(Preached by Rowland Croucher at Blackburn Baptist Church, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,  sometime in the 1970s).

A little note: I had a simpler faith back in the 1970s. I’d be a bit less ‘black-and-white’ about some things these days (especially about topics like hell and judgment).  Rowland Croucher December 2012.

(A series of eight sermons on the Book of Revelation)

Introduction: WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? UNDERSTANDING THE BOOK OF REVELATION

It is not surprising that a variety of methods of interpretation have evolved with reference to the Book of Revelation. Not only does the book seem an enigma to us, with its visionary language, curious figures, and its cosmic catastrophes, but its subject is ‘eschatology’ – the end-time – a subject about which the church has never made up its collective mind satisfactorily.

Accordingly, Christian scholars have always approached a study of John’s book with such evident bias that the net result has been chaotic. Consequently, as Barclay says, ‘the Revelation has sometimes been abandoned as quite unintelligible, and it has sometimes become the playground of religious eccentrics, who use it to map out celestial time-tables of what is to come…’

On the other hand Luther complained that, notwithstanding the obscurity of his writing, the writer has the boldness to add threats and promises for those who kept or disobeyed his words, while no one knows what he means!

We can know what John means better if we keep the following in mind:

1. The artistry and aura of Revelation are sublime. J. B. Phillips says that he found the task of translating this book ‘in the true sense of that threadbare word, thrilling. For in this book the translator is carried into another dimension – he has but put the slightest foot-hold in the Time-and- space world with which he is familiar. He is carried, not into some never-never land of fancy, but into the Ever-ever land of God’s eternal values and judgments.’ Revelation comprises a ‘theology of power’. And technically, it is the verdict of Philip Carrington that ‘in the case of Revelation we are dealing with an artist greater than Stevenson (John has a better sense of the right word), Coleridge (the old apostle has a greater command of unearthly supernatural loveliness) or Bach (the seer has a richer sense of melody and rhythm and composition). Its fullness and richness and harmonic variety place it far above Greek tragedy.’

2. The Apocalypse is a first century book, written out of the situation of the early Christians, and for these persecuted people. The Roman Empire was continuing its wicked way; oppression and wrong abounded; the cult of the emperor flourished, as did idolatry generally. The Christian minority found itself the object of suspicion, sometimes persecution. Some were killed for their faith. The Revelation was not a kind of intellectual puzzle (‘spot the meaning of this symbol!’) sent to a relaxed church with time on its hands and an inclination for solving mysteries! So John’s message is: the future belongs not to the Roman powers-that-be, but to Christ. He is the ultimate Victor, and in him we are ‘more than conquerors’. John takes us behind the scenes; we glimpse the realities of God’s cosmic power: he is never thwarted. Despite appearances, he unerringly brings his purposes to pass in the affairs of human history.

3. The purpose of John’s symbolism is to convey ideas, and thus it is a matter of indifference whether the symbols can be visualised or reconciled (where does one locate ten horns and seven heads on one beast?). M.E. Bosimard says, correctly, ‘When the seer describes a vision, he translates into symbols the ideas suggested by God; he goes on then, by accumulating colours, symbolic numbers etc., without giving a thought to the plastic effect. His purpose is, above all, to translate the ideas received from God, not to describe a coherent vision, an imaginable vision. To follow him to the end on the way he has chosen one must play his game and convert into ideas the symbols he describes without troubling oneself about their incoherence.’

4. The Revelation corresponds in many ways to a common literary genre – apocalyptic writing. This class of literature flourished in the last two centuries BC and the first century AD. John’s apocalypse abounds in symbolism of a typically apocalyptic character. Thus any interpreter of this book who has not studied other contemporary apocalypses – their message and method – is doing less than an honest job. And too many of these interpreters have foisted their dogmatics upon a gullible Christian public! Like other apocalypses, John divides time into two ages: this present age (evil) and the age to come (when God makes ‘all things ‘new’). Another apocalyptic practice, which John also follows, is to employ a heavenly guide, an angelic personage, to explain certain mysteries. Apocalyptic writing embodies a tension between history and eschatology. History is eschatologically interpreted; in Revelation, evil at the hands of Rome is ‘realised eschatology’.

5. But Revelation is ‘prophecy’ and goes beyond contemporary apocalyptic writing in some respects. The prophet insists on moral uprightness, as does John in chapters 2 & 3. Apocalypses are usually pseudonymous, written in the name of some illustrious predecessor: here John gives his own name (1:4). Although John shares the apocalyptist’s pessimism concerning the present age, he sees much further: history is the scene of God’s redemptive activity. Whereas the apocalyptists looked forward to the coming of God’s Messiah, John asserts that he has come, and has suffered, but is now King of kings and Lord of lords.

6. The Revelation is not a prevision of the history of Western Europe. This would hardly have helped the first-century Christians in their distress, nor does it make the book of much value to non-Westerners. Such ‘historicist’ views labour under the disadvantage of failing to agree, and therefore the value of such ‘foreshadowed history’ is minimal indeed if identification of dates, places and personages is obscure!

7. Nor is Revelation merely futuristic. Some would have us believe that chapters 4 – 22 had very little significance for the early Christians, but deal exclusively with happenings at the very end of the age. This view robs the book of all value for the early Christians, and, indeed, for all subsequent generations right up to the last. And it is vitiated by the fact that, although Christians have lived in the prospect of an imminent return of their Lord, as they can’t be absolutely sure that their era will be the very last, then such an interpretation will have merely academic interest alone.

8. Nor is the book merely an ‘idealistic’ exhibition of eternal principles, with few or no references to special happenings. Certainly, it does set out in poetic form certain theological conceptions, and the principles on which God acts throughout human history. But refusal to see a firm historical anchorage seems to most students of the book dubious to say the least.

9. Elements from more than one of the schools of interpretation are required for a satisfactory understanding of Revelation. We must always keep the situation of the church to which it was written in the forefront of our thinking if we are to make sense of this book: this is the clue to much of it. And this is why the Revelation of John is so meaningful to persecuted Christians around the world today. It was written to comfort and encourage the persecuted, not to satisfy prophetic bloodhounds, who believe it to be their mission to fossick out references in the book to contemporary happenings. The best help is a Spirit- enlightened intelligence, not the morning newspaper!

10. John’s Revelation is a book worth studying. Every generation needs the assurance that ultimately ‘Caesar is not lord’. Sometimes today Christians are confronted with an absolute choice between Caesar or Christ, and it was to encourage people in times like these that the Revelation was written. In a time of mounting terror John did not shut his eyes to the terrors; he saw dreadful things and he saw still more dreadful things on the way; but beyond them he saw the bliss and the glory for those who defied Caesar for the love of Christ.

The age of Domitian (AD 81 – 96) was one of the most heroic in the history of the Christian Church; and the Revelation is the clarion call to be faithful unto death in order to win the crown of life.

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? (2)

Come with me, in your imagination, to a little rocky island, off the coast of Asia Minor. Patmos was like a living tomb, where people torn away from their families and homes were left to rot. It’s Sunday morning, the waves are crashing against the rocky cliffs. In these cliffs there are caves, abandoned mines. The skies are greying, the sun has hardly risen. Chains clank as prisoners turn in their sleep. But one man – John – is awake, thinking about the church he can’t go to this Sunday morning. He’s a pastor, and he actually thinks about the seven churches he can’t go to – about 200 km away.

But this morning he’s going to give those churches a better message than he’s ever given before. He won’t be speaking to them – he’ll be writing it, in a letter.

The whole book is summed up in the opening sentence. It’s a revelation (not `revelations’, plural) of and about Jesus Christ. It’s his self-revelation.

The attributes of Christ are highlighted in chapter one – and throughout the book. Christ is the revealer, redeemer, and reigning king.

1. Revealing. The Greek word for ‘revelation’ is apokalupsis, a ‘disclosing’, `taking away the veil’. All revelation begins with God, the source of all truth. We don’t create truth, we receive it, as a gift of God. Here there are five generations witnessing to this truth. God gave the Revelation to Jesus, who gave it to an angel, who gave it to John, who has given it to the world. God didn’t write his truth in the clouds, but has honoured his people with the responsibility to convey it as witnesses. Note that these things must happen, `soon’. History is not haphazard, or cyclical. It is moving to a climax, God’s climax.

John is Christ’s servant (doulos, a slave). No one can rise higher than to be God’s slave. He is also a witness. We get our English word `martyr’ from this word – it means witnessing by putting your very life on the line.

