Interpretive Tips For Understanding Revelation, Part 2

I well remember the first time I sat in front of my first computer. The machine seemed to be so complex that it was simply outside my ability to figure out how to use it. Hopeless frustration would best describe my feelings at that moment. Fortunately, my friend John came alongside and gave me some tips on how to approach this mini-monster. And those tips became invaluable in my quest to try and subdue the machine. And while I am far, far from being a master of my computer, those initial tips from John gave confidence and some ability to navigate through the technology maze.

The purpose of these present studies is to give some tips on understanding the Book of Revelation. While we may not become immediate masters of Revelation, hopefully we will gain confidence and some ability to navigate through the complexities of this final book of the Bible.

We ended our discussion last time by looking at the first of six interpretive guidelines for Revelation. The first is the most basic rule in our interpretation of all scripture; it is that we are to interpret Revelation literally. This simply means that we approach the Scriptures normally, letting language function in its usual way. Words in Revelation are interpreted according to their usual, customary usage. We let language function as language, recognizing the historical context, the normal rules of grammar and the common use of figures of speech.

(2) Interpret figurative language scripturally. Literal (normal) interpretation includes figures of speech and symbols. It is part of the normal use of language to employ such things as communication devices, and this is fully recognized in literal interpretation. However, figures of speech and symbols represent things that are actual. The interpreter cannot make them mean anything he desires.

There are some key matters to be aware of.

THE OLD TESTAMENT PROVIDES THE LENS THROUGH WHICH MUCH OF THE IMAGERY OF REVELATION IS TO BE VIEWED. In his book “Interpreting Revelation”, Dr. Merrill Tenney says that there are about 350 direct quotes or allusions in Revelation that are found in the O.T. (He describes an “allusion” as something that is so unmistakeable that we can trace its origin even though it is not a direct quote. For example, the “two Witnesses” in Revelation 11 are said to be the “lampstands and olive trees” that stand before the Lord of the earth. That designation clearly comes from Zechariah 4 even though it is not a quote). This averages out to 16 OT references per chapter in Revelation. Dr. Tenney observes that there are about 235 OT references that come out of the 16 writing prophets. It should be immediately apparent that if an interpreter does not have a good working knowledge of the OT prophets then he will have problems with many statements found in Revelation. The point here is simply that the symbols and figures of speech in Revelation cannot be made to mean anything; the OT has established their meanings.

JOHN’S USE OF COMPARATIVE LANGUAGE MUST BE CAREFULLY OBSERVED. There are events observed by the Apostle John in his vision that went beyond his experience and comprehension. John uses the word hos some 16 times and homois 22 times. Both words are used for comparison and are usually translated “like”, “as”, “something like” or “like as”. So in Revelation 8:8, John says he saw “something like” a “great mountain burning with fire” landing in the sea, causing it to become blood. Whatever John observed in his vision, it resembled a burning mountain. He doesn’t know what it was, but it looked like that. So we don’t know what John is actually describing and must take care in trying to say what it John meant in terms today’s world.

THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT SOMETIMES INTERPRETES THE FIGURE OF

SPEECH. For example, in Revelation 17:1, the “great harlot sits on many waters.” Later in the chapter we are told the the “many waters” represent the gentile nations. Now, we might have guessed that because in the larger context (e.g. Isaiah and Daniel), waters are so identified. In the case of “harlot”, the larger context of our of OT prophets tells us that this is a religious system that claims loyalty to the true God but has prostituted itself by going after other gods (e.g. Jeremiah and Hosea).

Therefore, symbols and figures of speech are an important element in Revelation. These, however, have established meanings, usually in the OT. John’s use of comparitive terms (“like”, “as”) signals us that he is describing things outside of his first century realm of experience.

(3) Interpret Revelation with Genesis 1-11 in mind.
There are two important interpretive issues that we need to look at.

A. GENESIS 1 and 2 PROVIDES THE NEEDED FRAMEWORK FOR UNDERSTANDING GOD’S ULTIMATE PURPOSES. When God created the heavens and the earth, He declared it all to be “very good.” The material world, man being created in His image and all that was part of the original creation was considered excellent by God. It was not a substandard plan or one that had need of revision. God created Adam and Eve in His image so that they could rule the planet, have fellowship with Him and enjoy the material paradise of Eden. When the first couple sinned, all three were lost: they lost rulership of the planet to Satan, they lost their fellowship with God and they lost the privilege of living in Eden. At that moment, God could have destroyed everything and started over. (He would have lost two people and six days work, but a week later it all would have been up and running again!). But God chose to restore everything that was lost in Eden. And so, when we come to Revelation 20-22, we discover that everything that was lost will be restored, and even enriched! A new earth; a new level of fellowship (God will come and live with His people) and the restoration of rulership back to the Son of Man and to those who have faithfully served Him (note that there are even “kings” in the eternal kingdom of God, 21:24-26). It is critical that we understand that God’s purpose is to restore all that was lost in Eden and that helps frame our understanding of what God is doing in Revelation and why He is doing it.

