Session 11 – Chapter 21-22

New heaven & new earth

Consummation = coming together (heaven and earth, God and His people, Bride and Bridegroom, Israel and the Church)

Jesus at the centre (Colossians 1.15-17)

Covenant fulfilment – “They will be His people and He will be their God” (Ex 6.7/19.6)

No sea – Humanity no longer defined independent of God’s life. Our experience will be internal to God’s life. The life we have “hid with Christ in God” (Col 3) will be fully experienced. A movement from faith to sight.

Holy city / bride

God will dwell with His people on the new Earth

Picture of union/consummation – The place where God dwells (holy city) merges with God’s covenant people (clothed as a Bride)

Isaiah 65 (Promise to Israel)

Images that reinforce promise of sharing life - Drink from spring of water of life / He who overcomes will inherit 

John is shown the city

Represents a profound reworking of the Jewish framework for the promise of sharing in God’s holy life (Ezekiel 40-48)

Vision parallels Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 40.1-5)

Look for what’s missing, what’s included and what’s transformed?

Ezekiel

Contrast w/ John’s vision

Ch 22 – Recalls Genesis account of creation in the Garden of Eden

In John’s vision, the fulfilment of God’s purpose doesn’t simply restore Eden, it surpasses anything experienced by Adam & Eve

No tree of knowledge of Good and Evil = true freedom

Concluding exhortation

"I am" statements, blessings & warnings, urgency "coming soon", encouragement to participate in His life now

Questions

1. How does John’s vision of a new Jerusalem rework the Jewish framework of Ezekiel’s prophecy?

2. What is at the heart of God’s creation of a new heaven and a new earth?

3. How does a vision of our future hope of a life with God help us to live with Him now?

Session 10, part two - chapter 20

Prophecy is not history written in advance

The visions in Ch 19-22 are a picture of complete restoration and recreation

Jesus is the Eschaton (End). Everything in history is resolved by how it relates to Him

Like Ch 19, the focus shifts to different key relations (Church, Israel, nations, spiritual enemies of KOG). Pictures return to same events previously described (eg Final battle)

Question of churches in Asia Minor in the C1st AD – Why are we suffering? Wasn’t Satan defeated?

Answer involves visions that explain Jesus relation to the great enemy, Satan

Satan bound

To keep from deceiving the nations

Isa 24.21-22

Matt 12.18-30

This is about the age of grace we live in now – the gospel is going out among the nations and God is gathering His people into the Church

That Christians are being gathered from among the nations is a reassuring sign to Christians that Satan has been stripped of power and bound

1000 years (Psalm 90.4 / 2 Peter 3.8)

Reign with Christ for 1000 years

Key OT text is Ezekiel 37-48

Dan 7. 22, 26-27

Picture of the rule of suffering Church in heaven now

Resolution of cry of martyrs in Rev 6.9-11 – They will judge!’

Rom 8.17/2 Tim  2.12

First resurrection – Jesus relation to Church is that they will be alive to God and share His rule from heaven (1 Peter 2.5-9)

Satan freed

After the 1000 years = at the end of the period of grace (gospel proclamation)

Satan freed to deceive nations for a short time (=limited authority) (Ez 38-39)

Returns to events of Ch 19

Surround camp of God’s people = God’s people in wilderness (faithless Israel)

Deliverance of Israel will be national (in relation to nations)

Nations will be judged by the way they relate to Israel (Gen 12 / Matt 25.31)

Satan judged

In the end, enemies of God will be abolished (Satan, Death, Hades)

Relational death = permanent relational separation (will not share a relation to the one who is the end – Jesus). No place in new creation

Final judgment

General resurrection

Opening of 2 books (Dan 7.9-10 & Dan 12.1-2)

“Rejoice your name is written in the Book of Life” (Luke 10.20-21) = to have a relationship with Jesus

Judgment according to what he has done (individual and based on actions)

Encouragement – Jesus reigns and his mercy will surprise us (2 Peter 3.3-13)

Questions

1. What does Jesus' analogy in Matthew 12 about tying up the strong man reveal about how he understands his work on the earth?

2. How does an understanding of Jesus as the end person help to make sense of the end times?

3. How do the parallel pictures of the binding of Satan and the reign of the saints provide encouragement to the Church now?

