Bible study

What does Revelation 7: 9-17 mean to us now?

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This passage covers the period before the second coming of our Lord that Jesus tells us about in Mark 13:6-8. It is about calamities, tumults, and chaos that are expected in suffering because of the impact and veracity of sin in the world. It is a continual experience, as the people in John’s time were going through this and, in varying degrees, we have already or will go through it. But, this is also an apex and a climax coming just before the final judgments, when the world gets a “break” and an opportunity to know Christ before His final pronouncement (Matt. 24:14). This passage’s primary purpose was not to predict the details of final events; rather, it was meant to encourage us to go through them with increased faith and our eyes focused upon our Lord. It is not important to know what takes place when, what our presumptions are, or which “end times” theory is best, as we will all be wrong on that. The important lessons are how Christ will be glorified and how we will learn and grow through it!

The sufferings and trials of life did not derail this crowd from His plan and purpose. Not even their hurt feelings, their being betrayed themselves, or the tribulations of life, whether overt or benign, dejected them. These are the Christians whose faith is real and applied. They have succeeded in their faith and now they take their triumphant entry into His presence and their reward. It is always worth it, because no matter what we face or what we go through, there is an intention from our Lord; His leading is what is best for us, including our growth and rationale. In Christ, we will succeed and prevail! 

Questions to Ponder: 

  1. What would cause a Christian to praise Christ one day, and on another day betray Him? How so?
  2. What does it mean that Christ is also your Shelter and your Hope? How do you feel that He will get you through your life and circumstances, no matter what you see, feel, or face?
  3. Do you have a favorite theory of “The Great Tribulation?” How can our theories get in the way, and cause us to miss the main point? What is the main point of The Great Tribulation?
  4. How have you celebrated victory andor God’s faithfulness in your life? Right now, carefully consider how you can celebrate God’s work in your life. How would it strengthen your faith and demonstrate victory to others? 
  5. How can you better point to Christ, showing others they have the opportunity to get their priorities in line with God’s? Think of it this way, evangelism is basically one homeless person telling another where the shelter is.”  

© 2006 R. J. Krejcir Ph.D. Into Thy Word Ministries http://www.intothyword.org

 

What does Revelation 7: 1-8 mean to us now?

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Remember, the context is also about worship and church leadership. Jesus is the ONE who is qualified and able to judge and, by his grace, to give us a reprieve. It is amazing of all the convoluted theories on this number that ignore Jewish customs, apocalyptic metaphors, and of course, the context and Old Testament that tell us the meaning. Many commentators see this passage as just pertaining to actual Jewish tribes or a group of Jewish believers who convert during the period of tribulation.

We are not told exactly who and what these 144,000 are. Possibly, it is because it is not important, as the reason and purpose of pointing to Christ and showing us opportunities to get our priorities in line with His are far greater. We can either honor His name by living lives worthy to be in Him, or we can reject His offer of salvation and reconciliation and do as we want; and we can “want” ourselves all the way from judgment to hell. The bottom line meaning is that God keeps His promises to individuals and to people groups, as He here confirms.

The point of this passage tells us that God is at work even when all seems lost¾and then it gets even worse! God is still there, even in tribulations, no matter how short or great His love and grace are carrying us through it! The purpose that John has in mind, and what God calls us to in the context of this passage, is the obvious: Beware! Judgment is coming! And now, here is some grace. Here is a quiet time so you can assess where your priorities and direction in life will be, but there is not much time.

Questions to Ponder:

  1. How would you feel if you were going through the worst calamities you have ever faced, and suddenly you got a reprieve? How do you think Christians would react if in the midst of dire tribulations there came a heavenly shout of “WAIT?” How would the rest of the world react? What about you?
  1. Why do the ungodly continue to live as they see fit, ignoring God, and enjoying the sins of the world? How will they feel when the faithful receive their seal and place in the Kingdom from our Lord?
  1. Can you trust God in how He judges? How are you impatient when things do not go your way? How can you more fully understand His grace, and trust in His love?
  1. What can you do to trust Him more and not have need to fear these events that one day will come about in their fruition?
  1. What kind of a respite do you think you need from Christ? What are you going to do about it? Do you need a quiet time so you can assess where your priorities and direction in life should and will be? How can you do this? When will you do this?

