King David records the blessedness and happiness of those who reverence the LORD’s authority in faith and obedience:
Psalm 1.1-2
1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.
King David also teaches of the Messiah, Jesus, to come, whom we will see – IS VICTORIOUS – The Cross is His Victory:
Psalm 2
1 Why do the nations conspire a and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the Earth take their stand and the rulers gather together against the LORD and against his Anointed One.
3 “Let us break their chains,” they say, “and throw off their fetters.”
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the Earth your possession.
9 You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the Earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.
The cross is the Victory!
It’s all to do with the simple yet awesome statement “…has triumphed” – (RSV “has conquered…” AV “has prevailed”).
Jesus has overcome death (John16:33) and He wants us to overcome as in Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12,21. He gives us the right to sit with Him!! On His throne!! In a sense we are there ‘now’ but ‘not yet’!
Jesus has “triumphed”. The Greek here is “nikao”, and it is in the aorist tense. This tense is defined as having occurred, no continuation – simply complete. Jesus’ victory was won at the cross. A real Victory with real hope for the elect in each lifetime, whatever trials and suffering may occur to end human life (again Philippians 1:23; 2 Corinthians 5:6-9).
5:6 “The Lamb…standing in the centre of the throne…seven horns…seven eyes” – perfect divine power and perfect knowledge and insight.
He is the Lamb who was slain – who saves His people through His atoning death (prophesied Isaiah 11:1-5, 10; 40:1-11; 41:14, 16, 20 cf Mark 1:24; Isaiah 52:13-53:12; 61:1-3). Yes, the Lion does not take the scroll – but the Messianic Lamb – the victorious conqueror over death and the Devil. 5:8 All fell before the Lamb.
5:9 The joy of the prayers of the saints which sometimes in the midst of trial of the saints on Earth are heard in the Council of God. Again, the ‘worthy’ – worth, worth-ship
– worship: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.
5:10 “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the Earth.” A further truth supporting a pre-millennial approach. Jesus opens the scroll – He was slain – His authority given by the Father.
Remember during the crucifixion Jesus was in charge (John 10:18 – the authority and command given in John 15:9-10). The elect, we will reign with the authority of King Jesus.
We see the reality in our ‘now’ – each lifetime in history how we are redeemed by the Glorious Trinity
Revelation 5.5-10
5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. He had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits a of God sent out into all the Earth.
7 He came and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne.
8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.
9 And they sang a new song:
“You are worthy to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
because you were slain,
and with your blood you
purchased men for God
from every tribe and
language and people
and nation.
10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the Earth.”
So, what is before us is a set of four overviews or sequences. Each subsequent overview overlays the preceding one. Each of these overviews occurred in John’s time and also occur in every Christian’s lifetime. The time of the beginning of “birth pangs” shortly before the rapture is excepted. Several authors have touched on this – one suggesting a post-millennial approach – that we are actually now in the 1,000-year reign of Jesus. Again, this author is researching from a pre- millennial approach. The millennium begins after the rapture the second coming of Christ.
Chapters 6 – 7 Times of Treacherous Evil Rulers
We see seven seals which deal with treacherous evil rulers. They are in John’s time (cAD95 at time of writing).
They are also in the lifetime of every elect person. Chapters 8 – 11 Times of Total Confusion and Disorder
We see seven trumpets defining total confusion, total disorder. As we will see, Satan is responsible for the Fall, giving man without God, emotions of hopelessness, loneliness, worthlessness, helplessness, sadness, fear
(slavish fear not Holy fear of reverencing God), tyranny, pain, frustration, confusion and death.
This, also, was in John’s time as we will see – and in each lifetime in history until Jesus returns.
Chapters 12 – 14 Times of Enmity and Suffering
Seven signs about enmity and suffering. Again in John’s time and each elect person in their lifetime.
Chapters 15 – 16 Times which Utterly Destroy Seven plagues which utterly destroy. In each elect’s lifetime in history confusion and disorder occur at the same time as treacherous actions by evil power hungry usurpers who want, at the devil’s direction, to enslave and kill.
Revelation 8
1 The Seventh Seal and the Golden Censer 1 When he opened the seventh seal, there was a silence in heaven for about half an hour.
2 And I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them.
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar and hurled it on the Earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.
The Trumpets
6 Then the seven angels who had the seven trumpets prepared to sound them.
7 The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down on the Earth. A third of the Earth was burned up, a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.
8 The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood,
9 a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.
10 The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water –
11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.
12 The fourth angel sounded his trumpet, and a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them turned dark. A third of the day was without light, and also a third of the night.
13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in mid- air call out in a loud voice”
“Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the Earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other angels!”
John’s Reflection Concerning His Time and/or All Lifetimes
8:1 Seventh seal opened – silence in heaven
– this leads to the next overlay where confusion and disaster occur, overlaying John’s previous unveiling of the treacherous tyrants.
Just a comment – how frightening it would be if God, through the Holy Spirit, was silent! I would be fearfully lost! Keep trusting and obeying Jesus.
John draws a picture of dark and light. Suffering and despair interchanging with joy and gladness.
8:2 Seven angels given seven trumpets – God’s judgements begin.
Remember this is no longer a Garden of Eden of paradise as in Genesis 1 – 3.
This author remembers a simple pamphlet by Reverend Phillip Jensen7 (see commentary on Revelation 22). About mankind rebellion and the fall and why God allows evil to happen:
God is the loving ruler of the world. He made the world. He made us rulers of the world under him.
You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their beings. Revelation 4:11 We all reject the ruler – God – by trying to run life
7 Phillip Jensen – Anglican Information Office, St Andrews, Sydney, 1989 our own way without him.
But we fail to rule ourselves or society or the world. There is no-one righteous, not even one; there is no- one who understands, no-one who seeks God. All have turned away.
Romans 3:10-12 God won’t let us rebel forever.
God’s punishment for rebellion is death and judgement.
Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement. (Hebrews 9:27) Because of his love, God sent his son into the world: the man Jesus Christ.
Jesus always lived under God’s rule.
Yet by dying in our place he took our punishment and brought forgiveness. Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18).
God raised Jesus to life again as the ruler of the world. Jesus has conquered death, now gives new life, and will return to judge.
In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him. John 3:36
8:7 “A third of the Earth was burned up…a third of the trees…all the grass.
8:8 “a mountain … ablaze … into the sea…third of sea turned to blood.
8:9 “third of creatures in the sea…third of the ships…” Through all this God allows a proportion. Two thirds are still alive. Will people repent?