B. THE EVENTS OF GENESIS 1-11 SPEAK OF EVENTS THAT TAKE PLACE OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF NATURAL SCIENCE. Natural processes did not bring the earth into existence. Scientific law cannot explain how animals suddenly became carnivores after being made herbivores in the original creation. How does one explain a global flood? Certainly not be looking at the normal processes that are observable today. What happened at the tower of Babel? How did people who got up in the morning speaking the same language go to bed that night speaking an entirely different tongue, with different words, vocabularies and so on. So many events found in Genesis 1-11 are only accounted for by the supernatural activity of God.

This is the mindset we are to have when looking at the end time events. It is so common to hear “natural” explanations for the events found in Revelation whether it is in the pulpit or on the History Channel. For example, when 1/3 of the earth is burned up, a preacher might say this is a picture of nuclear war. Probably not. The burned up earth is clearly seen as the judgment of God. Men know that God is at work. If it were some insane politician in Washington DC or North Korea launching nuclear warheads that would not at all communicate the critical fact that God is judging man. It absolutely loses its desired effect. Men must know (and they will know) that this is God who is judging. How is it that the waters of the earth are turned to blood? This is not the coloration of the seas by some chemical or plants life, as some have suggested. The water is actually blood (according to the angel in Revelation 16:4-7).

There is no explanation of that judgment unless it is seen as an unmistakable work of God. Revelation is interested in telling us WHAT God is going to do, not HOW He is going to do it. But it is God who is doing it! Many of the judgments and activities are outside of the realm of normal events and those on earth understand it is the doing of the Lamb of God (6:16). God may use natural objects, as He did in the plagues of Egypt, but it became apparent to the Egyptians and the Israelites that the mighty hand of Jehovah was at work. Therefore, we should cease attempting to explain everything in natural or scientific terms. Genesis 1-11, with its amazing supernaturalism, needs to help us create an appropriate interpretive mindset. The Creator runs the creation.

Our next study will look at some more interpretive tips to aid us in understanding the wonderful Book of Revelation.

Interpretive Tips For Understanding Revelation, Part 1

When asked what book of the Bible they would like to study, the average church youth group will almost always include the Book of Revelation at or near the top of the list. And yet, in spite of such enthusiasm for Revelation, it remains to most people, a confusing and mysterious book. Take any five pastors and teachers as they teach on Revelation and you will likely end up having at least six different interpretations.

The purpose of these discussions on interpreting the Book of Revelation is to give some tips that hopefully will help in our understanding of this important book. Some tips will be familiar, but it our desire that all of them will prove valuable in keeping us from wandering away into interpretive minefields where more harm than good occurs.

We should remember that God gave the Revelation so that we could have some understanding about the future and have our lives enriched by it. It is designed by God to be an “unveiling” not a concealing of truth about the future.

Four Basic Approaches to the Book of Revelation

We need to begin our study with a reminder of the basic approaches that are taken to the Book of Revelation. One of the real points of confusion for the average church-goer is how pastors and teachers can differ so greatly from one another in their explanations of Revelation. So, we must review four basic approaches to the Book of Revelation. Each approach is very different and takes the interpreter to an entirely different place. This alone will explain some of the differences that we hear when Revelation is taught.

(1) THE APPROACH OF IDEALISM. “Idealism” does not believe that Revelation indicates the time of events. In other words, Revelation simply gives principles or lessons that are valid in any age. (Such as, God is sovereign, or that good will win out over evil). The Book is not intended to look at the past or to peer into the future. The symbols of Revelation have no direct application to anything specific. (So, for example, the beast of Revelation 13 is not a person from the past, present or future, but is simply representative of something, such as social injustice). So Revelation is to be interpreted non-literally; thus employing the allegorical approach. Now it is abundantly clear that when allegorization (spiritualization) is employed in the interpretation, at that point the interpreter becomes the final authority. In fact, the interpreter no longer has any solid guidelines and can come up with most anything, which often happens.

(2) THE APPROACH OF HISTORICISM. “Historicism” was the dominant view of the Reformers and continued to be the approach of choice to Revelation until the end of the 19th century. In this view, Revelation is a symbolic presentation of the entire course of church history. It holds that we have been in the tribulation since the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ and this will continue until His 2nd Coming. Therefore, the symbols in Revelation are identified with historical persons (such as, the Pope is the Beast) and the judgments represent particular events. (For example, one commentator says that the 6th Seal Judgment represents the invasion of the Goths and the Huns around 365 AD). But one wonders, why would it represent the Goth and Huns and not, for example, the war in Viet Nam? Among Historicists there is simply no agreement on the exact identification of persons or events because the whole system is subjective. In fact, the identification of persons and events is constantly changing. The events, persons and symbols are interpreted allegorically and thus, again, the interpreter becomes the final authority. This approach badly obscures our understanding of Revelation, removing any real possibility of the believer being “blessed” by this book. (Rev. 1:3). This approach has lost its prominence because many have come to realize that it is so subjective that it provides little help in understanding Revelation.