 © 2006 R. J. Krejcir Ph.D. Into Thy Word Ministries http://www.intothyword.org

The Four Main Views of Revelation 7: 1-8

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The Preterist view: They see this passage as happening during the fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., and God as minimizing the evil to the Church during the carnage. Accordingly, to early church historians, all the Christians escaped, many to “Pella,” and no one was killed. God identified His faithful, provided for them, and they escaped harm before the fall of Jerusalem. A similar occurrence happened in 586 B.C. when the Romans invaded, and the faithful Jews were protected, which was predicted by Ezekiel in chapter nine. God “marked” His people and protected them as He did at the Passover with the blood on the doorposts (Mal. 3:2; Eph. 1:13). They see the 144,000 as God’s faithful Jews, who acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah and are saved, even though most of the other Jews were apostate and the reason for the conquest and judgment by way of the Romans. Others see the 144,000 as the actual faithful Jews who escaped the fall of Jerusalem.

The Futurist view: They see this passage as literal, as four literal Angels and four literal corners, even though the earth is a sphere. Some see this as four “quarters” or sections of the earth. They also derive from this passage that Angels are in control of the elements and nature. They also see this passage as not a reprieve but an extra narrative of what is going on during the opening of the sixth seal, since they believe there are no Christians present as they all have been raptured before this period. Their debates center on whether people can be saved after the rapture or not. Others in this camp see the first part of this passage as just a stylistic interlude as with chapter 10. They see the 144,000 as a select number of Jews who are faithful and receive salvation during the tribulation, and have no bearing on the Church. They see the “sealing” as God preserving those Jews who evangelize and bring Israel to repentance (Zech. 12; Matt. 24:14; Rom. 11:26-32). Dan is not mentioned as they see the antichrist coming from Dan (Gen. 49:17; Jer. 8:16).  Some who are “post—tribulationists” see God protecting His faithful during the Tribulation.

The Idealist view: They see the “winds” in the passage as symbolic for the four horsemen in the previous chapter, and site Zechariah 6:5. Others see this taking place before the opening of the seals, and still others see it as God’s grace protecting His faithful. They see the 144,000 as symbolic of the camp groupings during the Exodus (Num. 31:4-5). They also see no distinction between Jews and Christians. They see God protecting the Church during His judgments, but they will still suffer the results of the wars and catastrophes.

The Historicist view: They see this passage as a pause of His judgments as God protects His faithful before the angels continue their destructive mission. Others have said this refers to God protecting the Seven Churches from invaders; still others see this as the period of Constantine when Christianity became accepted, and peace and prosperity reigned for the Church until the Barbarians took over Rome and the Church fell to the Dark Ages. The general idea is that God cares, has a plan, is in control, is concerned for His faithful, and will protect us. They see the 144,000 as symbolic for the entire professing Church, as “God’s Israel.”  Others see this as Constantine’s conversion; others see it as God protecting the seven churches from the invaders. Some see this as a select number of Jews who are faithful and who receive election in Christ.

