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Grace and Peace: Revelation #28

Douglas Wilson on July 19, 2016

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

 

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth” (Rev. 3:7).

 

The church at Philadelphia is next, and is a church that is simply praised and encouraged. They had done well, and are not admonished for any significant sin. The words to the angel of the church at Philadelphia are words from the one who is identified as “holy” and as “true.” So this continues as a series of messages to the churches from the Lord Jesus.

 

This opening greeting to the church also contains a messianic reference from a prophecy by Isaiah. A man named Shebna had been comptroller during the reign of Hezekiah. He was a prideful man, and because of this was ejected from his place (Is. 22:15-25). He had built himself a very fancy sepulcher, which Isaiah mocked, and the lintel of which now occupies a place in the British Museum. Shebna was a conceited man who had removed a godly man named Eliakim from his place. Shebna was likely a traitor, or some kind of double-dealer, a man with secret communications with Judah’s enemies. Ambrose Bierce calls a mausoleum the final and funniest folly of the rich, and in this case at least, God agreed. He was building a grand memory for himself in a country he was betraying, and God promised that he would be hauled off to die somewhere else.

 

After Shebna had received his comeuppance, Eliakim was placed in Shebna’s role. There, as a faithful steward, the key of the house of David would be laid upon his shoulder. When he opened something, no one could shut it. When he shut and locked something, no one could open it. He would be permanently settled. As such, this Eliakim is a type of the Lord Jesus. Jesus is the steward of all human history, having replaced a treacherous steward, that is, the devil.

 

Because the key was in the possession of the Lord Jesus, the opening for the church at Philadelphia was a true opening, and would remain such.


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Grace & Peace: Revelation #26

Douglas Wilson on June 29, 2016

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

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee” (Rev. 3:3).

But a handful of the saints in Sardis were still in good shape, as we will see in the next verses. They are the ones to whom this exhortation applies because they were the ones who could hear it.

christ kirk - prayer - moscow idahoThe exhortation is an odd combination of “hold on” and “repent.” If you had held on to this point, what is the need for repentance? If you need to repent, shouldn’t the charge be to grab on? The solution to this is to remember that this is a letter to a congregation that was both dead and virtually dead. There were many who needed to grab on, and a small number who needed to hold on. In that kind of situation, where you have a basic identity shared with those who are far away from God, the charge is to repent. We might describe this as vicarious repentance. Those in Sardis who had not defiled their garments were repenting on behalf of those who had.

The prophet Daniel offered a great prayer of confession (Dan. 9:4) even though there was no evidence that he had done any of the things he was confessing. This is because we are not just distinct individuals. He was an Israelite and Israel had sinned. The saints in Sardis were in a church that had a reputation for being alive and yet was dead. American Christians belong to a church that has grievously backslidden. How can you tell which Christians have not backslidden? They are the ones who are willing to admit that they have.


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Grace & Peace: Revelation #25

Douglas Wilson on June 16, 2016

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

“And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God” (Rev. 3:1–2).

Sardis was in the region of Lydia in Asia Minor, and was the regional capital. It is the next church of the seven, and according to the message they received, it was in a dire condition. The church was apparently a busy place, for it had a good reputation and that good reputation was connected to their works. But the Lord Jesus says that He knows their works, and in His judgment, their works were imperfect. This is yet one more instance of men being impressed by something that God was not impressed with at all. God told Samuel centuries before that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Jesus put it even more bluntly. “And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Luke 16:15, ESV). [Read more…]

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Grace & Peace: Revelation #23

Douglas Wilson on May 3, 2016

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

“But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.” (Revelation 2:24–25)

Jezebel was tolerated in Thyatira, and this was a big problem. It was a problem for her and for her followers because they were going to be chastised by the Lord directly. It was a problem for the leadership at Thyatira because they were the ones who put up with this contagion in the church. The Lord promises to parse the situation out, in accordance with the works of “each one of you.”

The next word is a bit more encouraging. The toleration of Jezebel was a problem, but the Lord continues to talk to the church leadership (apparently) along with the rest of the saints in Thyatira, the ones who had not been corrupted with this licentious teaching. It is interesting to note how John references how these false teachers described their own teaching – as “the depths of Satan.” They were apparently peddling some sort of deep heavy, and the Lord will have none of it.

He says that he will put no additional burden on them. I take this to mean that there is no additional task beyond the implied task of no longer tolerating Jezebel. No additional labor is necessary. Get rid of that woman, and hold on tight until the Lord relieves them.


Read More Grace & Peace Posts:

  • Revelation #22
  • Revelation #21
  • Revelation #20
  • Revelation #19
  • Revelation #18
  • Revelation #17
  • Revelation #16

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Grace & Peace: Revelation #22

Douglas Wilson on April 26, 2016

Grace and Peace

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

“And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works” (Rev. 2:21–23).

Woman handJezebel was a false prophetess who made room for sexual license among her disciples, a doctrine that is too often an easy sell. She was a professing Christian and was part of the church there in Thyatira. The Lord’s judgments are not always immediate. In this case, He had given her a warning, and time to repent of her fornication. But she did not take advantage of the opportunity, and refused to repent. [Read more…]

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