Where Does God Live? - Revelation 20-22

In these closing images of the Book we see that the infamous Dragon Is Destroyed (20:1–10) and the People of God, the Church stand in the New Creation (21:1–22:5). The End of Time and the Beginning of Eternity ring with Covenant consummation.  We read in Revelation 21:3 (NLT)

³ I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.

This is the culmination of a great plan. "One concept that runs through scripture from Genesis to Revelation is God dwelling or being present with his people. We see God being present with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Gen 3:8-9). We see it in Moses’ days when the presence of God was represented in the tabernacle, specifically the ark. Once the temple was built it represented the presence of God among the community (1 Kings 8:13), even though they realized it could not contain Him (1 Kings 8:27)." [1]  Even among fickle and failing Israel God said, “I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” (Leviticus 26:11–12, NLT)

With great glory, God in Christ came to dwell with us.  “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” (John 1:14, NLT)

When Christ ascended He promised the coming of the Holy Spirit.  We learn why in John 14:17–18 (NLT)

¹⁷ He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you. ¹⁸ No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.

Now when time is complete so is the pursuit of God to be with His people. “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.” (Revelation 21:3, NLT) "God's dwelling (skene) among his people (v. 3) is a fulfilment of Leviticus 26:11-13, a promise given to the old Jerusalem but forfeited because of apostasy. As a backdrop for the scene, consider Genesis 3, when man lost his fellowship with God (cf. Exod 25:8; Ezek 37:26-27)." [2]

Lord as this post is published on December 31st 2013, the end of a Year, I know I am one step closer to being at home with You.  Perhaps in 2014 I will be forever caught up into Your Presence.  I long for the day that You will make Your Home with Your People.  Forever things will change.  All things will be new.  Our hearts and minds cannot conceive of the the glory to be realized on that day.  Save your people, Lord Jesus.  Save my family.  Bring them to repentance and faith.   Prepare my loved one and I for that eternal home. 

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1. http://mattdabbs.com/2009/08/05/gods-desire-dwell-with-us/

2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Exposition of Revelation/V. Vision of the New Heaven and the New Earth and the New Jerusalem (21:1-22:5)/A. The New Jerusalem (21:1-27), Book Version: 4.0.2

Conquered But Forever the Conquerors - Revelation 12-19

Revelation 12:9–12 (NLT)

⁹ This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night. ¹¹ And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. ¹² Therefore, rejoice, O heavens! And you who live in the heavens, rejoice! But terror will come on the earth and the sea, for the devil has come down to you in great anger, knowing that he has little time.”

"The dragon’s expulsion from heaven shows that Satan cannot press charges as the accuser of our brothers because the Lamb shed his blood for them and they maintain their testimony of trust even unto death. Although “conquered” by the beast physically in death (11:7; 13:7), in fact the martyrs have conquered both the beast (15:2) and the dragon that empowers it. They have conquered him is set in ironic and beautiful contrast to 13:7." [1] [Emphasis mine!]

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1.  Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2480). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

Praying for Judgement - Revelation 8:6 - 11

"After the interlude of chap. 7, the seventh seal is opened and judgment continues. Seven angels receive seven trumpets that signal further wrath when blown. Four of the trumpets in chap. 8 affect nature. The remaining three trumpets, which signal wrath against sinful humanity, come later." [1]

Revelation 8:3–5 (NLT)

"³ Then another angel with a gold incense burner came and stood at the altar. And a great amount of incense was given to him to mix with the prayers of God’s people as an offering on the gold altar before the throne. ⁴ The smoke of the incense, mixed with the prayers of God’s holy people, ascended up to God from the altar where the angel had poured them out. ⁵ Then the angel filled the incense burner with fire from the altar and threw it down upon the earth; and thunder crashed, lightning flashed, and there was a terrible earthquake."

Is it not intriguing that the outpouring of God's judgement on earth is" probably in response to the prayers of the saints in 6:10?" [2]   "Symbolically, this represents the answer to the prayers of the saints through the visitation on earth of God's righteous judgments." [3]

It's not socially correct to pray for God's judgment, but these prayers called imprecatory prayers  are thought to be contrary to New Testament passivity and charity.  But it seems clear that to pray for God's judgment to fall on the wicked and for His Kingdom to come is not only illustrated here but appropriate. John Piper [4] says,

Suppose the Gestapo or some contemporary form of it is sweeping through your neighborhood and, in the most brutal way, wiping people out. Killing people. I think you would pray, "God, stop them! Do whatever you have to do to stop them!" Or, when they're in prison, "God, this was so wrong!"

