Come!

Revelation 6:1-17
I don’t pretend to understand all this, but I tremble as I hear the voice like thunder saying, “Come!” to horses and riders. Come conquest! Come war! Come famine! Come death!

Seal after seal, opened by the Lamb Himself. The baby Jesus—Christ of the cradle, Christ of the cross—unleashing the fury of judgment.

The fifth seal offers consolation. God has heard the cry of His suffering people, wrapped them in white robes and given them peace.

And then the blackened sun, the bloodied moon, the trembling earth and falling stars—pandemonium as terrified people seek to escape the “wrath of the Lamb.”

Matthew Henry says, “God has proclaimed threats against the wicked as well as promises to the righteous. It is our duty to believe both.”

I don’t pretend to understand but in this season I am reminded as I read that it is for this—this culmination, this righting of all wrongs—that Jesus was born. And as surely as He was born, He will one day bring all things into submission, and whether in grateful worship or holy terror, “every knee shall bow, every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”

All glory, laud and honor to You, Lord Jesus…the One who was, who is and is to come…

Who Is Worthy?

Revelation 5:1-14

As John observes, the God of heaven and earth is seated on His throne, holding in His right hand a scroll full of words, sealed seven times. But no one in heaven or on earth is worthy to break the seals, open the scroll and read it. It is such an overwhelming scene that John breaks down, weeping. How terrible that no angel, none of the elders, no person on earth, not even the four living creatures in all their magnificence is worthy to take this scroll and open it, revealing the end of all things.

But then, one of the twenty-four elders tells John to stop weeping, for the Lion of Judah is worthy to open the scroll. Yet, as John looks up, the Lion he sees is a Lamb, who looks like it has been slaughtered. For this One is not deemed worthy because of His might or knowledge or lineage, although He has all of those, too. He is deemed worthy because of His sacrifice, His innocent death and victorious life.

This Lamb, who receives the same praise as the One on the throne, is the only one worthy to reveal God's will and the events that are to come. This One is Jesus, our perfect Sacrifice and Redeemer, our powerful God and King. He is our Savior and our Intercessor, going to the Throne on our behalf, revealing the mysteries of God. There is no one like Him. No one else is worthy without Him. But because of His sacrifice for us, along with His perfect wisdom and power, because He is worthy to read and reveal the mysteries of God, He is worthy of and receives praise from the elders and living creatures, the multitudes of heaven, and every creature in heaven and earth.

Dear Jesus, My God and King, the Lion and the Lamb, the Beginning and the End, I give you my praise and join my voice with the voices of heaven, offering praise and worship to you. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation; you have even ransomed me. As the Lamb who was slaughtered, you are worthy to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing forever and ever!

All Glory to Him

Revelation 4:1-11

Henry van Dyke wrote, "Mortals join the mighty chorus, which the
morning stars began." I imagine the sound of a baton tapping a music
stand. A voice says, "It's time for us to warm up. Choir practice is
about to begin." Let's spend the rest of our time on earth preparing
for the day when we will join the saints and angels around the throne
of God – a place of unimaginable beauty.

"You are beautiful beyond description, too marvelous for words," – the
song by Mark Altrogge comes to my mind – "Too wonderful for
comprehension, like nothing ever seen or heard." I kneel before him.
"Who can grasp your infinite wisdom, who can fathom the depth of your
love?" (Yes, I tell others what I know of His excellence, but most of
all I try to tell Him.) "You are beautiful beyond description, majesty
enthroned above. And I stand, I stand in awe of you... Holy God, to
whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of you." Will I be able to stand
at all? Even the twenty-four elders fell down.

We worship Him as the Creator (Rev. 4:11). We worship Him as the
Eternal One.
Jude writes – "All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before
all time, and in the present, and beyond all time!"

To worship means to attribute worth. Yes, Lord, we acknowledge, "You
are worthy. King of kings, Lord of lords, you are worthy." We worship
Jesus – co-eternal with the Father – the faithful witness (Rev.1:5).
The first fruits from the dead (1 Cor.15:20). The One who is holy and
true (Rev. 3:7). Our Sustainer, our Shepherd-King, our Redeemer – "All
glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding
his blood for us" (Rev. 1:5).

We worship with our minds, our bodies, and our hearts. We can ask the
Holy Spirit to develop within us a worship lifestyle. Paul pleads with
us – "Give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let
them be a living and holy sacrifice... This is truly the way to worship
him" (Romans 12:1 NLT).

Revelation 5:6 describes the crystal sea in front of the throne. When
Solomon built and furnished the temple in Jerusalem, a large bowl was
cast of bronze. Called the Sea, it held 10,000 or more gallons of
water, and was used by the priests for ceremonial washing before
performing their sacrificial duties on behalf of the people. Jesus, our
Great High Priest, has entered once for all into the Holy of Holies.
This sinless One has no need for washing. And he has cleansed us as
well. Like the twenty-four elders, we who trust in Christ will one day
cast our crowns before the throne in the new Jerusalem.

