Time, Cycles, & Symbols

Coming up next on Renewing Your Mind. The book of Revelation.

What John is saying to us here implicitly is the fact that I'm suffering doesn't mean that I'm not full of the end. The real message of that to all the readers of this book is and so whatever your suffering doesn't mean you're not beloved religion with the monolithic hood of foreman and fallen world suffering soon disease.

It surrounds us. Certainly corona virus. Pandemic has reminded us about a dozen. Sometimes it's easy to feel as though God has forgotten what today on Renewing Your Mind, Dr. W.

Robert Gottfried shows us that during these times, we can turn to the book of Revelation and find encouragement and hope, well, we're just beginning to get into the book. It's all fun to look at what it teaches. I sent were looking a little bit at that introduction. The first three verses that orient us to the whole book and you notice there in verse three that John tells us that this is a prophecy of prophecy that Jesus has given to John to share with the churches and that it's important to pause and remember that prophecy throughout the Scriptures, whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament doesn't mean simply words about the future.

It very much means God's word to us to help us now, in light of the future and that's what it means here to this doesn't mean all this is just no future information or future shock, but it means this is a pastoral word for us and that's what we hope to be seeing as we go along. So as we continue to look out so what vital information is given to us about reading this book. In these opening verses we see two time markers here. First of all, were told that this must take place soon. And then that the time is near and less we think that this applies just to the letters to the churches on this point is made again at the end of the book and the conclusion.

So the whole book is book ended by this declaration that what is being said here must take place soon how we do interpret that how we do understand that because we do live 2000 years after this event. How does soon work.

What part of what soon does for us.

I think it is to remind us that it applies to us now.

It's not just in a far distant future. When Daniel got his prophecy. The fulfillment was about 400 years off so it wasn't an immediate reality for him. I think John wants us to say these things are an immediate reality for us and in that sense, it soon and the time is drawing near.

But beyond that, the whole New Testament approach to time is an approach that says since Jesus finished his work. There's nothing really that needs to be done until the second coming, except the gathering of the elect and in that sense everything is fulfilled. Everything is done everything is accomplished, and in that sense, the end is soon. John in his first letter puts it even more pointedly, where he writes in first John 218 children. It is the last hour and as you heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour when John wrote that he lived many more hours didn't mean our in the most literal sense. There he meant the time is short. There's nothing yet.

That has to be fulfilled in prophecy for Christ to come again.

We are in the very last year of the last hour of the last age.

The last time of this passing away world and I think John is highlighting that again here, but the importance for us is to realize everything in this book is not to just be dismissed as something that's going to happen sometime because someone probably a long time from now a rather it's our world in which we live, and it's the present reality that should inform our living and our particularly being faithful now because some the blessing pronounced here is blessed are those who hear and who keep what is written. This is a major theme of the book that we are to respond with faith and faithfulness to what we hear in this book and it shows us that what this book is all about is an encouragement to faith and encouragement to faithfulness because John knows that the times are hard and that we need encouragement and that's what this book is going to give us and in light of that, then John makes the promise. Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words blessed.

That's a recurring theme. There are seven times in this book that John pauses to say Blessed are another seven but it's not a seven the numbers but it's another seven and he wants to pause from time to time will see that as we go along to make clear the blessings that we are to derive from this book so that's will you be listening for that's what we ought to be looking for. How is this a blessing to me. How is this a blessing to my church. That's a big part of what we are after. In this book and were going to see as we go along that there's a lot of reiteration sounds nicer than repetition of there's a lot of coming out the truth for the same basic point even though from different angles and so were were not to take every part of this book is something brand-new I were going to see as we go along that there are various ways from various angles that John will tell the same truth to bless us and to encourage us and to encourage us especially to overcome John records for us in his gospel that Jesus said, I have overcome the world. And he says that as he is facing the cross. John 16. I've overcome the moral just as good a translation is, I have conquered the world. I have conquered the world and maybe that's actually a more helpful translation because John lived in one of the conquests. The Romans had conquered the world and Jesus comes along and says I want to know that it's not the Romans who conquered the world five conquered and we are called to be conquerors.

That's why Hendrickson named his book more than conquerors sits on the same word we are called to be over comers were called to be conquerors and what do we have to conquer will really our own doubts and fears our own tendency to lose faith and not be faithful when I called the company conquerors in the terms of finding swords and guns and going out and brutalizing anybody but were called to be conquerors as those who live by faith and don't allow the appearances of this world overwhelm us. That's a lot of what book of the Revelation is really all about.

And that's why these cycles as I call them are important because each cycle has a slightly different message for us relative to these great themes that are introduced already in the very introduction of the book and the first three cycles. We can say our cycles to encourage the church in the face of suffering. So the first three cycles in the book very much about how do we relate to suffering and then the central cycle in the book is a cycle about the church, persevering so first of all, were faithful in suffering then were persevering in suffering and then the last three cycles are about being delivered from suffering so of these cycles are all coming out the reality of suffering for Christians and how we cope with suffering in various ways.