Session 10, part one – Chapter 19

John’s visions in the final chapters of Revelation (19-22) reveal a set of relationships that help explain God’s purpose in redeeming and restoring His creation

Old testament world view – God is a covenant God – God who works through relationships

- The progress of redemption begins with creation and contracts to one faithful covenant partner – Jesus Christ

- It then expands until all creation is caught up in God’s recreation of humanity and ultimately a new heaven and earth

Chapter 19 – 22 -> John will, in turn, resolve each relationship in terms of God’s redemptive purpose

Church “bride” / elect <- ch19 -> World “nations”

World “nations” <- ch20 -> Israel “God’s city”

Church “bride” / elect <- ch21-22 -> Israel “God’s city”

4-fold “Hallelujah!” -> Praise the Lord!

1. “Salvation and glory and power belong to our God”

- Celebrating righteous judgement against Babylon

- Blood of servants avenged

2. “our Lord God almighty reigns”

3. The wedding of the Lamb has come

- Lamb (bridegroom) & bride

- Bride -> ready, bright and clean, clothed in righteous acts

- Blessed are those invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb

Heaven and earth

- Entry of earthly church into heavenly state as a bride of Christ – heavens perspective on the Church

- “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy”

-> The testimony of Jesus is a revelation of Jesus’ words and actions in heaven

-> The spirit of prophecy is the communication of God’s heart for his people on the Earth

Attention shifts to the Bridegroom - Rider on a white horse

- True conqueror, faithful & true

- Judges and makes war

- Imagery recalls chapter 1

- Battle – manifest victory -> earth will see heavenly reality

CHAPTER 19 – The day of the Lord - one event from two sides

- saving & judging, wedding & battle

- Another invitation to gather together for the great supper of God (v17-18)

- Imagery encourages readers to consider these two ‘feasts’ in parallel

OT pictures of Armageddon

Joel 3

- Gathering of the nations for battle against Israel follows the pictures of the restoration of Zion in Ch 2

- Enemies think they are gathering for war but they are being gathered for judgement (consequence for how they related to Israel)

- “then you will know” – vindication of God’s righteousness

- Unveiling to Israel – The Lord will be seen as a faithful deliverer and ‘refuge for His people’

- Final unveiling for enemies– not for repentance, but for wrath

Ezekiel 38-39

- Ch 37 – ‘Valley of Dry Bones – the promise of the resurrection of Israel, Kingdom restored to the land, and poured out spirit

- Same pattern as Joel – an unveiling for both Israel and the nations

- God’s purpose is to “show Himself holy before their eyes”

- Nations will know His Lordship in their defeat and destruction

- Israel will know His Lordship in His faithful deliverance of His people

Questions

1. How does the story of redemption through history that the bible presents help us to make sense of God’s purpose in restoring all things?

2. In what ways are the wedding and the final battle two sides to the unveiling of the day of the Lord?

3. As Christians, how can knowing the person of the Bridegroom & the Great Conqueror encourage us to live in the power and intimacy of His life now?

Session 8 – Chapter 15 - 16

Another sign in heaven - signs point to a corresponding reality

Plagues

  > final set of 7, “with them God’s wrath is complete”

  > reminiscent of the plagues against Egypt

EXODUS 15:1-18

  > Song of deliverance

  > We know God by his actions towards us

NEW EXODUS

  > Song of the Lamb -> new covenant in the blood of the Lamb

  > “your righteous acts have been revealed” - Looking back to a victory (cross) that accomplished a new exodus.

The other side of deliverance for God’s people = Judgement for God’s enemies

  > all those who oppose God’s rule will face His wrath

Past, present and future

Past - Calvary (Jesus’ work)

  > The bowls of God’s wrath were endured by Jesus at the cross, “It is done” - proclaimed from the throne room

Present - gospel encounter (revealed to faith)

Future - final consummation (manifest to all)

Encouragements from chapter 15/16

             > A judgement of His enemies whose hearts are hardened

Questions

Session 7 – Chapter 14 

- Encouraging chapter -> heavenly reality of faithful followers of the Lamb.

