Today’s reading is Revelation 1:1-2:29.

I’m going to branch out a bit and cover some things in Monday’s reading as well. Regrettably, the way the reading schedule falls it divides up the letters to the seven churches of Asia and today I simply have some questions and thoughts about those seven churches.

First, I can’t help but notice the contrast between the church in Ephesus and the church in Pergamum. The Ephesians hated the work of the Nicolaitans. The Pergamumites, Pergamumonians, whatever, allowed those who held to the teaching of the Nicolaitans to be members of the congregation. I wonder if the the Christians at Ephesus ever talked about the Christians at Pergamum. Of course, they might not talk about them directly, but in hushed undertones. They might talk about them in veiled allusions. They might talk about how pitiful the church at Pergamum was. After all, Ephesus must have committed, godly, faithful members. They were enduring patiently and bearing up for Jesus’ name’s sake. They most definitely had distinctive preaching and strong leaders who would not allow error to creep its way in. They even tested men who claimed to be apostles. They wouldn’t put up with false apostles.

I can easily see how the Ephesian church would look at Pergamum and see them as a weak and flailing congregation. Surely no one should be a member of that pathetic church when they could be part of a strong congregation like Ephesus. And yet, Ephesus had a problem. They had left their first love. They weren’t actually as great as they thought. In fact, they weren’t really any better than Pergamum. They had different problems, but they had problems nonetheless. Both were in danger of discipline from God. What both needed to do instead of looking out at other churches, was work on their own internal problems, correcting them.

What I learn from this is that I shouldn’t sit on my high horse about how much better my congregation is than other congregations. Maybe we aren’t the dead church or the lukewarm church or the left its first love church or the in fellowship with error church (then again, maybe we are). But we have our problems. We need to look inside and work on us.

Now to the questions. I don’t know how often I get asked by people, “When should I leave a church?” Perhaps you have been asked the same question. Surely if something is being taught or being practiced that is a sin, we should go. That seems like a no-brainer. And yet, I can’t help but notice both Thyatire and Sardis. Thyatira was in fellowship with Jezebel. That can’t be good. She was a false prophet. She was seducing Christians to practice sexual immorality and eat things offered to idols. I assume that means they were doing this in a way to serve idols. Surely I should leave any church that is in fellowship with a false prophet seducing Christians to commit sexual immorality. And yet, what did Jesus say to those who didn’t hold her teaching? “I do not lay on you any other burden. Only hold fast what you have until I come.” What’s up with that?

Then there is Sardis. This is a dead church. They have a reputation for life, but they are deader than a coffin nail. Their works were incomplete and they were about to die. However, there were a few who had not soiled their garments. What did Jesus say to them? Did he advise them to leave and find a church like Smyrna or Philadelphia? Actually, he didn’t say anything to them other than that they would walk with him in white for they were worthy. What’s up with that?

So, here’s my question. Are we asking the wrong question when we ask when we should leave? Maybe the right question is how do we stay and help strengthen the church we’re in. What do you think?

***Question: What do you do to help strengthen the church you are in?

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

Today’s reading is Revelation 19:1-20:15.

The Revelation 19:11-16 description of Jesus is not the picture we like to think of very often. But there it is.

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. 

Wow!

He judges and makes war. His eyes are a flame of fire. His robe is dipped in blood. A sword comes from His mouth. He rules with a rod of iron. He treads out fury of God’s wrath. Armies follow behind Him. 

That is our Savior. That is a far cry from the Casper Milquetoast fellow so many make Him out to be. Today we are told Jesus just loves so much. How could He possibly judge anyone? Even when we see this picture, we rather like to think of Him as only behaving that way toward the really, really bad people, at least the people who are worse than us.

Basically what I get from this is I want to be on His side. I don’t want to be on the receiving end of the sword and trampling. I want to be following along behind. The issue is not really how good I am. The issue is have I surrendered my life to Him. He wins. I better be on His side.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 17:1-18:24.

Babylon, the great, the city which was the center of attack against Christianity is fallen. Among those who realize this book is about the persecution those early saints were facing, some suggest this city is Jerusalem and others Rome. Sadly, some today are trying to figure out which city of our future this will be. That is a mistake. But no time to discuss that now.