So I want to say that there may be a time when you're calling God's judgment on somebody

Although we proceed slowly, whenever we pray, "Thy Kingdom come" we essentially pray for judgment on God's enemies.

My Lord and God.  You are the King.  You reign today in the midst of your enemies.  You will reign until all your enemies are made your footstool and every tongue will confess you as Lord.  I pray for Your glory.  I pray that the you come Lord Jesus.  I pray that Your Kingdom will come and Your will be done.  I pray that the kingdoms of the world will become the Kingdoms of You my God and King. Save Your elect.  Call the number of the Gentiles in. Revive Israel in these last days and come Lord Jesus come.  


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1.  Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Re 8:1–13). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2. Ibid, (Re 8:5)
3. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Revelation/Exposition of Revelation/III. Vision of the Seven-Sealed Scroll, the Seven Trumpets, the Seven Signs, and the Seven Bowls (4:1-19:10)/B. The Seven Trumpets (8:2-11:19)/1. Preparatory: the angel and the golden censer (8:2-5), Book Version: 4.0.2
4. http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/ask-pastor-john/do-christians-have-permission-to-pray-imprecatory-prayers

The Elect Among the Elect - Revelation 6-8:5

The seals of the scroll which only the Lamb can open (6:1) bring political domination, death, devastation and disease.  This is all developing as time flows purposely toward the great day of God's wrath (6:17).  But wait! What of God's people?

 “And I saw another angel coming up from the east, carrying the seal of the living God. And he shouted to those four angels, who had been given power to harm land and sea, “Wait! Don’t harm the land or the sea or the trees until we have placed the seal of God on the foreheads of his servants.”” (Revelation 7:2–3, NLT)

Prior to the seventh seal the Apostle sees again the scene in the throne room.  Included now he sees some clothed in white.  Who are they?“And I said to him, “Sir, you are the one who knows.” Then he said to me, “These are the ones who died in the great tribulation. They have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb and made them white.” (Revelation 7:14, NLT).    They are now forever in the Presence of God and “. . . And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.”” (Revelation 7:17b, NLT).

Prior to that during the outpouring of the fifth seal, John saw a group under the altar calling.  These are martyrs.  The full number were not there yet. “Then a white robe was given to each of them. And they were told to rest a little longer until the full number of their brothers and sisters—their fellow servants of Jesus who were to be martyred—had joined them.” (Revelation 6:11, NLT).

The Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ is the ultimate hand behind all events that take place on the earth.  Even the number of martyrs is numbered.  There is an elect among the Elect.  Yet through this whole scene from the first seal through to the coming wrath, there is worship and praise in Heaven.  God's people martyred in the Tribulation are safe with Him.

Lord I find the events confusing.  It is hard to read these events and have it all clear in my mind.  Are they in the future?  Are we within the midst of them?  This I know that none of these events take place without Your sovereign permission.  And through all this, Your people are preserved.  Even the the martyred heads are ultimately not touched.  

 

"Silence is appropriate in anticipation of the Lord’s coming judgment (Zeph. 1:7–10; Zech. 2:13)." [1]

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1.  Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2474). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

 

 

Then They All Fall Down! Revelation 4-5

What an 'other-worldly' scene depicted by John in Revelation 4 & 5!  I note that:

“Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). . . . ..” (Revelation 4:9–10, NLT).

And again ...

   “And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:8–9, NLT)

The 24 elders fall in worship when the supremacy of God is lifted in praise. They also fall when the Lamb of God enters and takes the scroll.  What is that scroll? I think the scroll is the unfolding and opening of God timetable. "In a broader sense, the scroll contains God’s purposes for history, but its seven seals prevent the full disclosure and enactment of its contents."[1] The Church sings praises to the redemption of the Son among all peoples.

