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Grace & Peace: Revelation 114

Douglas Wilson on

And he said unto me, These sayings are faithful and true: and the Lord God of the holy prophets sent his angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. And I John saw these things, and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God. And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand (Rev. 22:6-10).

The book of Revelation has an epilogue, which begins here and continues through to the end of the vision. One of the angels who poured out one of the bowls of wrath is continuing to speak to John. He speaks words that are “faithful and true,” and here the angel is repeating an assurance which God Himself had spoken from His throne in the previous chapter (Rev. 21:5). God is identified by this angel as being the “Lord God of the holy prophets,” which seals for us something that has been obvious throughout the entire book of Revelation. The vision that John gives us is a vision that has been saturated in Old Testament prophecies. The Lord revealed here really is the Lord God of the holy prophets.

One of the great neglected themes of the book is that the Lord is coming quickly. This is not the same thing as saying that when He comes, whenever that is, it will be sudden. John has been telling us from the first verse on that these are things that must “shortly come to pass” (Rev. 1:1). Here he says that the Lord’s angel was sent in order to reveal to His servants what must “shortly be done” (Rev. 22:7). The word is the same in both instances (taxos)—the events predicted were barreling down on the denizens of the first century, and were overwhelmingly fulfilled at that time.

Another argument in favor of this conclusion can be derived from the fact that John is told something very different from what Daniel was told.

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased” (Daniel 12:4).

Daniel was told to seal up the words of his prophecy because it was going to be a while yet. This means that Daniel was told to seal up his prophecy for events that we not going to come to pass for another four centuries. So what sense would it make for John to be told not to seal up the words of his prophecy for events that would be 20 centuries or more in coming to pass? So not only does John not seal his words, but he also (in effect) unseals the words of Daniel, which were all coming to fruition at this same time—along with many glorious prophecies throughout the rest of the Old Testament Scriptures. The Lord God of the holy prophetshad sent this vision.

This passage contains the sixth blessing that is given in the course of the book— “blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.” For all intents and purposes, this is the same blessing that the book began with. Not only so, but let us emphasize once again the reason why there is a blessing for the one who reads, and who hears, and who keeps the things that are written.

“Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand” (Rev. 1:3).

The angel who communicates all of this to John must have been an angel of great glory and magnificence because John makes the same mistake again (vv. 8-9), the mistake of attempting to worship a fellow creature, and a fellow servant of all who keep the sayings of this prophecy the way they should.

“And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev. 19:10).

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Kirkers Read: Staying out of the Weeds of Heresy

Ben Zornes on

  “Really wish I hadn’t got into the habit of eating food almost everyday,” said no one ever. Daily Bible reading is a habit which no one ever regrets forming. Sure there’ll be days that are crazy, or you’re traveling, or some circumstance prevents you from eating, but sooner or later, all of us circle back around to getting a meal in…in some way shape or form. Spiritually speaking, this needs to be the way you approach Scripture. If circumstances cause you to miss a day…just make sure to get back to it the next day.
    Often we think that we must have some pietistic euphoria glowing about us before we pick up the Good Book to read. It is dangerous to think you have to get in some angelic mood before reading Scripture, rather than coming to it like you come to the dinner table. You come to a meal with the underlying knowledge that you will be fed, nourished, and strengthened. During digestion you don’t go: ”Aha…I just felt those baby carrots improve my eyesight.” The nourishment from the food does its thing, often without our notice. In some sense, Scripture does the same thing through faithful reading and obedience to it. You should read intelligently and attentively. However, trust that the Holy Spirit is working in you to nourish you, convict you, and strengthen you, through the Word, often without your notice. This is all simply to say, don’t look at yourself during Bible reading, look to the Word. It is living and active and will perform what God sent it forth to do.
    On a different note, in this Bible Reading Challenge, we are bouncing between the Old and New Testament each day. This is a vital practice. All too many modern evangelicals spend all their time in the NT, to the neglect of the OT. The problem with this is that, as the Westminster Confession teaches us, “The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself.” This means that in order to properly interpret and understand the NT you must have the context of the OT. The NT is replete with OT symbols, quotes, allusions, references, etc. A further lesson here is that when you come to tricky texts it is important to try to understand them in light of what Scripture says elsewhere. This is the best way to stay out of the weeds of heresy!

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 113

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).

“And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever” (Revelation 22:1-5).

There is a pure river there, filled with the water of life, clear as crystal. This river flows from the throne of God, which is also the throne of the Lamb. Comparing this passage with the something that the Lord says in the Gospel of John, we see that this river is the Holy Spirit, flowing not only from the throne of God, but also from the hearts of all believers.

“In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified)” (John 7:37–39).

This makes good sense because the holy city Jerusalem is a symbol of that great body of believers.

This particular vision that John passes on to us draws on at least three Old Testament prophets.

“And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be” (Zech. 14:8).

“And it shall come to pass in that day, that the mountains shall drop down new wine, and the hills shall flow with milk, and all the rivers of Judah shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the Lord, And shall water the valley of Shittim” (Joel 3:18).

In the form of the vision that Ezekiel gives us, this living water flows out of the Temple, over the threshold, and gets deeper and deeper as it goes (Eze. 47:1-5).

The tree of life lines both sides of the river, indicating that the tree of life is a kind of tree. There are multiple trees. This kind of tree is able to produce a different crop of a different kind of fruit on a monthly basis. Not only so, but the leaves of these trees are of use in healing the nations. Ezekiel had seen the same glorious reality.