This first paragraph (1-3) ends with a 3-fold blessing – to the one who reads the letter to the congregation; to the one who hears the Word of God; and to the one who obeys it. No one knows when these things will happen: so the expectant Christian will always live as if they’re just around the corner. (Note six further categories of `happy’ or `blessed’ people in Revelation (14:13, 16:15, 19:9, 20:6, 22:7,14).

2. Redeeming (1:4-6). The letter is sent to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia, the western half of modern Turkey. They weren’t the only churches there (we know of others at Colossae, Hierapolis, Troas, and Miletus). These 7 churches were probably `postal centres’; they were all on a kind of ring road, and John’s letter could easily be circulated from these centres. The number `7′ is significant: it’s the number of `completeness’ in apocalyptic writing. So these 7 churches represent the whole church – including ours! John says we should all hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to the churches (2:7,11 etc.)

John conveys ‘grace’ to them – a Greek greeting which in non- Christian contexts might simply mean `good luck’ (`may the favour of the gods be upon you’). And `peace’, the great Hebrew greeting (`the harmony restored between God and his human creatures, ultimately through Christ’ – R.C. Charles).

This greeting is from the triune God: the God who ‘always is’, the God of 1990, 1991 and 1992; the Holy Spirit, who, according to Isaiah 11:2, has seven great attributes; and Jesus Christ, about whom three things are said:

* He’s reliable – his witness is always true. * He’s risen from the dead – he has first place in God’s creation. * He reigns over all other rulers.

What Satan promised Jesus – and could never have given him – Jesus won for himself through his death and resurrection.

So much for the greeting. Now, says John, seeing you’ve received grace and peace there is something you can give to Christ – glory and power. That’s worship, the most unselfish thing any human being can do. `In our prayers we’re concerned primarily with our needs; in our thanks-givings with our blessings; in worship – with God himself, to the exclusion of all else’. We come to worship, not to get something, but to give something to God. When we come together to worship I don’t care if you don’t `get a thing out of it’ – that’s not what worship is about at all. It’s not blessing ourselves – it’s blessing God.

Why should we worship him? John’s answer: because of what has been done for us in the past, what will happen in the future – and it’s all centred on Jesus.

What has he done for us? * He loves you (present tense). His love `is older than creation, yet younger than this morning’s dawn… a perpetual unwearied intercession for our souls which will still be pleading for us on the very day of judgment; to him who has your name written now across his heart, and will never in time or eternity let you go – to him who loves us, be glory’ (James Stewart). You can’t ever say `nobody loves me’.

* He’s loosed us. John could hear the clanking of chains as he wrote. He was imprisoned because of Jesus and yet can write of Jesus `breaking our chains’. There are worse chains than physical ones – our bad habits, the evil in our characters, the sins that bind us. Could you make a list of the things from which Jesus has set you free?

Jesus’ love will never let us go, and will never let us off. This `loosing’ is his love in action. It’s the divine surgery, cutting out of our lives all that destroys us, the festering sore in humanity – `the universal insanity’ Seneca called it. Our sins cost Jesus his life. (Note: some of the older versions describe it as being `washed… in his blood’. The best manuscripts have `set free’ rather than washed; and the Greek word en, can mean `in’ but here, says Barclay, it’s a translation of a Hebrew word meaning `at the price of’. `Well-worn phrases which speak of being `washed in the blood of the Lamb’ have little scriptural authority’, he says!).

‘Search the Bible… Can you find anywhere the words, “I begged him for pardon, and he answered ‘No, we must draw the line somewhere – forgiveness is not for you'”.  Can you find that anywhere?’ asks James Stewart. Christ died for the defeated, for the beaten, for the hardened. He can break anyone’s chains – to him be glory and dominion!

* He’s lifted us. We’re royalty, sons and daughters of the King of kings. And priests – a kingdom of priests! Kings and priests were the most privileged people in Israel. This royal and priestly elite had direct access to God – and now we’ve been lifted to that privilege. That should move anyone to praise God! A young man in Scotland sent a pre-paid telegram to his girl asking `Will you marry me?’ She learned she had 27 free words to play with so she said `Certainly, absolutely, eagerly, willingly, lovingly, longingly’ etc. One word would have done – `Amen’ (it’s all those rolled into one)!

3. Reigning (7-20). From the past and present to the future. John’s message in Revelation is that the God who has not failed us in the past (he is not `an untried God’) will rescue His people again. For the Christian the return of Christ to this earth is a strengthening hope. For the enemies of God it is a threat of judgment. Divine glory and human grief will be combined.

Those who’ve rejected Jesus will see him. The soldiers who banged nails through his wrists will see him. Pilate, who washed his hands of him will see Him. Those who pierced him will see him…

He’s coming back. The English would say ‘Hear hear!’ The Greeks ‘Even so’! The Hebrews – ‘Amen’!

Why is John so sure? Because he’s sure of God. He is the first and the last, the alpha and omega, the A and the Z. Before anything else, there was God. After everything, there will be God. He was, and is and is to come. God is always there, so we can be sure of the future. But God is not only permanent, he is powerful and almighty. Despite the disasters of our world, he is reigning. No one can stop him doing what he wants to do ….

And now to John’s vision of the reigning Christ. He was ‘in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day’. It’s more than being `reverent’ (it’s sadly possible to be `in church’ but not `in the spirit’!) Here John saw a vision that he hadn’t seen before; he heard voices. It was a wonderful experience …

Note the humility in v9. He could have said ‘Your father in God, suffering more than any of you…’

He heard a loud voice, like a trumpet. The trumpet is an instrument you can’t ignore: it’s an instrument of summons. There is coming a day – the noisiest day in the world’s history – when the trumpet will sound, the archangel will cry out – a cry of command.

‘I turned… and I saw’. We’ll never really see, unless we `turn’.

What was Jesus like when he was here? We don’t know – but he was probably not like the bronzed Anglo-Saxon we find in children’s Bible story books. In John’s vision he had the features of a human being. His robe stretched to his feet – the last time the public saw him, he was stripped stark naked on a cross. His hair – white as snow. (Ever seen a picture of Jesus with white hair?). His eyes were blazing (no wonder at his trial they blind-folded him: they couldn’t look into those eyes). His feet were like burnished metal – feet that can ‘trample out the vintage, where the grapes of wrath are stored…’ His voice was like the crashing of the Patmos waves. His tongue was like a Roman short sword. His face was like the midday sun…

John’s only reaction is to fall at his feet like a man in a dead faint.

One day the whole world will see Jesus like this!

But Jesus is not only the King of Glory but also the King of Love. The Risen Christ reaches out to the frightened visionary, and touches him! When my little girls used to put their hand in mine as we crossed a busy road, they were not afraid. And so, in our most fearful moments, the hand of Jesus, a healing and comforting hand, reaches out to reassure us. Just as a sick person is healed both by the hand of the surgeon and the touch of the hand of a loved one, so Jesus comes to heal us with the `touch of the Master’s hand’ and also the strengthening touch of the Shepherd’s hand….

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? (3)

From next week our whole congregation will be engaged in a very important spiritual exercise – determining our church goals for 19… John’s letters to the seven churches (Rev. 2 & 3) will be a useful starting-point for our discussions.

`The Apocalypse’ says Hendriksen, is a work of art, marvellous art, divine art… Its various parts are tied together. You cannot understand chapters 2 & 3 unless you have read chapter 1. And chapters 2 & 3, in turn, form the setting… of the later portions of the book.’ What does he mean? Well, the promises, for example, in these two chapters are explained later. See 22:2,14, if you want to know about overcomers eating from the tree of life; the `second death’ is explained in 20:14; the `new name’ appears again and again (14:1, 22:4 etc.). The authority over nations receives its commentary in 12:5, 20:4; and the morning star of 2:28 re-occurs at 22:16. And so on.

These seven letters have a similar pattern, with 7 parts: a salutation, Christ’s self-designation, condemnation, warnings or threats, an exhortation, and a promise. Christ commends every Church – except Laodicea – for something, and in five of the seven he finds something to condemn. The first and last churches are in great danger; the 2nd and 6th are very healthy; the middle three are `a mixed bag’!