There is, I think, a relationship between the unfolding of history and the salvation of the elect.  Could it not be that our sovereign God has ordained all the events of this world, both small and great to show His majesty and power and to redeem His people?  What the people of God recognize now will be eventually recognized by all. "Eventually, every knee “in heaven, on earth, and under the earth” will bow and “every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:11)." [2]

Lord you deserve my worship.  You are the sovereign, creator -- God of all gods.  You rule and majesty and glory.  Your Church knows this.  We also know that all the events of this life are ultimately ordained to save Your elect and bring all people to recognize the righteous rule of Your Son, my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.  All events ... contribute the the redemption of Your Church and the submission of all peoples everywhere.  

"He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood,

and has set me free from the tyranny of the devil.
He also watches over me in such a way
that not a hair can fall from my head
without the will of my Father in heaven:
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation." [3]

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1. Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2470). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

2. Ibid, (2471).

3. Heidelberg Catechism

 

Do You Know What I Am Saying? Revelation 1-3

““Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.”” (Revelation 3:22, NLT)  

Christ is radiantly glorious and victorious.  He is sovereign and supreme over all.   His Spirit has a message to the churches.  We live amongst false doctrine and persecution.   We also live with dedicated and faithful Christians.  We live with cold and casual Christianity.  We are called to repent, remain faithful.

The picture is radically normal! It is earth-shakenly average.  It's a picture of the 21st Century.  Nothing the Spirit says is a surprise. This is Christianity in the midst of a world where Christ rules in the midst of His enemies.  The message is "deal with it."   Deal with the false; deal with the nominal Christians; deal with the opposition; deal with the encouragement.  How?  Persevere and remain faithful.

Accept the world as it is and not as you wish it was.  Christ is on the throne.  Deal with it. 

Sometimes we picture the situation in extremes.  We make the Church appear to be too apostate or too triumphant.  We make the world to be the enemy instead of the false nominalism within the Church -- and vice versa.  Sometimes the enemy is neither -- its in me; in you.  This is the world -- a mixed bag of good and bad.  We are called to respond in faithfulness to the Voice of the Holy Spirit.

Lord help me face this very normal, average day, expecting that I will face all realms of possibility: some great, some horrid.  Lord help me face this day knowing that You are sovereign and supreme.  I can trust you to enable me to be faithful and persevere.   I can.  That's what you are saying to the Churches!

What Is Real About Reality TV?

I was recently listening to a podcast by The Gospel Coalition entitled "Going Deeper with TGC."  The topic was My Top 10 Theology Stories of2013 by Mark Mellinger, as interviewed by Colin Hansen. One of them asked an interesting question in the interview: "What is real about Reality TV?"  That grabbed my attention, because it was meant to be rhetorical.  The answer is nothing!    Reality TV is not real. 

Reality television is a type of program that attempts to show actual events and it seems to usually employ characters that aren't known to be movie stars (although that is not always true).   I read that it started in about the 1990s but by all accounts on my satellite provider's program listing, it is exploding!   In our home we watch such things as restaurant makeovers to Duck Dynasty.  From 'little people' to people with huge families, these shows seem to attract a huge audience – all on the pretense of reality!

So what is reality? The dictionary tells us it’s a noun that is:

1. The quality or state of being actual or true; or
2. That which exists objectively and in fact.

This hunger for reality is a tell-tale sign of the human frustration.  There is a sense where reality escapes all of us.  This quote is attributed to Heraclitus of Ephesus: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.”  Everyone of us and everything in nature is in flux – changing.  There is only one being that is a true being.  As Dr. R.C. Sproul says, "God is being, not becoming, not changing. He is eternally the same. And so we say there’s one being."  We are becoming.  We are changing.  God is always the same.

In that sense there is but one reality in the universe: God. In Exodus 3:11-14 God reveals Himself to be “Ehyeh-Asher-Ehyeh” (I Am who I Am).  "[He] replied, I AM THAT I AM, using the verb to be (Heb hāyāh). It means "I am the One who is" . . . This is also supported by LXX reading: egō ei’mi o‘ ōn. God expressed the unchanging, eternal, self-existence of His being." [1]

God is always "I am".  He is eternal.  He is unchanging.  He can never be better than He was yesterday.  He needs no improvement.  God is the ultimate Reality.

Perhaps the hunger for Reality TV is a hidden passion to find something that is actually true – actually the way it is.  Many today are longing for that reality but don't know where to find it.  The Apostle Paul makes it clear: It is “. . . the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God . . . Jesus Christ as Lord . . ..” (2 Corinthians 4:4–5, ESV)  


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1. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (124). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

 

 

The Christmas Angels Were Calvinists!