(3) THE APPROACH OF PRETERISM. The term “preterism” is based on the Latin preter which means “past”. This view believes that most, if not all of Revelation, has already been fulfilled. (There are differing views within Preterism). This “past” fulfillment is connected with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This view has been popularized by R. C. Sproul in his book “The Last Days According to Jesus.” This position is arrived at by Preterism’s regular mixing of literal and allegorical interpretation which is seen as a legitimate way to handle prophetic scripture. They operate with the “pre-understanding” of post-millennial thought; that is, the world will be Christianized coming under the Law of God. Because the world is going to get better and better, the judgment passages of Revelation must be seen as past events and not something in the future. Also, they justify their non-literal interpretation by appealing to Revelation as being of the “apolcalyptic genre.” This allows them to take the language of Revelation and make it mean whatever they think is best, instead of letting language communicate normally. (The reader might find helpful the chapter on Preterism, in my book, “Understanding End Times Prophecy” which is published by Moody Publishing).

(4) THE APPROACH OF FUTURISM. Futurism approaches the book of Revelation as prophecy that has yet to be fulfilled. Revelation 4-22 is seen as eschatological chapters that will be fulfilled in Daniel’s 70th week (the Tribulation), at the 2ndComing of Jesus and in the future, forever kingdom of God. The more literal an interpretation of Revelation, the more strongly will that person be a futurist. Futurism will be the approach taken in this series of studies on interpreting the Book of Revelation.

Six Important Guidelines in Interpreting the Book of Revelation

We will end this first study with the first of the six interpretive guidelines that we wish to share in these studies. It is the most basic of our interpretive rules because it applies to all of scripture and not just to the Book of Revelation.

(1) Interpret Revelation literally. Those with a high view of the Scriptures, as being the very inspired Word of God, will always interpret the language of scripture literally. This simply means that we approach the Scriptures normally, letting language function in its usual way. We employ this interpretive approach when we talk with one another on a daily basis. We give words meaning according to their usual, customary usage. Since we assume that God is trying to communicate truth to us, He based His revelatory communication on the normal rules of human communication. Literal interpretation recognizes that there are figures of speech. So, for example, if I were to tell you that we should not eat outside on the patio because there are a million mosquitoes out there, you realize that I am saying there are an awful lot of mosquitoes out there; so that eating dinner out there would be quite unpleasant. We both know that I did not count them. The figure of speech of a “million mosquitoes” is rightly understood and is taken “normally.” We will deal with the matter of symbols and figures of speech in more detail in our upcoming study. But this first rule of interpretation simply is that we let language function as language, recognizing the historical context and the normal rules of grammar.

In the next study we will look at the importance of the Book of Genesis in our understanding of Revelation and the use of figurative language. In the third study we will deal with three other interpretive tips in our interpretation of Revelation.

Here Comes Trouble - The Time of Tribulation, Part 4

Some perhaps remember the old E. F. Hutton commercial on TV where it was said “when E.F. Hutton speaks, people listen.” The visual aspect of that commercial was that a crowd of talking people all of a sudden became silent and leaned in to hear the latest financial advice from E. F. Hutton. It communicated its message very well, letting the viewer know that this authoritative source for financial information should be listened to very carefully.

Well, a greater than E. F. Hutton has spoken. With authority and clarity the Lord Jesus Christ proclaimed that the coming period of tribulation is the worst period of time that this planet will ever experience. The focus of His statement was on the second half of that 7 year period of time. Jesus referred to this 3 ½ year period as “the tribulation, the great one.” (Matt. 24:21) And He observed in the next verse (24:22) that no human being would have survived it if God had allotted a longer period of time for the tribulation.

As we conclude our four part study of the time of trouble, there are several specific matters that need to be discussed.

Five Key Elements in the Second Half of the Tribulation Period

(1) THE NATION OF ISRAEL. The Lord Jesus was quite clear that the second half of Daniel’s 70th week would be a terrible time for Israel. When they see the “abomination of desolation” set up in the Holy Place in the temple at the midpoint of the tribulation, they are encouraged to quickly flee the land. The Antichrist, with whom they are in a covenant relationship, will break that covenant and cease being the protector of Israel, and will become their great persecutor. As Israelites increasingly come to faith in Jesus, their persecution increases tremendously. According to Revelation 12, Satan is forcibly removed from heaven and he knows then that his time is short. This results in Satan going for with “great wrath” on the earth, particularly targeting Israel. By the time of Jesus’ Second Coming, Israel nationally will come to faith. In fact, Israel’s regeneration is the one prerequisite for His return to earth (Matt. 23:39). So it will be the best of times and worst of times for Israel.

(2) THE ACTIVITY OF THE ANTICHRIST. The career of the Antichrist (the Beast) has very distinct parts to it. Before the tribulation ever begins, he is the ruler of a nation and in that role he signs the treaty with Israel. In the first half of tribulation, he is the dictator of an eleven nation confederacy. At the midpoint of the tribulation, he is killed and returns to life. It is at that point that the world worships him and during the final 42 months of the tribulation (Rev. 13), he becomes ruler of the entire world. In this capacity he, along with his chief assistant the “false prophet”, will attempt to control the world militarily as well as economically (the famous “mark of the beast---666”). The Scriptures consistently testify to the fact that these individuals will be working the most amazing miracles. The outpouring of supernatural manifestations are very messiah-like, causing great deception among mankind (See 2 Thess. 2:9-10; Matt. 24:24; Rev. 13:2, 13-15). His passionate hatred for God and the people of God causes him to wage war against the saints. In this effort he is very successful. But he and his devoted followers will be the target of God’s final series of judgment, the “bowl judgments.” His aggressive rebellion against the Lord God will be brought to a sudden, dramatic end at Armageddon when he (along with the False Prophet) are cast alive into the Lake of Fire (the “second death”).