The Holy Spirit wants us to note all these characteristics. Here is what Jesus is saying about us, and his opinion ought to concern us very greatly. Our church in …. has a certain reputation, which can be both good and bad. To one of the 7 churches Jesus says `People think you’re nearly dead, but actually you are on the brink of new life’. Is that us? He says to another `You’ve got a name for being alive, but in fact you’re dead’. Is that us? I’ve not met a church anywhere that doesn’t fit somewhere in these seven descriptions…

1. EPHESUS – THE COLD CHURCH (Rev. 2:1-7). Ephesus, says Barclay, was the `Vanity Fair’ of the ancient world. Lying at the mouth of the river Cayster, it was a great commercial seaport. Three great roads converged there, and Farrar has suggested that the magnificent list of merchandise in Rev. 18:12,13 could easily describe what was freely available in the markets at Ephesus. It was also a `free city’ – the Romans had granted it self-government. Ephesus was the centre of the Pan-Ionian Games. And it was the centre for the worship of Diana (or Artemis). In fact Diana’s Temple was one of the seven wonders of the world. Diana was the goddess of fertility, and you’ll remember when Paul preached here he put many silversmiths out of business and there was a riot (Acts 19). The Temple of Diana was an official `refuge’ for criminals, who were immune from punishment if they stayed within one bowshot (200 yards). So the city was a very superstitious and immoral place.

The church there was blessed with the best succession of pastors you could imagine. Paul stayed there longer than anywhere else (3 years). The ‘clergy couple’ Priscilla and Aquila were there for some time, as was Apollos, the brilliant expository preacher. Then there was Timothy, then the apostle John. An old legend says John was released from Patmos, and as a very old man was carried into this church on a stretcher. His sermon comprised three words: `Love one another!’ As we’ll see, that was the message this church needed most desperately.

First, a word about angels and lampstands (1:20). Christians are the light of the world (Mt. 5:14, Ph. 2:15); the giver of light is Christ, and so churches are `lampstands’ on which `Christian candles’ reflect the light of Christ to the world. But who are the `angels’ of these churches? `Angel’, in both Hebrew and Greek, means, simply `messenger’. Are they messengers sent to John from these churches to Patmos? If so, why are they blamed sometimes for their churches’ sins? Are they real – guardian – angels? In Hebrew thought nations had their presiding angels (Michael was Israel’s); Jesus said children have angels to guard them (Mt. 18:10); Peter was thought to have an angel (Acts 12:15). But – why are the churches’ angels rebuked for their churches’ sins? Are the `angels’ the bishops or pastors? Malachi 2:7 says priests are the `messengers’ or `angels’ of the Lord. But the problem here is that John obviously means `heavenly angels’ the other times he mentions them in Revelation. Barclay opts for another meaning: these angels are the `ideal selves’ of those churches. Here’s my humble opinion (and I’ve not seen this spelt out in any of the commentaries): the angels are the churches’ pastors, and it was John’s code-name for them to protect them from official harassment.

In each letter we’ll look at the things Christ commends, condemns, and commands.

Before Christ condemns this church, he has some good things to say about them (always a good practice if you have to rebuke someone). Ephesus was a church of Christian ENERGY. They were busy doing God’s work, they worked hard – so hard that they laboured to exhaustion. They were prepared to sacrifice time, energy and perspiration in their service to God. Apparently they were a people who looked for Christian service before service found them. They were `always abounding in the work of the Lord’. Thank God for Christians who offer themselves tirelessly to do His work! How does our church measure up here? Secondly their ENDURANCE was highly commendable – although under pressure, they carried on. Some of them lost many customers in their trade because they were Christians. And yet they were `patient’. The Greek work means `triumphant fortitude’. They didn’t give up. How soon does discouragement cause you to `throw in the towel’? Thirdly, they were an ENLIGHTENED church. They were orthodox in doctrine, and could discern between true and false teachers. They hated evil, and false doctrine. They opposed the Nicolaitans – probably the same people as those who followed ‘the teaching of Balaam’ (2:14) – who taught that once you’re a Christian you can do what you like. Christians are free from all law, they said. But Christians don’t do what they like – they do GOD’S will (as the old maxim put it `Love God, and do what you like!’). When we truly love God, we’ll do only what is obedient to him, and loving to others. Are we too soft in opposing permissiveness?

But the Ephesians were so busy heresy-hunting they’d lost their love. Activity and orthodoxy are useless where there is no love. These second-generation Christians had lost the `love of their espousals’ (Jer. 2:2). We should always `be on a honeymoon’ with our Lord. That love for him – and for others – should grow as the years pass, not diminish. Is ours a loving church?

Finally, the Lord has three commands – (1) REMEMBER your first love. Remember when it was a joy to serve him without letting others know? Remember when you wanted to tell the world about your Saviour? Remember when you were willing to give him your whole life? (2) REPENT – don’t just feel sorry, turn around, and make a clean break with your loveless past, and (3) REPEAT the things you did at first. Start again – rekindle your love, and re-live the blessedness you knew when first you knew the Lord. The letter ends with two warnings – if you don’t change, your lampstand will be removed. (It was. There’s no church in Ephesus today – the whole place is a ruin). Then, let those who have ears, hear. That means us! To the conqueror over evil and heresy and lovelessness there is a wonderful promise of eternal life in God’s paradise.

(2) SMYRNA – THE RICH CHURCH (Rev. 2:8-11)

Smyrna today is a city of 250,000 people, half of whom belong to the Eastern Orthodox Church. It was – and is – a very beautiful city. It was also a wealthy trade-centre, and very cultured. It claimed to possess the largest public theatre in Asia Minor. Homer was probably born there. And it was a centre of Caesar worship, very loyal to Rome. When Domitian was emperor, Caesar worship became compulsory. Once a year all citizens had to burn a pinch of incense, affirm Caesar as Lord, and receive a certificate to prove it. Christians were not prepared to do this, and so the threat of persecution lay over them all the time. They were accused of being unpatriotic, and so in Smyrna and other places they lived under the constant threat of persecution and death. You don’t find half-Christians in a church in such a place, and in Smyrna, the church was a place of heroes.

Smyrna had a large Jewish population, and they hated Christians bitterly, constantly reporting them to the officials. (Jews had a special exemption from Caesar worship). We talk about Christian anti-Semitism – here it was Jewish anti-Christianism! Later, a great bishop in Smyrna, Polycarp, was killed at the instigation of the Jews (who willingly broke their sabbath by collecting the wood for the fire). Why aren’t we persecuted? Two reasons suggest themselves: the church has `christianised’ English-speaking nations; but conversely the world has influenced the church. People don’t see much difference between church-goers and others. Why?

The Christians at Smyrna were desperately poor – the Greek word says they were destitute. They’d lost their jobs and their livelihood, many of them, and were forced to borrow or beg to stay alive. There were no social services then! (How would we survive if Sunday after Sunday nothing appeared in the offering plate?).

Secondly they suffered slander – verbal persecution. They, like many other Christians, were accused of cannibalism because they talked of eating the body and drinking the blood of Jesus Christ at Communion. They had `love feasts’ – and so were accused of having sexual orgies.

But, worse, the devil would throw some of them into prison for a brief period. These slanderous Jews were people being used by the devil himself! Though they called their meeting-place the `synagogue of God’ in reality they belonged to the `synagogue of Satan’! (Some still say that people born into the Jewish race are `God’s special people’, but this letter would negate that. Those who reject Jesus – of whatever nationality – can’t be called God’s special people). John Wesley once talked with someone who had a cruel and perverted idea of the Christian God. `Your God’, he said `is my devil!’ How is it possible for a Christian church to begin to lose touch with God?

When the blacks in America were suffering they used to sing `Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen – nobody knows but Jesus’. Well, Jesus says `I know your troubles’ – whether you live in 1st century Smyrna of 20th century …. And although you’re materially poor, you’re spiritually rich. So don’t worry about your rags, there’s a robe of glory waiting for you. You’ll be millionaires, inheriting all I’ve got in store for you. They may kill your body, but they can’t kill your soul. (Final question: Would it be better to be a `whole’ Christian in a Muslim country where Christians are persecuted or a half Christian in our culture?).

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? (4)

(Precis of two sermons on Revelation 2:12-3:22).

As a congregation we are currently discussing the future directions and goals of our church, and these seven letters can help us in this quest. Ephesus was a cold church, doctrinally sound but loveless. Are we? Smyrna was a rich church, utterly destitute materially, but rich spiritually. Could we in our affluence be described as spiritually rich?

