The Second Scene Of The End Times Now Ends

Having emphasized again that Revelation is a book of symbols and that those symbols must be interpreted by referring to the Old Testament and to the words of Jesus, we are ready too move now to complete our comments on chapter 11 and conclude our study of the second of the seven scenes revealing what we are to expect as we await the return of our King, the Risen Christ.

Then I was given a measuring rod like a staff, and I was told, "Rise and measure the temple of God and the altar and those who worship there, but do not measure the court outside the temple; leave that out, for it is given over to the nations, and they will trample the holy city for forty-two months. And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth. And if anyone would harm them, fire pours from their mouth and consumes their foes. If anyone would harm them, this is how he is doomed to be killed. They have the power to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire. And when they have finished their testimony, the beast that rises from the bottomless pit will make war on them and conquer them and kill them, and their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city that symbolically is called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was crucified. - Rev 11:1-8 ESV

John has eaten the little scroll. He has inwardly digested it and now what follows are the perplexing words above, a bewildering interweaving of symbols from Old Testament history and prophecy. Here are references to the Temple, the altar, the court around the temple, the drought in the days of Elijah, the wild olive trees and the lamp stand seen by Zechariah, the plagues sent upon Pharaoh and Egypt in the days of the Exodus, the tyrant predicted by Daniel and to Sodom, Egypt and Jerusalem. Throughout this amazing summary of the history of God's people, we recall their faithful witness to their faith in God, despite indignity and persecution. But this is not the end of the story. They are delivered through martyrdom and death to an amazing flight to heaven.

For three and a half days some from the peoples and tribes and languages and nations will gaze at their dead bodies and refuse to let them be placed in a tomb, and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. But after the three and a half days a breath of life from God entered them, and they stood up on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw them. Then they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them, "Come up here!" And they went up to heaven in a cloud, and their enemies watched them. And at that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell. Seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven. The second woe has passed; behold, the third woe is soon to come. - Rev 11:9-14 ESV

What does all this mean—symbolically or spiritually (pneumatikōs, Rev. 11:8)? John obviously is not measuring some literal temple. The temple was destroyed by the Romans over 20 years earlier. That temple has been replaced by the living temple (2 Cor. 6:16; Eph 2:20-21; 1 Pet 2:5). John is to measure this living temple, God's people, so that he may be God's instrument to build up, revive and restore God's people. 

He is not to measure the court outside the temple, but rather the inner court. Those on the outside persecute and trample upon the church, but they are not permitted to destroy her. The 42 months of persecution (3 ½ years) is derived from the prophet Daniel. This was the period the Greek King, Antiochus IV, was allowed to defile the temple from 167 to 164 B.C. with the "abomination that desolates" until the decreed end was poured out on the desolator (Dan 9:27; 12:7). Antiochus ordered that Jewish worship must cease and be replaced by worship of the Greek deity Zeus. This led to the Maccabean revolt and Antiochus' sudden death from an unknown disease. John uses this period of time (½ of 7 years) as the symbolical indication that the time of persecution by the enemies of God will be limited, as it has always been. 

Who are the two witnesses who prophesy for 1,260 days (3 ½ years), clothed in sackcloth? John gives us two hints. The first is his reference to two olive trees. The prophet Zechariah had a vision of Joshua the high priest, and Zerubbabel the civil ruler during the days when the temple was rebuilt, after 70 years of Babylonian captivity.  

And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. And he said to me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left." And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these, my lord?" Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord." Then he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of 'Grace, grace to it!'" 

Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also complete it. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me to you. For whoever has despised the day of small things shall rejoice, and shall see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel. "These seven are the eyes of the LORD, which range through the whole earth." 

Then I said to him, "What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" And a second time I answered and said to him, "What are these two branches of the olive trees, which are beside the two golden pipes from which the golden oil is poured out?" He said to me, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, my lord." Then he said, "These are the two anointed ones who stand by the Lord of the whole earth." - Zec 4:1-14 ESV

John refers to the spiritual power given to the two "to shut the sky, that no rain may fall during the days of their prophesying," and their "power over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every kind of plague, as often as they desire." This brings to mind the days of Elijah (2 Kings 1:10) and Moses (Exod 7:17-19). Thus within the church the LORD anoints with His Spirit both rulers and priests to witness to Him, just as He always has.

After the two witnesses finish their testimony they are attacked and killed by the beast from the bottomless pit (Rev. 11:7). We'll hear more about this demonic monster later in chapters 13 and 17. The martyrdom of the Two is likened to that of Christ in Jerusalem. Jerusalem now becomes a symbol. John writes that the great city is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt. Sodom is a symbol for total moral decay (Gen 19:4-11) and Egypt stands for oppression and slavery, reaching all the way back to the days of Moses. The bodies of the Two are denied a proper burial, a great disgrace. They lie in the streets for 3 ½ days, abandoned and decaying. At this all who dwell on earth rejoice. A holiday is declared and presents are exchanged, because the Two can no longer trouble their consciences by calling them to repent nor prevent them by force from advancing their cause. But then suddenly the victory celebration comes to an end with a great earthquake. A tenth of the city collapses and 7 x 1,000 die. The Two Witnesses rise from the dead and are caught up to heaven in a cloud. Those left behind are terrified and give glory to the God of heaven.

