It isn't until Revelation
11:14 that we are told that "the second woe is past." This implies
that everything that is recorded up to 11:14 is to be understood as contemporary
with the second woe. This would make the first mentioned concern of this
woe the military activity. However that is not the only concern. The rest
of the woe addresses issues that call us out of, and beyond military activity.
Let’s examine the rest of
the second woe.
In the first few verses
of chapter 10 John describes a mighty angel. Since his description of this
angel is much the same as that of Jesus in Revelation 1:15 and 16 we need
to see this angel as Jesus. In His hand is a little book, and it
is open. Unlike the sealed book which only the Lamb - Redemption - could
open, this book is already open. Since the sealed book represents history,
this little book must be seen as also representing history. Jesus as the
Lamb, made it possible for history to continue. He was the only one who
was found worthy to break the seven seals of history. Since the Lamb fulfilled
all of God’s requirements for history to continue, the history represented
by the little book is already opened in His hands. As we read we
discover that John becomes vitally involved in that history. Since John
represents the Church, we can conclude that the Church becomes vitally
involved in the history described by the little book. Let us consider the
details that John gives of this event.
Jesus stands with
His right foot on the sea and his left on the earth. An interesting stance.
The earth and sea are the very two places from which the beasts of Revelation
13 arise. Those beasts are yet to be described. So it appears that we are
now given the “good news” concerning this second woe. That good news is
that Jesus is the one who has dominion and final authority over the earth
and sea. Figuratively the earth and sea stand for society. Jesus as the
Lamb, made it possible for unrepentant society to continue to march through
history. However Jesus Christ as ruler will not allow socities sinful actions
to be the final act of history.
After Jesus takes His stance,
John hears His loud cry like that of a roaring lion. The lion like voice
intentionally suggests this strong angel to be Jesus in His portfolio as
ruler. So the lion like voice implies that Jesus takes the stance
of ruler over society. His cry as ruler is immediately followed by
seven thunders. Seven thunders whose speech John understands. John is about
to record what they say but he is commanded not to do so. Instead
he is told to seal up the revelation of the seven thunders. Such a directive
is rare in scripture. It only happens here and in Daniel 12:4.
Obviously John saw it as
important to record what the seven thunders said, but he is told not to.
Does God tease us with His revelation, or is revelation held in reserve
until the appropriate time? A statement by Paul suggests the latter to
be true. Paul speaks of revelation that "was not made known unto the sons
of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets." (Eph.
3:5) Hebrews 1:1 declares: "God who at sundry times and in
divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, has
in these last days spoken unto us by His Son." Scripture therefore
supports the position that revelation is given at an appointed and appropriate
time. So the seven thunders indicate a desire on God’s part to give the
Church further revelation. However that revelation waits for an appointed
and appropriate time. Because John is shown this in the context of the
second woe suggestes that to be the period when the revelation will be
made known. We are living in that period of time! Is the Church prepared
to receive that revelation?
In verse six the mighty
angel declares "there will be no more delay". (literal translation)
The time for completing the mystery of God has arrived. Since John represents
the Church, John’s experience describes the Churches role during this period.
The Church represented by John is commanded to go, take the book! John
does as he is commanded.
"Give me the little book",
John demands.
This is almost unbelievable!
How does the Church move from supporting military action, which is the
worship of devils, to obeying the command of God? It seems that John is
only giving us the highlights of a fuller story. Since those highlights
are given in the context of the second woe they are telling the Church
to be prepared and ready to do God’s command. Like Israel of old, the Churches
track record, given in the breaking of the seals, in following God’s direction
is dismal. However we have seen, and will see that God is preparing His
Church for a transformation that will seem like a quantum leap from where
she is today. So it is of paramount importance for the Church to understand
Revelation.
John is then
commanded to: "Take it, and eat it up."
With that command
he is also informed that it will be sweet to the taste but become bitter
in his belly. So it is. What is described here is the natural process of
eating and digestion. It is therefore implied untill this period in history
the Church has not digested the purposes of God. So the Church is depicted
as not only tasting the sweetness of God's mystery, but she will now digest
it, and it becomes her sustaining strength. In that strength she
is called to "prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues,
and kings." (v11) Note it: the Churches activity doesn’t cease with the
coming of the millennium, her activity only intensifies. That activity
will have the force and strenght of apostolic utterance, because it is
brings God's mysteries to fulfillment..
