Category Archives: Revelation Commentary

Being Turned

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Revelation 1:12: “Being turned I saw seven golden candlesticks.”

Praying Toward Jerusalem

John was in the isle of Patmos. The Jews in exile from the land of Judea were taught that they should pray toward Jerusalem according as Solomon had prayed at the dedication of the temple:

“Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and to the prayer, which thy servant prayeth before thee to day: 29 That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, [even] toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. 30 And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.” (1 Kings 8:28)

We know that Daniel followed this tradition while Israel was captive in Babylon:

“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.” (Daniel 6:10)

“Being Turned” Away From the Fallen Jerusalem

We can understand, then, that John was praying toward Jerusalem and the Temple. From the Isle of Patmos, he would have been facing in a southerly direction. Upon hearing the Voice, John turned. He would then have been facing north. It was as he was facing north that he saw the seven golden candlesticks, (KJV), or “lampstands,” (RSV). John’s “turning”, then, symbolized turning away from the old Judaism to the Church of Jesus Christ, visually represented by the north polar constellations, sometimes known in the Hebrew culture as the Menorah, or seven-branched candlestick of the Temple.

THE CHURCH HAS BECOME THE MENORAH

The “seven golden candlesticks” are the seven churches of Asia, Revelation 1:20: “The seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.”

These same seven are also the seven spirits of God, Revelation 4:5. These same seven spirits are also the seven eyes of the Lamb, Revelation 5:6.

(See also my Commentary at 1:4 “Asia”.)

In Revelation 1:20 the seven stars are the fire upon the top of the lampstands: “The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.”

These angels are spirits, Psalm 104:4 and Hebrews 1:7, 14. Therefore, in this writing, these are all synonymous and interchangeable to some degree: Lampstands, Churches, Spirits, Eyes of the Lamb, Angels and Stars.

How the Natural is Analogous to the Spiritual

It is probably helpful to understand that there is a natural reality that corresponds to, or is analogous to, the spiritual reality. “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse,” Romans 1:20.

For example, the “Angels” of the seven churches of Asia are spiritual entities that inhabit the natural pastors or leaders of the earthly churches. However, the earthly churches are merely the counterpart of a heavenly reality, the Eyes of the Lamb and the Seven Spirits of God. As in all use of analogy, the analogy only holds for certain parts of the entities represented. The two figures are not identical in every respect.

This lesson is an edited excerpt from my book, Revelation in Context, available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, orwww.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.

Day Of The Lord

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Revelation 1:10: “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”

Day of the Lord = “The Lord’s Day.”

The term “the Lord’s Day” does not necessarily mean the Sabbath. “The Lord’s Day” is equivalent to “the Day of the Lord.” The “Day of the Lord” was a time that had been appointed from many centuries before. Several of the prophets had foretold it, both in the Old and New Testament.[1]

What John saw and experienced was the events of “the Day of the Lord,” as foretold by the prophets. We may understand that it was literally “The Day of the Lord” and that he saw what was happening in Jerusalem at that particular time “in the Spirit,” although he was physically in the isle of Patmos. Or, we may understand that he was “in the Spirit” and saw the events of “The Lord’s Day” as something about to happen immediately.[2] The latter case seems to fit the writing more precisely. He wrote as one who is recording something seen while in an altered state of consciousness, such as a dream, but in his case, a vision. He is saying: “In my vision, (while in the Spirit), it was the Day of the Lord.”

The “Day of the Lord” in the Old Testament

Some of the referents for the term “the Lord’s Day”, or “Day of the Lord,” are to be found in the Old Testament Psalms which celebrate the pageantry and feasts of the enthronement of the King. Jesus announced that it was “the acceptable year of the Lord,” that is, the year of jubilee. In the oriental cultures the enthronement of the king was re-enacted each new year celebration. There was a recitation of the mighty deeds of the king according to the days of the year past, which is the “his-story” of the year. In this sense, the chronicles of the days verified the accuracy of the calendar and served as a verification of the heavens’ “amen.”

