Daniel, overview

Author: Daniel

Time: 605 – 535 BC

Summary: The book of Daniel predicts the destiny of two opposing powers: The Kingdom of Men and the Kingdom of God, stressing that “the Most High rules in the Kingdom of Men”. Daniel’s prophecies generally deal with the nations that control Israel, from Daniel’s day until the return of Christ.

Key verse: “In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure for ever” (Dan 2:44).

Outline

1.	Prologue: the setting: Dan 1
	a)	Daniel and his friends taken captive: Dan 1:1-7
	b)	The young men are faithful: Dan 1:8-16
	c)	The young men are elevated to high positions: Dan 1:17-21

2.	The destinies of the nations that rule Israel: Dan 2-7
	a)	Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a large statue: Dan 2
	b)	Nebuchadnezzar’s gold image: Dan 3
	c)	Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of an enormous tree: Dan 4
	d)	Belshazzar’s and Babylon’s downfall: Dan 5
	e)	Daniel’s deliverance: Dan 6
	f)	Daniel’s dream of four beasts: Dan 7

3.	The destiny of the nation of Israel: Dan 8-12
	a)	Daniel’s vision of a ram and a goat: Dan 8
	b)	Daniel’s prayer and his vision of the 70 “sevens”: Dan 9
	c)	Daniel’s vision of a man: Dan 10:1-11:1
	d)	Daniel’s vision of the kings of the south and the north: Dan 11:2-45
	e)	The end times: Dan 12

Background

In 605 BC Prince Nebuchadnezzar led the Babylonian army of his father Nabopolassar against the allied forces of Assyria and Egypt. He defeated them at Carchemish near the top of the Fertile Crescent. This victory gave Babylon supremacy in the ancient Near East. With Babylon’s victory, Egypt’s vassals, including Judah, passed under Babylonian control. Shortly thereafter that same year Nabopolassar died, and Nebuchadnezzar succeeded him as king. Nebuchadnezzar then moved south and invaded Judah, also in 605 BC. He took some royal and noble captives to Babylon including Daniel, whose name means “God is my judge” or “God is judging” or “God will judge” (Dan 1:1-3), plus some of the vessels from Solomon’s temple (2Ch 36:7). This was the first of Judah’s three deportations in which the Babylonians took groups of Judahites to Babylon. The king of Judah at that time was Jehoiakim (2Ki 24:1-4).

Jehoiakim’s son Jehoiachin (also known as Jeconiah and Coniah) succeeded him in 598 BC. Jehoiachin reigned only three months and 10 days (2Ch 36:9). Nebuchadnezzar invaded Judah again. At the turn of the year, in 597 BC, he took Jehoiachin to Babylon along with most of Judah’s remaining leaders and the rest of the national treasures including young Ezekiel (2Ki 24:10-17; 2Ch 36:10).

A third and final deportation took place approximately 11 years later, in 586 BC. Jehoiakim’s younger brother Zedekiah, whose name Nebuchadnezzar had changed to Mattaniah, was then Judah’s puppet king. He rebelled against Babylon’s sovereignty by secretly making a treaty with Pharaoh Hophra under pressure from Jewish nationalists (Jer 37; 38). After a two-year siege, Jerusalem fell. Nebuchadnezzar returned to Jerusalem, burned the temple, broke down the city walls, and took all but the poorest of the Jews captive to Babylon. He also took Zedekiah prisoner to Babylon after he executed his sons and put out the king’s eyes at Riblah in Aramea (modern Syria; 2Ki 24:18 — 25:24).

Scope

Daniel, the main character from whom this book gets its name, was probably only a teenager when he arrived in Babylon in 605 BC. The Hebrew words used to describe him, the internal evidence of Dan 1, and the length of his ministry seem to make this clear. He continued in office as a public servant at least until 538 BC (Dan 1:21) and as a prophet at least until 536 BC (Dan 10:1). Thus the record of his ministry spans 70 years, the entire duration of the Babylonian Captivity. He probably lived to be at least 85 years old and perhaps older.

Writer

There is little doubt among conservative scholars that Daniel himself wrote this book under the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Probably he did so late in his life, which could have been about 530 BC or a few years later. Several Persian-derived governmental terms appear in the book. The presence of these words suggests that the book received its final polishing after Persian had become the official language of government. This would have been late in Daniel’s life. What makes Daniel’s authorship quite clear is both internal and external evidence.

Internally the book claims in several places that Daniel was its writer (Dan 8:1; 9:2,20; 10:2). References to Daniel in the third person do not indicate that someone else wrote about him. It was customary for ancient authors of historical memoirs to write of themselves this way (cf Exo 20:2,7).

Language

Daniel is written in two languages, not just one. The Book is written in Hebrew and in Aramaic:

Dan 1:1 through 2:4a: Hebrew language
Dan 2:4b through 7:28: Aramaic language
Dan 8:1 through 12:13: Hebrew language

There are a number of theories why two languages were used. One reason may be that the Spirit of God was indicating that the message of this book was for both Jews and Gentiles. Thus, the Hebrew portions would get the attention of the Jews, while the Aramaic portion would have the attention of the Gentiles.

Day-for-a-year principle?

Does the “day-for-a-year” principle pass the Scriptural test?

The day-for-a-year principle is one of the foundation stones for much of traditional Christadelphian prophetic interpretation. The continuous-historic viewpoint of prophecy that our pioneer brethren endorsed is especially dependent upon this principle. It is therefore incumbent upon us to test this principle against Scripture.

The day-for-a-year principle presumes that the word ‘day’, when found in a prophetic passage, should be interpreted as representing a literal year. For example, the 1,260,1,290, and 1,335 days of Daniel and Revelation are read as 1,260, 1,290, and 1,335 years (Dan 7:25; 12:7,11,12; Rev 11:2,3; 11:6,14; 13:5). In short, prophetic ‘days’ represent literal years.

There are passages that are quoted in support of this day-for-a-year principle. Do they prove it? Let us look at them one at a time.

1. Numbers 14:34: “After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know My breach of promise.”

This verse apparently supports the principle, especially the phrase “each day for a year”. But, if we pay closer attention, we immediately notice two things about the passage. First, both phrases, “forty days” and “forty years” are in the text. Second, both time periods are literal.

There is a correspondence between the two time periods in the use of the Scripturally significant number forty (that is, “after the number of the days”). But there is absolutely no evidence that the phrase “forty days” is to be interpreted as “forty years”. The facts, as plainly declared in the passage itself, are that the spies searched the land for forty literal days and the nation wandered in the wilderness forty literal years.

In short, though initially this passage might seem to support the principle, after a more careful analysis we find that it actually does not.

2. Ezekiel 4:4-6: “Lie thou also upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it: according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days: so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when thou hast accomplished them, lie again on thy right side, and thou shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days: I have appointed thee each day for a year.”

Again, at first this passage seems to teach a principle that prophetic days are to be interpreted as representing years. But we must read carefully.

The passage actually says that Ezekiel was to lie on his left side for 390 literal days and on his right side for forty literal days, each representing the corresponding number of literal years of the iniquity of Israel and Judah. Here, as before, we find that, in the text of Scripture itself, “days” means literal days and “years” means literal years. Let us suppose that, instead of what is written, Ezekiel had been told: “Lie on your left side 390 days, and on your right side forty days. For I have laid upon you the time of Israel’s punishment.” (Note that the word ‘years’ does not occur in this hypothetical text.) Now let us suppose that the corresponding punishment of Israel’s iniquity was shown to be a Scripturally-attested 390 years and forty years. Such would be Biblical precedent for a day-for-a-year interpretation. However, this is not the case.

Both passages (1) and (2) use the same method: a certain number of literal days for individuals corresponding to the same number of literal years for the nation. In each case all the Scriptural time periods are literal periods.

3. Daniel 9:24: “Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city…”

This passage is used as support for the day-for-a-year principle as follows: 70 weeks = 70 x 7 days = 490 days; then, 490 days = 490 years, this last equality being supported by the principle in question. The problem with this analysis — and it is a fatal problem — is that the Hebrew word “shabua” (translated “week” in the AV) means nothing more than ‘a seven’. This explains why John Thomas used the anglicized Greek word ‘heptade’, meaning ‘a group of seven things’, in his translation of this passage given in his “Exposition of Daniel”. Eze 45:21 emphasizes that it cannot be simply read as “seven days” because in that verse the same Hebrew word “shabua” is combined with the word for days. In short, the “seventy weeks” of Dan 9 stands for a group of ‘seventy sevens’ of something to be determined [“seventy ‘sevens’ ” (NIV), “seventy weeks of years” (RSV, Roth)].

From the context, we discover that Daniel was asking (in v 2) about the seventy years prophesied by Jeremiah. Gabriel then gives him a prophecy concerning seventy times seven years. The result of 490 years is the same as that derived earlier, but now it is on a much firmer basis. The point can be set out graphically as follows:

Wrong formula:

70 weeks = 70 weeks x 7 days = 490 days = 490 years

Right formula:

70 x 7 (what?) = 490 (what?).

The variable (what?) becomes ‘years’ only after consideration of the context. There is no need for application of a day-for-a-year principle.

4. Luke 13:32,33: “And he [Jesus] said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless I must walk today, and to morrow, and the day following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.”

We would never have suspected that these verses would be quoted in support of the day-for-a-year theory until a well-respected speaking brother did just that at an American Bible School.

There are at least four problems in taking the passage to be a prophecy indicating that our Lord’s ministry would last three years.

First, his ministry lasted longer than three years. Second, these verses were spoken in the fourth year of the ministry, making them too late for the purpose indicated. Third, there is nothing at all in the passage itself to suggest that the day-for-a-year principle should even be applied. Finally, his interpretation ignores the most likely basis for Christ’s expression. The idiomatic phrase “yesterday, the third day” is used about two dozen times in the Old Testament to indicate an indeterminate period of time.

Whatever the correct interpretation of this passage, by itself it does not support the hypothesis.

As far as we know, these are the only passages that have been quoted as direct support for the principle that prophetic days represent literal years. As we have seen, these passages do not actually support this hypothesis. On the other hand, we have seen that in the two strongest passages (Num 14 and Eze 4) the words ‘day’ and ‘year’, when used in the text of Scripture, mean precisely day and year, even by the admission of those who would find support for their theory here.

Are there any passages that support the hypothesis that prophetic time periods should be taken literally? The answer is definitely yes. The following are several examples in which prophetic time periods are necessarily literal:

1. On many occasions Jesus predicted that he would be raised the third day. These are all quite literal.

2. Genesis 15:13: “And He said unto Abram, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years.”

3. Genesis 41:29,30: “Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: and there shall arise after them seven years of famine.”

4. Isaiah 38:5: “Behold, I will add unto thy days fifteen years.”

5. Jeremiah 25:11,12: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the LORD, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.”

6. Jeremiah 29:10: “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.”

7. Daniel 9:2: “In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalern.”

These examples are sufficient. They provide conclusive evidence against the theory of a day-for-a-year. However, there may still be those that argue against this result on the basis that the passages to which the principle is applied are symbolic, whereas the passages cited against it are all literal. But, when we go through the passages, we see that making such a distinction does not save the theory.

Before we examine the passages, we ask the question: Did John, for example, apply the day-for-a-year principle when interpreting his own visions? If he did, then certainly he would have passed this much along to Polycarp, Irenaeus and others of the first and second centuries. But “it is admitted that, for the first four centuries, the days mentioned in the prophecies of Daniel and in the Apocalypse were interpreted literally by the Fathers of the Church” (“Literary History of the New Testament”. as cited in “Tregelles on Daniel”: The Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony, Chiswick, 7th ed, 1965, p 112.)

On the other hand, Tregelles wrote: “As far as I know, the first who spoke of a period of twelve hundred and sixty years was the celebrated Abbot Joachim of Calabria at the close of the twelfth century. But he did not excogitate this as a prophetic period by using any year-day theory, but he formed it from the designation of ‘a time, times, and the dividing of time’, thus: he assumed a time to be the largest measure of time in use amongst men, a thousand years; times to be two of the next smaller measures of time, two hundred years; the dividing of time he assumed to be part of the last-named measure. He probably adopted sixty precisely (instead of fifty which he should have done as it is properly ‘half a time’) from the analogy of the 1,260 days. I ought to inform the reader that Abbot Joachim considered himself to be inspired. The year-day theory of two centuries later seems to be only a carrying out of the supposed revelation to Abbot Joachirn” (“Tregelles on Daniel”, footnotes on pp 123,124).

Now to the passages.

1. In Dan 4:16,23,25,32 Nebuchadnezzar was told that he should be driven from men “till seven times pass over him”. The “seven times in these verses is generally taken to be seven years, a conclusion that is most likely correct.(The Hebrew word for “time”, moed, is the same as that used for the yearly feasts of Israel, especially the Feast of Passover.) This period of seven years must be taken literally. In fact, vv 28-37 detail the fulfilment of the dream, recounted by Nebuchadnezzar in vv 10-18, precisely as interpreted by Daniel in vv 19-27. Verse 28 is emphatic: “All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.”

Application of a day-for-a-year principle in this passage results in nonsense. But that does not stop some expositors who tell us that the seven times represents 2,520 (7 x 360) years.’ However, their interpretations of the prophecy are completely unrelated to the details given in Daniel 4. The prophecy deals specifically with Nebuchadnezzar, with no implication otherwise.

This example is particularly important with regard to our discussion. The primary application of the day-for-a-year principle is to the various time periods in Daniel and the Apocalypse. One of these periods is the “time and times and half a time” (RV) of Dan 7:25; 12:7 and Rev 12:14. This corresponds to exactly half the period given in Dan 4. Because the seven times in Dan 4 must be seven literal years, the three-and-a-half times in the other passages should reasonably and consistently be interpreted as three-and-a-half literal years, in the absence of clear evidence to the contrary.

2. “Time and times and half a time” (RV) in Dan 7 is not found in the symbolic part of the prophecy, but in the interpretation given to Daniel. The rest of the interpretation is literal, so the time period should be also. In Dan 12 “the man clothed in linen… sware by Him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half.” The fact that the time period was part of an oath would seem to emphasize that it is literal. There are three methods used to describe this same period of time: the “time, times, and an half” we have been discussing; “a thousand two hundred and threescore” in Rev 11:3; 12:6; and “forty and two months” in Rev 11:2; 13:5. It is as though God intended there to be no room for confusion. He was saying it would be three-and-a-half years; that is, forty-two months; in short — 1,260 days. Simply put, if an inspired apostle, in this case John, tells us exactly the same thing in three different ways, it ill becomes us to insist that he did not really mean what he said!

3. The “thousand two hundred and ninety days” and the “thousand three hundred and five and thirty days” in Dan 12:11,12 are both associated with the 1,260 days, in that the 1,290 days would end one (thirty-day) month after the 1,260 days, and the 1,335 would end 45 days later. These particular numbers are most likely to be connected with the Jewish calendar. Nevertheless, there is nothing in the passage in Daniel to suggest anything but a literal interpretation of these time periods.

4. The “hour, and a day, and a month, and a year” of Rev 9:15 surely refers to a specific and precise point in time and not a period (that is, the very hour, day, month, and year).

5. There is no reason why the “three days and an half” in Rev 11:9 should not be taken literally. The 31/2 days that the two witnesses are dead corresponds to the 31/2 years that the holy city is trodden under foot. This parallels the method used in the Num 14 and Eze 4 passages discussed earlier: a certain number of literal days for specific individuals corresponding to the same number of literal years for the nation.

It is interesting that the usual continuous historic interpretation of this time period does not use the day-for-a-year principle; otherwise it would signify three-and-a-half years, not 105 years as is often given. This inconsistency in the application of the principle is itself evidence against the principle.

6. The “thousand years” of Rev 20 provides another example of this inconsistency. This time period is always assumed to be literal by the continuous-historicists.

We could discuss other prophetic time periods but this collection should be convincing. We have concluded that the day-for-a-year principle not only lacks evidence to support it, but that it is actually contrary to many plain examples in which time periods must be literal. Given this result, it is urgent that we, as seekers of Bible truth and not men’s traditions, review many commonly accepted interpretations of prophecy. Specifically, all the standard continuous-historic results that depend so heavily on the day-for-a-year principle must be seriously questioned.

(Joe Hill and George Booker)

Earthquakes

These words are quoted from the Lord Jesus as recorded in his Olivet prophecy:

“There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven” (Luke 21:11; cp Mat 24:7; Mark 13:8).

The context of Jesus’ words tell us several things:

a. “As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. ‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’ ” (Mat 24:3). Great earthquakes will be one of the signs of Christ’s coming and the end of the age.

b. “Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, ‘As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down’ ” (Luke 21:5,6). This suggests that at least some of the “great earthquakes” will cause the “throwing down” of the great and beautiful stones of the temple mount in Jerusalem. That is what great earthquakes do! Although the stones of Herod’s temple itself were torn down and scattered by the Romans, the foundation stones of the Wailing Wall remain in place since the days of Jesus. Therefore, we could expect that there will be a “Last Days” earthquake in Jerusalem to finish the job.

California Shaking!

Recently [January 1990] an earthquake of more than moderate intensity struck the Los Angeles area. Local mountains rose as much as one foot. Nine highway overpasses snapped like twigs. An oil main and 250 gas lines ruptured, igniting untold numbers of fires. Over 3 million people were plunged into total darkness. 5,900 were injured. Twenty thousand were left homeless.

The toll in lost life (55 at last count) has been quite small in comparison to other great quakes, due in large part to modern building codes. But the property damage (variously estimated at up to 30 billion dollars) has been enormous, because the southern California area is one of the world’s richest and most developed. This quake follows by just over four years an earthquake of comparable intensity, and comparable loss of life and property, in San Francisco.

The scientists, called “seismologists”, who study earthquakes were quick to point out, in both cases, that these recent quakes — and aftershocks — were in no way “The Big One”. This, they warn, is still coming… any time within the next 25 years, give or take a few! “The Big One”, when it does strike, will be of an intensity many times greater than the most recent quakes. (An 8 on the Richter scale, by no means out of the question, would be 125 times more powerful than the recent 6.6!) The consequent loss of life and property will be — probably — exponentially higher!

Such moderate earthquakes (although it is doubtful that they seem “moderate” to those who suffer through them!) remind us of a couple of things: Firstly, that the very earth on which we stand, and which we take so much for granted, is a living, moving thing… controlled by a Power greater than man! And, secondly, that Jesus warned that “great earthquakes” will be a sign of the nearness of his return.

The causes of earthquakes

As a result of thermal energy within the earth’s interior, the outer layers are subjected to various elastic stresses and pressures which build over periods of years or even of centuries. When these stresses exceed some local breaking point there is a sudden deformation in the earth’s crust, accompanied by the release of vast amounts of stored-up energy. A fracture or rift occurs as portions of the earth’s surface move one against another. Shock waves, of great intensity and causing enormous damage, emanate from the seismic center and radiate in all directions. These tremors are recorded in observation stations all over the world. By collating this information, seismologists can determine the focus and intensity of the earthquake.

Volcanic eruptions are sometimes associated with earthquakes, and these can add a further horror.

There is nothing new in the phenomena of earthquakes. They have been going on all through history, and form a part of the natural processes by which the surface of the earth is changed and molded through the centuries. Thus mountain ranges are raised up, river courses and coastlines changed, islands created or destroyed, and — where human populations are involved — many lives may be lost or irrevocably altered.

Quakes in earlier times, and even now in other parts of the world where modern building codes are primitive or non-existent, have resulted in enormous loss of life, in contrast to those earthquakes which have occurred virtually under the eye of the camera in California. Some examples:

Year	Country	Estimated lives lost
856	Greece	45,000
1268	Asia Minor	60,000
1290	China	100,000
1556	China	830,000
1693	Italy	93,000
1737	India	300,000
1868	Peru	25,000
1898	Japan	22,000
1908	Italy	160,000
1962	Iran	12,000

These few examples demonstrate the worldwide distribution of earthquakes, and give some indication of the extent of damage and suffering that can result.

Are there more earthquakes today?

Some statistics indicate a sizeable increase in earthquakes in recent years.

The US Department of the Interior makes available publications such as Earthquakes and Volcanoes (bimonthly) and Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (monthly). The latter publication lists all earthquakes recorded by some 350 centers throughout the world, listing details such as location and duration. These records show that up to 1948 (!) the highest number of quakes reported in one year was 905. However, thereafter the annual totals (of all earthquakes of magnitude 3 or greater on the Richter scale) have increased markedly.

Year	Earthquakes recorded
1948	620
1948	1,152
1950	2,023
1959	3,186
1961	4,740
1964	5,134
1965	6,686
1975	7,190
1988	Over 13,000

It is possible, however, that some part of this perceived increase may be just that: a perception, caused by the continuing development and increasingly wider use of more sophisticated detection instruments.