What I couldn’t help noticing was why so many were enamored with the city. I couldn’t help noticing why so many chose this prostitute over the holy mother of Revelation 12. 

Revelation 17:11-17 shows the merchants mourning because there was no more cargo. The delicacies and pleasure were gone. We are often enamored with the harlotry of sin because of the momentary pleasures. Let’s face it. Sin is fun. It’s exciting. It offers a lot in the moment. We may even hang out there a while enjoying the spoils and pleasures of our immorality. But its end is death and judgment. Don’t be fooled.

Revelation 17:17-20 shows the shipmasters mourning because they could no longer get rich off the cities harlotry. We are often enamored with the harlotry of sin because it can grease our pockets with material goods. I can’t help but think of the e-mail I received this morning about Apple accepting pornographic apps for the iPhone now. Very sad. Folks don’t traffic in this harlotry because it is healthy, they do so because it can make them wealthy and they know it.

The key, however, is that all those who are enamored with this harlotry will be judged in one hour. One hour they will be living the high life (maybe) and the next, they will be judged.

Of course, there is an interesting verse in Revelation 17:16. “And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire…” That is interesting because these are the ten kings are integrally connected with the prostitute. They hate her but they will mourn for her in Revelation 18:9. How does this make sense? I see it as the trap of sin. It promises so much and so we are enamored with it, but it delivers so little. Therefore we hate it. But we keep thinking the next trick will provide the satisfaction. It’s a trap. We hate it and love it all at the same time. When we are trapped in the harlotry of sin, we see the damage it causes and want to stop. But we are enthralled with its promises and so we push farther in it, constantly disappointed. 

So, those enamored with Babylon the Great, may not be living such a high life. They may be caught in the ever spinning ratwheel of sin trying to catch the carrot of sinful satisfaction but only getting exhausted and falling into despair. Yet, they just won’t get off the wheel. Then judgment will come and they’ll mourn.

Remember, sin promises much. It provides little. And if you continue to be enamored with it, you will eventually mourn its destruction and your judgment.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 15:1-16:21.

I’m sure you get tired of me saying, “I don’t know how many times I’ve read ___________, but today I saw something I hadn’t noticed before.” Yet, that is why we keep reading the New Testament. It doesn’t matter how many times we’ve read it, there is still more. In fact, if I hadn’t read it the first time, I probably wouldn’t have seen what I did the second. If I hadn’t read it the second time, I probably wouldn’t have seen what I did the third. And so on.

Today, Revelation 15:2 caught my attention. It says, “And I saw what appeared to be a sea of glass mingled with fire–and also those who had conquered the beast and its image and the number of its name, standing beside the sea of glass with harps of God in their hands.”

Did you catch that? John sees those who “had conquered.” Not “will conquer,” “are conquering,” or even “may conquer.” Those who had conquered the beast, its image, and the number of its name. These folks had already won the battle.

Yet, the next few chapters deal with God’s plagues on the beast, its image, and those who wear the number of its name. The beast isn’t defeated until Revelation 19:20-21. How can we see those who “had conquered” the beast?

The problem is so many are trained to read Revelation as if it a timeline. We start with the events closest to the New Testament in the first few chapters and then we progress on to the end of the world. But that is just not the case. This book is not meant to be a prophetic timeline. This book is a series of apocalyptic visions that make the same point over and over and over again. The visions themselves are not timelines. They are pictures making a point. The point over and over again is simply this. 

God wins. God’s people win.

Therefore, we shouldn’t be surprised to see a picture of the saints victorious over the beast in Revelation 15:2 but see another picture of the beasts demise in Revelation 19:20-21.

I know for many this concept is a complete paradigm shift for reading Revelation. However, please remember that John was writing this book to help Christians with the distress they were facing. He wasn’t writing something that showed what would happen in some far-off, future distress. They didn’t need to know what might happen thousands of years later, they needed to know that they were going to win back when this book was written. Therefore, over and again, John shows visions of judgments on the beast.

Remember always–God wins!

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 13:1-14:20.