Exegetical look into Revelation 7: 4-8

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  • The number refers to those who are the real, authentic followers of Christ, the righteous who are covered by Christ’s righteousness and thus “saved” from God’s wrath. (Rev. 2:9; 3:9; 21:2, 14). This also may allude to Israel’s restoration as a nation, which occurred in 1948, but this is highly speculative and not supported in the context of the passage. The problem is that passages such as 2 Chron. 36:21, Jer. 24:1-7; 29:10; 32:44; Ezek. 20:34; 36:33-35; 37:15-28; Dan. 9:2; Hosea 3:4-5; Amos 9:14-15; Micah 7:8-11; and Zech. 12:6-8 are read into this passage. These Old Testament passages speak of Israel being restored after the Babylonian captivity, but not necessarily as a nation thousands of years hence.
  • Sealed means that those who are faithful, who accept Christ as Lord and Savior, and who are claimed as His will be protected. The image here is like important documents in ancient times that were folded or rolled, tied with a string, and then wax or clay placed on the seam, and impressed with a signet ring (Rev. 9:4; 14:1; 22:4). Jesus seals us for protection showing that He cares, is in charge, and has ownership over us. His ownership means He possesses us¾not Satan, not the world, and not even our fallen nature and sin. His possession of our soul and life is our great comfort and relief (Gen. 4:15; Ex. 8:28; 9:4; 11:7; 11:18; Isa. 44:5; Rev. 5:6; 9:4; 14:1)! 
  • 144,000 is a symbol, meaning that the numbers are beyond counting or unfathomable to man (Rev. 1:1; 2:20; 22:6). This denotes how Israel returned from the Babylonian captivity to inherit the land (Ezek. 48). This also alludes to us, the Church, who are the inheritors (Rom. 11:1-36; Rev.12). 
  • 12,000. Twelve, like most numbers in Revelation, is not an actual number nor is 12,000 or 144,000; rather it refers to “fullness.” Twelve is also found, in various Jewish sects and in the Dead Sea Scrolls, to mean “the people of God.” Then the “12” is magnified as to 12 multiplied by 12 to mean complete fullness or God’s bountiful provisions and blessings. This is a symbolic Jewish metaphor for being “servants of God,” just as the key phrase previous to this symbolizes. This also means that He is the Provider. The debate over the numbers centers on whether they represent the entirety of saved souls or just those who just are “restored” Jews. Nonetheless, the term “servants of our God” makes it more understandable (Ezek. 9; Matt. 10:30; Rev. 9:4; 14:1-5; 21:8; 22:15).
  • All/Every Tribe. The term, “tribes,” is used for the sake of illustration rather than actually referring that only some will be saved. Rather, it means that God, in His fullness, selects whom He selects for His purpose¾Jews and Gentiles alike. (Ezek. 9:4; Eph. 2:11-22; Rev. 9:4; 14:1).
  • Joseph is listed twice as his sons, “Manasseh and Ephraim.” Levi is omitted as the priestly tribe without land inheritance rights. Joseph has two for His faithfulness while Dan is excluded from the list, perhaps because of their rebellious nature to God and idolatry as well as an Early Church tradition foretelling that the “antichrist” was to come from that tribe. Judah may be listed first before the first-born Reuben, because Christ the Messiah came from the tribe of Judah. The sequence of the tribes has no significance as they are often listed in various ways, depending on who is listing them (Gen. 37:21; Judg. 18:30; 1 Kings 12:29; Ezek. 48:1; John 6:70).

Exegetical look into Revelation 7: 1-3

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  • Four angels standing does not mean that there are four, literal Angels holding the earth; rather, this is a metaphor for the elements and behavior of nature that God controls and directs (Psalm 148:1-12; Zech. 6:5).
  • Four corners of the earth does not indicate literal corners or that the earth is flat. Even in Jesus’ time, the Greeks believed that the earth was circular—even spherical. (Jewish teaching taught that the earth was a sphere in the book of “Jubilees.”) This meant that there are four directions that we know today as North, South, East, and West.  Or, another view is that the world is divided up in four sections.
  • Holding back the four winds is symbolic for Judgment andor things that may be negative. These are some form of destructive Angels of God, or the wrath of the Lamb-Lion (Ex. 12:11-13, 23, 29-30; 2 Sam. 23:15-18; Jer. 49:36). Also it could mean the start of a “new age.” This passage also conveys some Greek imagery such as “Helios,” who drove the chariot that carried the sun. This passage does not mean that, but a first century Jew or Roman could have comprehended this passage clearly.
  • The seal refers to God putting forth His seal of approval to be His authority and representative andor acting on His behalf. God delegates and uses His angels¾and us! Some see this as the evangelism first of the Roman Empire, then of the rest of the world.
  • Foreheads infers that judgment cannot start until the faithful are marked (protected). The forehead and hands were the only parts of the body in ancient times that were visible to others. This, too, is symbolic; not that God will “rubber stamp” people or we will have a some kind of a visible mark, tattoo, “branding” or a “cross sign” (because the Hebrew letter Taw, looks like an X or cross sign), nor is this some kind of replacement for circumcision. God sees us as important and worth protecting (Ex. 13:9-16; 28:38; Deut. 6:8; 11:18; Isa. 66:19; Ezek. 9:4-6; Gal. 6:17; Rev. 13:16-18)!
  • Servants of our God. This is a key phrase that denotes the meaning of this passage, referring to those whose faith is in God¾the entirety of those who are His, who are saved. God is not limited to number or race as God is a God of equality as demonstrated in Acts and in the letters to the Seven Churches (Rev. 1:1; 6:11).