While the increase of earthquakes worldwide, and the observation of earthquakes close at hand, may be serious reminders to us of the nearness of Christ’s coming, surely the greatest signs — including those involving earthquakes — are to be seen in the Middle East.

Earthquakes in Israel: Rev 6

It has been pointed out that there are very many parallels between the Olivet prophecy and the Seals of Rev 6. In the sixth seal (Rev 6:12-17), there is a “great earthquake”, bringing about signs in the sun, moon, and stars (cp Mat 24:29), and causing the “figs” to fall from the “fig tree” (cp Mat 24:32) — surely an indicator that this prophecy has to do with Israel — just as does the Olivet prophecy! And the result of the sixth seal is… “the great day” of the “wrath of the Lamb… who can stand?”

Isaiah 2-4

“The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted… for all the cedars of Lebanon… all the oaks of Bashan… Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth” (Isa 2:12,13,19).

That this great shaking is centered upon Israel is clear from Isa 3:1,8 (part of the same prophetic section, despite the chapter break), where Jerusalem (compared to wicked Sodom in v 9; note the parallel in Rev 11:8) will stagger, and Judah will fall. It is the Israelis whose great pride will be brought down by this divine shaking!

But, after Israel’s pride is abased, then Jerusalem (with its survivors, by faith!) will be made “holy” again (Isa 4:2-6).

Isaiah 24

This is one of those passages, quite common in the Old Testament, where the Hebrew eretz should be translated “land” (ie, of Israel) rather than “earth”:

“See, the LORD is going to lay waste the Land (eretz) and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants — it will be the same for priest as for people… The Land (eretz) will be completely laid waste and totally plundered… The Land (eretz) dries up and withers… the exalted of the Land (eretz) languish. The Land (eretz) is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant” (Isa 24:1-5).

That such severe devastation is to be visited upon Israel is proven by v 5: what land in all the earth is special home to the people who have broken God’s everlasting covenant?

How is the devastation wrought? By a severe earthquake:

“The foundations of the Land (eretz) shake. The Land (eretz) is broken up, the Land (eretz) is split asunder, the Land (eretz) is thoroughly shaken. The Land (eretz) reels like a drunkard, it sways like a hut in the wind” (Isa 24:18-20).

But, once again, the final outcome, when the proud of Israel have been abased, is that the LORD Almighty will reign in His city, Jerusalem, in the presence of the holy ones of old (v 23).

Ezekiel 38

But the divine wrath of earthquake will be directed not just against God’s own nation Israel, but also and foremost against the enemies of Israel, led by “Gog”:

“When Gog attacks the land of Israel, my hot anger will be aroused, declares the Sovereign LORD. In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel. The fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the beasts of the field, every creature that moves along the ground, and all the people on the face of the earth will tremble at my presence. The mountains will be overturned, the cliffs will crumble and every wall will fall to the ground” (Eze 38:18-20).

Joel 3

Once again, the prophet Joel sees Arab nations (Tyre, Sidon, Philistia, Edom, Egypt: vv 4,19) gathered into the Valley of Jehoshaphat (near Jerusalem) in the Last Days (vv 2,14). But they will fall!

“The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble… But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel” (v 16).

Habakkuk 3

The language of this prophet is graphic, reminiscent of the pictures in Exodus, when God came down upon Mount Sinai in a cloud, with fire and lightning and thunder. In Habakkuk, God manifests Himself in judgment against the enemies of Israel and on behalf of His faithful people:

“He stood, and shook the earth; he looked, and made the nations tremble. The ancient mountains crumbled and the age-old hills collapsed… the mountains saw you and writhed…” (vv 6-10).

Haggai 2

“In a little while,” promises God, “I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations — and… THEN… the desired (one) of all nations will come, and I will fill this house (the temple on mount Zion in Jerusalem) with glory” (vv 6,7). A great shaking in the Last Days, which will affect all nations, but which will also usher in the Day of the Desired One, who will return to his city and his temple, and will fill it with Divine glory!

Zechariah 14

And when he returns, that “Desired One”, he will confront a city that is captive, in Gentile hands. His feet will stand upon the mount of Olives, to the east of the Holy City, and there will be a “great earthquake”, causing the mount of Olives to be split in two from east to west (vv 3,4). And Jerusalem will be, literally, “raised up” (v 10), and figuratively exalted above all other “mountains” (cp Isa 2:2-4; Psa 48:2).

Revelation 16

Just as Jesus himself said, in the Olivet prophecy, the greatest of all earthquakes will be the prelude to the appearance of Israel’s King, who will come to rule over Israel and all nations in the Kingdom of God:

“Behold, I come like a thief!… Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon… Then there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder and a severe earthquake. No earthquake like it has ever occurred since man has been on earth, so tremendous was the quake… and the cities of the nations collapsed” (vv 15-19).

Acknowledgements

Allan Dangerfield, “There will be great earthquakes”, The Christadelphian, Nov 1990, pp 412,413.
F. Russell, “The Bible and Earthquakes”, The Australian Christadelphian Shield, Nov 1993, pp 8-11.
Tony Benson, Stormy Winds Fulfilling His Will, pp 85-89,108-122.
Harry Whittaker, Revelation: A Biblical Approach, pp 85-89.

Euphrates, drying up

Fresh water has never been plentiful in the Middle East. Rainfall, what there is of it, only comes in the winter, and drains quickly through the semiarid land.

Now the region’s accelerating population, expanding agriculture, and industrialization demand more fresh water. Nations like Israel and Jordan are swiftly sliding into that zone where they are using all the water resources available to them. They have only 15 or 20 years left before their agriculture, and ultimately their security, is threatened (“Water: The Middle East’s Critical Resource”, National Geographic, May 1993).

Some experts feel that water wars are imminent, and that water has replaced oil as the region’s most contentious commodity. Scarcity is one element of the crisis. But in this patchwork of ethnic and religious rivalries, water seldom stands alone as an issue. It is entangled in the politics that keep people (even diverse Arab peoples, much less Arabs and Jews!) from trusting and helping each other.

Compared with the United States, which has a freshwater potential of 10,000 cubic meters a year for each citizen, Iraq has 5,500, Turkey has 4,000, and Syria has 2,800. These are the “haves” in the regions; the “have-nots”: Egypt: 1,100; Israel: 460; Jordan: 260. But these are not firm figures, because upstream use of river water can dramatically alter the potential downstream.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the mammoth Southern Anatolia Project, with its huge Ataturk Dam on the Euphrates River in Turkey. Ataturk is the centerpiece of Turkey’s plans for 22 dams to hold the waters of the Euphrates and the Tigris, which also originates in eastern Turkey, and to fill reservoirs that will eventually hold more than ten times the volume of water in the Sea of Galilee.

When nations share the same river, the upstream nation is under no legal obligation to provide water downstream. But the downstream nation can press its claim on the basis of historical use. This is what happened in 1989 when President Turgut Ozal of Turkey alarmed Syria and Iraq by holding back the flow of the Euphrates for a month to start filling the Ataturk. Full development of the Anatolia project could eventually reduce the Euphrates’ flow by as much as 60%. This could severely jeopardize Syrian and Iraqi agriculture. A technical committee of the three nations — Turkey, Syria, and Iraq — has met intermittently to address such questions, but no real headway has been made.

In turn, less water in the Euphrates has meant lower power output at Syria’s own large-scale Euphrates Dam at Tabqa. And, predictably, Syria’s big dam has kindled fear of scarcity further downstream in Iraq, adding to longstanding tension between these two nations, apart from their respective tensions with Turkey.

Other water problems abound in the region. Israel — in its National Water Carrier project — has been tapping the Sea of Galilee to channel water as far south as the Negev, virtually drying up the southern Jordan River. This has caused substantial hard-ship for Jordanian farmers, and outraged their government, which calls the transfer of water from the Jordan basin a breach of international law. King Hussein of Jordan has said that water is such a volatile issue that “it could drive nations of the region to war.”

And now Egypt, nearly totally dependent on water from the Nile River, is troubled by an unstable Ethiopia, source of 85% of the Nile’s headwaters. No wonder that UN Secretary-General Bhoutros-Ghali, while he was still Egypt’s foreign minister, said, “The next war in the Middle East will be fought over water, not politics.”

Does all this have relevance to Bible prophecy of the Last Days? Or is it the merest coincidence that, in Revelation, the great event that immediately precedes the battle of Armageddon is the drying up of the Euphrates River?: “The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up to prepare the way for the kings from the East… Then they gathered the kings together to the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon” (Rev 16:12,16).

Historically, the Euphrates River was diverted and dried up by the invading Persians as part of the campaign that led to the fall of the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar’s successors in 536 BC (Dan 5). This led, in short order, to the repatriation (under the benevolent Cyrus of Persia) of Jewish refugees back to the Land of Israel, from whence they had been transported away by Nebuchadnezzar in 587 BC.

This history suggests that, in the Last Days, the “drying up of the Euphrates” will lead again to the fall of modern “Babylon” (cp Rev 16:12 with Rev 16:19), which answers geographically to Iraq (and Syria and Jordan?).

Rev 16:12 echoes its Old Testament counterpart (Isa 11:10-16): “In that day the Root of Jesse [Jesus, son of David and thus son of Jesse too] will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his place of rest will be glorious. In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the remnant that is left of his people from Assyria [modern Syria and/or Iraq], from… Egypt, from Babylonia [Iraq]… He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah… They will swoop down on the slopes of Philistia to the west; together they will plunder the people to the east. They will lay hands on Edom and Moab, and the Ammonites will be subject to them. The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that men can cross over in sandals. There will be a highway for the remnant of his people that is left from Assyria, as there was for Israel when they came up from Egypt.”

This cross-reference, together with the history, suggests that the “kings of the east” who return through the dry Euphrates riverbed will be the remnant of Israel who had been previously carried captive by victorious Arabs (Zec 14:2). From their concentration camps in Egypt, but especially in Syria, Jordan, and Iraq, they will call upon the God of their fathers, and upon His Son. And from thence they will be delivered back to their own Land, as part of the process by which their Savior will reestablish the Kingdom of Israel in Jerusalem again. Why are they called “kings”? Because, along with Jewish and Gentile believers from others ages and other nations, they will then reign with Christ over the nations (cp Rev 1:6; 2:26,27; 5:9,10).

[Other prophecies which present the same basic picture, ie, of a believing Jewish remnant brought back out of the Arab nations in the Last Days: Isa 19:23-25; 27:12,13; 35; 43:1-7; 52:1-10; Jer 3:18; 16:14, 15; Joel 3:2-7; and Zec 10:9-11.]

It is possible that God, through Turkey’s project at Ataturk, is presently arranging the “pieces of the puzzle” for the future — when the drying Euphrates will accelerate the time of war in the Middle East. In the near future, the Arab nations may fight with one another, and with Israel, about water (and land, and “holy places” too, of course!). The outcome of the last such war will be the defeat of Israel. But, in some strange way as yet difficult to perceive, the continuous shortage of water for “Babylon” (Iraq/Syria/Jordan?) will contribute to the weakening of Israel’s enemies, and the subsequent return of Israeli captives (prospective “kings from the east”) to Jerusalem to participate in Christ’s kingdom.

How exactly will this be brought about? Who will finally dry up the Euphrates? Turkey, or Christ? When will it be finally accomplished? Before Christ comes, or after? For the present, we can only guess at the answers. Perhaps there are other “puzzle pieces” lying right in front of us, which we simply haven’t thought of in the right context yet.

[One final question: Is there any significance to the verbal similarity between the “east” — in Greek, anatole — of Rev 16:12, and the region of Anatolia in eastern Turkey?]

What Are the First Principles?

What Are the First Principles? is presented as a chaptered book.

Chapters

Revelation

Rev in the first century, interpreting
Rev, a framework for understanding the
Rev, certain, probable, and possible
Rev, date of
Rev, OT mosaic
Rev, outline
Rev, relevance to AD 70
Rev, sevens and seven sevens
Rev, theme verse
Rev, understanding
Rev, you can do it!

Rev in the first century, interpreting

Suppose you were a believer in Ephesus in the first century, and your congregation has just received and read the book of Revelation. Would you not eagerly set about trying to understand the contents of the book? The document would be there to study at length. What background information and reference material might you bring to the study? Here are some suggestions:

a.	You belong to an established church, or ecclesia, founded by the apostle Paul. It was born in controversy and grew in the midst of adversity (Acts 19). So you have several experienced members to confer with.
b.	You have read the letter from Paul to the Ephesians, and therefore have been given insights into: the heavenly places with Christ, being saved by grace through faith, deliverance from the prince of the power of the air, the glorious opportunity for Gentiles, the need for unity, the conflict with darkness, the need to make the most of the time (for the days are evil), the need to pray for persecuted saints, the need to witness boldly (knowing that victory in Christ is certain).

c.	You have heard the report of the elders who last met with Paul (Acts 20:17-35), and you know about the price of witnessing, the warnings of apostasy, and the exhortation to hold fast.
d.	You have had Timothy as an elder for some time; you will have undoubtedly seen the results of Paul’s pastoral letters to him, eg: Stand up for your beliefs, Resist heretics, Serve the living Christ who is the Savior of the church, or ecclesia, Be warned of times of stress to appear in the ecclesial world in the last days, and Preach Christ.

e.	You would be aware of the spread of the Gospel in Asia, but also of the work of the Judaizers (eg, Gal 2:4,5), who were out to undermine Paul.
f.	You probably have a copy of some of the New Testament writings, especially the Mount Olivet prophecy by Jesus, and almost certainly a copy of the Septuagint (the Old Testament in Greek).
g.	You would be aware of the Jewish uprising against Rome (keenly so if the Revelation were written just before AD 70). Given the background information and reference material, you would be able to identify with much of the Revelation content, especially the basic conflict between Christ’s disciples and the many “enemies” of the Truth.

§§BLOCK_END§§

Now come to interpreting the Revelation itself. Would you not assume that the whole message was relevant, since Jesus had just sent it to you? In the first place, the message was explicitly sent to your church. Ephesus had held out against false teachers, but had also lost its first love. Is this true? Of course — Jesus said so. And if true of you personally, then you need to repent.

Next, there are messages sent to other churches. Can you learn from them? Of course. We can always learn from the mistakes of others, and be warned against making the same mistakes ourselves.

What about the visions (from Rev 4 onwards)? Many points are directly relevant to you and your church (see above): (a) Resist false prophets. (b) Hope for the tree of life. (c) Overcome through the blood of the Lamb. (d) Be ready for the Second Coming.

As to points pertaining to Israel: Assuming a date of writing prior to AD 70, you might guess that Israel was in for a very difficult time with Rome, and that a great tribulation would come upon that land as a result of the rebellion. However, according to your awareness of Old Testament prophecy (and the Olivet prophecy?), the ultimate outcome must be the oppressor’s destruction and the faithful remnant’s restoration in the Kingdom of God.

In the meantime, you must faithfully endure (like the martyred Antipas and the exiled John), for Jesus is coming soon.

Rev, a framework for understanding the

This article is designed to help a Bible student better understand the book of Revelation. The articles will illustrate a method for making sense of the text and present a framework for interpretation.

Preview

An “Introduction” will discuss the following:

The author and audience
The date of writing
First-century application
Resolving a critical problem
The stage set again

The next section, “What Happens in the Book”, will begin looking at the specific details in the book. In particular, each chapter will be described in terms of its setting, the beings involved, and the action that takes place.

Introduction

The author and audience

The book opens with a clear statement of who is revealing what to whom:

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants what must soon take place; and he made it known by sending his angel to his servant John” (Rev 1:1).

The revelation (Gr “apokalypsis”) is about Jesus, and by Jesus. God is the original source of the information (cf 2Ti 3:15). John is the recipient of the words and visions via the angel sent by Jesus. It will become plain that the Apocalypse is characterized by prophetic language and focuses on the imminent Coming of Christ.

“Blessed is he who reads aloud the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near. John to the seven churches that are in Asia…” (Rev 1:3,4).

The initial readers of the Revelation were members of the seven churches in Asia (today’s western Turkey). In the first century setting, one person apparently read for many hearers. This resulted in a seven-part communication chain. By God’s providence, that same apocalyptic message has been preserved for us to read and understand and obey.

God –> Jesus –> Jesus’ angel –> apostle John –> 7 churches –> reader –> hearers (us!)

In the beginning and end of the book (Rev 1:4; 22:16), the seven churches are stated to be the intended audience. They are specifically addressed in detail in Rev 2; 3. They also seem to be brought into the story at key points in the message (eg, Rev 13:9,10; 14:12; 16:15). Therefore, the entirety of the book must have been relevant to them. Moreover, they would have been expected to understand what was written. To have received a prophetic message that was incomprehensible would be pointless.

Date of writing

There are no dates given in the book. This means the actual date of writing is unknown. But there are some reasonable arguments available to determine the approximate time.

First of all, it was written during the lifetime of the apostle John, which puts the date of writing sometime in the first century — unless John was extraordinarily old.

Secondly, we know John was “on the island called Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus” (Rev 1:9). Evidently, John had been exiled to Patmos because of his Christian faith. Furthermore, John states that he was sharing “the tribulation” with brethren (also v 9). Therefore, it is reasonable to think that John wrote during a time of widespread persecution of the Christians. The most likely times are the periods of intense persecution like those described in Revelation 2:9,10,13; 3:9,10, which interestingly enough seem to couple persecution by both Jew and Gentile.

The apostle Paul wrote about such persecutions (eg, 2Ti 2:11,12; 2Co 11:24-26) and indeed was imprisoned by Romans as a result of Jewish hostility and false accusation. Peter likewise wrote about the “fiery ordeal” to be experienced by “the brotherhood throughout the world” (1Pe 4:12-19; 5:8-10). The Christians in Jerusalem were reminded about their public abuse and affliction, the plundering of property and imprisonment, and exhorted to endure again (Heb 10:32-26; 13:3). If all of these are pointing to the same general time period, John may have been imprisoned for reasons comparable to Paul: in the defense and confirmation of the gospel (cf Phi 1:7,12-18). That argues a time when both Jew and Roman were persecutors of the Christians.

Going outside Scripture, the history books inform us about many times of persecution in the first century. Bible students tend to zero in on one of two periods: during the reigns of Roman Caesars Nero (AD 54-68) or Domitian (AD 81-96). Since the Jewish persecution effectively dried up after the fall of Jerusalem in AD 70, the only time period which reflected both Jewish and Roman persecution was during Nero’s reign. Given the selection criteria of a concurrent, intense Roman and Jewish persecution, the date of writing the Apocalypse had to be proximate to AD 70, and most likely before.

A full discussion about the evidence for an early date of writing can be found in the article entitled “When was the Revelation written?” (see Lesson, Rev, date of). However, the debate about dates should not intrude upon the fact that John did write the book, and that he wrote it for our instruction.

Each person should decide what date makes the most sense from the internal, Bible evidence (this is given the most weight) as well as the external, non-Biblical evidence. While having one date or another in mind will undoubtedly affect the interpretation framework, it should not affect the lessons taught and the exhortation provided. And it definitely will not affect the certainty of Christ’s return!

First-century application

Members of the seven first-century ecclesias would have sought to understand and apply the apocalyptic message to their situations and lives, just as they would have done for any Scripture. In short, there was an actual, meaningful first-century application of the entire Revelation prophecy, which did not (because it could not) include the historical events of the next 1900 years.

Two suggestions emerge from this observation. First, any interpretation of Revelation should take into account what the initial hearers thought had happened or was about to happen in their lifetimes. Second, while every generation of believers would be right in applying the words of Revelation to their point in history — just as we do today — a legitimate understanding of the book cannot depend upon a knowledge of interim history. There was and is sufficient information in Scripture itself to provide a suitable interpretative framework for understanding and applying the Apocalypse.

Without doubt, a principal teaching of Revelation is the literal return of Jesus Christ to earth to establish the Kingdom of God and reward the faithful by sharing his throne and glory (eg, Rev 1:6; 5:10; 11:15; 20:4; 22:4,5; 2:26,27; 3:21). That glorious event has yet to happen. When the first-century readers pondered the Revelation, they surely believed that Jesus was to come in their lifetimes. But he did not. Does that mean the early believers had a wrong understanding of the book? No! How else would one interpret the following texts?:

“… what must soon take place (Rev 1:1)…
for the time is near (Rev 1:3)…
I am coming soon (Rev 3:11)…
what must soon take place (Rev 22:6)…
Behold, I am coming soon (Rev 22:7)…
Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me (Rev 22:12)…
Surely I am coming soon” (Rev 22:20).

Resolving a critical problem

So how does a Bible student reconcile the idea that the first-century believers were right to believe that Jesus was coming soon — in their lifetimes — with the fact that Jesus did not come? Several solutions have been offered to this very real dilemma. The following suggestion, which happens to go hand-in-hand with the viewpoint that the Apocalypse was written prior to AD 70, seems to be a reasonable solution.