(3) THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD. Jesus likened the judgments of God to “birth pains.” Like birth pains, they increase in both number and intensity as the tribulation period proceeds along. This means that the number of judgments are more numerous and of greater intensity during the second half of the tribulation. Most likely, the “trumpet judgments” (Rev. 8-9) and the “bowl judgments” (Rev. 16) occur during the final 3 ½ years. And it is amazing to note (in Rev. 16) that men realize that these terrible judgments are coming from God, yet they still blaspheme Him and refuse to repent. This certainly shows the human heart for what it is when not touched by the Spirit of God.

(4) THE WITNESSES OF GOD. In the middle of the nightmarish events of these seven years, God will cause the gospel to go throughout the entire world (Matt. 24:14) with the result that multiplied millions will come to faith in Jesus (see Rev. 7). As noted in our earlier study, God will raise up 144,000 as witnesses who will no doubt play a significant role in bringing the gospel to the whole world. But also, God will raise up the famous “two witnesses” (Rev. 11). While many Bible students place the ministry of these two men during the first half, it seems best to place them in the second half. (The information about the “two witnesses” is part of the scroll that John ate and the other pieces of information on the scroll deal with the second half of the tribulation). The “two witnesses” will have a ministry that focuses on the city of Jerusalem which at this time is in terrible moral and spiritual shape. Their ministry, however, will have worldwide impact as is seen by the intense hatred of the entire world towards them. They will have the ability to work miracles and they will be a thorn in the side of the Antichrist as he attempts to bring all to worship himself. The “two witnesses” are preserved by God until the very end of the tribulation. At that time they will be killed, but then will rise bodily after some three days, much to the horror of those who live on the earth. God will always have His witness on this earth, even in the most difficult of times.

(5) THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST TO THE EARTH. The second half of the tribulation will come to a sudden end with the coming of Jesus. Immediately before His return, there will be a sign in the heavens which alerts all on the earth that the time has now arrived for His return. There is not a doubt in the minds of the unbelievers that it is all over for them. They will mourn when they see the sign. And then Jesus comes back in power and great glory. He comes back to take the planet back from the Evil One and to establish the future, forever kingdom of God. The Antichrist and False Prophet are cast into the Lake of Fire and Satan and his forces are placed into the abyss, the prison for demons (cf. Luke 8:31; Rev. 20:1-3, 7). At His coming, the curse is removed and the world returns back to a paradise-like condition as the long awaited messianic age begins.

The Bible is clear on how things are going to end. They will end wonderfully well for the children of God, but not well for those who have aligned themselves against the Lord and against His Christ. We have God’s word on the matter and on that we can rely. Such truth is given to us to give us perspective on the world that we live in and to help us personally prioritize life better and make better decisions. These prophetic truths are not designed to satisfy our curiosities, but to assist us in living more authentic lives now for our Lord Jesus Christ.

Here Comes Trouble - The Time of Tribulation, Part 3

I can remember on one occasion cheering for my favorite college football team. My cheering had no effect on them as they just played terribly in the first half and were behind 28 to 6. It really did not look good for them. In the second half, however, they were a completely different team as though they woke up at halftime from some sort of slumber that they had been in. Same uniforms, but a radically different group was out on the field and they went on to win by some 20 points. So what transformed them? Apparently whatever took place in the locker room at halftime.

The coming Tribulation is no game but it does have a first half and a second half. And those two halves are very different from one another because of the halftime events. In this study we want to investigate the events that take place at “halftime” which dramatically change this coming period of Tribulation.

In our last study we focused on the first half of the Tribulation and noted the following: (1) the nation of Israel is back in their land though they remain largely in unbelief; (2) there is a politically powerful, wealthy entity which is a false form of Christianity and which holds sway over the western world; (3) the Antichrist rules over an eleven nation western confederacy; (4) God’s “seal judgments” blast the earth causing a minimum of 25% of the world’s population to perish; and (5) a time of great salvation takes place on the earth as people are faced with the truth of God as never before. There are four major events that take place at the half way point of the Tribulation which dramatically change this period of time. Recall that Jesus referred to the second half as the “tribulation, the great one.” The following events bring about “the tribulation, the great one.

(1) THE NATION OF ISRAEL. Israel is back in their land and the “temple of God” (2 Thess. 2:4) has been rebuilt with the result that the full Levitical worship system is back in place. We can only wonder how Israel gets the temple mount back and what the role of the Antichrist might have been in returning it to them. But as Israel’s protector, he does what today seems impossible. All is well in Israel. However, at the midpoint, the Antichrist breaks his agreement with Israel and turns from being their protector to being their persecutor. He will terminate the Levitical system and will then require worship of himself (and Satan) alone. We are told that “he takes his seat in the temple” and makes himself out to be God. Jesus said that when this (along with the setting up of his image in the holy place) occurs, people need to flee Jerusalem because terrible persecution is coming immediately. This “abomination of desolation” (Matt. 24:15) is a key mid-tribulational event. So Israel will go from being protected in the first half to being persecuted in the second half. Things will be dramatically different in Israel because the seven year treaty is broken by Antichrist.

