do what they are permitted to do. We may wonder why God allows such power to evil, but we know for sure that God has greater power, and will bring the power of evil to an end at the right time.
A Second Beast
The second beast is described in 13:11–18. He looks like a lamb and speaks like a dragon. He is a false prophet (16:13; 19:20; 20:16). He looks like a Christian, but preaches a false gospel, inspired by the devil. He may sound good, but what he preaches is humanism. He even performs miraculous signs, like making fire come down from heaven. These things Jesus refused to do (Mat. 16:1; Mark 8:11), but limited the use of his power to doing things that would help people and reveal God’s love and providence. By means of these signs, the beast deceives many to worship one other than God. Besides the enemies of the church who are outside the fellowship, there are always some false prophets who deceive from within the group
We have seen already that God has sealed Christians with his name, by the Holy Spirit (Rev. 7:3; 9:4; 14:1; 22:4; Eph. 1:13; 4:30; 2 Tim. 2:19). This is for their protection and is a sign of God’s ownership (cf. Ezek. 9:4). In imitation of this sealing, the false prophet marks each person he deceives in his forehead and on his hand, so that the person thinks and acts like the first beast. There has been too much written about the meaning of the “mark of the beast” and a long list of interpretations have been given. It is simply an imitation of the mark God gives his own people.
At present, many scholars have insisted that the number 666 refers to the Emperor Nero. [11. Philip Edgcumbe Hughes, in The Book of Revelation. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1990, states that Brady lists more than one hundred interpretations of this number. No one knows for sure what John had in mind, and since he did not say, we can safely assume that it is not important to know. It is more important for us to recognize that the devil has an imitation of the mark of God.] We do not have to decide, for we are told that this is a human number. The false prophet preaches a human gospel, rather than the truth of God. Whoever John and his first readers may have had in mind was a model for every false prophet who arises in every age. We have false prophets today who are preaching the false gospel of humanism. They are now specializing in preaching “health and wealth gospel.” [12. Preachers who use Television regularly have to receive huge offerings to pay for their appearances, so there is a great temptation to preach what will please more people. Some yield to temptation, and become false prophets.] I heard one say that he will never be poor, and will never have cancer or any other dread disease. He declared that it is God’s will for every Christian to have plenty, and to be in good health. He said that every Christian ought to “die healthy!” Presumably we will all have to die in wrecks or some other accidents. This is a false message, no matter who preaches it.
The call for wisdom (13:18) warns us to think seriously about what we are hearing preached as gospel. The only way we can be sure of the truth is to think rationally and clearly about what is said, and what the Bible says. God can lead us into all truth, but only if we thoughtfully follow. We must make sure that we are following God and his will, not human inventions.
As we near the end of the twentieth century we are exposed to a variety of humanistic teachings. There is a strong feeling abroad that man can solve all his problems scientifically, and that we do not need God any more. This is the very essence of idolatry. The doctrine of “separation of church and state” is not part of the constitution of the United States, but has become part of our political thinking. It has been used to take the Bible and prayer out of our schools and many public gatherings. [13. For more on this aspect of modern America, see Barry L. Callen, Seeking the Light. Nappanee, IN: Evangel Publishing House, 1998, pp. 300 ff.] The same schools which are permitted to teach all kinds of paganisms are not allowed to teach about Christ or about the place of Christianity in our history. I was once ordered by a national government official to stop teaching the Bible in a certain building because it had been built with the help of a federal grant. We could teach science in that building, or even any of the world religions—except Christianity. Such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union are systematically robbing Christians of our rights in the United States. They are determined to substitute atheistic humanism for Christianity. This is the work of the second beast. The point of the vision is that we must be wary of false teaching, and use all our wisdom to find truth.
The Lamb of God
At the end of chapter 13 it appears that Satan and his assistants have won the world away from the worship of God. Then John looked and saw the Lamb of God on Mount Zion, with 144,000 who “had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (14:1). These are the same persons as those who were sealed by God in chapter seven. They were singing a new song which no one could learn except those who had been redeemed by Jesus Christ.
The number of the followers of the Lamb is not specific. It is a multiple of 12 times twelve times ten times ten. Twelve is the number of the Old Testament tribes and the number of Jesus’ disciples, indicating that God saves all Jews and Gentiles who trust in him. It is a number of completion. It is not the complete number of those eternally saved, for an angel proclaims the gospel invitation (14:6–8) to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. Further, in chapter seven, the announcement of the 144,000 is immediately followed by a scene in heaven of a crowd too large to count. God has not limited the number of persons who can repent and trust in Him.
John sees five more angels appear with messages: The doom of Babylon, condemnation of worshipers of the beast, benediction of the martyrs, and the preparation for the harvest predicted by Jesus in Matthew 13:36 ff. At that time God will bring about the end of wickedness (14:20).
Chapters 15 and 16 describe the punishment of the wicked in terms of the plagues sent on Egypt through Moses. Each plague follows as an angel pours out his bowl of wrath against sin. The dragon tries to muster an army to fight against God and his people at the second coming of Christ (16:12–16). They assemble at a place called Armageddon. This is Hebrew for “the mountain of Megiddo.” But Megiddo is a plain, not a mountain. Many of the battles of the Old Testament had been fought in the plain of Megiddo. The change in the name may point to the greatest of all conquests, in which God brings about the end of evil.
