As we wrap up Revelation, notice that the concluding chapters focus in on a triumphant church. Throughout the cycles of judgement in the middle chapters we are being led to see that the bride of Christ will emerge triumphant through all these trials. She triumphs, because her King has triumphed. He is the rider on the white steed, a sword coming from his mouth, with the name King of kings and Lord of lords emblazoned upon him.

The book ends with a marriage, and it is fitting that John concludes the book with covenantal blessings and curses for those who would add or detract from this book. It is this covenantal language that should help us understand that what Revelation presents is a reiteration of what we read in the Mosaic Law, in places like Leviticus 26. Those who break the covenant of grace will find the seething wrath of God pursuing them, and ultimately God will execute vengeance upon those who trample upon this covenant. However, He provides precious promises of perseverance and peace for those who remain faithful. Of course, it is only by being born anew, in Christ, whereby the church is presented radiant and glorious. Don’t miss the covenantal nature of Revelation.

As we transition, then, to Matthew’s Gospel keep a keen eye on how Matthew spends the first 11 chapters revealing Christ as Israel’s promised King, and then in the second half showing how Israel rejects her King. The lineage at the beginning, Christ’s temptations in the wilderness, His Sermon on the Mount, set us up to see that He is True Israel, and the promised Messiah. However, His parables which confused unbelieving hearts, rebukes of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy, and ultimately His trial by night show Israel rejecting their King. One thing to try as you read is to take notice of all the Old Testament allusions and quotes. Try to pick at least one out every day and go read that passage in it’s OT context. It is quite an illuminating practice.

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Join the Christ Church Summer Bible Reading Challenge!

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Week Two – John’s Epistles & Apocalyptic Vision

As you work through John’s epistles I want to draw your attention to one very important feature. John loves establishing a vital doctrinal point––in the case of 1 John this is the doctrine of Christ’s Incarnation––and then imploring his listeners to live out the practical implications of that doctrine. God has come in the flesh, so love your brother. The Gospel is that Jesus is God’s Son—our only hope of eternal life and the only propitiation for our sin—so refuse to believe antichrist’s false Gospel. God, through Christ, dwells in us; so rest in that assurance. Doctrine and love are not at odds for John, but the truths of the Apostles’ doctrine form the basis for our fellowship with God and with those He has begotten.

Revelation is perhaps the most fervently debated book of the Bible, and one thing we often skip right over is found right at the beginning. It is a Revelation of Jesus Christ (Rev. 1:1) and is for our blessing (Rev. 1:3). Christ is being revealed as the great conqueror and King of the cosmos, and this is to bolster the faith and confidence of His servants, even in the face of apocalyptic disasters and trials. In Rushdoony’s commentary on Revelation he makes this salient point: “For too many people, the purpose of any reading of Revelation is to enable them to walk by sight. They demand a chart telling them what to expect and how to walk in full and open sight. But the calling of the Christian is to walk by faith, and the purpose of Revelation is to strengthen us against the enemy, prepare us to do battle, and to walk in the faith that our Lord will triumph, that the great work He has begun, He will accomplish (Thy Kingdom Come, pg 214).”

A couple things to keep in mind as you trace through the disorienting maze which Revelation can sometimes be, there is an echo of the Exodus story throughout: the plagues upon Egypt are paralleled by the cycles of judgement upon Jerusalem––spiritual Egypt. As God delivered the Israelites from Egypt with a mighty hand and outstretched arm, He is now delivering True Israel (i.e. believing Jews & Gentiles) from spiritual Egypt (i.e. Jerusalem). Let me make a shameless plug here for you to read through Pastor Doug’s current series of blogposts where he is working through Revelation. Really helpful and insightful stuff there.

As always, don’t forget that the point of reading the Word of God is communion with the Living God. It is food after all. And furthermore, the Word is edible food, it isn’t gravel. You’ve made it through one week, now on to week two and beyond!

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Let’s get this Bible Reading Challenge show on the road…

Read the New Testament over a span of three months. A rather simple and straightforward goal. We’ve organized a few things in order to help cheer you on in that goal: these weekly blogposts, the Facebook group, and the weekly Kirkers Read podcast (hosted by the Christ Kirk podcast). Remember, if these help spur you on in reading your Bible, great. But don’t let these become a good thing keeping you from the better thing of, you know, actually reading your Bible!

Week One – John’s Gospel

A couple things to keep in mind as you read through the Gospel of John in this first week. Of the four Gospels, John was written last. Matthew, Mark, and Luke largely present the public ministry of Christ––His miracles, teachings, passion, and resurrection––in a chronological fashion. These Gospels present a factual gospel proclamation. By contrast, one thing to notice in John’s Gospel, is that it carries a reflective quality. John has clearly spent his life preaching, defending, and explaining the gospel, and his Gospel record unpacks the theological implications of Christ’s Incarnation, Life, Death, and Resurrection. Leon Morris points out that “it is undoubtedly an interpretive document. In selecting its material it omits much that the other Gospels include and includes much that they do not.” We should not view this difference with the other Gospels as contradictory, but as complementary. John’s Gospel is a barrel of well-aged whiskey, which offends both Jews and Greeks with its theological presentation of Christ’s saving work.

Another thing going on in the background, is that John employs Greek philosophic terms, but in adopting them, he adapts them and incorporates them into his theological presentation of salvation in Jesus Christ. The most prominent and famous example of this is in the “prologue” of John (John 1:1-18) where John speaks of the “Word made flesh.” “Word” here is the Greek word––and philosophical term––logos. Morris again comments: “Though John would not have been unmindful of the associations aroused by the term, his essential thought does not derive from the Greek background. His Gospel shows little trace of acquaintance with Greek philosophy and less of dependance on it.” In essence, John takes Hebrew ideas, shows Jesus as the fulfillment of those ancient doctrines and prophecies, all in terms of Greek philosophical notions.

Finally, as you read, notice the motif of “signs” throughout the book. For John, presenting the miracles of Christ was not a means of showing the mere wonder of the miracle; rather, the miracles were a means of signifying something beyond the amazement of the act itself. All of this culminates in the epilogue of the book: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name (John 20:30-31).” John wants to make sure that these miracles compel us to evangelical faith in the salvation found in Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh.

Happy reading!

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