Home thoughts from abroad.wordpress.com

Revelation 22:1-5: Paradise!

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. ³ No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴ They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. NIV

Matthew Henry points out that the image of the glorious and ultimate future switches from a city to a paradise. Paradise lost will one day become paradise more than restored!

‘The heavenly state which was before described as a city, and called the new Jerusalem, is here described as a paradise, alluding to the earthly paradise which was lost by the sin of the first Adam; here is another paradise restored by the second Adam. A paradise in a city, or a whole city in a paradise! In the first paradise there were only two persons to behold the beauty and taste the pleasures of it; but in this second paradise whole cities and nations shall find abundant delight and satisfaction.’

As we read through these verses we are transported back to the first two chapters of the Bible. We hear a number of echoes from the Garden of Eden. But here there is no serpent; no more ‘’curse’’ (3), and as with the first paradise, the central feature is intimate fellowship with God Himself.

I read recently about two men who visited a monk called Elias. One of them said about him that his ‘eyes so eradiated the experience he talked about’. He repeatedly said, ‘The Lord is good, so good to me’, and he spoke about the sun and the clouds, the rain and the winds, the wheat and the weeds, the heat and the cold, all as great gifts of the Lord to bring him into a closer, more intimate, relationship with Him. ‘’Isn’t the rain beautiful?’’ He said. Why do we keep resisting rain? Why do we only want the sun when we should be willing to be soaked by the rain? The Lord wants to soak us with his grace and love. Isn’t it marvellous when we can feel the Lord in so many ways and get to know him better and better! He lets us experience his presence even now in all that surrounds us. Imagine how it must be when we can see him face to face!’’ ‘

PRAYER: O Lord, it is beyond my natural ability to imagine what it will be like to see you in all your glory, but I thank you I have that hope because of the merits of Jesus. Even now, I pray that I may increasingly reflect your glory, that people may meet you in me.

Revelation 21:9-27: The Beautiful City.

⁹ One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues came and said to me, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ ¹⁰ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God. ¹¹ It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. ¹² It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. ¹³ There were three gates on the east, three on the north, three on the south and three on the west. ¹⁴ The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.¹⁵ The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city, its gates and its walls. ¹⁶ The city was laid out like a square, as long as it was wide. He measured the city with the rod and found it to be 12,000 stadia^[a] in length, and as wide and high as it is long. ¹⁷ The angel measured the wall using human measurement, and it was 144 cubits^[b] thick.^{[c] 18} The wall was made of jasper, and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. ¹⁹ The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.^{[d] 21} The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass.²² I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. ²³ The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. ²⁴ The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendour into it. ²⁵ On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. ²⁶ The glory and honour of the nations will be brought into it. ²⁷ Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” NIV

Cities can be downright ugly. And even beautiful ones can appear cracked and flawed and faded – looking quite different ‘on the ground’ to how they appeared in the travel brochures. Every traveller, at some time or other, has probably resonated with the saying, ‘It is better to travel hopefully than to arrive.’ But here is a city that will outshine its description. This is the future of the church. Matthew Henry says:

‘And now we have a large description of the church triumphant under the emblem of a city, far exceeding in riches and splendour all the cities of this world…’

However, the presence of God Himself will be the chief glory of this city. The essence of ‘heaven’ is to live in the light of God forever: ‘…there is no need of the sun or moon, any more than we have need to set up candles at noonday, when the sun shine the in its strength.’’

In the light of verses 24 and 26, Matthew Henry again helps us by saying: ‘Whatever is excellent and valuable in the world shall be there enjoyed in a more refined kind, and to a far greater degree…’

Jesus keeps the best wine until last (John 2:10)

Revelation 21:1-8: There’s a new world coming 2!

“Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death” or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’⁶ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.’” NIV

Here is a further comment on this passage from Tom Wright:

‘What God did in Jesus, coming to an unknowing world and an unwelcoming people, he is doing on a cosmic scale. He is coming to live, for ever, in our midst, a healing, comforting, celebrating presence. And the idea of ‘incarnation’, so long a key topic in our thinking about Jesus, is revealed as the key topic in our thinking about God’s future for the world. Heaven and earth were joined together in Jesus; heaven and earth will one day be joined fully and for ever. Paul says exactly the same thing in Ephesians 1.10.’ ‘Revelation for Everyone’, p.188

Revelation 21:1-8: ‘There’s a new world coming’.

Then I saw ‘a new heaven and a new earth,’^[a] for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. ³ And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Look! God’s dwelling-place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ⁴ “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death”^[b] or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.’⁵ He who was seated on the throne said, ‘I am making everything new!’ Then he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’⁶ He said to me: ‘It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. ⁷ Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸ But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practise magic arts, the idolaters and all liars – they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur. This is the second death.’ NIV

A few decades ago, the American author, Hal Lindsay, wrote a book about ‘Revelation’. It was entitled: ‘There’s a new world coming.’ One day, there will be a brand new universe. What a prospect. The apostle Peter puts it like this:

‘’But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells’’ (2 Peter 3:13). It’s worth reading the whole of that third chapter if you can make the time. See also Isaiah 65:17 and 66:22, for some Old Testament background.

As indescribably beautiful as this new universe will be, the essence of the new order will be an unclouded relationship with God. This present world, as wonderful as it can be, is a ‘vale of tears’. That is going to change. There is coming a day when there will be no more parting. See the Divine personal touch: ‘’He will wipe every tear from their eyes’’ (4; see 7:17b). It’s like a loving parent tenderly comforting an infant.