3. PERGAMUM – THE COMPROMISING CHURCH (Rev. 2:12-17)

Pergamum was a key centre for the anti-God forces of the whole area. It was the ‘Lourdes’ of the ancient world – the place where the sick came to worship the Greek god Asklepios, the god of healing. Parchment was invented here. It was a cultured city. This church had at least been true to Christ in some respects. One man – Antipas – had been martyred for his faith. (Greek ‘anti’ = against; ‘pas’ = all. He was against all that was against Christ!). But just as Balaam suggested another way to destroy Israel than a direct frontal spiritual attack, so the Christians at Pergamum were being ‘got at’ insidiously by Satan, the crafty angel of light. ‘We mustn’t be too different from the people outside the church’ was the rationale. And so gradually their beliefs and behaviour were diluted, and instead of the threat of Jews or Romans persecuting this church, Christ was threatening them. How terrible for Christ to be against you! We, too, are called to be uncompromising about some things; we are to live straight in a crooked world. The morally and spiritually victorious will be rewarded with ‘hidden manna’ – sustenance in a wilderness world, and a ‘white stone’ – a special, precious stone with the name of Christ on it (so we don’t need lucky charms!). In what areas are we called upon to be uncompromising in our society?

4. THYATIRA – THE PERMISSIVE CHURCH. (Rev. 2:18-29)

Here’s the longest letter, but to the least important town (Christ’s values are so different from ours!). Thyatira was the centre of trade in purple cloth (remember Lydia?). But everyone in a trade in this town had to belong to a trade guild, or lose their livelihood. Such guilds met for special parties, before and after which libations were poured out to the gods, a sacrifice was offered, and perhaps a wild orgy finished the occasions. What was a Christian to do? Tertullian later preached on this and said ‘Abstain from everything evil’ after which they asked him ‘But how are we going to live? We must live!’ To which that great Christian replied ‘Must you live? There are no musts where faith is concerned!’ How do we cope with the ‘areas of grey ethics’ in our jobs – or tax returns? I don’t want to pass judgment here, but if sincere Christians have backed out of such things as Yoga or Freemasonry, then you ought to find out why before you join such groups! The threat in Thyatira came also from within the church: ‘that woman Jezebel’. Some translations suggest ‘wife’ (was she the pastor’s wife, undoing all the good work he was trying to do?). Unfortunately, then and now, there are false prophets and prophetesses (many modern sects have been started by them). God’s standards, says the Bible, are right, good, difficult, and possible! When God says something is wrong, a prophetess isn’t going to be commissioned to say it’s right! Whatever it costs, hold fast, says Christ to this church. If you do, you too will share in the ‘Kingdom’ (authority), the ‘power’ (ruling with a rod of iron) and the ‘glory’ (Christ Himself is the morning star – Rev. 22:16).

5. SARDIS – THE DEAD CHURCH (Rev. 3:1-6)

Sardis, like Edinburgh castle, was built on a massive rock. It was thought to be impregnable. And it was a wealthy city – King Croesis lived here, and the first coined money was minted here. When an earthquake destroyed the city, they built it – on their own – in 18 months. It was a self-sufficient city. It was also self-confident. The city could be defended with a dozen soldiers – or so they thought. Twice the cliffs were scaled by invaders (549 & 218 BC) when a careless sentry dropped his helmet, climbed down a ‘secret’ track, and was seen by the enemy. So to this self-confident church Jesus says ‘Watch – or I’ll come like a thief in the night!’ Thirdly, they were self-indulgent. Being an affluent society they were flabby, living for pleasure and leisure rather than work. Sardis had quite a reputation – the church was well-off – there were many programs. Perhaps it was full each Sunday. But Jesus’ reckoning isn’t sometimes the same as ours. The church might have been quite famous – but it was like a spiritual graveyard. In the Lord’s opinion they might have had a form of godliness but not the power; they worshipped, but not really ‘in spirit’ and in truth; they honoured God with their lips, but not with their lives; they professed to be Christians, but didn’t really possess Christ. they were self-satisfied, but in a very dangerous spiritual condition indeed. I wonder what the atmosphere was like when the courier first read this letter to this fashionable church! And yet there were some names on both the church’s roll and the Lord’s roll. We have about …. members here: I wonder if the ‘book of the living’ has all these people written there as well? The people in Sardis may have dressed well in their ‘Sunday best’ for church, but these clothes will be nothing compared with the glorious spiritual robe to be worn by the victorious. For our Lord, his concern is for the ‘inner garments’ not the things we wear on our bodies. In what ways may our own church be described as ‘having a reputation’ but at the same time being ‘dead’?

6. PHILADELPHIA – THE CONQUERING CHURCH (Rev. 3:7-13)

As we move around these churches, we are asking ourselves about the character of the town, and of the church – they are usually connected, as we have seen. For example, here in Blackburn, what kinds of people live in our suburb? They are predominantly ‘middle-class’, with a smaller proportion being tradespeople or ‘blue-collar’ workers. Such classifications are fuzzy, and sometimes not useful. But it has been interesting to note, that when we took out figures a few years ago, 90% of our church membership was ‘middle class’, 10% ‘working class’. But 60% of our ‘reversions’ from membership came from that 10%. Why?

Christ has no complaints about the church at Philadelphia. The name means ‘brotherly love’. It was an important city, with several main roads converging on it, and it became the gateway from the continent of Europe, to Asia. Its nickname – ‘Little Athens’ – arose because of the many temples to various gods there. And it was in a fertile area of volcanic soil called the ‘Burnt Land’, good for wine production. Jesus is the One who has the keys in his hand. He unlocks doors – doors of death, of Hades; the door into the Kingdom of God, and, most importantly here, doors of service and opportunity. Today, too, when country after country is being closed to the gospel (Moslem countries, Communist countries), look what doors are beginning to open – in the USSR, for example. If God shuts a door, no amount of ‘church pushing’ will open it: our task is to pray to the ‘Lord of the harvest’ to send labourers into his harvest, and he deploys them according to his greater wisdom.

Where are the doors of opportunity open before us in Blackburn? More help to the homeless through low-cost housing? Opening a shop in our local shopping area, where people can drop in any time? Friendship evangelism, with inviting our neighbours into our homes, and, if appropriate, to church? A social justice issue?

Here in Philadelphia we have a little church, with a big faith in a big God. They were busy in their service for him, and the Lord commends their fidelity. There was a faithful nucleus there – the kind of faithful core of people you find in most effective churches. You can always depend on them. (Would you be counted among those in our congregation?)

Verse 9 tells us they were having trouble with Jews in their town, and he promises a time of trouble – but they will be kept safe. In fact, Christianity has persisted in this town for 2,000 years.

7. LAODICIA – THE DISGUSTING CHURCH (Rev. 3:14-22)

In this last letter, we can’t find a single good thing Christ can say to them. It’s the best-known letter, with one text in particular preached upon more than any other in Revelation (3:20). Notice that this text isn’t talking about non- Christians. Christ was having a hard job getting into the lives of Christians!

Laodicea is a wasteland today, I’m told, with a few ruins – testimony to a town that had nothing but money. It was an important trading centre, and so attracted many Jews (at least 5000 at the time of Christ, and now probably many more). The key product there: fine black cloth, made of jet black wooL from sheep. It was a sort of banking centre for Asia Minor – very rich. In AD 60, just 30 years before this letter was written, the entire town was destroyed by an earthquake, but it was so rich they rebuilt it entirely on their own. It had more ‘millionaires’ in terms of wealth than anywhere else. (And, too, more beggars – wretched, blind, ragged people). It had a great medical school, and was famous for its drugs and medicines, particularly a special eye salve.

A few miles away a hot geyser or spring came up through the earth and the water from this fed into a river which eventually flowed to the sea. On the way it collected a lot of mineral salts, but on its journey the piping hot water became cooler. I understand that in Aden there is some drinking water from an artesian well, salty with minerals, and the only way the locals drink it is either hot, or cold, never tepid.

Jesus describes himself as ‘the Amen’ – what he says is final, and he is the faithful and true witness: he’s prepared (as any concerned friend is) to say the honest truth about you. He doesn’t flatter on the one hand, nor denigrate judgmentally on the other. What he says is the reality of the situation. (We must cultivate Christian friendships on that sort of basis).

Notice that there is no trace of persecution in this church, or paganism, or heresy, or immorality. Their terrible characteristics – indifference, and independence. They were smug: come to church, put in your offering, go home, but don’t get too hot about your Christian faith. This kind of Christianity was such an insult to Christ that it made him feel sick. And, of course, such half-heartedness is despicable to people outside the church, too.

Are we Laodicean?