John describes
things that we have never considered to be part of Revelation. This little
book like the sealed book represents the unfolding of history. A history
that takes us beyond the period covered by the sealed book. A period of
history that most definitely includes the establishment and fruition of
God's kingdom on this earth. The Church - represented by John - is depicted
as being vitally involved in the process. As the Church ingests what God
has for her she makes history and the mystery of God come together.
This suggests that her call and commission is not that she be taken from
this earth, but that she be a servant of God in it.
As a representative
of the Church, John was told not to record what the seven thunders said.
Now that same voice tells him he will prophesy again. The word “again”
implies that what John was told to seal up will be revealed. Since
that directive comes to an apostle, the revelation of what the seven thunders
uttered will be in the power and authority of apostolic utterance.
John is told
he will prophesy to peoples, nations, tongues, and kings. The reference
to these various people groups suggests that the establishment of God's
kingdom on this earth will not come by cataclysmic change. There will not
be a great upheaval of cultures, kingdoms, and languages. Thus the text
suggests that the transition into the millenium kingdom will be no different
than the move from the Old Testament days to the days of grace. So lets
pay attention! To insist - like the Jews did - that the Kingdom can only
come marked by certain activity sets us up to miss it just like they did.
Since Jesus
reveals this before the sounding of the seventh trumpet indicates that
Jesus is giving us the time and opportunity to prepare for it. Is the Church
of today prepared to receive revelation that will be in the order of canonicity?
Is she prepared to bring the mystery of God and history together? Jesus
said to be watching and ready. Are we? A vast number of the Church
today is looking to escape this earth by a rapture, rather than being ministers
in it. Is that being ready? Much is said today about all of the signs
that are being fulfilled around us: but remember the words of Jesus: The
kingdom of God doesn’t come with observation because the kingdom is within
you. (Luke 17:20) So if you haven't got it inside you, your ability
to identify signs here or there doesn’t mean anything. For if you as a
Bible believing follower of Jesus Christ can’t even recognize the kingdom
within you, then you’re missing it!
It is obvious from
what has been shared in the breaking of the seals and the sounding of the
trumpets that we missed experiencing the Kingdom. The Church didn’t hold
the provisions of Jesus Christ as sacred. We went our own way. We
never stopped to consider that we were deceived, and living in diminished
light. We assumed that our theology was infallible; it couldn’t be faulty!
We assumed and preached that it was the world system that was the problem.
However when those who claim to be God’s kingdom people deny the
power of their ambassadorship, that is a problem. Jesus Christ wants the
Church to be prepared for the ministry He called her to. Because of that
calling Revelation 11 and 12 speaks to the issue of the Churches role in
history.
In Revelation 11:1 John
is given a reed which is like a rod and he is told to measure the temple,
the altar, and those who worship in the temple. He is instructed not to
measure the outside court of the temple because it is given unto the Gentiles.
They will trample under foot the holly city for forty two months.
Dispensational theology
holds that this is a reference to a literal temple in Jerusalem. John is
therefore seen as measuring a literal reconstructed temple. The wording
and details John gives in this passage call the dispensational position
into question.
In order to arrive at a
proper understanding of Revelation we must insist that an image or symbol
must have the same meaning throughout the text. If we accept John as a
representative of the Church in Revelation 4:1 we must do so throughout
the book. So we arrive at Revelation 11:1 with an established fact: John
represents the Church. Therefore it is the Church that is given a measuring
reed like a rod.
According to the text, what
is measured is protected from defilement. What isn’t measured isn’t protected.
Obviously this can’t be a reference to a literal act, for measuring something
doesn’t protect it. We must therefore see the measuring rod as symbolizing
a standard. So what the Church subjects to a standard is protected from
defilement, what is not subjected to a standard is defiled. Has the Church
subjected the temple and its worshippers to a standard? If we aren’t sure
about the identity of the temple, what do we subject to a standard?