Deetje Wildes

To the Churches

To the Church at Philadelphia

You may want to read and reread all 7 messages to the 7 churches – in one setting.  V. 8 – The Lord says:  “I know all the things you do.”  Ask yourself – Is that a real comfort for me?  V. 10 – The Lord says: “I will protect you…”  Pause to thank Him now.  V. 11 – Hold on.  Lord, help me to hold on to my faith in You in every situation. 

 

To the Church in Laodicea

What does you are lukewarm mean?  V. 17f – You are rich, but in what sense was that so then?  In what ways is that so today…in our society and also in the church…and in our personal lives as well?  There are some of us who feel that this last of the 7 messages (this one to the church in Laodicea) really confronts and deals with the church in our time…in our day.  How do you react as you read it with this thought in mind?  Does it apply in a special way to us today?  V. 20-22 – The Lord’s Promise!  Isn’t it wonderful?

 

Donald E. Pardun

Who Moved My Lampstand?

Revelation 2:1-17

Ephesus. Smyrna. Pergamum. If those names sound layered with the dust of history and archeology, they are. If these places don't sound like current centers of Christian hotbed activity, they're not.

Today, we start the fascinating read of Jesus' messages to the seven churches. He walks among them, seeing and evaluating every facet. The seven lampstands represent seven ancient substantial churches in Asia Minor. And, the seven 'stars' He holds in his hands? In the chapter before (1:20), these are said to be the 'angels' of these seven churches. But, you'll notice an asterisk by the word 'angel' (in 1:20 & 2:1) because it could just as aptly be translated 'messenger'. I believe the image is that Jesus walks among His churches, and their leaders, like a commander inspecting His troops.

He sees something good, and something threatening at each place. The church and pastor at Ephesus have down pat the 'deeds' part of faith. They endure, work hard, stand up against evil and lies. They are steady -- they are not quitters. But, where is the flame on the lampstand?! Where is the first-love passion that fuels the flame?! The regular re-incitement of grace and the fullness of the Spirit is the only thing that keeps our commitment from soon fading drab.

Smyrna is rich in spirit, but blasted by circumstance. Suffering and poverty and opposition will test them to the point of death.

Pergamum is loyal, but they are an island in an ocean of antichrist. They have settled for a timid loyalty that does not confront the monster.

It is the words of warning that ring loudest to me this reading; especially that stark line from the 5th verse: "If you don't repent, I will come and remove your lampstand from its place among the churches."

The thought struck me today: Christ's Kingdom is ever advancing, it is growing and spreading always around the world, and it will continue advancing until His chosen time of completion and return. However, individual churches often do not last, nor even does the Kingdom depend upon them to last! Indeed, the record of history going all the way back to Revelation 2 is that often local churches remain only for a season. And, perhaps when the love trims low enough, or suffering snuffs out hope, or timidity yields to compromise... that local church just goes away, and fades into a relic of history and fascination of archeology. But here's what rattles this lampstand messenger today:

It is never the devil that removes the lampstand.

-PPaul

REVELATION 1

 

"He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, from where he will come to judge the living and the dead."

                                                                                    The Apostles Creed

 

           

                         

It is right to picture Jesus as an infant and to feel filled with wonder at God-with-us.  It is right to picture Jesus as our savior and to feel filled with gratitude for God-dies-for-us.  But neither of these pictures is complete.

 

We need also to picture Jesus as king and to be filled with awe for God-glorified-before-us.  When Jesus ascended into heaven, he was "crowned with glory and honor" (Heb. 2:9).  This Jesus, whom we believe, lived, died, rose and ascended at distinct points in history.  Now he reigns in power.

 

So it's right to picture Jesus in his glory.  But it's also difficult.  "Baby" we can envision.  "Death on a cross" we can imagine.  How can we envision the glory of God?

 

This is where Revelation comes.  The visions given to John are meant to help us imagine what we can't possibly know from our current experience.  We need not disbelieve that John actually saw what he described.  But it's reasonable to assume that God used visions that could be described to illustrate what could not be described.

 

Does Jesus really exist in heaven with a sword which comes from his mouth?  It's possible.  But it's more likely that the vision of Jesus included the sword as a very graphic symbol of Jesus as judge.  Does he really wear a long robe and a golden sash?  Again, it's possible.  But it's more likely that the robe and sash are symbolic of Jesus' role as our high priest.  Each aspect of this vision could be a symbolic representation of Jesus (the thundering voice is his authority, his burning eyes are omniscience, etc.).

 

However, it's important to safeguard Revelation from becoming a mere "this means this" kind of intellectual exercise.  God gave John a vision – and told him to record it -- so we could all feel the power of vision.

 

The opening chapter describes God the Father, who is, who was and who is to come.  It also shows us a glorious Lord Jesus who, along with the Spirit, is powerfully and intimately involved with his church on earth.

 

Can you picture it?