As Christians and in the great hope that yet awaits us. That is integral to our enduring suffering because what the Bible says to us, we suffer now but it won't go on forever. First of suffering, then the glory that's the path of Jesus walked. That's the path he says over and over again. Also the New Testament. That's the path. Christians must walk. First, the suffering, then the glory and this is very much the message of the book of the Revelation so as we look at the early part of it will see John talking to the church is Jesus talking to the churches to be faithful in suffering.

These are churches are all experiencing struggles and the call is to faithfulness in suffering and then cycled to is going to direct. We address the question of Christian suffering. One way to think about the suffering of the faithful in this world and then cycle three will address the suffering of the wicked in this world and that's rather intriguing because it's more often we think about her own suffering, then the suffering of the wicked, and I think John wants to say we have to think about our suffering, but we also have to think that was not the only one self. So there's a lot going on in this book and will return to what the other cycles are about as we go along.

So let's turn now to that first cycle and to its introduction.

Remember I said not only does the book as a whole have an introduction, but the first cycle has an introduction, and that first cycles introduction is really from Revelation 1 verse four down through Revelation 120 see as we go along is some cycles have no introduction. Several have rather warm introductions and this is a somewhat long introduction here, but you can see it's an introduction from the very first words there are verse four John to the seven churches that are in Asia so this can be a letter to each of seven churches, but this introduction applies all the seven churches John to the seven churches that are in Asia now he's writing to churches. He knew but he's writing to churches in a relatively small geographical area of the what is now modern Turkey. He writes as the apostles in the New Testament always right with an opening word of benediction or blessing Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth is a wonderful opening benediction. Many churches historically have begun services with a blessing pronounced on the people following this apostolic practice. Sometimes we think of a benediction is just coming at the end but benediction doesn't mean Caballo a benediction means a word of blessing a good word and the apostles rather regularly in their epistles begin with a good word and end with the good work of blessing upon the people and that's what John is saying here what we need.

We need grace and peace.

And that's the promise of God that the apostle pronounces on his people, and from whom does grace and peace come in here verses four and five. We have a wonderful Trinitarian blessed from him who is and was and is to come next. The father and what a glorious description of the father. The father is the eternal one is now, but he always was and always will be, but this description at least with my colleagues at the seminary State Bar insists is more dynamic than that, it probably should be translated.

Steve says as from him who is and who was and who is coming is not just that he's going to come sometime in the future. He's on his way. He's in control of history. History is unfolding as he intends and is on his way.

So there's nothing really delaying him he's accomplishing his will and who is and who was and who is coming and from the seven spirits that are before his throne. Well, we almost instinctively know don't way that this is the Holy Spirit is a Trinitarian blessing. Spirits are the Holy Spirit, but right here were alerted that we have to read this book. Recognizing symbolism in this book. If you're insistent on reading this book literally are even argue there are seven spirits to the Holy Spirit. I don't think anybody seriously argues that this is obviously a symbol a symbolic way of of speaking about the work the character of the Holy Spirit. We know that seven is a number of perfection and completion right so one way reading this is and from the Holy Spirit who is complete Holy Spirit who is perfect. I think also we could read it and say and from the spirit who has every one of the churches in mind as their seven churches. So there seven spirits. It's not that the spirit will be in one church and not in another.

But this alerts us to an important reality, as we read the book of the Revelation that they're going to be symbols of organ have to pause again and again and again to say is a symbol and to realize symbol is not against a literal reading a little reaming which we read the letters to see what the author intended. If the author intended a symbol, then you read it literally if you find a symbol that is really failed to read it literally. If you miss a symbol even in John's Gospel when John says Jesus is the good Shepherd.

There's a little bit that symbolic about that right.

But will we have a record of Jesus actually in his life ever spent time as a shepherd, but we know just instinctively what John is meaning there pistol and cares for his sheep. So are you good relationship. Could we carve you up for mutton dinner.

No course on weight again we see the way language operates with metaphor symbol on and that's true here to so there's this picture wonderful picture of the Holy Spirit completed his power and presence in everyone of this, churches, and then this wonderful declaration of Jesus from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings on earth.