Revelation 7: 1-8

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Introduction 

The 144,000   

In the eye of the storm, the Lamb gives a reprieve; He preserves, assures, and protects His faithful in the midst of the catastrophes and afflictions of life, and tribulations. Imagine the worst calamities you have ever faced, multiply them times a hundred; you are tired, worn out, and pleading to God for amnesty. Suddenly, He gives it to you, seemingly out of nowhere! The storms of tribulation and judgment subside as the winds calm and the seas become quiet and a heavenly shout of “WAIT” is bellowed out to the earth so all can hear and take comfort!

In the midst of Judgment and the chaos that transpires from it (as a result of our petty ways here on earth), Christ gives us a break, a cooling—off period. It is a time to assess who we are and what we are doing, giving us an opportunity to look to Him, and another chance to place our trust in Him that He will carry us through it. Or, we have the choice to stay in our sin, ignore His sealing and His grace, and live our lives as we see fit. Humanity continues to live in sin as a great delay in judgment takes place. The ungodly continue to live as they see fit, ignoring God and enjoying the sins of the world, while the faithful receive their seal, and place in the Kingdom from our Lord.

This passage is not about numbers or who will be saved; it is not about customs or race or some drawn-out nonsensical theory. Rather, it is about God’s love and care, that He spreads His wings over His chicks to protect them. It does not matter what we go through, as long as we remain true and faithful to Him.  After this shows us the succession of John’s visions. It does not denote this as the sequence of events, as Jewish thinking is not necessarily based on a sequential timeline; rather, it is relational. God is not limited to chronology or a particular historical period. These events can come in whatever series or cycle or timing and method that God feels like doing them. He is not limited; only our understanding is limited. This passage itself is not necessarily in sequence, as the preceding passage (if it is the end of the age) may take place before this one, or they may be simultaneous (Rev. 4:1; 6:1-17).

What does it mean to your faith that Jesus preserves, reassures, and protects His faithful? How can this encourage you in times of suffering and distress?

What does Revelation 5: 1-7 mean to us now?

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The theme here is not esoteric or mysterious; rather, it shows us how to come before Christ in reverence and worship. He is Worthy and in charge because of what He has done for you and me. This means we give Him gratitude for His saving sacrifice, and respect Him for His Sovereignty. This means He is the One we love, trust, and feel secure in. He is the One we fear and marvel at. The application is also simple, yet the hardest of all human activity, and that is to put our trust in Him¾to give the scroll of our will to Him. 

Satan seeks to be the one to open the scroll; he wants it so he can use it for his gain to manipulate our souls to bow to him. In so doing, Satan offers to Christ the world¾as if it were his to begin with. All Jesus had to do was worship Satan just once (Matt. 4:8-10). This passage has more to do with our attitude and reverence of Christ who holds the deeds to our soul and to creation. No one can manipulate us from His grasp. Jesus has won the fight, and He is Worthy not only to open this scroll, but also to open our hearts and hold all the possessions of creation in His grasp. He did this on the cross. When you accepted His grace, did you place the deed of your scroll (soul) into His hands? 

Questions to Ponder: 

  1. Why does Christ have the right and ability to rule and to judge us? How can these aspects of His character help enable you to further put your trust in Him, to give the scroll of your will over to Him?
  2. What does it mean for your faith and life that Christ’s purpose for history and the future has been and will be done, that He has accomplished God’s purpose?  
  3. What do God’s power, authority, eminence, and absolute holiness mean to you? How can these characters of God help focus your church to be more centered upon Christ and less centered upon trends and traditions?  
  4. How do you respect Christ in your daily life? How can a better expression of your gratitude for His saving sacrifice and respect for His Sovereignty help you grow more in faith and maturity? What is in the way of this?  