(2) SATAN’S REMOVAL FROM HEAVEN. While we do not fully understand why God allows Satan access to heaven, we know from the story of Job that He does. He appears there regularly. But that changes half way through the Tribulation when an angelic war takes place in heaven (Rev. 12:7-12). Satan and his forces are defeated and they are forcibly removed from heaven and confined to the earth for 1260 days. The strategic verse in the discussion is 12:12.

“Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, knowing that he has only a short time.”

This event is seen as that final wakeup call that alerts Satan to the fact that time is almost over for him. His response, in his rage, is to do as much harm to God’s people as he possible can. The killing and destroying of God’s people is simply “off the chart” in the second half, making it the worst of times. Satan simply is now confined to the earth by God and no longer has the freedom that he once enjoyed. This makes him highly unhappy.

(3) THE DEATH AND RETURN TO LIFE OF THE ANTICHRIST. At the midpoint of the Tribulation, the Antichrist is assassinated. This is clear from Revelation 13:3, 12 and 14 where he receives the wound of the sword (a violent death) and then returns to life. Technically, he does not receive a resurrection body, but rather he is restored back to physical life. (The word for “slain” is the same one used of the Lamb in Rev. 5:6, and no one doubts that Jesus actually died). The Antichrist has made a lot of enemies during the first half and someone is able to successfully take his life. But shortly thereafter (I would guess about 3 days!) he returns to life, apparently God allowing such a thing. The result of this return to life is breathtaking. One can only imagine the messianic type claims he will make for himself. The world immediately will begin to worship him and immediately he becomes ruler of the entire world (not just the western world). He is revered by much of earth’s population. It seems that in Daniel 11 he takes up residence in Israel. (A logical place to be if one is claiming to be the messiah). He will engage in efforts to destroy God’s people and will be very successful in those efforts (Rev. 13:7).

(4) THE TERMINATION OF ALL RELIGIONS. Not only is the Levitical worship system of the Jewish people ended at the midpoint, but at this time the false form of Christianity is violently destroyed by the Antichrist (Rev. 17:15-17; 19:1-3). Also, we would assume that at this time all religions of mankind are terminated by the Antichrist and the “false prophet” (Rev. 13:11-18; 19:20; 20:10). The only legal religion in the world is the worship of Antichrist and Satan (Rev. 13:3, 4, 8, 12-15). This is a close as Satan gets to being “like God” and having creation worship him.

We, of course, do not know how many days are involved in these events coming to pass. However, these most likely will take place in a very tight sequence of events, and they will rock the world as few days have. The sudden, dramatic series of events will reshape life in the Tribulation. But obviously the Lord God knows about all this and is not caught off guard by any event, and this truth will fortify the resolve of believers in those difficult days. And for us, it is important to remember that events in our days do not blindside the Lord either. He knows all things and is ready to shepherd us through them for His glory and for our benefit. What a “good shepherd” He is.

Here Comes Trouble - The Time of Tribulation, Part 2

Thanks to the History Channel and other such outlets, most people in this country are aware that there are many folks who believe that the world is going to end very badly. And so, sitting in front of their TV sets, they get regular doses of the Book of Revelation mixed liberally with Nostradamus, pseudo-scientists, UFO proponents and a wide variety of prophets and prophecies from all over the world. In these presentations, the Apostle John and his Revelation are presented as just one of many sources that are equal in authority. Bible believing Christians, however, recognize that there is only one authoritative source for understanding the future. The God given Scriptures reveal important, authoritative and detailed information about upcoming events. In this study, we continue our investigation into the coming time of great trouble, commonly knows as The Tribulation.

From our last study we noted that the length of this time is seven years; that the true Church is removed from this time of God’s wrath; that the main reason for the tribulation period is to save Israel and many others; that it is indeed a time of terrible judgment; and finally, that the level of supernatural activity is unprecedented in all of human history.

We suggested in our last study that the Tribulation of seven years has three distinct parts to it; the first half, the midpoint and the second half. Noting what happens in each part is important to our understanding of this coming time of trouble. In this study, we will take a look at the first half; that is, the initial period of 3½ years.

Five Key Elements in the First Half of the Tribulation Period

(1) THE NATION OF ISRAEL. It is abundantly clear from both OT and NT that the people of Israel must be back in their land when the events of the end times take place. Ezekiel sees Israel’s restoration back to their land as the necessary prerequisite for their salvation (Ezek. 34-39). And he sees their return taking place over a period of time and a return that is observed by the nations of the world. Daniel informs us that Israel returns to their OT Levitical worship system during the early days of the tribulation which involves the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple (Dan. 9:24-27) and Paul places the Antichrist in that rebuilt temple in those days (2 Thess. 2:4). This temple and its worship can only take place in Jerusalem. During the first years of the tribulation, Israel has come back to the land but they do so as an unbelieving nation. Israel is restored geographically but not spiritually. In His prophetic discourse, Jesus also places Israel in the land during those great and terrible days (Matt. 24:4-31). Many other prophets, like Isaiah, Joel and Zechariah, are clear that Israel will be in the land when the events of the end times occur. So, Israel has returned to the land but they have not returned to the Lord as the Tribulation begins to unfold.