Author and pastor, Anthony Carter writes, “Our world is fond of talking about peace. We hold peace summits and rallies. We establish peace accords and treaties. We even hand out peace prizes . . . Yet, for all of its summits, accords, and Nobel Prizes, the world has not achieved peace . . ..”[1]  Of course you don't need to be a pastor or author to know that.  The world knows that!  Yet 2000 years ago a message came to the world through angels to shepherds: 

 “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, AV) (or so reads the King James Version.)

Paul identifies that this pronouncement of peace came at a great cost to our Savior.  In Colossians 1:19–20 (ESV).

¹⁹ For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

Christ came as the Prince of Peace that through the Cross He might provide peace to men and women. But unlike the translation omission of the King James Version, this peace just doesn't naturally fall upon everyone.  The ESV like the NASB, translates the angel’s announcement this way: ““Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”” (Luke 2:14, ESV).   The NIV renders the verse “. . . on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”” (Luke 2:14, NIV).

Our English Bibles seem to struggle with this announcement.  How do we properly communicate it?  As I study the text it seems as if the translators go around the issue.  So how should we understand what the angels are communicating?  Well Luke uses the same phrase in chapter 10. The NIV seems to capture the idea so well.  Notice what it says,

“At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” (Luke 10:21, NIV)

Now that phrase "what you were pleased to do" is the same phrase used by the angels.  Matthew also uses this phrase (the only other time it is used in the Gospels).  Notice what he writes (Again I'm using the NIV): “At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” (Matthew 11:25–26, NIV)

Consistently again the idea being conveyed by this word "what you were pleased to do." So if we were going to maintain our consistency, we must conclude that the angels' announcement conveys the idea that God peace is given to those whom "He is pleased to give to."  Daryll Bock, who has written an exceptional commentary on Luke and Acts notes:

"The praise of the heavenly host offers honor to God and peace to men on whom his favor rests. This last phrase is not a declaration of universal salvation but refers to those who are the special objects of God's grace . . . They are the "saved" or the "elect," those on whom God has bestowed the favor of his grace."[2]

This is supported by the original text as noted by the NET Bible notation.  I quote:

"'Most witnesses (א² B² L Θ Ξ Ψ Ë^1,13 Ï sy bo) have ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκία (en anqrwpoi" eudokia, “good will among people”) instead of ἐν ἀνθρώποις εὐδοκίας (en anqrwpoi" eudokia", “among people with whom he is pleased”), a reading attested by א* A B* D W pc (sa). Most of the Itala witnesses and some other versional witnesses reflect a Greek text which has the genitive εὐδοκίας but drops the preposition ἐν. Not only is the genitive reading better attested, but it is more difficult than the nominative.' The meaning seems to be, not that divine peace can be bestowed only where human good will is already present, but that at the birth of the Saviour God’s peace rests on those whom he has chosen in accord with his good pleasure” (TCGNT 111)."[3]

The point is that God’s peace is not something people, earn, it is gift – a gift given according to the delights of His own good pleasure of God’s will. When we truly experience God’s peace we learn that it is all of grace.  It is a gift.  John MacArthur notes: "The verb form of the same word is used in 3:22; 12:32. In each case, it refers to God’s sovereign good pleasure. So a better rendering here might be “peace toward men on whom God’s sovereign pleasure rests.”^[4]

A faithful rendering of the text this Christmas will not avoid the notion that peace and reconciliation are gracious gifts of the Father, bestowed upon those whom He has sovereignly and freely chosen.  “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Ephesians 1:7–10, ESV).

The Christmas angels believed in the sovereign, merciful electing love of God in Christ. 

 

 

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[1] Carter; Anthony (2013-03-19). Blood Work (p. 61). Reformation Trust Publishing. Kindle Edition.

[2] http://www.biblegateway.com/resources/commentaries/IVP-NT/Luke/Birth-Jesus

[3] http://classic.net.bible.org/passage.php?passage=Luk%202:8-14#n22

^[4] The MacArthur Study Bible. 1997 (J. MacArthur, Jr., Ed.) (electronic ed.) (1515). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.