© 2006 R. J. Krejcir Ph.D. Into Thy Word Ministries http://www.intothyword.org

 

The Four Main Views of Revelation 5: 1-7

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Preterist view sees this passage as a courtroom and the scroll as the sentence of judgment, as the scroll represents God’s judgments against apostate Jerusalem for shedding the blood of the righteous (such as James) and its conquest and destruction by the Romans (Matt. 23:35). The One who is Worthy is the one who should execute this sentence¾and that is Christ. John is grieved because it seemed, until the end of the trial, that no one was able to judge and carry out the sentence and that the martyrs would go un-avenged. This view misses the main point of His redemption and only focuses on the judgment aspect as being already completed, which it is not. Jerusalem’s judgments have been partially carried out, but not the ones for the rest of creation that this passage attests to and is further explained in chapter six. The Lion and the Lamb refer to Christ, who is the victim of Jerusalem’s injustice, but who is now the hero who prevails and rescues us even when we had already given up and avenges the righteous (Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14). 

Futurist view sees the scroll as the title deed of earth and God’s will as His plan is to be opened and God’s long, overdue judgments are to be carried out. This passage is about God reclaiming and redeeming His world from Satan’s grasp and the coming tribulation (1 Pet. 1:18-19). The “elder” they see as Judah himself is speaking to John (Gen. 49:9). The seven sprits are seen as the fullness of God or seven angels. The horn is seen as a symbol from Jericho’s walls coming down. More of this is shown in chapter eight. 

Idealist view sees this passage as the redemptive plan of God, and God’s last will and testament. Since it is written on both sides, this indicates that nothing can be added to His plan. 

Historicist view sees this passage as God’s providence, and depicting the purpose, method, and design of God for creation and redemption and His governing of the universe and the Church. This view also concludes that no one other than Jesus is capable, able, or willing to fulfill the providence of God. John’s weeping is seen as his disappointment that it seems redemption cannot take place, as he had hoped, unless the One who is worthy can open the scroll. The Lion and the Lamb refer to Christ’s duel nature as Judge and Redeemer.

Exegetical look into Revelation 5:4-7

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Jesus is the Lamb who is slain for us. He is the sacrifice for our redemption and He is the Lion, the One in charge of all things seen and unseen. He is Sovereign and Judge (Lion) and our Savior (Lamb) (John 1:29; 1 Pet. 1:18-20). 