The great Day of the Lord was the day when the books were opened and recompense for deeds was meted out. It was a day of rewards for the faithful but a day of vengeance and wrath for the enemies of the King. Jesus had foretold that the day of His coming would be joyous for believers, but a day of vengeance for His enemies, Luke 21:22.

Isaiah had also foretold that the day of the Lord would be a comfort to the righteous but a day of vengeance for the wicked, Isaiah 13:9; 34:8; 61:2; 63:4.

Jeremiah had prophesied of the day of wrath and vengeance, Jeremiah 46:10; 50:15, 28. Zephaniah had also seen the Great Day, Zephaniah 1:14-16. Paul had fully understood the nature of the Great Day as foretold by the prophets: (Rom. 2:5-10).

As Ezekiel in Babylon Saw the Destruction of Jerusalem

It is possible that John saw, through this spiritual vision, the events that were taking place in Judea and Jerusalem at the time of, or very near the time, of their occurrence. The precedent for this experience is found in Ezekiel. As Ezekiel was with the captives in Babylon the Word of the Lord came to him and he saw and told the people that Jerusalem was being destroyed, (chapter 24). He was stricken dumb and remained so until a fugitive from Jerusalem arrived, about three years later, to report the news of the fall of the city, (Ezek. 24:27; 33:21-2).

John, too, although a captive on the isle of Patmos, may have seen the destruction through the Spirit. There is an immediacy to his message that suggests an eyewitness account, even as in Ezekiel.

Like Ezekiel, too, there is a great personal, emotional involvement with the events witnessed. There is probably no more traumatic experience than seeing the institutions, ceremonies and sacraments that represent the outward expression of one’s faith fall into perversion and disgrace. Ezekiel suffered this trauma in his personal life as a symbol for the people. As a sign of the death of God’s beloved wife, Israel, Ezekiel’s wife died. She had been “the delight of his eyes,” but God commanded him not to grieve openly, for it was, as the symbol of Israel, the certain result of sin.

Like Ezekiel’s, John’s message was not directed to the literal Jerusalem, for it was too late for her to repent. John’s message of warning as well as of hope was to the faithful remnant, the universal Church. They were not to boast in themselves, for even though they were the golden lampstands in the very presence of Christ in the heavens, (Revelation 1:20), they too could fall and their light be removed, as was happening to the literal Jerusalem.

Jerusalem’s Fall A Warning to the Churches

In context, the message to the Churches has the force of pointing to what happened to the literal Jerusalem as an example of what will happen to them also if they fail to repent. The natural Israel, the wife of God, the delight of His eyes, had fallen into an adulterous relationship with the fleshly (beastly) nations and was suffering the consequences of her sins.

A referent for the phrase “in the Spirit” is found in John 16:13:
“Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, [that] shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.”

Revelation Is the Work of the Spirit

Jesus had foretold that the Spirit would lead into “all truth” which is equivalent to “revelation.” So here is John’s guide, his Paraclete, ‘one who walks alongside,’ his melits, an interpreter. Jesus had also said that the Spirit would speak, (i.e. interpret) what He heard, as one who hears one language and interprets into another language. Throughout the book of Revelation we see the Spirit interpreting the symbols and walking alongside John.

In the passage John 16:7-15 Jesus had foretold that the Spirit would reprove the world, that is, convince or convict, of sin and also of righteousness, i.e. what is right, and of God’s judgment. He would convince them through the revelation and glorification of Christ: failure to believe on Him is the essence of sin, and God’s righteous judgment is upon sin. It is this work of the Spirit that we see in the book of Revelation.

John 16:14-15 says the Spirit was to “receive of mine” and “all things are mine”, therefore, “he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you.” In the book of Revelation we see the Spirit taking the things, the words, attributes and deeds of Christ and showing them. Each of the messages to the seven churches closes with the admonition to “hear” what the Spirit, the interpreter, is saying to them.

“I Was in the Spirit”

In Revelation 1:10 and 4:2 it is expressly stated that John was “in the Spirit.” In 17:3 the Spirit carries him away to show him the harlot Babylon. In 21:10 he shows him the New Jerusalem the Bride of the Lamb. The Spirit guides and interprets throughout the book, (14:13 and 20:17).