WHAT ARE WE WAITING FOR? (5)

(REVELATION 6 – 14)

(Precis of two sermons).

In a newspaper article about Herbert W. Armstrong’s ‘Worldwide Church of God’, that sect’s ‘Petra doctrine’ was spelt out. There will soon be 3 1/2 years of great tribulation, but arrangements are being made for members to be flown to Petra, in the Middle East, where they’ll be safe while the rest of the world is destroyed. Sect members are encouraged to sell their homes and contribute to the ‘Petra fund’ to buy a fleet of DC 10s…..

You must ask three important questions when interpreting Revelation: (1) How would the early Christians have understood this? Here we can be fairly sure about most things! (2) What’s the great spiritual principle involved here? Here we can be very sure about most things! (3) How does this all apply specifically to our times, particularly if we are living in the very last days in the history of the planet earth? Here we can be fairly sure about a few things!

Example: Who’s the ‘Beast’ in Rev. 13:1-10? The early Christians, I’m sure, would have said `the Roman Empire’. The Beast is certainly one of the great `Trinity of Evil’ (the others: Satan, and the second Beast or false prophet) who oppose Christ and his Church. But who is this `Antichrist’ today? Throughout church history people with keenly speculative minds have suggested all kinds of people including Charlemagne, the Pope, Mussolini, and the Kremlin. You’re allowed to have your own `hunch’ here, but don’t make a new orthodoxy out of it!

The Revelation was not the literary product of an exiled eccentric creating an exciting drama, but the eyewitness account of a prophet describing what he actually saw. You can believe he saw tanks and hydrogen bombs if you like, but be careful…!

Revelation 6 introduces us to the three series of plagues (the Seals, the Trumpets, and the Bowls). God’s grace is `keeping the brakes on’ this godless civilization; now we see what happens when the brakes are off. Galloping into history we have the familiar four horses of the Apocalypse: the white horse (= military conquest); the red horse (bloodshed following man’s passion to conquer: note that the rider `was given power…’); the black horse (a picture of scarcity and famine, armies living off the lands they’ve just overrun), and a pale horse (the colour of flesh without blood). These judgments are limited, and preliminary, a picture of the aggressive nature of humanity.

With the fifth seal (6:9-11) we have, not a sub-Christian prayer for vengeance, but a profound concern for the reputation and honour of God. When his people suffer, he appears powerless. When the number of martyrs is complete, history will come to a close. The sixth seal (6:12ff.) introduces a new factor – environmental disasters.

Chapter 7 is parenthetical, giving us two visions between the 6th and 7th seals. Who are the 144,000? The people of Israel? Ten of the tribes have been lost. Judah (not Reuben, the eldest son) heads the list. Dan is omitted, and Joseph’s son Manasseh is included. So my strong `hunch’ is that the 144,000 are sumbolic, i.e. 12 x 12 x 1000 (the total Church of both Old and New Covenants). The `true Israel’, Paul tells us, is the whole Church of God, in all times. The last half of this chapter draws back the curtain of eternity, encouraging believers with a vision of the blessedness awaiting them.

The ‘silence in heaven’ at the beginning of chapter 8 is quite uncharacteristic: heaven is quite a noisy place in John’s visions! God’s people are no doubt praying, as they have for 2,000 years, that God’s will may be done on earth as it is perfectly done in heaven. The bowl which conveys these prayers to the throne, is filled with fire and poured out on the earth: prayer moves God to act in judgment. (Teilhard de Chardin says the `pleroma’ – the time of God’s visitation – will come when there is sufficient desire for it).

As the end approaches, the intensity of the plagues increases. The trumpet is an instrument of warning, and is a call to battle: God’s grace and his judgement are symbolised here. The first four trumpets depict natural disasters (scorched earth, polluted sea, contaminated water, reduced light. Less than 20 years before John wrote, Vesuvius had erupted). The 5th and 6th plagues (chapter 9) are more severe, but still the human race is unrepentant. Neither God’s kindness nor his severity (Ro. 2:4) can alter their rebellion. What a horrible situation to pass the point of no return!

Chapters 10 & 11 depict more of God’s mercy. The ‘sweet and sour scroll’ (see Ps. 119:103, Jer. 15:16) is a telling picture of the Christian’s reaction to the judgments of God. God is just: that is sweet; but human friends and family suffer when his righteousness is displayed: that is bitter. Our duty, like Noah’s and Lot’s and Jonah’s, is to be `preachers of righteousness’ in the midst of a crooked generation.

Revelation 11 is a picture, I believe, of the fate of the witnessing church. The Temple = the church, the people of God (1 Cor. 3:16-17), Eph. 2:19-22). Who are the two witnesses? They are probably modelled after Moses (who turned water into blood, and smote the earth with plagues) and Elijah (who called down fire upon God’s enemies). Here, too, we have the first mention of the `Beast’, the great persecutor of the Church. My own feeling about Sodom and Egypt: Sodom is a biblical picture of moral degradation and debased sexuality, and aptly describes the rottenness of some aspects of Western culture, which is probably rotting from the inside out. Egypt, to the Israelites, was an example of cruel oppression, and reminds me of the persecution inflicted on God’s people in erstwhile Communist and some Muslim countries.

Chapter 11 finishes by telling us that the Roman Empire or the Communist or Islamic nations will not ultimately rule the world. Beyond suffering there is glory. Resurrection issues from our Gethsemanes and Calvaries. Although the whole creation is groaning, there will come a day of liberation. John’s aim is to take us behind the scenes of history, to learn both the basic reason for and the ultimate outcome of the hostility constantly levelled against believers. These little hymns (perhaps sung by first-century Christians in their worship) are deliberately spaced throughout the book.

In Rev. 12 we have three characters. The ‘dragon’ is Satan (see 12:9). The child is Jesus. But who is the woman? Older Roman Catholic commentators used to believe it was Mary. Probably the best answer is `the nation of Israel’, from whom the Messiah came, and therefore, later in the story, the `true Israel’, the church.

This chapter is one of the most important in the Bible. It describes the death throes of an already defeated foe. Read Hendriksen’s masterly commentary in his More Than Conquerors. He describes how the dragon has been trying throughout all of human history to kill the child. All of the biblical drama is about this struggle. Verses 7-9 describe the kind of spiritual warfare that is always taking place, and will come to a fierce climax in the last days. Note how we win the victory in this battle (11-12): the blood of the Lamb, the Word of God, and our faith and God-given hope are some of our key weapons.

The first beast (13:1-10) is across the sea, and must be Rome. Most dictators choose an animal as their symbol. Note the beast’s diabolical authority – 10 horns, 7 heads, crowns on each head. The proud claims (13:5) were clear: emperor worship was being cultivated at a rapid rate. This beast had universal dominion, and is a picture of the kind of godless totalitarianism we are witnessing in some nations today.

But there’s another beast (13:11+). This beast completes, with the first beast and Satan, a diabolical trinity of evil. He comes out of the earth – probably in Asia Minor itself. Its lamb’s horns probably speak of gentle, subtle persuasion. Using authority derived from the first beast, the persecution he levels against the church is religious. So while the first beast depicts Rome’s political authority, the second beast probably refers to emperor worship, and the terrible pressure put on Christians to defect from Christ to Caesar. The number ‘666’ (13:18) is probably the most puzzling symbol in the whole book. Commentators have thought it refers to `Lateinos’ (the Roman Empire), or `Nero Caesar’. It has been found in places as varied as the Vatican, the Chinese government in Peking, and even on our modern bankcards! One interesting interpretation: in Rev. 17:11 the beast is `an eighth king’. If you add all the numbers from 1 to 8 your total is 36; add them all from 1 to 36 and you end up with 666. Does that help? The riddle remains…

Again, in chapter 14 there is a message of comfort and encouragement for God’s people. The tension is growing, the conflict getting hotter. In the world, Jesus said, there’d be trouble for his followers, but he has overcome the world. The 144,000 martyrs had been sealed against spiritual harm. They were not branded with the mark of the beast but with the name of the lamb and God the Father. Instead of being sad about their lives being cut short, they’re singing their heads off in an anthem of redemption! What to us would seem a terrible end, they see as a glorious beginning. Death is not the worst thing that can happen to us.

They have three qualities – chastity, loyalty and integrity. The chastity one’s a bit difficult. Does this refer to an elite celibate group? Or had these martyrs kept themselves from the immorality of the sick society in which they witnessed? Probably the best explanation is found in the O.T. references to Israel as a virgin. Idolatry is spiritual harlotry (e.g. Hosea 2), and so this vision may be referring to Christians who have not lusted after elements in this pagan world system. Are we in that number?

