Yogi Berra, baseball Hall of Famer and master of malaprop, once quipped, “the future ain’t what it used to be.” Over the last several weeks, we’ve examined some of the prevalent Christian ideas about the future. We’ve discovered that there is no scriptural support for the rapture. We’ve also begun to consider the concept of the tribulation, which is also fraught with problems. A disciplined study of scripture reveals that God’s plans for the future are much different than the expectations of most American Christians.
Last week we focused on the early chapters of the book of Revelation. Revelation was written around 90 A.D. by a man named John; he sent this letter to seven churches in the Roman province of Asia.
We learned that the Greek word for tribulation (thlipsis) can be translated as suffering, affliction or hardship. The book of Revelation makes it quite clear that tribulation had already begun for the first century followers of Jesus. Roman authorities had banished John to the remote island of Patmos on account of his Christian faith. John refers to himself as “your partner in the suffering [thlipsei], the kingdom, and the patient endurance in Jesus.” This verse makes it certain that John and the churches were both facing persecution; they shared a partnership in suffering.
But what did John expect in the future?
In order to answer this question, we must grapple with the great central section of Revelation, chapters 6-16. This is a daunting task. Revelation sternly challenges the modern reader with all manner of strange symbolism and vivid imagery. Since this is a blog, we will have to greatly simplify things. But the exercise will be well worth the effort.
Revelation 6-16 is dominated by three sets of seven: the seven seals, the seven trumpets and the seven bowls. Each set represents God’s judgement upon the idolatry and wickedness which threatens to ruin the creation.
The opening of the first four seals unleashes the so-called four horsemen of the apocalypse. These strange equestrians are archetypal symbols of chaos and evil. The first rider represents the thirst for military conquest. Subsequent horsemen represent war, famine and death.
The message is not difficult to discern. Humans routinely rebel against God’s wisdom, seeking to seize power for themselves through violence and aggression. But the consequences of their actions often come crashing down upon their own heads. In other words, part of God’s punishment involves allowing disaster to rebound back upon the those who seek to oppress others. This theme has played itself out many times throughout history.
Importantly, the seals are not God’s complete judgment upon evil; rather, they are limited. The horsemen are given authority over only 1/4 of the earth.
The trumpets are the second series of God’s wrath; these judgments are described in chapters 8 & 9. As is typical with apocalyptic literature, the trumpet blasts are highly symbolic and imaginative portrayals of God’s anger against injustice and unrighteousness.
Like the seals before them, the trumpets are limited judgments. Whereas the seals affected 1/4 of the creation; now the trumpets affect 1/3. Thus, the trumpets do not symbolize the complete unfettering of God’s wrath, which would result in the total annihilation of evil. Rather, they indicate that God’s anger remains restrained.
Yet even though the judgments are limited, there is nevertheless a clear progression from 1/4 to 1/3. This gives us a sense of increasing severity. It warns the reader that comprehensive judgment is approaching. Indeed, the complete wrath of God is unveiled in chapter 16, when the seven bowls bring about the total destruction of evil.
John’s narrative forces us to ask a key question: why would God limit his wrath against wickedness? The answer begins to emerge at the end of chapter 9: “All the other people, the ones who had not been killed in these plagues, did not repent of the things they had made. They did not stop worshipping demons and idols…nor did they repent of their murders, their sorcery, their sexual immorality or their stealing.”
Here we find a partial answer to our question: God’s chooses to restrain his anger in order to give wayward humanity the opportunity to repent. God is gracious and patient; he is not bent on simply crushing rebellious humans. Rather, God desires that people amend their mistaken ways so that they might find forgiveness and new life.
Yet this passage also tells us that the limited judgments of God have failed to bring about the intended response. Despite the seals and trumpets, humans persist in the worship of idols; they obstinately continue to practice murder, immorality and stealing.
This raises a second order question: if God’s wrath alone fails to bring people to their senses, then how can they be brought to repentance?
John has answered this vital question by presenting two interludes. So far, he has described two sets of judgments – the seals and the trumpets. But the two sets do not simply proceed directly from one to seven. In between the sixth and seventh judgments, John interrupts the sequence by inserting an interlude. The first interlude, following the sixth seal, occupies chapter 7. The second interlude follows the sixth trumpet, beginning at chapter 10 and running all the way through 11:13. The importance of these interludes for grasping the overall message of Revelation can hardly be overstated.
As you might expect based on their parallel structure, both interludes develop the same theme: the suffering and sacrifice of God’s holy people.
The first interlude gives us two visions of God’s people. In the book of Revelation, the number 12 and its multiples (12 x 12 = 144) symbolize the people of God. Therefore, we should not be surprised that the first vision describes “144,000…from all the tribes of the children of Israel.” John’s second vision describes “a huge gathering which nobody could possibly count, from every nation and tribe and people and language.” This multitude stands before the throne of God and celebrates his salvation.
Both visions portray the same reality. Under the old covenant, the nation of Israel constituted God’s people. But now, through loyalty to Jesus, God has made a way for people of every nation to join his people.
John is told, “these are the ones who have come out of the great suffering [thlipseos]. They have washed their clothes and made them white in the blood of the lamb.” The vision indicates that the people of God must pass through a time of great tribulation. They will encounter severe persecution and might even lose their lives on account of their faith. Yet God promises to vindicate them by raising them from the dead to enjoy his blessing forever.
John’s second interlude is a lengthy, complex passage which deserves much greater attention than we can now give it. Alas, we must again greatly simplify. John introduces two strange witnesses who prophesy to the nations while clothed in sackcloth. These witnesses are symbols of the church, which has been given the vital task of calling all people to repentance and faith. For a time, the witnesses are protected from harm. But when they have completed their testimony, the forces of darkness are allowed to make war upon them “and will defeat and kill them.” Yet their defeat is by no means final. God vindicates them by raising them to new life and bringing them into his presence.
The concluding phrase of this interlude is absolutely crucial. “The rest were very much afraid and glorified the God of heaven.” (11:13) We noted that at the end of chapter 9, the limited judgments of God failed to bring about repentance. But now the outcome is dramatically different. Thanks to the faithful witness of the church, people of every nation are brought to glorify the one true God. Whereas the judgments alone failed, the sacrificial suffering of God’s people will succeed.
This outcome provides us with additional insight into our earlier question, “Why would God limit his wrath against wickedness?” We can now answer in full: God delays final judgment so that people have time to repent – and this repentance will come about through the faithful witness of God’s people.
Far too many Christians have been taught that God will rapture his church out of the world prior to a time of tribulation. The book of Revelation gives us a very, very different framework. John prophesied that the tribulation of Christians would soon commence. This time of suffering would continue down through history until the moment when Jesus returns in power and completely destroys the forces of darkness. During this time of affliction, the church must remain engaged in the world because it has a decisive role to play. Christians have been called to bear faithful witness even to the point of death. Our suffering and sacrifice will be the key to bringing people of every nation into God’s eternal kingdom.