(2) THE “SUPER CHURCH”. Revelation 17 reveals the presence of a wealthy and powerful religious system during the first half of the Tribulation. She is said to be Babylon “the mother of harlots.” Babylon is synonymous with religion that is false. Harlotry is an OT concept (e.g. Hosea 4:10-11) which differs somewhat from our usual understanding of a prostitute. In the OT, it speaks of Israel, the unfaithful wife of Jehovah. It looks at those who claim to have a relationship with the Lord God but are unfaithful to that relationship, going after other gods. This idea is transferred over to the NT in Revelation 17, leading us to suggest that this is the unfaithful, apostate “church”. It claims a relationship with the Lord but is terribly unfaithful to Him. The plural “harlots” suggests that it is an ecumenical system, made up of various religious groups which claim a loyalty to Christ.

Three basic facts are revealed about this system. (1) It is very wealthy as is seen by her garments and the presence of gold and jewels. (2) She is politically powerful as is seen by the fact that she rides the “beast” (i.e. she dominates the Antichrist). And (3) she is the great persecutor of true believers in Christ, as is seen by her being “drunk with the blood of the saints.” This religious system will dominate early in the Tribulation but will be destroyed completely by the Antichrist and his followers at the midpoint of the Tribulation (17:16-17).

(3) GOD’S JUDGMENTS. Jesus Messiah is given the scroll with the seals (Rev. 5) and He breaks the first seal (6:1). This initiates divine judgment in the Tribulation. This, according to Jesus in Matthew 24:8, is the beginning of “birth pains.” Birth pains are used in both OT and NT to speak of God’s judgments. Birth pains have several features to them. (1) When they begin, they do not stop until the “birth” comes (in this case it is the “birth” of the great Messianic kingdom); (2) the pains increase in intensity as the time for birth draws closer; and (3) the amount of time between the pains gets shorter and shorter as the time for birth gets closer. This is an accurate picture of the judgments in the Tribulation. The initial judgments are very painful for the world, but the last ones are far worse and there are more of them. According to Revelation 6, a minimum of 25% of the world’s population will perish in these initial judgments. (If the population of the world is 7 billion, then close to 2 billion people die). And so, if this is just the startof the birth pains, it immediately becomes clear that the worst is yet to come.

(4) THE SALVATION OF MANY. We noted in our first study that the main reason for this seven year period is to save people; first Israel and then a multitude of gentiles. The salvation of many begins in the first half as is seen by the tremendous numbers of saved martyrs in Revelation 7:9, 14. Jesus declared that by the mid-point of the Tribulation many in Israel will be saved, being persecuted for “His names sake” (Matt. 24:9). It is reasonable to suggest that the famous 144,000 (Rev. 7 and 14) are saved during the early days of the Tribulation and become critical in the spread of the gospel throughout the whole world (Matt. 24:14). Many are saved in the first half, but even more will come to Christ Jesus in the second half. This time is a time for the battle for the souls of men.

(5) THE ANTICHRIST. The man commonly called the Antichrist is certainly the dominant human figure during this period. He will arise out of a western nation (Dan. 7:7-8, 20-26) and be a prominent leader there. It is as a leader of a powerful nation that he enters into a covenant relationship with Israel, promising them his protection (Dan. 9:27). When the Tribulation begins, he moves into action and will defeat three western nations which will lead to seven others submitting to him (Dan. 7). When the dust settles, he will be the ruler of a group of eleven nations. He will remain in this position as a dictator until the middle of the Tribulation.

It would be well to remember Jesus powerful statement about this time in Matthew 24.

“...for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.” (Matt. 24:21-22)

When we read such statements and learn of this coming time of trouble, most believers in Christ do believe that these things will take place. But while we “believe”, we often do not see them as relevant to life as we now live it. It is good for us to recall what Jesus told His disciples about this time. After He got done detailing this coming time (Matt. 24 and 25), Jesus spent much more time encouraging His men to be prepared by serving Him. He warned them not to become complacent but to use these truths as motivators to living well for Him in the present. And for us, it is the same. Life’s decisions, values and priorities need to be framed by the reality of future events; events which just might be closer than the man in front of his TV set watching the History Channel might imagine.

Here Comes Trouble - The Time of Tribulation, Part 1

Growing up in Southern California, I experienced a number of earthquakes including several severe ones. In a few short moments amazing destruction can take place and that without any warning at all. People don’t know that an earthquake is coming and are simply going about their daily routines giving no thought to a disaster that would come upon them just minutes later. It is the sudden unexpected arrival of an earthquake that adds to the terror of the event.

