“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John.”-Revelation 1:1(ESV)
It is with these words that perhaps the most least understood book of the Bible begins. But like all of scripture it is divinely inspired and ordered by the Holy Spirit for our instruction. As Paul points out in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”, and this would certainly apply to the Revelation of Jesus Christ, just as it does to the entirety of the cannon. When reading the book of Revelation, we must as with all of scripture, “rightly divide the word of truth.” We do this by first understanding the context of the passages involved; remember that although all of scripture is for us, it was not written to us. All of scripture, including the book of Revelation was written to specific groups of people living in a real historical context and culture. So in order to better understand the message that the Word of God has for us, it is helpful to understand to whom that Word was originally addressed. In the case of the book of Revelation, this letter was addressed by the Apostle John to “…the seven churches that are in Asia.” These churches are listed for us in Revelation 1:11 as Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. Again these were real cities with real Churches facing a very difficult time in history and the more we understand about what was addressed to them, the better we can understand what the Holy Spirit has for us.
First we must understand this is a book about Jesus Christ, and the unveiling of things to come and the revealing of the Lord of Glory. This book is not about the anti-christ, it is not about a tribulation, the book is about what every book of the Bible is about, Jesus Christ. Every book in the Bible, regardless of its genre or story is ultimately about Jesus Christ. As Christ told the Pharisees in John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness of me”, so the book of Revelation with all of its seemingly mysterious text is about Jesus Christ.
Next, the book was written by John as instructed by Lord who came to him in a vision while exiled on the isle of Patmos.
– “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. I was in the Sprit on the Lord’s Day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet…”-Rev.1:9-10.
John refers to the Lord’s Day, but this is not a reference to the day of the week but rather it is an Old Testament reference to “the day of the Lord” which speaks of the judgment of God on disobedient Israel. In fact, as pointed out by the Christian Research Institute the book of Revelation contains 404 verses, of these, 278 allude to Old Testament prophetic passages.
Patmos, the place of John’s exile was no Bahamian vacation in fact; the isle of Patmos is only ten miles long and six miles wide. Patmos is located in the Aegean Sea ten miles southeast of Ephesus (modern day Turkey). According to the New Testament scholar Sir William Ramsey, exile was “preceded by scourging, marked by perpetual fetters, scanty clothing, insufficient food, and sleep on the bare ground in a dark prison, and work under the lash of military overseers.” It was in this harsh and cruel environment that John saw the Lord. Finally as Bible teacher David Jeremiah points out, John received this vision while in the Spirit which is referenced in Revelation 1:10; 4:2; 17:3; 21:10.
In this glorious vision John sees the Lord in a magnificent manner which syncs with the entirety of scripture when describing the greatness of our God.
• His clothing: Rev.1:13; Isaiah 6:1; Isaiah 11:5; John 13:4-5
• His head and hair: Rev.1:14; Daniel 7:9-13
• His eyes: Rev.1:14b; Psalm 11:4; Heb.4:13
• His feet: Rev.1:15; Isaiah 52:7; Rom.10:15
• His mouth: Rev.1:15b-16; Psalm 29:4; Ezekiel 43:2; Eph.6:17; Heb.4:12; Rev.19
• His hands: Rev.1:16; Daniel 12:3
• His face: Rev.1:17; Matt.17:2; Acts 26:13
This vision has a very profound impact on John. This picture of Jesus paralyzed John until touched by the Lord and then Jesus tells John not to fear for three reasons
“Fear not, for I am the Eternal God”
“Fear not, for I am the Resurrected Christ”
“Fear not, for I have the keys of death and hell.”
As we move forward in coming weeks and discover together what these seven churches were facing, it should become clear to us that the same Christ which spoke to them and called them by name continues to guide us by his Word. So that we, as did the seven churches in Asia, can be confident in the fact that Christ knows where we are at and what we are facing and has not, nor will not forsake us.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
"What is the Fourth of July to a slave?"
The Fourth of July holiday is a day set aside to celebrate the independence we enjoy as Americans, but that Independence was not always enjoyed by every American. In fact on July 5th, 1852, Frederick Douglass made a powerful speech exposing the hypocrisy of asking a slave to celebrate the Fourth of July.
Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who became a symbol of freedom as he was paraded around the country by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society on speaking tours. Douglass was an effective spokes person because of the education and natural abilities he possessed. As one biographer observed, “As a youngster, he learned to read and write. He purchased a copy of The Columbian Orator, a popular anthology of rhetorical masterpieces that Douglass used the same way it was used in the schools…Douglass’ rich voice, handsome physique and superb command of the English language gave him the attributes which ordinarily would make a speaker very persuasive, but these same qualities made some of his early listeners doubt that he was a fugitive slave”. Douglass’ credibility was strengthened by the publishing of his book, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. It is against this backdrop that Douglass gives his speech on July 5th 1852.