In two parables, Jesus predicted the overthrow of the Jewish nation because of the Jews’ wickedness, ie, their refusal to accept him as God’s Messiah (Mat 21:43; 22:7). In his Mount Olivet prophecy, Jesus was specific about the desolation of the land and the destruction of Jerusalem (cf Luke 21:20-24). Like God did in the past, this method of prophetic teaching was designed as a last resort to bring the hearers to repentance (eg, 2Ch 36:15-17).

Jesus also declared, “You will not see me again, until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord’ ” (Mat 23:39). Notice carefully the placement of the “until”: First they say, then they see — not the other way around! This necessary repentance of the Jews as a prerequisite to Christ’s return was also taught by the apostles (eg, Acts 3:19,20). Evidently, the Jews who experienced the Roman devastation of their land and cities, and underwent the horrible siege of Jerusalem, did not call out in faith to God to send the Savior. Likewise, the Jews surviving the Roman overthrow in AD 70 did not manifest the repentance required by God. Therefore, God did not send Jesus.

So the stage was set for Christ’s return. Jesus could have come, as indicated in the Olivet prophecy (Mat 24:29-31; Mar 13:28,29), several of the New Testament letters (1Th 5:1-11; 2Th 2:1-8; 1Pe 4:3-5,17-19; 2Pe 3:1-13), and the Revelation (Rev 1:7; 3:11; 22:7). But unrepentant Israel postponed the fulfillment of that teaching.

Yet God’s purpose has not been frustrated in the least (cf Isa 55:11). There was obviously an alternative way of fulfilling the prophecy. In this case, “the times of the Gentiles” (Luke 21:24) appear to have lasted a long time. But there also appears to be a limit set: “until the full number of the Gentiles come in” (Rom 11:25), ie, until they believe in Jesus Christ and thus come into God’s household of faith. The context of this last reference in enlightening:

“Lest you be wise in your own conceits, I want you to understand this mystery, brethren: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles come in, and so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob’, and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Rom 11:25-27).

This passage indicates that there is a plan by God to save both Jew and Gentile. When the full number has been reached — like in the days of Noah when the ark was finally filled with those people who were wanting to be saved — the Deliverer will come! The wailing and mourning of the Jews who recognize Jesus as their Messiah suggests that they have finally perceived the mercy of God and come to repentance (Rev 1:7; Mat 24:30; Zec 12:10).

The stage set again

The stage has been set one more time for the imminent return of Jesus. The nation of Israel was miraculously brought into existence again by God in 1948. Many of the details of the Mount Olivet prophecy seem to fit the situation in Israel today. The first-century scenario, of Israel versus Gentile powers, is being played out again with modern counterparts. Scripture seems to have anticipated a third and final showdown (Eze 21:27): there was Babylon and its allies in 586 BC, Rome and its mercenaries in AD 70, and finally a last-days “beast” and “horns” in ????. We may well be that generation of people who experience the Coming of Christ!

The battle’s outcome is certain. Jesus will win. So the nearness of Christ’s Coming and the importance to be ready for it was, is, and will be absolutely relevant to every generation of believers. True disciples will always be living as if it were “the last days”. And if Christ does not actually return in their lifetimes and they die, in his service, they simply fall asleep, waiting the time of resurrection. And their next waking moment will be standing before their king, ready to be rewarded with the rest of “those who fear God’s name, both small and great” (Rev 11:18).

What happens in the Book

Before developing a framework for understanding, it makes sense to become familiar with the contents of the book. A simple way is usually a good way. One helpful way is to take the chapters in order, and briefly describe the setting, the beings, and the activity of each chapter. This information will begin to dictate the framework requirements.

Chapter 1

Setting: The island called Patmos, off the coast of Asia Minor, 40 miles southwest of the city of Ephesus. John the apostle is in exile “on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus”, ie, on account of his Christian faith.

Beings: God, Jesus Christ, the angel sent by Jesus, the glorified Jesus, and John.

Activity: God gives the revelation to Jesus, who then gives it to his angel to present to John, who is instructed to “write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches…” After the appropriate prologue (vv 1-8), John describes how he was “in the Spirit on the Lord’s day” and finds himself in what appears to be the Holy Place of a temple, with seven golden lampstands in it. He then experiences the visitation of an extraordinarily glorious being (vv 9-18), which initially causes John to fall senseless to the ground.

From the given details, such as “I died, and behold, I am alive for evermore”, this glorious being evidently represents the resurrected and exalted Christ. The glorified Jesus explains that the seven stars in his right hand are the “angels of the seven churches” and that the seven lampstands “are the seven churches”. John is again instructed: “Now write what you see, what is, and what is to take place hereafter.”

Chapters 2 and 3

Setting: John in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day (same as Rev 1:10).

Beings: The glorified Jesus, the angels of the seven churches, the seven churches, and John.

Activity: John writes successive messages to each of the seven church congregations (via its angel), in the geographically clockwise order of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. In each message, the glorified Jesus introduces himself in terms of the characteristics listed in 1:13-18. Each congregation is commended, rebuked, and exhorted as appropriate; each is promised the rewards of being a spiritual conqueror; and each is told, “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Chapter 4

Setting: John, still in the Spirit, is transferred to God’s rainbowed throne room in heaven.

Beings: God, 24 enthroned elders, four living creatures, and John.

Activity: John is invited to enter an open door in heaven: “Come up hither, and I will show you what must take place after this.” In the heavenly throne room, John sees a Being on His throne (v 2), with four cherubim-like “living creatures” on each side of the throne, surrounded by twenty-four white-robed, golden-crowned “elders”. The four living creatures never cease to sing the praise of the Lord God Almighty (v 8), and the 24 elders give round-the-clock worship to the Creator God, Who is worthy of all honor (v 11).

Chapter 5

Setting: Same as Rev 4.

Beings: Same as Rev 4, plus a strong angel, the Lamb, and — by implication of their voices being heard — myriads of angels and every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea.

Activity: John sees a scroll in the right hand of the Creator and weeps because a search throughout the universe fails to find anyone qualified to open it (even a strong angel?). His weeping is ended, however, when one of the elders assures him that “the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.”

When John takes a closer look, he sees a Lamb standing between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders. This Lamb takes the scroll from the Creator’s right hand and becomes the object of a new song by the elders, who praise his sacrifice and his kingship to come: “Worthy art thou to take the scroll and to open its seals, for thou wast slain and by thy blood didst ransom men for God from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and hast made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on earth” (v 10). The angelic host and all creation join in the praise, and the four living creatures pronounce a climactic “Amen!” to the worship.

Chapter 6

Setting: The same as Rev 5. But from his vantage point in heaven, John is able to see events unfold on the earth below. Attention is focused on those scenarios.

Beings: He who is seated on the throne (v 16), the Lamb, the four living creatures, four horses and their riders, those involved in each seal scenario, and John.

Activity: John sees the Lamb open the first six seals on the scroll, one by one. Each of the first four seals in accompanied by a call, “Come!”, from one of the four living creatures, whereupon a colored horse with a specially-equipped rider comes forth. The white horse and rider (with a bow) go out conquering. The red horse and rider (with a sword) take peace from the earth. The black horse and rider (with a measuring balance) bring famine. The pale horse and rider (named Death) kill with sword, famine, pestilence, and wild beasts.

Upon the opening of the fifth seal, John sees dead martyrs under the temple altar, hears their cry for vindication, sees them each given a white robe, and hears the promise that (after a further trial for living saints) their cry will soon be answered. The sixth seal opening brings monumental chaos: a great earthquake; portents in the sun, moon, stars, and sky; whole mountains and islands in upheaval; and terror among every class of people — who seek to hide from the day of wrath of God and the Lamb. The picture fades out on this scene of impending disaster for the existing world.

Chapter 7

Setting: The same heavenly temple as in Rev 6. This time, the earthly scene changes to four angels holding winds that will soon be allowed to blow in judgment on the earth.

Beings: God who is seated on the throne (v 10), the Lamb, the four living creatures, the 24 elders, four angels who hold the winds, another angel who gives them instructions, a great multitude of people (represented by 144,000), and John.

Activity: Four angels are standing at the four corners of the earth (land of Israel?), temporarily holding back the four winds from blowing. A fifth angel calls out to them to keep holding “till we have sealed the servants of our God upon their foreheads”. John hears the number of 144,000 spoken, 12,000 out of each of 12 named tribes of Israel. But when he looks, he sees a great multitude from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, which could not be numbered. They stand before the throne and the Lamb, clothed in white robes and with palm branches in their hands, thanking God for salvation.

Then one of the elders asks John about the identity and background of the 144,000. John replies, “Sir, you know.” Whereupon the elder explains: they have spiritually survived “the great tribulation” and profited by the redemption made possible by the blood of Christ. Therefore, they are privileged to dwell in God’s temple, serving Him day and night, and thriving in His presence. They will never be hungry or thirsty or afflicted or tearful again, for “the Lamb… will be their shepherd.”

Chapters 8 and 9

Setting: The same heavenly temple as in Rev 7, but John looks down on another set of scenes on earth: six angelic trumpet blasts bring another series of God-sent disasters and destruction.

Beings: God, the Lamb, seven trumpet-carrying angels, another angel who carries a golden censer, those involved in each trumpet scenario, a flying eagle, and John.

Activity: The Lamb opens the seventh seal, and “there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” Each of the seven angels who stood before God (Rev 8:2, the same as the seven spirits in Rev 1:4?) is given a trumpet. Another angel who is carrying a golden censer comes and stands at the heavenly altar. He is given “much incense to mingle with the prayers of the saints”. Then he fills the censer with fire from the altar and throws it on the earth, causing thunder, lightning, and an earthquake! This initiates the sounding of the seven trumpets.

The first trumpet blast brings hail and fire, mixed with blood to the earth. Result: a third of the land, trees and grass burn up. The second trumpet causes a great burning mountain to be thrown into the sea. Result: a third of the sea becomes blood, a third of the fish die, and a third of the ships are destroyed. The third trumpet causes a blazing star to fall on a third of the rivers and other water sources, poisoning the men who drink it. The fourth trumpet causes a third of the sun, moon and stars to be struck, so that both daylight and night light are darkened by a third.

An eagle then flies across the sky, crying “Woe, woe, woe” on earth’s inhabitants to accompany the three remaining trumpets.

The fifth trumpet blast (also called the first “woe”) reveals a star fallen from heaven to earth. It opens a bottomless pit from which a sun-darkening cloud of locusts emerges; they pour forth and begin to torment mankind for five months with their scorpion stings. The locusts resemble battle horses, with men’s faces and women’s hair. They are led by an angel king called “Destroyer”.

The sixth trumpet blast (the second “woe”) prompts a voice to call out from the temple altar, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” Upon their release, John hears the number of the size of their army: 200,000,000! Lion-headed, serpent-tailed horses which breathe fire, smoke and sulfur carry riders with sapphire breastplates. They kill a third of mankind. Notwithstanding this terrible God-directed plague, the rest of mankind do not repent.

Chapter 10

Setting: The earth, at a spot where the sea and land meet.

Beings: A rainbowed angel and John himself.

Activity: Another mighty angel comes down from heaven. He is wrapped in a cloud, and has a rainbow over his head, a face like the sun, and legs of fire. He has a little scroll in his hand. And he sets his right foot on the sea, and his left foot on the land, and calls out with a loud voice which causes seven thunders to sound. However, John is not permitted to record what the thunders say. The angel swears by the Creator that “there shall be no more delay”, and that the seventh trumpet will complete the fulfillment of the message of the prophets. He then instructs John himself to take and eat the little scroll, which proves sweet to John’s taste but bitter in his stomach. Then he is told, “You must prophecy about many people and nations and tongues and kings.”

Chapter 11

Setting: Primarily the earth: a temple, its outer court, and a great city. However, the chapter ends with a scene in the heavenly temple.

Beings: Two witnesses, the beast, others involved in the sixth and seventh trumpet scenario, God, the 24 elders, John himself, and Jesus.

Activity: John himself is given a measuring rod and asked to measure the earthly temple, but to leave out its outer court, which is to be given over to the Gentiles for 42 months. Two witnesses, symbolized by two combination olive trees/lampstands, enter the picture. They are further described as two prophets with powers much like those of Moses (eg, turning water to blood) and Elijah (eg, bringing fire down from heaven).

When they have finished their testimony for the Lord, “the beast that ascends from the bottomless pit” (the same place as Rev 9:2?) makes war on them and kills them. Their dead bodies are displayed for 3 1/2 days in the street of a great city (spiritually called Sodom and Egypt, where Jesus was crucified), to the great rejoicing of many peoples of many nations. Their celebration is abruptly ended when the breath of life from God enters the dead witnesses and the revitalized prophets ascend in a cloud up to heaven in the sight of their foes. The scene is climaxed by a great earthquake which destroys a tenth of the city, killing 7,000 people; the rest of the people “are terrified, and give glory to the God of heaven”.

The seventh angel now sounds the seventh trumpet, and the third “woe” begins.

Loud voices in heaven proclaim, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.” The 24 elders join in the worship, declaring that the time has now come for God to take power and reign through Christ, who comes to judge the dead, reward the faithful, and destroy the destroyers of the earth. This scene ends with the heavenly temple being opened, showing the ark of the covenant. “And there were flashes of lightning, voices, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail.”

Chapters 12 and 13

Setting: Heaven, though in a place different from the throne room. John continues to see events on earth as well, and there again appears to be interaction between heaven and earth.

Beings: Seven “dramatic personae”: a woman, a dragon, a male child, Michael the archangel, the rest of the woman’s offspring, a beast, and a second beast; God, John himself, and Jesus.

Activity: A great portent appears in heaven: a pregnant woman in travail, clothed with the sun, with a crown of twelve stars, and the moon under her feet. Then another portent appears: a great red dragon with seven crowned heads, ten horns, and a tail which sweeps down to earth a third of the stars of heaven. It is seeking to devour the child about to be born of the woman. A male child is born, but it is immediately caught up to God. The woman flees into the wilderness to a place prepared by god, and is nourished there for 1,260 days.

Now war in heaven breaks out. Michael and his angels fight against the dragon and his angels. The dragon, “that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world — he is thrown down to the earth, and his angels are thrown down with him.” His defeat prompts the rejoicing of a loud voice in heaven, declaring that his expulsion means the salvation of God, and that the triumph is made possible by the blood of the Lamb. However, the wrath of the dragon, who knows there is only a short time left, is about to fall upon the earth.

Thus the scene changes to earth, with an enraged dragon pursuing the woman. The serpent pours out a flood of waters to sweep the woman away. She is given eagle wings to fly into the wilderness, and the earth — to help her — swallows up the flood waters. Now even more angry with the woman, the dragon goes off to make war on the rest of her offspring, “on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.”

John then perceives himself standing on the sand of the sea (the same place as 10:9?). There he sees a seven-headed, ten-horned beast rising out of the sea. Its horns have crowns, its heads have a blasphemous name upon them, and its body is a composite of lion, bear and leopard. The dragon gives its power to the beast, and this — along with a mortal head wound miraculously healed — causes men to worship both the dragon and the beast. Uttering haughty and blasphemous words, the beast is given authority for 42 months, and allowed to make war on the saints and conquer them. All except those whose names are written in the book of life fall prey to the authority and worship of the beast. Here is a “call for the endurance and faith of the saints”.

John then sees another beast which rises out of the earth. “It has two horns like a lamb and speaks like a dragon.” It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the inhabitants of the earth worship the beast. Imitating Elijah-like signs from heaven, this second beast deceives men and convinces them to make an image of the first beast, which — being able to speak by the cunning of the second beast — then becomes the focus of worship. Anyone who does not worship the beast is killed. Finally, an identification system is set up so that no one can buy or sell unless they have the 666 mark of the beast.

Chapter 14

Setting: First, Mount Zion, on earth. Next, mid-heaven, with flying angels. Finally, the earth again, this time being reaped by two angels with sickles.

Beings: The Lamb, the 144,000, God, the four living creatures, the 24 elders, an angel flying in mid-heaven to proclaim an eternal gospel, a second angel declaring the fall of Babylon, a third angel warning those who worship the beast, a crowned sickle-bearer on a cloud, another angel who gives instructions to reap, another sickle-bearing angel, an angel who has power over fire, and John.

Activity: John sees the Lamb standing on Mount Zion with the 144,000. These redeemed ones learn a new song which only they can learn, and which they sing before the throne and before the four living creatures and the 24 elders.

Then John sees a flying angel who warns earth-dwellers with this message: “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the fountains of water.” Another angel follows, saying that Babylon the great has fallen. A third angels follows, saying that if anyone worships the beast and its image, or receives its mark, he shall suffer the wrath and destruction of God. (Here again is a call for the faithful endurance of the saints.)

Now the scene changes to a white cloud. Upon it sits “one like a son of man”, with a golden crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. He is instructed by another angel to “put in your sickle, and reap.” So he does, and the earth’s harvest is reaped.

Then the vision changes to the heavenly temple. Another angel with a sharp sickle comes out and is instructed by yet another angel — one who comes from the altar and has power of fire — to “put in your sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth…” So the ripe grapes are cut and thrown into the great winepress of God’s wrath.

Chapter 15

Setting: Heaven. Then the temple of the tent of witness in heaven.

Beings: Seven angels with seven plagues, those who have conquered the beast, the four living creatures, and John.

Activity: John sees another portent in heaven: seven angels with seven plagues. They represent the last of God’s wrath to come on the earth. Then John sees a sea of glass, and standing beside it those who have conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name. They have harps in their hands, and sing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb.

After this, John looks and sees the temple of the tent of witness opened. Out of it come the seven angels with the seven plagues. They are robed in pure bright linen and girded with golden girdles. One of the four living creatures gives each of them a golden bowl filled with God’s wrath. Then the temple is filled with the smoke of God’s glory, and no one is allowed access until the seven plagues are ended.

Chapter 16

Setting: The heavenly temple, but from there John looks down on another set of earthly scenes: the seven angels pour out their bowls of wrath, bringing God’s final disasters and destruction.

Beings: Seven angels with bowls, those involved in the seven plague scenarios, the angel of the water, the people under the temple altar, and John.

Activity: A loud voice from the temple tells the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” And they do.

The first bowl is poured on the earth, causing foul and evil sores to break out on the men who serve the beast. The second bowl is poured into the sea, turning it to blood, and killing everything in it. The third bowl is poured into the fresh water sources, and they too become blood. This action prompts the angel of the water to state the justice of God’s doing this, while the altar (ie, the souls under it: see 6:9) cries out: “Yea, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are thy judgments!”

The fourth bowl is poured on the sun, causing it to scorch men with fierce heat. They respond by cursing God, and do not repent. The fifth bowl is poured on the throne of the beast, turning its kingdom into darkness and causing men to gnaw their tongues in anguish. Again they respond by cursing God and do not repent.

The sixth bowl is poured on the great river Euphrates, drying up its waters and thereby preparing the way “for the kings of the east”. Three demonic spirits issue from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet, gathering “the kings of the whole world” and assembling them for battle against Almighty God at a place called Armageddon. Against this background of a “man versus God” showdown, the faithful are reminded: “Lo, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is he who is awake, keeping his garments that he may not go naked and be seen exposed!”

The seventh bowl is poured into the air, prompting a great voice in the heavenly temple to declare, “It is done!” There are simultaneous flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, and a great unprecedented earthquake, which causes the great city Babylon to split into three parts and the cities of the nations to fall. The tidal waves generated by this earthquake smash every island and even every mountain on earth. Huge, hundred-pound hailstones fall on men, who curse God for this terrible but obviously heaven-sent plague.

Chapter 17

Setting: The wilderness.

Beings: One of the seven angels of Rev 16, the great harlot, the beast, the Lamb, and John.

Activity: John is taken by one of the seven angels into wilderness to see a great harlot, who has fornicated with the kings of the earth and whose promiscuous activity has made the “dwellers on earth” drunk. John sees a woman seated on a seven-headed, ten-horned scarlet beast. She is arrayed in purple and scarlet, bedecked with jewels, and holds “a golden cup filled with abominations and the impurities of her fornication”. Her forehead carries a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of harlots and of earth’s abominations”. The woman is drunk with blood of the saints and the martyrs of Jesus.

John is evidently awestruck and mystified by the woman’s appearance and behavior. But then the angel explains: The woman is “the great city which has dominion over the kings of the earth”. The beast is the same seven-headed, ten-horned monster encountered before (13:1), and continues to fascinate its devotees, who marvel because “it was, and is not, and is to come”. The seven heads are interpreted to be “seven hills on which the woman is seated” and also “seven kings, five of whom have fallen, one which is, and the other which has not yet come”. The ten horns are stated to be “ten kings… who are to receive authority for one hour, together with the beast”. The waters where the harlot is seated are interpreted to be “peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues”.