The Lord who is ‘’the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End’’, begins things and ends things, and He will bring to an end this current order. But not everyone will share in the blessing of the new. That is clear from our reading.

Revelation 20:7-15: An unpopular message.

“When the thousand years are over, Satan will be released from his prison ⁸ and will go out to deceive the nations in the four corners of the earth – Gog and Magog – and to gather them for battle. In number they are like the sand on the seashore. ⁹ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God’s people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. ¹⁰ And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever.¹¹ Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. The earth and the heavens fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. ¹² And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. ¹³ The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what they had done. ¹⁴ Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. ¹⁵ Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.”NIV

There may be much in the detail here that we do not understand, but we can be clear about 2 certainties:

1. The eventual, utter and final overthrow of the devil and all evil;
2. There will be a day of judgment for No-one will escape. This is not a popular message today, but you would have to disembowel the Bible to avoid it.

In this world, the little people lose out to the big people again and again. The big people can buy anything they want, including justice. But God cannot be bribed. Who can describe the appalling horror of that day for those who do not know Him? There will surely be such burning regret, to know it could all have been different. The author, Dorothy L. Sayers, once said that the essence of Hell is ‘the truth discovered too late.’

You may feel a little confused by the repetition of the idea that people are going to be judged ‘’according to what they had done’’ (12,13). But I remember Jim Packer writing in his outstanding book, ‘Knowing God’, that in the Bible salvation is always by grace, but judgment is always according to works, for it is by our fruits we are known. The works are the indicator, the litmus test, of whether there really is saving faith in the heart (see James 2:14-26).

Revelation 20:1-6: ‘God’s devil!’

“And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. ² He seized the dragon, that ancient snake, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. ³ He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations any more until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.⁴ I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They^[a] had not worshipped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. ⁵ (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. ⁶ Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” NIV

I believe it was Archbishop William Temple who was once asked, ‘Where is the soul in the body?’ He replied, brilliantly in my opinion, ‘Where the music is in the organ.’ Well, there is great encouragement in today’s reading for those who are faithful to Jesus to the point of death. John ‘’saw’’ their souls. Death was not the end of any of them, and they receive their reward.

There is also great encouragement for us all, that Satan is under God’s authority. Look again at the language used: ‘’…seized…bound…Threw him…locked and sealed…to keep him.’’ Even now the devil is on a chain. Admittedly, it’s a long chain, so he has considerable (although restricted) freedom. But, as Martin Luther famously said, he is always ‘God’s devil!’

Revelation 19:11-21: Total Victory.

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre.’^[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in mid-air, ‘Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.’¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” NIV

There may be a lot of picture language employed here, but it is clearly pointing to the final and complete victory of the Lord Jesus Christ over all evil. Nothing devilish or demonic can possibly win in the end. So even before the ‘final whistle’ we know the result.

This passage takes us back to Psalm 2. Consider particularly these words:

‘’Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him’’ (verses 10-12).

Another important Old Testament passage for understanding today’s reading Isaiah 63:1-6. When we read that Jesus’ is ‘’dressed in a robe dipped in blood’’ (13), that this is probably not His own, but that of His enemies. God’s judgment is real, and He is to be feared. Let us make sure we ‘’take refuge in’’ God in Christ. He is the only safe place (House) in the universe.

Revelation 19: 11-21: The mystery of Christ.

¹¹ I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. ¹² His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. ¹³ He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. ¹⁴ The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. ¹⁵ Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. ‘He will rule them with an iron sceptre.’^[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. ¹⁶ On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.¹⁷ And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in mid-air, ‘Come, gather together for the great supper of God, ¹⁸ so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.’¹⁹ Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. ²⁰ But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshipped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulphur. ²¹ The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.” NIV

The battle has been long and hard, but in the end Jesus wins!                                             Here is the Leader we all long for. One day He will appear. He is Faithful and True’’ and totally Just (11). He has complete knowledge, and exercises absolute rule (12a; note the repetition from 1:14b). But, there is a mystery about the Person of Christ that we will never fully fathom. However much we do know, by grace, there will always be so much more to know:

‘’He has a name written on him that no-one knows but he himself’’ (12b).

‘Only the Son of God can understand the mystery of His own being.’ H.B.Swete. Therefore, like John in chapter 1, we belong at His feet. May we always feel the wonder of Jesus.

Revelation 19:1-10: A Wedding and a Feast

Once again, Old Testament roots are showing through here. In the first part of the Bible we see Israel portrayed as God’s bride (see for example Isaiah 54/55). We also find there the theme of God’s great banquet with a wide invitation given to many (Isaiah 25:6-10). Jesus Himself used the theme of a king’s marriage supper for his son (Matthew 22:1-14; see also Matthew 25:1-13). He also hinted at the related theme of having appropriate clothing for the event. Tom Wright says that this moment, described in Revelation 19, is what the world has been waiting for ever since Genesis 1. Looked at from one angle, the Bible tells a great love story. God and His people are going to be married. They will be together for ever, and there will be a ‘happy ever after.’

Note how differently God’s ‘’bride’’ is dressed (7b/8), compared with that gaudy prostitute Babylon (18:16). Our clothing says a lot about us. The church’s dress is a gift of sheer grace:

‘’Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear’’ (8). She didn’t earn it. It’s a precious gift.

A child once asked a preacher why Jesus never got married. His reply: ‘One day He’s going to be!’