We’ve taken a little over a year to go through the Book of Revelation verse by verse. This devotional reading looks at some things that we learned in our study.
We’ve looked at all the verses in the Book of Revelation. Some of our beliefs were probably confirmed. Some we challenged.
I made some notes as I went through trying to make sense of it all. These are in no order whatsoever.
Let's Put It into Context
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Devotions in the Eternity Begins series
Heaven As God’s Dwelling Place
We tend to think we will be in Heaven, mainly because of two instances where Jesus was talking about where we would be.
- “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (Jn. 14: 1-3 ESV).
- “And he said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise’” (Lk. 23: 43 ESV).
We know Heaven is God’s dwelling place.
- “And I said, “O Lord God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments” (Neh. 1: ESV).
- “Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen within his temple. There were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail” (Rev. 11: 19 ESV).
Sheol was the grave. Where righteous people went was Paradise or Gan Eden – the Garden of Eden.
A fun fact, the Jews of John’s day would have seen the tree of life as the Scriptures. The whole life-giving Word – which is Jesus – is in Paradise. So, back to we will be with Jesus.
The thing that hit me after I got the devotions written about New Jerusalem is that it is a city. It has 12 gates that will never be shut.
To where do the gates open out? The logical thing to me is that the gates of New Jerusalem open up to Heaven.
Maybe. Maybe not.
Keeping God Out of Revelation
Who did John see? Why didn’t John just call Jesus by name if it was Him and not even start all this uncertainty?
The Vision as the Jesus
“Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man …” (Rev. 1: 12-13 ESV emphasis added).
But John did not call the Person in the vision by name.
John could have been seeing the glorified Jesus. He was seeing the exalted Christ as he never had because he had seen Jesus pre-ascension without His glory. Now, He is seeing Him in all His glory – if it is Jesus.
The Vision as God
Good language skills here takes it back to God, Who had been talking. “’I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, ‘who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty’” (Rev. 1: 8 ESV).
The description of the Person John saw sounds more like God, not Jesus. But, Jesus was a likeness of man, wasn’t He?
God gave Jesus authority (Mt. 28: 18). His coming to visit John on the island of Patmos would have just solidified that. In addition to telling us about future events, God told us where Jesus was at then – in a position of authority.
But God didn’t give Jesus everything. This has to be God. Even Jesus didn’t know timing. “But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only” (Mt. 24: 36 ESV).
Pastor Steve and I have been watching the Torah Class online by Bradford. He has said several times that translators have translated Yud-Heh-Vav-Heh, God’s personal name, as the title Adonai, God, or Lord.
Instead of seeing what would be translated as Jehovah 6,000 times, we see it 20 times – in all God’s Word.
In essence, they’ve taken God out of the Bible.
In fact, Bradford said that it will be Jehovah Himself coming to the Mount of Olives.
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That puts everything into a different perspective, doesn’t it? We wouldn’t know unless we went back to the original Hebrew.
The Commander in Chief doesn’t just send His General out to fight the battle. He goes Himself. I can see that.
Back to our original question. We said that the revelation itself recorded by John was from God, not Jesus.
The original sin was committed against God, not against Jesus. Jesus was only — and yes, it is a huge “only” — sacrifice.
God should be the One to defeat Satan. The offense was against Him.
Who Are Vision Man and Audio Man?
Personally – and I may be right or wrong here – it wouldn’t surprise me if God were Vision Man and Jesus were Audio Man. Think about it.
Whose message did we say it was anyway? God’s.
“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place …” (Rev. 1: 1 ESV emphasis added).
The message is about Jesus, but it is from God. If the “… angel coming down from heaven …” (Rev. 18: 1 ESV) is Jesus, then “… another voice from heaven …” (Rev. 18: 4 ESV) is God.
I think this is an example of the divine being One. They may be God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit – but They are the Three in One.
Since Jesus had already ascended back to Heaven, they may have gotten back into One mode.
I doubt any of the Three would have thought this too trivial a topic to pass on participation.