The beast and the ten horns come to hate the harlot, and to “make her desolate and naked, devour her flesh and burn her up with fire”, according to God’s predetermined plan. Afterwards, they will make war on the Lamb, but he will conquer them. Details of this battle are provided in Rev 19.

Chapter 18

Setting: From his location on earth (still in the wilderness?), John hears and watches the destruction of the Babylon harlot.

Beings: An angel with great authority who will pronounce the destruction, a voice out of heaven, those associated with the destruction and lamentation of Babylon the great, those who rejoice over the fall of Babylon, a mighty angel who will cast the millstone, and John.

Activity: An angel with great authority comes down from heaven to the earth, making it bright with his splendor, and bringing the announcement of Babylon’s fall. Another voice from heaven makes an appeal to the faithful: “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part of her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” The reasons for God’s judgments upon her are then made very clear.

The kings of the earth who committed fornication with the harlot weep and wail when they see the smoke of her burning, and stand afar off in fear over her torment. The merchants of the earth likewise weep and mourn over her demise and torment. Shipmasters and seafaring men who traded with Babylon also cry out when they see the smoke of her burning: “Alas, alas, for the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! In one hour she has been laid waste.”

In striking contrast, the saints and apostles and prophets are urged to rejoice over Babylon’s fall, “for God has given judgment for you against her!” Then a mighty angel throws a great millstone into the sea as a symbolic end of the great city (guilty of the blood of the prophets and saints), declaring that “it shall be found no more.”

Chapter 19

Setting: The same location as in Rev 18, although there are also visions of what is happening in the throne room.

Beings: A great multitude in heaven, the 24 elders, the four living creatures, God on his throne, the angel who has been speaking with John, Jesus manifested as King of kings and Lord of lords, the armies of heaven, the beast, the false prophet, and their armies, an angel standing in the sun, and John.

Activity: John hears the mighty voice of what seems to be a great multitude (of angels and martyrs? see Rev 5:11; 16:7) in heaven rejoicing in the judgments of God and the destruction of the great harlot. The 24 elders and four living creatures fall down in worship and add their “Hallelujah!”

A voice from the throne calls for more praise, and the “Hallelujah!” response is tremendous. The voice of the great multitude is augmented by the sound of many waters and mighty thunder peals. It is time for great rejoicing, “for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready…” She is clothed with fine linen, bright and pure, as evidence of her righteous deeds and her surviving of the tribulation.

The angel who has been speaking with John now instructs him: “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” He assures John that that statement is wonderfully true. John falls down at his feet, wanting to worship the angel, but he is told not to do so, since the angel is likewise a servant. Rather, John is told: “Worship God.”

A new scene begins. John sees heaven opened, and a white horse comes forth carrying a rider with flaming eyes, many crowns, and a blood-dipped robe. “And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, followed him on white horses.” Their leader is called Faithful and True, the Word of God, King of kings and Lord of lords, “and in righteousness he judges and makes war.” From his mouth issues a sharp sword with which to smite the nations; he will rule them with a rod of iron.

An angel standing in the sun calls for the birds of the air to gather to eat the flesh of men and horses, as the scene changes to a showdown between the beast and its armies and the Lord and his armies. The beast is captured, along with the false prophet, and the two of them are thrown alive into the lake of fire. their army is slain, and the birds gorge themselves on the carcasses.

Chapter 20

Setting: Earth (the same location as Rev 19?), with scenes of the dragon’s binding, a judgment seat, the dragon’s loosing, another battle scene, another judgment, and the final end of Death and Hades (the grave).

Beings: An angel with a key and chain, the dragon, judges on thrones, martyrs of Jesus (see Rev 6:9-11), the nations deceived by the dragon, a being on a great white throne, the resurrected dead, and John.

Activity: First John sees an angel come down from heaven with the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain. He seizes the dragon, that ancient serpent, and binds it in the pit for a thousand years, knowing that it must be loosed again for a little while.

Next, John sees a judgment seat convened. Those who have lost their lives for the sake of Jesus and who have not worshipped the beast “come to life and reign with Christ a thousand years”. A special blessing is given to those who share in this first resurrection.

The scene changes. When the thousand years are ended, the dragon will be loosed from its prison, and come out to deceive the nations again. The dragon’s army march over the earth and surround the camp of the saints. Fire comes down from heaven and consumes them. The dragon is then thrown into the lake of fire where the beast and false prophet are.

John then sees a great white throne and another judgment take place, this time of all the resurrected dead. “If any one’s name is not found written in the book of life, he is thrown into the lake of fire.” Significantly, Death and Hades are themselves thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death.

Chapter 21

Setting: Still earth (the same location as Rev 20?), the initial scene being a holy city coming down out of heaven. John is then taken to a great high mountain to see this holy city more closely.

Beings: God on his throne, one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls of plagues, the Bride (the holy city), and John.

Activity: John sees “a new heaven and a new earth”, with focus being on a new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, pictured like a bride. John hears a great voice from heaven announcing that God himself has come to dwell with men, and will remove every tear and sorrow, and even death itself.

God declares, “Behold, I make all things new.” He then states how He will reward the faithful (those who conquer — recall Rev 2; 3) but punish the faithless, cowardly, polluted, etc. by extinction in the lake of fire.

The one of the seven bowl-angels speaks to John: “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.” He carries John “in the Spirit” to a great high mountain, where John again sees the holy city coming down out of heaven from God. The radiant, crystal city — with gates of pearl and streets of gold — is 15,000 miles long and equally wide and high! This city represents the people of God from both Old Testament and New Testament times (eg, gates with the names of the twelve tribes of Israel; foundations with the names of the twelve apostles). Only those whose names are written in the book of life shall enter it.

The city has no temple, “for its temple is the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb.” Similarly, it needs no sun or moon to shine upon it, since it has God as its light and the Lamb as its lamp. The city is open 24 hours a day for the nations to come for enlightenment.

Chapter 22

Setting: Earth. John finishes his tour of the new city and concludes with the final words of the angel and Jesus.

Beings: God on his throne, the Lamb, their servants (the Bride), Jesus’ angel, and John.

Activity: John is shown the river of the water of life flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. It flows through the middle of the city, and has the tree of life (which bears fruit every month and leaves for healing) on each side of it. The redeemed of God — here called servants — manifest the reward of God’s name on their foreheads, and begin their reign with Christ.

Jesus’ angel assures John of the certainty of this victorious and glorious outcome, and restates, “Behold, I am coming soon!” John responds intuitively: “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” Then once again, John attempts to worship the angel, who — likewise again — reminds him that as a fellow servant, he should direct his worship toward God instead.

In quick succession, there follow sober warnings and stirring exhortations. “Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil… and the righteous still do right.” “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense, to repay everyone for what he has done.” “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life…”

Then Jesus repeats what was said in the opening chapter, that he has sent his angel to John “with this testimony to the churches”. He explicitly declares one last time that “Surely I am coming soon,” and invites all those who wish for the return to join in and say, “Come.”

A solemn warning is given to anyone who might think to tamper with the contents or message of the Book. Then John declares his own “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus”, and ends with a benediction.

(NF)

Rev, certain, probable, and possible

The “Certain”

A fulfillment of prophecy can only be regarded as certain, for our finite and imperfect minds, when the fulfillment has already come about, or when its terms are absolutely incapable of any meaning save one; both factors would make our assurance doubly sure. Thus, we know that 2Sa 7:12-16 and its counterpart in 1Ch 17:11-14 were in part fulfilled in Solomon, because David so understood it in part (1Ch 28:6), as did Solomon himself (2Ch 6:9-11). We know that it was not entirely fulfilled in Solomon because David clearly looked beyond Solomon’s time (2Sa 7:19), and because the New Testament tells us explicitly that it referred to Jesus (Acts 13:33; Heb 1:5). Again, we know that the Bible promises the literal return of the Jews to the land of Israel, and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the earth, and many other such things plainly taught in Scripture because the terms of these prophecies do not admit of any other faithful interpretation.

The “Probable”

A fulfillment can be regarded as probable when the events we see in history are seen to correspond closely with the terms of a prophecy. Thus, it is hard to see that we could be mistaken in regarding the presence of some millions of Jews in the Holy Land today as, in part at least, a fulfillment of the prophecies of their return. It is probable, too, that this heralds the near return of the Lord. Some prophecies about the return of Israel to the land contain such apparently plain indications that they must suffer great afflictions before the final deliverance from their enemies (Eze 36-39; Zec 14), that we consider it probable that they will in fact suffer in this way.

The “Possible”

Things “possible” may have all degrees of likelihood from high probability to being highly unlikely, and the decision we come to in any particular case is bound to be in some degree subjective. We can hardly expect absolute unanimity, even among those sharing the same doctrinal foundation. Thus… it is possible to regard the “sun, moon and stars” of Rev 6:12,13 as referring to the nation of Israel; it is also possible to doubt this, since the symbols are certainly not invariably used in this sense in Scripture. Which conclusion we come to (if we come to a precise conclusion at all) is not, however, of the first importance, since other passages state in plain terms what may or may not here be intended by the symbols.

Indeed, it is not at all unlikely that we are sometimes moved to understand symbols in a particular way because we have already concluded on what are quite different grounds that certain things are true: in that event it is not the symbols which are teaching us, but we who are reading (right or wrong) our own meaning into them. This fault is more common than we sometimes realize, and we should be on our guard against it.

Within the category of “possible”, too, must be put all detailed predictions of things yet future which are not most categorically defined in Scripture itself — unless, indeed, our predictions are so outrageous as not to be thought possible at all. And in view of the fact that the New Testament often provides us with interpretations of Old Testament prophecies which we should not have thought of for ourselves (such as those of Hos 11:1 in Mat 2:15; and of Jer 31:15 in Mat 2:18), we need to be very careful before we pronounce any interpretation impossible. Even so, since it required the guidance of the Holy Spirit to enable New Testament writers to offer such interpretations to us, we might feel that our own feet should re-main firmly on the ground when we are disposed to adventure our own understanding of Scripture’s prophecies.

Since [in interpreting prophecy] we will be meeting events which certainly lie, in the future… it follows that detailed interpretations are bound to be speculative in some degree, even when they are offered at all. It might even be that no detailed interpretation is possible. But this is not in itself to be regarded as any weakness in the expository basis: it may simply be that information is inadequate for any assurance as to the meaning until the events have actually occurred.

To this it cannot properly be objected that a prophecy which one can only understand when it has happened is of little use. For in the first place its general tenor may be plain even when the detail is not; and in the second place it can be very valuable and reassuring to know that we have reached a certain point in the fulfillment of God’s purpose, and can look forward now to the next stage.

(NRev 131-133).

Rev, date of

Eur 1:36: Iraneus (c 169 AD) is said to have introduced the opinion that Apocalypse was written in reign of Domitian (80-96). Isaac Newton does not adopt Iraneus’s opinion: he suggests Iraneus might have heard from Polycarp that he had received the Apocalypse from John about time of Domitian’s death or that John might at that time have made a new publication of it. Eusebius (3rd/4th cent) adopts Iraneus’s opinion (but is thought by some to invalidate it by conjoining the banishing of John to Patmos with the deaths of Peter and Paul).

Eur 1:37: “There is no evidence to show how long he was an exile, or in what year of his sojourn in Patmos the Apocalypse was given.”

P 38: Tertullian says John was banished to Patmos by Nero (65 AD). Arethas quotes Iraneus from Eusebius, but does not follow it: he affirms Apocalypse was written before the destruction of Jerusalem. Syriac Version in title of Apocalypse states: “into which (Patmos) he was banished by Nero.

P 39: Isaac Newton: “It seems probable to me that the Apocalypse was there composed (ie in Patmos) and that soon after, the epistle to Hebrews and those of Peter were written, with ref to this prophecy as what they were particularly concerned in.”

P 40: In conclusion, JT: “It cannot be said with certainty in what year the Apocalypse was written.” (He means, from context, a date of 65 or 67 is quite possible.) JT: “The knowledge of these particular times does not at all affect the interpretation.”

WRev 53: “The date of the writing of Rev is of fundamental importance, vitally affecting the interpretation of the book.”

P 54: 2 objections to Iraneus’s testimony: (1) his doubtful value as a witness: (a) he insists Christ died at age 50; (b) he gives credence to the fantastic story of the miraculous translation of the LXX; and (2) possible mistranslation: Instead of “it was not long since it — Apocalypse — was seen, but almost within our own generation, about the end of Domitian’s reign”…the passage could read: “It was not long since HE — John — was seen…

The book was received during a time of intense persecution (ie 1:9), and the Neronian persecutions were the only such in the 1st century.

Ellicott, vol 8, p 526: Theophylact: John was in Patmos 32 years after ascension. Also, argument by comparing Rev 2; 3 to Eph and Col (also in Asia Minor): Since very little change in conditions, the general weight is in favor of earlier date.

Clarke (6:960,961): “So many conflicting opinions.”

IBD: “External evidence — Iraneus’s being the earliest — support later date.”

ISBE: Iraneus is confirmed by Clement, Origen, etc.

Hastings (IV, 259): “The efforts to force Emperor worship upon Jews goes back to Caligula (39,40 AD).” (But ct Peake, p 928.)

1. Fulfillment Would Be “Soon”: Many verses throughout the Book stress the immediacy, and the extreme urgency, of its message: Rev 1:1,3; 2:16; 3:11; 6:10,11; 22:10,12,20. How was the prophecy fulfilled “soon”? How was it “near” in the days when John received it? The obvious answer is that the Apocalypse was fulfilled (partially, at least) within a very short time after it was given. If it were written in AD 66, the events of AD 70 would certainly be considered as happening soon!

2. Authenticity of a Prophet: A very common pattern with all Bible prophecy is this: one more-or-less immediate fulfillment, usually only partial, in the days of the prophet himself, and another fulfillment much later, often related to the Second Coming of Christ. The Olivet prophecy is notable in this regard. An immediate fulfillment (ie, within at most one generation of its proclamation) was absolutely essential for every prophecy, no matter what it might mean to much later generations — for how else could a would-be prophet prove his credentials to his original listeners? See Deu 18:19-22. So a prophecy, even one written by the Apostle John, would have needed some significant fulfillment within a few years — or the churches would have been well within their rights to reject it as a false prophecy! If the Apocalypse were given, and received, shortly before AD 67, then soon-to-come events would have validated it almost immediately. But if the Apocalypse were given about AD 95 or 96, and especially if it were designed for a single, long, almost imperceptibly slow working-out spanning 1,900 years, where would be any real test of authenticity to the generation first receiving it?

3. Jesus Did “Come” in AD 70: Upon his resurrection, Jesus was given “all authority in heaven and earth” by God (Mat 28:18). Earlier, he had twice declared that the Father had placed all judgment into his hands, in order that “the Son may be honored” (Joh 5:22,23,27). In his parable about the rebellious city, Jesus predicted the destruction of Jerusalem (Mat 22:1-7). As the Son of God, Jesus sent his destroying army (the Romans) against Jerusalem. As a prophet, Jesus had to be proven right — and he was! So in the sense of bringing God’s judgment (in order to induce repentance among the people), Jesus did “come” in AD 70.

4. The Theme Verse of the Apocalypse: “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen” (Rev 1:7). This verse is a composite of two Old Testament prophecies, and is demonstrably a theme verse for the whole Book. The first half of the verse quotes from Dan 7:1. The rest of Revelation is based on Christ’s glory with God in heaven and his imminent return to earth in that same glory.

The second half of Rev 1:7 is derived from Zec 12:10-14. The recognition that Jesus is the Messiah brings the Jews to repentance. “Those who pierced him” means the Jews (Mat 26:14, 15,47; 27:2-12,62-66; Joh 18:39,40; 19:6; Act 2:22, 23,36; 3:13-15; 1Th 2:14,15). “The peoples of the earth” (in Rev) and “the clans of the land” (in Zec) are the same! They are the Jewish tribes (cp Rev 5:5; 7:4-8; 21:12), in contrast to “every tribe, tongue, nation, etc.” (Rev 5:9; 7:9; 13:7; 14:6). So a key opening verse in the Rev declares a “coming” of the Lord Jesus to the people of Israel, in Israel. The connection of Revelation 1:7 with the words of Jesus in his Olivet prophecy is unmistakable: Mat 24:30. Since Jesus was predicting the impending overthrow of Jerusalem (in AD 70), then this theme verse must also be part of a message predicting the imminent judgment of God upon Israel. Thus, Rev 1:7, properly seen with its OT links, may have much to say about the scope and the setting of the Book — and thus also about the date of its writing. Since the Book seems to be dealing with God’s judgments upon His people Israel, in their own land, because they have rejected His Son, then the only logical time for its writing in the first century would be before the great outpouring of those judgments, in AD 70. [See Rev, theme verse.]

5. A Judaizing Element in Revelation: Rev 2:9 and Rev 3:9 presume that there was a strong Judaizing element in the Church when John was writing. These were prob Christian brethren whose influence depended in large part on the existence of a Temple and a priesthood in Jerusalem, and whose influence would have been considerably reduced later, after Jerusalem fell in AD 70.

6. A Temple in Jerusalem: Rev 11:1-3 likewise presumes the existence, at the time of writing, of the great Temple in Jerusalem (cp Luk 21:20,21,24). This Temple was of course destroyed by the Romans in AD 70.

7. Other Pre-AD 70 Letters Quote Revelation: Several letters which were undoubtedly written before AD 70 appear to quote extensively from Revelation:

Hebrews… quotes from…	Revelation
The Word of God (Heb 4:12) (= Jesus: Heb 4:13)	The Word of God (= Jesus: Rev 19:13)
…is sharper than a two-edged sword (Heb 4:12)	…with a sharp two-edged sword (Rev 1:16; 19:15)
The city which hath (the: RV) foundations, whose builder and maker is God (Heb 11:10)	The wall of the city (of God) had 12 foundations (Rev 21:14)

And this whole sequence from Heb 12:

Mount Zion	The Lamb on Mount Zion (Rev 14:1)
Heavenly Jerusalem	New Jerusalem out of heaven (Rev 21:2)
The city of the living God	The God of the living creatures (Rev 4:6)
An innumerable company of angels	The voice of many angels (Rev 5:11)
The general assembly	The 144,000 sealed out of Israel (Rev 7; 14)
Written in heaven	Written in the Lamb’s book of life (Rev 13:8; 21:27)
God the Judge of all	The dead standing before God, to be judged (Rev 20:12)
Jesus the mediator of a new covenant	A Lamb as it had been slain (Rev 5:5,6)
The blood of sprinkling	Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood (Rev 5:9)
Him that spoke from heaven	Revelation is the only message of Jesus spoken from heaven!´
Let us serve God	They serve Him day and night in His temple (Rev 7:15)

1 Peter quotes from…	Revelation
Things angels desire to look into (1Pe 1:12)	Angel: “Who is worthy to open the book?” (Rev 5:2)
Faith… gold tried in the fire (1Pe 1:7)	Buy gold tried in the fire (Rev 3:18)
Living stones (1Pe 2:5)	City with 12 foundations, and in them the names of the apostles (Rev 21:14)
A royal priesthood (1Pe 2:9)	Kings and priests (Rev 5:10; 1:6)
Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb (1Pe 1:19)	A Lamb as it had been slain… Thou hast redeemed us (Rev 5:6,9)
The foundation of the world (1Pe 1:20)	The foundation of the world (Rev 13:8)
To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever (1Pe 5:11)	To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever (Rev 1:6)
Babylon (1Pe 5:13)	Babylon the Great (Rev 17:5)

2 Peter quotes…	Revelation
The more sure word of prophecy, whereunto ye do well to take heed… (2Pe 1:19)	The Apocalypse itself? (What other “sure word of prophecy” could it be?)
The day star (2Pe 1:19)	The bright and morning star (Rev 2:28; 22:16)
False prophets (2Pe 2:1)	The false prophet (Rev 16:13; 19:20)
Angels… cast down to hell (2Pe 2:4)	The devil and Satan… cast into a bottomless pit (Rev 20:1-3)
Brute beasts made to be destroyed (2Pe 2:12)	The beast and false prophet and dragon… destroyed (Rev 13:11; 19:20; 20:10)
The way of Balaam (2Pe 2:15)	The doctrine of Balaam (Rev 2:14)
A thousand years (2Pe 3:8)	A thousand years (Rev 20:3,5,6)
A thief in the night (2Pe 3:10)	I will come as a thief (Rev 3:3; 16:15)
The heavens shall pass away with a great noise (2Pe 3:10)	The heaven fled away (Rev 20:11; 21:1)
We, according to his promise (where?), look for a new heavens and a new earth (2Pe 3:13)	A new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21:1)

Quite a number of the correspondences suggested above are the only occurrences of those phrases in all of the NT, and indeed, in some cases, in all of the Bible. While one or two such allusions could be attributed to mere coincidence, the (1) virtual uniqueness and (2) cumulative effect of many such allusions strengthen dramatically the case for the other writers quoting Revelation. This line of reasoning was first hinted at by Sir Isaac Newton in his writings on prophecy, and later expanded in WRev:

“It is possible to identify many allusions to the Book of Revelation in Hebrews and in the two epistles of Peter. If this assertion can be established as true, then Revelation must predate the three epistles mentioned. Since Peter definitely died in Nero’s persecution of AD 64-66 approx (much of his First Epistle was to strengthen the brethren in that fiery trial) and since Hebrews is generally admitted to have been written before the Jewish War of AD 67-70, the dating of Revelation is narrowed down to a very fine margin.