- Hidden (open to faith), encouraging readers to look up

- Colossians 3:3 – “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God”

Mount Zion

     o Psalm 2 – installation of Messiah to rule the nations

  - Exodus language (New exodus to Mount Zion)

     o Redeemed from the earth

     o Pure

     o Follow the Lamb

     o Purchased

     o First fruits

     o Blameless

  - “They sang a new song” – New songs accompany victory

First fruits

  - The remnant is offered as first fruits

 - First fruits are offered after exodus = encouraging. Exodus has happened, victory has been won, they are set free

Three Angels

- Angel 1 - gospel to proclaim on earth

   o Fear God

   o Judgement has come

 o Worship

  - Proclamation of the gospel brings judgement

   o A word of grace to Christians – Forgiveness requires judgement

  - Preaching is a sword, it divides by response

- Angel 2 - "Fallen is Babylon"

  - Connection to Beast out of the Sea

- Angel 3 - warning to people about God’s wrath

  - Call to Christians

     o “Patient endurance”

     o “Remain in the faith of Jesus” – Faith is a gift

   o Deeds will follow them – faithful deeds are eternal, joined to Jesus’ life

The harvest

  - Sharp sickle in His hand -> harvesting tool = gospel proclamation

  - Harvesting people

  - Jesus harvests the earth – not a new judgement, judgement of the cross applied

  - Matthew 9:35-10:42 – Jesus speaks about the harvest, says the workers are few and sends out disciples with authority to act and speak in His name

  - Two angels begin a final judgement on those who have rejected the gospel

  - Joel 3 – Judgement against the nations, blessing for God’s people

  - Isaiah 63:1-6 – Vengeance and redemption – inseparable

  - John is applying these pictures of God’s holy love

     o God is not two faced – His love is holy

     o Holy love is a blazing fire that will burn up all that seeks to destroy/ compromise His goodness

     o God’s heart is to save but He will save in righteousness

  - The cross – Jesus is the judge and was judged in our place = the perfect mediator

     o God has dealt with sin completely in Christ

  - Hebrews 12:22-24 – "Jesus the mediator of a new covenant"

  - God’s word is never indirect, revelation is always personal

  - How gracious is God, revealing his holy character to us when we are perfectly secure in His grace and love

Questions

1. In what ways can an understanding of “first fruits” encourage Christians?

2. What does it mean that Jesus is “Lord of the Harvest”?

3. What is the gospel we bear witness to? How can we, as God’s church, share the good news faithfully? 

Session 6 (part 2) – chapter 13

   - John exposes the spiritual forces behind the kingdoms of the world and encourages the Church not to be rattled by this kingdom’s power or deceived

   - In this chapter, John explains how the kingdom of this world is a blasphemous imitation of the kingdom of the Lamb

THE BEAST OUT OF THE SEA

   - Context - Daniel 7:1-7

   - It represents a compilation of all the worldly empires of Daniel’s prophecy

   - Dragon gives this beast enormous power and authority

   - The world is deceived and worships the beast because of its false resurrection

   - Represents worldly empires, systems, structures, and ideologies

   - Incredibly impressive and powerful to sight

   - The beast’s range is global

   - Aim – to make war on the saints

   - Everyone on the earth will suffer the rule of this beast

   - The Church are called to patient endurance and faithfulness

THE BEAST OUT OF THE EARTH

   - False messiah – appearance of a lamb

   - It spoke like a dragon – Satanic

   - The human face of worldly empires that have Satan behind them

   - A deceiver

   - Aim – get people to worship the beast out of the sea and ensnare them through economic control

   - Demands to totally control people’s thoughts and actions (mark of the beast)

             > This represents a contrast to God’s call to Israel (Exodus 13:9)

   - The dragon and the two beasts form an unholy trinity

   - In the end, John is not presenting readers with a riddle. He is warning the Church to beware of people and empires who behave like a counterfeit God – behind them is Satan.

   - Wherever a society attempts to create something that seeks to replace the Church or Christ, you’ll find these beasts.

   - Keep your eyes on Jesus (Matthew 4:23)

Questions

1. How is Jesus’ warning in Matthew 24:23 helpful in understanding the deception and brute power of the beasts in chapter 13?

2. In what ways is the Kingdom of the world a false version of the Kingdom of God?

3. We are called to be people “in the world but not of the world”. Where do you encounter the Kingdom of this world? How can you stay faithful to Jesus?