Today people are going about their daily routines (as they should) but very few are giving serious thought to the great disaster that is coming upon this planet; the period commonly known as “the tribulation.” And just like you cannot stop an earthquake from hitting, so no man can stop the Tribulation from taking place. It will be an unprecedented time of trouble for earth’s inhabitants. Jesus, following several O.T. prophets, taught the unprecedented trouble of this time.

“...for then there will be a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor every shall. And unless those days had been cut short, no life would have been saved; but for the sake of the elect those days shall be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22

The Apostle Paul spoke of the sudden, devastating arrival of this period of time when he stated the following.

 “While they (the unsaved world) are saying, ‘Peace and safety!’ then destruction will come upon them suddenly like birth pains upon a woman with child; and they will not escape.” 1 Thessalonians 5:3

The Scriptures have a large volume of material about this period of time and in this article, and several that will follow, our purpose will be to blend many of these passages together and attempt to present the order of events of the Tribulation period. But before we do that, it is probably helpful to be reminded of several key facts.

Five Key Facts About the Tribulation Period
(1) THE LENGTH OF THE TRIBULATION. From Daniel 9:24-27, we learn that this period of time will last for 7 years. However, the period if divided neatly into two part of 3½ years each. But the two halves, while equal in length, are not equal in the intensity of activity and judgments. In fact, Jesus referred to the second half as “the tribulation, the great one. In this study, however, we will be looking at the three distinct parts of this period: the first half, half time and the second half.

(2) THE CHURCH AND THE TRIBULATION. The true church (the body of Christ) will be removed out of the Tribulation period before it begins. It is not within the scope of this study to detail the reasons why the church is removed, but basically the church will not experience the “wrath of God”, and the entire 7 years is the wrath of God. And furthermore, this period is said to be dealing with the Covenant people of Israel.

(3) THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION. The main reason for having a tribulation time is to bring God’s salvation to His people Israel. God made the New Covenant with Israel and they, as a nation, have never been brought into it, thus fulfilling God’s stated purpose of their salvation. After almost 2000 years, Israel nationally is no closer to their redemption. But the Tribulation will change all that and God’s stated purposes will be fulfilled (cf. Daniel 9:24; Jeremiah 31:31-34). It is this period of trouble that will cause Israel’s spiritual blindness to be removed and “all” Israel shall be saved (cf. Romans 11:25-30).

(4) THE SECONDARY PURPOSE OF THE TRIBULATION. Most often, when the Tribulation is discussed, it is the terrible judgments and destruction that are emphasized. God will indeed deal with wicked men and nations who have turned their backs on His grace. It will be, as Jesus declared, the worst of times on this earth, unlike anything that has ever taken place. It is so terrible that it is likely that upwards of 80% will die of those who entered this period of time. But we must remember that God does not need seven years to bring judgment on men (He does, however, need time to save men). He could execute His fierce wrath in a matter of seconds (as He did with Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain). But judgment is secondary to His work of saving millions of people during this time. But great will be the judgments upon the wicked.

(5) SUPERNATURAL ACTIVITY IN THE TRIBULATION. This will be a time in which occurs the greatest display of supernatural activity since the creation itself. The great miracles and sign events come from God and they also come from Satan and his forces. (cf. Matt. 24:24; 2 Thes. 2:8-10; Rev. 13:13; etc.). The scriptures are quite clear that this is not “business as usual” on the planet. The outpouring of the supernatural will be breathtaking as God and Satan fight for the souls of men. It is unlikely that anyone will claim to be an atheist or an agnostic during the Tribulation period. The great issue will not be “is there a god?” but rather will you believe and follow Him, or will you align yourself with the Antichrist and Satan. These are going to be very different days on planet earth.

In the upcoming articles, we will be approaching the Tribulation by looking at the people and events found in the first half of the time; and then our focus will turn to the game changing events at the mid-point of the Tribulation; and finally to view the last half, the “great Tribulation.”

It is good to be informed and make preparations for coming events. And as with earthquakes where we just don’t know exactly when they will occur, so it is with the Tribulation. And, yes, spiritual preparations need to be made and truth shared with those who right now face the prospect of entering this amazingly horrible period. One of the emphases that Jesus made in concluding His prophetic discourse (Matt. 24 and 25) was on making personal preparations in light of these coming events. We would be wise to follow His advice.

Life In Eternity - The Best Is Yet To Come

“Won’t it be great to live forever in heaven with Jesus?” This question was posed by Mrs. Slater who labored each Sunday to try and teach us junior boys something. We boys, however, did not share her enthusiasm for eternity because we thought it would just be a lot of singing and things like that. The thought of an eternal church service was not particularly attractive to those of us who had a real tough time with services that went beyond and an hour and ten minutes.

We were, of course, immature boys. But it is somewhat surprising that many older Christians do not appear to have advanced much beyond that perception of Mrs. Slater’s junior boys.

The Two Phases of the Future Kingdom of God
The Scriptures are clear that when the Lord Jesus Christ returns at His Second Coming that no creature (angel or man) will ever again usurp His ruling authority. At that time, the future kingdom of God is in place and it is there permanently. As Daniel expressed it in Daniel 2:44:

“And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever.”