[1] The following Scripture references will serve to set the stage for the idea of the “Day of the Lord.”

Isaiah 2:12, 17; 13:6, 9, 13; 28:5; 34:8; 61:2; 63:4; Jeremiah 46:10; Ezek. 7:19; 13:5; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 2, 11. 31; Amos 5:18, 20; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:7-16; Mal. 4:5. Romans 2:5, 16; 1 Thess. 5:2-4; 1 Pet. 2:12; 1 John 4:17; Jude 6.

The book of Enoch 92.2 also says: “Let not your spirit be troubled on account of the times; For the Holy and Great One has appointed days for all things.” (Charles, Enoch, 129.) The “Day of the Lord” may be thought of as one of the appointed days.

[2] ZPBD, p. 720 divides the Book of Revelation into four great visions, each of which is introduced by the phrase ‘in the Spirit.’ These are: 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10.

This lesson is an edited excerpt from my book, Revelation in Context, available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, or www.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.

Patmos

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Revelation 1:9. “I was in the island called Patmos … for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” KJV

Patmos

Many interpreters accept the statement of Zondervan’s Pictorial Bible Dictionary which says: “Patmos was the site of a penal colony, where political prisoners were condemned to hard labor in the mines.” (p. 721.)

However, there is some room for disagreement with this statement.

Leonard Thompson disagrees that Patmos was a penal colony at all. He says:

“The language of [Revelation] 1:9-10 does not give a hint of a suggestion that John was banished, deported, relegated, or imprisoned on Patmos; nor is there any evidence from Roman sources that Patmos was a prison settlement. Nor was it a deserted, barren isle, as is sometimes suggested; it had sufficient population to support a gymnasium two centuries before the Common Era, and around the time of John an inscription refers to the presence of the cult of Artemis.”[1]

The actual KJV text states: “I, John, … was in the isle of Patmos for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.” Thompson’s grammatical analysis of this passage finds that John and his fellow Christians shared the life of Christ, not necessarily His persecution, and that they were suffering, with Christ, the necessary hardships in order to preach the Gospel on the isle of Patmos.

Dating the Writing of Revelation

Thompson, however, accepts the date of the writing as being in Domitian’s reign, ( 96 AD), although he shows that there is no evidence of widespread persecution under Domitian (ibid., 153). So this does not prove that the writing was in Domitian’s reign.

[1] Thompson, Analysis of Tribulation, 150, citing Saffrey, H.D. “Relire L’Apocalypse à Patmos”. RB 82:393-407.

This lesson is an edited excerpt from my book, Revelation in Context, available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, or www.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.

 

Jewish Persecution of the Church Part 2

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Witness of The Books Of I Peter and II Peter

Peter addresses these Jewish Christians in the Dispersion as those who are living among Gentiles. The reproach they bore was “for the name of Christ,” 4:14. At this time it was only the Jews who distinguished between Jews who bore the Name of Christ and those who did not; to the Romans this was an internal Jewish argument. These people were suffering “as a Christian,” therefore, from the hands of the Jews. Indeed, the Jews had enjoyed a certain degree of immunity for the practice of their religion.* Claudius granted freedom of worship to the Jews. This applied to Christians who were born in the Jewish faith. It was only when they denied the Jewish faith and took the Name of Christ that they lost that immunity to Roman prosecution, (ibid., 357).[iii]Indeed, the Romans did not distinguish between Jews and Christians until the time of Nero. It is clear that they who bore reproach for the name of Christ were those redeemed from the Jewish traditions, the doctrine of the Pharisees:

 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, I Peter 1:18.

They need no longer glory in their natural birth as Jews, for they had been “born again,” (1:23). Since Jesus, that Living Stone, had been rejected by men, namely Jews, the Christians were now Living Stones making up the Spiritual House and the Holy Priesthood, the Chosen People, (2:4-10). As alien residents in the Dispersion, they were therefore to walk blameless before the Gentiles also, I Peter 2:11-12.