  • I wept refers to a loud wailing as in intense mourning for a loved ones death, a common expression in Middle Eastern cultures. John longs for God’s purpose to be completed, but that seems to him to be impossible (Matt. 6:10). 
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  • Lion of the tribe of Judah means God is the Judge. He is in charge as the mighty conqueror of sin. He has the right and ability to rule and to judge. This is also a messianic title referring to the promise to the tribe of Judah to rule (Judah means a “lion’s cub”) and the Davidic Kingship. The image of a lion was considered the ultimate depiction of power; it was commonly used to refer to kings and leaders, and denotes authority, strength, and courage. This was used on Torah Shrines and old Jewish art (Gen. 49:8-10; Isaiah 11:1, 10; 35:9; 65:25; Ezek. 21:27; Rev. 17:14; 19:11-21). 
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  • Root of David means David’s kingly line and right to rule, and that the Messiah would come from His linage, even though Christ was preexistent to David (Isaiah 11:1-10; Dan. 7:16; Zech. 4:11; Matt. 9:27; 12:23; 22:41-45; John 1:1; 7:42; Rom. 15:12). 
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  • Triumphed. Christ fulfilled God’s plan and promise that it has been accomplished, His will has been done, His purpose for history and the future will be done (Matt. 6:10; John 19:30)! 
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  • He is able…worthy refers to His work on the cross for our reconciliation and redemption, His life for ours. 
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  • Lamb… been slain means that Christ is the sacrifice. A lamb is the common animal that was “slain” and sacrificed for the atonement of sin and used for commerce. Jesus replaces this lamb as the ultimate sacrifice. This refers to sacrifice, and our Lord who offers us salvation. In contrast to the image of a lion, the lamb was considered the weakest of all animals, needing constant attention and care just to survive. A lamb would die in the wild, where the lion thrives. The image of the lamb was common in apocalyptic literature, depicting victory and power through, and sometimes over death. (Ex. 12:12-13; Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29; 21:15; Rev. 17:14). 
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  • As though/as if it had been slain. As this act is now past tense, Christ accomplished this by how He lived and how He died for us. His sacrificial death and resurrection was necessary for God’s redemptive plan and coming judgment to take place. Christ is now alive forevermore (Rev. 1:18)! 
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  • Seven horns were a symbol of power, authority, and strength, and called people to attention. In contrast, in Daniel 7:7, 20; 8:3, 5, the fourth beast had ten horns; numbers are not for counting, but metaphors as seven symbolizes full strength and completeness, and denotes Christ’s eternal life and His spirit-filled and empowered life (Duet. 33:17; Psalm 89:17; 92:10; Dan 7:8; 8:3; John 3:34; Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:45). 
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  • Seven eyes give us an image of royal Persian emissaries, representing their king as his eyes, and thus referring to the eyes, knowledge, and awareness of God. Others say this refers to powerful beings subservient to Christ or perhaps refers to the angels in the previous passage and/or the seven archangels from Judaism. (Zech. 3:9; 4:10; 6:5-7; Rev. 8:2). 
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  • Seven spirits of God refers to His fullness and perfection, taking it from the previous word phrase. This is also a name for the Holy Spirit, referring to His Fullness, not a split personality. This is debated as some good commentators say it does not refer to the Holy Spirit, rather believing it refers to the seven celestial beings (Rev. 8:2). In Zechariah, this represents the abundant light shining from the lamps, referring to God’s fullness and Spirit. Either way, this passage does seem to testify to the depth and reality of the Trinity (Isa. 11:2; Zech. 4:2-6; 2 Cor. 13:14; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; Rev. 1:4; 4:5; 5:14). 
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  • He came and took the scroll infers that the addressee of the scroll took and received it; Christ took it, because it was for Him (Rev. 3:5; 20:12).

Exegetical look into Revelation 5:1-3

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  • The right hand refers to God’s power, authority, and eminence.
  • Scroll represents a piece of papyrus or parchment that is usually bound or sewn together and rolled on a wood spindle. In order to read it, it was unrolled. (Codices in the second century—books—replaced this.) If it were an official legal document, as this was, it was tied and sealed with wax. This denotes the power and eminence of His Word. Here, it is depicted as a “Roman will” containing God’s covenant of the deed of creation and our redemption, and His promise and plan (Ex. 32:15; Psalm 2:8; Ezra 2:9-10. Dan. 12:4; Heb. 1:2; Rev. 10:2, 8-10). 
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  • Writing on both sides. This is called “opisthography.” Normally, only one side of the papyrus was written on, the side where the fibers of the papyrus paper line up horizontally. The “recto,” as it was called, was the smooth side designed for writing. The outside, the rough side was used for the title information and address and was called the “verso.” Here, the fibers were vertical and rough and were where the ties and seal were placed. 
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  • Sealed with seven seals meant it was a sealed, legal document so it could not be tampered with. It was impossible to open such a scroll without it showing that it was tampered or tainted with and thus altered. Each seal was a separate witness; the more seals, the greater its relevance and importance, although it was common in Roman wills to have seven seals. Seven, in Jewish writings, was a number meaning completeness and perfect. This image gives us the impression of absolute holiness (Isaiah 29:11; Dan. 12:4). 
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  • Mighty angel infers that a summons goes out of God’s plan, that all may hear (Rev. 18:21). 
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  • Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll meant who has done as Christ has done for us? Who can take His place, His eminence, or His significance? The application is the question of whether money, power, career, success, or failure can take Christ’s place. The answer is, nothing can! The ultimate power is that Christ saved us; His unsealing of the scroll means He accomplished God’s purpose. 
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  • No one, no being in all creation is worthy. The image of Christ opening the scroll means His plan and promise have been accomplished (Ex. 20:4; Phil. 2:10). 
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  • No one in heaven or on earth could open the scroll or even look inside is a colloquial phrase expressing the centrality of “no one,” “no where,” or “no place.” This passage does not teach a threefold division of the universe as some speculate.