Verse 13 is often quoted at funerals. The ‘labours’ or `work’ from which God’s people enjoy rest is not toil as such (we’re not idle in heaven), but the kind of painful labour of a maternity ward!

The chapter closes with two visions of Divine judgment. There’s a harvest coming, when the weeds will be separated from the wheat. At the coming of the Lord he’ll be treading out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored. May we be given something of God’s holiness, so that the horror of the world’s and our own sinning will enable us to understand a little of the Divine anger against all sin. And who knows how soon such a testing will be coming upon us.

JUDGMENT

(Precis of a sermon on Revelation 15 – 19)

In this week’s Newsweek an article on famine says that 26 nations around the world are now confronted with ‘abnormal’ food shortages. Seventeen of these nations are in Africa. Africa’s per capita food production declined one percent each year in the 1970’s. In Sudan there are nearly half a million refugees, and in Somalia there are 1.5 million refugees. Fighting and famine have threatened 5 million people with starvation in the eastern and southern regions of Ethiopia. The article ended: ‘If all the droughts, inefficiencies, corruptions and little wars ended tomorrow, the hungry and homeless will be dependent upon emergency aid for at least the rest of the decade…’ Says World Food Council Executive Director Maurice Williams: ‘No matter what we do now millions will die.’

Why are humanity’s pains, famines, and poverty so unevenly distributed throughout the world? Because some people are more deserving of judgment than others? Not necessarily. Because of certain nations’ stupidity or ignorance in not being able adequately harness their natural resources for their own people? Perhaps. Certainly the dislocations of war and natural disasters like earthquakes and floods cause untold misery and hardships to millions all the time.

But underneath all these questions about suffering is the general dilemma we face about a good God who permits such things to happen. Can we make any sense out of the idea of God-as-Judge?

To paraphrase Mark Twain, there are two kinds of difficulties here: the things in the Bible we can’t understand, and other things we can. The Bible affirms equally that God is love and that God is light. He pardons sin and he punishes sin. He is concerned for our happiness and for our holiness.

The New Testament has two common words for anger: (1) orge – the slower, more inward and hidden kind of anger. This is the most common word and is used sometimes in the Book of Revelation. (2) thumos is anger boiling over, and is used more in Revelation than in the rest of the New Testament. When we read these chapters (15 – 19) they are somewhat reminiscent of the plagues that fell on Egypt before the Exodus.

In Revelation 15 we have a beautiful description of the joy and security of God’s people in heaven. Here they are not given to dutiful hymn singing, but spontaneous songs of praise. In heaven life is so good, the people are so utterly happy and carefree, they can’t help singing. Praise comes naturally. They sing a ‘song of Moses, and… of the Lamb’. They have been freed in another Exodus. Note that although the song is sung by victors, there is not a word about themselves in it – they owed their victory to God and they sing about him. What is the song about – the love of God? No. The forgiveness of sins? No. God’s being merciful? No. They are worshipping a God who is just and true.

In Revelation 16 we have the beginning of the descripton of the seven last plagues. These are fiercer and wider in extent than plagues associated with the previous seals and trumpets. Whereas trumpets may warn, bowls are ‘poured out’. In previous judgments, only a proportion, (usually one third) of the people suffered. These plagues are universal. Note, however, that the recipients are still unrepentent (16:10-11). They still will not turn to God. Three times (16:9, 11, 21), they curse God and three times in these two chapters (15:3, 16:5, 7) God is vindicated as ‘just and true’. The obvious message of all this is that in any time of God’s judgment all who repent are forgiven.

Revelation 17 – 19:5 describes the fall of ‘Babylon’. The Old Testament prophets often – and vigorously – denounced the ancient city of Babylon, which eventually became a by-word for human pride and godlessness. For John and his readers, the luxury-loving prostitute, the harlot gorgeously dressed and obviously drunk, was Rome, a city set on seven hills (17:9). These Christian brothers and sisters had been thrown to the lions there, or burnt alive as public entertainment. Rome was the cess-pit of the Empire.

Babylon, in Biblical imagery, is the world organised without God. It’s the epitome of all the cheating, selfish, luxury-loving godlessness of this doomed world. At their worst, these godless people are abandoned to the impulses and desires of the moment; they are ready to sacrifice anything for gain; they have a contempt for goodness and purity. And just as harlotry has devastating results in the character of the women who practise prostitution, so such godless behaviour has its inevitable consequences.

Revelation 19:1-5 is, of course, the basis for Handel’s ‘Hallelujah Chorus’. ‘Alleluia’ is the only word Christians all over the world use with the same pronunciation. It’s used only four times in the New Testament, and is most commonly found in Psalms 100 – 150. Note that there too the word is used in the context of the destruction of the wicked. If I may paraphrase it: ‘That sinfulness be consumed from the earth, and that wickedness be no more, alleluia!’ Most of our ‘alleluia’ songs and choruses are hymns of sweet praise, but this is not always so in the Bible.

Revelation 19:6-10 describes the wedding feast of Christ and his bride, the Church. It’s a lovely picture. Sometimes children ask us ‘Why did Jesus never marry?’ Perhaps it wouldn’t have been fair on a wife, his travelling so much. I think the deeper reason is that his time was ‘not yet’. His bride would be the Church, those committed to him in fidelity and love. A word to ‘singles’: do you realise that Jesus is ‘proposing’ to you? He wants to ‘marry’ you, in this sense. Every Christian is part of the bride of Christ. So there are two things to get ready – the garments for the wedding feast – pure white robes signifying our good deeds; and the guests – who are there ‘by invitation only’. You can’t gate-crash this wedding feast. Christ told so many stories about weddings where this person and that refused the invitation to come. He has come from heaven to seek a ‘holy bride’. What a joyous privilege to belong to that bride!

Judgment. Our forefathers were more accustomed to hearing ‘hell fire’ sermons than we have been. Jonathan Edwards in the eighteenth century preached about the wicked being ‘overwhelmed… their heads, their eyes, their tongues, their hands, their feet, their loins, and their vitals shall forever be full of a glowing melting fire… Not for ten million of ages, but for ever and ever, without any end at all…’ James Joyce’s Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man has two horrific sermons on hell preached by a Jesuit priest. In a book published in England in 1964, intended for Roman Catholic children in grammar schools, we read of  ‘the physical fires of hell and the wicked writhing in envy and remorse for all eternity’.

One thing is certain: whatever we make of judgment and hell we can’t treat them lightly or casually. We may react against the lurid literalism of bygone ages, but whilst we avoid the mistake of taking the symbolic language of Scripture literally, we must also avoid the greater mistake of not taking it seriously. The Apostles’ Creed says ‘He shall come to judge the living and the dead’. I am helped here by Proverbs 28:5 – ‘Evil people do not know what justice is, but those who worship the Lord understand it well’. Usually people who have a light view of judgment or dismiss it altogether, do not have a biblical view of the horror of sin, or of the justice of God. God is not less loving and just than we are.

Actually, the Bible says that we determine our own destiny. When a court of law makes a ‘judgment’ about a crime, actually the judgment has been passed already, by the person/s themselves. They have failed to act responsibly or lovingly towards others. Dostoyevski says ‘Hell, I maintain, is the suffering of being unable to love’. So the judgment of God is his reluctant endorsement of the judgment we pass upon ourselves by our failure to respond to his love.

But the grace of God pursues us all down the avenues of time. His is a ‘love that will not let us go’, (as well as a love ‘that will not let us off’!). ‘Romantic love’ is blind to everything except what’s lovable and lovely, but Christ’s love sees us with terrible clarity and sees us whole. ‘Christ’s love so wishes our joy that it is ruthless against anything else that diminishes our joy’ (Buechner).

We must affirm the reality of judgment for three reasons –

(1) There is the witness of Jesus himself. He who was kindness incarnate, compassionate and loving, who said ‘Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest’ also said ‘Depart from me, you cursed: I never knew you!’

(2) There is the witness of the Bible. Prophets, psalmists, and apostles sound the note over and over again: ‘If you seek him, he will be found; if you forsake him, he will cast you off forever’.

(3) Thirdly, there is the witness of reason. The Greeks believed in judgment, calling it Nemesis. If there is no judgment to come, then there can be no moral law, no order or purpose in life, and conscience has no meaning. We would be living in a chaotic world where crime pays, and anyone can do what they like without any fear of retribution. The message of the Bible is quite clear: there is a process of judgment in life and in history, and there will be an eternal vindication of the rightness of God’s just demands upon us.

