Tag: Revelation 1:3

Seven Histories

So far in our study of Revelation, we’ve covered seven letters of warning and encouragement to seven churches, seven seals opened for followers of the Lamb, and seven trumpets heralding the beginning of God’s judgement of earth dwellers. Now, it’s time to buckle your seatbelts, put your tray table in its upright and locked position, and get ready for some turbulence as we do a flyover of John’s description of seven histories in Revelation 12:1-15:5.

Jen Wilkin explains “the term history is used by commentators to mean ‘narrative’ or ‘description’ versus something that happened in the past. The seven histories form a chronology (or timeline) of events that have happened, are happening, and will happen.” (p. 84) Symbols and imagery with multiple interpretations fill these histories, so we’ll try to stick with what’s clear from the text.

The First History (Revelation 12:1-17):

In John’s vision, “A great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head.” (12:1, CSB) The pregnant woman, on the brink of giving birth, cried out with labor pains as a fiery red dragon with seven heads, ten horns and seven crowns “Stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she did give birth it might devour her child.” (12:4b, CSB) She gives birth to a son “who is going to rule all nations with an iron rod.” (12:5b, CSB) This vision includes past and future realities. “The twelve stars refer to the twelve tribes of Israel. So the woman in Revelation 12 is Israel… While it is true that Mary gave birth to Jesus, it is also true that Jesus, the son of David from the tribe of Judah, came from Israel. In a sense, Israel gave birth—or brought forth—Christ Jesus.”*

In the vision, John sees the dragon thrown out of heaven and identified as “the devil and Satan, the one who deceives the whole world.” (12:9b, CSB) With the enemy let loose on earth, a voice from heaven warns “Woe to the earth and the sea, because the devil has come down to you with great fury, because he knows his time is short.” (12:12b, CSB) Here we’re reminded and reassured that the enemy’s days are numbered, and that God has already secured the victory. We live in the tension of being saved and set apart by the blood of Christ, but still impacted by sin and harassed by the enemy, as John describes: “So the dragon was furious with the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep the commands of God and hold firmly to the testimony about Jesus.” (12:17, CSB)

The Second History (Revelation 12:18- 13:10):

John’s vision continues by describing a beast with ten horns, seven heads, and ten crowns coming up out of the sea and “on its heads were blasphemous names.”(13:11b, CSB) Jen Wilkin’s guide to symbols tells us horns symbolize power, victory and strength; heads symbolize authority; crowns symbolize rule and sovereignty (p. 211). As the description of this beast continues, it becomes clear it is the Antichrist who is given authority by the dragon, Satan, and worshipped by the whole earth. For three and a half years the beast is “permitted to wage war against the saints and to conquer them. It was also given authority over every tribe, people, language, and nation.” (13:7, CSB) The beast has a fatal wound on its head that has been healed and the whole earth is amazed by this and worships the beast. Only those “in the book of life of the Lamb who was slaughtered” refrain from worshipping the beast. (13:8b, CSB) John ends by admonishing followers of Jesus: “This calls for endurance and faithfulness from the saints.” (13:10b)

The Third History (Revelation 13:11-18):

John’s vision continues with “another beast coming up out of the earth: it had two horns like a lamb, but it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast on its behalf and compels the earth and those who live on it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.”(13:11-12) The addition of the second beast completes the “unholy trinity” that includes the dragon and the first beast. Notice the ways the three imitate the Holy Trinity: the dragon poses as the Father, giving authority and power to the other two; the first beast imitates the Son—it has a fatal wound that is healed and is worshipped by people; the second beast copies the Holy Spirit by performing signs and wonders and pointing people to worship the first beast. (Even writing this comparison makes my stomach churn.) The second beast “makes everyone—small and great, rich and poor, free and slave—to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark: the beast’s name or the number of its name…is 666.” (13:16, 17, 18b) Jen Wilkin’s number chart helps us to understand this as the number of man—it represents rebellion and the unholy trinity of the dragon and the two beasts. (p. 210)

You’ve probably heard about the mark of the beast before but may not have realized it’s just another place the enemy imitates and cheapens the things of God. The mark copies the Lord’s instructions in Deuteronomy 6:4-8 where He tells the Israelites to bind His commandments on their foreheads and hands. Pastor Matt Chandler explains, “It’s about ideology and action, when we’re talking about the mark of the beast, we’re talking about internal character made manifest in behavior.” He then quotes GK Beale who says, “The forehead represents ideological commitment and the hand the practical outworking of that commitment.” We show whose mark we bear by what we think and how we behave.