What Daniel did not know, but what later scriptures explained, was that while God’s kingdom is forever, it will have two distinct phases to it.

(1) PHASE ONE – THE MESSIANIC (Millennial) KINGDOM. This first phase is necessary in order to fulfill the Covenant that God made with Abraham. What God promised, He has yet to fulfill. It is required that Messiah reign in order that those many unfulfilled promises be fulfilled. The characteristics of this Messianic kingdom are found in abundance in the O.T. prophets and it will be an incredible period of time. It is the N.T., however, where we informed that this phase of the future kingdom of God will last for 1,000 years.

(2) PHASE TWO – THE ETERNAL KINGDOM. Once the reign of King Jesus is completed, He will turn ruling authority over to the Father (1 Cor. 15:24) and the final resurrection and the final judgments take place. These events then prepare everyone for the final, forever phase of the kingdom. It is this phase that we want to highlight in this article.

Six Facts About the Eternal Phase of the Future Kingdom of God
The Apostle Paul’s statement is true that all of our earthly knowledge and experiences do not make clear “all that God has prepared for them who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9). But there are some truths found in our Bibles that let us in on something of what it will be like in eternity.

(1) OUR BODIES WILL BE CHANGED AND MADE MATURE. Sickness, disease and many kinds of limitations are the common experience of people today. These experiences are not at all what God originally designed when He created our physical bodies. In eternity we will have bodies that have been changed. The Apostle Paul reflects the desire of us all when he says in Romans 8:23,

“And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.”

Our bodies will be made like the body that Jesus had at His resurrection. He is called the “first fruits” which means that His body is the “proto-type” of our bodies. Looking at Luke 24, which recounts two resurrection appearances to the disciples, gives us some insights into what that body will be like. Our bodies will be like His; mature and free from any deficiencies. There will be no physical illness, no mental or emotional retardation or deficiency. This perfect body will live forever, never dying.

(2) THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WILL BE MADE NEW. God created a beautiful, perfect, physical world for people to live in (Gen. 1, 2). There was no sin, death, curse or imperfection of any kind until the Fall. Revelation 21:1 declares that God is going to create a “new” heaven and a “new” earth. This word emphasizes the fact that it is a “fresh” version of what was created before. The reason for the “new” heaven and earth is the same as the original one; that is, it is the dwelling place for people. Eternity will apparently be spent on the new earth. We are going back to paradise. God’s original plan was absolutely excellent and He is going to restore everything that was lost in the Fall. Apparently the one thing about the new earth that John wants us to know is that “there is no longer any sea.” What does that mean? We are used to a world where 70% is covered by water. Apparently that is not what the original earth looked like. We would understand that much of the present water is the result of God’s judgment with the flood of Noah’s day.

(3) OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WILL BE CHANGED. We will experience a level of fellowship and relationship with the Lord God that we (even in our best moments) have never experienced. It will be a full and uninhibited fellowship (note Rev. 22:4). Revelation 21:3 tells us that God is going to come down onto the earth and will “dwell among” His people. While Adam and Eve were visited regularly in Eden, we will have a much richer and more permanent relationship than they had. We possess the very righteousness of Christ (Adam did not) and this will enable us to enjoy a level of fellowship that neither we today or Adam in Eden ever experienced. There is no sin or guilt to get in the way of enjoying the Lord.

(4) WE WILL HAVE PRODUCTIVE, MEANINGFUL LIVES. We will be “serving” the Lord (Rev. 22:3) which tells us that the Lord will give us important and meaningful activities. We spend much of our time involved in dealing with the consequences of sin (from weeding the garden to fixing machines, people or situations) and so it is hard to imagine what it is we could be doing. Adam was given meaningful activity in tending the Garden and “ruling” over creation. So while we cannot at this moment put together a “to do” list, we can be sure that whether it is worshiping, ruling, serving or learning, our lives will be full and satisfying.

(5) SOME REALITIES EXPERIENCED NOW ARE EXPERIENCED THEN. Not everything will be strange and different. There will be kings and nations in the eternal state (Rev. 21:24-26). We will eat and drink (Rev. 22:1-2). There will be a city there, the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:10-27). There will be a universe with sun, moon and stars to gaze at and investigate. (Note that Revelation does not say there is no sun, but rather that there is no “need” for the sun in the new Jerusalem). Having a “fresh” earth means that there will be meadows and mountains, rivers and lakes, trees and flowers, making it much like what we can enjoy now.

(6) SOME REALITIES PRESENTLY EXPERIENCED WILL BE ABSENT. Of great importance also is what will not be there (Rev. 21:4; 22:3). There will no longer be pain, death, crying, sorrow and the curse. It is nearly impossible for us to imagine what life will be like without these entities that we deal with daily. No more fearing death. No crying which comes from disappointment, failure, the ending of a relationship, the death of a friend, loneliness and a host of other negatives. Life without these things will be amazing. We cannot really imagine what it will be like with these things gone.

“Thou will make known to me the path of life; in Thy presence is fulness of joy; in Thy right hand there are pleasures forever.” Psalm 16:11

What the Lord has for us is not at all what we junior boys thought back in our class of junior boys. Even so, come Lord Jesus.