Finally… The primary purpose of Jesus’ coming was not to condemn the world but to save it (John 3:17). Judgment is not Christ’s first purpose, just as the purpose of the sun is not to create shadows. But shadows are cast the moment the sun shines. Judgment is his ‘strange work’.

One thing is clear: ‘There is no fear in love’. God’s love is ruthless against anything which separates us from joy. So judgment is a necessary corollary of loving concern. Just as a surgeon must ruthlessly cut away with his knife that which prevents our being whole, so God’s judgment is the excision of whatever in our lives, or in his universe, militates against our health and wholeness. You and I will be there on that Great Day. The books will be opened. Proconsuls and martyrs will stand together. Prime Ministers and the unemployed will be there side by side. Whatever has been done will be revealed. But today is the day of opportunity: so be prepared!

THE MILLENNIUM: WILL CHRIST REIGN ON THIS EARTH?

Text: Revelation 20:1-6

The Utopian idea of a one-world government by Christ has fascinated and excited Christians for a long time. The second century `Montanists’ – who could be pretty wild and unbalanced – taught it. But respected church leaders like Justin Martyr, Iranaeus, Tertullian and Papias also believed in a millennial reign of Christ. Others, among them Eusebius, Jerome and Origen believed the apostles were using picture-language, and `1000′ was not meant to be taken literally. The great Augustine believed in a literal millennium but later changed his mind: ‘A thousand years is all the years of this age’ (see City of God 20.7). Most of the Reformers and Protestant scholars today have followed Augustine.

Most modern sects believe in a literal millennium. Indeed many of the Anabaptists, at the time of the Protestant Reformation, called for the immediate establishment of the Kingdom of God on this earth, an idea which, among others, contributed to the terrible Peasants’ Revolt in Germany. Then there were the Fifth Monarchy men of Oliver Cromwell’s time, who argued that the establishment of his power will be the beginning of a new reign of Christ on earth.

Many specific dates have been set for the coming of the Millennium. Here are a few of them – 1785 (Stilling), 1836 (Bengel), 1843 (Miller, the real founder of the Seventh-Day Adventists), 1890 (the Mormons), 1914 (the Jehovah’s Witnesses). Paul had to warn the Thessalonians against unwise and unprofitable speculations. The Day of the Lord would come like a `thief in the night’, he said, i.e. at a time no one could predict or calculate.

Now why all this confusion? The certainty of Christ’s second coming is affirmed right through the New Testament. But the specific idea of a millennium was not taught by Christ, and rests on a particular interpretation of the first 6 or 7 verses in Revelation 20, a highly symbolic book, as we have seen. Some of the Jewish rabbis, in the period just before Christ came taught that the Messiah would reign on earth for a limited period. How long? They couldn’t agree, and estimates varied from 40 to 7000 years. 4 Ezra suggests 400 years (cf. Gen. 15:13 and Ps. 90:15). 2 Baruch describes the incredible material blessings to be enjoyed during this time: ‘…each vine a thousand branches, each branch a thousand clusters, each cluster a thousand grapes, and each grape (the equivalent of) 120 gallons of wine… no more disease, no more untimely death; wild animals will be friendly with man… women no pain in childbirth.’

In the last 100 years or so orthodox Christians have been divided into roughly three groups over this issue. The Postmillennialists believed that the Kingdom of God was being extended throughout the world through Christians’ missionary preaching and the peace and prosperity of our steadily- improving times. ‘All the false religions are dying’ said one of them, Boettner. Postmillennialism flourished during times of peace and prosperity, particularly in the U.S. A couple of world wars, the Great Depression, and the terrible social problems of our modern world have put paid to this general idea.

The Premillennialists have always believed that the world is getting worse. Christ will come and Satan will be bound for 1000 years, during which Christ will reign over the whole earth from Jerusalem. `Dispensationalism’, a recent form of premillennialism (taught by an early Plymouth Brethren leader, J.N. Darby, and popularised in the Scofield Reference Bible) affirms that between the `rapture’ of the church, and Christ’s millennial reign, a seven-year period of `tribulation’ will be suffered throughout the world. At the end of this period, Christ returns again, defeats the `Antichrist’, and sets up his kingdom. The Jewish people will be converted `en masse’, and will have a favoured place in the Kingdom.

Premillennialists generally believe that the `prophetic clock’ stopped when Jesus was crucified, and begins `ticking’ again at the second coming of Christ. During the 1000-year reign the `curse’ will be removed from nature, the `desert shall blosson as the rose’, swords will be beaten into ploughshares and spears into pruning-hooks. The `lion shall lie down with the lamb’ (Woody Allen says the lamb won’t get much sleep! Actually Isaiah 11:6 says ‘the wolf shall live with the lamb’) and presumably animals and humans will become vegetarian. For a modern popular elaboration of this general idea, see Hal Lindsay’s The Late Great Planet Earth.

Amillennialists say the world is both getting better and worse at the same time. There is a parallel development of good and evil – the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan – which will continue until the second coming of Christ. As the Bible often speaks of the coming-resurrection-judgment in the same breath, these will occur at the same time, followed by the new eternal order.

In summary, these are the amillennialists’ objections to premillennialism: * The Book of Revelation is not merely a book of long-distance predictions, but a series of visions and pictures to comfort persecuted Christians. * The idea of a literal 1000-year reign, into which are poured all kinds of Old Testament promises of material blessings, is foreign to the New Testament teaching of the Kingdom of Christ being `here and now’, `among/within you’, a spiritual kingdom. * The premillennialists are too literal, and often inconsistent in their interpretations of numbers etc. in Revelation. `1000′ is used more than 20 times there, and is an apocalyptic `code-word’ for the perfect number. (Would any literalist imagine a woman sitting on seven mountains, Rev. 17:9?).

Throughout the Bible, numbers are used this way. If God owns the cattle on only 1000 hills (Ps. 50:10) he’d be no wealthier than some of our Northern Territory station-owners. The whole picture in Rev. 20:1-7 is symbolic (how, for example, can you confine a spiritual being with a literal chain and padlock?). * The Bible does not teach a 3- or 4-fold resurrection, nor several specific `judgments’ near the end-time. See, e.g. Dan 12:2, John 5:28,29, Acts 24:15 etc. where the resurrection of both righteous and wicked is mentioned in a single breath. Jesus, in John 6:40, talks about the resurrection happening on `the last day’.

It’s the old problem of the jigsaw puzzle. Do we have only some of the pieces of the total picture? Or do we have pieces of different puzzles? The human mind always tries to fill in the gaps. If we have some open space, we shuffle the pieces around to try to make them fit. What I think has happened with the millennial jigsaws is that some of the pieces have fallen on the floor, and others have been bent here and there to make them fit our picture!

Why, if Jesus expected a millennium, did he not spell it out clearly? Why has God hidden such amazing news `under cryptic devices and curious cyphers – so cryptic indeed that serious Christians, poring over these records, extract diametrically opposite views from the same passages’ (James Black)? Why have millennial (chiefly premillennial) views also been associated with a deafening silence on the great prophetic questions of social justice? And yet – to be fair – premillennialists have been ardent evangelists and missionaries..

Premillennialists are likely, in interpreting Genesis, to be `creationists’. Amillennialists are more likely to have an open stance on that question as well. I think we can only make sense of these issues by keeping the following in mind:

(1) At the proton no human being was there. And no one has yet witnessed the eschaton. (2) `Picture-language’ isn’t a problem for the eastern mind. We Westerners have inherited a `Greek’ mind, and perhaps we’re asking the wrong question. In both the creation stories and the apocalypse we’ve been asking `how’ and `when’ instead of `who’ and `why’. If we ask the right questions we’re more likely to arrive at better biblical answers! (3) Genesis 1-3, and the Book of Revelation spell out the doom of Satan, so the `enemy of our souls’ has set out to sow confusion in the church over the interpretation of these passages.

Let us affirm what we do know: `JESUS SHALL REIGN WHERE’ERE THE SUN DOES HIS SUCCESSIVE JOURNEYS RUN!’ Of that fact we can be sure. We do know `who and why’ even if we don’t know the `how and when’. Christians – and many Jews before them – have attempted to `fill in the gaps’. Perhaps there are good reasons for God’s not revealing a lot of these details to us! Because the disciples of Jesus had wrong ideas about His kingdom, they, too, asked the wrong questions about it (like `Who’s going to sit on which throne’?). Millennialists, with too much time on their hands, have also been asking lots of irrelevant questions (like `Will people die during that time?’).