Back in Revelation 12 we saw the dragon, the serpent of old, that is Satan. Now in Revelation 13 we see his two beasts. There is the sea beast with crowns, reminiscent of the beasts of Daniel’s vision in Daniel 7. Those beasts represented kingdoms, governments. This beast does as well. In the context of Revelation, we see the Roman government, depicted by the final amazing and indescribable beast in Daniel 7:7.

Further, we see the land beast with horns like a lamb and the voice of a dragon. Do you see the mixture of Jesus and Satan here? This beast performs signs and causes people to worship the sea beast. Just as in Rome, the eventual standard worship was emperor worship. This beast represents false religion.

Now we see the evil and unholy trinity–Satan, persecuting government, and false religion. (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying government is inherently evil, all authority is given by God.) See how they mirror the true and holy trinity. Satan trying to take the role of the Father as the sovereign ruler. The government, or the emperor, taking the place of God’s representative on earth, the king. Trying to fill the role of the Son. And then false religion, giving signs and wonders, pointing back to the emperor. This beast is trying to fill the role of the Holy Spirit.

That is the picture. We don’t need to look for some time in the future that fills all the details of the picture, we need to see the big picture and the contrast. Here is Satan, land beast, and sea beast contrasted with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Who will win?

That gets us into Revelation 14. God’s side wins. The true Lamb has sealed His followers. Those who don’t have His seal will take the mark of the beast. Then the lamb will reap his harvest. This is the harvest of His faithful followers who are removed from judgment. They are the fruit of the Spirit if you will. Then the angel of the Lord puts in his sickle. This is the judgment of those marked by the beast. They are harvested and then trampled in the winepress of the Lord’s wrath.

God’s side wins. Remember, we are supposed to be keeping the message of this book (Revelation 1:3). What message do we keep from these chapters? Be on God’s side. Satan may tempt us. Government may persecute us. False religion may attract us. They may seem to be winning, but they will not. They will lose and be judged. We can either be gathered in with the wheat as the Son of Man harvests His followers. Or we will be gathered in with the grapes and trampled in the winepress of God’s wrath. I know which I prefer.

Here is the deal. The unholy trinity may seem all-powerful while the persecution wages. In the end, however, they are powerless. At the right time, God will call His children home and judge those who do not follow Him.

Please, don’t relegate Revelation as a prophetic book that tells of some distantly future something or other. Recognize the message for right now. No matter who opposes and no matter how much it looks like they are winning, they will lose. Stay on God’s side.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 9:1-10:11.

In Revelation 10:4, John wrote: “And when the seven thunders had sounded, I was about to write, but I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Seal up what the seven thunders have said, and do not write it down.’”

WHAT?!

I want to know what they said. How could God not let us know? Why even tantalize us by letting us know the seven thunders actually said something and then not tell us? I’m reminded of a line from The Princess Bride. “Get used to disappointment.”

What this reminds me is God’s Word doesn’t tell us everything. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, “Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” The Preacher’s point was God has made us curious about everything. However, He simply hasn’t given us all the answers.

However, while He didn’t reveal what the seven thunders said, He did reveal what was needed. I may never know exactly where the Garden of Eden was, what Jesus wrote in the sand, or what the seven thunders said. But I can know what I need to serve God, be forgiven, and dwell in heaven. 

It’s okay to be curious. It’s okay to study and strive to learn as much as we possibly can even about things that aren’t explicitly revealed. However, in the end we have to come to grips with the fact that God simply hasn’t told us everything. But He has told us what we need to know. Our responsibility is to keep what He has said and not get bogged down in what He hasn’t.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 7:1-8:13.

Regrettably, so many have misunderstood Revelation 7:4-8. They have turned these into some kind of special Christian. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have these as the heaven dwellers while the rest of God’s children live on a recreated earth. Some believe these are the Jews who turn to Christ during the supposed tribulation. 

This is so sad because it causes the very beautiful point behind this picture to be completely lost. Revelation 7:3 said, “Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of God on their foreheads.”

The point is God is coming in judgment on the world and all who are in it. However, God’s children do not have to fear that judgment. He knows those who are His. He won’t accidentally judge and condemn any who have entered Christ. 

This seal is in contrast to those who turn to the beast and the false prophet, sealed with the number of the beast in Revelation 13:16-18. God also knows those who aren’t His.