Jesus referred to Himself
– His body - as the temple. He said: "Destroy this temple, and in three
days I will raise it up." (John 2:19) In 1 Corinthians 3:9
and following Paul gives support to this concept. He presents the Church
both individually and corporately as the temple of God. In verses 16 and
17 of that same chapter Paul makes it explicitly clear that our body is
the temple of God. Our body is the temple in which the Holy Spirit dwells.(see
1 Cor. 6:19) It is important to note that both Jesus and Paul use the Greek
word "naos" and not "hieron" when speaking of the body as God’s temple.
A study of scripture shows that “hieron” is the word used to designate
the entire temple complex.(See Strong’s Concordance #2411) “Naos” designates
the holy of holies, which was separated from the rest of the temple
by the veil. (see Matt. 27:51) So both Jesus and Paul are agreed “naos”
designates the dwelling place of God. So the Church – corporate and individually
is the dwelling place of God. For this reason the New Testament speaks
of the Church as the body of Christ. (Examples: Eph. 1:23; 4:4;12;16
5:23;30)
In Revelation 11 John uses
the term “naos” when speaking of the temple. If John was predicting a literal
reconstruction of the temple complex why did he use the word “naos” instead
of “hieron”. Since he uses the word “naos” we must insist that he, like
Jesus and Paul, is referring to us – our bodies – as the temple and dwelling
place of God.
Hebrews 8 and 9 make it very clear
that the Jewish temple was only a figure of the true temple. Jesus ministers
in the true temple and He calls John as an Apostle and representative of
the Church to raise a standard for us to steer by. The purpose of that
standard is to protect the worshipper from defilement. Has the Church of
today focussed on protecting the worshipper and their worship from defilement?
When we see scripture as
teaching the re-establishment of what Jesus made obsolete, what is that
saying about our guardianship of the true temple? How can we raise up a
standard for something we don’t understand, or can’t even identify?
Given the parabolic
use of the term “temple” suggests that the term “Gentile” must also be
parabolic. It is evident that scripture allows for a spiritual Israel,
which is not reckoned after the flesh. (Rom. 9:6-8) It is also evident
that Gentiles of the flesh are reckoned to be included in this spiritual
Israel. (Rom. 1:12,13 Gal3:7;29) So in Christ there is neither Jew nor
Gentile but all are one.(Gal.3:28) Therefore John’s use of the term Gentile
should be understood as designating those who are not true worshippers
of God.
John’s call
to measure the temple was so that the individual worshipper would be protected
from defilement. Everything around the individual came under the attack
of the “Gentiles”. The breaking of the seals and the sounding of the trumpets
reveals how the “Gentiles” had full and free access to that which is designated
the outer court. However those who truly worship God are contrasted and
separated from the Gentiles who do not worship God. Even the saints of
God come under attack by the Gentiles. Gentiles tread under foot the holy
city, a reference to the Christian community, the true worshippers of God
as a collective group.
We have already seen
the fulfillment of these words in the breaking of the seals and the sounding
of the trumpets. Society trampled under foot the holy city, but they could
not hurt the oil and wine.
John informs
us that the holy city would be trampled under foot for 42 months.
The 42 months is an actual 1260 years - remember a day equals a year. As
we saw in the breaking of the seals Christianity suffered its greatest
abuses after the decline of the Apostolic era. The purity of the gospel
was adulterated by worldly philosophies and practices. Eventually the possession
and reading of scripture by anyone other than the clergy was forbidden
and designated a crime. However this began to change in the 13th century.
Scripture became available to the laity, and the work of the reformers
established the importance of individual Bible study.
Therefore the
“times of the Gentiles” came to an end at about the year 1260. I
am not dogmatic on that date. We as humans acquire a false sense of security
by setting dates for prophetic events. We assume that because we know the
date we now understand the event. But knowing the date of when a
prophecy is fulfilled does not constitute full understanding. To fully
understand prophecy I must know Jesus, the person of prophecy. So my point
in giving the date of 1260 is to suggest that the time of trampling under
foot the things of God has come to an end. It is time for the Church to
get back to her first love, and to follow through on the messages given
to her in the letters to the seven churches. Those letters call the Church
- take note - call the Church to repentance. She is called to grieve for
the loss of her high and holy calling. Why? As we study Revelation
11 we will find the reasons.
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