C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia imagine a world created by God, held in the grip of Satan, but released when Christ, in the figure of a lion, died for his people and came back again to reign. Here’s part of the last paragraph: `The things that began to happen after that were so great and beautiful that I cannot write them… Now at last they were beginning chapter 1 of the great story which no one on earth has read, which goes on forever and ever, and in which every chapter is better than the one before.’

I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW

(Final sermon in a series on the Book of Revelation)

Scripture: Revelation 20 – 22

Someone called James Stainback once said: `I wish I were what I was when I wanted to be what I am now’! The wonderful message of these last three chapters of the Bible is rather: `What I am now and what I was need not determine who I will be, because Christ can make me into a new person’!

Ezekiel’s injunction (18:30-32) is a good summary: `I, the Sovereign Lord… will judge each of you by what uyou have done. Turn away from all the evil you are doing, and don’t let your sin destroy you. Get yourselves new minds and hearts… I do not want anyone to die,’ says the Sovereign Lord. `Turn away from your sins and live.’

Rev. 21:5 is probably the preacher’s most popular New Year text. And yet the Bible speaks as much about daily as yearly or seasonal renewal. The Lord’s unfailing love and mercy are as `fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise’ (Lam. 3:22-4). Paul says: `We never become discouraged.’ The secret? `Even though our physical being is gradually decaying, yet our spiritual being is renewed day after day’ (2 Cor. 4:16).

The beginning of each new day is the time to make your resolutions!

Each of us is on a journey, and these chapters describe our destination. There is a vision of judgement and a vision of glory. I’ve counted eight descriptive statements about those who are acquitted at the judgement, and who share in the splendid glory of the `new heaven and new earth’.

1. THEY PROCLAIM THE WORD OF GOD (20:4) These verses describe two groups – martyrs who had died for their faith (they were beheaded), and confessors who had been persecuted for their commitment to Jesus Christ. The Greek word for `witness’, martys, has the special meaning of one who witnesses to Christ by death. Where Christians are persecuted, there are very few `half-Christians’. Who knows when our time will come?

2. THEIR GOOD DEEDS ACQUIT THEM IN THE JUDGMENT (20:12, 22:11,12). John, in his vision, sees a great white throne. The scene is a courtroon – but without witnesses, or advocates or jury. Although there are only the Judge and the accused, this final judgment is not arbitrary. God, who is `Truth’ will judge fairly, and the biblical records show that God’s judgment does not fall on the ignorant, the penitent, or the unwarned. Romans 2 tells us the judgment will be according to our knowledge of God’s laws. The judgment, says John, will be based squarely on the record of our lives: what we have (or have not, cf. James 4:17) done. John is not teaching salvation by works. The New Testament is clear: we are saved by faith in Christ, but such faith must be expressed in a life of good works. `We are saved by grace but judged by our works’.

3. THEY `THIRST FOR THE LIVING GOD’ (21:6, 22:17). It is difficult for us, with our running tap-water, to imagine the horrors of thirst. The Bible refers more than fifty times to thirst as either a symbol of judgment or of desire. The psalmist prays: `As a deer longs for a stream of cool water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for you, the living God’ (42:1,2, cf. 63:1). The promises of `living water’ (or ‘eternal life’ (for our thirst is slaked by Jesus: see Isa. 55:1, Jn. 4:10, 7:37-38). How hungry and thirsty for God and His righteousness am I?

4. THEY ARE VICTORIOUS OVER EVIL (21:7).  There are about seven promises for `overcomers’ in Revelation, and here is the greatest of all: `I will be their God, and they shall be my children’. Barclay points out that a similar promise was given to three Old Testament people – Abraham (Genises 17:7), David (2 Samuel 7:14), and the Messiah (Psalm 89:27). `Here is a tremendous thing. The promise of God to those who overcome, to those who through thick and thin remain true to goodness and to him, is the same promise made to Abraham the founder of the nation, to David… the man after God’s own heart, and to the Messiah himself. There is no greater honour in all the universe than the honour God gives to the person who is true to him’.

Note the terrible list of those who miss out on God’s heaven and are condemned to the lake of fire. Most – perhaps all – are `professing Christians’ who give up their pretense `when the chips are down’. The cowards (not the `fearful’ as in the A.V.) are those `who loved ease and comfort more than they loved Christ, and who in the day of trial were ashamed to show who they were and whom they served’ (Barclay). The unbelieving, or traitors, denied their allegiance to Christ under pressure. `Perverts’ are those who have been polluted with the defilements of the world around them, particularly emperor worship. The murderers may have been those responsible for killing Christians. The sexually immoral have fallen into the major vices of paganism. Sorcerers – those who practised magic – were common in the Mediterranean world. Idolators were also common, and liars – those who deny God’s truth and his standards of truthfulness – are condemned with them. Is our world very different? Or, to ask another question, is the behaviour of God’s people in our society markedly different from that of others?

5. THEIR NAMES ARE IN THE LAMB’S BOOK OF LIFE (21:27). John now has a vision of `the holy city’, the `new Jerusalem’, a city so splendid that his imagination is struggling to describe it. The wall is made of jasper, and the city itself of pure gold. The foundations of the wall are inlaid with every kind of precious stone, and reflect green, blue, red, white, yellow and purple colours. The overall impression is one of beauty and brilliance, a magnificent dwelling-place for God and his people.

Needless to say all this is a picture. For one thing, if taken literally, the size of the city is about the distance from Melbourne to the Gulf of Carpentaria cubed! There is beautiful symbolism here. Notice there are twelve gates: your particular way to Christ isn’t the only way! There is no need of a physical temple there. Ubi Christus ibi ecclesia: where Christ is, there is the Church. `Church’ doesn’t mean a building! Then there is the beautiful picture of kings from many nations bringing their gifts, their honour, and, it is sosmetimes suggested, their various arts and cultures. An astonishing affirmation from an ex-Jew! Some Jews believed that God had created Gentiles to be fuel for the fires of hell.

`Books… and another Book’. In the Lamb’s Book of Life there are many names. And the other books of those people have `forgiven, cancelled’ written across the sins listed right through them!

6. THEY OBEY THE WORD OF GOD (22:7,9). Revelation 22:6-21 is the`epilogue’. (Note similarities to the prologue: 1:3 & 22:6, 1:11 & 22:18, 1:3 & 22:12). God is the author of these words, so they are trustworthy and true. These things will happen `soon’. Were the early Christians wrong? No, any event which is momentous, but will happen when we least expect it, is `imminent’ for the watchful. Christians in every age must expect Christ to come `very soon’. The last two of Revelation’s seven beatitudes are found in this last chapter. The first pronounces a blessing on the obedient. These prophecies were’t given to inform our intellects (and help us develop elaborate charts of `last events’) but to change our way of living.

7. THEIR ROBES ARE WASHED CLEAN (22:14). Here is the final beatitude. Note that although God’s people are given a white robe (Rev. 6:11) – salvation is a gift, it can’t be `woven’ by oneself – yet we must keep this `garment of salvation’ continually clean (it’s the present continuous tense here).

8. THEY EAGERLY ANTICIPATE THE COMING OF JESUS (22:17,20). There are reciprocal invitations here, as Ellul has pointed out: `Come,’ says God to us. `Come,’ we respond to God. The prayer `Amen. Come, Lord Jesus’ expresses the central hope of all faithful believers. It is the equivalent of the Aramaic maranatha (Our Lord, come!) of 1 Corinthians 16:22. There is pathos and glory in this plea. It is born in hearts breaking through suffering, and in an ecstasy of longing. He is coming again: this year, this day, could be our last here. Let us, with keen and loving anticipation, look for – and hasten, by our good deeds and evangelistic witness – the coming of our Lord.

David H.C. Read has a sermon entitled `What are the Dead Doing?’ His answer: `The activity of the dead is adoration. “They shall see his face”. “They shall reign for ever and ever”. Does that sound like passivity? Like the “saints’ everlasting rest”? What are the dead doing? Surely they are exploring in the new dimension of everlasting light. It is my belief that there is work to be done beyond the grave… And what the dead are doing we can begin to do.’

Rowland Croucher

(Preached at Blackburn Baptist Church, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia,  sometime in the 1970s).