Remember, in Revelation 7 we learned servants of God already have a seal of ownership and protection on their foreheads from the Holy Spirit? The mark of the beast isn’t given in love, but to assert domination through controlling the economy. It isn’t received with gratitude, but out of fear of not being able to buy or sell goods. The mark of the beast is just another cheap imitation from God’s original design and a tool for the enemy to deceive people. Fear of temporary discomfort leads earth dwellers to take a mark that has eternal implications: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he will also drink the wine of God’s wrath, which is poured full strength into the cup of his anger…There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (14:9b, 10a, 11b)

The Fourth History (Revelation 14:1-5):

John’s vision shifts to a more encouraging focus in his fourth history where he sees “the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (14:1) Despite the persecution, destruction, and chaos caused by the enemy, Jesus is still the one with ultimate authority. He stands victorious with those He has redeemed.

The Fifth History (Revelation 14:6-13):

Next, John describes three angels who call out to the inhabitants of earth. The first urges people to “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgement has come.” (14:7b) The second declares that “Babylon the Great has fallen,” indicating that the corrosive effects of sin and worldliness are coming to an end. The third angel differentiates between those who have received the mark of the beast and those who have the seal of God. Those who have worshipped the beast will be doomed to eternity “tormented with fire and sulfur in the sight of the holy angels and in the sight of the Lamb…There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image or anyone who receives the mark of its name.” (14:10b) Those who endure, keep God’s commands, and their faith in Jesus will “rest from their labors, since their works follow them.” (14:13b) Those who remain true to the Lord will have endured hardship for a season but will enjoy the fruit of their faithfulness for eternity.

The Sixth History (Revelation 14:14-20):

John’s vision continues as he witnesses “one like the Son of Man” seated on a cloud wearing a golden crown and holding a sharp sickle. An angel urges Him to use His sickle and reap the harvest of the earth. This scene provides echoes of Jesus’ own words describing His return: “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.” (Matthew 24:30-31, NIV)

A second angel calls for a second reaping of unrepentant souls that will be thrown “into the great winepress of God’s wrath.” (14:19b) (This vision of the “grapes of wrath” inspired lyrics in Julia Ward Howe’s “Battle Hymn of the Republic”  and John Steinbeck’s title for the novel The Grapes of Wrath.)

The Seventh History (Revelation 15:1-8):

This has been a lot of material to absorb but stay with me, we’re landing the plane soon. Next, John says, “Then I saw another great and awe-inspiring sign in heaven: seven angels with the seven last plagues; for with them God’s wrath will be completed.” (15:1) Those faithful to God stand on a sea of glass mixed with fire singing “the song of God’s servant Moses and the song of the Lamb.” (15:3) Seven angels come out of the heavenly temple and receive seven golden bowls filled with the wrath of God. John’s vision repeats a similar scene from Exodus 40:35 where Moses cannot enter the tabernacle because it’s filled with the glory of the Lord. “Then the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from his power, and no one could enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were completed.” (15:8) Glass mixed with fire reminds us of the refining fires of our faith that Peter describes in a passage that has encouraged me when I’ve felt alone or ostracized because of my faith: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” (1 Peter 1:6-7, NIV)

Final Thoughts

John urges us to keep what we’ve heard from Revelation. I’m struck by the contrast between those who follow the crowd by worshipping the beast and receiving his mark and those who remain righteous and set apart. It’s a clear reminder that going with the flow for the sake of temporary comfort and convenience isn’t worth eternal suffering. Believers have been set apart but will experience trials before the end when God makes all things right. For now, we need patient endurance that doesn’t focus on short term hardships but long-term faithfulness resulting in great joy when we spend eternity with our almighty, just, and incomprehensible God.

*gotquestions.org  https://www.gotquestions.org/Revelation-chapter-12.html

Jen Wilkin, Revelation: Eternal King, Everlasting Kingdom, Lifeway Press, 2024.

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Matt Chandler, “Revelation: Earthly Battle- Week 7” sermon, The Village Church, March 22, 2021. Available on YouTube by clicking here.

Your Kingdom Come

“Later is longer,” my pastor explained during a recent sermon on parenting. His point was that disciplining and training kids  requires consistency in their younger years  that reaps benefits for their teen years and beyond. The more I thought about it, the more I realized “later is longer” also has implications for life on earth in comparison with life in eternity.

As we’re wrapping up the final chapter of Elizabeth Woodson’s From Beginning to Forever, this week’s session provides a big-picture view of Revelation. This Apocalyptic book about the end times and the creation of a new heaven and earth intimidates many people. Granted, the ambiguous chronology along with the variety of symbols, metaphors, and references to Old Testament prophecy can be confusing. But as followers of Jesus, why wouldn’t we want to seek understanding about what unfolds when He returns?

