Revelation Revealed - Part 2After the summation of the seven letters, Jesus offers an invitation to Salvation. In perhaps one of the most beautiful word pictures in the Bible the Lord says, "Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Revelation 3:20 This is particularly poignant in light of the severe rebuke which He has just given the Laodecians. Although there will come a time when God's patience has reached its limit, He now stands waiting and willing to enter into the hearts of all who are repentant. In fact God's patience is infinite, but He has a program and time-frame and a day will come when His Grace will no longer be available. The number 7 is symbolic of completeness and perfection. The word of God has been refined 7 times as by fire. "The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times." Psalms 12:6 I believe after much pondering that the 7 letters are an aspect of that refining. Because they offer us a glimpse at the trials and tribulations that the Church has been through, it's successes and failures and shows us as Believers a pattern for correct living and as a corporate body, how to be the Church as Christ would have us be. It's interesting to note that the Psalmist refers to a furnace of "earth". This is the crucible in which we are tested as Christians, living our lives out on the planet. The 7 Churches represent the good and bad sides of that earthly trial. Also, it is interesting to note that the word in Psalm 12:6 used to denote Scripture is "silver". Silver is a symbol of redemption. Again, in spite of the failings of 6 of the 7 Churches mentioned, they were still offered an opportunity for redemption. Continuously through the first 3 chapters of Revelation, the Lord cries out, "He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." Salvation and the opportunity to repent come by "Hearing" the Word of God. Immediately after issuing this invitation to Salvation at the close of the letters to the 7 Churches, John sees something amazing, hears a voice and experiences a trip to the Heavenlies. "After this I looked, and behold a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, 'Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." Revelation 4: 1&2 The fact that these three highly distinctive and incredible things happen immediately after the description of the "Last Days Church", is highly symbolic. If you take the verse apart, it is a vivid description of the "Rapture". The Rapture takes place at the end of the Church Age or at the Fullness of the Gentiles as it is also called. The voice that sounds like a trumpet is the same sound that we as Believers will hear, the words the same, "Come up hither". At that point we will be ushered into the Presence of the Lord or more precisely caught up to meet him in the clouds. In Heaven, John witnesses the throne of God Almighty. The description is awesome. Read Chapter 4 in its entirety for a vivid word picture of what John saw. Chapter 5 describes tremendous activity in Heaven in preparation for God's judgement upon the Earth, The Great Tribulation. This cannot begin until all the Believers have been taken out of harm's way. Noah's Ark was a picture of this same staying of God's judgement until the family was safely inside the Ark and the door sealed. Then the flood came. Another clear picture of this mercy for the Believers is illustrated in God staying His judgement upon Sodom and Gomorrah until Lot and his family had been taken out of the city by Angels. Then the fire fell. Now that all the Saints of God, Old Testament and New, dead and those still alive at the Rapture are safely in Heaven, the seven seals that hold the scrolls that decree the unleashing of the most devasting judgements upon mankind need to be loosed. John literally weeps as no man on Earth or in Heaven was found to be worthy to open the book or to look upon it. Suddenly one of the 24 Elders who surround the throne of God proclaims that there is one who is worthy. He then proceeds to describe Jesus, using titles and names for Him but not naming His name. "Behold, the Lion of Judah, The Root of David, ....a lamb as it had been slain..." Revelation 5: 5&6 Then this "Lamb" takes the book from the right hand of God and all of Heaven rejoices and sings a song, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain..." At this point the 24 Elders and the 4 Supernatural Animals which attend God's throne fall down and worhip the Lamb "...that liveth for ever and ever." Revelation 5: 12&14 |