Another Option
I’ve never heard anyone mention a third possibility. “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John” (Rev. 1: 1 ESV emphasis added).
John gets an angel for a tour guide in Heaven. Why couldn’t that have started from the beginning?
Maybe. Maybe not.
Antichrist Doesn’t Really Win
Ooo, baby. It is important to us whether we endure our not. It decides whether we are going to spend eternity in Heaven or hell.
I never thought of it this way, until I wrote The Antichrist Wounded post.
We think the Antichrist is going to win because the one world order will be established. He will have worship services outlawed.
But the Antichrist – and therefore, Satan – doesn’t win if we stand firm.
Oh, Satan may think he has won because he does accomplish what he sets out to do.
But it isn’t a total victory.
Seals, Trumpets, and Bowls
If we take Revelation chronologically, the seals and trumpets come before the Antichrist.
But then there seems to be overlap on some of the trumpets and bowls.
Let’s try to map this all out.
I am starting to think these almost have to go on simultaneously. The sixth seal, I would think, happens right before the seventh trumpet and the seventh bowl. But the sixth both happens before the sixth seal.
I know. We want to have the time it would take to go through all 21 judgments.
But how can the sun become black, and the sky removed in the sixth seal before the fourth trumpet takes out one-third of sun, moon, and stars and it becomes so hot it scorches people in the fourth bowl?
I have no clue.
Still Looking to Make the Beast Rome
Commentators really wanted the Antichrist to apply to Rome and the Catholic Church. They want to be like first-century Jewish people – looking for a military Messiah. They wanted their society liberated.
Aren’t we still looking for that today? Don’t we want poverty gone? Disease and death eradicated by God — NOW?????
“He was said before (Revelation 11:7) to ascend out of the abyss, or bottomless pit; and it is said afterward, (Revelation 17:8,) that he shall ascend out of the abyss, or bottomless pit, are in these passages the same. No doubt is to be made that this beast was designed to represent the Roman empire; for thus far both ancients and moderns, Papists and Protestants, are agreed: the only controversy is, whether it was Rome, pagan or Christian, imperial or papal.”
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No. This beast wasn’t designed to represent the Roman empire. It was made to represent Satan.
I’m sorry. Trying to make the Catholic Church out to be Satan is just as bad as their removing the Jewishness from God’s Word.
Salvation after Rapture
“Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads” (Rev. 14: 1 ESV)
We were looking at this as the Rapture.
The first angel is flying immediately after the meeting on the Mount. “Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people” (Rev. 14: 6 ESV).
I have believed that, once the Church is raptured, salvation is no longer an option. It would no longer be faith – those asking for salvation would do so because of sight.
This verse has me rethinking that. If the angels are proclaiming the gospel, it is just like the two witnesses or us showing others the need for repentance.
We share God’s message with unbelievers. It is their choice to accept or reject.
But then let’s look at it another way. The gospel will be proclaimed throughout eternity, even after the Day of the Lord. It is an everlasting gospel based on an everlasting covenant.
After the Day of the Lord, the gospel will not be proclaimed to gain names written in the book of life. It will be proclaimed to praise God and His Son.
When does that cut off come?
Can some gain salvation after the Rapture? Maybe. Maybe not.
I don’t think that is something we want to chance.
I do think this is something totally different than the three levels of salvation. We gain regeneration at our conversion, but we still have to work out our salvation – grow in maturity. Perfection and total freedom from sin only comes after we get to Heaven.
How Do We Apply This?
This has been an interesting study for me. I’ve learned a lot.
But we have to remember that we aren’t going to figure it all out. We aren’t God. We don’t have His knowledge and wisdom.
It is supposed to remain a mystery.
Have I gotten everything right that I did think I figured out? Probably not. No one will.
We should apply this by burying ourselves in God’s Word to grow closer to Him. We have to realize that He is calling us to total surrender and obedience.
Nothing else will do.
Father God. We bow to Your power, glory, and wisdom. We surrender to Your divine plan. We watch for Your Son to come. Help us to grow closer to You and mature as we navigate the Sanctification Road. Amen.
What do you think?
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