ATN10 - "Of Scrolls and Seals - Part 1"

“All Things New”: Back to the Future

• The Revelation of John is what is, what was and what is to come. It’s a manifesto for the Kingdom of God – a public declaration of God’s intentions; things which “are” and “are to come”

  • What was happening in John’s day (the seven churches)

  • What would happen between Christ’s First and Second Coming

  • What will happen at the end of the Age

• “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Shema levot: Hb.“hearing hearts.” To hear is to obey, belief takes form ONLY in action

• The tribulation and the Kingdom and the patient endurance. Yet, it is all “in Jesus” – making it both possible and hope-filled (2017: Jeremiah 29:11)

Interpreting the Symbols of Revelation

• Why use Symbols?

  • Shows continuity with the Old Testament

  • Causes the reader to dig deeper, to reflect

  • Some of what he sees is difficult to explain

  • Symbolism is a red flag of judgement

• The Use of Numbers

  • 3: from God

  • 4: represents the totality of something

  • 7: completeness

  • 666: epitome of incompleteness

  • 12: wholeness, fullness

• Other Symbols

  • Scrolls, seals, living creatures, Lion, Lamb, “wild beasts,” Dragon, the Woman, Bride, Bridegroom, Beast

• Interpreting the Symbols

  • Our key to interpreting the symbols is the Old Testament, the Jewish background of the day, the New Testament and Greco-Roman culture

  • Think of interpreting the symbols like a parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like..” (Matthew 13:31)

  • Get ready for history in “panoramic 3D”

Shifting Our Frame of Reference

• With Chapters 1-3, we started out on earth:

  • Christ in the midst of the “lampstands”/churches, His presence with us

  • Jesus writes to seven churches: completeness – the whole church age

  • Each letter speaks to the leaders (“stars” / “angels”) and the churches about their spiritual state

  • Each letter ends with “listen to what the Spirit says to the churches” – shema levot

  • Effectively, Jesus Christ judges His Church, continually             

• But, why?

  • Before God can bring justice for His people, and through His people,  they must be cleansed and purified: 1 Peter 4:12-19

  • So that the people who are His church are founded on Him and His Kingdom as He shakes EVERYTHING: Hebrews 12:18-29

• With Chapters: 4-8:5, we ascend into heaven:

  • The vision of heaven and the seven seals

  • This covers the entire span of the church age

  • There is Christ’s first coming (5:5-6)

  • The rise and fall of civilization throughout the church age (6:11)

  • Final judgment of those who reject Christ (6:12-17)

  • The completed harvest of both Jews and gentile believers (Ch.7)

Glorification of the Righteous Judge: Chapters 4 & 5

Chapter 4: Glorification of the Father Creator

• V.1 – an “open door” to heaven’s perspective

  • “what will take place after now”: Revelation 1:19

  • He is about to get the panorama of the church age

• V.2 – “I immediately became in the Spirit”

  • Notice the shema response – he heard the voice, it happened

• V. 3-the appearance of the Eternal Father

• V.4 – the 24 elders – 12 Tribes, 12 Apostles: Ephesians 2:11-22

  • Throne/Thrones – Authority and right to rule & judge

  • The elders submit their authority to the Father as an act of worship

• V.5 – the power of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit is seen in connection with the throne of God

• V.6-8 the Four Living Creatures represent a number of things:

Lion	Matthew	King of wild animals	Baptizer
Ox	Mark	King of domestic animals	Healer
Man	Luke	King of creation	Savior
Eagle	John	King of birds	King

• All of creation worshipping the Creator God

• The Redeemed ministering as priest-kings to our Father God

• The complete Gospel testifying to whole earth the glory of God

• The eternal Creator God, who is the holy Lord of Hosts, is worthy to rule over and judge His creation

Chapter 5: Glorification of the Lamb, the Son as Righteous Judge

• V.1 –  “written on front and back,” “seven seals” – the compete, finished story – the history of God’s work

• V.2-4 – Who has authority to finish the story, to complete the outworking of history?

• V.5-7 – The Lion of Judah, the Son of David, the Lamb that was Slain is the ONLY worthy one

  • Slain = slaughtered ritually (animal), slaughtered illegally (man)

  • Seven horns/seven spirits: complete power & having the Spirit completely

• V.8 – KEY: prayers of the saints: ministry to God & intercession

• Vs.9- the New Song: enthronement worship of the Lamb by all of heaven and all of creation: Psalm 22:3

How This Applies to Us

• Before God deals with the world, He has to deal with us, His children

• He wants to purify us, heal us and bring us to wholeness in Him!

• Christ is preparing His church to rule, spiritually in the “now” of His kingdom, eventually in totality when He returns

• The “prayers of the saints” are a key component to both our worship and service to God, and our authority to bring justice in the earth!