“Now when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other” (Eze. 47:7).

“And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine” (Eze. 47:12).

As this glorious city advances toward the culmination of her blessing, which would be the final day of resurrection, we see at that point that the curse that had been laid on our world at the beginning (Gen. 3:15ff) is finally undone. There shall be “no more curse.” The reason that there is no longer any curse is because the throne of God, the throne of the Lamb, is in it. God’s servants will serve Him truly.

We see that this would appear to indicate the full number of the elect. These are the servants of God who are privileged to “see His face.” “Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8).

In addition to this, His name is on their forehead. This in turn helps us identify the 144,000 as a symbol of all the elect, all the saved—for this is what was said earlier about them earlier: “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads” (Rev. 14:1). And earlier than that, in chapter 7, after John had heard the number of 144,000 (Rev. 7:4), he then looked and saw a multitude that no one could count (Rev. 7:9). He heard the number, and then saw the innumerable multitude.

John then repeats what was said in the previous chapter. There is no night there—there is constant light coming from the Lord God. There is no artificial light needed there either. And the inhabitants of the New Jerusalem shall reign forever and ever.

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Kirkers Read: Shadows in Genesis, Full Glory in Matthew

Ben Zornes on

As you read Genesis, you may notice that after the fall each new character which is introduced seems to be presented to raise our hopes that this one is the seed which God promised Eve. Cain, Seth, Noah, Abram, Ishamael, Isaac, Jacob and so on. The hope is raised that each one may be the deliverer which God promised, but each time, some way or another, they are revealed to be “not the one.”

Cain seems like the obvious answer to God’s promise, but turns out to be quite the opposite. Noah is like a new Adam, but in the end we see that though he was a righteous man, he was only a symbol of the true deliverer God had promised. On it goes, with either our hopes being disappointed by the sin of the man, or by God’s revelation that His promised Messiah would come through the seed of the elected person.

A very simple blessing of reading the OT and NT simultaneously is that as you read the stories of the patriarchs, you are reading the Gospel of He Who was indeed God’s Promised One. Matthew presents Jesus as the long-awaited King, and then shows how those to whom the promise of God’s kingdom had come reject the King He had sent to deliver them.

Finally, a big picture encouragement regarding reading the Scriptures. As the Westminster Confession teaches, the Scriptures make a “full discovery” of the “only way of man’s salvation (Chapter I.5).” This provides abundant evidence that it is in fact God’s Word. However, the only means of full persuasion of the Bible’s authority is a something the Holy Spirit gives. In essence, we don’t run a mental investigation and at the end go, “Well, logically I’ve concluded this is God’s Word.” This puts man in judgement over the Word of God. Rather, after the Holy Spirit miraculously vivifies our heart, we are given assurance that God has proclaimed salvation to us through His Word. The Bible isn’t an academic text, it is tidings of salvation for those who have ears to hear. Ears that have been miraculously opened by God’s Holy Spirit.

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Grace & Peace: Revelation 112

Douglas Wilson on

“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11).

“And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Revelation 21:22-27).

Remember that the New Jerusalem is the Christian Church. This new city contains no temple because the Father and Son are the Temple, and the entire city is the body of the Son. The Christian Church is the Holy of Holies, and so the city is the Temple. No sun is necessary, and no moon, because it is lit by the glory of God. As the Israelites had the Shekinah glory to accompany them by night and day, so also the saints of God have the glory of God that lightens their way. The Lamb Himself is the light of the city—“Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). The Lamb is the light of the city, and the nations that are saved shall walk in the light provided by Him. The kings of the earth—distinct from the city—bring their glory and honor into the city. In other words, the nations of men do homage to the church. The city is unthreatened, with the gates never shut. The gates are not shut during the day, and it is always day, never night. John then repeats the fact that the glory and honor of the nations is brought into the church. Nothing enters the church that would defiled her—no one who does abominable things, or who fashions a lie. The only ones who enter are those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life, meaning the elect.

Throughout this passage, John is riffing off the Isaianic vision. The New Jerusalem is illuminated by the glory of God alone (v. 23). And Isaiah says this: “The sun shall be no more thy light by day; Neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: But the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory” (Is. 60:19).

This city shall be a light of the world; the nations of men will stream to it. The nations of the saved will walk in the light provided by the city. And Isaiah says this same thing: “And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Is. 60:3).

The kings of the earth bring their glory and honor to her; the nations of men bring their honor and glory to the city of God. And Isaiah says the same thing. “And their kings shall minister unto thee . . .” (Is. 60:10). “And that their kings may be brought . . .” (Is. 60:11) “The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee . . .” (Is. 60:13).

The gates of the New Jerusalem shall not be shut during the day, and it is always day. This is basically what Isaiah foretold: “Therefore thy gates shall be open continually; they shall not be shut day nor night . . .” (Is. 60:11).

John repeats himself when he says that the Gentile nations will bring their glory to the church. Isaiah repeats the point as well. “Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged; Because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the Gentiles shall come unto thee” (Is. 60:5).

No one is permitted to track in anything that defiles. No sin will be scraped off on the golden streets. Isaiah had a vision for this kind of holiness as well. “Thy people also shall be all righteous: They shall inherit the land for ever, The branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified” (Is. 60:21). Note it well. The people will all be righteous.

“Arise, shine; for thy light is come, And the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And gross darkness the people: But the Lord shall arise upon thee, And his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, And kings to the brightness of thy rising” (Is. 60:1–3).

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