I don't think it's too much to see here what we have always called the threefold office of Jesus as prophet, priest and king as prophet is the faithful witness as priests offered himself from sacrifice. He's born again from the dead, the first fruit of them who sleep, and as she is the ruler of the kings of the earth and to see how encouraging. This is when you pause to think about it who's running the world today. Donald Trump, Nancy Pelosi, who would like to run the will to know that the rhetorical question, no actual answers but how encouraging to know right now, today, Jesus is the ruler of the kings of the earth is not going to be one day he is now is what the Scripture teaches and with the book of Revelation teachers. So here we have of this wonderful promise of Trinitarian blessing keeps upon us, and then John moves into praise of this really sounds like a worship service in some way so that you begin with a blessing, move, lunch, praise, and the John's praise there in the middle of verse five. To him who loves us and is freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom of priests to his God and father to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him. And all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God who is and who was and who is coming, the Almighty. So here's his prayers to this glorious God of to this glorious God, whose act to redeem us to save us from our sins, who now is in charge of the world, but will one day come to make all things new and and John is lifting his voice in praise about this in his joy in knowing the Savior and then verse nine John moves on to what we might call a sermon for regular church. When you have your help in opening blessing and then praising the sermon and the Don has a sermon here. I John, your brother and partner in the tribulation. This again really stakes out what the book of the Revelation is all about. John is a partner in tribulation but at the same time is a partner in the kingdom. These things are not set apart or set at odds with each other is the way sometimes Christians think first will be the tribulation then will be the kingdom now tribulation and kingdom now until Jesus returns in glory come together. The fact that we have tribulation doesn't mean that were not in the kingdom and the fact that when the kingdom doesn't mean it will be tribulation and is particularly striking to think about that in relation to John is John was the beloved disciple Jesus loved all his disciples, but apparently that was a special care for John. There was a special relationship with John so truly the beloved disciple will live in a palace right will be specially protected Hill. It's all right for Peter to get crucified but John will be protected and what John is saying to us here implicitly is the fact that I'm suffering the fact that I'm imprisoned on the nasty little dried up island called Patmos doesn't mean that I'm not below the and the real message of that to all the readers of this book is and so whatever your suffering doesn't mean you're not beloved, doesn't mean you're from God anymore. The unforgotten on the island of Patmos. And so I John, your brother and partner in the tribulation and the kingdom and the patient in Julie's waterways that should be one of the great Christian virtues. Patient endurance was on the island of Patmos on account of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.

I received the word of God wanted to do for me it landed me in prayer. And that's okay and that's okay. I was in the spirit on the Lord's day.

So we see this whole thing is very much worship.

This is Sunday worship. This is the great text that shows us we should be worshiping on Sunday because what's the Lord's day post the day of his resurrection is the celebration of his resurrection, and Sunday and the all those people who are forever quoting Paul and says, all days are alike have to figure out what this firstfruits because clearly.John doesn't think all days are like so the New Testament contradicts itself.

You're too smart for that.

When Paul says, all days are like he's putting an end to the whole Jewish calendar of holidays, but is not saying all days are absolutely like there is still a Lord's day, a new covenant. There is still a Sunday. There are other indications of that in the New Testament and we see that here and it's very important because one of the ways we testify to the world about our faith as we worship on the Lord's day, and the John is testifying that to that here he knows about the Lord's day and done while he's worshiping the records that he heard behind him.

A loud voice with a trumpet, saying, write what you see in the book and send it to the seven churches to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum to find Tyrone to Sardis and to Philadelphia and Laodicea.

So in the midst of his worship in the midst of his earthly ministry.

In the midst of his suffering the spirit of God comes in power and Revelation to John and says right so this introduction that were looking at the cycle. One begins with John's earthly ministry, which is a ministry of struggle and patient endurance and in the midst of the in the power of the Spirit the word of God comes to him and really delightfully in verse 12 he says and I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands. Here he is in the midst of his earthly ministry and earthly suffering. And here's the spirit and power and he looks around, and he sees the heavenly temple. That's what's being described here for he turns around and here's an sees the heavenly temple and a figure in heavenly temple, and I think what's so beautiful about this is that it's a reminder that heaven is not out there that heaven is not yet to come, that all the time.

Heaven is just over if we can just turn around fast enough we can see in this is something point of John's ministry. It's my it's right with and if you are advised to faith removed from around the city. So come back to look at John in the heavenly temple as part of this introduction. What a comfort it is to know that heaven is a just a future hope the blessing belongs to each and every believer now even in the midst of suffering, we are citizens of heaven. Thank you for joining us today for Renewing Your Mind. I'm Lee Webb and we just heard the second lesson from Dr. W. Robert Godfrey's new series on the book of Revelation. It's titled blessed hope. Many Christians have struggled to understand this book. It's full of strange creatures, great multitudes and marks on four heads. But this week we will see that God gave us this book to encourage us in understandable and practical ways remaking the entire series available to you for your gift of any amount making requests simply go online to Renewing Your Mind.org or call us at 800-435-4343. We understand that these are difficult times. Now more than ever people are looking online for hope and help in the wake of the covert, 19 pandemic by God's merciful provision of Dr. RC Sproul's vision and the generosity of supporters like you leader ministries continues to serve churches and Christians around the world to declare the holiness and sovereignty of God. This program is just one of many resources we produce and distribute. So we thank you for your generosity will tomorrow will return to the book of Revelation and will ask how is John's vision inform our worship today. Sometimes our worship may seem insignificant, certainly ignored by the Jesus is saying you really with me in the heavenly temple you really communion with the one who is alive and holds the keys of death and hell. We hope you'll join us Wednesday for new in your mind