The New Testament as the Primary Historical Source

Indeed, if we take the New Testament as the primary historical document, we must all agree that the source of persecution of Christianity was “the Jews.” In the Book of Revelation, we see that there were “synagogue(s) of satan” in Smyrna. These so-called Jews blasphemed when they called themselves by that name, “Jew.” Since satan = “the devil,” we know that these so-called “Jews” were the ones who would cast Christians into prison, where they would have tribulation, 2:10. This “synagogue of satan” was also in Philadelphia, 3:9. And it seems that in Pergamos also satan had a “seat” and dwelt there, 2:13.

The word thronos, translated “seat” in KJV, and “throne” in RSV means “the place of the residence of power.” In these three cities, we see that the synagogue was a place from which satan ruled. In chapter 12 we see the great red dragon, who is definitely identified as the devil and satan, 12:9. Then we see that this dragon gave power and a “seat,” (thronos), and great authority to the beast out of the sea, 13:2. This seems clearly to indicate that this sea-beast was driven by the satan of the synagogue. Then there was a beast out of the earth, 13:11, which caused people to worship the first beast. This close alliance of purpose between the earth-beast and the dragon indicate that he, too, was driven by the satan who was enthroned in the synagogue, that is, the religion of Judaism.

If the sea-beast can be identified with Rome, then it should be clear that the Roman persecution of Christians is motivated, instigated and driven by the wrath of satan as revealed in the Jewish religion. The earth-beast is out of the land, (equally translatable as “earth” or “land”), representing the Roman appointed Jewish rulers of Judea whose military power resided in Rome and whose religious power resided in the synagogues of Judaism. They were beasts, Gentiles not Jews, but they appeared to be lambs, i.e., Jews.

Thus the source of the tribulation that Christians of the first century endured was ultimately satan himself, but he worked through his henchmen, the Roman Empire and its stooges, the appointed kings and priests of Judea, operating in the power of the doctrine of the Pharisees, Judaism.

*This was a limited immunity as Claudius, in 41 AD, denied the Jews in Rome the right to hold meetings and ordered them to stop proselytizing.  In 49 he expelled some of the Jews from Rome for creating a disturbance, possibly a conflict with Christianity.  There was a real, hot war between Christians and Jews.

**For more thorough examination of Jewish persecution see pages 154-160 of my book Revelation In Context.

Revelation in Context is available locally at the Living Word Bookstore in Shawnee, Oklahoma or www.Amazon.com, or www.XulonPress.com.
Free downloads are also available at www.revelationincontext.sermon.net.

Jewish Persecution Of The Church Part 1

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Revelation 1:9: “I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation ….”

Persecution: Roman or Jewish?

Is the persecution alluded to in the Book of Revelation from the Romans or from the Jews?* Many theologians and secular historians suppose that the persecution was from Rome. Others agree that if the Apocalypse “does refer to conditions in Asia Minor under Domitian it is the only source for such a persecution,” (Cary and Scullard, A History of Rome, pages 153.)

What do the New Testament and the Book of Revelation actually say about persecution of Christians? The theme of tribulation is first sounded in Revelation 1:9:

I, John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

References to persecution in the Book of Acts reveal Jewish, not Roman, persecution. The Book of Acts was probably written after Paul’s imprisonment at Rome, probably 62-68 AD, but not later than the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. It is probable that both Peter and Paul were victims of Nero’s persecution of Christians in Rome after the fire of 64. However, Acts must have been written before that time as Paul’s death is not mentioned. If the Book of Revelation were written in this same era, then Acts should make a relevant document for comparison of the theme of persecution. The source of persecution of the saints would most likely be the same in both books.

Bible References to Persecution of Christians*

References to persecution in Acts are as follows: Acts 4:3, 18, 21, 29, arrests and trials; 5:17-18, 33, 40, arrests, trials, beatings; 6:9-14, 7:54; 57-8:1, martyrdom of Stephen and persecution of the Church; 8:3, the Church ravaged and Christians imprisoned; 9:1-2, 13-14, 21, 23, Saul/Paul’s acts of persecution; 12:1-11; 13:45, 50; 14:5 (Jews with Gentiles), 19, 22; 15:26; 17:5-9, 13, 17; 18:6, 12; 19:9, 13-14, 33; 20:3, 19; 21:11, 27-35; 22:4, 22-25, 30; 23:12-35; 24:1-9, 24, 27; 25:2, 7-9, 15, 24; 26:9-11, 21; 28:19. (See above also for the list of references to the crucifixion of Christ since the crucifixion of Christ was attributed to “the Jews.” See also Acts 2:23, 36; 3:13-15; 4:10-11, 26-28; 5:30; 6:52; 10:40; 13:27-29).