“…It may be as well to dispose of the only way of upsetting this argument. It could perhaps be suggested that whilst the links between Revelation and the three epistles may be undoubted, the facts are capable of the reverse interpretation, namely, that Revelation is borrowing from Hebrews and 1st and 2nd Peter… The answer to this comes from careful consideration of the character of the phrases under review. Practically all of them will be seen at once to be ‘Apocalyptic’ in style — they belong naturally to Revelation, they are in keeping with its idiom and symbolism: e.g. ‘the morning star’. Further, when they occur in the three epistles they often introduce matters which have received no mention whatever in their context but which are fully explained in Revelation, eg ‘the city which hath the foundations, whose builder and maker is God’ ” (WRev 55).

Questions About an Early Date

But the idea that the Revelation had a first-century fulfillment — in the Neronian persecution of the Church and the Jewish Wars of AD 67 to 70 — leads to a quite logical question: ‘Why didn’t the Kingdom of God — clearly so much a part of the Apocalypse — come in the first century?’

The answer is: it might have, if the conditions had been right. As JT wrote in Elp: “Had the nation [of Israel] continued to obey the Lord’s voice and to keep the covenant, and when Christ came, received him as king on the proclamation of the gospel, they would doubtless have been in Canaan until now [written in 1848]; and he might have come ere this, and be now reigning in Jerusalem, King of the Jews and Lord of the nations” (Elp 301, 11th ed).

So, ‘does the fact that the Kingdom of God didn’t come in the first century mean that the Apocalypse was in reality a false prophecy, ie, a prophecy not to be fulfilled?’

The answer, again, is: NO!: Sometimes, even though a particular prophecy is plainly from God and therefore inspired, it will not be completely fulfilled (at least, not at the time first anticipated) because those to whom the fulfillment of blessing should come have not properly prepared themselves to receive that blessing — or, conversely, because those upon whom the fulfillment of punishment should come have repented, and sought to be released from the judgment of God: Jer 18:7-10. A well-known case in point is the prophecy of Jonah, directed against the wicked city of Nineveh (the capital of Assyria): Jon 3:1-4. But the time for the destruction of Nineveh came and went, and the mighty city still stood, much to Jonah’s chagrin. Why? Was God’s word void? Of course not! Instead, the city, from king to slave, had repented in sackcloth and begged the mercy of God (3:5-9). And He had listened (3:10). [For more on this approach to Bible prophecy, see WRev 259-273.]

This, of course, leads to one last question: ‘If a first-century (and partial) fulfillment is a proper interpretation of the Book, then can there be any other interpretation which in any sense is also “soon” and “near”?’

YES! And the explanation is ready-at-hand, and easily grasped: see Luke 21:29-32. The Olivet prophecy is generally recognized to have two fulfillments (one in the first century and another in the near future). Likewise, the Apocalypse (which, not coincidentally, shares many points in common with the Olivet prophecy) may also have two fulfillments. The second, or Last Days, fulfillment may rightly be spoken of as “soon” or “near” if considered in relation to the proper starting point. So, to paraphrase the quotation above: ‘When you see the rebirth of the nation of Israel in the Last Days, and especially when you see Jerusalem in Jewish hands again, and again encircled by threatening enemies [cp Luk 21:20-24]… — that is, when conditions in the Middle East mirror the state of affairs in Jesus’ day — … then know that the fulfillment of all things is, from that time, very near — even upon that very generation!’

The Importance?

Why is the dating of Revelation important? Because, given the early date for its writing (AD 65/66), the Book may be seen to have had an immediate fulfillment, which then greatly influences what we may expect as its final fulfillment. In other words, the Last Days fulfillment should follow the pattern of the first century fulfillment. We can expect then:

An attack by Gentile enemies upon Jerusalem.
A downtreading period corresponding to 3 1/2 literal years (also designated as 42 months and 1,260 days).
Severe trials upon Jews living in the Land of Israel, and tribulations which may spread to the rest of the world.
Witnessing (preaching) which converts those who will listen (both Jew and Gentile) to believe in God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Judgments upon the enemies of God’s people in and around the Land of Israel.

The difference will be that, whereas the first century fulfillment stopped short of the actual Return of Christ, the final fulfillment will go on to the completion of the purpose of God. Jesus will return in glory, the dead will be raised for reward or punishment, the nations will be judged, and God’s Kingdom will be established!

Thus the Apocalypse is seen to gather together the threads of many Old Testament prophecies, and to weave them into a sequence of events that fit both the first century and the Last Days. Rather than clashing with, or standing as a contrast to, the OT prophetic picture, the Apocalypse is seen to extend and enhance it. Rather than being a mystical book, with relevance only to a few Bible scholars, the Apocalypse is seen to be quite understandable and applicable to “every tribe, tongue, people, and nation”!

Evidence for a later date:

The AD 95 date rests almost entirely on the testimony of the early Church “father” Iraneus (c AD 180) — generally considered by today’s scholars to be a rather unreliable witness. Iraneus wrote concerning John: “We will not, however, incur the risk of pronouncing positively as to the name of Antichrist; for if it were necessary that his name should be distinctly revealed in this present time, it would have been announced by him who beheld the apocalyptic vision. For it was seen not very long ago, but almost in our day, towards the end of Domitian’s reign.”

This is often assumed to fix the date when the Revelation itself was “seen” as “towards the end of Domitian’s reign”, that is, in AD 95 or 96. But the Greek text itself is ambiguous as to the key pronoun and its antecedent; it could as easily read: “…For he [ie, the apostle John himself] was seen not very long ago…” — thus saying nothing about when the Book of Revelation was written, but only about how long its author lived! (Several later “fathers” simply quote Iraneus, perpetuating the same ambiguity; their witnesses are therefore not really independent.)

Rev, OT mosaic

One of the great facts about the Book of Revelation is that the entire book from beginning to end is a mosaic of quotations from and allusions to the rest of the Bible. (Along these same lines, cp also Arthur Gibson’s scholarly article and compilation, “701 Quotations in the Apocalypse”, published in The Testimony.)

In the rest of Scripture the citation of or allusion to earlier parts of the Bible is normally (even eagerly!) taken as an inspired instruction as to how such a passage ought to be interpreted.

The amazing facts are that (1) these quotations and allusions are remarkably dominant in the Apocalypse (scarcely a verse lacks one or more), but that (2) to a large extent the “continuous-historical” (CH) interpretations resolutely ignore most of them, eg:

Rev 6:12-17, an obvious prophecy about the establishment of the Kingdom of God (cp v 12 with Eze 38:19 and Joel 2:31; vv 13,14 with Isa 34:4; v 15 with Psa 2:2 and Isa 2:10,19; and v 16 with Hos 10:8) is often interpreted as Constantine’s overthrow of Roman paganism in the fourth century!
Rev 6:13, with its pointer to the “fig tree” (Jer 24:1-10; Hos 9:10; Mic 7:1; Joel 1:7; Mat 21:9; 24:32,33; Luk 13:6-9; 21:29-31), is generally overlooked as having anything to do with Israel.
Rev 9:1-11: The great locust invasion is obviously borrowed from Joel’s prophecy about Israel in the Last Days, yet it is usually interpreted on CH principles as being fulfilled by Mohammed and the Saracens in the 7th century!
Rev 11:8: The great city where the Lord was crucified is (again, according to CH) not Jerusalem, but Rome!
Rev 11:11: This resurrection from the dead supposedly (according to CH) took place in France about 1790!
Rev 12:10: “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.” The Kingdom of God? Or Constantine’s elevation to power (c AD 320)?

The enormous number of OT quotations in the Apocalypse leads to this thought: If we can determine what patterns are to be found in most, or all, of the OT prophets, then we may expect to find the same or similar patterns in Revelation.

To Christadelphians, certain patterns in the OT prophets are superficially obvious:

The importance of the Abrahamic promises regarding the Land of Promise.
The importance of the Davidic promises regarding the throne of the Lord in Jerusalem.
Israel’s return to its own Land in the Last Days, its repentance and turning back to God.
The establishment of the Kingdom of God.

These patterns are all to be found — in large measure — in the Book of Revelation.

Another clear pattern emerges from the most general look at the OT prophets:

1. ISAIAH pronounces Divine judgments upon ten Arab nations (Isa 13-23), led by the “Assyrian” (Isa 8; 10; 30; 31; 36-39) — also called the king of Babylon (Isa 14:4,25) — who threatens Jerusalem.

2. JEREMIAH is predominantly about the impending Babylonian captivity of Jerusalem. Great judgments are proclaimed against Babylon (Jer 50; 51), along with her allies Edom, Moab, Philistia, etc (Jer 25:15-26; Jer 44-49).

3. EZEKIEL likewise speaks of an attack upon Jerusalem by Babylon, aided by its allies the Arab nations round about (Eze 25). Egypt is also condemned because it does not help Israel (Eze 29-32). Edom is esp to be judged for its hatred of Israel (Eze 35; 36).

4. DANIEL describes — as part of an image the head of which represents Babylon — a Last Days confederacy of ten kingdoms of mixed, or mingled, iron and clay (Dan 2:41,43). In Heb the word “mixed” is the same as “arab”. It is this confederacy of ten kings which will be smashed by the “little stone”, Christ, just before the establishment of the Kingdom of God.

5. JOEL describes, under the figure of a locust invasion of Israel, an attack upon the Land by a group of nations intent upon a “holy war” (Joel 3:9, AV mg). (One Heb word for “locust” looks very much like “arab”!) The nations which are actually named are Tyre, Zidon, Philistia, Egypt, and Edom.

6. AMOS promises God’s upraised hand in judgment upon Syria, Philistia, Tyre, Edom, Ammon, and Moab — for their violence against Israel.

7. OBADIAH singles out Edom for special vengeance from the Lord.

8. MICAH warns that the Assyrian, from the land of Nimrod (Mic 5:5,6), will tread down God’s palaces, but that he will in turn be destroyed by God.

9. ZEPHANIAH pronounces judgments upon Philistia, Moab, Ammon, and the Assyrians.

10. ZECHARIAH, which is quoted often in Rev, promises Divine judgments upon the Philistines (Zec 9:5,6), as well as Egypt (Zec 14:18,19) and the Canaanites (Zec 14:21).

In all the above, the initial fulfillments plainly are patterns for a Last Days fulfillment.

Here is one theme common to almost all the OT prophets: Divine judgments in the Last Days upon Babylon/Assyria and its Arab allies (approximately ten in number: cp Gen 15:18-21; Psa 83:6-8; Dan 7:7 with Rev 12:3; 13:1; etc). Given the tremendous extent to which Rev is a mosaic of the OT prophets, does this provide a key to the Last Days interpretation of Rev?

It is understandable that in 1860 (when the Ottoman Empire ruled over all the Middle East and there were no independent Arab nations) even as fine a Bible scholar as John Thomas — who expected the return of Christ within a few years, at most — would not have appreciated all the implications of this particular theme. But it is much less understandable if, in the 21st century, diligent and serious Bible students still cannot see the common threads which link these OT prophets to the Apocalypse… or, seeing them, will not draw the logical conclusions.

Rev, outline

1.	Introduction: Rev 1:1-20
	a)	Prologue: Rev 1:1-3
	b)	Greeting and doxology: Rev 1:4-8

2.	Letters to the 7 churches: Rev 2:1 – 3:22
	a)	Jesus the author: Rev 1:9-20
	b)	To Ephesus: Rev 2:1-7
	c)	To Smyrna: Rev 2:8-11
	d)	To Pergamum: Rev 2:12-17
	e)	To Thyatira: Rev 2:18-27
	f)	To Sardis: Rev 3:1-6
	g)	To Philadelphia: Rev 3:7-13
	h)	To Laodicea: Rev 3:14-22

3.	The throne, the scroll and the lamb: Rev 4:1 – 5:14
	a)	The throne in heaven: Rev 4:1-11
	b)	The scroll that no-one could open: Rev 5:1-4
	c)	The lamb who would open the scroll: Rev 5:6-14

4.	Opening the seven seals: Rev 6:1 – 8:1

5.	The seven trumpets: Rev 8:2 – 11:19

6.	Various portents and beasts: Rev 12:1 – 14:20
	a)	The woman and the dragon: Rev 12:1-17
	b)	Two beasts: Rev 13:1-18
	c)	The lamb, 144,000 redeemed and harvesting the earth: Rev 14:1-20

7.	The seven bowls: Rev 15:1 – 16:21

8.	The judgment of Babylon the great prostitute: Rev 17:1 – 19:4

9.	The triumph of the lamb: Rev 19:5 – 20:15
	a)	Hallelujah: Rev 19:6-10
	b)	The rider on a white horse: Rev 19:11-21
	c)	The 1,000 years: Rev 20:1-10
	d)	Judgement of the dead: Rev 20:11-15

10.	New heavens and new earth: Rev 21:1 – 22:21

Rev, relevance to AD 70

A great theme of Rev is that “the time is near” — these things were about to happen (Rev 1:1,3; 2:16; 3:10,11; 22:6,7,10,12,20). The relationship between the letters and the rest of Rev cannot be overlooked; what was to happen to them in judgment was bound up with what was to come upon the land of Palestine in AD 70. Mat 21:40 parallels the coming of the Lord with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70. This is exactly the sequence of events we expect in the last days, according to Zec 14. There are many links between the trumpets, seals and the Olivet prophecy; and also many links with Josephus’ descriptions of what came upon Palestine in AD 66-70.

Rev 6:1,2	Mat 24:14
Rev 6:3,4	Mat 24:6,7
Rev 6:5,6	Mat 24:7
Rev 6:7,8	Mat 24:7
Rev 6:9	Mat 24:12
Rev 6:11	Mat 24:14
Rev 6:12	Mat 24:7
Rev 6:13	Mat 24:32
Rev 6:14	Mat 24:35
Rev 6:16	Luk 23:30
Rev 6:17	Luk 21:36
Rev 7:1	Mat 24:31
Rev 7:3	Luk 21:18,28
Rev 7:14	Mat 24:19,21
Rev 8:3	Luk 21:36
Rev 8:5	Mat 24:27

It is clear enough that the Olivet Prophecy has application both to the “last days” of AD 70 and also to our last days. Rev is the Lord’s expansion upon His words on Olivet — and therefore we should use this as a framework for interpreting the book. See notes in the following verses, which trace some leading features of the AD 70 interpretation. The most powerful proof is in private reading of Josephus’ Wars Of The Jews — it reads like a running commentary on the seal and trumpet judgments upon Israel:

Rev 5:1; 6:2,3,9-11,14,15,16; 9:5; 11:2,8; 13:5-7; 14:20; 16:19; 17:7.

In the same way as the 1st century believers could not have accurately predicted how all this would come about, but would have been wonderfully encouraged as they saw it all happening, and perceived then the interpretation — so we will see the Rev come true, rather that be able to predict its precise fulfillment, in our final “last days”.

Rev, sevens and seven sevens

The briefest glance over the Apocalypse indicates that seven is a very prominent number: seven lampstands, seven letters to seven churches, seven angels, seven spirits, seven seals, seven trumpets, seven thunders, seven bowls, etc., etc. Further investigation [see page 6 in the following article] reveals that some of these “sevens” may be further organized into groups of “seven sevens”!

This is not a matter of ingenuity, chance, or coincidence. This design is from God. From the very beginning, God has worked on a “plan of sevens”:

“For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exo 20:11).

God commanded Israel to memorialize this simple yet awesome truth in a calendar in which every seventh day was a special day of rest and worship. To this day, the major religions of the world — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — all commemorate a seventh day, although for various reasons the particular day is different in each religion.

But, in God’s timetable, it is not just the seventh day that is special and sacred. It is also the forty-ninth day — the end of seven cycles of seven days each:

“And you shall count from the morrow after the sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering; seven full weeks shall they be, counting fifty days to the morrow after the seventh sabbath; then you shall present a cereal offering of new grain to the LORD” (Lev 23:15,16).

The “sabbath” in v 15 was the great day of the Passover. A count of 49 days — or seven sevens of days — ended with the Feast of Harvest (Exo 23:16), or the Feast of Weeks (Exo 34:22), when the firstfruits of the field were to be offered to God. This feast is also called “Pentecost” in the New Testament, from the Greek for “fifty”, because it began on the fiftieth day, ie, 49 days after Passover.

The “plan of sevens” applied to both days and years in the Jewish calendar. The seventh year was a very special “sabbath” for the people of God, just as the seventh day was a regular “sabbath” of rest:

“At the end of every seven years you shall grant a release… every creditor shall release what he has lent to his neighbor; he shall not exact it of his neighbor, his brother, because the Lord’s release has been proclaimed” (Deu 15:1,2).

Not only were debts to be forgiven after seven years, but those who were sold or had sold themselves into contractual service to satisfy debts were also to be released:

“If your brother, a Hebrew man, or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you” (v 12).

The seventh year was also significant even for the soil of Israel (Deu 11:12). The Land of Israel was Covenant land, beloved and watched over by Israel’s God himself, granted especially to the people of Israel, and apportioned to each tribe. They were to hold their particular inheritance in trust only so long as God willed. As man was to rest one day in seven, the soil was to rest, or lie, fallow, one year in seven:

“When you come into the land which I give you, the land shall keep a sabbath to the LORD. Six years you shall sow your field, and six years you shall prune your vineyard, and gather in its fruits; but in the seventh year there shall be a sabbath of solemn rest for the land, a sabbath to the LORD; you shall not sow your field or prune your vineyard. What grows of itself in your harvest you shall not reap, and the grapes of your undressed vine you shall not gather; it shall be a year of solemn rest for the land” (Lev 25:2-5).

And, with the years as with the days, the cycle of seven was itself to be repeated seven times:

“And you shall count seven weeks of years, seven times seven years, so that the time of the seven weeks of years shall be to you forty-nine years. Then you shall send abroad the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the day of atonement you shall send abroad the trumpet throughout all your land. And you shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants; it shall be a jubilee [literally, a trumpet blast: cp the seven trumpets of Revelation!] for you, when each of you shall return to his property and each of you shall return to his family” (vv 8-10).

The trumpet blast that resounded and echoed throughout the Land would signal the return of all properties, sold or leased during the interim 49 years, to their original owners or — if they were deceased — to their heirs. Thus the integrity of God’s original deeding of the Land to the particular tribes would be preserved.

Several themes are evident in these divine cycles of seven and seven times seven:

The ends of the cycles marked times when the people of God rested from their ordinary business, and especially remembered and worshiped their Creator.
The ends of the cycles meant that God would free His people from their debts and their bondage.
The ends of the cycles brought the return of God’s Land to its rightful owners.
In Revelation, the recurrence of numbers and combinations of numbers which are strikingly significant in the Jewish calendar reinforces the idea that the Apocalypse is a Jewish book — about the Jewish people and the Jewish Land.

In Scripture, the special numbers seven and 49 stand for the completion of cycles and the returning of affairs to their rightful, original state. And this is what the Apocalypse is all about: a time when the kingdom of men becomes the kingdom of God and His Christ (Rev 11:15). A time when the people of God, delivered out of tribulation and bondage, will find rest and comfort with Him (Rev 7:14-17). A time when the faithful will be released from the greatest debt — sin — and the greatest bondage — death (Rev 20:4-6,11-14)!

And a time when God’s own blessed Land, long in alien hands, will itself be freed and returned to its rightful owners:

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling of God is with men. He will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself will be with them; he will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain any more, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who sat upon the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true… He who conquers shall have this heritage, and I will be his God and he shall be my son’ ” (Rev 21:3-7).

Rev, theme verse

“Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen” (Rev 1:7).

This verse is set apart from all other true prophetic portions of the Apocalypse, and highlighted by the affirmative “Amen”. In fact, it might be said that the prophetic portion proper does not begin until Rev 6. So why is Rev 1:7 where it is? Perhaps because this one verse is a theme verse, or key v, for the whole of the Book. (Think of it as something of a subtitle.) If so, then what can it tell us about the terms under which the Book may be interpreted?

The first half of the verse quotes Dan 7:13:

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven.”

So Revelation is surely about the return of Christ from the Father’s throne back to the earth. No surprise there!