So we are told again that the church and her anointed leaders will suffer persecution and death in these last days, but she cannot be destroyed. Instead the exact number of God's enemies chosen for destruction die. As this second woe passes the seventh angel blows his trumpet and loud voices echo in heaven, saying,

 "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." 

And the twenty-four elders who sit on their thrones before God fell on their faces and worshiped God, saying, 

"We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth." - Rev 11:15-18 ESV

This sounds as if the end of the age has come—and indeed it has! The book could well end here. It is a proper ending, but there are 11 more chapters to follow. John has five more scenes of the End Times to present to us, deepening our understanding of the last days. He also confirms what he said in the opening chapter (Rev. 1:4-7). Christ has made us a royal priesthood (1Pe 2:9 ESV), kings and priests to His God and Father. He is coming soon with the clouds. He is the LORD God who is and was and is to come. Even so, come LORD Jesus! Amen.

Meeting and Talking with Moses

I've been out of the blogging business now for quite a time. My excuse, of course, is that I'm serving as the Interim Pastor of Zion Lutheran Church of Tomball, Texas and simply don't have the time—and the energy to keep it going. Well, that's my excuse at least.

Now that the year and a couple months I've been serving this congregation are coming to an end, I've decided that it is possible—maybe even necessary—for me to pick up this work once again. The congregation's Call committee has found three candidates they like and within a few weeks they may even be prepared to present them to the congregation to consider for the call to the office of pastor. The current nomenclature is "senior pastor" (a non-Biblical term). The idea is that the one fulfilling this office will be the overseer or Bishop of a growing staff of congregation servants, because Zion sees great possibilities for expanding the kingdom of Christ in this area.

If that happens and if the man called agrees that the Lord of the church is calling him to this work, there is a distinctive possibility that he will indeed become the senior pastor of Zion congregation sometime before or after the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter), the first week in April, 2015. But let me be very clear. This remains in the hands of the Holy Spirit. I am only speculating.

But what's my point? Ah, there you have me. I am considering what is the next step in my life. I shall be putting down the mantel of interim pastor and will step to the side. I've thought a lot about that in this past year. I recall that Moses was 80 years old when he began to lead Israel to the promised land. And 40 years later his work was done. Whoever completed that part of the Deuteronomy story wrote this:

So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD, and he buried him in the valley in the land of Moab opposite Beth-peor; but no one knows the place of his burial to this day. Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated. - Deu 34:5-7 ESV

That's not the last we hear of Moses, however. He was there on another mountain—when the Lord Jesus was transfigured.

And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah, talking with him. And Peter said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah." - Mat 17:2-4 ESV

Can you imagine what it will be like to meet Moses? ! And talk with him? And Elijah? And all the other prophets and apostles? What a humbling, wondrous experience that will be. When you get to be over 80 years old, that's the kind of thoughts one has.

Leaping Like Calves From The Stall

Thanks for joining me as I continue my study in preparation for my sermon on the Second-last Sunday of the church year, the 25th Sunday after Pentecost. Today I will look at another of the lessons for that day, Malachi 4:1-6.

Martin Luther wrote that Malachi's book contains beautiful sayings about Christ and the gospel. "He calls it a pure offering in all the world, for by the gospel the grace of God is praised, and that is the true pure thank-offering. Again he prophesies of the coming of John the Baptist, as Christ himself in Matthew 11:10-14 interprets that of which Malachi 3:1; 4:5 writes, calling John his messenger and Elijah." 

Luther's comment takes us to the lesson for this Sunday. Quick overview: Malachi lived and worked some 430 years before Christ in Judah. The name "Malachi" literally means "my messenger," and the prophet's identity is never revealed. He was likely a priest who witnessed the corruption and indifference he rebukes.

Malachi expresses the deep love of God for His people. That's why he calls on the Judeans to repent. The LORD does not want to punish you, he said. Yet they were indifferent to his warning. The priests and levites continued to live immoral lives, divorcing their wives and being unfaithful in their duties. The people did not support the worship of God with their tithes. The message is harsh. Arrogant evildoers will be stubble thrown into a blazing oven. Everything will be burned. Nothing will be left.

However there is good news for those who "fear" the LORD. They will leap like calves turned out from their stalls on that awesome day of the LORD. I love that image. Because I grew up on a farm I can see in my mind the young calves locked up in their stalls in the winter. When my Dad would turn them loose on a mild day they'd go out into the barnyard, jumping high into the air, racing around with their tails sticking straight out. How great it was to be set free.That's how all of the LORD's people will feel when "the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings."

So another warning and another word of hope for these last days. God will tolerate immorality, godlessness, unbelief and hatred only so long. The "awesome day of the LORD" is coming; that great moment in history when Christ returns as Judge of all is upon us. Yet for those who humbly repent and accept His sacrifice, this will be a day of great rejoicing. They will finally be set free. All pain, suffering and sorrow will cease. All wounds will be healed. And all will go leaping out into the new world our LORD Christ has prepared like calves turned free from their stalls.