Note that no “battle of Armageddon” is mentioned or described. Verse 17 simply tells of hearing a voice from the throne of God saying “It is done” (16:17 and 19:13). The plan of God has come to completion. Great Babylon is split apart and had to “drain the cup of the fury of his wrath” (vs. 19). There is no need for a battle. God overcomes by his own creative word (cf. 19:13). At this point we can see that John has put the book together in an interesting manner. He repeatedly leads us up to the end of the world, but does not tell of the end yet. He turns to another series of visions which lead to the same point, and then turns to another. The visions cannot tell the whole story at a time, but only one aspect of the picture at a time. These visions are like parables in this respect. Each parable gives us one view of the truth. It takes a series of parables to present a complex concept (as in Matthew 13). In the same way, John lets each vision present one aspect of the whole picture. John has stated the end of Babylon, but no details. He now turns to the vision which will tell us more about the victory of Christ over Babylon.
Final Vision: Christ in Eternal Victory 21:9–22:5
We come now to the fitting climax to this book. After all the troubles, wars and suffering of the book, along with the evil forces which caused them, we see now the victory. God gives the victory because of his great power. No evil can stand before him.
Just as an angel had taken him into a wilderness to see the judgment of the (spiritual) harlot, so an angel comes now who says, “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb”. Instead of going into the wilderness, he is now taken “in the spirit” to a great high mountain. Here he sees the “holy city Jerusalem” (21:10). He has been told that he will see “the Bride, the wife of the Lamb” (21:9; 19:7; 2 Cor. 11:2; Eph. 5:25–32). This idea of the church as the bride of Christ grew out of the Old Testament concept of the relationship between God and his people, Israel. The prophets kept reminding the people of their responsibility to worship God only. All worship of other gods was called adultery—spiritual adultery.
As John turns to see the bride, he sees the new Jerusalem, adorned as beautifully as a bride adorned for her husband. The city is briefly described with the full glory of God being emphasized.
An angel with a measuring rod measures the city, as in Ezekiel 40 ff. He finds that the city is a perfect cube, the length, width and height being all the same measurement—about 1400 miles! It is like the Most Holy Place of the Temple, the perfect dwelling place of the glory of God. This is a gigantic Most Holy Place, large enough for all God’s people. The jewels mentioned are not literal stones, but signify the beauty and glory of the place (21:19–21). No temple is needed, for God and the Lamb are the temple (21:22). With God as the light, there is no need for sun or moon (21:23).
Then John sees the river of the water of life, flowing through the city with its healing power, as in Ezekiel 47. Nothing evil is in the city. The throne of God is there (22:3). Each person has the name of God on the forehead (22:4) as the seal of the Holy Spirit. “And they shall reign for ever and ever” (22:5; cf. 5:10).
Certain anomalies in the wording of Chapter 21 have led some to say that this is the church on earth. For example, it speaks of the nations walking by the light of the city “and the kings of the earth shall bring their glory into it” (21:24). This sounds to some as though it is speaking of the church in the midst of the world. Yet this conclusion is not necessary, as John speaks of this beauty as eternal. [17. Cf Bruce M. Metzger, Breaking the Code, Understanding the Book of Revelation. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993, p. 100 ff.]
Two things can be said: First, heavenly things must be described only in comparison with earthly things. This is the reason for the references to the jewels. It also explains why so much of the Old Testament references are included as details which should not be elaborated. The shape is impractical, but is like the Most Holy Place of the Temple.
Second, God has given us many of the blessings of heaven, even while we are still in the midst of earthly troubles. Jesus said he would give us his peace—the peace which kept him calm in the court of Pilate. He gives us joy in the midst of tribulations. He dwells with us here in this wicked world. He is our light. He keeps us from sin and evil and makes us able to reign over sin even in this world. Yet heaven will far surpass all we know here.
This climactic vision of eternal victory and joy in heaven is described as a city in earthly terms, for that is all we can understand. Yet John wrote so as to dazzle our imaginations. He calls it a city of pure gold, clear as crystal, with jeweled gates. A beautiful river of the water of live flows through it, [18. As in Ezekiel 47, where the prophet described this miraculous river of healing water flowing out from the Holy of Holies for the salvation of the world.] and there is no night there. It is more than we can conceive. It is more than can be described in human, earth-trained language. No sin can enter there. It is a holy place God has prepared for those who trust in Him and live for Him by His grace.
Concluding Messages 22:6–21
We are assured that all this is true. No one must add to it all or subtract from it. This book is a true “prophecy” (22:7, 10, 19), and will be proven true in the end. It is not mere imagination. Nor is it an anonymous apocalyptic. It is a letter of prophetic encouragement to all Christians.
A. M. Hunter wrote, “Revelation, beyond all other books, has made people feel that heaven is real; and in the strength of that conviction go forth anew to do battle with the world and all its evils.” [19. A. M. Hunter, Introduction to the New Testament, 1945 (London: SCM Press), p. 113.]
The whole book begins and ends with the victory of God and his people over sin. There is no doubt about the end of the story. It ends with God and his people eternally victorious. Hallelujah!
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