The events in Revelation are both inspiring and terrifying. It’s unsettling to read about the temporary  hardship and persecution believers will face at the hands of the enemy. But reading Revelation, we’ll also discover much encouragement. That’s why John begins the book writing “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.” (Revelation 1:3, ESV) Elizabeth Woodson explains the two main purposes of Revelation are to show “1) the spiritual reality of the cosmic battle, 2) the future hope of Jesus’s final victory over sin, Satan and death.” (p. 181) In short, it’s a book written to equip and encourage believers.

John’s vision begins with messages to seven churches that call out specific ways they have demonstrated faithfulness to the Lord and/ or gotten off track. While these letters aren’t written to us, they are written for us as followers of Jesus. We see praise for those who remain steadfast and endure persecution and warning for those who tolerate sin and fall into apathy. The churches of 2000 years ago may have looked different culturally, but they struggled with the same root issues as believers today. Knowing “later is longer” makes persevering and remaining faithful and obedient to God worth the effort.

After addressing the seventh church, John moves on to describe a vison the Lord gives him of the throne room of heaven. “The jeweled description of God, the twenty-four elders around the throne, winged creatures, thunder and lightning—all of this was a scene beyond words…Day and night they continue to repeat the glorious truth about God and then fall before Him in worship.” (p. 185) John explains, “They cast their crowns before the throne, saying, ‘Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.’” (Revelation 4:9-11, ESV) While reading descriptions of what takes place in the throne room, you may recognize familiar lyrics from songs and hymns inspired by the imagery.

Next, John describes God’s judgement being poured out on earth for human rebellion and sin. Although Elizabeth Woodson doesn’t mention it specifically, one of the most comforting elements I discovered in Revelation was this command “Don’t harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we seal the servants of our God on their foreheads.” (Revelation 7:3, ESV) This seems related to Paul’s teaching to believers in Ephesians: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14, ESV) As the cosmic battle and final judgement unfold, believers will be clearly identified and protected from God’s wrath. How reassuring it is to discover this amidst many graphic and frightening scenes John describes.

While it’s unclear exactly how or when events will unfold (and it’s possible some are already unfolding), “there are three key events that all Christians agree on—1) Jesus Christ returns in a physical body; 2) the dead are resurrected; 3) believers and non-believers are judged.” (p. 188) Although the thought of facing God for judgement may make us quake in fear, we must remember that those who have accepted Christ’s sacrifice on their behalf have their names written in the book of life (Revelation 20:15) and have nothing to fear. Believers will be seen through the perfect holiness of Jesus whose blood paid the penalty for their sin.

“With God’s judgment of creation complete, God’s plan of salvation will be complete. Sin, evil, death, and Satan’s schemes will be no more… The kingdom, God’s divine plan by which He would dwell in perfect harmony with creation and humanity, can finally and fully be restored!” (p.190) The shalom of Eden will once again become a reality and the work of ruling and reigning God’s kingdom will continue for eternity with the Lord dwelling among His people.

The time we take to learn and apply Scripture, to practice the way of Jesus, and to live as aliens in the world is preparing us for the time described at the end of Revelation. The efforts we make to expand the Lord’s Kingdom on Earth give others a taste of His love and reflect the character of our Heavenly Father. Author and theologian N.T. Wright explains:

“You are…accomplishing something that will become in due course part of God’s new world.  Every act of love, gratitude and kindness; every work of art or music inspired by the love of God and delight in the beauty of his creation…every act of care and nurture, of comfort and support, for one’s fellow human beings…and of course every prayer, all Spirit-led teaching, every deed that spreads the gospel, builds up the church, embraces and embodies holiness rather than corruption, and makes the name of Jesus honored in the world—all of this will find its way, through the resurrecting power of God, into the new creation that God will one day make…what we do in Christ and by the Spirit in the present is not wasted. It will last all the way into God’s new world.”*

 Knowing “later is longer,” let’s focus our efforts on expanding God’s kingdom on earth now. Let’s invest our time and energy in endeavors that have value all the way to eternity, just as Jesus encouraged His followers to pray “your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10, ESV)

*N.T. Wright Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection and the Mission of the Church, HarperOne, 2008, page 208.

Elizabeth Woodson, From Beginning to Forever: A Study of the Grand Narrative of Scripture, Lifeway Press, 2022.

Interested in learning more about how what we do now can prepare us for eternity in the new heaven and earth? Consider reading Garden City by John Mark Comer or Surprised by Hope by N.T. Wright. 

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