What about the second half of Rev 1:7? It quotes Zec 12:10-14:

“And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son. On that day the weeping in Jerusalem will be great, like the weeping of Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land will mourn, each clan by itself, with their wives by themselves: the clan of the house of David and their wives, the clan of the house of Nathan and their wives, the clan of the house of Levi and their wives, the clan of Shimei and their wives, and all the rest of the clans and their wives.”

Are we being told, then, in this “theme verse” of the whole of Rev, that the events foretold therein are designed by God to lead to the repentance of Israel. Zec 13:1, which follows immediately after 12:14, reads:

“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.”

So… going no further into the “murky depths” of the Apocalypse, with all its symbolic and figurative language… what does a close look at the “theme verse” alone suggest?

The “arena” of the Apocalypse is the “land” of Zec 12: the land of promise, the (greater) land of Israel. (Why “earth” in Rev 1:7 and not “land”? Perhaps because the Greek “ge” best translates the Heb “eretz”, a word of ambiguous meaning, a word which — very often in the OT — means the “land” of Israel, and not necessarily the whole globe.)
The “main characters” of the Apocalypse are those who inhabit this “land”, and they are further defined in Zec 12:10-13:1 as the “house of David” and the “inhabitants of Jerusalem” (and its environs?).
In this land of Israel, a great mourning will be followed by a great cleansing for Israel… culminating in (or coinciding with) the return of their Messiah whom they crucified (Zec 12:6,7), who will deliver them from their conquering enemies (Zec 14). Then God’s Kingdom will be established…
And, of course, the “theme verse” is also telling us that, whatever earlier (preliminary?) fulfillments there might be to the Apocalypse, the Book is preeminently about the Last Days… when…

the people of Israel have come back to their land (only true in the last 50 years)…
in ignorance of their true Messiah…
to suffer great threats/setbacks from their avowed enemies…
the trials of which will lead them to turn back to their God and His Son…
which will lead them next to the waters of cleansing…
And so their Messiah will appear to them…
and will vanquish their enemies…
and will set up the Kingdom of God.

The above is a small example of letting OT prophecies (directly quoted in the Apocalypse) aid us in setting up signposts and guidelines to understand what at first glance might seem an extraordinarily complex book.

Is it really that complex?

Rev, understanding

General Study Guidelines

Pray to God for wisdom (Jam 1:5; Mat 7:7), believing 2Ti 3:16.
Read every chapter in the book for yourself, thoroughly; it is essential that you familiarize yourself with the contents.
Allow the book to explain itself; several definitions are given, and similar descriptions recur, implying the same or similar happenings.
Use clear, simple passages to aid in unraveling the meaning of less clear, more complex passages.
Be consistent in your interpretation; don’t force two different meanings upon a symbol or time period, in the same context.
Remember that any conclusions must be in harmony with known basic principles of God’s truth as revealed in the rest of the Bible.
Follow up the Old Testament and New Testament cross references, which can be especially enlightening, with due regard for context.
Consult other books and commentaries for their suggestions and conclusions, but make sure that your own research is objective and critical.
Discuss your own conclusions with others, but remember that your ideas and arguments must find solid support in Scripture.
Attend Bible classes or seminars on the subject of the Revelation; be willing to change your thinking if something better is demonstrated — after all, you are looking for the right understanding.

Some Principles of Interpretation

The Book of Revelation is understandable, because God gave it as revealed Scripture, not concealed.
There is nothing in Revelation for which God did not set up the groundwork and background in the rest of the Bible.
The meaning of any symbolism can be (indeed, must be) found in OT and NT source passages.
The text should be allowed to interpret itself, and this should take precedence over other contending interpretations.
Any interpretations should be consistent with what has already been understood or determined to be correct.
Any interpretation must be in harmony with well-established principles of God’s Truth.
There can be more than one “application” of a passage, as long as it has valid Biblical support.
Reference to history as confirmation to an interpretation is allowable, and ultimately necessary to prove the accuracy of any interpretation involving the future.
However, unless there is a plain directive from Scripture to look at any particular date or event, historical evidence must be regarded as assumptive and speculative.
Any interpretation that involves future events cannot necessarily be confirmed until such events take place; but that does not mean that one has a totally uncertain interpretation, since the Return of Christ, a future event, is very certain!
God has placed more importance, and consequently has given more details, on the coming of Christ (both first and second) than any other Biblical event. Therefore we can expect the Revelation to have a great amount of detail about events in and around the Second Coming of Christ.
Without ignoring prophetic patterns and applications to past ages, the Revelation is particularly relevant to the faithful living in “the last days” and contains information that can/will have a direct impact on the 20th century.
No one can work out an exact timetable of what God has said He would do, even though “God reveals His secret to His servants the prophets” (Amos 3:7). However, a general framework is both reasonable and possible.
The book is not necessarily in chronological order; it will be apparent that some events are concurrent, and may even include “gaps” of time, ie, whole periods are skipped.
Correct interpretation is not an end in itself, but the means to an end, namely, the personal preparation of the Bible student for the coming King! (NF)

Rev, you can do it!

Consider this imaginary conversation between a teenage Sunday School student and her teacher:

Student: How do you go about understanding the Book of Revelation — it’s got all those symbols and stuff?

Teacher: Well… how have we gone about understanding any of the other Bible books?

Student: By reading them, I guess.

Teacher: Good start.

Student: But what if you don’t understand what you’re reading? Or what’s going on? For example, what are the weird-looking “living creatures”? And what do the colored horses mean? Who are the “souls under the altar” and the dragon and the beast and the woman, etc.? It’s all very confusing…

Teacher: You’re right — it can be confusing. But you have a couple of things going for you. First of all, since you have a Bible with cross references, you can look up the Old Testament and New Testament source passages and determine what the symbol or event or phrase meant originally.

S: But that would take forever! Besides, I don’t know what the Old Testament passages are about either!

T: Well, there’s no real shortcut to understanding Scripture. It takes a lot of hard mental work, and it may take many years to appreciate the richness of God’s Book. As you know, the Revelation alludes to most if not all of the previous 65 books and letters. If you don’t have a working knowledge of the earlier information, comprehending the last book of the Bible is virtually impossible.

S: That’s what I thought — it’s impossible to make sense of Revelation!

T: No, that’s not what I meant! Revelation is not incomprehensible — it’s just very difficult to come to a correct understanding unless you have a solid background in the rest of Scripture. In any case, would God go to the trouble of having Revelation written only to leave it impossible to comprehend? Of course not! The book is a disclosure, an unveiling, a revealing of God’s mind and purpose — that’s what the Greek title “Apocalypse” means! God meant it to be understood!

S: Then why did He make it so difficult?

T: Perhaps because the very best way to reveal His message is to require effort on our part. We’re told that “It is the glory of God to conceal things, but the glory of kings is to search things out” (Prov 25:2). So the difficulty is deliberate, to challenge us, to draw out and demand our best effort.

On the other hand, some of the difficulty is our own making. Three things get in the way: ignorance, laziness, and a false notion. Ignorance of Scripture is a fundamental problem, but can be overcome by daily reading and patient study. Mental laziness is another real problem. You not only have to read the text but also think about what it means. Finally, there’s the false notion that only Bible scholars and prophetic students will be able to figure out what the Apocalypse, or Revelation, means. That’s nonsense! God never intended any Scripture to be the exclusive privilege of intellectuals. God has given you a mind and a spirit equal to the task. Understanding the Apocalypse at some level is well within the capability of every person who prayerfully seeks to comprehend its meaning and to obey its teaching.

S: You said earlier that I had a couple of things going for me. The first was a Bible with cross references. What’s the second?

T: Thanks for reminding me. We older folks sometimes lose our train of thought. Actually, I’ve just told you. Your God-given mind is a wonderful gift. Use it. Combined with the right attitude, it’s just a matter of time before you discover the meanings and applications of the Revelation message.

S: I know you said there were no shortcuts… but is there any way to make the study easier? After all, you’re the teacher. Aren’t you supposed to at least give me some guidelines, tips, outlines, etc.?

T: You’re right. It’s part of my job to pass on what I know, just like my teachers shared what they knew. Over the years, I’ve been exposed to a wide variety of interpretations of Revelation. Some of the viewpoints are radically different and some flatly contradict others. How can you determine which is correct? Here are three guidelines that have worked for me:

Guideline #1: The interpretation must be Bible-based. That is, it must derive its fundamental teaching and source material from Scripture. To rely on uninspired writings such as those by a notable church leader, respected theologian or authoritative historian is to rely on the wrong source. By all means consult other writings and books, but don’t depend on them. Make up your own mind about what makes the most sense, remembering that any interpretation must be in harmony with the “first principles” of Bible teaching.

Guideline #2: Look for an explanation in the text itself. In many cases, the meaning of a symbol or term is provided in the next few verses. For example, the significance of the dragon (Rev 12:3,4,9) goes right back to “that ancient serpent” (Gen 3:1). Sometimes the meaning will not become clear until the events and details of another chapter are described. For example, the beast that makes war on and kills the witnesses (11:7) is not fully introduced until chapter 13.

Clues are also found in the repetition of numbers and settings. For example, the number 7 is obviously important. The time periods of 42 months, 3 1/2 years and 1,260 days are arithmetically equivalent and might point to the same time period. The areas hurt during the blowing of the first four trumpets are similar to the areas hurt when the first four bowls are poured out. These patterns and parallels should be taken into consideration.

Guideline #3: Visualize the contents and happenings of the book. It was very helpful for me to have an artist friend sketch her impressions of what the Apocalyptic people and things looked like, and what they were doing in the given setting. For example, when you see the pictures, the relationship of the dragon, beast and false prophet become clearer: The dragon empowers the beast, who in turn empowers the false prophet (Rev 13:1,2,11,12). Their eventual destruction follows the same hierarchy (Rev 19:20; 20:2,10). Another example: Revelation 12 opens by describing a “pure” woman who ends up fleeing into the wilderness, while Revelation 17 opens by describing a “bad” woman who just happens to be in the (same?) wilderness. This suggests a connection or comparison between the two women.

S: Okay, I get the picture(!). But what else can you tell me or show me — something to get a good head start on the reading and study?

T: If you have trouble following the 1611 English of the King James (Authorized) Version, get a more modern translation of the Bible for your study. Make sure it’s a widely-accepted translation, and not a paraphrase. I have found the Revised Standard Version (1946-1952) to be much more readable, and therefore much more comprehensible. The New International Version (1973) is said to be a good choice as well.

If you want to read what someone else has written on Revelation — just to give you some ideas — and if you want to consider a reasonable spectrum of Bible-based thinking, here are three books to try:

* Eureka (1861) by John Thomas, * Revelation — A Biblical Approach (1973) by Harry Whittaker, and * Apocalypse for Everyman (1982) by Alfred Norris.

That last title is especially interesting, for it implies — rightly — that the book of Revelation is meant to be read and understood and personally applied by every disciple of Jesus Christ.

But don’t postpone your own reading and study. Don’t wait until you digest someone else’s writing. Go right to the source and do your best. There are two good reasons for doing so: the blessing, and the urgency. For here’s what Rev 1:3 says:

“Blessed is he who reads the words of the prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written therein; for the time is near.”

Man of sin

Man of sin = Beast of Revelation
Man of sin, first century
Man of sin, Zec 5

Man of sin = Beast of Revelation

It is evident also that the “Man of Sin” closely resembles the “Beast” of Revelation:

2Th 2	Rev 13; 17
2Th 2:3. The falling away must come first.	Rev 17:13,11. A harlot will be seated on the Beast, who goes into perdition.
2Th 2:4. He exalts himself against God.	Rev 13:4,5,8,12. The world worships the Beast, who speaks blasphemies. All the dwell on the earth except the faithful shall worship it. The false prophet ensures this.
2Th 2:4. He sits in the temple of God, claiming to be God.	Rev 13:6. It blasphemes God’s name, His tabernacle, and those who dwell in heaven.
2Th 2:7. The mystery of iniquity is already at work.	Rev 17:5. The harlot is called mystery, the mother of the abominations of the earth.
2Th 2:8. The Lord Jesus shall destroy him with the breath of His mouth, and bring him to naught by the manifestation of His coming.	Rev 17:14; 19:15. The Lamb shall overcome the Beast with the ten kings. Out of his mouth proceeds a sharp sword.
2Th 2:9. His coming is according to the working of Satan, with all powers and signs and lying wonders.	Rev 13:13. He doeth great signs, that he should even make fire come down from heaven: it was given to him to give breath to the image of the Beast, that it should speak.
2Th 2:10. With all deceit and unrighteousness in them that are perishing, because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved. For this cause God sends them a working of error, that they should believe a lie.	Rev 13:14. He deceives them that dwell on the earth by reason of the signs.

This comparison leaves little doubt that the Man of Sin and the Beast refer to the same power.

Man of sin, first century

When the leaders of the Jews sought to contain the new movement led by Jesus of Nazareth, they used every subtle form of attack they were capable of. When these failed, they had to fall back on crude methods which involved using all the organized powers of religion and state to get him crucified.

With Jesus himself out of the way they next found that the hard facts of his resurrection, and of the transformation it wrought in his apostles, showed their problem to be still unsolved.

Now open persecution only seemed to make the movement prosper more than ever. But the old resources of craft and cunning were not used up completely. And so a deliberate attempt was made to wreck the new “sect” from within. Nowhere is this stated categorically in the New Testament, but the implication of numerous passages is very persuasive:

Galatia: To the Galatians Paul speaks of “false brethren” who had secretly infiltrated the churches, so as to enslave again (to the Law) those who had been made free by Paul’s own preaching (Gal 2:4,5). These agents had apparently been planted in the brotherhood, so as to work slowly and steadily either to draw believers back to the Law or, failing that, at least to create internal dissensions that would weaken the whole community and thus its appeal to others. Even Peter was practically won over to this philosophy (vv 11-14).

It soon became obvious that Paul — intelligent and resolute — posed the greatest single obstacle to their “satanic” objectives. And so the person and the claims and the worth of this great apostle to the Gentiles must be attacked also, as part of the overall plan of these subversives.

Corinth: In Corinth these enemies had some considerable success, in characterizing Paul as weak and contemptible as to his physical qualities (2Co 10:9,10; 11:6). By contrast, the leader of the subversives, called “Satan” by Paul himself, continues to present himself as polished and personable and wise and authoritative — the natural candidate to replace Paul as the leader of the ecclesias (2Co 11:22,23)! Such a sustained campaign of character assassination called forth from Paul the unusual expedient of a prolonged self-defense (2Co 11:13 to 12:12).

Jerusalem: Even in Jerusalem lies were being systematically spread about Paul, that he was teaching all Jews to forsake Moses and all the customs (Acts 21:20,21). While not true as to particulars, it had just enough plausibility to be accepted by gullible new converts. The faceless men who sought to pervert Paul’s work and keep the first-century ecclesia in bondage to the Temple and the priests had evidently been diligently at work in Jerusalem practically from the beginning. (It could not have been Paul’s open enemies among the Pharisees and Sadducees who told such lies, since their stories would have had no chance of being believed. This campaign was plainly carried on secretly, by whisper and innuendo, in the midst of the ecclesias.)

Rome: From Rome Paul wrote to the Philippians (Phi 1:15-17) of those who preached out of envy and strife, trying to add additional affliction to the bondage Paul was already suffering. It is clear that certain “believers” were finding malicious pleasure in preaching the gospel with some special emphasis, probably — because their work would only be another source of worry and vexation to Paul. Such were fulfilling the serpent’s role, by good words and fair speeches deceiving the simple (Rom 16:17,18).

Other hints of the same organized subversion are to be found in:

Eph 4:14: “the sleight of men” (a phrase used for deliberate cheating at games), “and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive”;

Col 2:4: “lest any man should beguile you with enticing words” — another plain allusion to the serpent in the garden.

Titus 1:14: Titus was warned not to give “heed to Jewish fables… that turn from the truth”, preached by the deceivers of the “circumcision” group (see also vv 4,9,10).

1Ti 4:1,2: Timothy was likewise warned of false teachers (“seducing spirits”, Paul called them), speaking hypocritical lies, and fostering undue concern for dietary matters.

Hebrews: The entire letter is a learned and reasoned attempt to forestall drift back to the Mosaic institutions and the synagogue system, a drift encouraged by this organized call of opposition in the very brotherhood.

It is plain, then, that there was a subversive, “Satanic” element at work in the ecclesia of Paul’s day: a group (with perhaps a formidable leader) who professed faith in Christ, but whose hidden agenda called for a “return to Moses.” This group (and its leader?) claimed apostolic authority that was rightly the province of Paul and the twelve, and they worked within the ecclesia, or the spiritual “temple of God” (2Th 2:4), being accepted as believers in good standing. It might be assumed that either some of their number actually had Holy Spirit gifts (“all power and signs and lying wonders” — v 9), or else deceived the simple-hearted into thinking they did. They systematically and subtly taught the “lie”, that men could be justified only by keeping the law of Moses.

It is reasonable to suppose that Paul actually had his eye on some apostasy current in his own time, and which had already shown its hostile attitude toward him in very effective fashion (v 7). Otherwise, it becomes very difficult to explain the immediacy and seriousness with which he describes the “man of sin.” These Jewish pseudo-Christians, along with their leader “Satan” (Paul’s “thorn in the flesh?”), were imposters; while professing the gospel, they had not really “received the love of the truth” but instead “had pleasure in (promoting) unrighteousness” (vv 10,12). Paul was using every ounce of his faith and energy to hinder this destructive work (v 6), but Paul would not always be with them: when he would at last pass from the scene, the Judaizers might be expected to flourish almost without restraint (v 7).

Therefore the same Paul who hoped and prayed for the return of Christ in his own lifetime (consider 1Th 4:15, for example) could also expect that the Lord when he appeared would overthrow and destroy this wicked pretender (2Th 2:8; cp 1:6-10). That Christ did not return during Paul’s day or even during the final years of the first century is no reflection on Paul’s faith or understanding: what else should he have done except look for his Lord’s coming? And the fact is, that the first-century “man of sin” (and his adherents) will be destroyed by Christ at his coming — being raised from the dead to stand before the judgment seat.

Appendix

There have been many forerunners, or advance messengers of the Anti-Christ:

Cain, the originator of religious war, who slew his righteous brother (Gen 4:4-8), when Cain’s religious deception had been uncovered.
Lamech, who boasted himself even against God — so great was his power, or so he thought (Gen 4:23)!
Nimrod, the first great “world-ruler”, who began the history of Babylonian power (Gen 10:8-10).
Balaam, the false prophet who for material gain seduced God’s people into immorality; the “anti-Moses”, so to speak (Num 31:17; 2Pe 2:15; Rev 2:14).
Goliath — the “man of sin”, closely associated with the number six, the representative terrorist, the “anti-David”, who opposed God’s Anointed (1Sa 17).
Antiochus Epiphanes, the devastator of the Sanctuary of God.
Nero, the great first-century persecutor of the Christians, certainly regarded as “anti-Christ” by those who suffered under his rule.
Mohammed, the “false prophet”, a deceiver and “Satan-adversary” in his own right, even though hostile toward the Catholic Church.

Man of sin, Zec 5

A first-century Man of sin (as outlined in Lesson, Man of sin, first century) can scarcely be the complete fulfillment of the words of Paul. The letters to Thessalonica are so dominated by the theme of Christ’s second coming; and the Judeo-Christian “man of sin” of Paul’s day has long passed from the scene (along with his adherents). So it is reasonable to expect that another “man of sin” will be a dominant element in the prophetic framework of the last days. There is one system, the Papacy, that is eminently “qualified” to fill this role, as the Notes on the Text which follow should demonstrate. The question remains, however: Is there a transition, and a discernible link, between the first-century “man of sin” and the Roman Catholic apostasy?

Zechariah 5 offers such a link: Some of its connections with 2Th 2 are set out below:

Zechariah 5	2 Thessalonians 2
“This is their iniquity in all the land” (v 6, RV mg).	“The mystery of iniquity doth already work” (v 7)… “with all deceivableness of unrighteousness” (v 10).
“A woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah (v 7).	“Sitteth in the temple of God” (v 4).
“He cast her down into the midst of the ephah: and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof” (v 8, RV).	“That which restraineth” (v 6, RV)…”there is one that restraineth now” (v 7, RV).
“This is Wickedness” (v 8, RV).	“Then shall that Wicked be revealed” (v 8).

Zec 5 appears to be a prophecy of the evils of Judaism which were manifested in New Testament times, corrupting the early ecclesias, and which eventually became firmly established in the Roman Catholic church, along with many pagan ideas.