Further allusions or references to persecution or tribulation in the Book of Revelation are: Revelation 2:9-13; 2:22; 3:9-10; 6:9-11; 7:14; 11:7-10; 12:4, 11, 13, 15, 17; 13:7; 15-17; 16:5-6; 17:2, 4, 6, 14; 18: 3-4, 6, 9, 20, 24; 19:2; 20:4; 21:4; 22:15.[i]Of these, 2:9-13 and 3:9 clearly refer directly to Jewish persecution. In addition to these, references to the martyrdom of Christ might also be seen as references to Jewish persecution. References to Christ’s martyrdom are as follows: 1:5, 7, 18; 2:8; 5:6, 9. The question remains as to whether or not the remaining references pertain to Roman persecution.

Christians as Good Citizens of Rome

As Harold Lindsell has pointed out: “The author [of Acts] is careful to point out that the Christians were not enemies of the Empire: every time the missionaries were brought before Roman authorities they were absolved of all charges of sedition or insurrection.”**

If there had been severe persecution from Rome, surely there would have been some mention of it here.  But instead we find that in every case the persecution is from “the Jews” or by their instigation. Since the persecution in the Book of Acts is from the Jews, not the Romans, why should we attribute that of the Book of Revelation to the Romans?

The Book of I Peter was also written in this same era, [AD 63-67], and has a strong theme of persecution. The addressees are Christians in northern Asia Minor, (see below), just as the Book of Revelation is addressed to the seven Churches in southern Asia Minor. Since the dates are similar and the addressees are similar, the source of persecution would very likely be the same. References to persecution in I Peter are as follows: 1:6; 3:9, 13-18; 4:1-2, 12-19.  Was this persecution from Rome?  It hardly seems so from the admonition in 2:13-15:

Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; 14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. 15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.

Here Roman authorities are seen to be friends of Christianity.

Jews of the Dispersion

It should be noted that I Peter is addressed to the “exiles of the Dispersion” specifically those in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, that is, northern Asia Minor.  The term “exiles of the Dispersion” is used specifically of Jews who have left Judea to live in another land.  The affairs in Judea at this particular time were such that many who were Christians fled from the political anarchy, religious persecution, and economic deprivation.  Pontus and Asia are specifically named in Acts 2:9 as places from which Jews had come to Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost.  It is therefore likely that those who later fled from Judea went to areas where Jews already lived.

Indeed, we know from Paul’s missionary journeys that there were Jewish synagogues throughout the Roman world.  Many of these colonies in the Dispersion were more populous than in Judea itself.  There were especially large colonies in Babylon and Alexandria.  It is therefore evident that the persecutions in all the far-flung nations of the Roman world could have been by the Jews or at their instigation.  (See Acts 2:5-11; 6:9; of Christian Jews 8:1, 4-5; 11:19.)

The Testimony of Peter

Peter is expecting the “end,” that is, the end of the times predicted by Daniel for the destruction of the nation of Israel and its Temple: “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer,” I Peter 4:7.  In the same way the Book of Revelation is about that “appointed time” of the end, “the time is at hand.” Revelation 1:3.

First Peter speaks specifically of the “Revelation of Jesus Christ“: in salvation, (1:5, 7, 13); and in glory, (5:1).  He believed this “Revelation” was “at hand.”  With Jeremiah 25:17-18 in view Peter says:

 For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, [i.e. the Jews], what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? I Peter 4:17.

* References are not necessarily exhaustive.

**Harold Lindsell, “Introduction to the Acts of the Apostles,” Harper’s Study Bible, RSV, (Grand Rapids Michigan, Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1981), p. 1625.