The historical impact of this speech is measured by not only its effectiveness when it was given but by its lasting significance. Coupled with the speeches of others, this speech gave a visible symbol to the American people of what an educated black man could accomplish. Together with the mounting rhetoric of the abolitionist movement, it was these ideas which eventually led to the Civil War, and the emancipation of the slaves.
I find it interesting to notice that during his speech, Douglass employed the language of liberty to expose the hypocrisy of slavery, often citing scripture to leverage his point, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." This quote from Psalm 137, written while Israel was in exile is descriptive of a people who do not live up to their destiny. Douglass was pointing out like Israel of old, America was not living up to the greatness of her potential.
As Douglass goes on to point out, "What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages."
It is obvious that America has not always lived up to the great principles of life, liberty, and justice for all. But thanks to people like Frederick Douglass and others, these principles are now embraced by all. I wonder how many times, like America, the church has not lived up to our calling. I think that perhaps our Sunday services are sometimes testimonies to our hypocrisy rather than our worship. I think we should all answer a few questions, why do we come to church? Are we Christians by culture or commitment? And what to a slave of sin is a Sunday morning service at any church in town? The sad commentary is that many of us have become consumers of the latest gospel products rather than culture changing, world changing catalyst that Christ intended for us to become. We have forgotten that our mandate was to go to all the world with the gospel, not to all the pews. When we do come together it should serve to remind us that there are still "slaves" who are waiting to be liberated, Christ commissioned us to do this, it our manifest destiny.
The good news is just as America continues to make progress toward the ideas embodied in "The Declaration of Independence" the church can continue to embrace the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Fourth of July, lets celebrate not only our freedom as Americans, but as Christians, and let us reach out to all of those who have yet to experience liberty in Christ.
Frederick Douglass was an escaped slave who became a symbol of freedom as he was paraded around the country by the Massachusetts Anti-Slavery Society on speaking tours. Douglass was an effective spokes person because of the education and natural abilities he possessed. As one biographer observed, “As a youngster, he learned to read and write. He purchased a copy of The Columbian Orator, a popular anthology of rhetorical masterpieces that Douglass used the same way it was used in the schools…Douglass’ rich voice, handsome physique and superb command of the English language gave him the attributes which ordinarily would make a speaker very persuasive, but these same qualities made some of his early listeners doubt that he was a fugitive slave”. Douglass’ credibility was strengthened by the publishing of his book, Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. It is against this backdrop that Douglass gives his speech on July 5th 1852.
The historical impact of this speech is measured by not only its effectiveness when it was given but by its lasting significance. Coupled with the speeches of others, this speech gave a visible symbol to the American people of what an educated black man could accomplish. Together with the mounting rhetoric of the abolitionist movement, it was these ideas which eventually led to the Civil War, and the emancipation of the slaves.
I find it interesting to notice that during his speech, Douglass employed the language of liberty to expose the hypocrisy of slavery, often citing scripture to leverage his point, "By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yea! we wept when we remembered Zion. We hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof. For there, they that carried us away captive, required of us a song; and they who wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. How can we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth." This quote from Psalm 137, written while Israel was in exile is descriptive of a people who do not live up to their destiny. Douglass was pointing out like Israel of old, America was not living up to the greatness of her potential.
As Douglass goes on to point out, "What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelly to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciations of tyrants, brass fronted impudence; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade, and solemnity, are, to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy - a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages."
It is obvious that America has not always lived up to the great principles of life, liberty, and justice for all. But thanks to people like Frederick Douglass and others, these principles are now embraced by all. I wonder how many times, like America, the church has not lived up to our calling. I think that perhaps our Sunday services are sometimes testimonies to our hypocrisy rather than our worship. I think we should all answer a few questions, why do we come to church? Are we Christians by culture or commitment? And what to a slave of sin is a Sunday morning service at any church in town? The sad commentary is that many of us have become consumers of the latest gospel products rather than culture changing, world changing catalyst that Christ intended for us to become. We have forgotten that our mandate was to go to all the world with the gospel, not to all the pews. When we do come together it should serve to remind us that there are still "slaves" who are waiting to be liberated, Christ commissioned us to do this, it our manifest destiny.
The good news is just as America continues to make progress toward the ideas embodied in "The Declaration of Independence" the church can continue to embrace the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This Fourth of July, lets celebrate not only our freedom as Americans, but as Christians, and let us reach out to all of those who have yet to experience liberty in Christ.
Biblical Masculinity
Discuss Scot Loyd's recent message on Biblical Masculinity; the recent Father's Day sermon from The Sanctuary of Praise.
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