Session 6 (part 1) – chapter 12

Revelation 11:15 – “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ”

   - Ch 12 – how the world became Jesus’ kingdom

   - Ch 13 – perspective on the kingdom of the world

What is a sign?

   - Points to the meaning of hidden things – a sign points to another reality

   - They reveal glory (true nature)

   - Heaven and earth coming together

   - Signs in the gospels point to the glory of Jesus

   - In this case – a sign in heaven points to an earthly reality

TWO SIGNS – the woman (Israel) and the dragon (Satan)

   - Goes back to Genesis 3 – the woman & the serpent

The woman

   - Symbol of Israel

   - Isaiah 7:14

   - Isaiah 9:6-7

The dragon

   - Symbol of Satan

   - Angelic power behind “kingdom of the world”

   - Focus on devouring the child / destroying redemptive purpose

The child

   - Messianic symbol

   - Protected by God

   - Will rule with “iron sceptre”

The redemptive picture focuses on the incarnation (entering enemy territory) and ascension (defeat of enemies).

The application of the work of the cross is implied. John focuses on the outcome of Jesus’ work seen in the last days. Salvation from the perspective of heaven.

   1. The woman fled to the desert = Israel preserved and provided for in the wilderness

   2. An angelic victory in heaven, Satan hurled to earth (Isaiah 14:12, Luke 10:17-18)

   3. Earthly victory expressed in the overcoming Church. They overcome by;

          i. The blood of the Lamb. Christians can no longer be accused (Job 1:6-12, Zechariah 3:1)

          ii. The word of their testimony

          iii. No fear in death

In the last days the dragon rages against the woman (Israel) and the rest of her offspring (the Church).

Questions

1. How do signs in heaven encourage readers about the earthly reality of Jesus’ kingdom and rule?

2. For the Church, what is the significance of Satan being defeated and hurled to the earth?

3. How are you encouraged to live out the victory of the Lamb everyday?

Session 6 (part one) – Chapter 12

Summary

Revelation 11:15 - “The Kingdom of this world has become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ”

  - Ch 12 – how the world became Jesus’ kingdom

  - Ch 13 – perspective on the Kingdom of the world

What is a sign?

  - Point to the meaning of hidden things – a sign points to another reality

  - They reveal glory (true nature)

  - Heaven and earth coming together

  - Signs in the gospels point to the glory of Jesus

In this case – a sign in heaven points to an earthly reality

TWO SIGNS – the woman (Israel) and the dragon(Satan)

  - Goes back to Genesis 3 – the woman & the serpent

The woman

  - Symbol of Israel

  - Isaiah 7:14

  - Isaiah 9:6-7

The dragon

  - Symbol of Satan

  - Angelic power behind ‘kingdom of this world’

  - Focus on devouring child / destroying redemptive purpose

The child

  - Messianic symbol

  - Protected by God

  - Will rule with ‘iron sceptre’

The redemptive picture focuses on the incarnation (entering enemy territory) and ascension (defeat of enemies).

The application of the work of the cross is implied. John focuses on the outcome of Jesus’ work in the last days. Salvation from the perspective of heaven.

  1. The woman fled to the desert = Israel preserved and provided for in the wilderness

  2. An angelic victory in heaven, Satan hurled to the earth (Isaiah 14:12, Luke 10:17-18)

  3. Earthly victory expressed in the overcoming Church. They overcome by;

      i. The blood of the lamb. Christians can no longer be accused (Job 1:6-12, Zechariah 3:1)

      ii. The word of their testimony

      iii. No fear in death

In the last days the dragon rages against the woman (Israel) and the rest of her offspring (the Church).

Questions

1. How do signs in heaven encourage readers about the earthly reality of Jesus' Kingdom and rule?

2. For the Church, what is the significance of Satan being defeated and hurled down to the earth?

3. How are you encouraged to live out the victory of the Lamb everyday?

Halfway through our series of podcasts, we sat on the couch and a had a chat about what God has been showing us as we’ve studied Revelation.

This session does not form part of our formal study of Revelation, we will continue with chapter 12 and 13 next session.

We hope this encourages you to reflect on how God is speaking to you and more importantly, that you actively respond to the ways He is challenging you.