In its immediate context, Zec 5 presents a false worship in a detailed contrast to the true worship depicted in Zec 4. Zec 5 has the house of wicked women and unclean birds in the land of Shinar (Babylon) (vv 9,11), whereas Zechariah 4 has the true house of God, the true temple (v 9), wherein are the anointed ones (v 14) and the lampstand (v 12). In the picture of the false worship, the flying roll or scroll (v 3) is a “curse” which “declares innocent” (“naqah” — not “cut off” as in AV) those who steal and swear falsely. The dimensions of this scroll of wickedness (20 cubits by 10 cubits) (v 2) are the precise dimensions of the holy place of the temple and tabernacle, indicating again the nature of this worship: a deliberate parody of that which is true.

The scroll, then, represents wicked teaching, which releases men and women from their obligation to obey God’s laws. Such teaching, with a Jewish flavor, may be traced in the Pharisees’ use of “Corban” — a legal fiction that effectively released a man of his obligation to his parents (Mark 7:6-12). By some similar misapplication of law Pharisees enriched themselves by “devouring widows’ houses” (Mat 23:14) and swearing falsely (v 16). This same attitude was carried forward into the early church and became part of the Roman Catholic apostasy. So-called saints are alleged to have accumulated large excesses of virtue which could be transferred, at a price, to sinners. The clerics, from the pope down to the parish priest, claimed the power to excuse on God’s behalf sins of lying, stealing and so on at the confessional. Hence the links between Zec 5 and the Man of Sin.

Then there is the ephah (v 6), a unit of measure. This aptly portrays Judaism in New Testament times, where everything became a matter of measure, of keeping rules and regulations, rather than of developing a character pleasing in God’s sight. Again this entered the early ecclesias and became fully developed in the Roman Catholic church. Col 2:20-22 warns against making religion a matter of rules and regulations which results only in fleshly pride when they are kept. In 1Ti 4:3 Paul prophesied of the time to come when apostasy would make rules about “forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats”, these are examples of the kinds of rules and regulations which Roman Catholicism invented so that the keepers of those rules might be considered as especially virtuous. The idea of a religion of “measure” comes out in other ways too: the idea that, after attending church, the rest of one’s time is one’s own; and the idea that after a fixed sum of money has been handed over, the rest is one’s own to use exactly as one pleases.

Zec 5 is thus a portrayal of apostasy, not so much in its false doctrines as in its iniquitous practices. Hence its use in 2Th as the background for the Man of Sin prophecy. It is noteworthy that in Zec 5 it is a woman who goes to Babylon (Shinar) and builds a house there. The connection with the woman of Rev 17 is obvious. Note also the stork, the unclean bird; the “Babylon” of the Apocalypse is “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (Rev 18:2).

Indeed, without trying to trace actual historical links, the essential unity of the two false systems (apostate Judaism of Christ’s day and modern Roman Catholicism) is perfectly evident:

Both are heavily dependent upon the sanctity (or presumed sanctity) of special places and special, “holy” buildings.
Both appeal to tradition and antiquity.
Both encourage the ideal of a spiritual “elite”, set apart and elevated above the mass of ordinary believers.
Both teach the doctrine of “Salvation by works.”
Both have specially consecrated priests, dressed in distinctive garments, offering incense and “sacrifices.”
Both have well-developed machinery for extorting vast amounts of wealth under religious pretence.

As the great false religious system of the first century was destroyed by divine edict (in AD 70) so the great false religious system of the Last Days will be destroyed — by Christ in his coming in power and glory.

The Judgment Seat

Judgment seat at Jerusalem
Judgment seat, location of
Judgment seat, unresolved problem

Judgment seat at Jerusalem

(1)	Isa 25:7,8: the glorification of the saints will take place at Jerusalem/Zion. (“This mountain” can only be Zion: see Isa 24:23.) If the righteous will be given eternal life there, what is more reasonable than to conclude that the site of their judgment will be there also?

(2)	Also, Christ speaks repeatedly of Gehenna as the scene of punishment for the responsible wicked (many refs). Christadelphians have always been quick to show believers in “hell-torments” that Gehenna is a known locality, adjacent to Jerusalem, where the bodies of criminals, animal carcasses, and other garbage were burned. Is it fair to take Gehenna as literal when convenient, and figurative at other times, only to suit our preconceived notions? If Gehenna is indeed the literal place where the responsible wicked will be destroyed after the judgment by Christ, what does this tell us about the location of that judgment? Are we really prepared to argue that Gehenna is in the Sinai desert?

	Note also that twice in Christ’s earthly ministry, the temple area was the scene of his cleansing judgment against hypocritical professors of the Truth. And the fig tree which he cursed was also adjacent to Jerusalem!

(3)	Other passages favor Zion as the location of judgment, because it will be the scene of the saints’ reward: Psa 133:3 for one: “There (Mount Zion) the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

(4)	Psa 87:5: The Lord’s people are counted as having been born in Zion, because all their hopes and aspirations are centered upon that place. By a similar figure, their “mother” is Jerusalem (see Gal 4:26; Isa 54:1,11-13; cp Rev 21:2). What more beautiful than the completion of the process of “rebirth” in Zion? If the saints are “born” at baptism to be prospective children of Zion, then why not truly “born” after judgment in the glory of immortal bodies, again at Zion? Common sense would suggest that “children” should not be “born” hundreds of miles away from their “mother”!

(5)	Mat 25:31-34: A careful reading indicates that the separation of the “sheep” and the “goats” takes place at the same place where Christ’s “throne of glory” is located. Again, Christadelphians argue eloquently against those of other persuasions that the throne of Christ and David can only be in Jerusalem, and not in heaven (or Rome or Salt Lake City). If that is so for purposes of first principle arguments about the nature of the coming kingdom, then let us not shrink from the implication of such a passage as this in regard to the location of judgment. Are we really prepared to argue that Christ’s “throne of glory”, where he will sit as a King (Mat 25:34), will be set up for a time on Mount Sinai?

(6)	“His feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives” (Zec 14:4) — the same place where his feet last stood before his ascension into heaven (Act 1:9-12). Does it stand to reason that Christ will return first to the immediate locale of Jerusalem, and then immediately hustle off a couple of hundred miles to the southwest, for a special judgment at Sinai?

(7)	Other NT passages seem to call for the same interpretation: among them (a) Heb 12:18-24 (the context is certainly judgment: “Much more shall not we escape” — Heb 12:25); (b) Gal 4:24-28 (two covenants; Moses’ covenant at Sinai had to do with length of mortal days in the land, but Christ’s covenant at Jerusalem has to do with eternal life); and (c) Rev 5:6-10; 7:9-14; 14:1-5; and 19:1-9 (the scene of the saints’ reward is invariably the royal throne of Christ and Mt Zion).

***

The location of the Judgment is called “an uncertain detail” by RR in Xd 35:185: “Where will Christ set up the judgment seat? Will it be in Palestine, or in Egypt, or in the Arabian peninsula, in the solitudes of Sinai? We cannot be sure… An uncertain detail must not be made a basis of fellowship. We must not insist upon a man believing the judgment seat will be set up at Sinai or any particular place so long as he believes that ‘Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom’.”

Judgment seat, location of

The traditional view that the resurrectional judgment will be at Sinai has been summarized by a number of writers. But the results are still far from conclusive. Only three passages, so far as I can determine, have ever been seriously advanced as “proof” of Sinai as the site of judgment: Deu 33:2,3; Psa 68:17; and Hab 3:3. Significantly, all three are in the Old Testament. Of course, we should interpret the Old by the New Testament, and by no means should Old Testament passages be ruled out in any study. But the resurrectional judgment, it must be admitted, is very much a New Testament doctrine otherwise — alluded to in the law and the prophets, but stated with clarity in all its particulars only in the New Testament. Then is it not a little strange that all the “evidence” for Sinai comes in the Old Testament?

First, a look at the three traditional “proofs”:

Deuteronomy 33:2,3: To Moses, Sinai was the place of God’s revelation to His people; he knew no other. The deliverance from Egypt and the wilderness trek were the focal points of his life. Therefore, when he speaks his final blessing upon the people, it is certainly fitting that “the Lord came from Sinai… with ten thousands of saints (certainly angels and not saints in this context! cp Psa 68:17)… and (with) a fiery law.” This same thing Yahweh had done before (Exo 19:16-19, etc)! So it would appear there are two reasonable interpretations of Deu 33:2,3: either (a) Moses is remembering what has already happened, or (b) the last revelation of God to Moses follows the patterns of the previous ones: ie, God coming out of the great fiery cloud atop Sinai.

Let us grant for a moment that, as some say, “the context calls for this to be a future blessing” — meaning, I take it, the distant future (from Moses’ day) of Christ’s return. (I would say this is possible, but not absolutely essential.) Then, since the words are addressed to the twelve tribes (just as Deuteronomy 28; 29, etc), is not the last-days fulfillment (if there is one) most likely to be a re-enactment of the Exodus and the giving of the Law for the remnant of the nation of Israel, imprisoned again in Egypt? To this Isaiah 11:11,15; 19:1,18-20; 63:11-19; and Micah 7:15 may well refer.

The other two passages quoted may be approached in the same way. Furthermore, as to Psalm 68:17: The context of the whole psalm is altogether concerning Zion! It was almost certainly written on the occasion of David’s bringing the ark of God to Zion at last (Psalm 24 is another with the same context). This was the culmination of an important phase in the Divine purpose which began with Israel’s deliverance from Egypt, proceeded to the giving of the Law at Sinai, and languished for several generations while the ark rested uneasily at a number of temporary locations. Now it was at last coming to its foreordained permanent dwelling place. With this background we now read Psalm 68:15-17:

* The “hill of God” is Zion (v 15), “… the hill which God desires to dwell in… forever” (v 16). These three verses contain two comparisons, ie:

* Zion is now (in David’s eye, and — prophetically — in the kingdom age) like the hills of Bashan (v 15), meaning majestic and towering and invincible. This is another way of saying that, when God dwells in Zion and His king (David or Christ) reigns there, Zion will be “lifted up”, first to rival and then to surpass the “mountains” (ie, kingdoms) of the Gentiles (Isa 2:2; Psa 48:2). This “lifting up” will be physical when Christ returns (Zec 14:4,8,10; Psa 48:2 again), but in David’s day the “lifting up” was just as real to him in the sense of Zion’s spiritual exaltation to the favor of God.

* Secondly, God is among the angels and the chariots (cherubim) there in Zion, like He was previously in Sinai (v 17). Zion is now (David’s day, and again of course with prophetic implications) like Sinai was — the scene of God’s glorious fiery manifestation.

With this understanding, v 17 may now be read, as it stands in the AV, with no need for modification: “The Lord is among them (the cherubim and angels), as (He had been) in Sinai, (but now) in the holy place (mount Zion!).” That this is the proper interpretation is borne out by such verses as 24 (“sanctuary” would be Zion) and 29 (temple at Jerusalem) and — as I have said — the whole of the psalm. So, if Psalm 68:17 proves anything in the matter of the location of the judgment seat, it proves that Zion and not Sinai will be the site!

Habbakuk 3:3 may be prophetic, but again the effect of the mention of Sinai must be to draw an analogy between the mighty deeds of Yahweh in Moses’ day and the wonderful deliverance expected and prayed for by the prophet. However, where in all the chapter is the resurrectional judgment referred to — or even implied? It is not. We must make a far-reaching inference to use this passage as “proof” of the Sinai location. We must set up a dogmatic sequence of events, a sequence which may appear plausible, but about which we simply cannot be positive. It would be far more reasonable to interpret Scripture with Scripture, and surmise that the Sinaitic (and Egyptian) revelations of God in the last days will be for the purpose of saving the Jews out of Egypt (as the historical allusions imply), not for the judgment of the responsible out of all nations (see references in “1” above).

***

Briefly, then, these are the scriptural reasons for the judgment seat of Christ being at Zion:

* Isaiah 25:7,8 states clearly that the glorification of the saints will take place in Jerusalem/Zion. (“This mountain” can only be Zion: see 24:23). If the righteous will be given eternal life there, what is more reasonable than to conclude that the site of their judgment will be there also?

* But this is not all: Christ speaks repeatedly of “Gehenna” as the scene of punishment for the responsible wicked (there are many references). Christadelphians have always been quick to show believers in “hell-torments” that “Gehenna” is a known locality, adjacent to Jerusalem, where the bodies of criminals, animal carcasses, and other garbage were burned. Is it fair to take “Gehenna” as literal when convenient, and figurative at other times, only to suit our preconceived notions? If “Gehenna” is indeed the literal place where the responsible wicked will be destroyed after judgment by Christ, what does this tell us about the location of that judgment? Are we really prepared to argue that Gehenna is in the Sinai desert? Note also that twice in Christ’s earthly ministry, the temple area was the scene of his cleansing judgment against hypocritical professors of the Truth. And the fig tree which he cursed was also adjacent to Jerusalem!

* Other passages favor Zion as the location of judgment, because it will be the scene of the saints’ reward: Psalm 133:3 for one: “There (Mount Zion) the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.”

* Psalm 87:5: The Lord’s people are counted as having been born in Zion, because all their hopes and aspirations are centered upon that place. By a similar figure, their “mother” is Jerusalem (Gal 4:26; Isa 54:1,11-13; Rev 21:2). What more beautiful than the completion of the process of “rebirth” in Zion? If the saints are “born” at baptism to be prospective children of Zion, then why not “born” after judgment in the glory of immortal bodies, again at Zion? Common sense tells us that “children” cannot be “born” hundreds of miles away from their “mother”!

* Matthew 25:31-34: A careful reading indicates that the separation of the “sheep” and the “goats” takes place at the same place as Christ’s “throne of glory”. Again, Christadelphians argue eloquently against those of other persuasions that the throne of Christ and David can only be in Jerusalem, and not in heaven or even elsewhere on the earth (Salt Lake City, Utah?). If that is so for purposes of first principle arguments about the nature of the coming kingdom, then let us not shrink from the implication of such a passage as this in regard to the location of Judgment. Are we really prepared to argue that Christ’s “throne of glory”, where he will sit as a King (v 34), will be set up for a time on Mount Sinai?

* Other New Testament passages seem to call for the same interpretation — among them (a) Heb 12:18-24 (the context is certainly judgment: “Much more shall not we escape” — v 25); (b) Gal 4:24-28 (two covenants; Moses’ covenant at Sinai had to do with length of mortal days in the land, but Christ’s covenant at Jerusalem has to do with eternal life); and (c) Rev 5:6-10; 7:9-14; 14:1-5; and 19:1-9 (the scene of the saints’ reward is invariably the royal throne of Christ and Mount Zion).

***

One final point: We make a mistake if we elevate the location of the judgment to the status of a “first principle”, no matter which way we believe. In the first place, it was never intended so to be by our “pioneer brethren”.

[It might be well to note the following comment: “Where will (Christ) set (the judgment seat) up? Will it be in Palestine, or in Egypt, or in the Arabian peninsula, in the solitudes of Sinai? We cannot be sure… An uncertain detail must not be made a basis of fellowship. We must not insist upon a man believing the judgment seat will be set up at Sinai or any particular place so long as he believes that ‘Jesus Christ will judge the living and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom.’ ” — Robert Roberts, “True Principles and Uncertain Details”, The Christadelphian 35:185.]

And in the second place, there are no Scripture passages absolutely conclusive on the matter. We may think we know the exact order of future events, and exactly how and where each one will be fulfilled. But the true purpose of Bible prophecy is not to enable us to “bat 1,000” in our predictions, but to prepare us personally and as a body for the coming of Christ. Names and numbers and places and facts have a place in the study of prophecy, but they are only the framework. The heart of the matter is the love we hold for the Bridegroom and his appearing. But before he will be the Bridegroom, he must first be the Judge. It is not nearly as important where we will stand literally when he comes, as where we will stand spiritually in his eyes. “Depart from me” or “Come, ye blessed”? This we all know in theory, but it bears repeating, often and forcefully.

Addendum

A scarcely-explored thread runs through the whole of the Bible, which provides a further rationale for the basic premise of this article. This suggestion is certainly worth an entire study by itself, but we must be content here with the suggestion alone. There are some strong reasons for supposing that the garden of Eden was located at present-day Jerusalem. If this were so, then all sorts of Biblical allusions fall into place, many “loose ends” are surprisingly harmonized, portions of Genesis and Revelation fit together like pieces of a puzzle, and the coming judgment of the responsible — “where it all began” — appears the most reasonable thing in the whole world!

Judgment seat, unresolved problem

When President Reagan came to see Margaret Thatcher, she went to Heathrow Airport to meet him.

The Greeks and Romans had a similar custom. When a VIP came to visit some other dignitary, the local man was expected to travel outwards with his retainers until the two parties met. Then they would reform into one mass procession, with the local bigwig escorting his honored guest to his own provincial seat of government, in triumphal procession with great pomp.

There is a special Greek expression which was always (and only) used to describe this ceremony of meeting the incoming VIP. It occurs three times in the New Testament, thus:

1. “…We went towards Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came TO MEET [eis apantesin] us, as far as Appii Forum” (Acts 28:14,15).

Here, the Greek expression is used with its ordinary, earthly meaning. This shows that Luke and, presumably, the first-century church in general were familiar with the specialized use of this Greek phrase.

2. “The Lord himself shall descend from heaven… and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, TO MEET the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1Th 4:16,17).

This presents us with a big problem that, as far as I am aware, has never been squarely faced. The Greek clearly indicates that the saints will be miraculously lifted up to meet the returning Lord at some point in the upper atmosphere, and then caused to escort him back, in joyful, triumphant procession, to the earth’s surface — there to be “ever with the Lord”. But wherever can we fit a literal judgment seat into this sequence of events? It can’t be before we are “caught up”, as this would then mean the “meeting in the air” would not be a “meeting” at all, in the sense of the Greek expression used. And it can’t be after we “meet the Lord in the air”, because there could be no joyful, triumphant meeting and procession if the wicked are still present and all concerned are still wondering whether they are destined for life or death!

3. “And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out TO MEET him… And while they [the five foolish virgins] went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage…” (Mat 25:6,10).

This clinches the deduction made above from 1Th, that the unrighteous will not be present when the righteous meet their Lord. The invitation to “meet” him (in the special Greek sense of traveling outwards to meet an incoming potentate) went to both classes — but only the wise virgins were in a position to accept the invitation. The foolish virgins were left behind, and later found themselves locked out of the scene of rejoicing. It seems impossible to fit a literal judgment seat into this sequence, either.

So what are we to make of all this? Does Scripture intend us to regard the judgment seat as real in essence, but symbolic rather than literal in its nature? (Just as the Biblical devil is real enough in essence, but is a symbolic devil and not a literal one.) Or is there some other explanation that fits the facts better? (AH)

Joel

Joel, overview
Joel, the problem of

Joel, overview

Nothing is known for certainty about the ancestry of Joel, or about him personally. There is even some uncertainty as to the precise time when he prophesied, although the prophecy itself provides a number of clues, as shall be seen.

Literal locusts?

Joel pictures an enormous locust invasion brought by God upon His land, as a punishment and a warning to His people (Joel 1:15; 2:11). The devastation wrought by the locusts brings the inevitable famine, and Joel chronicles the suffering of man and beast alike, in its wake (Joel 1:4,5,9-12,16-18).

Outline

1.	The locust plague as a foretaste of the Day of the Lord: Joel 1:1 – 2:17
	a)	The calamity: Joel 1:1-20
	b)	The scourge as the forerunner of the judgment day: Joel 2:1-17

2.	The averting of judgment and bestowal of blessings: Joel 2:18 – 3:21
	a)	The Lord’s restoration of Judah: Joel 2:18-27
	b)	The outpouring of the Holy Spirit: Joel 2:28-32
	c)	Judgment upon the nations: Joel 3:1-16
	d)	The blessings on God’s people: Joel 3:17-21

Historical application

But Joel has more in mind than a literal plague of locusts. Whether there was, in Joel’s day, a real such infestation, or whether the prophet is presenting an idealized picture merely based on the well-known phenomenon of such plagues… either way, he definitely also has in mind a real army, of men, not insects (Joel 1:6,7; 2:1-7).

What was this army which Joel saw sweeping down upon the Land of Israel? Most likely the Assyrians of Sennacherib, who first devastated most of the north of Israel, and then turned upon the south of Judah, besieging and capturing most of its fortified cities (2Ki 17; 18; Isa 36; 37). Assyria was joined in its onslaught upon Judah and its capital Jerusalem by the Arab nations of Tyre and Zidon, Edom and Egypt (Joel 3:4,19). Egypt was the natural enemy of Assyria, but that did not stop the Egyptians from using Judah’s misfortune as a chance to ravage their share of Judah’s south. Would the Assyrian hordes also destroy Jerusalem, along with Temple of the LORD? Or would God at last spare His own city? The answer lay in Israel’s reaction to this great invasion of human “locusts” (Joel 2:12-14). True repentance and faith would save Jerusalem from the Assyrians. Led by their fine king, Hezekiah, the people did repent, and the Assyrian confederation was destroyed by the Angel of the LORD (2Ki 19; Isa 38): “Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people” (Joel 2:18). “And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has said, among the survivors whom the LORD calls” (Joel 2:32; cp Joel 2:20; 3:16).

Last Days application?

But this historical fulfillment is, as we have come to expect, only half the picture. The normal pattern of Bible prophecy, with few exceptions, is the presentation of a two-fold message:

a contemporary reference to events in or near the days of the prophet (necessary to confirm his credentials as a true prophet: Deu 18:20-22), and
a Messianic application, having to do with the first Coming or the second Coming, or — quite often — both. In this, Joel does not disappoint us. Seen in a first century application, the apostle Peter cites Joel as an explanation for the Holy Spirit being poured out on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:16-21). Peter used Joel’s prophecy as the basis for his appeal to the people to repent and be baptized, and so be saved (Acts 2:37-40). Seen in a Last Days perspective, every indication is that Joel envisions an attack by a great Arab confederacy upon a faithless nation of Israel. These Arab peoples were previously too weak, but now at last [because of continual arm supplies from the West, and/or from the former USSR?] they are finally strong enough to accomplish their goal (Joel 3:9,10). Such an attack will be initially successful (see Joel 3:1-7), destroying much of Israel’s livelihood and reducing God’s people to helplessness. It will then be only by a renewal of their faith, in the God of their fathers, that a remnant of Israel will be saved when — once again and to a far greater extent than ever before — “….the LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel” (Joel 3:16).

How do we know that this great alliance of the Last Days will be Arab? (a) In Hebrew, the words for “locust” (arbeh) and “Arab” (arbi) are practically identical. (b) The nations actually mentioned by Joel (the ones “on every side”: Joel 3:12) are Tyre and Zidon (Lebanon and Syria, in modern terms) and Philistia (exactly equivalent, linguistically, to the “Palestinians”!) in Joel 3:4; and Egypt and Edom (modern Jordan and/or Saudi Arabia) in Joel 3:19. In order to defeat Israel, these will line up with “Assyria” (modern equivalent: Iraq, or just possibly Syria, or even both). (c) The phrase “Prepare for [or make holy] war” (the literal meaning of Joel 3:9) suggests a jihad, or Moslem holy war. The first attack, in Joel’s day, by Assyria and its allies was seen by its leaders as a “holy war” — between Ashur the god of Nineveh and Jehovah (or Yahweh) the God of Israel (Joel 2:17; 2Ki 18:22,25,30-35; 19:14-19). And now, in our day, though the Arab “god” is called by a different name, the controversy is the same: whether “Allah” the god of Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, et al is greater than Yahweh the God of Israel.

Temple Mount controversy

The controversy of the Last Days, between Arab and Jew, is preeminently about:

Zion (Joel 2:1,15,23,32; 3:16,17,21),
God’s holy mountain (Joel 2:1; 3:17),
Jerusalem (Joel 2:32; 3:1,16,17,20), and
the house of the LORD (Joel 3:18)….

…where, after Israel’s defeat and true repentance, a great Divine deliverance will come, and where the LORD God will dwell once again “in the midst of Israel… and my people shall never again be put to shame” (Joel 2:26,27).

A great deal of language in Joel (regarding sacrifices and services) suggests that the Last Days will see a resurgence of religion in Israel. It is possible that a revived Judaism will accelerate and exacerbate a controversy with the devotees of Islam — over their own “holy places” on Mount Zion, in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. To what extent such Temple worship may develop before Christ returns (even to the removal or destruction of the ancient “Dome of the Rock” to provide the site for a modern Jewish Temple), one cannot be certain. But many other Last Days prophecies point to a controversy in or over God’s holy place or mountain or Temple — so many, in fact, that this possibility must loom large: Eze 25:3; 36:2,3; Psa 79:1-4; 83:12; Rev 11:1-3; 2Th 2:3,4; Isa 14:13,14; Oba 1:16,17; Mal 3:1; Dan 9:24-27; 11:31,45; 12:11; Mat 24:15; Mar 13:14; and Luk 21:20-24.

Revelation parallels

There are numerous and striking correspondences between Joel 1,2 and Revelation 8,9:

Locusts	Joel 1:4	Rev 9:3
Like a nation?	Joel 1:6	Rev 9:4,7
Teeth like lions’ teeth	Joel 1:6	Rev 9:8
Trees, pasture burnt up	Joel 1:12-20	Rev 8:7
Destruction from God	Joel 1:15;	Rev 9:11
Fire	Joel 1:19; 2:3,5	Rev 8:7; 9:17
Rivers of water dried up	Joel 1:20	Rev 8:10; 9:14
Blowing of trumpets	Joel 2:1,11,15	Rev 8:6
Darkness	Joel 2:2	Rev 9:2,18
Horses	Joel 2:4	Rev 9:7,9
Chariots	Joel 2:5	Rev 9:9
Torment	Joel 2:6	Rev 9:6
Earthquake	Joel 2:10	Rev 8:5
Sun, moon, and stars are darkened	Joel 2:10,31; 3:15	Rev 8:12; 9:2
“Turn to me,” says God!	Joel 2:12	Rev 9:20,21
The “locusts” go back to the abyss	Joel 2:20	Rev 9:1
Day of Atonement	Joel 2:15-17	Rev 8:2-4
Deliverance for the faithful remnant	Joel 2:32	Rev 9:4

It is reasonable to conclude that Joel and Rev 8; 9 describe the same events. Therefore it is possible to deduce a Last Days application: a battle for Jerusalem and its holy places, fought by Jew and Arab, which ends with Christ returning to Israel to save the faithful remnant who call upon him (Joel 2:32; 3:20). This interpretation is supported by the observation that the sounding of the first six trumpets (Rev. 8; 9), with their sense of immediacy and urgency, culminates in the sounding of the Seventh Trumpet (Rev 11:15-19) and “the time for the dead to be judged”. And so Joel contributes his share of details to the ever-changing (and sometimes mysterious) mosaic of future events, a challenge and consolation for every student of Bible prophecy.

Joel, the problem of

When did the prophet Joel speak and write? Understandably, on the answer to this question depends much of interpretation of his book. And yet a brief review of Christadelphian expositors shows a remarkable diversity on this question. Presented in chronological order, there are at least six views of the matter:

A. The reign of Jehoshaphat (approximate dates 860-860 BC) Edward Whittaker and Tony Benson in Testimony 46:387-392.

Reasons: No direct allusion to the great powers of Assyria and Babylon, who rose to prominence later. No direct reference to idolatry, again most appropriate for an early date. Two references to the valley of Jehoshaphat’ (3:2,12), which the authors equate with the valley of Berachah (2Ch 20:26) where Jehoshaphat and Judah won a miraculous victory over the locust-like invaders of Moab, Ammon and Edom. (The two ‘locust’ invasions in Scripture, they point out, were both Arabic in character (Jdg 6:3-6; Rev 9:1-11). It is suggested that the famine in Israel during Ahab’s reign, prayed for by Elijah (James 5:17; 1Ki 17:1), affect to some degree the adjacent kingdom of Judah (Joel 1).

Parallel passages: Joel 2:15-18 with 2Ch 20:3,4,11,13.

B. The early part of the reign of Jehoash (840-830 BC). Fred Pearce in The Christadelphian 112:263,264.

Reasons: Much the same as for (1) except that it is argued that the mention of the valley of Jehoshaphat refers to a past, though recently past, event. Since the four “Major Prophets” are unquestionably in chronological order, it is to be expected that the “Minor Prophets” follow a similar pattern, in which case Joel is seen to be quite early. In Joel the priests are still generally faithful and capable of repentance and reformation, which was not at all true toward the end of the kingdom. Suggested time: the regency of the faithful Jehoiada, while Jehoash was still a child (2Ki 11:17-20; 2Ch 23:16-18).

C. The first part of the reign of Uzziah (810-800 BC). T. Sutton in Testimony 5:407-409.

Again, the same arguments for a relatively early date as in (1) and (2).

Parallel passage: “His name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped” (2Ch 26:15). No other very precise evidence is offered.

D. The reign of Hezekiah (710-700 BC). WH Boulton in The Christadelphian 43:245-249.

Oblivious to much of the above evidence that would tend otherwise, WH Boulton lays great stress on the direction of the invasion — from the north (2:20). Thus it is suggested that the invasion of Sennacherib’s army (2Ki 18,19) is the fulfillment, and Assyria, though not directly mentioned, is the enemy of Israel. (JD Webster takes this same view in Dawn, Vol 19, pp 13-16, but offers no reasons. The same assumption is made by John Thomas in Eureka, Vol 1:44, where he refers to Joel’s vision of “the lions of Assyria, and others.)

E. Josiah’s reign (630-612 BC). EM Spongberg in Joel (Logos Publications), pp 7-12.

Most of the evidence offered for a later date consists of an attempt to dispute the various reasons for the earlier dates(as outlined above); and, it must be admitted, those proofs are all circumstantial. It is suggested that Josiah’s great reformation (2Ch 34,35) provides a fitting background for the prophecy.

F. The days of Jehoiakim or Zedekiah (612-586 BC). Carl Parry in Joel (Christadelphian Scripture Study Service), pp 3-7.

Here is something not otherwise stressed in any of the above: the Temple had already been sacked (3:5). [However, Whittaker and Benson do suggest in their exposition (No. 1 above) that Joel 3:5 was fulfilled by the Philistines and Arabians in the reign of Jehoshaphat’s successor Jehoram (2Ch 21:16,17). They see Joel 3:4-8 as a sort of ‘footnote’ added after the reign of Jehoshaphat. Such an interpretation of verse 5 well suits Fred Pearce’s exposition (2) also.] Parallels are suggested with Zephaniah (a contemporary with Josiah): Joel 1:10,11 with Zephaniah 1:2; Joel 1:18 with Zephaniah 1:3; Joel 1:15 with Zephaniah 1:7; Joel 2:1,2 with Zephaniah 1:14,15; Joel 3:2 with Zephaniah 3:8. The ‘lion’ of Joel 1:6 is taken as figurative of Babylon (Jer 50:17; Dan 7:4).

See also Fifield and Palmer, Testimony 46:224-228, where the book is specifically applied to Zedekiah’s reign on the grounds that Joel 1 describes a desolation which already existed, and which would fit the earlier desolation in the reign of Jehoiakim. Jer 4:5-8 is cited as parallel to Joel 1:6,13,14; and 2:1.

G. A seventh view is taken by Edgar Wille (The Christadelphian 104:317), who says:

“There (is) no doubt that the original northern army (v 20) was a terrible plague of locusts which brought Israel (ie, Judah) to their knees at some unspecified time in the past.”

Of all the views outlined here, this last offers the least as to historical context, but then, let it be remembered, he has the least chance of being wrong!

Such views of the historical context drastically affect the possible primary fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy, as well as the potential secondary, or latter-day, fulfillment.

CONTEXT	PRIMARY FULFILLMENT	SECONDARY FULFILLMENT
1. Jehoshaphat	A period of drought during his reign, and a series of devastating locust plagues towards the end of that period (Joel 1). Then the impending invasion of the great Arab confederacy (Joel 2; 2Ch 20).	From Joel 2:18 onwards. An invasion from the north, but with a distinctly Arab flavor: the ‘nations round about’ (3:11,12, RV). Cp Joel 3:4-8 with Psa 83:6-8.
2. Jehoash	The four great Gentile oppressors of Judah -Babylon, Persian, Greece and Rome-depicted by four phases of a locust plague. (No immediate fulfillment).	The invasion of Gog and Magog… Rosh… etc (Eze 38), with emphasis on the composite character of the northern host (combining qualities of all four ‘world’ empires).
3. Uzziah	Assyria, Egypt, Babylon and Rome (No immediate fulfillment).	Much the same as #2 above.
4. Hezekiah	Sennacherib’s invasion from the north.	The northern host in its role as the latter day Assyrian.
5. Josiah	Four successive steps of the Babylonian captivity (2Ki 24:1,2,10-16; 25:1-11).	The great northern army, more or less synonymous with “Babylon”.
6. Jehoiakim and Zedekiah	Babylonian invasion, with four progressive stages, as in #5. (No literal locust invasion.)	The same as #5.

The above summary is intended only to give a basis for further study, and not to advocate one view above the others.

In conclusion, there is general agreement as to the latter-day counterpart of the locust or locust-like army of invasion. By common consent, it is seen to be the same host described in Ezekiel 38 and Zechariah 14. But it is worth noting that what we perceive as the immediate context of Joel affects our grasp of the details of the final fulfillment, one example being: Will there be Arab participation in the last great war in Israel? and if so, to what extent? And, another question: Are the valley of Jehoshaphat and Armageddon to be understood as identical (as in Eur 3:603)?

A final point: If so many can disagree as to the application of a prophecy of which the initial fulfillment is already past, then is it any wonder that they disagree on the future fulfillments of other prophecies? And if such disagreement has been tolerated on the interpretation of Joel without any noticeable dislocation of the Truth’s foundations, then why should it be thought a thing intolerable that brethren disagree, for example, on the interpretation of Revelation?

Ezekiel’s Temple

Ezekiel’s temple not millennial
Ezekiel’s temple, related to the return from Babylon

Ezekiel’s temple not millennial

Ezekiel’s Temple: not Millennial temple

“For many years there have been well-intentioned efforts by Christadelphians to interpret the last nine chapters of Ezekiel’s prophecy as a picture of a new temple to be built in the Land of Promise, a center of worship for all nations during the Millennial Reign of Christ. Such efforts have been confined to a comparatively small handful of students, the rest being somewhat daunted by the difficulties involved.

Because of this there has been a tendency to accept somewhat uncritically the results achieved by others — a startling exception to the normal Christadelphian way of things, that a Biblical exposition shall only be accepted when the detailed evidence has been examined bit by bit and thereafter approved or rejected.

Thus it has come about that the monumental work of Henry Sulley of Nottingham, published in 1892, has been allowed to set the pattern of Christadelphian thinking with regard to this temple. His scheme has been accepted in a remarkably uncritical spirit, largely — one imagines — because he was a well-qualified and successful architect who was deemed to be equipped well beyond the rank-and-file reader for the task of producing a definitive interpretation of the temple chapters.

The present writer is persuaded, however, that the work of that well-intentioned author was completely vitiated from the start by certain seriously mistaken presuppositions which dominated and distorted his synthesis in nearly all its main essentials.

Nor is it possible, because of technical difficulties over the production of a big set of diagrams, to go into the question as to what Ezekiel’s temple really was intended to look like. For the present it must suffice to say that the remarkable number of correspondences with Solomon’s temple in measurements and in the phrasing of the descriptions leads one to believe that essentially this temple was to be a second edition of the first temple, with certain modifications appropriate to the changed circumstances of its use.

But certainly the idea of a massive square of buildings with an inner ring (the “Holy Place”) equally magnifical, surrounding the base of an unscalable conical mountain which itself is crowned with a gigantic altar for countless animal sacrifices — this idea, it is emphasized, must be abandoned as being far away from a correct interpretation of Ezekiel’s specification. Ezekiel’s temple certainly has an enclosure about a mile square, but there is nothing to suggest that the buildings are that size. Actually the sanctuary itself is of much more modest proportions” (FLET).

When the investigation is pushed further, there soon piles up a veritable mountain of evidence all of which insists that a temple like Ezekiel’s, with ritual such as is described there, was never intended for the abiding Kingdom of God with its divine King-Priest and immortal hierarchy.

The most casual reading reveals an intention to reinstitute sacrifice, ceremonial cleansing, the observance of Sabbaths and much else that was already made familiar through the Law of Moses.

But the New Testament is almost over-emphatic in its insistence that all these things, fulfilled (filled full) in Christ, have been taken away once and for all, and that the purpose of God has no further room for anything of the kind:

a.	No more sacrifices: Heb 9:9,12,28; 10:4,11,12,14,18; Col 2:14; Rom 10:4.
b.	Are the millennial sacrifices only commemorative?
	1)	Not necessary, because Christ is there, bearing marks of crucifixion.
	2)	Bread and wine are a sufficient memorial: Luk 22:16,18.
	3)	Ezekiel says these sacrifices are in fact “for sin” (Eze 43:19-26; 45:17,22), ie, not just “looking back” to Christ.
	4)	If “commemorative” (ie, “look-back”) sacrifices will be permissible in the Kingdom, then why were they not permissible in 30-70 AD?
	5)	Gal 3:19: “Law was added (only) until Seed comes.”

c.	Heb 7:12: Law will be changed. Cp Heb 7:18,19.
d.	Heb 10:9: First law is “set aside”.
e.	Heb 8:8,9: A new covenant with Israel, not according to the previous covenant.
f.	Gal 4:9,10: Do you wish to be enslaved again to those “weak and miserable principles”?
g.	Act 7:48: Most High dwells not in temples made with man’s hands” (summarized from FLET).

Who is “Prince” of Eze 45; 46? A mortal prince/ruler of Israel: (a) offers sacrifice for his own sins (Eze 45:22; 46:10-12); (b) subject to death (Eze 46:17,18); (c) has wife and sons (Eze 46:16), who will succeed him (Eze 45:8).
The priests of this Temple are mortal: (a) they sweat (Eze 44:18); (b) should drink no wine (Eze 44:21; ct Mat 26:29; (c) they die (Eze 44:22); (d) they have no inheritance (Eze 44:28). By ct, see Mat 22:28-30.
This Temple has Levites who went/can go astray (Eze 44:10-14).
Interspersed with exhortations to a rebellious (?!) house of Israel: Eze 40:4; 44:6; 45:9.
No uncircumcised person (Eze 44:9). What about Gentiles saints?
“Strangers” in the Land (Eze 47:22,23)? Easy to relate to return from Babylon, but not so easy to Kingdom Age.
Eze 47:18: An eastern border of Jordan River. And Eze 47:19: the “river” on the south is wadi El Arish, not Nile. These borders are incompatible with extent of Kingdom (Gen 15:18).
Is Jerusalem an enormous Temple area only? Or is it a city without walls, inhabited by children, as in Zec 2:4; 8:4,5?
East gate shut 6 days out of 7 (Eze 46:1), or always open (Isa 60:11; Rev 21:25)?
What is not described here? No lavish use of gold and silver. No High Priest garments of glory and beauty. “Splendid and holy as their new Temple was to be, its limitations only emphasized in their minds the abiding need for a new and better order, with a Messiah who would be both Prince and Priest ministering a sacrifice which would be all-sufficient, and not merely temporary and typical” (FLET)
Ezekiel envisions a large Temple area, but no real city. Likewise, this is what Nehemiah sought to build (Neh 4:22; 7:4; 12:29). Did he understand Ezekiel’s vision to be for his day?

(Summarized from FLET)

“it is desirable to emphasize how much Israel were in need of a new religious code. With the destruction of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, they lost not only their temple but also everything associated with it. The ark of the covenant was gone. There was therefore no mercy seat, and therefore no Day of Atonement was possible. The holy fire, which had been unquenched since God signified His good pleasure by accepting Solomon’s sacrifices (2Ch 7:1), was now gone out. So the offering of true burnt offerings was likewise out of question. Neither had they a high-priest with Urim and Thummim who could give a divine judgment in time of perplexity. Indeed all the indications were that God had altogether abolished the system of worship which had been given hundreds of years earlier for the guidance and help of His people: ‘He hath violently taken away his tabernacle… he hath destroyed his place of assembly: the Lord hath caused the sabbaths and solemn feasts to be forgotten in Zion, and hath despised in the indignation of his anger the king and the priest. The Lord hath cast off his altar, he hath abhorred his sanctuary… the king and her princes are among the Gentiles: the law is no more’ (Lam 2:6,7,9).

“So unless God gave His nation a new start, Israel returned from captivity would be a people spiritually adrift.

“Evidently, then, Ezekiel 40-48 was designed to show the Jews how they were to worship and serve God when their seventy years of exile were expired — what kind of temple they were to fashion; the character of their priesthood; their offerings and their feasts; the due status of priest and prince; the re-allocation of the Land to the tribes; and especially, they were to be inspired with the possibilities of Jerusalem as a center for worship, not only for Israel but also for the strangers in the Land, and — more than that — as a source of spiritual blessings radiating to all the nations of the world” (FLET).

“But the people of Israel were unable to carry the project through to its culmination. Their own efforts were halfhearted. They were hindered and discouraged by enemies without and the beginnings of a renewed apostasy within. Thus, bit by bit, they lost their early idealism, and though the temple was built — probably, so far as one can tell, on the pattern of that planned by Ezekiel — it never achieved that which was intended for it. The Glory of the God of Israel did not return unto it, and Ezekiel’s great ideal still goes unrealized until the day when the new Jerusalem descends from God out of heaven; and then it will find expression, not in reeds of wall and cubits of altar but in the spiritual realities which those solid facts were intended to teach” (FLET).