If you are in Christ, take comfort, when God comes in judgment, He’ll do what is right. We can trust Him to know us and protect us for all eternity.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Today’s reading is Revelation 1:1-2:29.

Revelation 1:3 says, “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.”

Interestingly, while we categorize Revelation with the genre of Apocalyptic (or some take the easy but not altogether correct label of Prophecy), there is a sense in which it should also be considered an Epistle. In fact, Revelation 1:11 says John is to record what he sees and send it to seven churches in Asia. Chapters 2 and 3 are very specifically epistles to those congregations.

That explains what Revelation 1:3 is all about. The one who reads aloud is the member of the congregation who reads this epistle to the congregation. Those who hear are those in attendance, but not who simply let the words flow into their ears. The ones who actually listen are meant here. As Jesus often said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” It is not enough for the sound waves to attach our ear drums. Rather, the words must enter our heads and our hearts.

But the part that really gets me is “…and who keep what is written in it.” I’ve rarely considered Revelation a book to be kept. I’ve seen it as a book that said what was coming. I’ve seen it as a book that explained what some people did or would do. However, I’ve not generally seen it as a book to be kept.

However, isn’t that what every writing in the New Testament is? Aren’t they all books to be kept? Aren’t they all books to not simply inform or narrate, but books to be followed? I think this one little verse gives us some insight into Scripture. Scripture is not given to simply tell us how God feels for us. It is not given to simply tell us what God has done for us. It is not given to simply tell us what God will do for us. It is given to tell us how to respond to all of that. We need to keep it.

As we read Revelation, I understand the time is not near for us. The time has past. The time was near in the first century and the book has been fulfilled (despite the best attempts by modern fiction writers and movie actors to claim otherwise). Yet, there is still a message for us. We need to read. We need to hear. But most of all we need to keep what is written. Let’s examine with a more watchful eye and heeding ear for what we must keep.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you find in today’s reading?

To be honest, as we wrap this trek through the New Testament, this final reading leaves me almost speechless. I almost feel as if anything I might try to say will only detract from the glorious picture of victory John painted by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

I could share with you that I think this is not necessarily a picture of heaven, but rather an apocalyptic vision of the church victorious. But what would be the point in that. You could just as easily point out that the greatest picture of the church’s victory is it’s place in heaven for eternity. Perhaps that is the picture Jesus used to portray that victory.

Whatever is the case and whichever you prefer to believe, this one thing is true. Jesus wins. His people win. We want to be on that winning side that needs no sun because the Lamb is our lamp and needs no temple because the temple is the Lord God almighty. We want to be with the victorious who eat of the tree of life while swimming in the river of life.

I want to be there. I know you do too. 

Stay with Jesus no matter what. You will have this victory.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

As I’ve pointed out throughout all of this blogging on Revelation, the tough part is each chapter, each image has the same message: Sometimes it looks like God is losing, but in the end God wins. Revelation 17-18 is no exception. “Babylon” makes war on God and His people. But in the end, the harlot is judged. Her own kings turn on her and she is left desolate and naked. The angels rejoice over her demise. Her kings wail and moan in torment. She is defeated and Jesus Christ is victorious.

However, in this picture, one phrase caught my attention. 

“And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked, and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire, for God has put it into their hearts to carry out his purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.”–Revelation 17:16-17

Until the words of God are fulfilled.

While these two verses are talking about the judgment of the harlot, this judgment is still coming about through the beast and his kings. Even as the beast and his kings work against God, they are only accomplishing what God wants. That is how powerful our God is.

But what really gets me is that while the beast and his kings are working, God is still in control. The point of Revelation is not that the enemy has some power and God can’t seem to get it under control but don’t worry He is more powerful so He’ll eventually get it together and overcome. No. The point is that God is always in control. The only reason the beast and his kings accomplish anything is because God allows it. 

I certainly don’t have the wisdom or infinite insight to know exactly why God allows that to happen. I’m sure it is for our testing and our perfecting. I have no doubt it is to prepare us for whatever He has planned for us in eternity. But the comfort for me is not in knowing why God does this, it is simply in knowing that God is still in control. When the beast and his kings are making headway, it is not because of their power. It is because of God’s. Therefore, I can be assured that before the story is over, God will win.

I need to be on His side no matter what.

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC