6. Blessed--(Compare
Re 14:13; 19:9).
on such the second death hath no power--even as it has none on
Christ now that He is risen.
priests of God--Apostate Christendom being destroyed, and the
believing Church translated at Christ's coming, there will remain
Israel and the heathen world, constituting the majority of men then
alive, which, from not having come into close contact with the Gospel,
have not incurred the guilt of rejecting it. These will be the subjects
of a general conversion
(Re 11:15).
"The veil" shall be taken off Israel first, then from off "all people."
The glorious events attending Christ's appearing, the destruction of
Antichrist, the transfiguration of the Church, and the binding of
Satan, will prepare the nations for embracing the Gospel. As
individual regeneration goes on now, so there shall be a
"regeneration" of nations then. Israel, as a nation, shall be
"born at once--in one day." As the Church began at Christ's
ascension, so the kingdom shall begin at His second advent. This
is the humiliation of the modern civilized nations, that nations which
they despise most, Jews and uncivilized barbarians, the negro
descendants of Ham who from the curse of Noah have been so backward,
Cush and Sheba, shall supplant and surpass them as centers of the
world's history (compare
De 32:21;
Ro 10:19; 11:20,
&c.). The Jews are our teachers even in New Testament times. Since
their rejection revelation has been silent. The whole Bible, even the
New Testament, is written by Jews. If revelation is to recommence in
the millennial kingdom, converted Israel must stand at the head of
humanity. In a religious point of view, Jews and Gentiles stand on an
equal footing as both alike needing mercy; but as regards God's
instrumentalities for bringing about His kingdom on earth, Israel is
His chosen people for executing His plans. The Israelite priest-kings
on earth are what the transfigured priest-kings are in heaven. There
shall be a blessed chain of giving and receiving--God, Christ, the
transfigured Bride the Church, Israel, the world of nations. A new time
of revelation will begin by the outpouring of the fulness of the
Spirit. Ezekiel (the fortieth through forty-eighth chapters), himself
son of a priest, sets forth the priestly character of Israel; Daniel
the statesman, its kingly character; Jeremiah
(Jer 33:17-21),
both its priestly and kingly character. In the Old Testament the whole
Jewish national life was religious only in an external legal manner.
The New Testament Church insists on inward renewal, but leaves its
outward manifestations free. But in the millennial kingdom, all spheres
of life shall be truly Christianized from within outwardly. The Mosaic
ceremonial law corresponds to Israel's priestly office; the civil law
to its kingly office: the Gentile Church adopts the moral law, and
exercises the prophetic office by the word working inwardly. But when
the royal and the priestly office shall be revived, then--the
principles of the Epistle to the Hebrews remaining the same--also the
ceremonial and civil law of Moses will develop its spiritual depths in
the divine worship (compare
Mt 5:17-19).
At present is the time of preaching; but then the time of the
Liturgy of converted souls forming "the great congregation"
shall come. Then shall our present defective governments give place to
perfect governments in both Church and State. Whereas under the Old
Testament the Jews exclusively, and in the New Testament the Gentiles
exclusively, enjoy the revelation of salvation (in both cases humanity
being divided and separated), in the millennium both Jews and Gentiles
are united, and the whole organism of mankind under the first-born
brother, Israel, walks in the light of God, and the full life of
humanity is at last realized. Scripture does not view the human race as
an aggregate of individuals and nationalities, but as an organic whole,
laid down once for all in the first pages of revelation.
(Ge 9:25-27; 10:1, 5, 18, 25, 32;
De 32:8
recognizes the fact that from the first the division of the nations was
made with a relation to Israel). Hence arises the importance of the Old
Testament to the Church now as ever. Three grand groups of nations,
Hamites, Japhetites, and Shemites, correspond respectively to the three
fundamental elements in man--body, soul, and spirit. The flower of
Shem, the representative of spiritual life, is Israel, even as
the flower of Israel is He in whom all mankind is summed up, the second
Adam
(Ge 12:1-3).
Thus Israel is the mediator of divine revelations for all times. Even
nature and the animal world will share in the millennial blessedness.
As sin loses its power, decay and death will decrease [AUBERLEN]. Earthly and heavenly glories shall be united
in the twofold election. Elect Israel in the flesh shall stand at the
head of the earthly, the elect spiritual Church, the Bride, in the
heavenly. These twofold elections are not merely for the good of the
elect themselves, but for the good of those to whom they minister. The
heavenly Church is elected not merely to salvation, but to rule in
love, and minister blessings over the whole earth, as king-priests. The
glory of the transfigured saints shall be felt by men in the flesh with
the same consciousness of blessing as on the Mount of Transfiguration
the three disciples experienced in witnessing the glory of Jesus, and
of Moses and Elias, when Peter exclaimed, "It is good for us to be
here"; in
2Pe 1:16-18,
the Transfiguration is regarded as the earnest of Christ's coming in
glory. The privilege of "our high calling in Christ" is limited
to the present time of Satan's reign; when he is bound, there will be
no scope for suffering for, and so afterwards reigning with, Him
(Re 3:21;
compare Note, see on
1Co 6:2).
Moreover, none can be saved in the present age and in the pale of the
Christian Church who does not also reign with Christ hereafter, the
necessary preliminary to which is suffering with Christ now. If we fail
to lay hold of the crown, we lose all, "the gift of grace as
well as the reward of service" [DE BURGH].
JFB.
The Book of Revelation
Revelation 1:9-11 - 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 Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last: and, What thou seest, write in a book, and send [it] unto the seven churches which are in Asia; unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea.
Revelation 19:11-16 - And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him [was] called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes [were] as a flame of fire, and on his head [were] many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he [was] clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on [his] vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 22:18-20 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and [from] the things which are written in this book. He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Revelation in The New Testament - A Brief Overview
Painting of St. John the Evangelist by Reni - 1620
Introduction to The Book of Revelation
Brief Summary. John describes the seven churches in Asia, he records the visions that he received, and in the prophecy Jesus returns as the kinsman redeemer to claim this world as His inheritance. The final battle unfolds in a 7 year period through a series of seal, trumpet, and bowl judgements, He casts the antichrist and false prophet into the lake of fire and sets up the New Jerusalem, the new heaven and new earth for the redeemed. The book of Revelation is in harmony with the prophecies in the Old Testament especially the ones written by Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah.
Summary of The Book of Revelation
Author. John the apostle names himself as the one who wrote down what the Lord said through the angel. The earliest writers in the church like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria and the Muritorian all credit John the apostle as author of the book of Revelation.
Date. John indicates that he was on the Island of Patmos when he received the prophecy (Revelation 1:9). According to tradition John wrote during the reign of the Emperor Domitian which would have been around 95 AD. Tradition also states that John was released the next year and was allowed to return to Ephesus. Domitian was perhaps the cruelest Emperor toward the Christians, demanding that he was to worshipped as deity, or be put to death.
Audience. John said that the prophecy was directed to the seven churches in Asia (Revelation 1:4).
Outline of the Book of Revelation
Description and Fate of False Teachers - 1:1-16
Encouragement to Believers in Christ - 1:17-25
The Name Jesus In Ancient Hebrew Text
"Yeshua" in First Century Hebrew Text. This is how the name "Jesus"
would have been written in ancient Hebrew documents. The four letters or
consonants from right to left are Yod, Shin, Vav, Ayin (Y, SH, OO, A).
Jesus is the Greek name for the Hebrew name Joshua or Y'shua which means
"The LORD or Yahweh is Salvation".
The Book of Revelation Resources
Map of the Roman Empire (14 A.D.) - This map reveals the Roman Empire during the time shortly after the birth of Jesus, in 14 AD at the time of the death of Augustus. The order which prevailed in this extensive empire, the good military roads, and the use of Koine Greek as the general language of culture throughout the area were among the factors which multiplied the rapid spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. (Color Map)
Map of Paul's First Missionary Journey (48 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia Minor where Paul visited in his first missionary journey. Around 48 AD, in the springtime, Paul and his companions Barnabas and Mark were sent on a mission from the church in Antioch. This would be the first of Paul's Missionary Journey's. (Color Map)
Map of Paul's Second Missionary Journey (51 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his second missionary journey. Paul re-visits a couple cities in Asia, one of which was Lystra where he was stoned and left for dead a few years earlier. He later has a vision that leads him over to Greece and Paul and his companions travel and minister in various cities in Greece (Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Athens and Corinth. Later Paul returns to Ephesus and finally to Caesarea and Antioch. (Color Map)
Map of Paul's Third Missionary Journey (54 A.D.) - This map reveals the areas in Asia and Greece where Paul visited in his third missionary journey. On Paul's third missionary journey he returned to the cities he had first visited on his first missionary journey. During this time he decided to remain in Ephesus for about 3 years, and this city was the main focus of his activities and an important Christian community (Acts 19). (Color Map)
Map of the New Testament World - This map reveals the "Nations" within the ancient world during the first century A.D., the time of the New Testament. The map includes the areas of Israel, Asia, Greece, and Italy. (Color Map)
Map of New Testament Greece This map reveals the cities within Greece in the ancient world during the first century A.D.,The map includes the principal cities of Greece like: Athens, Corinth, and Thessalonica, and provinces like Macedonia and Achaia. (Color Map)
Map of New Testament Asia - This map shows the cities within
Asia Minor during the first century A.D., the time of the New
Testament. The map includes the principal cities of Asia
including Tarsus, Ephesus, and Colossae, and provinces like
Galatia and Pamphilia. (Color Map)